Last month we commented on the pent-up demand for travel and what looked to be an unprecedented explosive rebound for the travel industry following the devastating impact of the pandemic. While interest in travel continues to be very strong, recent news stories about surging COVID numbers and the Delta variant have tempered the public’s enthusiasm for travel once again.  For those of us in the travel business, it has been an emotional roller-coaster ride with no clear end in sight. Having experienced the joy and relief of seeing the light at the end of the tunnel earlier this summer, it is utterly heartbreaking to see travel delays and trip cancellations on the rise again. With all the uncertainties, changing guidelines and the possibility of delays or cancellations, it is more important now than ever to have a professional travel advisor by your side. We are here to advocate for you, our clients, whether that means sifting through the constantly in-flux travel restrictions and COVID testing requirements for various destinations, or helping process refunds for trip cancellations.

On a more positive note, the U.S. National Parks have attracted large numbers of visitors this summer and they continue to be a popular destination for those wishing to satisfy their travel bug while remaining in  the continental U.S. For our Travel Video share this month, we invite you to visit one of the nation’s most sublime and beautiful locales, Yosemite National Park. It has been said that if there is one site in California that rates as a place to see before you die, Yosemite is it.  Located about 180 miles east of San Francisco and covering nearly 1,200 square miles, Yosemite is perhaps best known for its breathtaking waterfalls, but visitors can also find giant sequoia trees, granite cliffs, vast meadows, clear streams, lakes, mountains, glaciers and much more. Yosemite draws about four million visitors each year, and most visitors spend the majority of their time in the seven square miles of Yosemite Valley, which represents only one percent of the entire park area. Popular sites there include Tunnel View, the iconic vista of towering Bridalveil Fall, and the granite cliffs of El Capitan, Sentinel Dome and Half Dome.

This month’s featured video, created by Aussie-based cinematographer Michael Fletcher, is entitled Yosemite in Black and White. Okay, filming Yosemite in black-and-white is not exactly a novel idea. American landscape photographer Ansel Adams, who was given his first camera during a visit to Yosemite National Park at age 12, is famous for his world-renowned, iconic black-and-white images of that area. Ironically, Mr. Fletcher’s decision to render his imagery to black-and-white had more to do with the effect of the crystal blue skies on his color detail and the limited 24-hour time period he had in the park to capture the footage than paying homage to the legendary photographer. But as you will soon see, the resemblance to Ansel Adam’s work is unmistakable. Also of note, the accompanying soundtrack by composer Oliver Ledbury, entitled Skye at Night, is both haunting and addictive.  We hope you enjoy this month’s Travel Video share, Yosemite in Black and White!

The Avant Team