Russia President Vladimir Putin’s Ukraine invasion has shaken the world economy.

“Our hearts go out to everyone affected by the Russia/Ukraine conflict,” says Tim Hentschel, Co-Founder & CEO, HotelPlanner. “Most governments across Europe have already responded strongly by closing its airspace to Russian airlines and flights.

And there’s no doubt that civilian travel & tourism in Russia and Ukraine has basically stopped, with the exception of foreign press and international aid organizations needing hotels and food, or people trying to leave the region.

Fortunately, we don’t anticipate the Russia/Ukraine conflict to impact the strong travel recovery we’re seeing across the U.S. and greater Europe. About 90% of Americans still plan to travel in the next six months, which is a very strong market indicator that we’ll surpass pre-pandemic travel spending levels in the coming months.

However, given record-high inflation, ongoing supply chain and labour challenges, and the new geopolitical uncertainty overseas, we encourage everyone to book all their 2022 travel plans and accommodations now, rather than waiting. Booking lower rates now acts as a hedge against future inflation and will save consumers money.”

Hentschel oversees the world’s largest group travel site. He has worked in the hospitality business for decades, and he’s constantly speaking to his industry leader peers and dissecting proprietary booking data.

Edited by: Stephen Morton