How Tour Operators Are Adapting as Travel Restarts What to expect if you're considering guided group trips in 2021 by Ken Budd, AARP, April 6, 2021 | Comments: grandriver/Getty Images If you think it's tough running a tour company in a pandemic, guess what? You're right. As governments issued travel bans in March 2020, tour operators scrambled to whisk their clients home. Some companies shifted from international to domestic tours; others, such as Exodus Travels and not-for-profit Road Scholar, hosted virtual programs. Every company canceled tours, which was painful for clients and tour operators alike. "We plan these tours years in advance,” says Matt Thompson, brand manager for Country Walkers, a Vermont company offering both guided and self-guided walking trips. “It's really depressing to see them canceled."