As weather begins to warm across the country and vaccines slowly roll out to a larger percentage of the population, more people are starting to tentatively look toward spring to plan a vacation. But despite the temptation to throw caution to the wind and "return to normal" during travel, experts warn that basic safety measures such as handwashing, masking and social distancing remain of the utmost priority. IU experts on travel, tourism, public health and risk perception are available to discuss how to travel and dine out safely, the potential impact of spring travel on the tourism industry, and creative ways to engage in safe getaways this spring.

 

Thomas Duszynski

Expertise: Local and state public health, infectious disease, epidemiology, field epidemiology, public health surveillance (the continuous, systematic collection, analysis and interpretation of health-related data needed for the planning, implementation and evaluation of public health practice), public health leadership.

Thomas Duszynski has worked in public health for more than 20 years.

Evan Jordan

Expertise: Travel, tourism, leisure, AirBnB, vacation rentals, vacations, overtourism, tourism development, sustainability, planning, development, psychology.

Evan Jordan is an assistant professor in the School of Public Health-Bloomington's Department of Health & Wellness Design.

Becky Liu-Lastres

Expertise: Crisis management and risk management in tourism and hospitality, employee well-being in hospitality, risk perceptions and personal protective behaviors, organizational behavior in hospitality.

Becky Liu-Lastres is an assistant professor in the Department of Tourism, Event and Sport Management.

Amy Vaughan

Expertise: Tourism, tourism marketing, Indiana tourism, destination development, community development, careers in tourism, events and sports management, collaborations with tourism industry partners.

Amy Vaughan is a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Tourism, Event Management and Sport Management at IUPUI.

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