Take some of the edges off your upcoming travel holiday

Helpful Travel Tips in the New Normal

Confused about the ever-changing quarantine/lockdown rules and travel restrictions? You are not alone. If you are not about to push back plans to travel to next year, prepare to be further befuddled by 2021 travel rules.  First and foremost, get a definite answer to the big question, Is it safe to fly right now? Then, it pays to be ready with the required travel documents, including health requirements, to spend wisely, and transact in a safe manner.

With most people looking forward to the upcoming holidays and hoping to be near loved ones, Christmas travel inevitably comes to mind.  The reality is that Covid travel mandates across the world have required additional steps, like verifiable Covid test results plus other health documents and travel pass.

For those who have been cooped up at home for close to, or over, a year, the burning desire to travel can stir up thoughts and plans on where to travel in 2021. Just last summer, online travel searches and actual bookings surged, with a huge chunk of travelers willing to fly, while others prefer to use cars, deemed as the safest way to travel in terms of sanitation, especially for those with young kids.

Some Trends in Travel

Lots of carefree American vacationers did not take long to ponder on when will it be safe to travel again, and lost no time flocking to Florida, Hawaii and other beach destinations for relaxation after a highly stressful year. Most establishments have long started operating at limited capacity, while others have lifted restrictions.  The overriding concern of officials is still to avoid spikes in coronavirus cases in certain states.

Households with senior family members – especially those who are immunocompromised — tended to think twice about traveling, since seniors fall in the higher risk group susceptible to Covid-19.  Cases of older people suffering severely or perishing after catching symptoms of Covid-19 need to be taken into account.

Non-vaccinated individuals are also not advised to travel yet. Then again, while being vaccinated does lower risk of getting severe illness and becoming a fatality, it is not impossible for a vaccinated person to still get Covid-19.  Extra precaution, even when on covid safe vacations, is still needed. So are stringent virus-related restrictions, as most places brace to return to “normal” or reopen. Unfortunately, in some localities, some people appear to have become unconcerned or negligent about wearing masks, physical distancing, and observing restrictions on indoor gatherings. 

In other countries, like the Philippines, newer and more deadly variants of Covid have made many would-be travelers postpone international travel plans. Because of this, most individuals have opted to travel right and explore places nearer home, adding to brisker business for domestic travel. Among the favored places are Boracay.

People embarking on summer travel or leisure/family trips for the upcoming holidays need to consider some important requirements, including the following:

• Most destinations still require negative result on Covid-19 tests or the manadatory quarantine for arriving visitors.
• The CDC guidance for travelersmay vary. Travelers who are fully vaccinated with an FDA-authorized COVID-19 vaccine can travel during pandemic to the US.

Whether for domestic or international travel bookings, some travelers have stacked trips, or buy two trips over the same time period to ensure not being left out in the cold or with no trip at all when cancellation does occur.

It is good to pay attention to, and be updated on, other country-specific restrictions on international travel, especially if you will be posting or discussing `is it safe to travel ?’ in popular social media sites. As of October, travel trends 2021 in certain countries like New Zealand include quarantine-free travel, provided there was a negative PCR test result taken within 72 hours of departure time of the flight to Australia; and proof of being fully vaccinated. Those who have stayed in either New Zealand or Australia for 14 days can fly between Australia and New Zealand quarantine-free sans a travel exemption.

Holiday International Travel 2021

For those who have decided to push through with their holiday international travel 2021 plans, there are still a lot of “what if” questions beyond flight delays and cancellations. Yet even if Covid still looms, the holiday travel season is expected to go high gear, so strategies to survive can be helpful. If you really must embark on a trip during the upcoming holidays, keep in mind travel safety tips that include a medical check-up, disciplined use of masks and avoidance of overcrowded places, apart from following health protocols when traveling for vacation or business.  All of these count for something – protection and wellness.

At the end of the day, travel safety is very important, during the upcoming holidays and beyond. As you protect yourself from the scourge of Covid-19, so will you be protecting your immediate family members and other people you interact with on a daily basis. The upcoming holidays 2021 is different from years past in so far as going the extra mile to stay safe is concerned. Your 2021 travel will also be more memorable in a positive way if you are prepared to pay your way while on vacation.