The COVID-19 pandemic has been tough on everyone and traveling post-Covid will be an adventure. Avid travelers and adventurers, in particular, are feeling the lasting impacts of closed borders, canceled flights, and thwarted plans. Fortunately, many locations will be offering deals to attract travelers and tourists to stimulate their economy.
Here are some helpful tips for planning your first post-COVID adventure.
Invest in Travel and Health Insurance
It’s expected that the rules around travel insurance will change soon due to the pandemic and mass flight cancelations. Most airlines are feeling the financial burden of offering vouchers and refunding flights, on top of having fewer sales in recent months.
Whether it becomes a requirement or not, you should pay the extra money to invest in travel insurance. Read the fine print and ensure that you’re completely covered if you cannot go on your trip.
In addition to travel insurance, it’s also worth investing in health insurance to ensure you’re covered if you get sick while abroad. Many private health care providers offer travel-friendly coverage. Check with your provider or reach out for temporary coverage.
Look at the Local Situation and Regulations
While the impacts of the virus are wide-spread, different countries and regions have faired better than others. Before you book your trip, take an in-depth look at your desired destination to evaluate the number of active cases, how the cases are trending, and if some regions are doing better than others.
Remember to look at travel advisories and entry restrictions. Many countries are turning people away at the border, while others allow entry with strict isolation protocols. Some countries have no regulations or open access for travelers from specific areas.
Keep in mind that these rules could change at any time.
Plan for Downtime
You may spend a lot more time waiting while you travel in the post-COVID world. Lots of popular destinations have limits surrounding how many people can be on public transport or inside an attraction at one time. This means a lot of downtime to sit and wait while traveling.
Use this as an opportunity to build some skills using apps or catch up on your reading. Destination guides are some of the best books to read while on the move, especially when internet access is limited. Books with travel themes are also enjoyable, especially when they’re about your destination.
Book Activities in Advance
As operating hours and capacity limits may be decreased, it’s best to book your activities and transportation in advance. The same applies to hotels, hostels, and Airbnbs, as many may still be closed from the pandemic.
Have a Contingency Plan
While it’s important to stay positive while traveling, you need to let yourself think about the worst-case scenario. In a post-COVID world, that means planning what happens if another outbreak occurs while you’re abroad. Don’t hesitate to ask your airline what their contingency plan is for rebooking or getting people home should a situation transpire. homepage
Be Over Cautious with Sanitization
Add antibacterial wipes, masks, and hand sanitizer to your packing list. Masks, in particular, are required for traveling with many airlines and are expected to be a normal part of life for quite a while. Before traveling to a restaurant or attraction, check out their regulations surrounding wearing a mask before you go.
Put together or purchase a travel wellness kit to stay clean and healthy while navigating high-traffic areas.
Invest in a Communication Package
Many travelers turn off roaming and wait to be able to connect to wifi when traveling. It’s important to have continuous access to news updates and concerned friends and family members in the post-pandemic world.
Shell out for an international communication package on your phone. This will help you stay up to date when you can’t get on wifi and get ahead of any developing situations.
We’re all eager to get back on a plane and travel again. Playing it cautiously is essential when traveling during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.