Most of the people reading this blog are from the USA. While we’re still under travel bans, this post isn’t to encourage traveling during the pandemic. Many countries around the world are beginning to travel again and at some point, we will too. The future of travel is going to get better but for now – there are some small things we can do now to mentally prepare before we plan trips again.
During the end of the Covid-19 pandemic, people from all over the world are beginning to travel again but we should keep certain precautions in mind. These tips are considerations for future travels.
Keep Your Mask Handy
Even when we aren’t required to wear masks anymore, you never know who will require them or how quickly a situation could change while you’re traveling. As quickly as Covid-19 spread, there could always be another outbreak of the same virus or something new.
Masks are something I’ll be throwing in my bag from now until all of this dies down. The future of travel depends on so many factors that we can control, but we can control our level of preparedness.
MOnitor Your Destination
Before any trip – it’s a good idea to research your destination and make sure the area is stable. Flights will take you anywhere – but that doesn’t mean you should travel somewhere. Many states in the US are requiring masks and two-week quarantines. Other countries are requiring negative Covid-19 tests 72 hours before flying, health visas, and varying quarantines in your rooms. I don’t think the quarantines will last forever – but the health visas may be here to stay! Get familiar with requirements by visiting the Embassies for each individual destination on your bucket list.
There’s also a great app called ‘App In The Air’ that you can use for all of your questions on where’s available to travel and the current state of your desired destination. The future of travel may seem a little bleak right now but things are opening up again soon! This app is great because you can get real-time notifications/alerts on your destination, but you can also set up alerts for your family to let them know what’s happening with your travels!
Besides just the prevalence of Covid-19 in the area – other considerations revolve around what will be open. You’ve likely noticed in your home towns that restaurants, grocery stores, and attractions aren’t opening with the same hours they were. You’ll likely need to plan in advance to get tickets or reserve your spot for free events.
Consider Travel Insurance
Travel insurance isn’t something we’ve really ever considered before. It was always a gamble when we’ve travelled, but because we’ve done so much research – it always ended up being fine. With the reality of Covid-19 spreading across the globe, no trips are really going to be ‘risk-free’ at least through 2021 as far as the pandemic’s concerned.
The hardest part of figuring out how to buy trip insurance right now is figuring out if they will cover Covid-19 related expenses. There are a few considerations for getting any Covid-19 expenses covered, and the general consensus seems to be that Covid-19 can’t be a known danger to the area when you book your trip.
Another option is buying a CFAR Travel Insurance Upgrade. CFAR means ‘Cancel For Any Reason’ as an add-on to your policy. The most popular travel insurance company right now is World Nomads. Click here for their info on Covid-19 protection.
Keep Your Medications/ Toiletries In Stock
Avoiding areas where sick people have to go is probably a good practice if you can help it. Avoiding stressful toothbrushes-less situations is a good idea in general when traveling – but especially now that we’re ready to start traveling again. Incidentals like toothbrushes, deodorant and birth control should really be things you plan ahead for these days!!
I personally like to use these packing cubes to make sure I’m organized before every trip!
Pack Food And Water In Case Restaurants CLose
There could be another shutdown and the last thing you want is to not be able to get something to eat! If you’re road tripping – it would be so easy to throw a few wattle bottles, granola bars and dried fruit in a little bag in your car!
If you’re flying somewhere – it’s super easy to grab a few incidentals when you get to your destination!! Especially if you’re taking a red-eye flight for a budget travel – it’s highly unlikely that you’re going to find anything open!
Consider Renting Out of The Way Accommodations
For our anniversary trip to Asheville this October – we rented a cabin a little further away from Asheville. It’s the only cabin on the property and we can stay away from people for the most part. Hotels and resorts are typically only at 30% capacity – but you can support locals and book Airbnb’s that have been empty for months now!! A lot of locals who own Airbnbs lost a lot of revenue while everything was shut down.
Typically when I’m thinking about booking a place for even a quick weekend getaway – I try to stay closer to the action. During these crazy times – I’m probably going to focus more on booking stays that are a vacation all by themselves!
Explore Socially Distanced Trips
For anyone getting married this year, a small trip might be needed! If you’re wondering where to travel – take a look at my post on socially distanced US trips! There are plenty of locations around the US that would provide great camping or even a cabin in the woods with some great hiking trails nearby!
A great trip can also just be seclusion itself. You don’t actually have to go anywhere outside of the location if it’s pretty enough. For our first year anniversary – we rented a cabin in Red River Gorge. There was a hot tub, a full kitchen and the woods. That’s really all we needed.
See here for some great Airbnb stays that feel like a vacation all by themselves!!
The Future Of Traveling Looks Overall Positive
I really think the future of traveling is going to be positive. It may mean we need to book more eco conscious trips, go on more volunteer oriented trips, and be conscious of our carbon footprints. (Because yes I do believe our irresponsibility as travelers probably contributed to the crazy spread of Covid-19!)
People want to travel! The quarantine fatigue is real!! Don’t worry too much about being able to travel again. It’ll happen, even if it looks a little different for a little while.
