The travel and tourism industry has been among the hardest hit in this pandemic and almost a year later with minimum support, it is still fighting for survival. The traffic light lists have been revealed with just a handful of destinations marked as green with most being countries we can’t fly to anyway and all with restrictions of some description or other. However, hurrah! International travel will reopen from 17th May so post pandemic holidays are back on! Although there are many who understandably can’t book for whatever reason or who simply don’t want to travel but equally there are those who can give the industry the lift it so desperately needs by taking the hit and booking that trip. Are you one of them?
There’s no doubt about it, organising post-pandemic holidays in 2021 will be no mean feat. You’ll need to plan like you’ve never planned before, be prepared for every possible eventuality, pay out more than you normally would and take your chances on that roulette wheel of luck.
However, don’t let the latest kick in the stomach travel wise put you off. Some hits are harder than others, you don’t need to play all your cards and there are ways to offset the risk. Should you take the hit and book that trip?
In any normal year, planning a holiday requires consideration of a number of factors but post -pandemic holidays are going to need a bigger checklist than ever. If you want to travel in 2021, you’ll need to be able to tick as many of the following boxes as possible.
Are you prepared to……?
| not receive a full refund if you cannot travel |
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| postpone to a later date if you cannot travel or accept a refund credit note |
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| consider a change of destination or itinerary |
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| quarantine when you arrive back in the UK should your destination be re-classified amber or red (either at home or in a hotel accordingly) | |
| take out travel insurance | |
| spend more time planning your trip | |
| be tested for Covid-19 both at home and your destination | |
| cover the costs of pre and post flight testing for red, amber and green countries | |
| expose self to higher risk by travelling especially if not vaccinated | |
| deal with changes to restrictions/traffic light listings |
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| wear a mask for long periods of time |
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| stand in long queues at border controls |
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| make alternative arrangements to get home if end up stranded |
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| book a package holiday with a reputable agent for increased protection | |
| play post pandemic travel roulette and take your chances |
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Needless to say, if you’ve not ticked many boxes, then booking a holiday right now is maybe not the best plan for 2021. However if you are in tick box heaven then maybe you can take the hit and book that trip after all?
To help you on your way, I’ve teamed up with Award Winning Travel Counsellor Emma Savage to make your post pandemic holiday dreams a reality.
Weigh up all the pros and cons with my essential ‘Are you prepared to? ‘ travel checklist and choose with confidence with Emma’s top travel recommendations as a leading travel agent. We’ve got all you need to make an informed vacation decision this year. Make sure you watch this space for the latest info on where to go and when plus all the help and advice you need to book that post pandemic holiday you’ve been dreaming of. We’ve done the hard work so you don’t have to.
Happy travelling!
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