With more than half of humanity under various lockdown and shelter-in-place orders at the height of the crisis, many countries shutting their borders and international flights being severely curtailed – 2020 will undoubtedly be remembered as a terrible year for the travel industry.
Yet, all experts agree: Travel will quickly pick up again once restrictions are lifted. In fact, many people are already busy planning their next trip (more than 72% of Americans, according to a survey by Overseas Leisure Group).
Naturally, the big question on everyone’s mind is how to choose a destination that guarantees safety and peace of mind while travelling. We came up with a checklist of important factors to keep in mind when organizing your next vacation or business trip.
Bottom line: be selective and attentive to details, stay informed about the situation on the ground. Think about everything that could influence your health and safety while selecting your next destination.
What are the local restrictions in place?
☐ Are hotels operating as usual?
☐ Are restaurants and tourist attractions open?
☐ If you are travelling for business, are offices and places of work open? Are you allowed to meet with colleagues or clients?
What is the health situation on the ground?
☐ How many active Covid-19 cases are there? How many new cases per day are reported?
☐ Are infections contained to a specific region or are they spread around the country?
☐ Does the destination have good healthcare infrastructure? Are you confident you can get good medical treatment locally?
☐ Can you be easily repatriated should the need arise?
Can you maintain appropriate protective measures while travelling?
☐ Can you maintain reasonable social distancing?
☐ Will you need to use public transportation or will you able to rent a car and travel solo?
☐ Do you trust the local hospitality industry to maintain appropriate hygiene measures?
Above all, do you have good travel insurance?
☐ Does it provide good medical coverage?
Exercising a little caution now will go a long way in ensuring you fully enjoy your vacation or make the most of your business trip!
