So here we are – three weeks into 2021, eyes and ears wide open for any bit of news regarding the possibility of being able to travel this year after being grounded for almost all of 2020. And if we can travel, will options for destinations be limited? Will we truly be able to go back to the business of exploring the world or will we be confined to our own borders? What is travel going to look like? Will it just go back to the way it was pre-pandemic? Or look a little or even entirely different?
Yes – these are all valid questions that not only have I heard from my clients and potential clients, but my fellow travel advisors, our partners and even from my friends and relatives – oh and from myself. Like you, I have questions. But possibly unlike you – I know where to find the answers and aim to provide you with the most up-to-date reliable information that is out there at any given time.
What Will Travel Look Like?
Of course, no one knows for sure what lies ahead as far as travel this year, but it is already shaping up to be much more promising than the travel landscape of last year. Numerous international destinations reopened after being subjected to a global shut down in the better part of 2020 – with more opening their borders up as the weeks go by – our horizons are certainly broadening, even if the ways that we have to go about our journeys are quite different in look and feel. From hand sanitizer dispensers every few feet, to masks being required for entry to pretty much everywhere other people are, presenting negative COVID-19 tests, health screenings, mandatory quarantines and more – it sure looks a heck lot different than it did one short year ago.
Thanks to two approved vaccines with a third one looking hopeful – the demand for travel is on the rise, bucket lists are being pulled out, suitcases are getting dusted off and bookings are coming in. Yes – emphatically yes, we are going to be able to travel in 2021 and the majority of you whom I speak with are more than ready to travel – whether it be by just dipping your toes in or diving in headfirst.
That being said, we do need to be prepared for the ongoing changes and updates regarding CDC requirements until we beat this creature called coronavirus. Thankfully, all sectors of the industry have loosened their cancel and postponement penalties which is a huge win for the consumer. It boils down to yes – go ahead and book that vacation you didn’t get to take last year, and if necessary, you can reschedule it without the costs and hassles that used to come along with doing so. Be rest assured my friends I will be the one who will be verifying with each of my partners exactly what their process is so that you will be well informed before putting any money down.
Where Can I Travel To?
As of this writing, traveling internationally is still tricky thanks to the recent CDC mandate that everyone arriving in the United States must present a negative COVID-19 test to enter or re-enter as that includes US Citizens. Many major hotels and resorts are working to make this as easy as possible for its US visitors by obtaining tests that will be available to their guests prior to their departure either for a nominal fee or some even complimentary. And although that may be just a handful right now – I am confident that it will become a more widespread practice as time goes on. Meaning that international travel is not out of the question by any means. It simply depends on your comfort level, where you want to visit and the availability and access to testing to ensure a smooth trip back home.
The other option is exploring our little corner of the world until we can once again come and go freely without the COVID-19 cloud hanging over our heads. With fifty states that offer pretty much any type of landscape, climate, activities, cuisine, wellness, culture and history that means your options are plentiful. And my friends, sometimes the treasures we find in our own backyards are the ones that we cherish the most.
Trust Your Travels to Thia!
As always, I am here for you – to guide you, to reassure you, to offer you options you may not have considered in the past – and most importantly to keep you informed. From start to finish you have my unwavering support and guidance no matter what your comfort level may look like right now. Whether it is heading to an open Caribbean Island for wellness and peace in the warmth of the sun or visiting a spa after a day of skiing at one of the amazing mountain resorts in the US – I am here to make sure you have the experience of a lifetime. Contact me today to get started on planning your next adventure!
Yours in travel,
Thia
