With travel restrictions frequently changing in response to levels of across the world, how are travelers meant to keep up to date? Here are some of the best resources and considerations when planning your trip.
Useful tools
A very useful tool is IATA’s travel regulations map, providing an overview of the current entry criteria for every country worldwide.
While each country is unique, it’s evident that countries are becoming increasingly divided into those offering travel corridors with selected destinations, those requiring negative tests before or after arrival, or both, and those who don’t allow foreign nationals in for any reason.
Travel corridors have become normalized for travel within , albeit subject to short notice changes that create daunting planning conditions for travelers and travel companies alike. While government websites (Ireland, UK, France) communicate official policies, social media accounts (e.g., @BenkersBen and @PPaulCharles on Twitter) can provide advance notice of changes in government policy based on the rise in COVID-19 cases in different destinations.
After spending a few hours online, you may begin to feel better informed and might even compile a list of potential destinations. and , for instance, currently appear to be promising options for some late-season sunshine.
Short-term planning
So what should you do with this information? The key term here is “short.” Short-term planning, short-haul travel, limited booking windows, and short trips are essential strategies at this time.
Short-term planning has become a necessity and is what the industry anticipates for the remainder of the year. Consequently, short booking windows have emerged, enabling travelers to take advantage of the good availability on flights.
Short-haul travel is the simple reality of what’s presently possible. With many parts of , , and presenting challenging or prohibitive entry processes for non-residents, securing a long-haul adventure can be frustrating. However, this doesn’t entirely remove adventure travel from the equation. For example, remains a fantastic outdoor destination, albeit requiring a COVID test on arrival for those traveling from within Europe.
Short trips offer the best protection against rapidly changing restrictions.
Note that just because your government states it’s permissible to travel somewhere, that doesn’t mean the destination is welcoming visitors at this time. In fact, the reverse is often true. The UK government’s list of exempted countries can be misleading for planning purposes; while it lists destinations like , , and , these areas are, for the most part, effectively closed to foreign nationals. Moreover, Vietnam requires visitors to quarantine in government facilities, at their own expense.
