We know that planning your travels during the current COVID-19 outbreak isn’t as obvious as it sounds.
Normally, in uncertain times, our instinct is to hold off on making any decisions because anything can change from one day to the next. But travelling for so many of us is such a huge part of our lives, and something we look forward to and work towards.
If travel is important to you, planning for the next adventure can be really great for our motivation. It can give us more purpose in our day-to-day and generally just bring us a lot of joy. So let’s not treat future travel plans like it’s the elephant in the room. Instead, let’s try to to reignite that travel spark as best we can from the comfort of our own homes (for now…)
I’m not here to sugarcoat the current situation and how it will affect the way you travel. I think we all know that on a global scale, the travel and tourism industry will take some time to recover and rebuild better than ever before. But in the meantime, it won’t hurt to get inspired, get informed and get planning your next epic adventure. Trust me, you’ll want to be prepared because the minute that good news hits, you’ll be running to go catch that plane.
Get Inspired
This one’s easy. There is so much inspiring and relatable travel content out there. Focus your energy on this kind of stimulation, because it’s guaranteed to get you feeling energised and good again! It’s important for us to have something to work towards during this period when it can sometimes feel like we’re living Groundhog Day all over again.
You can’t travel just yet, but you can certainly start hyping yourself up. Feed your hungry travel soul and get your mind racing about the endless possibilities that are waiting for you on the other side of this. Think skydiving above the ocean. Watching the sunset with a beer in your hand and salty water on your skin. Tasting a new delicacy at the local markets. Hearing someone speak to you in a beautiful, unknown language. I don’t know about you, but I feel better already.
Watch some inspiring videos, read some informative and interesting travel blogs and get brainstorming on your dream trip. It can be doing something as simple as getting a pen and paper out and writing down a brief outline of what you want to do. Or watching a string of vlogs about the place you want to go and getting some insider tips of incredible spots that can’t be missed. Or reading up on what solo travelling is like and how to make the most of your gap year.
Call it a mood-boarding, call it self care, call it getting organised. What it ultimately is, is letting yourself feel good about something you’ve been deprived of recently, and getting excited about the idea of exploring, eating, drinking, swimming, laughing and living again.
Get Informed So You Feel Prepared
This includes reading up regularly on travel restrictions (national, state and local) that affect all countries of departure, transit and arrival. Some destinations may also still have quarantining requirements in place, so it’s worth checking this out as well.
When it comes to information of this nature, try to get it from formal, reliable sources like government and industry websites. What safety measures does this destination currently have in place to limit transmission? Is mask-wearing mandatory in certain areas or under certain circumstances? Will you need to be tested upon arrival? These are questions you need the answers to in order to feel more prepared and manage your expectations.
Another way to stay informed is to subscribe to newsletters and follow the social media channels of any local travel businesses you’re thinking of booking on with. They could be posting updates through their Instagram or Facebook accounts, or even with informative videos.
It’s in their best interest to keep their following informed with any updates that may concern them/you, whether they’re about visas, travel restrictions or their own business updates. It’s also nice to feel connected to the business and experience beforehand, particularly at a time like this when your trip can still seem quite far away and out of your hands.
More often than not, they will be grateful to have that connection too, so go on and slide into their DMs. Or just follow them, whatever.
Take Extra Measures To Deal With Uncertainty
When you’re ready to start booking things, make sure the airlines, accommodation providers and tour operators offer flexible options.
You want to feel comfortable knowing that you won’t be stuck should any unforeseen circumstances change your ability to travel or the business’ ability to provide a service.
Flexible options can mean anything from free date changes, to special COVID-19 cancellation terms, to ‘book now pay later’ options to affordable deposits to secure your booking. Having these options will leave you feeling reassured and confident, even in the face of uncertainty. To feel extra secure, get comprehensive travel insurance, and make sure to read the policy carefully.
Try to be as realistic as possible about the current situation before you make any decisions.
For example, let’s say you know that you want to come over to Australia on a Working Holiday Visa as soon as internationals are granted entry into the country. If you know that borders are still closed for the time being, with no specific date to reopen, I would personally hold off on applying for your visa.
While booking tours and accommodation is more realistic due to the offering of flexible options, there’s no rush to apply for your visa until you know more about when restrictions will ease and you’re more confident about being granted entry.
Reach Out To Travel Experts
When you’re ready, get in touch with people who actually know what they’re talking about.
Believe it or not, they probably more excited to talk to you than you would think! Travel is also a huge part of their lives, and not only have they had to stop doing it, they’ve had to slow down on living vicariously through you guys as well (for the time being).
Reach out to some experts, let them know what you want to do and see and let them help you make it a reality. Putting a solid travel plan together will be so exciting and rewarding, and done with an expert can leave you feeling confident and accomplished.
