Now that the quarantine is nearing its end, travel restrictions have begun to be eased in many countries, especially since tourism will be key to the economic recovery of many destinations. I want to emphasize that in this post, I am not encouraging travel, simply as a travel blog, I intend to share necessary information for those people who decide to travel or those who have to do it for personal reasons. All without losing the respect and pain for the human losses that the coronavirus has caused.
This is a complicated post because I want to be as objective as possible. Although I think that it is still too early to resume those vacations that were canceled due to the coronavirus, I know that for many, traveling is a way to relax a little after all the stress caused by the pandemic. Especially those who can only take vacations once a year and do not want to miss the only opportunity to get out even under new conditions.
Not to mention the more than 197 million travel and tourism related jobs that the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) predicts could be lost if travel restrictions continue. Although the same council gives a slightly more encouraging scenario if the restrictions are lifted for the month of June. This is probably the reason why many countries began to open up to tourism again.
Although the measures recommended by the WTTC are not mandatory and each destination or company will take its own measures based on what the governments dictate, it is very likely that all the protocols are similar.
So if you have already decided to travel, I recommend you to stay informed, follow the official instructions, take your precautions and above all respect and be aware that this is all part of the “new normal”. Here are some factors to take into account:
‘Safe travels’ stamp
Health experts, government entities, tourism industry associations and the WTTC worked together to establish a series of global health and hygiene protocols so that the traveler can identify those places that have this guarantee and can feel more secure.
This will be the first stamp to be implemented in response to Covid-19, also endorsed by the World Tourism Organization. It will be the same WTTC who will grant this security stamp to tourist destinations. For example, in Mexico, the first to obtain it were Cancun, Baja California Sur, Yucatan, the Mexican Caribbean and the Riviera Nayarita.
Hotels y restaurants
Within the protocols, the hotels will have greater controls for deep cleaning and disinfection and will integrate technologies and mobile applications to automate certain procedures, such as check-in and payment methods to avoid physical contact. There will be social distancing, use of face masks, they will limit the capacity in common areas, etc. They may perform temperature checks on guests.
In their restaurants and bars, they will digitize services, for example the menus (I read that in some hotels in the Riviera Maya for example, you will have the menu available on your cell phone). Buffets will also be eliminated, everything will be disinfected better, leaving more space between diners and between tables.
If you travel on your own (without a travel agency to guide you in this matter), I recommend you to check the changes and new measures that the hotel where you are staying will take, to know how this new normality will affect you and what are the stamps of security that they will implement.
Airports and planes
Airports and airport protocols -although they may vary- have generally been designed to provide greater security to passengers. Surely, with all the changes, you will have to arrive more hours in advance to the airport. There will be health screenings and evaluation points, antibacterial gel stations, mandatory use of face masks at airports, and probably throughout the flight -at least for some time-.
A very important point is that they will take more hygienic measures for the check-in process where physical contact will be reduced (do you remember seeing all the fingerprints on the self-service check-in screens?). Well, now they will have to modify the use of digital screens through new technologies to prevent you from touching them or asking you to arrive at the airport with everything printed. This is why it is important that you check with your airline or travel agency if you should take everything printed to avoid surprises at the airport.
A plus point: airport restrooms should be cleaner and disinfected, always! Just like planes in general.
Destination selection
At least in the coming months, you will have to take into account new factors before choosing the destination to which you are going to travel. I suggest the following points:
- Know the requirements for entering the country: although many countries are announcing their reopening dates, make sure what the entry conditions are. Some may request up to 14 days of quarantine before allowing you to move freely around the country.
- Choose a destination: now is not the ideal time to take trips that include many countries, but if you have already decided to go on vacation, try to travel to only one place. There are places that have so much to offer that we sometimes fail to enjoy them because of that desire to move on to the next destination. At least in the next few months, focus on just one (or a few) and get more out of them. Another option is to choose border destinations, some countries created what they call a “travel bubble”, which is like a bridge between a few countries that have overcome the coronavirus, so that people travel safely only within those places.
- Choose less saturated destinations: maybe it is time to give less touristy places a chance, to avoid crowds. No matter how much “healthy distance” is imposed, there are cities where the number of tourists will continue to imply more risk than in others. Think on the positive side, you will help the economy of a tourist destination that will surely have more difficulty recovering than another that is already more famous.
These are difficult times for everyone, you have to take all this with patience and learning. All these measures can be tedious, but they are made for the protection of the traveler.
At Tripdreaming, we are committed to keep our travelers informed about the new protocols and security measures that governments and companies will take in different tourist destinations. The safety of our travelers is and will continue to be our priority.
Foto © Courtesy of Perla Córdova
