When Can We Travel Again...?

Now that we are into our 7th month of the COVID Pandemic the question of 'when can I travel' has been floating around for a while.
In all honesty, you can legally travel whenever you want to destinations that are open to accepting travelers. The Government of Canada still has an Advisory in place against Non-Essential travel. Technically leisure travel is not deemed to be essential, however if you are willing to accept the associated risks of traveling while there is an advisory in place you can legally travel.

First and foremost it is important to note that at the time of writing this there is a Mandatory 14-day quarantine period that you must abide by upon returning to Canada from any International destination. If you have the ability to work from home this might not be an issue for you.

Secondly, not all destinations are open to travelers at this time. Even Atlantic Canada remains closed to residents from other parts of Canada (at the time of writing this post).

The Canadian / US Border remains closed through to the end of November at this time (likely to be extended).
Effective yesterday (October 21st) the EU removed Canadians from its list of approved travelers.
Border closures can happen at anytime without notice, leaving any travelers who are there in a very vulnerable situation.

There are many Countries however who are welcoming tourists with open arms.

Some of the risks associated with traveling Internationally at this time include:

No repatriation flights, as there is a government advisory in place, should you choose to travel against this advisory and borders close, the Government will not be coming for you. It is up to you to find your own way home at your own cost.

Insurance coverage is limited, be sure to read the fine print to ensure you are okay with any associated risks.
Anything not covered by insurance will need to be covered by the traveler.

The travel you book is subject to being changed or cancelled, travelers need to be prepared for this possibility. It is extremely important to review and understand the Terms & Conditions of the travel that you are booking.

Booking and Cancellation Fees are the new normal, Travel Agents and Agencies work on commissions paid to them by the Suppliers when Clients travel, these commissions do not increase the rate you pay for the travel. Agents and Agencies are not compensated for their time spent researching travel, or cancelling travel on their Clients behalf. Travel Agents have spent countless hours working for free over the past several months, advocating on their clients behalf for travels that have had to be cancelled and rescheduled.

Many Agents and Agencies have implemented nominal fees to help compensate for the time they spend working with their Clients. They have experienced first hand the number of hours it takes to connect with a Supplier over a trip that needs to be cancelled by the client, or has been cancelled by the supplier. It is not uncommon to spend many hours on hold speaking with multiple people with the issue left unresolved.

In this travel climate, it makes sense to leave the complicated and time consuming cancellation process to the professionals, paying your Agent a nominal cancellation fee will save you hours of your own time and headaches.

What to expect when traveling
If you are okay with all of the above, you might enjoy a quieter travel experience than in the past. Resort occupancies are down considerably. There are many safety protocols in place including masks and sanitization stations throughout Airports, masks must be worn for the duration of your flight, in flight services have been paired down from last experiences, masks to be worn during transfers and in common areas of the resort. Social Distancing is in place at resorts. Your travel experience will not be the same that you are used to, a lot of things have changed, so approaching travel during the COVID Pandemic with the appropriate expectations is very important.

If now is not the right time for you, you may want to consider booking your future travels when they become available. Many people are already booking into 2021, 2022 and beyond. The prices will be much more reasonable booking now than when they will be once the Travel Advisory is lifted. Pricing for travel is based in supply & demand, once the advisory is lifted demand will be through the roof and there will be limited availability.

The above info is more specific to traveling Internationally, there are a lot of Domestic Travel Options. However we also need to be mindful of regional rollbacks and case counts...

If you’re ready to start looking at travel whether for now or in the future please reach out to us, you can also view current specials on our website at www.exclusivetoyoutravel.ca

Written By: Steph Switzer, Agency Owner & Senior Travel Designer

sswitzer@exclusivetoyoutravel.com