Facing Our Travel Fears
I was quoted in a Washington Post article! Pretty pumped that Wunderbird got a shout out in an article that explores a topic that I know is on every travel-lovers’ mind: how will we overcome our travel fears? Check out the article, but let me take a moment to elaborate on my comments.
We can make predictions about what travel will look like in the future — more road trips, less flights to choose from, more health screenings — but no one knows. Our travel plans will be up in the air and will hold unknown risks for… a while. At least another 18 to 24 months, but many industry experts suspect it’ll be 5 years or more. This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t travel, but there are some things to consider.
The first — and most obvious — step is to consider the laws in your state and your destination. Recently I talked to a friend about canceling her (eagerly anticipated and incredibly difficult to schedule) family vacation because France’s borders are closed through the end of July. Can’t land in your destination? Cancel. Is your governor telling you to stay home? Stay home. Easy.
As a travel consultant, I can talk you through the logistics. Are you healthy? Are you high risk? Do you live with someone who is high risk? Do you have the luxury to self-isolate if you travel somewhere still reporting new cases? These are easy yes or no questions.
The decision to travel becomes more complicated when we factor in our feelings.
Travel is (usually) about stepping into the unknown. We take a risk when we fly thousands of miles on an airplane to explore distant lands. This pandemic adds a new layer of complexity to the risk we take traveling. As states and international borders begin to open and we start to plan travel again, we’ll need to carefully balance the facts and our willingness to take a risk. I can walk you through the rules and regulations, but I can’t tell you yes or no on booking your next trip.
And now for two pieces of practical advice. If you are planning a trip this summer or fall, make sure all your reservations have flexible cancellation policies and seriously consider “cancel for any reason” travel insurance (the only kind that covers pandemics).
Yes, travel will change. But the curiosity and sense of adventure that drives us to explore is still with us, right? Heck, I think it’s even been amplified through this quarantine. So, happy travels (eventually), friends.