After being locked down for months on end many people, like me, are itching to get travelling again. The idea of post-COVID travel is getting many of us through this incredibly difficult year.
However, with everything still so uncertain we don’t know what travelling this year, or even next, will look like. We don’t even know when the next time we will be able to set off on another epic adventure or relaxing break will be. Because of this, many people are not planning any trips or booking any holidays – for fear of it being cancelled!
Even though we may not know what is going to happen next, now is actually a great time to start planning your future travels.
The desire to go on adventures is at an all time high, with many people feeling that they need to make up for lost time. A survey this month found that 63% of people plan to travel the same or more after the pandemic is over.
So I’m going to tell you why now is a great time to start planning your dream travels for after lockdown and when it’s safe to travel. As well as how to book that trip you have always wanted to go on now, so you are ready to go once the world starts to open up again…
Why Plan A Trip Now?
There are great deals right now…
With travel currently on hold for so many people you might think it doesn’t make sense to be buying any tickets or booking any hotels. However, because of the drop in business most airlines, travel providers and hotel chains are running some pretty epic deals right now to encourage people to keep booking with them during this time. If you are a savvy traveller you could make the most of these deals whilst they are around and free cancellation policies are still a thing.
Airlines…
Look for international airlines as they are likely to have suffered the biggest halt in business and therefore the need to have some big sales.
For example, check out British Airways Sale.
Budget airlines are dropping their prices even lower too, Ryanair have some crazy cheap prices and Zero Change Fees.
Hotels…
Looking for a place to stay? Many accommodation providers are also having sales. Searching directly on the hotel’s website is a good idea but Booking.com are also holding a 2021 sale.
If you are planning a backpacking trip or holiday with friends then hostels are often the best bet, and they are normally already pretty cheap. You can check Hostelworld for any good offers and free cancellations.
Package Holidays…
If getting away and not having to worry about a thing is more your cup of tea there are some very cheap deals for full package holidays. For example, lastminute.com allows you to search for package deals going anywhere anytime in the next year and shows you the best price deals. Right now you can book flights and 7 nights in a 5 star hotel in Algarve, Portugal for £224 per person!
Free cancellations…
Most airlines and other travel providers realise that people need flexibility when booking anything in the current climate and have revised their booking policies to make it easy for people to change their dates, destinations or cancel altogether. If you check these policies carefully before making any booking you can make sure you are not at financial risk by purchasing a ticket or reservation in advance now. With no risks why not start dreaming up your next adventure?!
For example, I booked flights to Bali in November with Qatar and have had to change my flights due to travel bans. Qatar have a completely flexible booking policy where you can cancel your flight and get a refund at any time, or change it to a different date or destination – as many times as you want! This means I am able to keep moving my flight dates until I will be allowed to go, or can keep my flight credit on my account and wait for an announcement.
Travel credits will expire…
If you’re like me and had to cancel holidays and trips when the pandemic first started you will have most likely gotten your money back in the form of travel credits. Many airlines, for example, will add it as credit to your account. However, one thing to be aware of is that these credits will expire – and sooner than you think! My RyanAir credits, from a trip I booked April 2020, expire after 1 year which is nearly up! This doesn’t mean you have to travel before that, you just need to book your future trip whilst your credits are still in your account to avoid losing the money.
Prices will eventually shoot up…
With everyone sitting at home for the last year not able to travel, as soon as things start to open there is going to be a huge surge of travel, bookings and prices. Everyone will have the same desire to make up for lost time and travel companies will be looking to make up for lost revenue. Therefore, waiting for countries to reopen before you start booking may mean you pay a lot more for your trip.
To stay positive…
Everything right now seems to be pretty doom and gloom, and at times it feels like there isn’t a light at the end of the coronavirus tunnel. Although it feels like this, it’s not the case – and we will travel again. We will be going on adventures, making memories with loved ones and ticking off our bucketlists once more. Remembering that, and even better planning for that, can really help you stay positive.
How To Plan A Trip Now?
Think long term…
I’m definitely not suggesting you should be jetting off somewhere in the next few months, if anything thinking far ahead is even better. Start planning a trip at least 6-9 months ahead. You could even be booking your epic summer ’22 holiday!
Flexible policies…
One of the most important things about booking any sort of travel right now is to make 100% sure your policies are going to be flexible and will allow you to adapt with the ever-changing situation. This goes for your travel insurance, your hotels, flights – everything.
Before booking it’s a good idea to think of all the possible situations that could affect your trip – anything that might mean you may have to change it or cancel it. You can then read in detail the policies beforehand to make sure you would be covered for all possible scenarios. For example, if your flight is cancelled due to local restrictions in that area – can you use your ticket for a different destination? Can you change the date? How many times can you make changes? What’s the latest you can cancel?
Most travel companies have very flexible policies right now so it’s a good time to make the most of them.
Start planning now…
Start making lists now of your dream destinations, trips or itineraries. Research the locations: what restaurants are best, which bars are the ones to visit, what beaches should you see?
A great way to get trip inspiration is Pinterest. You can make Pinterest boards for each trip idea, city or country to get create your dream getaway. Planning a trip properly can make a huge difference on your experience when you get there. Although I don’t like to plan too strictly, and love to be able to go with the flow when travelling, researching your destination beforehand can make your time there better and more relaxing. That’s why from my experience it’s always good to know what the best local restaurants, bars and things to do are before you arrive.
This planning and researching, although useful, can take a lot of time. In normal life people often don’t have the time to plan out their trips. With the extra time on our hands right now from lockdowns and staying at home, doing all this planning now helps you in the future and is a great way to keep distracted and positive.
I would also suggest planning out more than one so you have a back up in case your trip can’t go ahead – and if it does you’re ready for your next trip already!
Checkout my itineraries for inspiration such as this one…
Use a travel agent…
If planning and booking multiple things is not your style of holiday and you would rather have someone else take the pressure off, consider looking at travel agents. There are some great deals on package holidays with everything included. Travel agents could also help sort things out for you if things were changed or cancelled, so if you’re anxious about things going wrong then a travel agent or company could be a good option for you!
Look closer to home…
When you are doing your planning and dreaming of the places you want to go to, don’t forget to look close to home too. There will be so many amazing places to visit in your country or nearby that you might not have previously considered. Choosing travel by road over air will also be a safer bet in case of continued restrictions. Domestic holiday bookings will also book out very fast and it’s still a good idea to be booking well in advance even if it’s a holiday home within your own country.
Browse for cheap air fares…
Keep checking air fares to see where the great deals are, or which are going up! My two favourite websites for this are Skyscanner and Kayak. Kayak will tell you if the price you’re looking at is on a upward or downward trend and therefore if now is a good time to buy or not. Skyscanner allows you to search from your location to anywhere in the world, for any dates and shows the the cheapest deals.
If you are not picky about where you are going and want to scan for the best deals on offer I would recommend using a flight checker website such as Secret Flying, which shows you last minute deals. Also check out Google Explore to see different deals on a map. This allows you to browse for any crazy flight deals. These are good to use anytime, not just now during lockdowns, to save money on airfares. For any of these websites it’s a great idea to turn on alerts for your chosen destinations so you get notified if any great deals become available.
Get prepped…
Once you have decided which trips you want to take post-COVID, have made some bookings and hopefully some big savings, you can also start actually preparing for these trips! Order your gear in advance slowly so you don’t have to make a big payout right before you go. For example, if you haven’t been backpacking before maybe you need a more practical bag? Or if you’re going to be on crazy adventures you could invest in a GoPro?
You could also start learning the language. Many people have used their extra time in lockdowns to start learning another language, and this could be an even more exciting thing to do if you know you will be visiting the country soon!
Book directly and with those who need it…
When you are looking for destination inspiration for your first trip after COVID it’s great to also consider which countries, towns, hotels, and providers are really in need of business. When planning your trip it is good to keep in mind there will be some places that need your money more than others. Booking in advance could really help these small businesses or tourist-dependent locations who will be struggling right now and help keep them open after things improve.
Additionally, although sometimes you can get better deals booking through providers such as booking.com or other large companies if possible it is best to book directly with the hotel, and try and find smaller businesses rather than the large chains when you do look to book.
To conclude…
The world is in unprecedented times and so many people are desperate to travel again as soon as it opens. If anything, I think we will all appreciate the ability to travel and explore so much more after this. Hopefully you feel a bit more positive about booking or planning your future trips now and can start getting excited about all the great places you can go after the pandemic is over.
The travel and aviation industry is really struggling right now, like never before, and by showing your support and commitment now it could save these companies later on. Booking and planning doesn’t just help save you some money and give you something positive to focus on but also could save these companies and make sure they are still around when all of this is over.
Stay positive – we will be travelling again before you know it!
Wow so many good tips here!! Just the inspiration I needed to start planning my next holiday! Thanks Rosie!!😎
Great Rosie xxxxxx
Well done, Rose!! Very well written xx