How to Choose Your Travel Destination Post COVID19

For travel freaks being locked up at home is the worst thing possible. On a positive note, ‘quarantine' was the best thing that saved several during the peak of COVID-19 pandemic. Now as we are stepping towards normalcy, it is the time for some fresh air. It is the era of the ‘new normal'. The quarantine days had been those of reminiscing our old travel stories. For the real feel of a place, one has to be there, observe the environment, taste local food and chat with the locals. The time has come to backpack again. We need to follow certain limitations and a few norms post COVID-19. Is how to choose your travel destination, post COVID-19, troubling you? Carefully follow these 10 guidelines or tips to feel a lot less concerned.

Planning with updated medical/health information

Choose your travel destination with proper planning. First select multiple options for a vacation. Be updated on corona status of the place of your choice. Get information about the medical infrastructure of and/or around the selected destinations.

Choose off beat destinations

Post COVID-19; choose your travel destination such that it is not an extremely popular and populated place. It should be secluded and offbeat but at the same time safe and hygienic. It is better to avoid rush and crowded places. Scenic countrysides, secluded hilly hamlets or National Parks could be good options. But, the medical infrastructure should be checked first. This will also help the small scale economy of these places.

Choose Local Driving Destinations

Aim for driving destinations where you can drive your own vehicle or rent a vehicle for your personal travel. Travelling far and by public transport is risky as well as expensive now. Travelling shorter distances and for lesser number of days can be helpful. One can plan multiple short trips that one or two long trips. This is a good way to support local.

Check Cancellation Policies

Many hotels and travel services will reduce prices to promote tourism. Do not fall prey to this strategy blindly. Choose your travel destination after checking cancellation policies. It is important to have clarity over cancellation policies of hotels and other services during such unpredictable times. It is better not to plan way ahead. Since uncertainty still prevails in today's scenario.

Check on Precautionary Measures

As you choose your travel destination, learn about the precautionary and hygiene measures taken at the place of your stay. It is advisable that you always carry your personal protection gear. Using face shields, masks, hand sanitizers, gloves, toilet seat sprays and tissues must be a part of your daily routine. On a vacation, you need to be all the more cautious. Use sanitizers whenever you touch something. Avoid leaning on any structure or holding any railing. After a day's outing; sanitizing the belongings you roamed about with; is of utmost importance.

Buy Travel Insurance

We often tend to forget the usefulness of travel insurance. Travel insurance covers cancellations and medical expenses if one falls sick during the trip, subject to some pre-approved conditions. Today it is essential to buy travel insurance even in case of domestic travels. So together with choosing your travel destination, please choose and buy travel insurance. It is advisable that you read and understand the policy well before purchasing it.

Stay Healthy

The moment the travel bug bites you, even before you choose your travel destination, start focusing on your health. Travelling involves contact with numerous other people. You need to be well immunized to prevent yourself from any health hazard during your trip. One should also make sure that he/she is not travelling with any kind of infection that could contaminate others while travelling.

Even during the trip, it is best to continue with healthy habits like exercising and having vitamins which one already does before travel.

Plan Prolonged Stay (if Necessary)

If you are not satisfied with short trips and want to travel far, it is advisable that you stay at a place for a prolonged period. Stay for more than 3 weeks or more so that you have a good 14 days of quarantine too.  This can also be a perfect experiential trip for you.

Keep Calm

There is a lot of tension prevailing in the society these days mainly due to anxiety building up during COVID-19. People tend to get impatient and lose their temper due to more waiting time at the cues at the airport, petrol stations and stores. Besides being super cautious some are too anxious and curious about their neighbours. It is important to keep calm and avoid uncomfortable situations.

Note Emergency Numbers

Even though these are experimental times, we need to start travelling for our mental health. Travel industry enormously contributes to the economy. Let's begin backpacking after a prolonged period of house arrest, but this time with a lot of caution. Once you finally choose your travel destination; do not miss out on the emergency numbers of the place.

Wish you all a safe and happy escapade soon.

Featured Image by ptra from Pixabay.