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| Photo by Element5 Digital on Unsplash |
We all recognise that times have changed over the last six months and it now seems widely accepted that things will be different for quite some time to come. With these changes in mind, it is important for us all to think through our holiday choices before we rush out and make a purchase that could set us back a few thousand pounds.
Here are a few things to consider when choosing a holiday destination in the age of coronavirus -
Check the Government Travel Requirements
It's always been standard practice to check Government advice when you are planning to travel far afield but nowadays it is not just visas and vaccinations that you need to check. You also need to familiarise yourself with what our Government are saying if you visit one of our neighbouring countries such as France or Belgium. Will you have to self-isolate on return to the UK? Are there specific virus hot spots that you should avoid? Or even is the Government recommending you don't travel to specific countries? There are a lot of factors to take into consideration.
As well as checking what the UK government is saying, you also need to check for the country you'll be visiting, do they require you to take a covid test before you fly, or at the airport. Rapid covid testing is something that has become familiar to us all now.
Check you're Protected
Booking a package holiday will give you the greatest protection if the holiday can't go ahead or if a travel operator goes out of business, so this is a good option for those who don't mind paying a bit more and are risk-averse. However, if you are happy to do your own research and want a better value holiday with an affordable hotel and bargain flight then it can save you money to book each element of the holiday separately. If you do this, make sure you use your credit card, so you have some purchase protection from your card issuer.
There is always the chance that you or one of your party will fall ill with COVID-19 at the time you are due to travel, so before you book check your travel insurance to see how you are covered for this and also investigate the terms and conditions for the companies you are booking with.