When is the right time to travel amidst a Pandemic?

When is the right time to travel and where can you go especially with the changing travel restrictions and questions on safety. Safe travel is subjective, everyone defines safe differently, for some it might be when COVID is declared curable (or eradicated) and for some, it’s when certain health measures are implemented. Whichever camp you are in, I am sure you have many reasons why you either think now is not the time to travel or think now is the time to travel and personally I am more on the latter definition of ‘camp’ than the former.

With the ever-changing climate, many travel companies and countries that rely heavily on tourism are having to define what safe means to them. At the height of the pandemic (Mar-Jun) in the western countries, I would not have thought travel was worth the risk as thousands of cases were recorded daily. But after many months of considering the pros and cons plus the opening of the borders, I made the decision that September was the best time for me to travel and I thought about places I could visit which weren’t still in the thick of fighting the pandemic. 

When is the right time to travel amidst a Pandemic?

Having spent 4 incredible days in Venice, Italy and seeing for myself how travel has changed, I found myself glad that I took the leap of faith and travelled. Travelling across Europe has not changed much apart from new safety measures that have now been put in place to combat COVID-19. Almost all the countries require everyone to wear a mask at all times except for when consuming food and drinks and social distancing rules of 1-meter are in place as well as hand sanitisers installed in all common places.

Before I made the decision to travel, I did a lot of research from current COVID cases reported, what safety measures have been implemented and what I need to do to ensure I remained safe during my trip. Thanks to Adaeze of @thattalllady I learned about the EU initiative to re-open the EU and listing all the countries that are open in the EU and the requirements each country was imposing on tourists. For the UK travels FCO has requirements for every country globally and gives most up-to-date information on travel restrictions.

So, when is the right time to travel and where can you go? Let’s breakdown the questions and answer them individually.

When is the right time to travel? 

As I mentioned above, for me personally, now is the time to not only plan your travels but to also take those trips that were postponed earlier in the year. This is provided that the location you want to explore has no restrictions on tourists visiting and you intend to take all safety precautions (hand sanitizers, masks, gloves (if needed)) and you will follow the rules at your destination. 

I think now is the time to travel because I frankly believe what we are experiencing right now is the ‘new norm’. As much as people want to wait until things get back to ‘normal’ no one knows when that would be, it could be next month or in 5 years. I also think that in part, people want the ‘old normal’ so they don’t have to follow the current rules set in place to ensure you continue to stay safe and healthy and others really cant afford to take the risk.

Amidst a Pandemic, where can you go?

Well, this is entirely up to you (to an extent), provided your country has not banned international travel and or the destination of choice is welcoming people with your passport or residents of your country then you can go. For most European citizens, you can travel to a number of European countries but make sure to check your own public health advice on international travel and adhere to the advice given. I know for Americans the number of countries you can visit are dwindling but the US is a big country, explore your own backyard for the next few months until borders open up.

For my mental health (not everyone will understand), I chose to mix my travels with trips within the UK and a few trips abroad. As a travel addict that travels once a month abroad, the last few months have been a big struggle mentally. I have a high demanding job that I love but require a reprieve from every so often and for me, this relief comes in a form of international travel at least once a month exploring new cultures, foods and immersing myself in things other than work.

Since I made the decision to travel internationally for the first time since Mar-2020, I had been anxious about whether Venice will be safe and if the face of tourism will still be prevalent as before. I am glad to report that Venice has taken a lot of safety precautions and though the face of tourism took a hit, it’s actually perfect right now with not too many humans in one space. As much as we want tourism to go back to peak season, I think for the interim what we have now is fine.

So, I guess the next important question that you might have is, am I going to do another international trip and the answer is YES. Provided the safety measures are in place from the airport, public transport, hotels through to restaurants and local attractions, I shall travel and take the same precautions I take at home. Whilst I think you definitely need to do a lot of research before travelling, I also think you should not let the fear hold you back. BUT – don’t take my word for it, do what you think is right for you and your family.

With that being said, when is the right time to travel for you and yours? Where is the first place you want to travel to internationally money and time permitting? What is your personal stance of resuming international travel, do you think its too soon or are you happy to take the leap of faith?