Now that our state borders have mostly been thrown open this week (waiting patiently for WA next week), it’s time to start thinking about our holidays for 2021! But with rapidly changing restrictions, and the uncertainty around future hotspots and restrictions, I completely understand any hesitations you may have.
Here are some tips to help you to book your holiday for next year with confidence, so you can finally leave your four walls, and start travelling again!
- Be aware of the current travel restrictions
As we have seen with the situation in South Australia a few weeks ago, travel restrictions can change in a heartbeat. Stay on top of government guidelines before and during your trip, to ensure you don’t get turned away at a border, or end up in quarantine.
- Be aware of the cancellation policy
Now, more than ever, it is important to look at the travel provider’s cancellation policy before paying any money. Is there a special COVID policy should you be unable to travel? If so, would you receive a refund, or would it be a credit for a future stay instead? If a credit voucher is the only option, check to see how long you may have to make use of this, as this may be restrictive.
While I know it’s tempting, avoid booking dirt cheap, non-refundable rates for hotels at this time. Should government advice change and you’re unable to travel, these rates are just that, non-refundable. Choose instead, the more expensive, fully flexible rates. All hotel stays for 2021 booked through Mosaic Travel will be fully refundable in case of cancellation, unless otherwise advised, and before you pay a deposit, we’ll advise you of all cancellation details.
3. Book with trusted operators
Since the travel industry was deregulated in 2012, almost anyone can set up a travel company and started taking bookings (and your money)! So it’s important to only book with trusted travel agencies, tour operators and hoteliers. Look for operators and agencies that are ATAS accredited (Mosaic Travel is), as we are required to continually meet stringent criteria to retain accreditation.
Booking with a trusted operator means you’re more likely to go on your holiday, and receive a fair outcome should you need to cancel due to COVID.
Consider how easy it may be to get hold of the travel provider in an emergency. Can you easily pick up the phone to call for help, or do you have to sit on hold to a call centre, or battle through online chat with a robot?
4. Purchase travel insurance
Breaking news – Covermore Insurance is next week launching their ‘COVID benefits’ insurance policy, providing coverage for should you contract COVID, experience delays or need to quarantine due to COVID. Please contact me for more details.
COVID aside, purchasing travel insurance is always a good idea, even for domestic holidays. Generally, a travel insurance policy should cover you for your hire car excess, plus it is also handy should something else go wrong. I was once able to claim for a stolen bag on a weekend trip to Sydney, and so was very grateful for my annual travel insurance policy.
5. Travel close to home for now
It looks like travel to Europe and the US may be off the cards for 2021 at this stage, so perhaps 2021 is the year to explore our own backyard.
Whether it be a luxury outback lodge in the Northern Territory, a beach holiday to Queensland, a 4WD trip in the Kimberleys, or a hedonistic Tassie wine trip, Australia has a lot to offer. Hopefully travel within Australia in 2021 will be relatively care-free and normal, and we can enjoy these special places without huge crowds. Having said that, iconic destinations like El Questro and Cable Beach club are already heavily booked for 2021, and are advising Aussies to book early.
Even closer to home, consider a road trip holiday within your own state and explore surprising destinations just a stones-throw from your everyday life!
Talk of a travel bubble between Australia and New Zealand, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea and Singapore is sounding really positive at this stage. However, without a time frame for this bubble, I’d recommend only booking fully flexible arrangements to these destinations at this stage.
6. Relax and enjoy your holiday!
Once you’ve considered all of the above recommendations, you can relax and enjoy the anticipation of an upcoming holiday, knowing you’ve done everything you can to book with confidence. One of my favourite parts of travelling is the lead-up to the trip, plotting, planning and getting excited!
In 2021, I think we’ll all really appreciate travelling with family and friends, exploring fabulous destinations close to home and interacting with locals. Finally, we can start to get excited about travelling again.
0
Leave a Reply