The world is slowly but surely opening up again!
Yes, COVID-19 hasn’t beaten a hasty exit just yet. But the situation has become far more manageable than two years ago. Hence, many countries decided to reopen borders and roll out the red carpet for travellers.
Still, travel may have changed quite a bit since your last trip away. And those airport queues may be longer than you remember.
But don’t fret because the ticket to stress-free travel in 2022 and, consequently, staying happy on holiday is really in adhering to a few basic rules.
Here are the most important ones:
Sort out the essentials
Before anything else, you’d want to check on that passport to see if it’s expired or about to.
Passport renewals aren’t as easy as they used to be. From the United States to Sweden, folks have complained about snaking lines at immigration offices. So it makes sense to get this sorted out early on to avoid any unnecessary stress.
Just as important is looking into insurance and what your policy covers.
Over the past two years, many insurance providers have tweaked policies to cover COVID-19. But it’s best to not take things for granted — especially given the rise in Omicron cases — so check, check and re-check.
Study up
Once you’ve decided on a destination, take the time to find out what’s required of travellers.
Health and safety rules are far less stringent now, thanks to lots of folks being vaccinated and boosted. But requirements do differ depending on the destination.
So to avoid any surprises and guarantee that you’re smiling instead of frowning through days of quarantine, it’s best to stay informed.
Check official government websites and airline/rail/road travel advisories. Traveller forums are also a good source of information.
Be flexible
It is undoubtedly safer now than it was just a while ago. But do remember that situations can change rapidly.
After all, it was only a few short months ago when the Omicron variant hit and many travellers found themselves stranded.
Thus, the key is to be adaptable and open to chopping and changing plans if and when the need arises. In short, go with the flow.
Can’t do an international jaunt? Don’t let that get you down. Instead, opt to go local. There’re many off-the-beaten-path homegrown and staycation options that can be just as good.
QVI, QNET’s all-in-one booking platform, has a host of destinations you can consider for both long and short stays, at home or abroad.
Sort out itineraries and stays
As essential as flexibility is, you should, nevertheless, aim to finalise and settle things like flight, travel itineraries and especially, accommodation beforehand.
So many people wanting a holiday is bound to result in last-minute surges, flights and hotels selling out, and prices skyrocketing. So it will help to lock in your stays early.
QVI Tripsavr is an awesome online booking platform where you can find deals at great prices, with packages that you can customise to suit your needs.
Want to book a car and holiday activities as well? You can do that via QVI Tripsavr, and earn points for family and friends in the process!
And, if you’re a QVI Club Member, your long-term benefits will come in handy with QVI Club, where you can book your holidays for up to 30 years.
Be responsible and vigilant
To reiterate a point we made earlier — COVID-19 hasn’t gone anywhere. So while it’s good that we’re trying to live with the disease, it’s important not to forget all the lessons we’ve learned.
The World Health Organization has a pretty comprehensive checklist of dos and don’ts you can and should refer to.
But essentially, always remember to follow health and safety protocols, don’t travel if you’re feeling unwell, and if possible, have a travel kit of pandemic essentials like masks, sanitisers, wipes and self-test kits handy.
In short, going on holiday is a tad more complicated than it used to be. But if one is responsible and accommodating, kicking back in 2022 does not mean being less joyful.