How is Travel Different This Summer?

It’s summer 2021, and travel is back, baby!

But it may not look like you remember it. Millions of people who skipped a vacation last year due to the difficulties with the coronavirus are THRILLED to get out there for a much-needed (and well-earned) break. COVID-19 is slowly ceasing to control our lives as it did in 2020, but it’s certainly not over. Here are five ways travel may be different this summer. Just be aware, and then go for it!

Masks May Still be Required

Don’t throw out those masks yet! The CDC recently announced fully vaccinated people can go maskless outdoors and indoors, even in large gatherings. But businesses are free to enforce their own rules about masks. So be prepared to wear a mask if you’re flying (unless you’re on one of these amazing mask-free flights!), traveling by train, visiting a museum, restaurant or hotel that has a mask policy.

It doesn’t matter if you’re vaccinated or not-the business makes the rules. Please don’t be the jerk who thinks THEIR opinion trumps all! And it may be a hard pill to swallow. We live in Arizona, where most businesses suspended the mask requirement when the CDC announced it as such, and it’s been great to be mostly mask-free these days!

But my husband and I are taking an international flight in December, and we’re gonna have to wear a mask for about 20 straight hours for our flights! Is that going to be a pain? Absolutely. But if you want to travel these days, you have to be prepared to play by the rules.

COVID-19 Policies Linger

Besides requiring a mask, many theme parks, airlines, restaurants, tourist spots and national parks still have quite a few policies in place to reduce the spread of COVID-19. A national park may require you to book tickets for their reduced-seating shuttle. Disney wants you to make a reservation online before you hit the parks. Many places still have limited occupancy to accommodate social distancing.

And everyone (vaccinated or not) must comply with these special situations. Again, the place makes the rules, and travelers need to go along. So, research your destination well ahead of time to book dinner reservations, tours or other activities vital to your vacay. You don’t want to show up in Maui thinking you’ll just book a last-minute snorkeling trip and find out they’re all full due to reduced capacity. Plan a little more to make sure things go smoothly!

One Word: Carapocalypse!

If you plan on renting a car as part of your trip, be aware of the bizarre situation facing those renting cars: there aren’t enough rental vehicles to satisfy the demand! This is due to a variety of factors. Rental car agencies struggled to stay afloat during the pandemic-global giant Hertz filed for bankruptcy, and some smaller outfits went out of business permanently.

Agencies sold off cars in record numbers to stay solvent. The Washington Post reported the industry sold about a third of its cars!  Now that travel is resuming, they can’t replace their fleet fast enough to meet demand. Cars companies can’t even produce what they need to; issues with a lack of semiconductor chips and shutdowns due to COVID have put manufacturer output way behind.

This means some people find themselves with canceled rentals when they arrive at their destination. Travelers wanting to rent in popular destinations such as Florida, Arizona and Hawaii have had to stand in line for 2 hrs. or more and sometimes face prices that are double in a typical year. It’s frustrating, but rental company fleets are not expected to rebound until 2022. Book ahead of time and be prepared for a wait to pick up your car.

International Rules are Rapidly Changing

Are you dreaming of an international destination? Gondola rides in Venice or a café in Paris may sound tempting, but planning a trip to a country that is not yet open to tourism is challenging. Plans for opening vary greatly worldwide: France is saying they’re opening June 9^th, Japan is banning travel for now, and Australia is shut tight! If you desire a country that is likely to open in the near future, book plane tickets with caution. It may or may not actually happen! It may be a daily rollercoaster of emotion and frustration.

But hang in there and keep abreast of new developments. Be fully aware that you may be limited in what you can see or may not be able to go at all. It’s just the nature of the beast at this point. Hope but make wise plans with changeable flights, refundable hotels, and a sense of optimism. And know you need to test before coming back home. But if you can’t go soon, you can go later when things are truly better.

Plan but be Flexible

In any year, it’s important to research and have a plan-great trips happen because of great planning. But this year, you also have to be flexible. Realize you may have to follow stricter COVID guidelines than at home and be cool about it! Try to use local transportation (if available) or be prepared to wait for a rental car and possibly pay more than you’d like. If you’re want to head overseas, target countries that are planning to open sooner than later, and be realistic. Get the trip insurance or only book refundable hotels-things are really up in the air these days.

We’re all excited about getting back to normal, but’s it’s a new normal. Stay informed and flexible… and then enjoy your freedom! Because that’s what we’ve all truly missed this last year!

If you’re excited to travel please check out some of my best posts:

Five Mistakes Visitors Make at the Grand Canyon

Confessions of a Disney Princess

Your Complete Guide to Visiting the Dead Sea

Seven Things to Know About Rome for First Time Visitors