What’s a traveler to do when almost the entire world is in shutdown mode?  Although you won’t be going on vacation any time soon, one can still dream, can’t they?  Of course, we can.  And of course, we should!  Hope is what keeps us going and if you’re an avid traveler, hope is what you’ll need to rely on in these days of coronavirus shutdown.  So how does one go about making travel plans in uncertain times?  For some tips on how to navigate an unsettled travel industry, read on.

Travel Advisories

Government mandated travel advisories are going to dictate when and where we can and cannot go for the immediate future.  Unnecessary travel anywhere in the world is highly unlikely for at least the next month, and possibly longer.  But keeping an eye on what the various governments have to say about leisure travel will give you some sort of idea as to when you should be able to book again.

Airline and Travel Company Fine Print

If you’re on the email lists of any types of airlines or travel companies, you may have noticed that many of them are encouraging customers to book flights and vacation packages as soon as this summer and fall.  You can rest assured that they wouldn’t be offering these types of deals without very flexible terms.  But the onus is on you to read the fine print to find out what might happen if travel restrictions are extended.  The difference between a refund and travel credit should be weighed against both your flexibility and your bank account.

Travel Insurance

Now more than ever, travel insurance seems like a wise investment.  This may be even more apparent if you had recent travel plans that were affected by your own uncertainty about the safety of a flight or cruise.  Understanding the travel insurance packages you’re comparing is important as not all of them will cover cancellation due to global pandemic or other instances of force majeure.  CFAR (cancel for any reason) insurance may have been becoming more unpopular among travel insurance companies, but with the way things have gone, there may again be great customer demand for comprehensive insurance such as this.  If you have a hard time reading insurance document legalese, make a phone call and ask some pointed questions relating directly to your situation.

Travel Agents

The internet has made it very easy to become your own virtual travel agent, but when things get difficult, it’s good to have a professional on your side.  Using third party travel and accommodation websites can leave you without anyone to turn to if things go wrong, whereas travel agents have many direct relationships that simply aren’t available to the average traveler.  Enlisting a travel agent to work on your behalf might be something to consider in these uncertain travel times.  Their experience and expertise can come in very handy when things start to go sideways.  And very often your final travel price will be the same or cheaper than if you’d done it yourself.