Should You Change Your Travel Plans Due to COVID-19?
Traveling is a tricky subject right now for people around the world. Although most plans for the spring and summer have been cancelled due to travel restrictions as well as lodging and business closures, many people are wondering if they should change their plans for the late summer, fall and beyond due to COVID-19. The following guide will help you make a more informed decision regarding whether or not to change your travel plans.
COVID-19 Impact on Travel
COVID-19 is impacting travel plans throughout the world. Travel plans can be impacted due to a number of factors, including:
- Inability to travel to certain countries due to restrictions
- Inability to stay at hotels or other lodgings due to closures or restrictions
- Worries about health and safety using transportation (such as airplanes)
- Limited space in hotels and other lodgings which are being reserved for healthcare workers in need of rooms
- Cancelled events
And more.
Should You Change Your Travel Plans? What to Consider
You will need to consider a few different factors when you are deciding whether or not to change your travel plans. These factors include but are not limited to the following.
When You Are Traveling
When are you traveling? If your travel plans take place in the summer of 2020, then you will likely want to consider rescheduling them. If your plans are for the late fall or beyond, then you may want to keep them steady for now. Or if your plans are at the beginning of 2021 or otherwise in 2021, then you may consider keeping them as-is for now as well.
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Where You’ll Be Traveling
You must also consider the destination of your plans. It is likely that many countries will still be limiting international travel for the foreseeable future. So if you had plans to visit another country, you may not be able to do so. Or you may be required to self-quarantine for a certain amount of time after arriving. This can put a damper on your original plans.
If you plan to travel to a country which is currently restricted from tourists and your travel plans are within the next few months, you should consider changing your plans. However, if you plan on traveling somewhere that is re-opening or your plans are farther into the future—or even into 2021—then you should consider keeping the plans as-is.
Health and Safety
You must also consider the health and safety factors involved in your travel plans. How will you be traveling? Is it through a public mode of transportation, such as an airplane, train or bus? If so, you must remember that you will be in close contact with a large number of people which could increase your chances of COVID-19 exposure. If you are able to drive yourself, or the company you are using is committing to social distancing measures, then you may want to keep the plans the same for now.
Remember to consider all of the necessary factors when deciding whether or not to change your travel plans due to COVID-19.
Josh Dudick
Josh is the owner and lead writer at Daily Wisely. His career has taken him from finance to blogging, and now shares his insights with readers of Daily Wisely.
Josh's work and authoritative advice have appeared in major publications like Nasdaq, Forbes, The Sun, Yahoo! Finance, CBS News, Fortune, The Street, MSN Money, and Go Banking Rates. Josh has over 15 years of experience on Wall Street, and currently shares his financial expertise in investing, wealth management, markets, taxes, real estate, and personal finance on his other website, Top Dollar Investor.
Josh graduated from Cornell University with a degree from the Dyson School of Applied Economics & Management at the SC Johnson College of Business.