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I saw a funny meme that said, “Why the f*** did I buy a 2020 planner?”
Talk about summing up a year in a nutshell.
People are ready for 2020 to be over. They want to plan for 2021. And those plans involve travel. If you and your family are itching to get away because your plans were ruined this year, it’s time to start planning now.
2021 is already being pegged as the year of travel. Even though we still don’t know what things will look like, it’s not stopping people from planning.
If you’re one of them, let’s look at some ways you can better prepare.
Keep track of the news
One of the top self-care tricks people learned during lockdown was turning off the news. You heard everyone tell you, “Just turn it off!” You might have even told a friend or two to do the same. Distance from the news was crucial to our well-being.
If you’re thinking about planning a trip in 2021, it’s important to stay up to date on the news circuit. I’m not telling you to watch it all day, every day. The last thing you want is to fall back into that downward spiral.
Give yourself an hour or two each week to catch up on pandemic news. Watch and read different sources and note the following:
Current cases/positivity rate.
Current restrictions or rules.
Travel information.
This doesn’t mean you need to tune in every day. Once a week, for an hour is all you need.
Create a spreadsheet or chart and update it with your findings. As you get closer to decision day, re-evaluate your notes and decide.
Figure out your budget
You’ve made the decision to get away. Good for you! Now it’s time to talk about money.
This pandemic set a lot of people back budget-wise. Many lost their jobs and some are still unclear if their current job is secure.
Before you book anything, consider your budget. Sit down and either alone or with your spouse, figure out how much you’re able to spend. Be realistic. Yes, we all want some semblance of normalcy, but we still need to be careful not to overdo it.
If the place you want to go to right now is too expensive, shelf it for another year. Don’t overspend just to feel normal. Trust me, you’ll regret it later on.
Once you have a budget in place, start researching. To draw travelers back out, airlines and hotels are offering major deals. You might find a place you never thought was in your budget but now is. Still, it’s better to know what you can spend rather than getting your hopes up.
Note that some airlines, hotels, and attractions have updated their policies. They’re aware traveling is not going to be as popular as it once was. They created longer cancellation periods. They’re even willing to give out vouchers if you decide to postpone your trip.
Be willing to adapt
Understand that since we don’t know how things will pan out in the coming months, things can change and change fast. You have to be willing and able to adapt to any plans you have.
Have a contingency plan. If the hotel you booked closes up, what next? Don’t pull your hair out looking for another place at the last minute. Keep a running list of local places you can turn to. At least three to five extra places is a good reserve to have at the ready.
Same goes for your itinerary. If you plan on sight-seeing during your trip, understand some places might close early. Prepare a list of places you want to visit and their current hours of operation. Check those every few weeks and update if they change.
If you haven’t done so already, create a folder where you can store all this information. This way whenever you get a few minutes to sit down, you can sort through and update your notes.
Study up on the locale
Besides watching the news, it’s important to study up on the place you plan on going to. What are their guidelines for the pandemic? Do they require masks? Are restaurants open for indoor dining or takeout only?
This is especially important if you’re traveling outside of the country.
Most countries have newer and strict rules when it comes to visiting during COVID. They might ask you to quarantine for two weeks before flying. They might demand a negative COVID test upon check-in. Whatever their rules are, follow them to the letter.
You’d hate to arrive only to be turned away. Or worse, forced to quarantine, which will ruin your entire trip.
This will be the most important thing you do when planning for your trip. Don’t skip this step.
Take a trip in nature
Photo by Marian Mocanu on Unsplash
If you’re one of the people wary to stay at a hotel or visit touristy areas, have you considered camping?
Before you start shaking your head, hear me out.
Camping doesn’t have to be so rugged with a lost-in-the-wilderness type of experience. Renting an RV and taking a road trip through a few states can give you a new appreciation of nature.
Research glamping sites. See if they’re booking. Some off the beaten path retreat centers are letting families book cabins for a weekend or more. Google “camping alternatives” and believe me, you won’t be disappointed.
If camping is so far out of your wheelhouse, think of it as a 2021 resolution. Challenge yourself. Try something new. Camping is a great way to meet that resolution and experience nature in a way you never have before.
Whatever you and your family decide to do in 2021, it’s important to stay up to date. We don’t know what the next few months will bring, and it’s always important to plan ahead. People are going to want to get out next year. If travel allows, places will book up fast.
“A little planning a day keeps the overwhelm at bay,” is a saying that’ll come in handy when planning for 2021.
Don’t hesitate to reach out for help. I can offer my organizational skills to travel plans as well. Schedule a consultation and let’s talk. The first step to planning something is to talk about it.