How To Travel Safely in 2021: Our Covid Travel Tips
This guide details everything you need to know about how to travel better in 2021, especially in the age of COVID-19. Help positively rebuild one of the world’s largest industries - while keeping yourself and the communities you visit safe.
Wow, 2020 was one for the ages.
If we're honest, we've still not recovered from the sh*tstorm that enveloped the world in February and March (and continues now). Our innocent 2-week trip back to Australia for a wedding ended up in a four-month stay, and an anxiety-inducing return flight to our adopted home in Budapest.
The experience gave us insight into what was needed to merely travel from one country to another in the age of COVID-19. It was eye-opening and scary. PCR tests, Government approval, daily monitoring of the situation - there was a lot we needed to be aware of.
This experience made us realise that travel (and in turn our lives and business) likely wouldn’t be the same for a long, long while. A scary thought indeed.
At the same time, it’s very clear to us that life, and in turn, the tourism industry through which 1 in 10 people globally are employed, must go on. Safely.
The ability to travel is a luxury and a privilege for those who can indulge in it, but it’s also a fundamental part of the global economy. What’s more, with flights halted and tour groups on pause, we have a wonderful opportunity to assess the industry and address many of the issues around sustainability that have plagued it thus far.
As travel slowly begins to resume throughout 2021, people are going to want to travel — and we want to make sure that they’re doing it safely, consciously, and effectively.
The post details everything you need to know about travelling better in 2021, including COVID travel tips to help you keep yourself and others safe while helping rebuild an industry (or many).
OUR TOP COVID-19 TRAVEL TIPS
FIRSTLY, IS IT ETHICAL TO TRAVEL IN 2021?
One question we've personally grappled with over the past year has been whether it’s even ethical to travel right now.
Watching travel influencers flit all about the world, maskless, and with seemingly little awareness that there’s a pandemic has left a poor taste in our mouths many a time. On the other hand, we run a travel business that was decimated last year, and if we’d had the opportunity to travel somewhere safely and responsibly to take on work, well, we probably would have taken it.
Basically, we've spent countless hours debating the pros and cons of travel during the pandemic, and concluded that so much of it comes down to this: before deciding to travel, you must consider a range personal, ethical and environmental circumstances before a decision can be made.
These include:
The pandemic situation in your location and the destination (especially accounting for health services)
Government travel warnings in both destinations
Travel insurance, and whether you’re covered for COVID
Flights, transport and accommodation etc.
Your personal willingness to travel responsibly and respect the protocols stipulated.
Tourism as an industry directly employs 1 in 10 people globally (that's over 100 million people). Indirectly, there are another 150+ million people whose livelihood depends on the taxes and spending the tourism sector generates. It's an extremely important industry for many countries and without tourism the impacts are far-reaching.
Bali is one such example, where 60% of the island's economy is directly related to tourism. Without tourism, many locals have lost jobs, returned to family farms or labour work and are struggling to stay afloat.
In Budapest, a city focused on tourism business, each week we discover another cafe or shop has fallen victim to the economic toll of this crisis, shutting their doors for the last time. Right now, one of the world's most important industries needs all the help it can get!
However.
While the industry needs people to travel, it also needs people to do it responsibly and sustainably to make it viable long term and to not overwhelm local health infrastructure.
That's where individual responsibility comes in. If you decide it is ethical to travel during the pandemic, then you’re also making a commitment to taking every action possible to keep yourself and others safe.
That means strictly following instructions from both your and the local government, getting tested regularly, wearing a mask and social distancing, not taking unnecessary risks, and following every other safety measure possible (it’s been almost 12 months - you must know them all by now!).
And if you're an anti-vaxxer, anti-masker or conspiracy theorist, please try and think beyond your own belief system and show respect for others and their health, particularly when it comes to the quality of their healthcare systems and access to care. Your beliefs simply do not take precedence over the safety and health of others.
Personally, we've erred on the side of caution and pragmatism - we believe if travel can be done responsibly and safely, with consideration given to all the risks, challenges and rewards, then it is ethical.
BEFORE YOU TRAVEL, DO YOUR RESEARCH
Back in 'normal' times, the only research you needed to do before you travelled was related to destinations, hotels, attractions and safety. Ahhh, those were the days!
Things are different in 2021.
Now, it's super important to understand the Covid-19 situation in your destination and what rules and restrictions apply to arrivals from abroad, as well as the situation in your home country, and what departure and arrival rules apply.
And by research, we don’t mean asking your favourite travel influencers for their opinion…. we mean checking the official government, insurance, and health advice for the most up-to-date and helpful information.
Some questions to ask yourself before you travel:
Is your home country or intended destination a COVID-19 hotspot?
Do you need to quarantine on arrival at your destination or home country?
Are hotels accepting foreign tourists at this point (many are open for business travel only)?
Are you allowed to leave and return to your own country? (looking at you, Australia!)
Is a COVID-19 vaccine required to enter the country (or fly?)
Do you need negative PCR tests to depart or enter your destination (or board a plane?)
Where can you obtain PCR tests before, during and after your trip?
Is it possible to obtain travel insurance to cover you for the pandemic (many companies won’t insure if there are travel warnings active for your intended destination)?
Is travel going to be fun, or enjoyable with the current restrictions?
Alternative destinations to visit
As you can see, travel isn't so easy anymore, and there are so many things to consider beyond where you'll have your first cocktail.
Personally, we've not travelled internationally since the pandemic started, except for a return flight to our adopted home in Hungary from our actual home in Australia, an experience both frustrating and arduous.
We had to seek approval to leave Australia, gain police clearance to enter Hungary, then follow several strict measures before we were allowed on the flight. The airport in Melbourne had federal police checkpoints, and our check-in took over two hours due to extremely tightly controlled processes.
The flight itself was not enjoyable, as we had to wear both masks and plastic face shields, and remain in our seats unless visiting the toilet for the duration of our 22-hour journey. Then, once we landed in Hungary, we waited over two hours to be approved for entry and pass through customs before quarantining for 14 days.
If this trip was for leisure travel, we can tell you it would’ve been the worst travel experience of our lives and utterly not worth it.
Before you consider travelling, we recommend starting with your government's foreign travel advice (here is an example of the UK's travel advice for Hungary). This is always the best starting point for understanding the situation, restrictions and advice. From there, start to work your way through the questions above, before coming to your decision.
Realistically, if there's no need to travel for travel’s sake, if the situation isn't safe, and/or restrictions are tight, then why travel? There's absolutely no way it's going to be an enjoyable experience if attractions and restaurants are closed, hotels and public transport limited and the threat of a lockdown is always simmering. These destinations will always be there, so if you can wait a few years and travel safely and 'normally', then do that.
BOOK ADEQUATE COVID-19 TRAVEL INSURANCE
We firmly believe that if you can't afford travel insurance, you really can't afford to travel. As the current pandemic has taught many; things can go wrong and insurance is often the only way of mitigating the issues with minimal expense or stress for you.
Book with travel insurance company that covers COVID-related expenses, like flight or booking cancellations, medical support, etc and be safe in the knowledge that you won’t be left stranded without any means of getting home safely.
For all travellers | HeyMondo - COVID-19 coverage, comprehensive travel + medical insurance, an app with 24-hour medical support, and no out of pocket fees. *Get 5% off your policy by booking through our link here.
For digital nomads | SafetyWing - COVID-19 coverage, comprehensive travel & medical, and policies can be purchased while already abroad.
*In normal times, we recommend using World Nomads travel insurance, but unfortunately they're not currently covering COVID-19 related claims right now.
BE RESPONSIBLE
So, you've done your research, your intended destination has opened for travel, and you’ve determined it’s safe to travel there. Woo! Now, with your decision comes great responsibility:
Firstly, you've got to keep yourself safe.
Secondly, you've got to keep others safe.
Thirdly, you've still got to consider the usual responsible travel basics.
The first step to take before travelling is to get tested. This is generally taken within 48 hours of departure. If you test negative (most countries require two negative PCR tests to enter - one pre, one on arrival), be on your merry way, safely. If you're not, most require you to quarantine yourself for anywhere between 10-14 days.
After you arrive at your destination, follow the specified safety protocols of the destination. Remember, these could vary greatly from place to place, so it's up to you to know what they are. Beyond that, wear a mask in public/busy places, wash or sanitise regularly, social distance where possible, and seek out quieter environments.
When you return home, follow the quarantine and testing requirements of your home country.
We'll write more on this topic below, but as travel gradually resumes this will be a great time to visit local attractions or second and third cities (ie. Bologna instead of Rome, Santander instead of Madrid). By doing this, you'll take the strain off popular destinations, while probably having a better experience too.
One thing we do want to say is that just because it's a pandemic doesn't mean you should forget the other basics of responsible travel - things like limiting your plastic use, offsetting your emissions, being respectful of local culture and customs, respecting the natural environment etc.
Overall, just remember to be a good human and respect other people, their health and safety, and you should be all good.
CHOOSE OPERATORS THAT FOLLOW COVID-19 SAFETY GUIDELINES
Choosing operators that follow stringent COVID-19 safety policies will truly make or break your travel (and health) experience.
Whether it’s an airline that blocks the middle seat, provides face masks, and has flexible COVID booking policies, or a hotel committed to deep cleaning between guests and limiting capacity, seek out the tourism players that put your (and their employees) health and safety at the heart of their business right now.
Some tips on finding COVID-safe businesses right now:
Their COVID policies are clearly outlined on their website
They’ve introduced passenger/guest limits, employ a range of safety restrictions and deep-cleaning services, and are operating as per government guidelines.
They have flexible COVID-related booking cancellation or postponement policies.
Check online reviews from recent guests - what do they say about the way the company or airline handled procedures?
Now more than ever, choosing the travel providers who truly care about people and planet is vital.
TRAVEL LOCALLY OR AVOID MAIN TOURISM DESTINATIONS
Over the last few years, something we've come to love is visiting second (or third) cities and smaller towns, and travelling locally - it's amazing what beauty exists beyond the famous tourism attractions.
Obviously, there are many benefits to this type of travel - cheaper prices, fewer tourists, new and authentic experiences, the discovery of somewhere new etc, but in the time of a pandemic, it also helps reduce the number of people in popular destinations or attractions. This, in turn, reduces the chance of the virus spreading.
Local travel also avoids carbon-intensive methods of transport such as flying or cruising, which in turn helps the environment. A road trip is a good idea (on top of being awesome!) and will reduce your ability to contract the virus.
There's also the economic benefits to smaller destinations that will no doubt have been affected heavily by the pandemic - by spending your money in local communities, you help small businesses sustain themselves too.
One downside of travelling locally is the risk of spreading the virus in communities which aren't equipped to handle rapid outbreaks. Basically, this comes back to individual responsibility - follow all the safety measures and get yourself tested before you travel anywhere, even locally.
EMBRACE THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT
We're not sure about you, but the longer we've spent in lockdown the more we've appreciated nature and everything it offers.
We honestly took every moment we got to spend in the mountains or the sea for granted, and since it's been taken away, we've yearned for it every.single.second.
With this in mind, if you're planning to safely travel in 2021, consider a holiday in the great outdoors.
Firstly, there's a hugely reduced risk of COVID-19 exposure in the outdoors; fresh air is constantly circulating, which helps disperse respiratory droplets so you're less likely to breathe in enough to become infected.
Secondly, there's way less chance of crowds in the outdoors, which automatically reduces your chance of contracting the virus. If there are crowds in popular outdoor locations (Lago di Braies, for instance) use your mask as an added layer of protection and try to avoid them
Thirdly, and most importantly, time spent in nature will help you on many levels, from your fitness to your mental state. After an extremely challenging 2020 your body will appreciate it!
In 2021, an outdoors holiday just makes sense, whether it be hiking in the Dolomites, driving through Slovenia, or traversing the Faroe Islands, there's so much beauty in the natural world.
Personally, if we can do it safely, we're heading to the mountains of South Tyrol, Austria or Slovenia at the first opportunity, followed by a lazy summer on the shores of the Med, away from the crowds!
TRAVEL SLOWER
In 2021, it's time to slow things down, baby. See fewer places (safely) but see them better.
Don't get us wrong, we totally understand the want to see more, do more, eat more, hear more, experience more highlights, more countries ticked off, all in the name of maximising our leave time. Especially after a year of not being able to properly travel, the yearn for seeing everywhere is strong.
But moving from destination A to B quickly just means there's more possibility of spreading or catching the virus, overloading local health infrastructure and putting people at risk. Is it worth it? Personally, we don’t think so.
Just remember, this world is a bigger place than any of us can hope to explore, and you’re never going to be able to truly appreciate your experiences or a destination by trying to cram too much in.
So instead of spreading the virus like crazy around every European party spot, change your travel tune and take the time to immerse yourself in the rhythms of local life; buy food from markets, observe the goings-on of the neighbourhood you’re in, develop your cultural understanding, learn the language, and be present wherever you find yourself. Safely, of course.
Travel should be about seeing and doing things as well and authentically as possible - not as fast as possible.
CONSIDER SHOULDER OR OFF-SEASON TRAVEL
If you're not interested in slowing down your travels or spending a summer away from it all in nature, consider travelling during the shoulder or off-season.
Shoulder season is considered to be the period in between the high and low seasons - so in Europe, it's generally between March - June, and late September - November.
Personally, this is our favourite time to travel, regardless of a pandemic or not. It's cheaper, fewer crowds, better availability, cooler weather... and particularly during COVID it's a win-win in every sense of the word.
BE FLEXIBLE WITH YOUR PLANS
"Stay committed to your decisions, but remain flexible in your approach” It’s not often you’ll see a Tony Robbins quote here on this blog, but in 2021 we firmly believe this should be your travel mantra.
Plan your travels, yet remain flexible. You'll likely need to change plans at some point - we had two travel jobs cancel within 24 hours of departure in 2020 - and you need to roll with the punches and adapt.
We generally like to be spontaneous on the road, yet, spontaneity, at least for the time being, is done for. We recommend planning your travel itinerary more thoroughly than ever before, including accommodation, transport, and food, while also allowing for flexibility.
For instance, book accommodation for the duration of your stay, but have a list of back-up accommodation in different areas just in case. Research attractions, food etc. before you arrive so you are aware of opening times, entry restrictions/protocols, and any other hidden information.
Add room in your budget for things to go wrong, so that if your flight gets cancelled and you need to shell out for an Airbnb or another transport option you’re not stranded.
Depending on the type of holiday, we also recommend renting a car, as this will allow for greater flexibility.
It's also super important to book travel insurance just in case - fortunately, a lot of insurance companies now cover for COVID-19 cancellations, which will give greater peace of mind should you need to completely cancel your holiday.
BE PREPARED
Failing to prepare is preparing to fail, or so the saying goes.
As with travel before the pandemic, we recommend preparing for your travels as best you can. First up, pack all the 'new' travel essentials such as:
Multiple cloth face masks (there's zero need for disposable masks)
Hand sanitiser - this plastic-free option is perfect
Eco-friendly wipes
Focus on eco-friendly options to benefit both yourself and the environment; the amount of discarded masks we've seen in both nature and cities is despicable - don't be one of those idiots, please. We've got a post on eco-friendly travel essentials to help you guys out, which you can read here.
Secondly, pre-COVID we would've never considered this, but be prepared to wipe down and sanitise everything - plane seats, car steering wheels, cups, or sanitise your hands as soon as you've touched a foreign surface (fuel pump, door handles, glasses etc.) to avoid infecting yourself.
Finally, we recommend downloading contact tracing apps in your home country, and destination, which can help inform you of any close contacts.
Apple has a specific COVID-19 app which may be useful (depending on where you're from - it doesn't work here in Hungary!), while other countries, cities and states have their own location-specific apps, so do your research and see if your destination has one.
We hope this guide on how to travel better in 2021 has been super useful and will allow you to travel safely throughout the year. Fundamentally it’s all about individual responsibility, so while we do hope you travel, we hope you do it safely and respect not only yourself but those around you.
Happy travels!
PLANNING A TRIP SOON?
Check our these essential posts to help you have the most sustainable, responsible trip ever.
RESPONSIBLE TRAVEL | Responsible travel is important. REALLY IMPORTANT. Learn our top responsible travel tips to help you, your family and friends travel more consciously around the globe
OFFSETTING YOUR FLIGHTS | A step by step guide to offsetting your flights
USING LESS PLASTIC | A guide to using less plastic when you travel
ANIMALS + TOURISM | 10 Ways to be an animal friendly traveller
ECO FRIENDLY PACKING ESSENTIALS | Don’t leave home without our favourite eco-friendly travel essentials
TRAVEL INSURANCE | Don’t leave home without travel insurance (seriously, don’t!). Click here to get the best deals with World Nomads, our trusted travel insurance provider
PHOTOGRAPHY | Love our photography? Wondering what gear we use to get all of our photos around the world? Click here to view our detailed photography gear guide, as well as our top travel photography tips!
