As the pandemic entered our lives, travel became a far-fetched reality. As everything is going back to normalcy with vaccinations and the new normal, one addition is the new rules of international travel.
With international travel becoming difficult amidst the pandemic restrictions, many tourist places and institutions have started asking for proof of vaccination, or a vaccination passport. International travel was banned till the end of June 2021. As the barriers to travel are being shed away, let us have a look at what travel post-COVID will look like.
COVID and its new variants: A never-ending affair with travel
While the June of 2021 brought a new ray of hope for travelers, the new COVID variants have created an enormous fuss and confusion for all of us. With national and international travel becoming complex with the new variants, a detailed set of prerequisite checks is all you need to keep yourself going.
Travel for wanderers has always looked the same: breathtaking, adventurous, and satisfying. However, COVID has changed the way travelers have been approaching things. Let’s look at how new variants have been affecting travel for Indians.
What is a vaccine passport?
A vaccine passport can be understood as proof of vaccination or a negative test report against COVID infection. The document can exist both in physical and digital format. You can carry your vaccine passport easily with you throughout your travel. The purpose is very much similar to the medical passport issued by WHO. The medical passport is proof that the candidate is vaccinated against communicable diseases.
Can you get a vaccine passport in India?
When an individual is vaccinated against COVID-19, they receive a document from the Ministry of Health and Family stating that the concerned person has been vaccinated against the disease. While traveling within India, the certificate of vaccination is proof of vaccination along with a recent negative test report. Aarogya Setu app can also be used to keep COVID-related details of the individual.
As foreign universities and institutions are demanding complete vaccination of international students and employees, the need of linking the vaccination data with the passports has emerged. Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has issued updated guidelines, which talks about issuing a separate certificate of vaccination with the passport number mentioned on it for three exceptional cases.
- Students who have to undertake foreign travel for education.
- Persons who have to take up jobs in foreign countries.
- Athletes, Sportspersons and accompanying staff of Indian contingent attending International Olympic Games to be held in Tokyo
Upcoming Trend in Travel Post-COVID
More Domestic Travel
As international travel is still not open to all the countries, people will be more bent towards domestic travel. This will ensure that all the hidden travel places will be explored by travel enthusiasts. The rise in Domestic travel will improve the state of the country’s tourism income and boost the tourism economy.
COVID Restrictions will stay
The COVID restrictions will stay for a long time. It is the new normal. Always carry your sanitizer, wear your mask, maintain social distancing for the best care of yourself and your loved ones. Ensure that you stay at home and get tested if you feel any kind of symptoms.
Longer vacations
People will plan longer vacations in the light of work from home and restrictive conditions. Once you are on a vacation, you will spend more days enjoying every bit of it after such a long time. Enjoy your relaxed vacations with safety and caution.
Non-existing Holiday Season
People are expected to book travels without any calendar. The holiday season is expected to be non-existent in the coming times. With work-from-home options, people are already opting for work from their destination.
The countries with a NO!
Although most countries had opened their gates for travel and tourism, the declaration of Omicron as the new variant of concern has forced governments to ban international travel once again. New Zealand, Japan, Israel, Australia, Canada, Italy, Indonesia, Morocco, Russia, Malaysia, and the US as a whole seem like a distant option for your travel plans.
However, there is still a little hope left as the 14 “Green Pass countries” tend to be the only ones to keep their gates open for Indian passengers. It is advisable to stay in touch with travel updates that come with car/train/flight bookings for any new restrictions in the area of arrival for a smooth journey.
Vocal for Local
Yes! That’s right. With international travel becoming a complex differential equation, the local streets of Pondicherry, the foothills of the Himalayan mountain range, the coastline of South India, the Baolis of Delhi, and the islands of Havelock have become a perfect bouquet for the travel butterflies inside us. Every dusty corner of forts and palaces and every mountain full of snow have become an ideal substitute for our Egypt and Switzerland. All thanks to Omicron!
Some COVID safe places to visit right now:
- Havelock Islands
- Srinagar
- Rajasthan
- Meghalaya
- Khajjiar
Work from home or work from a trip
Work from home is here to stay, and as of now, nothing seems better than having a trip while working. The vibrant nightlife of cities like Mumbai, Bangalore, and Goa is as fancy as it gets. The silent valleys of north and north-eastern India seems like a song to the soul.
Spending the evening after work with a stroll down these cities has become everyone’s ideal definition of work from home. As the Ministry of Tourism and Incredible India also made an initiative of paying people to travel during these challenging times of new COVID variants, the trend of working, traveling, and working while traveling has hit the Indian youth like a storm.
Stay safe when you travel
Staying safe is the best way to cope with the situation at hand. As they say, ‘prevention is better than cure’. Times like these require extra effort and care to safeguard oneself and loved ones from the disease.
Follow these steps while you travel
- Always maintain a distance of 6 feet (2 meters) in between two people.
- Avoid direct or indirect contact with anyone who is sick.
- Limit touching objects that are accessed often like door handles, elevator buttons, etc.
- Use hand sanitizer if you come in contact with an object easily accessible to people.
- Always wear a mask that fits you snugly and covers your nose and mouth.
- Avoid touching the nose and mouth with your hands.
- Cover yourself while you sneeze or cough with a tissue or your elbow.
- Wash your hands thoroughly for 20 seconds every two hours to avoid any danger.
- Do not eat or drink while traveling.
Air travel
The air inside the flights is filtered and makes it difficult for the infection to spread but one must not put their guard down at any cost. Social distancing is difficult to maintain in crowded flights.
The following guidelines have been drawn up to keep a check on the spread of the virus.
- Travelers must wear masks all through the journey and also during the screening and entry.
- The documents must not be handed over, rather must be kept on the desk, or held up for inspection.
- Travelers are required to carry their personal sanitizer at all times.
- Small personal items should be kept in carry-on bags o avoid the handling of the same by the personnel during screening.
- Wash your hands thoroughly before and after screening.
Car travel
If you are thinking of going on a road trip, you must be smart about choosing the places to stop at. Car travel gives you better control over your environment. The following guidelines must be kept in mind while undertaking car travel.
- Take lesser stops than usual but take a stop if you start feeling drowsy.
- Carry face masks, sanitizer, disinfecting spray, wipes for use.
- Carry some food with you so that you do not have to stop often.
- Pay through digital payment methods while getting your car refueled.
Other transportation
Make sure you are sitting or standing within 6 feet (2 meters) of others to ensure safety. Investigate car rentals and their disinfecting policies to ensure safe travel. If you are going to use public transportation, maintain social distancing, wear a mask, and use hand sanitizer or wash your hands after reaching your destination.
Hotels
The concerns of the visitors have been well understood and taken care of by the hotel industry. Always check and ensure the policy of the hotel you are visiting. The disinfection and cleaning services they offer. Some best practices include:
- Enhanced cleaning procedures
- Social distancing measures
- Masking of staff and guests
- Contactless payment
New travel kits
You are allowed to forget your brush, or maybe even your entire luggage but don’t you dare forget your masks and sanitizer! Here is a list of mandates that are required to travel while fighting the new variants:
- Arogya Setu App
- A vaccination certificate (both doses) or a negative RT-PCR report (not older than 48 hours)
- Sanitizer, masks, disinfectant, and cleaning wipes
- Personal water bottles and a hot water bottle.
- A first aid kit
- Necessities to last you at least 14 days in case of unannounced quarantine
- Thermometer and essential medicines like Dolo-650, Azithromycin, etc.
Remember safety first
Traveling is all fun until everyone is safe and secure. We all must take care of each other and set plans aside in case of any illness. Consider the following prevention measures while you travel:
- Stay at the hotel/home if you feel sick or think you have COVID-19 even if you don’t have symptoms
- DO not start travel if you are waiting for the results of a COVID-19 viral test
- Do not embark on a journey if you have been diagnosed with COVID-19 even if you don’t have symptoms
- Stay at home/hotel room if you have come in contact with someone suspected or diagnosed with COVID-19 in the past 14 days even if that person didn’t have symptoms
Color game strong
Checking your Instagram for the color-coordinated profile has now been replaced by the colorful map of India indicating the spread of COVID and its new variants. Keeping a check on the Arogya Setu app for the greens (‘safe’) and reds (‘unsafe’) is now a prerequisite for traveling anywhere.
- * For international travel, check country status: level 1 (blue) to level 4 (red) risk of traveling
- * To get information about the COVID spread map, search “spread of COVID cases in India.”
For any other sources on COVID and travel-related information:
- Ministry of Home Affairs
- Ministry of Civil Aviation
- Arrival Portal
- Ministry of tourism: Incredible India Portal
A lesser load on your Pocket
The new variants have created a situation similar to a never-ending holiday season. Now, that means no worries about checking for the least expensive days and months, a long weekend, a holiday falling on a Sunday, and a lot more.
Due to the dearth of travel till the June of last year, the prices of hotels, flights, and food at most tourist places have almost taken a 30% dip. So, although the threat of COVID still lingers around the corner, a safe and healthy trip at the current time will definitely cost far less than if it was any other time of the year.
Remember! It’s still wide open
Although travel seems restricted to a few countries and the boundaries of India, if you have some time to spare for planning your trip, a few documents in hand, you have almost 12 more countries (in Europe and America) in the reach of your travel plans. If you can produce these documents beforehand, these countries are offering visas without any quarantine upon arrival.
- A negative RT-PCR report, taken at the airport
- A certificate of Vaccination
- Air-bubble travel
- A description proving you weren’t COVID positive for at least 6 months before flight departure
- An undertaking that information provided is authentic
Not all that glitters is Gold?
While this seems like a good time to travel with a lot of time and money in your hand, and it definitely is, precautions are always better than the cure. With the third wave of COVID-19 being just around the corner, it is advisable to take all the safety and precautionary measures for the COVID-19 virus and its variants.
Some advice to keep in your mind while traveling:
- Ensure social distancing (ensure a 6 feet distance wherever possible)
- Select clean, sanitized, and safe hotels only
- Avoid touching bare surfaces without gloves in public areas
- Explore market places in the hours of least crowd
- Choosing not so popular and crowded but significant places for travel
- Sticking with only your group during the trip
- Switch your cotton masks with surgical masks
- Avoid any publicly shared amenities (hookah, public pools, etc.)
Where to travel?
When and where to travel is often the most asked question. Some places carry a vibe of their own and provide a mesmerizing experience. Some places to visit post-pandemic are:
Goa
Goa is the perfect warm, beach getaway for the summer. The refreshing place is perfect for every age group. With beaches, mesmerizing sunset and sunrise views, interesting architecture, splendid views and never-ending parties this place calls for all who want some time off from their monotonous work from home life.
Dubai
The land of sheiks is the perfect getaway for all those who aspire for opulence. If you are someone who has a penchant for modern architecture, fulfilling experiences, and grand life, you must visit Dubai once in your lifetime.
Jim Corbett
The National park is loaded with nature, animals, and lots of relaxing vibes. Nature helps you heal your soul, vision, and bonds. If you are feeling overworked or overwhelmed due to the winding life, this is the perfect place to head to.
As countries are constantly vying for vaccination for all, travel is all set to get back to normal in the coming times. Precautions would still remain in place and would be observed to avoid the spread of the virus.
Maldives
A beautiful coral island is a perfect getaway for your fun-filled vacations. With a tropical monsoon climate and white sand beaches, this place is perfect for evening strolls and sunset pictures.
Bali
The iconic city of Indonesia offers safe and beautiful travel for women. You can experience beautiful South-Eastern Asia in this city and explore the unexplored parts of the city. The city is a shopper’s paradise.
Kasol
The mini-Israel of India is the perfect getaway for mountain lovers. If you are looking for some cold air and piping hot food, Kasol is the perfect place to be at this summer. Explore the mountains laden with bountiful forests.