what the omicron variant means for travel

Man, oh, man. This one even sounds ominous. The Omicron Variant. A friend remarked that it sort of sounds like the title of a cheezy 70’s sci-fi thriller where everyone’s dressed in lamé costumes on a white infinity room set.

But that’s not what it is, of course. Rather, it’s a potentially dangerous new strain of COVID, which has recently emerged in Southern Africa.

Already, many countries are restricting inbound travel from South Africa, Botswana, Namibia and other countries in the region. Of course, travel bans don’t stop the spread of COVID. But they do help slow the spread, which could buy health officials a couple of weeks to learn more about the variant.

Travel is still possible, however — especially if you’re fully vaccinated. We have clients preparing for trips to Europe, and clients who are about to return from South America. But when planning these trips for clients, we’ve got one eye on developments related to the Omicron Variant.

What are our tips for booking, in light of the current landscape?

• Keep an eye on entry protocols for your destination. For example, Israel is not a hotspot for this new variant, but they’ve shut down all inbound travel — not just from Africa, but from any destination. Having a travel advisor in your corner can ensure that you’ve got up-to-the-minute information on the entry and testing protocols for any destination on your itinerary.

• Put the right kind of insurance in place. If travel is possible, but you want to reconsider because of the new variant, you might need “Cancel for Any Reason” (“CFAR”) coverage. Or, we can arrange to put enhanced insurance with added benefits in place for you, through our preferred partner, COVAC Global.

• Plan ahead. We’re getting a ton of last-minute inquiries for travel, and we’re here to tell you — it’s too late to be planning travel within 60 days. You might think that you need flexibility when you’re traveling, so it’s antithetical to plan ahead, but you’re wrong about that. When you plan last-minute, there’s less time to build the flexibility in to your trip, and a greater risk that you’ll be locked into something that can’t easily be canceled or refunded.

• Don’t do it piecemeal. As travel professionals, we have tools and resources that ensure that the moving parts of a trip fit together the right way. If you come to us with your flights already booked, and you’re looking to us to do the rest of it — sorry to say it, but you’re wasting time and money. You need flexibility in order to meet the challenges of this new variant, and if you’ve booked part of your trip directly on a consumer site — well, you’ve tied your hands, as well as ours.

• Get the vaccine. Get the booster. Wear a mask. I can’t believe we’re still having to say this, but there’s a reason that a new variant emerged in a country that only has about a 25% vaccination rate.

Travel is still possible, however, even with the emergence of Omicron. But it’s yet another reason to consider using a professional travel planner. Reach out to us, if we can help.