Is It Safe To Travel This Fall?
The year 2021, much like 2020, has been a wild one. One of change. One of devastation. But also one of hope.
Especially for the travel industry.
While we’ve all been hit hard by COVID-19, we’ve also learned how to slow down, what really matters, and how precious our health and way of life truly are. Thanks to the tough work of scientists around the world, vaccinations are in full swing, and if we’ve been fortunate enough to become fully vaccinated- travel has opened up safely to many of us.
However, case numbers are rising again due to the highly contagious Delta variant. And our travelers are asking us repeatedly: what does that mean for travel this Fall?
We’re going to share our sources and how we mitigate risk to the max extent possible for our travelers so that you can keep yourselves and others safe!
With so much confusion around traveling at the moment and an ever-changing environment surrounding COVID-19’s new variants, we want to tackle some of the hard questions we all have about what’s responsible & safe to do as we attempt to return to travel this fall.
In this post, we will answer the question, Is it safe to travel this fall?
We’ll discuss where to find the best travel information right now, what’s new in the world of COVID-19 vaccinations, detail the new restrictions according to the CDC for domestic and international travel, and talk about where we think you should travel this fall.
DISCLAIMER: HEY! Guess what!? We aren’t scientists or doctors here at Authenteco Travel. So we can’t promise anyone’s safety from COVID-19. I don’t think anyone can. But we will arm you with as much information as possible so you can be informed as you make responsible decisions surrounding traveling this Fall.
Domestic Travel to our National Parks is our favorite kind of trip this time of year :)
Where To Find Information
In a digital age of advanced technology, social media, and too much time spent at home, thanks to numerous lockdowns, it can sometimes be overwhelming to search for information to help keep yourself informed about world matters.
We recommend turning to these places for information around COVID-19 and travel right now.
The CDC
The Centre for Disease Control (CDC) is one of the go-to websites for people worldwide when it comes to staying up to date with COVID-19 information. (let’s be real…..it changes faster than popcorn pops)
This is our #1 resource we turn to as a travel concierge when we book vacations for our travelers, to ensure we remain responsible, do not send travelers to destinations that are currently struggling with outbreaks where the local population’s safety or our traveler’s safety is at risk. We do this by monitoring case counts in destinations and forecasting provided by the CDC Here on their data tracker.
For international travel, we rely heavily on the recommendations of the CDC and the labels they place on countries based on the risk factor. For instance, we had travelers booked to go to Iceland this fall, but when the CDC announced Iceland was turning into a level 4 destination, we pivoted, as sending our travelers there was not responsible or safe.
You can view the updated lists of where the CDC labels different countries below. You can also find up-to-date information in regards to restrictions and recommendations for international travel here.
CDC USA Travel Planner
When it comes to travel planning for the USA, one of our go-to resources is the CDC’s Travel Planner.
Here, you can insert your location in the textbox, and it will take you to the webpage for the local government of that destination, listing all the information you need to know about restrictions, COVID protection, and traveling within the area.
Your Travel Agent, Advisor, Or Concierge
Contrary to popular belief, travel agents, advisories, and concierge services, are some of the most knowledgeable people to turn to when it comes to finding out accurate information about COVID-19 and traveling.
Don’t believe us? Check out our recent features in the Washington Post, Why 2021 Will be the Year of the Travel Agent, and The New York Times, Make Way for the Travel Agents Again
As a travel concierge with an emphasis on teaching people how to travel responsibly, we are responsible for our travelers when they are abroad and traveling domestically inside the states. Using our travel survey, we ensure that our travelers are going to be safe (vaccination status and agreeing to entry/exit requirements) ad responsible by caring for the environment and local communities. We stay away from locations categorized as Level 4 according to the CDC and watch trends for Level 3 destinations . Finally, we ask that our travelers are going to adhere to all the restrictions for the destinations they are visiting.
Because of this, we need to be informed, we need to be choosing locations that are not going to be negatively impacted by our travelers, and we need to make sure our travelers are not going to be put at unnecessary risk for traveling. While we can’t guarantee safety or protection from COVID-19, we can do everything possible to mitigate risk! And when you have a US Navy helicopter pilot as your CEO- trust when we say, Shelby ensures we mitigate risk.
The Points Guy
Another of our favorite resources to turn to when staying up to date with information about COVID-19 and the travel industry is The Points Guy. The website, while normally focusing on an excellent array of travel advice and chasing rewards points, has turned into one of the top informational sites for COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic. The site now has a dedicated library on all things travel news and COVID-19 news.
You can check this out here.
Not only is The Points Guy valuable for current travel info, it’s the best resource for travel hacking too!
Vaccinations
Nearly 170 million Americans have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to the CDC. (21 August 21)
If you’re one of the millions fully vaccinated and are itching to hit the road, you’ve probably been caught thinking ‘now what?’ a handful of times over the last few months. We know- it’s frustrating for everyone at the moment, but hey we’re all in this together, and while you might be vaccinated, transmissions can still occur so it’s important to stay informed. Also, did you know that only 51% of the United States is vaccinated right now? While lower population countries like Malta are leading the pack with 82% fully vaccinated populations- there is still a long ways to go for the rest of the world.
Ensure you laminate, bullet proof, duct tape, and bring that beautiful piece of documentation for any and all vacations you plan on taking, as the measures for travel and unvaccinated people (including those that cannot provide proof of their vaccination) are getting tighter and tighter.
In fact, remember last year when “vaccine passports” were mentioned and @#$% hit the fan!? While the United States has yet to institute vaccination passports, the EU is already well on there way. They’re just calling it the EU Digital Covid Certificate and it’s effective in the 27 member nations as well as Switzerland, Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein. Anyone holding a certificate should be exempt from testing or quarantining when crossing borders within the EU.
We won’t talk about the controversy and implications of “vaccine passports” but don’t be surprised if this is the future of international travel to enter certain countries, take certain cruises and tours or be exempt from strict testing and quarantine requirements.
While we’re not yet close to a standardized system for vaccine passports that will work across the globe, there are several apps and platforms that have either been rolled out or are in development. For now, having digital proof of vaccinations are becoming the norm.
Vaccination Tracker
We love that certain news publications like the New York times are keeping up to date vaccination stats by country. You can definitely use this for risk mitigation when traveling or to understand how far along other countries are if you’re thinking about planning international travel for 2022. Find the NY Times Vaccination Tracker here for all countries ranked by highest vaccination rate.
Digital Proof of Vaccination
Below are just some of the digital proof apps you can download to store your vaccination and COVID-19 test results on. Please note, we still recommend always keeping your paper copy on you while traveling.
CommonPass: enables you to document your COVID-19 status to satisfy country or state entry requirements while protecting your health privacy. With CommonPass, it’s easy to access your lab results and vaccination records and show your COVID-19 health status when you need it.
IATA Travel Pass: Partnering with 30 airlines worldwide, including ANA, Singapore Airlines, Qatar Airways and Virgin Atlantic.
IBM Digital Health Pass: offers a secure digital option for managing your COVID-19 test results or vaccination status
Your best bet at traveling internationally right now is still your vaccination card and being fully vaccinated. While you may not care about contracting COVID-19 or even the delta variant- you can’t map out other people that you are affecting along your travels. So PLEASE- keep others safe by doing your part, being smart, and getting vaccinated.
And finally, this should go without saying, but you don’t want to lose your vaccination card. Treat it like you would treat any other important piece of documentation. Even though it’s a small piece of paper, it’s gold if you want to be able to travel.
COVID-19 Booster Shots
Despite the COVID-19 vaccines being rolled out continuously in the US being highly effective in reducing the risk of severe disease, hospitalization, and death, as new variants of COVID-19 arise, the CDC has mentioned implementing a booster shot this fall.
According to the CDC “the goal is for people to start receiving a COVID-19 booster shot beginning in the fall, with individuals being eligible starting 8 months after they received their second dose of the vaccine.”
This could be an important factor in helping to kickstart travel again, and an essential element required for certain countries to start opening back up. It could also be a crucial step to getting on top of the Delta variant and any other variants that pop up in the near future.
International Travel and Domestic Travel?
There’s a lot of misinformation out there right now about traveling domestically or internationally, and which destinations you should or shouldn’t be visiting right now.
While it does depend on your health status and the destinations you plan on visiting, international travel has been in a constant state of change since the start of the delta- variant, and this is only going to continue.
Many destinations that were open preceding the delta variant are hesitant to let travelers continue to their countries. Several of them are already reimposing restrictions due to the Delta variant.
Iceland, for instance, was recently declared a level-4 restricted country, meaning only absolutely essential travel should be taken if you want to visit.
Greece has banned music in bars and set curfews in nightlife spots like Mykonos.
France, which is only allowing vaccinated visitors at this stage, is now requiring proof of inoculation to dine indoors.
In the Caribbean, Turks and Caicos has narrowed its time frame for visitors to acquire a negative coronavirus test, shortening the window from five days before arrival to three. (28 July 2021)
Europe travel could also shut down at any moment thanks to terms built into the European Union’s tourism reopening: “member states can halt travel at any time via an emergency brake.”
We know that restrictions are changing every day, so choosing to travel domestically might be the safest option for all travelers right now.
Two best friends, Abby & Meghan with our founder Shelby masked right before their trip to Montana! These best friends are both US Navy Officers turning a military move into a fun and not stressful occasion with an Authenteco Vacation!
How Can I Safeguard My Trip This Fall?
If you are one of the few who are looking to travel this Fall, have taken all the necessary precautions and want to travel responsibly, we would love to help you plan the perfect getaway! You can add yourself to our waitlist here. We are currently only booking clients that are on our waitlist.
It takes about 7-10 days to get pulled from our waitlist at the moment.
If you’re still in the decision-making phase, there are a few things we recommend that might help you plan a safe vacation.
Travel Insurance
This probably goes without saying, but travel insurance is the single most important thing you can do to safeguard your trip right now.
“Travel insurance is designed to cover those who elect coverage with financial safeguards in the case of events ranging from inconveniences to calamities. Coverage may include both costs incurred before your trip, such as nonrefundable event tickets or hotel stays, and during your trip, including travel interruptions and medical expenses.” - Allianz Travel Insurance.
To safeguard yourself against being out of pocket for your next vacation, we always recommend purchasing travel insurance before your trip. While policies are adapting to the ever-changing environment of COVID-19, many policies exclude COVID-19 now as a reason for cancellation.
However, you can purchase Cancel For Any Reason or Cancel Anytime and receive up to 75-80% back of your total trip cost if you choose not to travel the day before!
Not sure about what travel insurance to purchase? Send us an email at concierge@authentecotravel.com and our team will be happy to provide you with some more information about the best travel insurance to safeguard yourself from COVID-19 this fall.
Our Secret Picks For Fall
With so many locations in the US and the case numbers on the rise internationally due to the new delta variant, choosing where to travel this fall might be a little tougher than usual.
As of today, August 24th, we wanted to share with you a few of our favorite destinations for travel this fall. Please keep in mind case counts are always changing!
Franklin, Tennessee
If you love country music, you can stay in a secluded record studio here with us where the likes of Taylor Swift and Keith Urban have recorded.
Hudson Valley, New York
Rent an isolated cabin in the valley and make a fire and smore’s for the perfect weekend getaway.
National Parkation (Grand Tetons, Yellowstone, Glacier)
There just is nothing else like waking up to a view of the Tetons, seeing bison graze in Yellowstone, and climbing the Going to the Sun Road in Glacier National Park. Glamping, cabins, and luxury b&B’s are our favorites here!
Alaska
Nothing mitigates risk like open fresh air and low populations of people! If you’re fully vaccinated, Fall Alaskan vacations are to die for.
Zion National Park
Most folks, come during June-September, but our favorite time to see Zion is October-November just before it gets desert cold! Glamp and hike with zero crowds this fall!
The White Mountains, New Hampshire
We just can’t get enough of New Hampshire leaf-peeping in the fall! Make a road trip out of it and find that perfect A-frame for a week long adventure.
Currently, our most popular trips are those that venture through the National parks- whether that’s on a Parkation hitting several in one go, or a unique trip to some of the quirky parks like Crater Lake in Oregon. Social distancing, nature, and unique eco-luxury accommodation is your ticket to a happy and COVID-safe vacation this fall! What more could you want?
Authenteco Travel trip curators are National Park specialists, and we’re advocating for road trips and keeping travel domestic as the new COVID-19 variant changes the scope of international travel. If this sounds like your dream vacation, join our waitlist now!
If you are ready to take the leap and have us take care of your next vacation, click here and we’ll be in touch with you to plan your perfect vacation for fall and beyond!
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