Top Pandemic Travel Questions Answered

February 8, 2022

What is the timing for Australia and New Zealand to open? Australia just announced their plan to open later this month on February 21st. We expect it will take a bit of time for things to be up and running smoothly; but we will be monitoring it closely. New Zealand will welcome visitors from the US without a the need to quarantine starting in July of this year. For combination trips to Australia and New Zealand we suggest looking at July or later in 2022. Let us know if you are ready to start planning! If you have a credit on file please let us know if you need a further extension.

What destinations have we been working with since the pandemic started?

Tahiti has been a big winner for us. Did you know that Hawaii gets more visitors in a day than Tahiti gets in a full year? Fiji opened it’s borders in December and has had strong forward bookings for spring and summer. The Galapagos , Belize, Costa Rica and many countries in Africa have also been popular. The Maldives has also been a top choice and unique escape for those interested in an exotic location. We also have sold more Alaska and US based wilderness lodges.

1. How are travel professionals compensated? (especially with so many cancellations and trip changes!) We charge modest fees to cover our time and expertise; including a Travel Curation Fee of $200 per booking and air ticketing fees of $50 per person. Fees have become a part the new way professional planners are working. Roseann talks more about fees and how the pandemic has changes the client perspective on fees.

2. What destinations inspire us for travel in 2022 & 2023 and beyond?

Bhutan, Antarctica, conservation projects in Africa, Wellness properties in the USA and world wide, off the beaten locations in French Polynesia – such as the Marquesa islands! We are committed to sharing our passion for unique destinations to make your travel dreams come true.

3. Why should I purchase travel insurance? Isn’t it easy to cancel these days?

Now more than ever we strongly recommend the purchase of travel insurance to help protect you and your trip investment from the unexpected. Traveling without insurance can be a gamble. Beyond COVID, if someone in your family gets sick or bad weather closes the airport for the day, you could lose any non-refundable deposits you’ve made for your trip. We have been quoting Roam Right insurance for our clients, feel free to visit this link for a quote or ask one of our agents to quote a policy.  

Have other questions? Reply to this email and we’d be happy to help. We hope you’ll keep us in mind for your next adventure and will share our expertise with your friends and family.