There has been an enormous dark cloud of uncertainty looming over the travel industry since March of last year that has only gotten worse recently. Much of the US and Europe have already begun their "Revenge Travel" wherein all of last year's pent-up travel frustrations are broken free from the mundane routines of the "new normal" caused by the pandemic.
For the believers out there that can see travel coming back soon for us Filipinos here is how you can prepare for your "Revenge Travel"
Set and re-adjust your travel goals
Travel will never be the same as before. The place you wanted to go might not be opening up anytime soon or visas are not being granted. Take Australia for example, it's looking like they might be one of the last countries to open up for tourism with projections aimed at the end of 2022 if things go well.
Be flexible, go to a country that is open to you, or go back to a country you've been to before and hit a different city from last time. There is so much to explore other than the famous tourist attractions.
Double-check your points and miles balances
Although almost all points and miles from hotels and airlines have been extended through 2022 and 2023, it's best to keep track of how much you have and when they are set to expire.
Keeping track of your miles will also give you an idea of how far or how close you are to reaching your goal. Making an Excel file that you update from time to time could be a could practice to keep your miles in check.
Have a miles earning credit card
Since most of us aren't flying, the best way to rack up miles for future travel is through credit cards. Earning from everyday spending such as groceries, medicine, restaurants, etc. might not seem like it gets you a lot of points/miles but they do eventually pile up and next thing you know it you've got a free flight!
Remember if an establishment accepts credit cards and you're paying with cash, you're actually paying more.
It also helps if you have a small business or work for a company that reimburses you for expenses.
Increase your travel budget
Cleanliness has never been more important than before. Airlines and hotels have made great strides into adding additional measures and programs to make passengers and guests safe, but these measures do come at a cost.
Airlines and hotels have been taking financial blows and it's most likely passing on the costs for these additional measures to the customers so be prepared to spend a few extra bucks for extra cleanliness or other unexpected charges.
Have a backup plan
Uncertainty is going to be a thing in the near future so try to be prepared for anything. Your flight might get canceled, a country might impose restrictions in the middle of your trip, and your itinerary might crumble in front of you.
Double-check your itinerary and play some worst-case scenarios in your head so you can be a bit more prepared in case something goes wrong. Being too spontaneous might cost you more now.
Get vaccinated
This would be the most important step of preparing for "Revenge Travel". Not only will you help protect yourself and your family, but it's also going to help make traveling easier for you.
Right now, being fully vaccinated will not grant you immediate access to enter other countries, but they make it a lot easier for you to enter if you are.
Some countries like France, Iceland, and Italy for example will allow you to enter if you are fully vaccinated without needing to quarantine. Of course, each country has different restrictions, and where you are from matters too but there is no reason not to get vaccinated if you have the means to get the jabs.
Oh and don't forget the vaccine brand matters depending on where you plan to go! So make sure you double check!
Bottomline
There's not much we can do about the travel situation right now but there's a lot of things we can do now to prepare for when travel becomes more of a reality for us.
Personally, I've been racking up on KrisFlyer miles and looking to transfer my other credit card points to either Mabuhay miles or Go rewards when travel is a bit closer.
Check out The Points Society playlist on Youtube.
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