When Can I Travel Again? How Zicasso’s Travel Experts are Ready to Make it Happen

Ultimately, your next vacation depends on a number of factors:

• Government restrictions - If a government in question hasn’t yet opened the nation’s borders for tourism, you won’t be allowed to travel within that country.
• There must be a supply - If no airlines fly to your chosen destination, you won’t have a means of getting there; if hotels haven’t opened, you will not have a place to stay.
• The most important factor impacting your vacation - Your willingness to travel in a new way.

We asked Zicasso travel specialists for Greece and Italy to share their thoughts on the future, including their predictions for when and how we will travel again. The passion our travel experts have for discovery is infectious and will inspire your passions for unique global experiences that will get everyone back to traveling.

Tourism in Greece is mostly seasonal with the majority of travelers visiting during the summer months.  In order to ensure the safety of both travelers and locals in Greece, the government is implementing a health protocol that includes the following information:

• Social distancing will be required on beaches
• A contract doctor will be available if a tourist tests positive for the virus
• A quarantine hotel will operate on every tourism destination in Greece
• Special training for every Greek hotel on specific hygiene rules
• Hotels will not have buffets
• Masks must be worn on all forms of transportation and in public

The kind of experience you have in Greece will depend on your comfort navigating the new travel logistics. If you are fine moving around, in some cases having your temperature taken before boarding a flight or ferry, and okay with wearing a mask in public spaces, you can comfortably travel within Greece as early as this summer.

According to Cynthia, a Greece travel specialist, travelers can also enjoy luxury accommodations for a heightened experience. “Properties are spectacular, and you might see a more subdued experience in luxury with all of the bells and whistles,” such as in a boutique hotel or a villa with breakfast on your private terrace. Safety stems from “Limiting contact...private transfers, breakfast brought to you. Hotels are under strict guidelines for health and safety--who is doing what and how.” The Acropolis may limit the number of people who can enter at any given time while also requiring face masks.

Cynthia adds that, "Rebookings for May, June, July, August have all shifted to 2021, and we haven’t even started the normal cycle of bookings! April 1st to the end of October is the usual season, but I suspect we will see a surge for next year. Flexibility will be needed on the traveler’s side of when to travel, as many properties will be booked solid.”

Mario, a Zicasso travel specialist for Italy has seen a very different side of the travel industry between the end of April and the beginning of May. Information on Italy travel restrictions, travel guidelines, and safety concerns have changed often and rapidly. Since early May, Italian hotels have received 500,000 new foreign bookings for June and July 2020, so things have started to pick up already.

“I have mentioned to all my clients that it is never too early to book a trip to Italy, and that 2021 will be crazy busy; places like the Cinqueterre, Positano and even Venice will get booked out early in advance so to get the best rates I am telling my clients it is a good idea to secure the trip as early as 12 to 14 months before,” Mario continued.

“Of course, most will want to wait, but booking now will make them save some money. We expect hotels to increase the prices since they know the demand for a trip to Italy will be like never before, once traveling is possible again.”

How we travel has already changed, but why we travel remains the same. We travel with purpose. We travel to experience the differences. We travel so that when we return home, we will see the community in which we live in a new light.

The world continues to deal with, and heal from, the impact of COVID-19, but travelers can continue to find inspiration in new cultures we are eager to visit or unique landscapes we are eager to see, from Egypt to Thailand, New Zealand to Argentina.

Here at Zicasso, our travel specialists are ready to answer your questions as you consider your next trip. As the ways we travel will continue to evolve rapidly, it is essential to have a destination expert in your corner. Your travel specialist will underscore the significance of human connection and will ensure personal support throughout your travel experience. You can start planning your next Zicasso trip by submitting a private trip request form, or by calling our team at 1-888-265-9707.

Together we can dream globally, act locally, and discover the world safely when you are ready.