2021 was always going to be a transformational year in relation to travel. After all, Brexit was always going to result in big changes to the industry but as we all know, that’s not all we have to contend with.
The emergence of COVID-19 means that there are further considerations. In short, traveling around Europe in 2021 is going to be much different to what most generations have ever experienced and through today’s article, we will take a read of some of the advice you should bear in mind if you are planning a European, New Year adventure.
Move with the rules
Let’s start with the obvious. As long as you have been paying any sort of attention to the news, you’ll know all about the rules which are almost changing on a daily basis.
When it comes to traveling around Europe in the New Year, we would urge you to keep checking government advice. Unfortunately, you may also have to dive into specific advice about the countries you are thinking about visiting as well, as quite often they have differing quarantine rules which can severely impact a trip. Or, some may not even permit travel from some countries at all.
Even if you can travel, don’t expect the same experiences
Rules might be relaxed for different countries, but that doesn’t mean that you will be set for the same holiday experience.
Some destinations have had to severely change the way in which they offer experiences. By the same token, the economic effect has meant that some experiences might no longer be possible. In other words, even if you spot a must-do attraction on Trip Advisor, make sure you research in advance if it is still open and available to do.
We should also point out that during the winter months, some attractions across Europe are closed. This is unrelated to Covid-19, it’s something that happens every year due to the cooler temperatures and the smaller visitor numbers.
How long does your passport have left?
Unless you were traveling further afield, we have been reasonably fortunate in relation to passports over recent years. As long as your passport had enough time remaining on it to cover the duration of your stay in a country, you were good to go.
From January, this is changing. It will now need to have at least six months left – which can leave some travel plans in tatters if you don’t plan accordingly.
The EHIC will no longer be valid
In some ways, this next point should not affect you. After all, while the EHIC has been an extremely useful document for a lot of people, the authorities have always said that it should be used alongside travel insurance.
Well, from January, it will no longer be valid. It means that travel insurance from a company like Staysure is even more important, particularly if you have a pre-existing medical condition (which the EHIC always used to cover).
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