How to organize the summer holidays: what do I do, do I book?

With the end of March, thanks to spring, the first thoughts also arrive on a possible booking of the summer holidays. Fantasies even more urgent if we think about how little we have traveled in recent months. The mere thought of an adventure, a little relaxation, an aperitif on the beach is therapeutic in these complex months. Added to this are some comforting news, such as the one coming from Seychelles which, starting from March 25, reopen the borders to international tourism; also leave in the name of health security Canary Islands: precisely the Spanish archipelago off the northwest coast of Africa is the test bed for the «Covid-Tested» holidays of the Alpitour Group (we talked about it here).

Many of us, however, are skeptical about the possibility of booking summer holidays already in these weeks. There are several questions, doubts about the evolution of the pandemic and the effects that the measures to contain it can have on travel. What if the trip is canceled or if I contract the virus and can’t leave anymore? What will happen to my booking and the money I may have advanced?

All legitimate perplexities but often not justified by reality because the world of tourism in recent months has equipped itself to protect those who want to travel. A considerable effort that involved tour operators, online platforms and flight companies. Of course, some on this front have moved more effectively than the competition, gaining the favor of customers. The report Best Airlines 2021 of eDreams, for example, it collected the opinions of the passengers of the airline companies identifying, among the many parameters analyzed, the most appreciated in terms of refunds in the event of flight cancellation. In reference to the ease of obtaining them, in particular, it is Qatar Airways to conquer the top of the standings, which also took into account the average times to deliver them. British Airways and Delta Airlines follow on the podium.

We have tried to understand how realities that offer different travel experiences are behaving what protections they offer to those who book a trip with them today. Here they are!

FULL REFUND
It is foreseen by several realities, including WeRoad that, in the event that legislation should come into force that would prevent the journey from being carried out (including measures such as closing the borders or requesting quarantine by the final destination), refunds 100% of the travel value.

Full reimbursement is also provided for by some players in the sector of trips related to major sporting events. The Giro d’Italia is one of these and Experience is one of the official tour operators of the event which this year takes place from 8 to 30 May. «A refund of 100% of the cost of the ticket is foreseen if the journey does not take place or particular limitations make it impossible to welcome people to the facilities and / or to take advantage of the other experiences provided. On the contrary, it is not true if the individual were unable to be infected because he was infected: in this case there is no refund “explains Matteo Fornaca, co-founder of Experience.

THE REPROTECTION
The same is not true for WeRoad, which in the event of contagion of those who have booked, instead provides for re-routing. What does this noun mean? In the travel sector it indicates the possibility of making a new booking; it is thus possible “to choose another departure date or possibly a trip of the same value as the one purchased”.

INSURANCE
It is another tool that can protect our journey. Some realities, including Villas Planner, through the insurance policy included in the price of the stay, guarantee «reimbursement in the event of cancellation of the trip due to Covid-19 infections or other epidemics affecting one of the booked travelers. The reimbursement is also guaranteed in the event of a national or local lockdown ».

Similar measures have been taken by Bravofly: «We have implemented an insurance that allows you to cancel your trip even in the event of Covid-19; among our proposals we have many hotels that allow free cancellation and on flights we have introduced a concept of flexibility, highlighting the airlines that give the possibility of changes and cancellations without penalties and offering a product that allows you to cancel your trip for any reason ” Davide Marra explains to us.

The sailboat travel sector is no exception: Mondovela in the case of restrictions related to the Covid emergency (including the establishment of red zones) they follow the European tourism legislation, which provides for the reimbursement of the trip in the form of a voucher lasting 18 months or in cash. This reality has also established the possibility of taking out a travel cancellation policy, which however is optional. «Those who book for the summer, July or August, will already have the possibility of being reimbursed in cash or with a voucher if it is not possible to leave» specifies Guglielmo Masala.

FREE CANCELLATION
The one made available by platforms such as Booking (in which you must always pay attention to the conditions) and AirBnb which in most cases allows you to cancel up to 5 days before check-in, as you can read in the dedicated section of the site. But some tour operators also opt for a similar formula: World Explorer allows for bookings made up to the end of May to cancel up to 30 days from departure without paying even one euro in advance. Without any penalty.

In short, booking a vacation today shouldn’t scare us so much considering the range of tools made available by the travel industry. Of course, it is always necessary to deepen the conditions that each reality imposes (the references for the details of those mentioned in this article can be found in the gallery), but never as in this period it is a question of time and energy well invested both to improve our mood ( and our vision of the near future) and to support one of the sectors most affected by the Covid19 pandemic.

(Photo: unsplash.com).