International Travel amid the COVID-19 Pandemic

The on-going Coronavirus crisis has essentially stalled many sectors of the economy. With over two months of complete lockdown in effect, Indians have had to postpone all of their travel plans indefinitely.

While the effects of this pandemic have been felt across all sectors, none of them have been affected to such a degree as the travel and tourism industry.

But, the travel and tourism industry will surely recover from this setback, right?

Well, the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic may be long-lasting, according to experts. It will take time for Indians to adapt to this new lifestyle, which revolves around numerous guidelines.

Furthermore, vacations are the farthest thing from most people’s minds today. With a rampant loss of employment and economic recession, only a few families will be able to afford travel of any kind, let alone international trips.

Moreover, the Coronavirus travel restrictions will stay in place for the foreseeable future or until an effective vaccine has been devised for the disease.

International travel had been restricted until the midnight of July 15, as India phased out of its long nationwide lockdown.

The restrictions on international travel were mirrored by almost all other Covid-struck countries as well. However, some European nations allowed intra-European travel post June 15.

Even as international travel to and from India resumes, you may not be able to visit any destination you please since some countries may still be battling the pandemic.

Therefore, according to our prediction, your international travel plans may need to undergo serious revision.

On May 25, the Indian government decided to restart domestic flights across the country, after more than 60 days of inactivity. However, the government also declared a fresh set of guidelines that every traveller will need to follow on these flights.

While international travel directives have not yet been issued, travellers will most likely be provided with several guidelines that they will have to strictly adhere to before their trip commences.

Listed below are the primary Coronavirus travel updates for domestic flights that travellers can expect to be in place while boarding their international flights in the future -

• Use of a face mask and gloves are now mandatory for all flight passengers, right from their entry to the airport until they leave the destination airport.
• Passengers must also mandatorily download the Aarogya Setu App on their mobile devices before heading to the airport. Results from Covid-19 screening tests on the app are vital to board the flight.
• Travellers need to enter the airport at least 2 hours before the scheduled departure of their flight. You should reach earlier if possible since following the protocols mentioned in the new guidelines can take additional time.
• Coronavirus travel restrictions imposed on domestic fliers also state that anyone testing positive for the disease or failing to pass the thermal screening test at airports would be prevented from boarding a flight.
• Lastly, social distancing norms need to be followed throughout this travel. Whether you are at the check-in counter or outside washrooms, ensure that there is enough space between you and the people standing in front of you or behind you.

International travel restrictions may be stricter than the restrictions imposed on domestic tourism. Furthermore, different countries may enforce a variety of guidelines after opening their borders post the Covid-19 pandemic.

With this in mind, here are some aspects where you can expect major changes in international travel.

Determining the risk profile for travellers

Safety will become the key for all travel operations post the Covid-19 pandemic. Apart from wearing protective gear, undertaking sanitisation efforts and maintaining social distancing, travel companies and airports may use a traveller’s personal data to predict an individual’s risk profile.

Your age, travel history and underlying health conditions will help decide whether you pose a threat to other passengers aboard a flight.

Companies, such as Google and Apple are already amid the development of contact tracing software schemes, using which app developers can create Covid-19 diagnosis apps, similar to the Aarogya Setu app. (source)

Read: Learn more about the benefits of Coronavirus Health Insurance

Travel involving minimal contact with others

Perhaps the most perceivable change in international and domestic travel would be contactless journeys. When battling such a highly communicable condition, you may compromise your safety even through simple actions.

For instance, exchanging travel documents at the check-in counter at airports can be risky for both you and the staff handling the documents.

Therefore, to combat such instances, airports may need to implement biometric systems, including contactless fingerprinting, face recognition and more. Some countries may enforce touch-free document scanning protocols as well.

Compulsory quarantine for travellers

International travellers may need to undergo self-quarantine for a specified number of days at their destination. Iceland is one of the first countries that are already following this model of quarantine for international travellers.

Any traveller who refuses to undergo Coronavirus testing upon arrival in the country needs to undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine.

You can expect more countries and India to follow such Coronavirus travel restrictions when they open their borders once again. Such guidelines can significantly increase your duration of stay at the preferred destination, which, in turn, would also increase your expenses.

Following are a few facts about the novel coronavirus disease to dispel some of the rumours doing rounds.

Recovery from this disease is possible. If your symptoms are mild, chances are that you will recover without any complications. Hospitalised individuals with severe symptoms have also recovered from it.

• There is no vaccination for Covid-19, as of yet. Treatment for it includes supportive care.
• The disease can affect individuals belonging to any age group. However, senior citizens are more at risk from it.
• The mortality rate from the disease is quite low.
• China, the epicentre of the disease, has contained it and is slowly returning back to normal.

Thus, under the current scenario, it is crucial to remain calm and make sure that you are informed about the disease’s progression. It is also more important than ever to focus on the positives and undertake precautionary measures to reduce the risks of this infection.

Phased Reopening of Iconic Monuments across the Globe

Tourist sites have remained closed these past few months. Madrid’s esteemed Prado Museum is set to reopen its doors from June 6. Spain’s Guggenheim is already open to tourists. Some of France’s most popular tourist sites, such as the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre may restart operations by the end of June or early July. Therefore, international travel may take a while to pick up the pace.

Limiting your Travel to Within India

With the looming uncertainty over international travel, Indians may need to restrict themselves to domestic travel for a while. Apart from the strict restrictions in place, travel to abroad destinations is expected to cost significantly higher now than it was before the pandemic struck.

Furthermore, many small hotels and tourism businesses have permanently shut their doors due to this virus. Therefore, international travellers may face difficulty locating hotels and services, which they had previously used during tours, as many of them may have ceased operations. 

The current scenario is such that leisure travel is expected to dip significantly even after full-fledged flights and trains resume operations. Business travellers may face increased risk on their journeys, which will force them to implement adequate security measures for unforeseen circumstances.

Travel insurance will become an even more crucial commodity in the coming days. Where previously, such policies represented an afterthought, things will change now. The increased risk of travel, along with the risk of being infected, will drive more travellers to invest in quality travel insurance plans.

We, at Digit, aim to fulfil your entire travel insurance requirement with handy policies and features. Some of these include:

• Zero-deductible claims - When you submit a claim request with us, you can rest back and enjoy the benefits. With no deductibles involved, you claim, and we pay the full amount.
• Zero-touch insurance - Being a digital-first insurance company, everything from buying travel insurance to making a claim can be done online and is a completely paperless procedure.
• Support for cancelled or delayed flights - Due to the additional Coronavirus travel restrictions, flights may be delayed or cancelled more frequently. With increased ticket prices, you would bear additional losses if such an unforeseen thing occurs. Thankfully, with Digit’s travel insurance, you can alleviate much of these losses, as the insurance provider offers reimbursement for flight delays or cancellations.
• Treatment for medical conditions suffered during journeys - Seeking treatment at some international destinations can drain all your savings. A travel insurance plan from Digit will ensure that financial liability to the policyholder is minimal in the event of such afflictions or conditions during international travel.

At present, it is difficult to predict how normalcy would return to our lives in a post-COVID-19 world. However, one can safely say that the travel and tourism sectors would not remain the same for years to come. As such, you will need to adapt to this new way of travelling if you want to enjoy family vacations in the future.