Planning a trip for 2022 might seem daunting at the moment, but there are a lot of reasons to be hopeful when it comes to vacation planning next year.

Summer is coming to an end, and I’m not going to lie; the last few weeks have been tough. Every day, there is news and information coming quickly about changes and updates throughout the travel industry. Most days I feel like I’ve got a good handle on it, but some days it feels overwhelming and discouraging. I may be a travel agent, but I am also a human being, after all.

I realized recently that although Canada and much of the world is experiencing the fourth wave of the coronavirus pandemic, there is still a lot to be hopeful for when it comes to planning travel for 2022 and beyond.

1–AstraZeneca Vaccine Approval

Here in Canada, and in other parts of the world, AstraZeneca was the vaccine of choice. Canadians were urged to take the first vaccine that was made available to them, and for many, that was AstraZeneca. Many Canadians ended up with a mixed vaccine dose.

So far, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved AstraZeneca for use in the United States, and as a result, some travellers have been excluded from certain destinations or experiences. For example, although Bahamas will recognize the mix of a viral vector vaccine and an mRNA vaccine, because the FDA does not, Disney Cruise Line does not currently consider mixed dose vaccinations and at this point will not permit guests with this mixed dosing to board their ships to the Bahamas. I believe this will be sorted out in due time, one way or another and wouldn’t advise mixed-dose Canadians to cancel their travel plans yet.

I promised this would be a list of reasons to be hopeful, however, and the positive bit to focus on is that AstraZeneca approval is coming. AstraZeneca will seek full approval from the FDA before the year is out, which could remove one of the barriers to travel for some Canadian and many European travellers.

2–Cruising Safety Standards

I see a lot of comments on social media about cruising, and it’s clear to me that the folks leaving the comments, a) have never cruised, b) have never had an interest in cruising or c) haven’t been following along with the cruise industry during the pandemic.

While it’s true that cruises were problematic at the beginning of the pandemic, we now know so much more about coronavirus and how it is spread and most importantly, how to reduce the risk for travellers. The cruise industry has been held to an incredibly high standard when it comes to the resumption of travel.

Cruise ships are currently operating at reduced capacity, with many enhanced health and safety measures in place. In addition, most cruise lines are requiring full vaccination for all eligible guests and crew members on board, as well as COVID-19 testing prior to boarding and disembarkation. While every family needs to evaluate their own risk tolerance, I believe cruising is actually very safe right now, and I anticipate these health and safety measures will continue to be in place for the foreseeable future.

Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) states,

While it is easy to focus on cruising because of its high profile and transparent reporting standards, the fact is cruising is neither the source nor the cause of COVID-19. What is different about cruise ships compared to other settings is that no other sector or industry has such stringent reporting requirements coupled with the presence on board of credentialed doctors and nurses to provide medical surveillance.

While it may be true that the world knows more about how COVID-19 impacted cruise ships than they do about how it has affected other sectors, it would be a false assumption to connect meticulous transparency and reporting to a higher frequency of infection.

Cruise Industry COVID-19 Facts and Resources, CLIA

3–On-Site COVID-19 Testing

Because Pure Magic Vacations is a boutique agency, we are selective about the all-inclusive resorts we recommend for our clients, especially post-pandemic. For the travellers I’m in touch with, being able to safely obtain the COVID-19 testing that’s required for vaccinated Canadians returning home after travel is important.

Resort partners such as Sandals Resorts, Beaches Resorts, Palace Resorts and Karisma Hotels & Resorts have COVID-19 testing provided on site, and sometimes the price is included with your stay. Some resorts will provide this testing for a nominal fee. I’ll continue to monitor this requirement and advise clients accordingly as we move into 2022 and beyond.

I’ll also personally take this system for a spin, with an upcoming trip to Playacar Palace and Sun Palace planned for early October of 2021.

4–Vaccination for Children

A lot of clients say they’ll be more comfortable travelling to their favourite family-friendly destinations once their children aged five to eleven are able to get vaccinated against COVID-19. The most recent sources indicate vaccines for age 5 to 11 population in late 2021 or early 2022.

5–Low Risk, Fully Refundable Deposits

The financial risk for booking a 2022 or 2023 vacation is extremely low right now. Most of the travel suppliers I deal with regularly offer low, fully-refundable deposits. For example, a Walt Disney World Resort vacation can be booked with a fully-refundable deposit of just $200 USD. A Universal Orlando Resort vacation reservation can be held with a fully-refundable deposit of $50 USD per guest, and Cancel for Any Reason coverage can be added for $44.95 USD per guest, allowing cancellation up to 24 hours prior to check-in.

While there are still a lot of challenges facing the travel industry, I’m still very hopeful about the resumption of non-essential travel for Canadians who wish to start planning a trip for 2022 and beyond. As always, I welcome your feedback, questions and any other opportunity to discuss safe travel together.