Are you a Canadian planning an all-inclusive vacation during the pandemic? There are a lot of factors to take into consideration. Planning with a travel advisor can help make the planning process easier and yes, even FUN.

Planning travel these days can be a stressful experience for some folks, especially if it’s your first trip since the start of the pandemic. And with the recent concerns and additional regulations added due to the emergence of the Omicron variant, travel conditions are changing almost daily. On the other hand, a lot of Canadians who are fully vaccinated feel very comfortable getting back out into the world, and are desperate for a getaway. For these travellers, the planning can still be a fun experience when an experienced travel advisor is part of the process.

Travel advisors continue to monitor travel policy for current and future clients. Many, including myself, have travelled in the past several months and so have personally navigated the ins and outs of international travel so they can guide their clients through the experience, as well.

Although you may not be comfortable travelling just yet, planning an all-inclusive vacation during the pandemic can still give you and your family something positive to look forward to in the future. Travel bookings are still on the rebound for 2022 and beyond. Here are a few factors for Canadians to consider, along with ways to protect the payment made toward your vacation booking.

Considerations for Canadians Planning an All-inclusive Vacation During the Pandemic

Public Health & Safety Measures

When choosing an all-inclusive vacation destination, it’s important think about the public health and safety measures that are in place at your destination hotel. You’ll want to choose a resort that has put in place social distancing markers, hand sanitizing stations, enhanced room cleaning practices, and requires face masks in all indoors in public locations.

Vaccination Status of Employees

It may be important to you that all staff members at your vacation destination are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Many resort brands have committed to only allowing fully vaccinated employees to work at their properties.

Entry Requirements for Destination Country

The entry requirements for Canadians travelling vary from destination to destination. In addition, these requirements may change at any point in time. Understanding the entry requirements, including the need for visitors to be fully vaccinated, the need for any entry testing, and any other requirements can be tricky to decipher. Your travel advisor should inform you these requirements during the quoting process and at the time of booking. He or she should also continue to monitor them on your behalf and inform you of any changes until your departure date.

All Canadian citizens boarding an airplane for domestic or international travel must be fully vaccinated as of November 30, 2021. Please click here for further guidance on this policy as conditions are subject to change.

Re-entry Requirements for Returning Home

All Canadians continue to require a negative PCR test in their destination within the 72 hours prior to their departure home to Canada. November 30, 2021 it was announced that Canadian citizens returning to Canada from any international destination other than the United States will also be tested upon arrival at the airport and will need to isolate at home well awaiting results of the test. At the time of publication of this post, the effective date has not been announced by the federal government.

Kids and Quarantine at Home

Children who are not vaccinated must quarantine at home for 14 days upon arrival home to Canada and are not allowed to return to day care or school until then. For this reason, families will want to consider the timing of their vacation if limiting the time away from school is important to them. Vaccinated kids can usually return to school after their vacation if they are symptom-free and pass the COVID screening tools provided by their local public health unit or province. Continue to monitor these requirements on the Government of Canada website under the heading, “Children or Dependents”, and consult your school for an update on their policy.

Availability of Testing at the Hotel

Although testing might be widely available in your destination country, many resorts are offering to facilitate testing on-site, which means families won’t have to leave the resort in order to secure a negative COVID test prior to returning home to Canada. Some resorts are offering this service free of charge while others are charging a nominal fee.

At this time, I’m recommending my clients only choose to stay at resorts where testing is available on-site in order to keep them safe and save them the hassle of trying to find a test elsewhere.

Outdoor Dining Options

While face masks are required in public spaces indoors, masks are removed once guests are seated at restaurants. If dining outdoors is important to you, you’ll want to select a resort where a patio or outdoor dining space is an option. Your travel advisor can help you find the resort where outdoor dining or room service is available.

Kids’ Clubs

Some resorts have moved their kids’ clubs outdoors rather than operating inside. Double-check what the policy is at your resort if you choose to take advantage of this feature when your family goes on vacation.

Cancellation Policies (Refund or Credit?)

Understanding the cancellation policy seems to be the biggest concern that I’ve encountered with families planning an all inclusive vacation during the pandemic. I continue to recommend the suppliers’ add-on coverage when possible, which usually allows the guest to reschedule or cancel the vacation without penalty. These add-on features typically must be purchased at the time of booking and are non-refundable. The features included vary from supplier to supplier.

For example, Transat’s Option Flex Extra includes the ability to cancel your trip up to 24 hours prior to departure, change your travel dates, destination or hotel up to 24 hours prior to departure and transfer your package to a friend or family member up to 30 days prior to departure. The cost for these features is $99 CDN per passenger. Air Canada Vacations, WestJet Vacations and Sunwing have similar options available for purchase.

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is not included in your vacation booking, but it is highly recommended. You should purchase emergency medical coverage as well as trip cancellation/interruption coverage. Also important is to consider whether COVID-19 related emergency medical coverage is included, as well as any quarantine expenses you may incur in the unlikely event you or a member of your family tests positive for COVID-19 in your destination. I recommend reaching out to the insurance provider of your choice directly for any questions about the coverage you need for your vacation.

Checklist of Things to Consider for Canadians Planning an All-inclusive Vacation During the Pandemic

• Find out what the health & safety measures are at your desired resort hotel.
• If important to you, ask whether the staff members at the resort are required to be vaccinated.
• Learn about the entry requirements for your destination country.
• Learn about the re-entry requirements for returning home to Canada.
• Double-check your child’s school policy about when they may return to school after the vacation ends.
• Ensure COVID-19 PCR testing is available at your hotel.
• If indoor dining is a concern to you, find out if outdoor dining options are a possibility, and whether room service is available.
• When planning to make use of kids’ clubs at your resort, consider whether they have been moved outdoors.
• Become familiar with your cancellation policies.
• Purchase emergency medical and trip cancellation/interruption coverage. Consider whether it includes coverage for COVID-19 related emergency medical and quarantine expenses.

If you’re finding this information overwhelming, the good news is that planning an all-inclusive vacation during the pandemic can still be fun and simplified when you work with a trusted travel advisor, an expert who can decipher these factors for you and your family when looking ahead to resuming travel.

Please feel welcome to reach out to start the conversation about your family’s next all-inclusive vacation!