Interesting infographics: Why do people travel?

Travels during NEW NORMALITY of COVID-19

You need to know that before you buy a trip

If you buy a trip, there is a risk that you will not be able to go anyway. This also applies if you have been vaccinated against corona.

There may be local restrictions in the country of travel - e.g. quarantine requirements aimed at all people - which make your journey impossible. The travel agency or airline can also go bankrupt, so you can't go.

Do you choose to buy a trip? So think about this before you buy:

Package tours give you better opportunities to get your money back than if you buy flights and hotels separately.
A car holiday or interrail can be a flexible way to travel, where you can change the route or cancel if the situation changes.
Hotel stays with the option to cancel without a fee allow you to change the plan if the situation changes.
Check how your travel insurance covers you if you go - and check how your cancellation insurance covers you if you can't go, for example, because of a positive corona test.
How has your travel provider coped with the corona situation so far? If necessary, check on social media whether the customers have been able to get in touch with the company and have received their money back when they were entitled to it.
If the travel country only accepts tourists who are vaccinated or can show a corona passport when you leave, and you have not been vaccinated yet, you may not be able to get the money for your holiday back. In some cases, however, the tour operator will be obliged to do so, just as it may be that your travel insurance can help.
Do you have to quarantine when you get home? Authorities, employers, schools, and institutions may have rules that you or your children must be tested, go into isolation, or can only return to everyday life after you have been at home for a period.

Airline tickets: How you stand

If you only buy plane tickets, you may lose the money you have paid for the plane tickets. You only have the right to get your money back if the airline cancels the trip.

Preferably buy the plane tickets directly from the airline, and buy flexible tickets that you can change if you can't leave at the planned time anyway. Then you are best protected against losing your money.

Flight tickets that you have bought through portals can be more difficult to get a refund for than flights that you have bought directly from the airline.

Package tours: This is how you stand

Package tours are trips that consist of at least two travel services. It could be, for example, that you buy a flight and hotel together on a classic charter holiday. Tickets for, for example, concerts or football matches can also count if they are a significant reason for you booking that particular trip.

Package tours generally give you better chances of getting your money back if you can't go. Read the terms for canceling or rescheduling the holiday carefully before you buy - remember that if you cancel the trip yourself, you will not necessarily get your money back. Also, pay attention to how close to departure you can possibly move your journey.

Does a corona guarantee from the travel agency help?

Several travel agencies offer corona guarantees, where they promise that you can get the money for the package tour back if the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of your country advises against the trip.

If you buy a trip with a corona guarantee, you must be prepared for:

that there may be local restrictions that prevent travel, but that the corona guarantee does not apply because the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in your country does not advise against travel
that the trip might not come to fruition after all, and you will only get it clarified shortly before departure.
that expenses for concert tickets, rental cars, and so on will be lost.
do you not want to travel at the time of travel because you are insecure? Then you probably cannot use the guarantee if your Ministry of Foreign Affairs does not advise against the destination.
that you may only be able to rebook the trip up to 60 days before departure, which can be a long time.

Airbnb, hotels, excursions, car hire, concerts, and the like: that's how you're done

Do you book a hotel yourself, rent a car or buy tickets for a concert? Then you risk losing the money if you can't go on your trip.

The terms of the lease or conditions are crucial to your chances of getting money back. If it is not stated in the contract that you can cancel the purchase, you do not necessarily have the option to do so. It is therefore important that you read the conditions thoroughly before you buy or reserve accommodation or experiences for your holiday.

You must also check the cancellation terms before you order or buy. Sometimes you can cancel without having to pay a fee until the day before. The right of cancellation does not apply if you rent a holiday home or book a stay in a hotel.

You may be able to get some of the expenses back through your travel insurance or cancellation insurance. But in all cases, this will usually require that you have bought the tickets or booked the hotel room at a time when your Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not advise against travel to the area.

Cancellation insurance and travel insurance: Does it cover?

Cancellation insurance covers a number of situations where you cannot come on your trip anyway. This generally also applies if you or someone in your household falls ill with coronavirus before departure. On the other hand, it does not always apply in cases where it is restrictions or other conditions in the country of travel that prevent the journey.

Your travel insurance covers you if, for example, you fall ill or have an accident on your trip.

How you are positioned varies from company to company. Therefore, ask the insurance company how you want to be positioned before you buy a trip and get any promises of coverage in writing. Also, check the company's website and what is stated in your insurance conditions.

Bankruptcy: Can you get your money back?

The corona crisis is putting pressure on travel companies' finances, and it may end up with some airlines or travel agencies going bankrupt. If that happens, in some cases you can get your money back through the Travel Guarantee Fund.

The Travel Guarantee Fund covers the bankruptcy of agencies that sell package holidays if the agency is a member of the fund. If you have been given a voucher by the agency, it will also be covered in the event of bankruptcy.

The Travel Guarantee Fund covers some airline tickets. There may be a deductible, and the coverage depends on whether there is enough money in the fund. Vouchers from airline companies are not covered in the event of bankruptcy.

If you have bought a package holiday, you are better protected than if you have only bought plane tickets. If you buy a package tour, it is a good idea to stick to established travel agencies that are registered with the travel guarantee fund. The travel guarantee fund covers all expenses if a company goes bankrupt.