An Overseas family holiday is always something to look forward, however, in the current climate, it’s uncertain when unrestricted travel may be viable again. The situation is rapidly changing, with new updates almost every day, but be cautious.
Although, we are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel - Spain is opening up from July 1st - working out when it will be safe to travel overseas or having the confidence to travel Overseas is a bot of a minefield. That isn’t stopping us dreaming of our next getaway though. While Overseas travel is looking patchy for the Summer season of 2020, many companies are looking to next year, optimistic for a boom that will help revive the industry.
Travel companies rely on holiday makers to survive and many have been hit hard and while many of us bored, restless, and desperate for something to look forward to, many are peddling out seemingly too-good-to-be-true offers to tempt us.
If you’re looking for a bargain getaway, it may be worth taking the plunge and booking now - particularly if you can find a fantastic offer for peak-times, such as school holidays. But, if you do choose to go down this route, be conscious that we don’t know what’s around the corner. It may be that the travel ban extends far beyond what we expect, and it may be that your big savings turn into a costly nightmare. Importantly many, if not all, insurance companies are now not insuring new holidays against Covid-related cancellations, so in the event that you can’t travel, it’s unlikely you’ll get your money back.
Do check the accommodation's booking Terms and Conditions - many hoteliers and independent owners are offering flexible booking conditions - at least those on our fabulous site are! Talk to them as quickly as possible if an issue arises as they will want to host you and find a solution to suit you, as much as you will want to get there.
If you do a package holiday do check and check again that your insurance is up to date and that you are covered sufficiently for cancellations. Most package holidays are ATOL-protected, protecting your money if any part of your trip doesn’t go to plan. While these types of holiday may not be found on the discount holiday sites you can be confident that you will be protected.
While a bit of shopping around can help you secure deals on flights and hotels, unless you are insured there is no immediate benefit to booking such a holiday, without a full awareness of the restrictions of travel bans and the comfort of knowing you have insurance to fall back on. Friends of ours have booked to go to Ibiza July 1st - as the country is opening up their hotel is refusing to offer any refunds on current bookings - they have two young children (one vulnerable), are uncertain what isolation measures are in place and anxious of the fallout. They booked directly, without insurance and have no recompense for now. It's a horrible position to find yourself in, particularly with a few thousand pounds invested already.
Unfortunately, there’s no easy answer to when to finally book your much-needed vacation. There is still much uncertainty surrounding travel, both within the UK and abroad. Until we know more about the transition back to normality, and when we can expect the travel ban to finally be lifted, it will be impossible to predict holidays can safely be booked. If you do choose to wait it out, you may risk having to pay more for your holiday due to demand, but the added assurance may well be worth it.
At Away with the Kids, we know this has been a difficult time for many. We’re here to help, so please keep an eye on our website for more updates.