Should we summer staycation in 2021?

In May 2021, TUI finally confirmed they were cancelling our Summer holiday to Mexico again. We spent four hours in the travel agents painstakingly choosing the *Riu Palace Mexico, so Brett could celebrate his 40th Birthday in style. Or should that be four hours convincing me to spend far more than seemed sensible? Either way, it wasn’t my favourite way to spend a Saturday afternoon. Rather than spend more time choosing an alternative, we decided to re-book Mexico for 2022. Will It be third-time lucky? Brett deserves a big birthday. Hopefully, he’ll get to enjoy a belated celebration in style.

With Mexico re-booked, we needed to decide what to do with our two weeks summer holiday…. maybe we could take a summer staycation in 2021?

Should we summer staycation in 2021, or should we travel abroad ?

There is a lot of interest in resuming leisure travel, Skyscanner reported that when travel corridors opened in 2020 the volume of people searching and booking holidays was around 80% the level of the previous year!

Last year, we travelled to Turkey using the travel corridor system that was operating in 2020. Turkey reported that they had a lower infection rate, and there was no mandated quarantine on arrival or return to the UK. We booked a package holiday with *Jet2holidays because they offered ATOL protection and Covid-19 travel insurance.

When we booked the airport parking, we were able to select car park 2! The closest we ever booked before was car park 7. Car park 2 was pretty empty, and Birmingham airport was much quieter. The shops and restaurants were open and there was social distancing in operation, so people were encouraged to wear masks unless seated eating a meal.

We were anxious about the flight because that was the closest we had been to other people for months. Although, our flight to Turkey was only about two-thirds full, and we had a spare aisle seat next to us. All the *Jet2holidays staff wore masks and reminded others to wear masks unless they were eating or drinking. I remember we were not allowed to queue for the toilet, so you had to remain seated and keep an eye out if you wanted to nip out for the loo. When we landed in Turkey, each row was asked to stand up, collect their luggage from overhead and leave one at a time. It was the most organised and calmest plane disembarking I have ever seen in my life, much nicer than when everyone frantically tries to scramble for their bags and make a dash for the exit.

We spent more than we would normally on a package holiday because we wanted to feel safer and enjoy relaxing in a little extra luxury. We selected a hotel with separate villas to help reduce our risk and help us maintain social distance. Our hotel was only half-full, and the staff encourage guests to wear masks in the restaurants. We had a swim-up pool and a water slide park on-site to help keep us entertained.

Other travel experiences during 2020:

Whilst considering our travel options for 2021, we asked a number of our friends about their travel experiences during the pandemic.

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Dylan visited Portugal

I felt was important was to do your own research. Look at the COVID-19 numbers per country, see who is responding well and make your own informed decision on where is safe/not safe. Before I went to Portugal in 2020, it was technically on the “must isolate” list. Before going, I did a lot of research and found that Poland, Greece and other areas that were on the “totally fine” list had way more cases, higher death rate, etc – So, Portugal was surely safer? A week after we returned, the UK Government moved Portugal over to the safe list.

In Portugal, we noticed that everyone wore masks all the time. We didn’t see a single person on public transport not wearing a mask in the week we stayed there. You don’t even get that in the UK! That made me feel much safer, actually safer than in the UK.

Porto airport was also stricter, they made everyone get in line, regular temp checks, etc – Didn’t have anything like that when we flew out of Birmingham Airport – hardly any social distancing too to be honest.

A day before I was due to return, I ordered an at-home COVID-19 test via the UK Gov website. That way I could test myself as soon as I got home, for my own peace of mind. It’s free and I’d recommend testing yourself.

Dylan Parrin

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Jo and her family took a holiday in Turkey

Now I’ve had covid, I couldn’t imagine getting it on holiday. I’m kinda scared of it now. I wasn’t before because I didn’t think it would affect me. We were told that most cases are ‘mild’. In the news and on social media, it always sounds like it’s either no symptoms, mild, or dead.

I won’t be booking another holiday at the moment, because it was really stressful. Leading up to it, worrying if one of would get covid, trying to keep the kids away from people. But after all of that, we were still sat to complete strangers on the aeroplane! Obviously not two metres apart, but on the way back we had an empty seat in our row and so did other families – I imagine people had been complaining about being placed next to other people who weren’t a part of their family.

There were temperature checks in the airport in Turkey, on the coach and before we got into the hotel and our daughter had developed an ear infection, so that was another thing we were worried about.

We had an amazing holiday once we got there, there were masks, sanitiser, etc. everywhere in all the bars and restaurants. The food was not as good as usual because there was no self-service and there was no air conditioning, so it was boiling in the restaurant and the gym, but the spa was still open for massages, etc.

Overall we got a bargain a £5000 holiday for £2500. It’s £5000 this year, so we won’t be going back there! I wouldn’t at the moment. We would wait until after the vaccine. Too many people had their holidays cancelled. We booked a last-minute deal with two weeks to wait and that was stressful. You can’t start packing in case it’s cancelled.

Joanne Lewis

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Andy relocated to South Korea

I’ve only made one journey during the pandemic – to relocate back to Korea after three years in the UK.

In July 2020, I wasn’t required to have a negative test or anything like that prior to flying, but Qatar Airways did require all passengers to wear a mask and a face shield (supplied) throughout the flight. People appeared to be seated as normal, and the flight was a busy one. Despite a little bit of ear discomfort after so many hours masked up, I was actually glad of the precautions, given the close proximity we were all in, and the crew were fastidious in ensuring that everyone abided by the rules.

Amusing side note – the face shields came packaged and with removable film on either side. You could only see clearly through it once you removed the film. At the end of the flight I noticed that a girl behind me had spent the whole 8 hours with it on, and had thus been watching all her in-flight entertainment through the 1cm wide clear space above the film layers.

When I travelled, Korea had (and still has) a mandatory 14-day quarantine for all international arrivals, so dealing with all that took quite a while, but that was really the only dramatic impact on how the journey would’ve gone in ‘normal times’. Obviously, things have tightened up in many places since then.

In terms of my thoughts on flying in general at the moment, I tend to think it should be avoided unless absolutely necessary. We all miss travelling, but however itchy our feet are, now is just not the time. Don’t get me started on this ‘flight to nowhere’ bullshit either. Apart from having no idea why anyone would want to get on a plane, take off, fly about, and land back where they started simply for kicks (or the duty free), it’s hugely irresponsible environmentally speaking, and I cannot fathom how airlines are justifying it as a thing.

Andy Coates

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Jayne and her family travelled to Cyprus

After changing my holiday from Majorca to Cyprus in 2020, I was apprehensive but also excited to be going away. I like to travel and like to do so as often as my budget allows! I found the airport a lot quieter than normal. The guidance was clear about wearing a face-covering in the airport and on the plane.

All related paperwork was checked thoroughly by staff at Larnca airport. We needed a negative covid test 72 hours before my flight. This provided further reassurance to me and my family because Cyprus appeared to be managing their infection rates well.

Overall, we had a fabulous holiday and most importantly we felt safe. A few more early nights were had than normal but definitely worth it.

Jayne Oldbury

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Juli experienced quarantine in the States and South Korea

When we aren’t in the midst of a global pandemic, I pride myself on being an expert aeroplane passenger. If I’m not going the 100% carry-on route and I know I will check my luggage, I will neatly roll up a clean pair of underwear, t-shirt, and socks and put them in my purse. And of course, I never fly without my toothbrush (and *sanitizing travel case), facial cleanser, and moisturiser!

Since the pandemic hit, my carry-on evolved to include:
– A package of disposable masks & two cloth masks
– Travel-size hand sanitiser and alcohol wipes
– My own snacks that I don’t need to touch to eat
– Headphones and a sense of humour

I was caught in Europe when the pandemic hit and brought the travel industry to its knees. Hundreds of flights were cancelled, and prices skyrocketed. Everyone was rushing to return to their homeland. My flight had been unceremoniously cancelled and refunded. So, I ended up booking a flight from Geneva to Moscow to Los Angeles.

In March 2020, everyone was making do. We knew we were living through a historical moment, a daunting one at that, and it tied us together. Instead of arguing about wearing a mask or the severity of this new virus, we all had one common thing in mind. We were trying our best to hold it together and simply get home to our family and friends, the place we felt safe. When I think back to that time, I remember the camaraderie and the heartening, sweet moments that revealed themselves in the darkness.

On my flight home to the states, I sat next to a young Russian guy. As he settled in next to me he gingerly placed this Russian hat on his lap. I couldn’t believe my luck seeing such a hat in the wild. (Same feeling when I see men in Texas wearing cowboy hats.) For the whole twelve-hour flight there it remained, resting in his arms, shielded from cramped overhead bins and miscellaneous luggage… except when our meals came. During those times, he put it on and ate with it perched atop his head. To keep it safe, of course! I loved that he loved that hat so much. I spent a good chunk of time wondering what made this hat so special to him.

With the hat proudly poking up over the rows of seats we started our second meal together and I realised… He’s AMERICAN. He lived in Saint Petersburg for the past year on an exchange program with his university. He was scheduled on a later flight, but his family convinced him to come home earlier. He shyly showed me a letter his Russian girlfriend had given him at the airport as they said farewell. This was the first time he told her he loved her. He unfolded the letter to point to the line where she had written that she was in love with him. He told me he cried when he read it. And that he’s read it a hundred more times since. I told him that I was absolutely certain that he would see her again.

After this, I asked him about the hat. He explained that he does Cossack dancing. One of his friends in the dance troupe hurried to give it to him before he departed Russia. It was a very special hat, indeed. I’ve tucked a lot of people in my heart during this time, and I happily welcome Dominic and his hat inside.

After a month of being in America, I was fortunate to get a job offer in South Korea. I’ve lived abroad since 2006, and I felt very uncomfortable with the notion of spending the pandemic in America. So, I was anxious to leave the states.

During the month I had been quarantining in America, a lot had changed in the air travel industry. The final leg of my journey was from Los Angeles to Incheon, South Korea. On arrival at LAX, I was greeted with an airport gate full of hazmat suited Koreans eager to return home. I wondered how everyone seemed to have got the same memo: Bring your hazmat suit, goggles, gloves, and masks! I admired the dedication to protecting themselves and others. As the TV commercials at that time never failed to remind us: these are unprecedented times. So better safe than sorry was okay in my book! To be honest, I was the least prepared! I only had a sandwich bag of bleach wipes, and one N95 mask, which I had been wearing for the past month.

When I arrived in South Korea, I was swiftly taken to a COVID testing facility, tested, and then promptly tucked away in my small hotel room for two weeks. I got an adorably misspelt text declaring my negative test a few hours later.

You might think that my second flying experience and quarantine was more clinical. But there were still sweet moments. During my quarantine, I experienced the softer side of human nature: the care package from the Korean government, my friends stopping by and leaving me goodies in the lobby for them to be delivered to my room, the window washer who gave me a wide smile and waved when he caught me dancing in my room during my “daily hour of activity”, the video calls from friends hoping to keep me company.

2020 was a wild ride for me, but I will treasure that time. As my ex-husband said with a laugh, “I’m jealous! Look at all your stories.”
And that’s the truth. They are my stories now.

Juli Hulme

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Claire’s family travelled to Bulgaria and Portugal

We flew twice during the pandemic in 2020. The first time unwittingly, during February the virus was spreading in Europe and we were skiing in Bulgaria. For the return flight, everyone was wearing masks at the airport and the kids were really spooked. By the time England got locked down we had ruled out flying anywhere, but friends had travelled and said it was ok.

When Madeira was added to the travel corridor, we saw that they tested everyone who flew to the island. We got our tests in the Uk, but you don’t have to because they also offer a test on arrival. They only ask that you stay at your accommodation until you get the result, which will arrive within 12 hours.

We flew with *Jet2holidays, who were very strict – our kids had to wear masks on the flight, and people were only able to get up to use the bathroom. You could take your masks off to eat and drink, it was totally fine. We were concerned that there might be a delay at the airport because of testing, but it was really swift. If you had proof of a negative test you went straight through. If you didn’t you were tested on the spot. It all felt very safe. Madeira had very few cases and we were outdoors all the time. I would definitely do it again.

Claire Webber

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Will we travel abroad in 2021?

People will travel abroad when they feel ready and they feel it’s safe enough for them, and the reality is that will be at different times for different people. From the experiences shared by our friends above, we gain some insight into how everyone has different needs and motivations for travelling abroad, different levels of anxiety, different concerns, time constraints and budgets.

Why choose a summer staycation in 2021?

In May 2021, the UK government approved a very limited number of destinations for leisure travel. However, we had concerns that things could change quickly as they did with the travel corridors in 2020.

Would we travel to a country on the green list, only to find it had been added to the amber or red list while we were abroad? Would we need multiple COVID-19 tests, would we have to quarantine in a hotel at our own expense? Could we get stuck in another lockdown?

We are both vaccinated, but that doesn’t mean we couldn’t catch the virus and unknowingly pass it on to others. Would healthcare be easily accessible and available in other countries?

We have read how the filtration system in aircraft is meant to significantly reduce the risk of infection. But what about other aspects of travel abroad and reducing the risk of infection. Would there still be reduced capacity on flights and in hotels? Would there be adequate social distancing in airports? Or would flights and hotels now be fully booked? Would the prices increase as the travel industry try to recoup their losses?

If you travel abroad this summer, we would love to hear about your experiences? Please share them with us in the comments below.

It’s going to be a summer staycation for us, but we are still hoping to potentially travel abroad later in the year.

We will be observing how the covid situation progresses in relation to leisure travel and infection rates are being managed.

We talked about visiting Scotland for a while, but we usually put it off and end up booking a last-minute deal abroad. Too easily swayed by the notion of better weather and safe in the knowledge that we could always visit Scotland sometime in the future.

My current travel anxiety revolves around the fact that we do not have accommodation booked for our trip to Scotland. Brett keeps talking about packing the tent for emergencies. I haven’t slept in a tent for several years, to allay some of my fears I’ve ordered pee bags and a she-wee. Things I haven’t even considered since I last went to a music festival, nothing like being prepared.

The UK is fortunate to have a large domestic market to help support the recovery of the tourist industry within this country. There will be a lot of people planning summer staycations, which means popular holiday spots areas in the UK will be bustling with tourists and it might require some research to find less crowded quieter places. Brett has been checking google maps and said that the roads in Scotland already look rather busy.