When the calendar turns, our phones usually start ringing. January is normally a very busy time in the travel industry. People gather over the holidays, finish out the old year and turn their attention to what adventures the new year will bring. Some of them want to get away as soon as they can to get away from the cold weather (and maybe delete any unpleasant experiences with unruly relatives over the holidays from their memories). Others want to get away for spring break or plan a summer vacation.
It’s also the time of year when cruise lines, tour operators and hotels launch specials to attract business while travelers are in the mood to get their plans set. The January wave season is typically the heaviest booking time all year. In conjunction with what’s likely to be a theme of 2021, things are kind of the same and kind of different this year. With vaccines rolling out and optimism abounding, people are feeling more confident about scheduling events in the future. The deals are there, too, with all sorts of travel suppliers running specials for future travel.
What’s different about this wave season is our travelers have a year’s worth of untaken trips taking up space in their heads and hearts. That makes space even more at a premium than in years past, especially if destinations continue to limit capacity well into the year. Populations will be getting vaccinated at different times, so certain countries will still put limitations on how many travelers are allowed and how full hotels and resorts can be.
What hasn’t changed is peoples’ love of travel. If anything, it’s become even more precious since we’ve been deprived of so many of our favorite places. That makes this January busier than ever. Each month you go later into 2021, we’re seeing more and more bookings already. Before you know it, we’ll be moving about the world again. Rules will still be different than they were before March. Some places might require proof of vaccination from travelers. Others will still require negative PCR tests in a certain time frame. More people will be traveling, which will make navigating the protocols more complicated.
As ever, we’re here to make your life — and especially your travels — easier. Our first piece of advice is to get your trip scheduled as soon as you have a set of dates you think will work. Cancelation policies are still flexible, so in most instances you’ll be able to change your dates if need be. But space is filling up fast, even for 2022. Everybody missed travel in 2020 and very few people got to do it, so it’s in demand. We’ll help you navigate the rules in your destination. We’ll also help set up the behind-the-scenes tours that will keep you out of the crowds and find the unique experiences the returning crowds don’t even know are possible.
Safety and personal space are still part of the new luxury in 2021, along with all the other amenities and personalized service we deliver. Wave season is here, and it’s time to plan. Reach us at 609-933-1763 or vicky.malakoff@destinationuncharted.com to get started.