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A vacation is your time to unwind and relax, take in the sights, and get a taste for another culture’s cuisine. But your trip doesn’t always go according to plan. Sometimes, something goes wrong. Whether it’s an unexpected COVID restriction or medical emergency, here’s how you can be prepared.
Injuries and Health Problems
Everyone agrees that travel insurance is necessary when you’re jet-setting around the world — from nomadic professionals writing a blog post to travel agents advising their clients. It’s your number one defence against these unexpected medical emergencies.
If you trip and hurt yourself or get sick enough to require medical attention, your insurance will help you cover these surprise costs.
Like many other kinds of insurance, some travel companies will require you to pay a deductible before their policy kicks in. That’s why it’s a good idea to have some savings set aside in an emergency fund.
If this fund isn’t big enough, you can find out whether you might be eligible for an online personal loan in an emergency by comparing the eligibility requirements of your local online direct lenders. Most online direct lenders post this information front and center on their websites, making it easy to check before you go to the trouble of applying.
Location will be one of those requirements. You won’t have to share your travel itinerary, but you will have to prove you live in a state where the lender is licensed to provide online personal loans.
COVID Restrictions
The world may be returning to normal, but COVID is far from over, so there are still many restrictions in place affecting where and how you can travel. While some countries may allow fully vaccinated visitors, others prohibit all non-essential travel.
It’s crucial you check where your destination falls on this scale, and how they treat visitors from your country of residence. This can save you from booking flights and accommodations you can’t use.
If you have the all-clear to travel, look into how often you have to get a COVID-19 test. For many locations, you’ll have to get tested before you leave your home and after you reach your destination.
In some cases, you may even have to quarantine while you await these results, so it’s important you consider the extra cost of hotel rooms and testing to your plans.
Accommodations Fall Through
Despite having an email from your hotel and a confirmation number on your phone, said hotel doesn’t have your reservation on the books and they have no rooms available.
Sound like a nightmare? It can end up being a reality. Now that hotels advertise their rooms on several travel aggregators, it’s incredibly easy to overbook — not to mention the various technical glitches that can result in a lost reservation.
If this happens, you have a few options. You can try to reserve a room on the spot, request the hotel assists you find a room at another hotel, or start searching for backups on your own. Apps like HotelTonight and Hotwire display last-minute cancellations that open up previously reserved rooms.
Bottom Line: Stay Calm
Vacations don’t always go as planned, but you can be ready for anything with a little preparation. Remember these tips before you leave for your next trip.
