As we all know, COVID-19 has hit the wedding industry hard. Something that was hit just as hard, if not even harder, is the travel and tourism industry. So where does this put couples who are trying to plan a safe honeymoon during COVID-19?
HOW TO HAVE A SAFE HONEYMOON DURING COVID-19
To bring you tips for safe travel for your honeymoon during COVID-19, we interviewed Kelly Jara from Travelworks. Travelworks is our in-house travel agency here at Be More Inspired, and she helps so many brides and grooms go on the honeymoon of their dreams! Because travel is so uncertain right now, we took the time to interview Kelly about going on a honeymoon during COVID-19 times. Here is everything that she had to say!
Are there safe ways to travel for a honeymoon right now?
“Absolutely! Enhanced safety protocols are in place just about everywhere including airports, airplanes, and resorts. Feedback from my clients has been overwhelmingly positive. Several told me that their resort was cleaner than their home (for example, they broke the seal on their room door at arrival, indicating that it was sanitized). In addition, many international destinations are requiring a negative COVID-19 test in order to board the plane.”
Are there any international travel options right now?
“Yes! For those dreaming of a tropical beach, many Caribbean islands, Mexico, Costa Rica, French Polynesia, and the Maldives have reopened.”
What are your recommendations for couples who want a tropical honeymoon, but don’t feel comfortable traveling internationally?
“If they’re willing to fly, but want to stay in the US, my recommendation for a truly tropical honeymoon is Hawaii. Starting 10/15, visitors arriving with a negative COVID-19 test were no longer required to quarantine for 14 days, which is wonderful! If they don’t want to fly, Florida is a good option too.”
Do you find that more couples are planning domestic honeymoons right now? Or are most postponing their big honeymoon plans? What do you recommend, planning something more local or postponing altogether?
“Most of my clients with honeymoons impacted by the pandemic (March-now) have postponed their honeymoon plans until next year for a few reasons their wedding was postponed, their flights were canceled, and/or their destination/resort was closed. My recommendation for clients depends on their comfort level with traveling right now. If they’re not comfortable, a local mini-moon after the wedding is a great option and we’ll plan the honeymoon of their dreams for next year. If they are comfortable traveling, we’ll work together to identify the destinations that are open and best meet their needs.”
What are some of your more local honeymoon destinations that couples can drive to if they don’t feel comfortable flying?
“Close to home, I love St. Michaels. There are many wonderful options in the Northeast, including Martha’s Vineyard, Cape Cod, and Newport. If traveling south is more appealing for warmer weather, I love Charleston and Savannah.”
Are cruises an option right now? If not, what do you recommend to couples who really want to go on one for their honeymoon?
“Unfortunately, cruising is not an option right now because of the CDC’s No Sail Order, which keeps being extended. The cruise industry is working hard on developing health guidelines for the safe return of sailing. Couples who really want to cruise should be looking at sailing next year. If they want to vacation sooner, there are many tropical destinations they can visit by air instead.”
How do you recommend couples stay positive while honeymoon planning during these uncertain times?
“I can’t stress enough that being flexible is key. The pandemic is a fluid situation and travel requirements/restrictions can change at any time. It’s never been more important to work with a travel agent. We stay on top of what’s going on in the travel industry, handling changes/cancellations for our clients during this difficult time. Stay positive! We’ll be traveling the world again and the tourism industry, which has been devastated globally by the pandemic, will need your support more than ever before.” Thank you to Kelly for taking the time to answer our questions! Hopefully this helped some of you who have questions about your honeymoon during this time. If you have any other questions about wedding planning, feel free to reach out to us here! Featured Image Photo by Anthony DELANOIX on Unsplash