Travel Africa March Edition

Page 18

Industry News

Planning to Travel? What You Need to Know About Shifting Covid Rules. By Tom Roussey

R

ecent TSA numbers show, at least from an air travel perspective, the number of people going on trips has gone down during the Covid wave, fueled by the Omicron variant. But with Omicron numbers now falling, travel experts with AAA say they are seeing big demand from people wanting to travel as early as spring break. Those experts warn, however, this year’s “new normal” is different even from last year’s “new normal,” so travelers need to plan and be prepared. For instance, some cruises that required vaccination last year are now requiring booster shots as well, depending on where the ship goes and how long the cruise is. Also, AAA experts say Covid testing requirements vary from country to country and are constantly changing. “There’s a lot of changes that occur, so it’s really important that you stay up to date,” said Amy Short, manager of travel strategic partnerships and online sales for AAA. “Many countries have made it much simpler, where you can take a proctored at-home test -those are the same rapid tests that you would take at home, except there is a medical facility watching as you’re doing it -- and then that gives you the necessary QR code or certified test to show that you tested negative so you can continue on.” Short says when countries require a Covid test can vary from within 24 hours of traveling to 72 hours, so it’s important to make sure you know what the requirements are.

Other changes travelers may notice include at hotels, where if you stay multiple days room cleaning is now sometimes done only by request rather than automatically. Also, since there have been issues involving rental cars, AAA recommends reserving one well before your trip. AAA says it can be very helpful to use a travel agent/advisor for help navigating the complications Covid has brought to traveling. AAA says it is seeing a lot of bookings domestically for Hawaii and Alaska, and as has been the case throughout the pandemic, national parks are expected to be popular again this year. But they say if you’re willing to go to a city you may find some deals, especially during the week. “Cities that were high business travel areas [pre-pandemic] like New York City and Chicago typically had very high hotel rates during the week,” said Brenda Hunsberger, senior vice president of travel services for AAA. “Because corporate travel has still not returned to its pre-Covid levels, we’re seeing hotel rates in those cities be lower during the week in some cases than even during the weekends.” AAA also recommends buying travel insurance, but warns to make sure you know exactly what it will cover. For instance, will it cover you if you test positive for Covid while away and have to quarantine? Will it cover medical emergencies? Will it protect your flight? “It’s really about finding the coverage that really fits your needs regarding the trip that you’re going to take,” said Chip Morgan, vice president of leisure travel for AAA. “It will provide a lot of peace of mind to you.” https://wjla.com/news/coronavirus/planningtravel-what-you-need-to-know-aboutinternational-covid-restrictions-aaa-new-yorkchicago-hawaii-alaska-at-home-tests Image credit: travelnoire.com

18 | ABA Publications | Africa TRAVEL | March 2022


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Articles inside

African Cuisine! Republic of Liberia

9min
pages 75-78

Golf Africa

4min
pages 70-74

Enslaved Angolans Helped Build the US Now Angola Hopes African Americans will Visit

10min
pages 48-51

Ski Africa

4min
pages 68-69

Travel Africa

5min
pages 62-67

WORLD HERITAGE SITES

3min
pages 60-61

Kenya: Firefi ghters Extinguish Blaze at Aberdare National Park

2min
pages 54-55

DR Congo – Congo River Expedition. A 28 or 16 day Small Group Tour

7min
pages 56-59

Want to Visit Space? You Can Send Your Name on NASA’s Next Mission Around the Moon for Free

2min
pages 52-53

Where to Eat, Stay, and Play in Hard Partying Kampala, Uganda

6min
pages 44-45

Sale of Animal-linked NFTs Raises Conservation Funds for South African Reserve

2min
pages 42-43

Fathala Wildlife Reserve

6min
pages 38-41

Liberia Kicks off Bicentennial Celebrating Arrival of Black Americans

3min
pages 22-25

Rwanda is the Sixth-Safest Country in the World for Solo Travelers

4min
pages 35-36

Where Big Cats Roam Once More: How

5min
pages 29-31

Rwanda’s Akagera Park Embarks on Conservation Drive to Protect Wildlife, Boost Tourism

3min
pages 32-33

Sites to Visit in Liberia

5min
pages 26-28

Support African Students Fleeing Ukraine

1min
page 21

The Rise of ‘bleisure’ Trips: How Post pandemic Business Travel will Change

1min
page 20

Hampton University Just Became Delta’s First HBCU Partnership to Train the Next Generation of Black Pilots

1min
page 8

Planning to Travel? What You Need to Know About Shifting Covid Rules.

2min
page 18

Tourism Seychelles Holds First Marketing Meeting of 2022

3min
pages 12-13

Combating Threats Posed by Unruly Passengers

1min
page 19

Black & Abroad’s Black Elevation Map is The Black Excellence Visual We’ve Needed

1min
page 6

A New Dawn for Uganda’s Tourism as a New Destination Brand is Launched

6min
pages 9-11

6 Nigerian Airlines Form an Alliance to Off er Better Passenger Service

3min
pages 16-17

Morocco Resumes Passenger Flights with the Outside World

1min
page 7
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