The travel industry has been hit hard during the coronavirus pandemic, with a projected revenue loss of $2.1 trillion.
The good news? We’ll be able to climb mountains, swim in oceans and get lost in beautiful cities once the pandemic ends.
Naturally, like any pandemic, we don’t know when we’ll be able to buy plane tickets to traverse the globe, but there are 3 officials who can authorize a green light when the time comes.
These are the 3 officials who can approve traveling again
The U.S Department of State
The U.S. State Department has implemented a Level 4 Do Not Travel Global Health Advisory as of March 19, warning Americans to not travel internationally during the coronavirus pandemic. This means it is unsafe to travel right now.
However, when the travel advisory lifts, that’s a great sign indicating to travelers the situation has considerably improved. The State Department is known to be heavy handed, so once the department says it’s safe to travel, you’ll know we’re in the clear.
CDC
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been integral as an authority in protecting U.S. citizens during the coronavirus pandemic, whether they’re traveling or at home. In fact, considering the fatalities and illnesses involved with coronavirus, and to reduce the risk of spreading, the CDC encouraged Americans to not travel during this time.
When was the last time the CDC issued a statement asking people to stay home and quarantine? Never. The CDC takes the pandemic seriously, and the company asked anyone returning from international trips to quarantine at home for 14 days.
When The CDC says it’s OK to travel again, you will definitely know it’s OK to travel again.
The World Health Organization
The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health. Like the US State Department and CDC, the organization has advised people to stay at home and not travel. The WHO doesn’t screw around. Once they deem it’s safe to travel, you will know that it’s OK to book a ticket.
The 2 reasons why airlines are still flying planes with 0 passengers during coronavirus pandemic
Who should you *not* listen to?
Your governor or the president
In New York, millions of residents have attacked Governor Andrew Cuomo (though he is being praised outside of the state). He’s not the only governor who has failed residents in states (looking at Florida, Georgia, Iowa, etc), and the president hasn’t exactly won awards for his leadership.
while #cuomosexual trends, Cuomo makes cuts to medicaid, continues his delay on releasing incarcerated people, neglects 80K homeless New Yorkers, ignores bills to suspend rent, and rollbacks bail reform. he is literally killing the states most vulnerable. stop romanticizing him.
— Jason Rosenberg (@mynameisjro) April 7, 2020
Any governor will let their residents know when it’s safe to travel, so when that time comes, you can feel good about traveling. However, remember: They are not officials who can determine whether it’s fine to travel or not. Wait until the State Department, The CDC and The World Health Organization give their thumbs-up first.
As you know, flights are incredibly cheap right now, the lowest in 20 years. While you should not travel under any circumstances, it’s been helpful to people to feel inspired and plan trips for 2021, since many airlines are now offering refunds up to a year.
If you want to start looking at flights for next year, I’d recommend locking in deals now. You can click this link or banner below to get the best airfare. Booking Buddy scours the top booking engines to get the cheapest flight, and it’s definitely worth it (they basically do all the work for you).
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Jimmy Im has traveled to 113 countries, stayed in over 600 hotels and has flown a million airmiles. He lives in New York City.