In a situation like COVID-19 when more or less we are in house arrest. Social media platforms are continuously flooding with messages of stay home stay safe. We understand this urge of stepping out from home and visit outside. Be it your favorite park in the city, museum, mall, or historical monuments or nearby tourist spots for sightseeing and rejuvenation.
As per the increasing number and seriousness of this deadly virus leaving a huge impact on airlines, cruises, trains, buses, and local transports, we care for you and request to stay in quarantine mode. In case you plan for a trip, follow these tips before stepping out on road to travel for a business trip. Be it a short trip or long trip, be it interstate travel or roaming within the city.
Time demands of checking on a variety of criteria that needs to be taken care of. Basic and most vital things which need to be taken care of while planning a trip include age and certain medical conditions of the member on board planning to travel.
We request you to follow these guidelines prepared by our team keeping safety and health on priority.
It is need of time to check the update on the social media accounts of travel service providers. Besides, stay updated with news via newspaper, a news channel or their online telecasts to consider your travel safety and precautions you need to take care of, to keep your travel safe, secure, and fulfilling your purpose.
1. Impose traveling restrictions
We love traveling. We never wish for such time to come when we have to reschedule or cancel our trips. Business trips or leisure trips both have importance in our life. We sometimes cancel our vacation plans for our business or job. Business trips have been always prioritized above all work. Our first tip to impose traveling restriction is for your safety and life. With the outbreak of novel coronavirus, every sector of the travel industry has been affected. All international flights are being canceled. Non-essential transport movement has been shut down. We are in an era where the majority of people have their vehicles to travel. As the situation is very critical, we request you to impose travel restrictions on yourself and your family. The country is well-aware of this deadly virus. In this case, if we postpone our business meetings, the party will understand.
2. Stay safe and reduce the risk of exposure
It’s important to reduce the risk of exposure to coronavirus. We have needs which demand and create a situation when we have to leave the house unwillingly. We may face situations like attending business trips, pressing buttons of lift at corporate places to getting households item delivered at home, or getting it from the local market. Such a situation brings us in contact with other individuals. We agree that we spend most of our day indoors in quarantine; chances are we still leave the house to run errands. Willingly or unwillingly, we come across in connection with other people outside our household and potentially germs they carry.
Everyone is in the same position as of you, cautious about the spread of coronavirus that can be passed along on by those who appear to be in prior contact of coronavirus positive person. As a result, health institutions have set guidelines to be followed voluntarily by wearing a face mask or covering it with a clean piece of cloth. When you go into places where social distancing is a challenge, wearing a face mask and hand gloves, using sanitizer frequently is advised as preventive measures.
3. A Wise Step: Pre-bookings
When you are planning a trip for business or leisure, making travel arrangements is a stressful job. In the current scenario when contagious coronavirus is out there, it becomes more stressful to step out. Travel planning comes with major responsibilities. From arranging transport, booking tickets to boarding on time. One can perform this travel arrangements responsibility with the help of local travel agents, airlines, online travel predefined packages, or online websites. Please set your preferences before planning your travel. Certain aspects that need to be prefixed are the seating arrangement if you prefer an aisle or a window seat, preferences regarding meal during the trip, and mode of transport.
4. Make arrangements to stay
Amidst this lockdown, many hotels are not providing rooms to stay. Many hotels, restaurants are shut down without any notification about their opening dates. Before you leave, make sure to check the availability of rooms to stay at the location you are traveling to. In case of availability, it is advised to pre-book rooms as required. While bookings, it is need of the moment to check the amenities in the hotel you have opted for if they possess mini-bar, wi-fi, gym, and good beds to relish, depending upon your requirements. In unfavorable circumstances like one existing COVID-19, the hotel may deny to provide you rooms due to lockdown or fixed for quarantine or temporarily shut down, which may leave a huge impact on your travel plans. If you choose to stay at your friends or relative’s place, then before leaving, call your relatives and update them about your visit.
5. Check for travel alerts, warnings and health advisories
Stay updated and find out whether the State Government has issued any travel warning or instructions. Check on whether any specific environment updates or travel alert has been issued for travelers. Ignorance of having such updates may pose a threat to travelers. A person traveling under unfavorable situations must look for a travel insurance policy that can cover his loss and damages if any. Nowadays, many travel partners are providing travel insurance at cheap prices which benefits in case of any problem faced causing damages or loss.
6. Precautions From COVID-19
A new deadly virus was identified in China in the quarter ending term of 2019. It spread to other parts of the globe including India. The impact of this COVID-19 virus will continue to unfold over the next few years. As the Government is taking precautions, many destinations within the country would remain unaffected. However, before you plan your next trip, update yourself with on going guidelines about status and safety to be taken during the trip.
7. Grab your First-aid Box
By talking to your family doctors find out information on prevention of disease and medication or vaccination requirements during the trip. Also, check for circulations spread by State Health Advisory before planning your trip. For maximum protection, prepare your first aid box and carry it with yourself. Health websites are also a good source of information on health risks related to consuming the water and food at your destination. Make your list of nonprescription medicines you might need. Always pack up more than required medicines to last your trip, as it may be quite difficult to get your prescription filled in remote destinations.
8. Socialize but maintain Distance, Distance, Distance
Did you just read distance repeatedly? Distancing can mean anything. Here, we are talking about social distancing. Keeping sufficient distance from colleagues at our workplace, during traveling in local transport may help us in staying safe. Here, social distancing is possible as now we have social media and digital platforms as a boon in our hands. With the help of video conferences, we can successfully attend our business meetings and avoid traveling. With telecommunication, we can always stay updated with the ongoing task and upcoming project. We can maintain 6 feet distance and talk to our family members when we are in quarantine. These tips are beneficial and protective for you and other people too.
9. Adopt Digital payments modes
While it is believed that the possibility of acquiring coronavirus comes from person to person transmission. We request you to not let that possibility take place – stop handling cash. Every shop accepts digital payments. When you are on your business trip, you use many services which are shared like taxi, lift, supermarket, Longue, CCD, etc. We are aware of the fact that shared surface can transfer virus and makes us corona positive suspect. We request you to play it safe and avoid maximum contacts with shared surfaces. Avoid cash and pay digitally wherever is possible.
10. Sanitize your car and object after every trip
After getting back from every business meetings or trips, it is advised not to neglect your car and objects you have used during the trip. It is also crucial to handle your phone which we use now and then with awareness. Stop putting your phone on shared surfaces. It is a better choice to start putting back our phone in our blazer or pant pocket after every use. It is observed that when we are in a meeting or inside the office or at the travel desk, we use shared surfaces to put our phone for some time. This is a critical time and it requires your attention in every move we make when we come in exposure to outside people.
It won’t hurt anyone if you clean and wipe off your car, mobile, office bag every time you use it. It will always keep you corona negative and it is good news for us.
Due to the nature of Coronavirus, the entire tourism chain across hotels, travel agents, restaurants venues has been massively affected. According to industry chamber CII, this is one of the worst crises ever to hit the Indian tourism industry impacting all its geographical segments – inbound, outbound, and domestic, almost all tourism verticals – leisure, adventure, heritage, MICE, cruise, corporate and niche segments. Unless the regression of virus stops, it is our request to refrain from unnecessary travel. Plan your trip wisely after research and follow our tips to stay protected during critical moments.
Bon Voyage!!
