Going for a trip abroad or not?

This text is part of the special Plaisirs booklet

In view of the upsurge in COVID-19 cases here and elsewhere on the planet, the threat of the Delta variant as well as the entry and stay requirements of destinations, flying abroad may prove to be a good idea. gallley. Are we going or not? Pulse of the situation.

Each year, in November, André Lapointe and his wife leave for Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. For eight years, they have spent the winter there and come home in the spring. Last year was no exception despite the pandemic.

“Our contacts there told us that it was correct, explains the Montrealer, that people respected the distance and wore a mask. These days, the couple, doubly vaccinated, thinks of leaving again, but hesitates. “We are more worried about catching COVID this year,” he says, “because the Delta variant is more transmissible. And then, we do not yet know what the conditions of the return will be. We shake in the handle, as they say! “

Although the federal government still discourages non-essential trips outside the country, the fact remains that many are impatient at the idea of ​​waving their passports again. A survey conducted by tour operator Sunwing in mid-July revealed that 51% of Quebec residents planned to resume travel in the next 12 months, 65% of which was all-inclusive.

“Demand is very strong,” confirms Claudine Dorval, owner of the Recreational Travel agency in Lac-Beauport. Air Canada has added 250,000 seats to its winter offering. “

In isolation under the sun

As enthusiastic as they are, travelers are no less uncertain or worried. “Some risks are still very real, such as receiving a positive diagnosis 72 hours before returning to Canada and being stranded at destination! »Says Evelyne Mayrand, president of Club Voyages Orientation, in Boucherville.

For Claudine Dorval, the all-inclusive stay in Mexico and the Dominican Republic is currently the simplest option: “Mexico has no entry requirements and the Dominican Republic randomly tests travelers. upon their arrival. “

It would also be the safest option, says the one returning from the Riviera Maya. “In both Mexican and Dominican all-inclusives, we are as strict as in Quebec in terms of compliance with sanitary measures, and in the Dominican Republic, all hotel staff are fully vaccinated. “

We clearly feel that the urge to travel is back. However, due to the uncertainty that still surrounds international travel, bookings are being made more at the last minute than before the pandemic.

This is the formula chosen by the most fearful clients of Evelyne Mayrand, because several establishments make life easier for holidaymakers. “In Club Med villages and Velas Resorts, Mexico, you can take the famous PCR test on site, the results are sent to the room in less than 24 hours in most cases, and these hotels accommodate customers who would test positive, which is reassuring. The high frequency of flights between Mexico, the Dominican Republic and Quebec is another decisive factor, believes Mr.^me Mayrand: “It is even essential if the date of his return to the country has to be postponed. “

For Claudine Dorval, the cruise ship is another safe environment. “Among the extraordinary measures put in place by the companies, there is the screening test before boarding. So on board there are only uninfected passengers and vaccinated crew members. I would say there are no safer places in the world right now! “On the other hand, underlines the travel advisor,” no insurance company currently insures cruise passengers “.

No salvation outside of the all-inclusive?

At Transat, which gradually resumed operations at the end of July and which, in addition to certain sun destinations, currently offers connections to Paris, London, Lisbon and Porto, demand is doing well despite everything. “We clearly feel the urge to travel is back,” says Debbie Cabana, director of social media and public relations. However, due to the uncertainty that still surrounds international travel, bookings are being made more at the last minute than before the pandemic. “

There are many concerns, because each destination has its own set of requirements. For example, travelers need to make sure that their vaccines (or combination of vaccines) are recognized where they go. The screening test taken before departure must still be valid, hour to hour, upon arrival. The same goes for the return flight. So now is not the time to choose a corner of the world that you can only reach after a long connecting flight! And on the spot, other questions arise, in particular obtaining the famous local health passport. “No, I am not recommending my clients to go to Europe this fall, the requirements are changing too quickly at the moment,” says Claudine Dorval. Nor does she recommend going to Cuba, “where there are too many difficulties”. The country will eliminate the obligation to present a negative PCR test on arrival from November 15.

In addition, the fact that the vaccination of children is late means that some people put their family vacation plans on the back burner. “As children under 12 must refrain from going to public places, including their school, for 14 days from their return to Canada, several families will stay here during the next school break,” believes Evelyne Mayrand.

So, to go or not? “Yes, we’re leaving,” says Claudine Dorval, “but only knowingly. “

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