A New Star on the Winter Vacation Destination Map: Tempting at Lower Prices, Lots of Entertainment and Safety

Tour operators, normally operating in Lithuania, invited travelers to experience the main festivals of the year in many festive European cities and, traditionally, the Christmas town of Lapland, and offered skiing and exotic long-distance travel destinations.

At present, in the context of the general situation, it is quite difficult to talk about normal New Year’s trips abroad due to the dynamics of the virus and changing limitations. There are many doubts about the possibility of knowing the holidays in European cities, especially since almost all European countries have announced local quarantines in mid-December. However, according to Dovilė Zapkutė, representative of the tour operator Novaturas, even under the current circumstances, there is a place to travel during the festive period.

Travelers are offered to meet in the tourist centers of Tenerife. Isolation or testing requirements do not apply to this country, a negative test result must be obtained and a public health form must be completed before departure, according to data from November 12, the morbidity rate is 81.31 . Lithuanians know the island of Tenerife very well, it has always been a popular holiday destination during the winter season.

We are also awaiting the decision of our authorities on traveling to Egypt, a recommendation not to do so for the time being. “There are different restrictions in the UAE: traveling to Abu Dhabi is currently prohibited for foreign tourists and Dubai is ready to accept foreign tourists, but the Foreign Ministry does not recommend going to this country either.” Delphi says D. Zapkutė.

Žydrė Gavelienė, president of the National Association of Tourism Companies and director of the Estravel Vilnius travel agency, is also noticing the growing interest of Lithuanians in sunny resorts. According to the interlocutor, the Canary Islands currently receives the largest number of inquiries.

“As the weather cooled, interest in Tenerife and Gran Canaria increased, and Lithuanians loved to winter on these islands before. Jamaica, Maldives and Seychelles also find a loyal following. Some people who have gone on vacation to Lands as far away as Jamaica, Maldives, Seychelles do not promise to abandon these plans again this year. It is also gaining popularity word licensewhen a combination of work and pleasure. After all, many now work remotely, so it doesn’t matter which country they do it from. People are encouraged to know that they can work from anywhere, so they plan to go for a month or more, ”says the president of the National Association of Tourism Companies about the options of his compatriots.

New star on the map of winter holiday destinations

For fans of winter entertainment, tour operators rate the possibility of traveling to Lapland quite positively due to the relatively small number of illnesses in Finland.

Ž. Gavelienė claims that this year Finland may become “number one” not only for Christmas, but also for skiing and other winter pleasures, although Lithuanians arriving in Finland must have a negative coronavirus test and then isolate themselves for three days, after 72 hours. Take the test again and exit without restrictions only if you get a negative answer.

“This year, we recommend a 2 to 3 week holiday in Finland, because compared to other ski resorts there are really a lot of activities there, so a week’s holiday would not be enough. Snowmobiles, snowmobiles, fishing on ice and other entertainments will continue this year. In Lapland, almost all resorts have Christmas campuses, although the number of tourists is limited, there will be no traditional fairs. During the pandemic, recreation in private villas became very popular, people They no longer want to live in hotels so they choose individual accommodation. Finland certainly has something to offer in this case. However, I think that the resorts of Italy and France will not be designated by Finland, because Lithuanians have a habit of go there. They are not even deterred by the fact that there were virus outbreaks there in the spring. If it had happened a month or two ago, this fact might still have been m It’s scarier, but today everyone has realized that the virus is everywhere and traveling does not increase the risk of contracting it. It’s a new perception. “

According to Ž. Gavelienė, other ski resorts will open at the end of November, they plan to accept tourists, but things can still change. Until now, the only region of Lombardy is closed, the movement is prohibited, so there will be no ski season this year. Switzerland postponed the opening until November 24 due to the high number of cases.

“All the requirements have been implemented in the ski resorts: hand disinfection, distance compliance, limited number of tourists, not all hotels can open. Hopefully the season improves, the question of how many of those tourists there will be. This year, people are not rushing to buy trips, they are waiting. So if at least 20 percent travel this year, tourists who traveled last year will think it was a perfect result. “

D. Zapkutė also confirms the careful preparation of the resorts for the upcoming season and the caution of Lithuanians when choosing trips. According to the representative of the tour operator, most of the current inquiries from travelers are about travel opportunities in the near future.

“We are receiving a lot of requests for ski vacations for next year and we are already accepting travel bookings. Partners in France and Italy are ready to ensure maximum security at resorts. Ski resorts have safety rules very similar to those of any other place: it is mandatory to wear masks inside while waiting for the lifts, in certain lifts. Ski schools are expected to operate normally, the rented ski equipment will be thoroughly disinfected. A safe distance will be requested in all parts, especially where tails can form. After ski Restrictions also apply, in cafes and restaurants people only serve themselves at tables arranged at a safe distance from each other. Skiers will continue to enjoy hot drinks or cocktails in the outdoor cafes. It is not necessary to wear masks when skating on the slopes “, – the interlocutor introduces new ski rules.

Restrictions change travel habits

The restrictions brought about by this year’s pandemic will also affect travel prices. Hotels and airlines have chosen different pricing tactics to attract the attention of travelers, so prices for winter holiday deals can be found in many ways, but to save on security costs Ž. Gavelienė does not recommend:

“Prices are really lower this year, because the less competition, the more flexible the prices are. Just don’t go to the cheapest guesthouses for 4-6 people. We don’t even sell these kinds of deals and we don’t really recommend them. nobody because they need to maintain a healthy distance. So the representatives of that segment, who chose the cheapest hotels, will definitely not go skiing this year.

When it comes to transportation, now avoiding going to ski resorts by car, people prefer flights. This is probably due to mistrust about the possible closure of the Polish-Czech border. Furthermore, flight prices are now very attractive, making driving unaffordable even economically. However, when people go to the countryside, they do not usually use public transport, they prefer to rent a car ”.

Due to rapidly changing requirements, restrictions and the risk of contracting the virus, planning future trips can become challenging, which is why travelers are also offered insurance.

“Insurance is an important aspect when traveling at this time. For anyone who buys a more expensive trip, we always offer to buy airline tickets, hotel cancellation insurance, because the tourist himself can get sick or one side of the border can close. Of course, if it is not possible to go, the tour operator will refund 100%. paid, but if a person gets sick and has travel insurance, they can get 80-90% back, ”says Ž. Gavelienė.

Tour operators also offer additional services that allow flexibility to change travel plans. For example, Novaturas has offered travelers a new COVID pause service – a trip can be delayed if the traveler confirms a positive COVID-19 test before the trip.

“In this way, our aim is to protect people from additional stress, both when undertaking a trip and when planning future vacations or travel budgets. We would like to point out that when buying a trip from a tour operator, it is he who takes responsibility. travel safety. We advise the same for people who travel independently: safety should be a priority when choosing a destination. We recommend that you make sure that the country you are flying to has all the conditions to serve appropriately to tourists in case a traveler gets sick, to find out if there are travel prohibitions in that country. Before the trip, we advise you to know aspects such as the conditions of change of plane tickets, if it is possible to cancel or change the booking accommodation for free, to get a refund for lost service. All this will be useful for travelers in cases where the change of circumstances as require a shortening or an extension of the vacation. These risks are assumed by tour operators, so those who travel independently must be prepared for the unforeseen ”, warns D. Zapkutė.