Back in March, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic. It has caused no end of disruption, with entire cities and countries going into lockdown, and stringent restrictions placed on everything else. With over a million people having been infected and hundreds of thousands of deaths in the months since then, the pandemic has, of course, impacted on travel. Business travel, in particular, has been difficult. Companies may rely on employees moving around the world to be able to run their business, and if this grinds to a halt, so does business. Most businesses have taken the measures that they can or have had to — cancelling conference trips, business meetings, trade shows and exhibitions and have placed tight restrictions on the travel that they deem necessary. Many stakeholders and employees are now working remotely to reduce the spread of the illness. Here, we take a brief look at how to return to business travel during the pandemic.
By Team Savant
Image: whereslugo
However, despite all of this, travel for business has not ground to a complete standstill. Essential journeys and trips are still going on, and if this is something that you have to do, it is important that you take steps to do it safely; for your sake and the sake of your fellow passengers and the staff.
Booking Air Tickets
Before you dive in and book tickets to an overseas destination, do your research. Many governments have travel restrictions in place meaning that you have to be in quarantine — often in officially approved premises - on your arrival. This may add extra cost to your business trip and make it longer than it is worth. It is also important to bear in mind that your home country may require you to isolate on your return, which again, can be detrimental to your business operations. Also, rules and guidance changes all of the time and could do so while you are on your trip. For this reason, it is vital that you have back up plans in place to get you home safely.
Test Before You Go
If at all possible, isolating yourself as much as you can in the two weeks leading up to your departure is a good idea, but if you can’t do that — and let’s face it, most job and childcare and education situations do not allow for that easily — taking a PCR test a few days before you go can confirm that you are free from the virus. As we move through the pandemic, you may well find that this becomes mandatory in order to travel.
Ensure You Have the Appropriate Insurance
It may be more difficult, or at the very least, more expensive to get travel insurance while we are in this situation. However, it is essential. Before you head off, make sure you read the terms and conditions carefully to ensure that you are covered.