Six Ways to Avoid Being Caught Out by Travel Rules

As more destinations ease travel restrictions in a bid to attract British tourists, a leading insurer is warning travellers to make sure they fully understand local rules that could still affect their holidays.

Despite popular holiday destinations, including France and Portugal, dropping Covid-19 arrival tests for double-jabbed holidaymakers, some European countries have started enforcing immunity expiry dates and booster jabs as part of the entry requirements.

Navigating entry requirements for a destination has been problematic at the border, with rules for children proving particularly complex.

Sarah Page, brand manager at Holidaysafe travel insurance, offers advice on how Brits can avoid being caught out by new entry requirements as well as protect their well-deserved holidays.

She said: “Our sales team has been overwhelmed with questions from customers about the varying travel regulations, entry, and testing requirements.

“We know that families are desperate to get away for a break and keeping up with the latest entry requirements can be challenging. But as long as people take some basic precautions and allow plenty of time to research, there’s no reason why people can’t enjoy a well-deserved and stress-free getaway.”

Sarah’s top five tips on ways to avoid being caught out by changing travel requirements are to:

Monitor the destination’s entry requirements closely before a trip

Entry requirements for British travellers vary depending on the destination being visited. While some countries – albeit few – have not imposed any restrictions on British tourists, most countries are requiring visitors to arrive with proof of a full vaccine status at the very least.

However, other entry requirements that appear to be catching Brits out include;

·         a shortened PCR test time frame. Previously, some countries asked for evidence of a negative PCR test taken up to 72 hours before departure. Now, most require a negative PCR test taken no longer than 48 hours before travel.

·         expiry date on immunity. Certain countries have introduced immunity expiry dates on vaccines, meaning travellers must have had their most recent Covid-19 vaccine within a specified number of days for the vaccination pass to be valid. If the vaccine date exceeds the specified number of days permitted, evidence of a recent booster jab is required.

·         vaccinations for children. Some destinations now require children aged 12 and above to arrive with proof of a full vaccine status to avoid quarantine. Destinations that enforce this rule seem to be less popular among British families.

It is important that travellers fully understand the entry rules for the destination they are visiting, and to make sure they will be allowed in before they leave.

Book a trip with flexible terms and conditions

While travel restrictions appear to be slowly easing around the world, it is possible that a new variant could cause sudden entry measures for British tourists. For this reason, UK travellers should consider trips that have flexible terms and conditions.

Booking a trip that allows flexibility gives travellers more freedom to change their travel dates or destination if strict rules are quickly implemented. For example, if a destination suddenly requires proof of a booster jab and travellers cannot get an earlier appointment, it might be possible that the trip could be moved back.

Trip flexibility can also be beneficial for financial reasons as often holidays can be moved if countries ban British travellers from visiting, or if the UK advises against all but essential travel to a certain destination.

Book a package holiday

Package holidays that have ATOL protection also shield travellers financially if that they can no longer visit a country due to a travel ban.

If a package holiday is cancelled due to flights no longer being able to arrive at a holiday destination, then travellers will be entitled to a full refund from their tour operator. Travellers who booked a package holiday may also have the option to move their trip dates or change their holiday destination.

Should travellers be unable to get a refund from their tour operator, they may also be able to claim their money back through their bank or credit card provider. However, they will need to contact them directly to see if this is an option.

Take out travel insurance as soon as you book

Purchasing appropriate travel insurance when booking a trip is essential to protecting a getaway.

Some policies in the market now offer protection if travellers catch Covid-19 before their trip and have to cancel due to being legally required to isolate. Cover is also available if travellers catch Covid-19 while on holiday and are therefore legally required to isolate abroad until they can produce a negative Covid test.

Travel insurance policies that typically offer this type of financial protection can often include cover for additional costs incurred, including extra accommodation costs and new transport back to the UK, as an example.

It is, however, worth being aware that most travel insurance does not offer protection if travellers arrive at a destination without the correct entry requirements. This is why it is so important that travellers research the entry rules ahead of their departure.

Monitor your travel company’s website for guidance on what you need to travel

Most mainstream travel companies have comprehensive guides to travel rules on their website. Although some have misinterpreted the rules, around passport expiry dates for example, they are a pretty good resource for producing a travel checklist.

easyJet, for example, has an excellent travel hub where travellers can check the rules for each individual country. Travellers should also remember to check rules for entering bars, restaurants and other public places where a vaccine certificate may be required to enter.

Subscribe to the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) travel alerts

Brits can keep up-to-date with the latest travel advice by subscribing to the relevant country’s travel alerts. The FCDO’s travel guidance should be checked as well as directly with the country itself (or its UK embassy website), for the latest rules and requirements before and during a visit.

By keeping updated with the latest requirements, travellers reduce their chances of being caught out and left out-of-pocket by any last-minute travel restrictions.