Planning your next vacation? This is what you need to know.

After spending the last year in quarantine, we are all more than ready for our first vacation post-COVID lockdown. Thank goodness that mask mandates and the release of the COVID vaccine are happening.

Indeed, it couldn’t have come at a better time as the weather is heating up, and we are all itching to soak up the rays, enjoy an ice-cold beverage, and completely relax after the stress-filled year we have all had.

If you are anything like us and are in the ideation phase of planning your next vacation, we are here to help.

Although the mandates are lifting and travel is beginning to open up, there are still a few things that you should keep in mind given the state of the world (i.e., life post-COVID-lockdowns).

Like we have said before, now more than ever we should be tipping our hospitality workers.

Let’s dig in.

Consider COVID Restrictions

Even now, COVID has a significant impact on travel. As the restrictions continue to lighten and evolve, it is vital to be aware of these restrictions still in place. Guidelines vary from state to state and country to country.

If you plan on traveling abroad (i.e., anywhere outside of the United States), know that you will have to present a negative COVID test before boarding your flight as well as on arrival to the country.

Further,  you will have to present a negative COVID test when trying to reenter the United  States. If you contract COVID while traveling, you will likely be required to quarantine in a hotel for two weeks until you can produce a negative COVID test.

Tips for Flying

If you plan on flying, be prepared and know that most of the COVID restrictions are still in place at airports. Expect to wear a mask, keep a safe 6-foot distance from fellow travelers,  and wash your hands regularly.

Pack extra sanitary supplies, like masks in case you lose yours, or it gets dirty and hand sanitizer or hand wipes (the CDC recommends that you “wash your hands often or use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol).

Experts from Health Matters also suggest that you pack your own snacks (Granola bars

Or high protein snacks) and water for the flight as most airlines are not running food or beverage services as CDC guidelines recommend.

Where to travel

The number of countries open for travel right now is continuously changing. However, according to U.S. News, countries currently open for travel include but aren’t limited to Aruba, The Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Costa Rica, Greece, Italy, Jamia Ace, St. Lucia, and Turks and Caicos.

What type of vacation you are interested in will ultimately determine where and when you can travel (i.e., skiing vs. a tropical vacation).  Again, travel restrictions will vary from country to country so make sure you check restrictions before planning your trip.

Gratuity

Although life has changed significantly over the past year, one thing that hasn’t changed is that you should tip the service employees during your travels.

Arguably, now more than ever, service employees need tips to contribute to their livelihood. When traveling, consider the tipping customs in your location.

For example, in the United  States,  it is customary to tip between 15% and 20% when dining out. However,  5% and 10% are generally a good guide. However, in Mexico, it is acceptable to tip 10% to 15%.

Regardless of where you are, it is essential to understand and adhere to tipping customs out of respect.

How to tip 

Although it is essential to understand how and when to tip depending on your location, it is equally necessary to be prepared to tip. Gratuity is an expression of your gratitude.

We often see that people don’t selectively choose to tip for lack of want when it pertains to tipping,  but instead the inability to (i.e., no cash on hand).

If you don’t have any cash and need to tip, it isn’t a problem with eTip. With eTip, we have made tipping as seamless as opening your phone camera, scanning the QR code, and selecting tip amount.

Tipping,  especially while traveling abroad, is essential. Our goal is to make it easy to leave cashless tips and to get tips where they deserve to be.

Our mission is to use the power of technology, innovation, and gratitude to empower every individual and business that relies on tips financially.

Traveling and traveling in a world post-COVID is new to all of us, scary, and overwhelming. At eTip, we created a seamless, secure, and instant digital payment solution that allows customers to express gratitude through generous tipping to individuals and businesses through our services. We want to make it slightly less stressful when traveling.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us via email, direct messages, or phone call! We are here to help in any way that we can. We look forward to serving you.