Going on Hiatus
Announcement
Premier Wellness Travel is going on a hiatus. This break is driven by the fourth rise in covid cases. The fact that covid cases in the United States are four times higher than the same time last year is just mind-boggling. Especially when we have a vaccine. The very infectious Delta variant continues to spread around the country and around the world.
And new variants continue to erupt such as the mu variant from Columbia and the C.1.2. variant in South Africa, which still need to be researched and evaluated for their implications and risks.
And in my view, these circumstances make international travel impracticable. I have a duty of care to my clients and that duty requires me to advise against travel abroad, and frankly, some states here in the United States should be avoided also.
The continuation of unsafe travel, as if the pandemic isn’t still happening, will continue to prolong the agony.
This pause of ours is just a suspension. We will halt the PWT Index, our weekly newsletter, and continue the hibernation of Sips & Spotlights, our weekly Facebook show until further notice. Flavors & Fun virtual events are on hold too.
My Reasons
Note that my caution and my advice are very much informed by my experience living with the lingering and at times debilitating symptoms of a virus for over 21 years. This predicament is a persistent presence for the rest of my life - something that I have to manage continually with awareness and care.
And I wouldn’t wish it, never mind risk it, for any other human being.
Breakthrough infections can happen. Long covid is real. Despite reports that hospitalizations and death are rare for those who get sick despite a vaccine, long covid is just as concerning, if not more so to me. That’s my very strong view based on two decades of challenges.
Your health is not worth the risk of travel right now. It’s just not. You can’t put too high a price on it.
As The New York Times noted this past week, we really should be looking at 2022 at this point, given the spread of the delta variant and the ensuing change of travel rules and regulations. As you may have heard, the European Union recommended to its member nations that they ban non-essential travel from the United States. So, Italy is still allowing vaccinated Americans to enter; the Netherlands is requiring at least a 5-day quarantine - vaccinated or not. And yes, yet again, all this has caused turmoil and tumult for travelers, advisors, tour operators, insurers, hotels, and airlines alike and anew.
What Now?
There’s still so much inspiration to be had and to behold on our blog. And numerous ways to explore cities abroad via our City Escapes - Paris, Rome, Copenhagen, Cape Town, or Dublin. Or learn how to avoid the 10 most common mistakes when crafting your perfectly restorative staycation with our free guide. The Check-In List remains a useful tool during these difficult times.
What’s Next?
Meanwhile, I and my team will be at work behind the scenes during the last quarter of 2021. Here is what’s planned ::
launch a new way for you, our clients, to save their “Wanderlist,” so that when travel is safe we have a pool of ideas ready to plan your dream experiences.
host private, in-person, intimate travel-themed dinners for our clients and friends here in Washington, DC.
update and improve our onboarding and client systems so we can deliver as pristine an experience as possible given the chaos that will likely extend into 2022. And finally, as ever,
continue my education with suppliers and maintain my contacts in the industry through events such as the virtual Wellness Tourism Association Conference that will be held later this month.
How to Satisfy the Travel Bug
This is what I will do ::
attend the Middleburg Film Festival, 45 minutes outside of DC, hosted at one of Gifted Travel Networks’ preferred suppliers, The Salamander Resort. I attended this film festival in 2014, its second year, and I had so much fun. And it’s only gotten better since. The films will be displayed on their lawns and with safe social distancing. Escaping into some great films with enticing stories very much appeals, and I’ve added a few days before and after to take enjoy the beautiful landscapes and activities outdoors with a friend. If you wish to join me, please let me know!
check out this exhibit at the National Gallery of Art - In the Library: Time/Travel through Artists’ Books. The National Gallery here displays a selection of artists’ books, all by women artists, that explores universal themes through an eclectic selection from the past 50 years.
peruse the library of Eland which is a British publisher that is preserving out-of-print travel books of ages past. I discovered this treasure when researching for my trip to Morocco. As the world of travel currently undergoes a massive change, the continuity of reading of the reports of past travelers is a comfort. And the worlds they bring to life are spellbinding.
continue to learn from the scholars at Context Travel. Just in the past week, they’ve hosted lectures on Edgar Degas, the Battle of Agincourt in 1415, the Japanese culture of cherry blossoms, the gardens of Versailles, 10 highlights from the Greek islands, the Sistine Chapel, and Rome’s gelato, cafe, and aperitives. Context Travel is also one of our preferred suppliers, so if any of their classes appeal to you reach out below, and we’ll send you a code for some savings.
Keep those travel dreams in a bottle. Maybe that’ll give you some ideas to explore at home.
Travelers are learners, adventurers, seekers, and dreamers. Always have been; always will be. Even amid the confusion and chaos of a worldwide pandemic those qualities are constant.
Until next time. Anon. We will be back!
