Over the last few months, many resorts have been closed to travelers. Not only have resorts been closed, entire countries and regions have been locked down from outside guests. As popular winter resorts look ahead to the 2020-2021 holiday season, many are scrambling to identify their plan for reopening. While some destinations are offering discounts to local visitors, others are developing entire marketing campaigns to attract remote workers. In this article, we will talk through a few common winter destinations and the plans that are being developed for the 2020-2021 holiday season.

Whistler, British Columbia, Canada:
Whistler is known for being a “Christmas Town” during the holiday season. This popular ski destination attracts visitors from around the globe. This year, Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resort is having difficulty maintaining their usual demand. Since Canada requires a 14-day quarantine upon arrival into the country, regular guests are unable to schedule their typical travel plans. Because of this reality, the Whistler Blackcomb area is offering many discounted rates to Canadian travelers.

St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
Unlike many tropical paradises, the U.S. Virgin Islands are open to travelers across the globe. With travel regulations inflicted in many other areas, resorts in the U.S. Virgin Islands are reaching their maximum capacity. Airbnb stays, resorts, and hotels are seeing a high amount of reservations. Although some specific activities are capped at a limited capacity, most resorts are planning to fill 100% of their rooms.

Bali, Indonesia
Bali, Indonesia is an exclusive destination that is known for their luxury resorts and beautiful landscapes. The COVID cases have remained low on this island throughout the entire pandemic season. The people of Bali desire to reopen their island for tourism, but they are nervous about bringing the unwanted coronavirus to the island. Although they are hesitant to move forward, the leaders of the island are choosing to reopen in 2021 as long as cases remain low. Tourism is at the heart of the economy in Bali. If the island chooses to stay closed for much longer, the economic impact will be devastating.

Cyprus
Tourism has 15% of the economic share in Cyprus. Cyprus has slowly been opening their borders to countries in the European Union. The leaders in Cyprus are very hesitant to open their borders and welcome guests from countries outside of Europe. Due to their desire to bring back some of the tourism revenue that was lost over the last few months, they are offering free hospital beds and quarantine hotels to any travelers who contract the coronavirus during their trip.

United States Ski Destinations
There are many ski resorts in the states of Wyoming, Colorado, California, and West Virginia. In popular tourist destinations across the United States, there are typically well-established corporations that handle emergency situations. For example, if you get into an unexpected accident, you can rely on the support of the West Virginia personal injury attorneys. Unfortunately, many places across the United States have not developed a robust safety protocol to be used during the 2020-2021 holiday season. Hotels, resorts, and ski lifts will be maxed out at many popular resorts this holiday season. Ski resorts across the U.S. are warning guests that they are not liable if an individual contracts COVID-19 on their premises. With that in mind, it is important that travelers purchase their own travel insurance that includes coronavirus coverage.

Summary
There are many unknowns as we approach the 2020-2021 holiday season. While some places have not yet opened their borders, other destinations have no limitations or restrictions. For those who enjoy traveling during the holiday season, there are limited options available this year. Thankfully, many destinations are planning to reopen slowly, ensuring the opportunity for all guests to have fun while staying safe. If you are looking to travel this year, there is necessary research that must be done to ensure your safety.