Who would have thought that this pandemic could incapacitate our daily course of life? For travelers and the tourist alike it has been a significant setback. The tourism and hotel sector was the worst hit sector because of COVID 19.

However, as the stringent environment of lockdown is steadily loosening in various countries, we see that some hotels and Airbnb have started providing services.

Though the authority still emphasizes staying at home, many indoor people have started packing and are all set to foray into the traveling mode.

With some of you all set to travel, we decided to offer you some precautionary measures while staying in an Airbnb or a hotel.

Know Where You Are Heading

The first thing you should remember is the country where you are traveling. We urge you to check the center for Disease and Control Prevention (CDC) to keep updated with each country’s current COVID status.

The CDC regularly updates the current COVID status of the countries. They inform you about which country is safe and countries with a high risk of COVID 19.

It would be better to avoid traveling to countries with a risk of COVID 19, which includes your favorite location that might currently have a high risk of COVID. So it would be best if you were well-informed before heading out to a specific place.

So before you set to travel to a specific country, check the situation there. It would help if you looked upon the country’s laws and regulations to get acquainted with their system. Several rules and restrictions are still applied regardless of the situation.

Before heading to a specific location, you must see that you have fulfilled their legal criteria to enter the country. There are some essential rules and requirements that have to be done before you set to travel.

Check-in and the Protocols

When you are set to travel, good research about the place and its hotel or Airbnb is necessary. Booking hotels or Airbnb online is risky given the situation; hence, you must adequately research the hotel before you click on the book button.

It would be an excellent choice to contact the hotel or Airbnb where you are planning to stay. Get in touch with the manager or representatives to get information about their protocols. It would be best if you asked them about SOPs followed in their hotel.

While traveling during a pandemic, you must thoroughly research the specific hotel or Airbnb you plan to stay at. You should see what all initiatives they have taken for the guest to avoid the risk of getting infected.

You should get information about their hotel’s disinfecting pattern, the occupancy rate, or the guest’s vacancy hour. If you plan to book in Airbnb, you should see that the host follows the cleaning protocol.

Today many hotels and Airbnb, given the situation, have come up with different ideas to keep the guest safe and secure. Some hotels have digital keys to access the room. Airbnb has an enhanced cleaning protocol that conveys to a guest that proper cleaning and sanitation are being adhered to.

Disinfection Process

The pandemic might be a treat for germophobia, but adapting to the new routine constant cleaning is essential to save you from getting infected. Like how you wash your hands whenever you come back from outside, it is also mandatory to clean or disinfect your luggage. You might also want to do a quick inspection for any bed bugs.

We have a lot of responsibilities to shoulder upon during this pandemic. Hence when traveling, you should be extra responsible, like disinfecting your luggage before entering an assigned room in a hotel or Airbnb.

Warding off the Virus

Hotels and Airbnb are prone to different kinds of germs and bacteria. What one should need to do is sanitize the things around you. When you travel, the most treasured possession is your disinfectant wipes.

When you check-in to your hotel room or Airbnb, make sure to sanitize the things around you. Since the virus is airborne, it will be prone to open surface things like a doorknob, remote control, toilet seat, switches, etc.

Be very vigilant in what you do. Avoid touching things in your hotel room, which is not necessary.

Also for this particular situation, we believe it would be a better idea to carry some of your things while traveling. The essential things like your toothbrush and toothpaste, towels, bed cover, hand sanitizer, masks, water bottle, etc., should be included when you pack.

You must see that the room has adequate ventilation to ward off viruses. When you book an Airbnb or a room in a hotel, see that it has proper ventilation or windows that you can open.

Responsible Traveler

Traveling during a pandemic would be quite stressful because of the limitations that you will experience. As a responsible citizen, you must also adhere to the country’s rules and regulations that you are traveling.

Staying in a hotel room or Airbnb comes with added responsibility. But when you are careful and regularly sanitize things around, you can be at ease. Some of the essential things you need to do while traveling are:

• Always wash your hand. It has been said many times but washing your hands is an excellent way to prevent the virus.
• When you stay in an Airbnb or a hotel room, you should keep your room clean. Constant sanitization of the things in your room is a necessary process to have a safe environment.
• A mask is an essential item during this pandemic, and it should be worn when you are outside. The moment you are out of your hotel room, you should not forget to wear a mask. It would help if you avoid crowded places and always maintain distance.
• Disinfectant wipes and hand sanitizer are essential items that you must possess. You will need the wipes to clean things around you in the hotel room. Cleanliness and being vigilant is the key to staying safe and secure during this pandemic.