Although some countries have been slow to close their borders amidst the Coronavirus pandemic, it’s clear that domestic and international travel are off-limits for the time being. But that doesn’t mean you can’t start thinking about your next vacation. Even though a few popular destinations have become Coronavirus hotspots, there’s nothing to say you’ll never be able to visit them again. Read on to find out how you can start preparing for your next vacation now.

Plan Your Trip, But Don’t Set It In Stone

Gone are the days when you needed to rely on travel agents and brochures to plan a vacation. Thanks to the internet, you can find out everything you need to know from the comfort of your own home. Even if international travel is not allowed for the foreseeable future, you can still start planning your trip right now.

Start by researching the destinations you’d like to see. Throw around ideas for accommodation and activities that you’d like to do during your trip. List all the details you can think of and get organized, including your budget and the possible duration of your stay. Work out whether you’re going to be traveling alone or with a buddy, and if you’re going to be traveling with someone else, invite them to join your planning session through a video call.

There’s no reason why you can’t plan and get all these details ready even with the current travel restrictions in place. Just remember not to set anything in stone. Plan your ideal trip, but also be open-minded and flexible, knowing that some details may change due to future restrictions. Spend a lot of time brainstorming about the kind of trip you want and what you want to get out of it. That way, if a particular destination does turn out to be out of your reach, you can easily find another one that will satisfy you in the same way.

More than anything, look at your planning as a form of escape. Quarantine laws are not easy for anyone (except maybe celebrities!) so having a trip to look forward to in the future can really lift your spirits.

Plan For The Long-Term, Not The Short-Term

When it comes to planning your first post-pandemic trip, the most important thing to remember is that you should plan for the long-term rather than the short-term. The future is incredibly uncertain at the moment so it’s impossible to say when travel restrictions will be lifted and when it will be safe and ethical to travel again. Some experts have predicted that Americans might not be able to travel internationally until late 2020 or even 2021, so think of your trip in that context.

If you’re not of legal age now but you will be in a year’s time, take that into consideration. Perhaps the time delay can work in your favor, allowing you to plan a trip around activities that you might not legally be allowed to do at your current age. Maybe you’ll be celebrating a special birthday or anniversary in two years and can consider planning a trip around that? Will you have saved up more money by then and be able to afford a more luxurious trip? Whatever your situation, keep in mind that it could be a long time before international travel is possible again, and you might be able to use that to your advantage.

Reminisce About Your Past Trips So You Don’t Make The Same Mistakes With Your Next One

The silver lining to terrible vacations is the lesson you learn. While planning your next trip, take the time to think back on all the mistakes you made on past trips so you don’t get caught in the same traps. Consider everything from how you dealt with jet lag to the type of accommodation you chose to the airline you flew with.

Under normal circumstances, you might not have time to reflect on your past vacations in-depth. But since a lot of people have all the time in the world these days, and it could be a long while before you can actually travel again, you might as well make the most of it!

Use Virtual Travel To Get A Taste Of What You Might Like To Do

One of the best things you can do now to ensure your next trip is the best ever is participating in virtual travel. There are plenty of tours available now that allow you to see the world’s most popular destinations digitally without leaving your bedroom. While virtual travel might never replace traditional travel, it can be a useful tool for getting a preview of real destinations and getting a better idea of whether you really want to visit them or not.