What a rollercoaster 2020 was for us all! The pandemic must have changed practically every aspect of our lives, so weddings and honeymoons haven’t been left out, either. While the persisting restrictions have pushed more couples to postpone their plans for a year (if not even two), some have adapted enough to go through with their weddings, but their honeymoons need rethinking, too. The entire world is still trying to wrap its mind around what’s going on, and the travel industry is having a particularly difficult time accommodating its clientele while sticking to the prescribed measures.
On one end, couples are willingly changing their plans and abandoning honeymoon traditions that include too many crowds. On the other hand, we have travel agencies and the entire hospitality industry trying to come up with creative solutions. Here are the five most vital ways in which the pandemic is changing honeymoons in the upcoming period – and for the foreseeable future.
Planning your honeymoon during the pandemic means that you should immediately consider the available destinations. Do you have flights to your desired regions in the world, are those countries currently under lockdown, or do they have certain precautions with limited travel permitted? What do you need to get there safely?
For the sake of simplicity and safety, many couples will choose local getaways to avoid all of the listed issues connected with going abroad for a week or two, especially if there’s mandatory quarantine involved. Fortunately, honeymooners can pick from a wide array of beautiful local spots, be they mountain lodges, beach resorts, lake cottages, or wine areas perfect for a culinary escapade. With a little bit of imagination and flexibility, couples will find local trips that suit their preferences just fine.
For those passionate enough to travel abroad and turn their honeymoon into an adventure, there’s a clear tendency to moving towards small-scale trips. In terms of romantic cruises with complex, multi-destination itineraries, those will be out of the question for a good, long while. Instead, honeymooning couples will look for yachts for charter that have all the right amenities to help them explore freely at their leisure.
This allows couples to have a luxurious getaway away from the crowds, exploring different hidden beaches and alcoves without having to worry about too much social interaction. Yachting is the go-to pick for newlyweds going for a sea-based honeymoon in 2021 and beyond.
Remember the craze around outdoor weddings in the previous months? This particular trend has helped so many couples pursue their wedding goals despite the pandemic. The same trend will define many couples’ desire to stay on course with their honeymoons, too. In response to the preventative measure to practice social distancing, couples will gladly use this opportunity to get away from it all – in nature!
That means having a taste of nature and all things truly luxe, which is available locally. For example, you can head over to Karijini National Park and their eco-retreat, or explore Margaret River and the wonders of this breathtaking wine region, in style.
In addition to glamorous road trips, yachting, and glamping, couples will also think about their honeymoons from new, more frugal perspectives. Newlyweds will consider saving up for a better opportunity in the future, hoping to see travel freedom coming back into our itineraries soon enough. Even with the idea of potentially having to settle for a few years without an exotic vacation, some couples will do just that.
Saving up over the course of a year or two will grant them an adventure of a lifetime, in a destination they desire the most. Considering that most agencies have had to set up some kind of voucher systems and return policies during the pandemic, couples want to make sure they do get their money’s worth. To do that, many will postpone, save up, and reschedule at a better time. Newlyweds could also consider RV Camping as a great way to spend together.
How you choose your destination and all of the details will also change, as much as the “where” has changed, too. Before the pandemic, basic hygiene was a given, but not to the same extent – couples setting up their honeymoon in the midst of a pandemic will evaluate accommodation options based on the crisis-specific preventative measures they use.
They’ll look into the most recent reviews to see how satisfied previous visitors have been, they’ll check out for cleaning and sanitation practices that indicate what everyone is doing to prevent the spread of the virus, and the like. Such criteria will change how destinations, hotels, and agencies market their offers to newlyweds during the pandemic, putting a greater emphasis on cleanliness, a lack of crowds, and spotless hygiene.
Couples will have their romantic moment soon enough, but for the time being, the pandemic is dictating the tempo of travel and adventures. If you are considering a honeymoon while the pandemic is still ongoing, keep these ideas in mind to travel safely and pick the right destinations that will give you the right balance of luxury, bliss, and safety. After all, your honeymoon should be marked by your peace of mind and building beautiful memories with your spouse!