Six things to consider before making holiday travel plans in 2020 to Salem, MA

Hi everyone, welcome back to the blog! You guys know that I am an affiliate of many travel websites and companies such as Booking.com, TripAdvisor, Travelocity, Airbnb and more. The following information was emailed to me by Expedia and I felt it was helpful so I wanted to share it with you all today.

So here we go…

“In a typical year, millions of Americans take to the roads and skies during November and December to visit friends and family, head somewhere warm, or take a long-awaited vacation. However, 2020 is not a typical year. Between changing travel restrictions, health and safety considerations, and shifting priorities, there’s a lot more to navigate. To help mitigate holiday stress, take a look at this round-up of the top tips for travelers considering a holiday trip.

6 Things to Know Before Making Holiday Travel Plans This Year

Look for fares or rates with built-in flexibility.

Flexible options are more plentiful than ever thanks to many travel providers changing up their policies. Filter for “free cancellation” or “reserve now, pay later” to find flexible stays and make sure to select a refundable room type. Also, make note of any deadlines to cancel for a full refund, and avoid any super restrictive airfares that prohibit changes.

Start watching airfare prices now.

You might be surprised to see how cheap Thanksgiving airfares are right now, as many airlines try to entice travelers into planning a trip. Expedia data shows, ticket prices increase as the holidays get closer, so it’s worth booking a refundable/flexible ticket early if the price is right for you. Either way, setting up a price alert and being flexible with your travel dates will help ensure you don’t miss a great deal.

Research health and cleanliness measures.

Want to know what your hotel is doing to ensure the safety of guests? You can find health and safety policies for more than 400,000 hotels and vacation rentals right on Expedia.com and use the “Enhanced cleaning” filter to narrow search results to find the option that gives you the most peace of mind.

Factor in the popularity of your destination.

While there might be fewer holiday travelers this year, some destinations—particularly domestic beach and ski resorts—are expected to be in-demand as travelers opt to stay closer to home. So, if you’re headed somewhere like Florida, Hawaii, Lake Tahoe, or Vail, you may want to stake out your accommodations early. Look at booking a refundable rate so you can change your plans if needed.

Consider alternate travel dates.

One upside to remote work and/or school is that you can do it from anywhere. Take advantage of the flexibility and avoid the typical busy travel days (like the day before Thanksgiving) or stay at your destination longer than usual to maximize your trip.

Stay up to date on travel advisories and restrictions.

With COVID-19, travel and safety restrictions are continually changing, and it’s important to comply with all official guidelines. Staying up to date on your destination’s quarantine rules, closures, and how to stay safe while visiting is essential. This way, you can focus on the magic of the holidays instead.”

So how can all of this apply to visiting Salem? So glad you asked.

Rates

Hotel and accommodations can vary wilding in pricing depending on when you want to visit. A fall visit can mean hotels running you several hundred dollars a night versus a visit in late winter or early spring which might be less than a hundred.

Booking early/watching rates now

This applies extra for fall visits. I have said this hundreds of times and will continue to as often as needed. Book early! Set up price alerts, sign up for newsletters, follow the hotels you’re considering staying with on social media and book your hotel room first.

Alternative dates

As I mentioned above, visiting off season can save you literally hundreds of dollars if you plan right. Consider coming in the middle of the week versus a weekend. Maybe visiting in October is out of the budget so visit in September instead. Salem is lovely all year and there are certainly many things to do and see.

Stay up to date on travel restrictions

Absolutely make sure you are up to date on travel information regarding COVID-19. Follow the city of Salem itself as well as the state of Massachusetts’ guidelines and be sure you are fully aware of the requirements outlined for you.

So that’s it for me today!! I hope this helps you guys begin planning your visit. Be safe everyone, wear your masks and happy holidays.