When it is time for a vacation, most people plan out their trip at least a month or two in advance. However, not procrastinating on vacation plans has become a major problem for the many people whose plans were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. As cities went into lockdown and flights were cancelled, more and more people are finding that their long awaited vacation will not be happening. Unfortunately, getting a refund for these cancelled plans can be easier said than done. Here are some tips that can help travelers receive these refunds.

Read Terms and Conditions Carefully

The first thing any traveller should do when their plans are cancelled is pull out the terms and conditions of their ticket. Check carefully to see if a refund is offered when a traveller needs to cancel their plans. If the ticket originally said refunds were allowed, the company cannot change their rules afterwards. However, some contracts may say a refund will be denied for forces outside the company’s control, and the coronavirus is considered part of this clause. …

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, many businesses have been temporarily closed and people have been advised to stay home. While this pandemic is putting a lot of peoples’ plans on hold, you can still find innovative and creative approaches to your daily life. It may not be possible to meet with all the loved ones for the holidays. However, there are still ways for families to celebrate and enjoy these festivities without leaving their homes. The following are a few ways people can enjoy a holiday at home:

Plan a Trip

Although people are staying at home and many plans have been postponed, it doesn’t stop people from planning. It just isn’t feasible to meet with all your friends and family as social distancing is in effect. However, families can choose to celebrate upcoming holidays at a later date. In the meantime, loved ones can collaborate on how they’d like to celebrate on this alternative day. …

The outbreak of the novel coronavirus and the COVID-19 disease that it causes has led to major changes throughout the world. Bars and restaurants are closed in many nations, as are churches and mosques. Unemployment has increased rapidly in countries across the globe as entire segments of the economy have shut down for weeks. One of the hardest hit industries has been the travel industry. Airlines are still flying, and hotels are still open. However, travel is at a near standstill.

Travel and the World Economy

It’s estimated that nearly 10% of the world’s economy is based upon travel and tourism. Therefore, many events that cut into travel are likely to hurt economic growth worldwide. In addition to making up a sizable percentage of the world’s economy, the travel industry employs millions of people. Some estimates indicate that nearly 50 million people around the world could lose their travel-based jobs as a result of the current COVID-19 outbreak. …

The COVID-19 pandemic prevents many from venturing out to experience exciting locations. However, if you’re tired of current lockdown activities, taking a virtual tour might be the trick to help forget for a while about being homebound. Simply choose a website and become immersed in some of the most popular destinations on the planet without ever having to leave home.

The Grand Canyon — Arizona

Arizona State University created a number of virtual tours that enable viewers to see some of the recommended sites throughout the canyon . Join a ranger on a hike along the South Kaibab to the Phantom Ranch. The journey continues to the South Rim via the Bright Angel Trail. Embark on a rafting trip on the Colorado River. The adventure begins at Lees Ferry and ends at the Lake Mead National Rec Area. …

In recent years, business travel has undergone many positive changes. New trends for 2020 point to making this type of travel more convenient and less of a burden on both employers and employees alike.

One recent trend is that corporate travel policies have become more flexible. Generation Z and Millennials now make up the majority of employees traveling for business across all industries. This group of travelers expects to have the flexibility they want to ensure that business trips are no longer all work and no play, sometimes extending a business trip over a weekend (“bleisure”).

Many businesses are competing for talent. One of the ways to gain a competitive edge is to offer more flexible travel opportunities. Several apps let employers set the parameters employees need to follow when scheduling a business trip. This means employees can, within these parameters, choose their own itinerary and hotel accommodations. …

If 2020 is the year you plan to take a European vacation, these beautiful cities are steeped in history, yet embrace all the modern amenities and latest technology, so you won’t have to deprive yourself of all the comforts of home while immersing yourself in a new culture.

There are so many great cities to discover in Europe. Here are just five that you may want to consider.

1. Berlin, Germany

Berlin has an enormous variety of attractions and activities. There are trendy boutiques, fabulous restaurants, museums and galleries, and an avant-garde club scene at night. You can visit the site of the Berlin Wall and the Brandenburg Gate for a fascinating lesson in history. …

Wellness tourism is an industry that is expanding, supported by travelers who are actively seeking means to enhance their well-being while venturing the globe. The world of wellness is a global economy of fitness offerings, care techniques, alternative medicine, nutrients, and much more. It reached an impressive $4.5 trillion in 2018 and is still on the rise. These popular perceptions of fitness, diet, and healthy living have transformed and powered new business sectors .

New Frontiers

The trend of wellness tourism has grown at more than double the rate of overall tourism, and the majority of the wellness travelers demographic are higher-educated women between the ages of 30 and 60. …

Donating internationally is a great way to spread charitable efforts to those in need that you may not be able to otherwise reach in person. However, before doing so, you should keep a few considerations in mind to make sure that your donation truly makes an impact rather than having your time or money wasted.

See if Your Country has a Local Charity

First start by doing your due diligence and researching the charity or organization. Is it an international-only charity? Or, can you donate to a local charity in your area that works for that same organization or cause? …