Travelling in a COVID-normal world means practising health and hygiene measures each day – like you’ve probably done at home, at work, or out and about in your community. With our support, it needn’t be stressful.  

Just as each group of travellers has their own tailored itinerary and individual health needs, each country has its own relevant governing health bodies, advisors and protocols to follow. It’s our duty to source this information and communicate it to you throughout your journey. 

No matter where in Asia and the Pacific region you’re travelling, we provide you with up-to-the-minute advice before you depart from your home country. During an initial safety and procedures briefing, you’ll learn what to expect while you’re travelling. You’ll also learn what documentation you’ll need to bring on your trip. 

Once you’re in-country, you’ll receive similar briefings each day from our local tour leaders and tour guides. These briefings will make sure you’re aware of the current protocols, rules and regulations set by local health authorities, as well as those set by any service providers you’ll be engaging with.  

In many instances, the best-practice advice you’ll be asked to follow will feel familiar. At other times, the regulations you’ll observe may feel more peculiar. As always, embracing cultural differences is part of the travel experience. 

Throughout your journey, we’ll ask you to follow basic hygiene practices. These will be based on best practices recommended by the Australian Government Department of Health, as well as local authorities’ directives and professional medical advice in the country you’re visiting. 

We’ll also monitor your itinerary and may adjust our health and hygiene practices on the go, to suit the specific safety rules and protocols of the places you’re visiting. For example, you may need to show your vaccination certificate, scan a QR Code, wear a face mask, or practise social distancing. 

From restaurant dinners, to cooking classes and picnic lunches – whatever your meal, we’ll monitor the infectious control scenarios to keep you safe. In some instances, we may need to modify the arrangements, or even change them completely. We’ll also ask you follow simple protocols like not sharing snacks, having a personal and easily identifiable drink bottle, and using hand sanitiser use before every meal. 

Whether you’re staying in a hotel, homestay, overnight train or camping outdoors in tents, we’ll make sure your accommodation is clean, COVID-safe and suitable. This also goes for hotel bathrooms, swimming pool areas and hotel check–in spaces. 

For any type of transport you take – be it a plane, train, bus, boat, tram or bicycle – we’ll convey the appropriate COVID-19 protocols to you in advance of travel. In some cases, such as where social distancing or adequate ventilation presents an issue, we may change the planned modes of transport to ensure you stay COVID-safe. For example, we may replace some forms of public transport with private transport. 

Clear communication is vitally important when dealing with any COVID issues. Should COVID-related disruption occur, we’ll inform you (or your school or institution) of any changes to your tour as soon as possible and will work to minimise the interruption to your travel plans. If you require medical care during your trip, we’ll get in touch with your nominated emergency contact – typically a partner, parent or guardian – to update them on your medical situation before any medical decisions are made. 

As a traveller, you’ll need to provide us with copy of your International Vaccination Certificate before your tour departs. You (or your school or institution) will also be required to carry several hardcopies of the Vaccine Certificates with you, and ideally a digital copy too. Your International Vaccination Certificate may need to be presented at international immigration posts, tourist sites and attractions, or as directed by local laws and regulations. 

Australian travellers – please upload your International Vaccine Certificate to your Medicare profile. You should also save a digital copy of your International Vaccine Certificate in your phone before travelling and provide a screenshot or digital copy of the Certificate to a family member as a backup.