If your 2020 vacation was cancelled because of COVID-19, you’re obviously not alone. If you want to reschedule or book a new trip in 2021, you also aren’t alone. Here are seven reasons you need to get your 2021 trip booked now:

1. Rescheduled bookings. Since April, over 6,500 trips from 2020 have been cancelled and almost 1,500 passengers have already rebooked for late 2020 or 2021. And that’s just with AAA Western and Central New York. Travelers and travel agencies everywhere are doing the same thing. This means prime destinations, accommodations and travel dates are already being scooped up.
2. Pent-up travel demand. People who didn’t have plans to travel in 2020 but who planned to travel in 2021 will be competing with the rebooking travelers for desirable vacations. Also, 56 percent of AAA members polled have expressed that they will be ready to travel within two months of travel restrictions being lifted. Many people are tired of being home or being limited to where they can go, and they want to start seeing the country or the world as soon as possible.
3. Longer lead times between booking and travel. According to AAA Travel Consultant Kevin Fairbanks- Bloom, travelers are booking their 2021 vacations much further ahead this time of year compared to this time last year. “Many cruise sailings are showing fairly limited options in availability, especially during the high season in the Caribbean and Alaska,” Fairbanks-Bloom says. “In the past, the booking window was five months ahead of time, but this year people have been forced to do it much earlier.”
4. Reduced capacity. Because of restrictions with social distancing and crowd capacity, many cruises, resorts, airlines and theme parks are reducing the number of people allowed in at one time. About 45 percent of tourist attractions that have reopened are only allowing online ticket purchases. To maintain no-contact standards, people can only visit these attractions if they’ve booked tickets online in advance. Tour companies are shifting their focus to small-group tours instead of their usual 20 to 30 passenger capacity. According to AAA Western and Central New York’s Disney manager, Shelley Eastmer, Disney World now requires a reservation to visit the theme parks, and once the parks hit their occupancy limit, no one else is allowed in. All of these limitations make it urgent that 2021 travelers make their reservations before capacity during their intended travel dates fills up.
5. Fewer restrictions on rebooking and cancellations. To reassure travelers that it’s OK to book now, many travel suppliers are easing up their cancellation or rebooking rules, with some allowing cancellations and refunds or rebooking as late as two weeks before departure. This means you don’t need to be afraid to book your vacation – do it now and secure your spot.
6. Short-term lower prices. To encourage passengers to travel amid the uncertainty, many travel suppliers are offering reduced costs and increased amenities. However, this appears to be a short-term strategy. Travel associations warn that if hotels, cruises, airlines and attractions must reduce capacity as part of social distancing measures, they will be forced to increase their prices. Therefore, you’re likely to get the best price if you book now before the prices increase next year.
7. Consider how flexible you are. The good news is that you might be more flexible about when you can travel than you were before. The number of employees who work from home in the United States has increased to 62 percent, and more than half of them will likely continue to work from home. This has led to “workcations” becoming more popular. These are long-term getaways where people can spend quality time while working remotely. You can vacation on the beach during off-season or for longer than a week, because you can work remotely from there. If you foresee continuing to work from home in 2021, this might be a good time to book a trip for a longer stay. The way the world works and travels has been turned upside down. But people love to travel, and that will never stop. Maybe you didn’t get to travel in 2020, but if you book now, you’ll be able to get that vacation in for 2021.
    

AAA Travel Consultants are your best resource for planning and booking your 2021 vacation; they are available by phone, email, in person or online.

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