Relaxed restrictions, immunity from COVID-19 influencing travellers, say travel agents

With officialCOVID-19case numbers slowly dropping and many people having been infected with the virus during the latest wave two Saskatchewan travel agents say they'venoticed more people bookinginternational travel.

"[As] things get better and restrictions get [lifted], people are getting more and more comfortable in terms of flying outside Canada," said Rajan Sagar, manager of C World Travel in Regina.

Sagar said thatduring the last few weekshe'sseen morebookingsthan any other time since the pandemic started. He believes people have waited a long time to take avacation out of the country and are eager.

"Now I think is the time that [people]start thinking of getting to Mexico, orto hot places anywhere just to have fun," he said.

The Public Health Agency of Canada issued a notice in mid-December advising peopleto avoid non-essential travelout of the country because of rising cases. Around the same time, Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe encouraged people to be cautious if they chose to travel, especially over the Christmas holiday, but didn'timplement any provincial travel restrictions.

According to Sandy Farber, manager and co-owner of Jubilee Travel in Saskatoon, clients who had COVID-19 during this latest wave have been booking international travelbecause they feel they don't have to beworried about catchingthe virus.

Farber also noted travellers who have had COVID-19 from 10 to 180 days prior to their departure can present their positivePCR test to avoid paying for one at the border.

"You've gotthe golden ticket," said Farber.

She said many tour operators and insurance companies have insurance plans built specifically for COVID-19.

"There's a lot of little modules that have fit together very well to gain people's confidence," she said.

"We are a resilient industry. You give us a problem, we're going to try and fix it."

Some not sure about taking the risk

While some who have had COVID-19 are heading out of the country, others are not as eager.

Jennifer Riviere, her husband and their four kids were planning to visit Riviere's parents in Arizonalater this month. Riviere and her two oldest kids tested positive at the beginning of January after an outbreak at the kids' high school in Radville.Her two youngest kids and her husband didn't get infected.

Although the family is fully vaccinated, she's on the fence about going, asthree members of her family would still be at risk of getting sick.

"It's a tough decision," said Riviere. "I don't want to get stuck down there with someone in the hospital. Is it worth it?"

She saidher parents have takenprecautions while down in Arizona andshe wants to make sure they staysafe.

The family also can't take advantage of the PCR test exemption at the border, because they used rapid tests to confirm they had the virus. Riviere said her daughter was the only one who got a PCR test as she was the first to show symptomsbut it came back negative. By the timeRivere and her son started showing symptoms, they didn't feel up to driving into Weyburnto get their tests done.

Riviere is grateful that when she purchased the family'sflighttickets in November, she paid extra so they could cancel up to the day before their departure and receive a credit for a future trip.

"There is kind of this pressure of things that we want to do, but on the other hand we're not going to die if we don't go on a trip," she said. "You have to keep it in perspective."