Travis Levius, journalist, Condé Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure, Lonely Planet

Travis Levius, journalist, Condé Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure, Lonely Planet

Trips You Took in 2020: South Africa, Maldives, Utah, Kenya, and Mexico.

Outlook for 2021: Navigating a roller-coaster of changing travel restrictions.

It's been a whirlwind. It's been interesting observing (online) the people that choose to stay in lockdown; I am not one of them. I've seen people do their best to stay careful, take tests, wear masks, stay away from crowds—and have met others who don’t believe the pandemic is real.

The new thing that I'm seeing: People that are pro-vaccine, reluctant about the vaccine, or completely against the vaccine, and how that affects the way they think about travel. It has been very interesting to see people's different take on this unusual situation.

I think there's going to be a continuous series of stop-and-go travel restrictions: A destination opens up, they bring people in, and then the infection rates get higher—then restrictions happen and borders close again. I don't think any country is really on schedule with vaccination rollout, which is just going to extend the difficulties of travel. However, I still think that more people are going to try, however safely they can. Destinations that require Covid tests, solo trips, and socially distanced trips with loved ones, in remote or distant escapes, will be a continuing trend. No cruises, no festivals.