We all look forward to that well planned and well-deserved vacation. However, it can be a daunting task to get out the door. Travel these days has become even more complicated due to the pandemic. Therefore, your travel checklist, in addition to a packing list and well-planned itinerary, should include what to do if you, unfortunately, became ill or have an accident while your away. 

At Couture Trips, we encourage our clients to purchase travel insurance. While some of you might balk at another expense, travel insurance can give you some peace of mind in case of lost luggage, cancelled flights, an emergency back home, or other unforeseen scenarios. For example, one of our clients experienced a surprise when they realized their passport would expire during their trip to Germany, and they were unable to renew their passport in less than 24 hours. Fortunately, they had purchased travel insurance, and 80% of their cancelled travel expenses were covered.

Beyond travel insurance, a well-planned itinerary and a perfect packing list- how would you handle a situation where you experienced a health emergency. How would you notify your family or significant others? How would health care providers access your health information if you were not able to provide the information yourself? 
We encourage all of our client's to develop a  detailed travel health plan prior to leaving home. So how do you accomplish this? What should a health plan include? We have a few tips to share with our trusted travelers.

1. Leave your detailed itinerary plan with a friend, family member or significant other. This information should include your dates of travel, location/accommodations and flight itineraries. In addition, if you feel comfortable, leave this trusted individual a brief summary of your primary health information. For example, do you have life-threatening allergies? Have you had major surgery recently? Do you have an implantable medical device, such as an implantable defibrillator? Have you been vaccinated against COVID-19? There have been unfortunate scenarios where a couples split up for the day during a trip and one of them became ill and incapacitated and the other spent some distress hours trying to find out the location of their loved one.
 Consider this, even if you store your health history  and contact information in your cell phone, a first responder would not be able to access the information if you were unconscious. Always plan ahead and be prepped for the worse case scenario. 

2. Purchase Super Alert ID if you have health conditions such as severe allergies, diabetes, heart conditions,  or a prior illness. The ID card and tag allow first responders the ability to access a detailed emergency profile online via a smartphone, tablet, or computer in seconds. Super Alert ID could prove life-saving in the event of an emergency. You can decide what information to place in your health Super Alert ID profile. 

3. If you're a solo traveller, consider how important it would be to have your significant other or family informed of an emergency situation if you were incapacitated. You will feel more confident as you roam the globe, knowing you've left some critical and detailed information behind, especially if you have a potentially life-threatening health condition. There have been mid-air emergencies where an individual is travelling alone and becomes unresponsive. Consider how easy it would be for the airline attendants or first responders to scan your health tag, notify your significant others back home and make the appropriate decisions quickly and without delay. 

A well planned trip will give you peace of mind! You can't discount the benefits of leaving a health plan behind or purchasing a Super Alert ID. If you have decided to beginning traveling once again, consider some of the points presented before you head out the door. 
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*Couture Trips has not received any reimbursement or compensation for discussing the benefits of Super Alert ID. We only discuss and highlight products that we deem valuable to our clients. Please discuss any health concerns you may have with your healthcare provider. 

We all know time flies especially when your on a vacation. When you have children at home, vacations can be some of the most vivid memories they recall when they are older. It is important to select locations, and travel itineraries that are child friendly. Being outdoors is a great way to connect with your children. They can enjoy endless hours just exploring nature. Safety concerns are primary considerations when traveling with children. When you select a hotel or other location, you might want to inquire if it  is child proof- a poolside room might not be a good idea if you have an inquisitive toddler. We have several tips for traveling with young ones.

1. Slow down and leave plenty of time- you will likely be traveling with extra kiddie gear when you leave home, this in addition to other needs your child might have will put the breaks on your normal pace.  Enjoy just being together, it is often the simplest things that bring the most joy.

2. Simplify your itinerary-you likely won't want to traipse across Europe with a toddler in tow. Staying in one location or two at the most will be the best bet. Children love routines and constantly changing places can place added stress on you and your child. 

3. Don't overpack- take the essentials, you'll be happy your won't be lugging multiple suitcases thru the airport. You can actually buy most things after you arrive at your destination. It's one thing to be prepared and another to bring the entire kitchen sink along. 

4. Preplan your itinerary- a well planned itinerary that is child friendly will take the strain off you and your family. You can prep the child in advance for each day's activities. Plus, you won't waste time trying to decide on what to do once you arrive at your destination. Naps and other scheduled activities can be perfectly penciled in.

5. Pack a basic first aid kit- you never know when you child might come down with a cold, fever or stub his/her toe. A thermometer is always a must in addition to items found in a basic first aid kit. 

6. Have appropriate documentation- especially if you are traveling out of the country. Some of these might include:

• Birth certificates
• Copies of birth certificates
• Notes from the child’s non-present parents
• Immunization records

The best advice we can give is focus on creating wonderful memories with your child and family. Time is fleeting and you'll recall these lazy, carefree days in the coming years. Take plenty of pictures and videos so you can share them with your child in later years. Travel can be an eye opener for children, they can have rich experiences in a new culture- help them embrace new environments. Couture Trips focuses on helping families make memories. Precious moments with our children may lasts seconds but the memories they create can be with us our entire lifetime. 

In June of 2022, Her Majesty the Queen will celebrate the 70th Anniversary of her ascent to the throne. The Platinum Jubilee will be full of British ceremonial splendor! To commemorate this significant achievement, the UK has created a special four day weekend beginning June 2, 2022. 
In honor of this occasion, Couture Trips is planning an incredible Platinum Jubilee- London itinerary. While final details, and tickets have yet to be released, we are staying on top of all releases related to this celebration. If you want to bask in British pomp and circumstance and be part of history in the making, please email us at inquiries@couturetrips.com and in the subject line state- Platinum Jubilee to place yourself on our Platinum Jubilee- London itinerary wait list. At this time the UK remains closed to U.S. travelers, however the situation remains fluid and we are keeping abreast of any border control amendments. 

By: Susan Sherren for Couture Trips
Published: May 3, 2021  6:33 PM CST

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​Milan Ingegneria will recreate the ingenious flooring apparatus. The flooring engineering design involves hundreds of wooden slats that can be rotated to allow sunlight into the spaces beneath the Colosseum. Once the project is completed in 2023, the Colosseum will hold major cultural events and welcome visitors to a more realistic replica. The Colosseum in Rome recently opened but to a much-reduced number of visitors. Currently, only 1,260 visitors are allowed in the Colosseum daily- dwarfing the usual number of crowds.

​Couture Trips will keep you updated on the historic renovations. 2023 will be an exciting year to visit Rome, Italy!
Visit www.couturetrips.com to schedule a complimentary itinerary planning session.

Italy remains closed to U.S. travellers are this time. However, we will keep you updated on border control revisions and openings in the near future. Prior to making any travel reservations always verify border openings with the country you are planning on visiting or visit www.travel.state.gov. for the most up to date border policies.

By: Susan Sherren for Couture Trips
Published: May 2, 2021 4:26 PM CST

After much anticipation, French President Emmanuel Macron has announced a relaxing of border restrictions for visitors outside the European Union. The date of June 9, 2021, was announced recently. This is dependent on cases remaining at low levels and the traveller being able to provide proof of vaccination or negative COVID-19 test. This is also the date on which restaurants and cafes can remain open until 11:00 pm, and scheduled events with 5,000 participants will be given the go-ahead. Beginning May 19, cafes and restaurants will be able to seat up to 6 outdoors with a 9 pm curfew in place. Additionally, museums, theatres, concert halls, and non-essential shops will also be permitted to reopen with capacity restrictions.
This is welcome news to Americans who have been restricted from travelling to France since early in 2020.

​According to the World Health Organization.France has documented more than 5.5 million COVID-19 cases and more than 103,000 deaths. Visitors from countries such as India and Brazil will still be required to quarantine for 10 days upon arrival to France. The U.S's aggressive vaccination roll-out and dropping COVID-19 cases were primary factors that were considered in the loosening of France's travel restrictions. According to Reuters, about 22% of French citizens have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. French school are also slated to open this week. "We have taken on the responsibility of the priority on education and the strategy of living with the virus, including with high numbers of infections, higher than those of our neighbours," Macron said, according to the Associated Press.
Please check with www.Travel.State.gov prior to making any travel arrangements. We have some amazing France travel itineraries depending on your length of stay and interests. Please visit us at www.couturetrips.com to schedule a free consultation.
​Merci, France! We have missed you.

By: Susan Sherren for Couturetrips.com
Published: 5/2/21 3:22 PM CST

​Spanish officials are prepping to welcome tourists back to their country by June. After a lengthy drought of tourists due to the pandemic, Spain is rolling out a digital health passport to enable tourists to enjoy the vastly popular destination once again. According to the World Tourism Organization, Spain is the country with the second-highest international tourist arrivals figures before the pandemic. This dependence on tourism represents 12% of the economy’s GDP. Secretary of State for Tourism Fernando Valdés revealed that a digital certificate would be the ticket into the country this summer. The health certificate will need to show proof of at least one of the following prior to obtaining entry into the country:

• Vaccination Status
• Recent Negative COVID-19 test
• Recent recovery from COVID-19​

During the World Travel & Tourism Council summit in Mexico, Valdés recently said," the country will be ready to receive visitors in June" and that the digital program would be "fundamental to offering travellers certainty," according to Spanish news agency Europa Press via The Guardian. Valdés emphasized, "We are doing a pilot program in May, in all our 46 airports," he said. "We are going to give all these travellers that certainty. Spain is going to be ready in June to tell all travellers worldwide that you can visit us." The government has established a rigorous vaccine program and hopes to have 70% of the population vaccinated by the end of summer. The Spanish health ministry expects to implement the passports by late June 2021. So stay tuned for further updates about the health passport roll out. Approximately 87 million tourists visited Spain pre-pandemic- Spain is very incentivized to welcome tourists back again. The Couture Trips team keeps up to date on the latest particulars on how to access and obtain a health passport for our travellers—this summer. Spain’s health officials emphasized that the health passport rollout is a high priority. Visit www.CoutureTrips.com to schedule a free vacation consultation.