1. Where can/should I go?
That’s the million-dollar question! The truth is, the answer is not straightforward. It depends on your comfort and risk level, whether you’re prepared to serve a Stay-Home Notice upon returning home, what travel goals you have in mind and who you’re planning to travel with.

Our 2022 & beyond holiday collection will offer some ideas on where to go and what to do. If you wish to explore beyond our recommendations, it is best to have a candid chat with a Quotient travel advisor.

NEW: Vaccinated Travel Lane – Travel Bubble with 18 Countries
From 8th September 2021, fully vaccinated travellers to and from Singapore can travel without having to undergo quarantine, under the Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) initiative. Germany and Brunei are the first two VTL destinations. Among the VTL conditions, travellers must have been vaccinated for at least two weeks, travel on a designated VTL flight to enter Singapore, have remained in a VTL destination or Singapore for 14 consecutive days, and take no fewer than four Covid-19 PCR tests (within 48 hours of departing for Singapore, on arrival in Singapore, and days 3 and 7 of arrival in Singapore). Additional destination-specific requirements may apply.

From 19th October 2021, the VTL expands to six other countries in Europe – Denmark, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom – and Canada and the United States. In addition, the number of PCR tests required drop to two (within 48 hours of departing for Singapore and on arrival in Singapore). Vaccinated children aged 12 years and below (based on calendar year) are permitted to travel accompanied by an adult who meets all the requirements under the VTL.

The Vaccinated Travel Lane scheme expands to Australia and Switzerland from 8th November. Note that travel to Australia will initially only be permitted for Australian citizens, permanent residents and their immediate families, with other types of travellers permitted from 21st November.

From 15th November, the VTL will also include South Korea; however, unvaccinated children aged 6 years and above are not be included under this arrangement and will be subject to a 10-day quarantine.

The VTL scheme expands to include Finland, Sweden, Malaysia (KLIA), India and Indonesia from 29th November.

For further information, please refer to the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority’s VTL guide.

2. Are there more places I can travel to if I’m vaccinated?
It does look increasingly to be that way. The privileges of a vaccinated traveller may also extend to fewer restrictions prior to departure or upon return, such as a shorter or no quarantine.

Our friends at Tatler Singapore have compiled a list of destinations that are prepared to receive vaccinated travellers from Singapore. VisaGuide.World also has a nifty tool that lets you check if the country you wish to visit recognises your Covid-19 vaccination. Click the image below to access the tool.

NEW: Vaccinated Travel Lane – Travel Bubble with 18 Countries
From 8th September 2021, fully vaccinated travellers to and from Singapore can travel without having to undergo quarantine, under the Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) initiative. Germany and Brunei are the first two VTL destinations. Among the VTL conditions, travellers must have been vaccinated for at least two weeks, travel on a designated VTL flight to enter Singapore, have remained in a VTL destination or Singapore for 14 consecutive days, and take no fewer than four Covid-19 PCR tests (within 48 hours of departing for Singapore, on arrival in Singapore, and days 3 and 7 of arrival in Singapore). Additional destination-specific requirements may apply.

From 19th October 2021, the VTL expands to six other countries in Europe – Denmark, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom – and Canada and the United States. In addition, the number of PCR tests required drop to two (within 48 hours of departing for Singapore and on arrival in Singapore). Vaccinated children aged 12 years and below (based on calendar year) are permitted to travel accompanied by an adult who meets all the requirements under the VTL.

The Vaccinated Travel Lane scheme expands to Australia and Switzerland from 8th November 2021. Note that travel to Australia will initially only be permitted for Australian citizens, permanent residents and their immediate families, with other types of travellers permitted from 21st November.

From 15th November, the VTL will also include South Korea; however, unvaccinated children aged 6 years and above are not be included under this arrangement and will be subject to a 10-day quarantine.

The VTL scheme expands to include Finland, Sweden, Malaysia (KLIA), India and Indonesia from 29th November.

For further information, please refer to the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority’s VTL guide.

Still on vaccination…
The percentage of people vaccinated can be an indication of, but does not necessarily equate to, a country’s inclination to receive leisure visitors.

If you’re curious about vaccination data across the world and vaccine impact on travel, here are some websites to geek out on:
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Vaccinations by Our World in Data
NYT Covid World Vaccination Tracker
The Economist’s Which Covid-19 vaccine is the most widely accepted for international travel (subscription required)

3. I’m not vaccinated. Does that rule me out from travelling overseas?
Being vaccinated is not a requirement at this point; rather, Covid-19 testing is the mechanism to facilitate travel. More and more countries have exercised greater flexibility for vaccinated foreigners to enter for leisure, and a number have also put in place specific requirements for leisure travellers who are not vaccinated. Typically, “vaccinated” refers to those who had the required doses of internationally-approved vaccines; those with a medical exemption and persons who have recovered from COVID-19 in the last 6 months are generally placed in the same category as vaccinated individuals.

There are also destinations such as New York City touting vaccine tourism, where you can opt to travel overseas to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19. You can chat with a travel advisor to understand more about what a vaccine itinerary entails.

4. What if the destination suddenly shuts its borders to non-essential travel and/or there are added restrictions for returning travellers to Singapore such that it’s no longer feasible for me to travel as planned?
Quotient will assist to cancel or postpone to another set of dates with flexible rebooking validity, with the aim of keeping your travel investment as intact as possible.

We strongly recommended that you purchase a travel insurance policy with Covid-19 coverage at the time of making the deposit for the holiday (we’ll advise you then). It will cover this scenario among other things including any cost that may be incurred due to trip postponement or cancellation for valid reasons.

5. What if there’s a spike in Covid-19 infections at the destination while I’m on holiday?
Leading up to your departure and during the trip, we’ll monitor and update you on any significant pandemic developments or public health concerns in the country or countries you are visiting.

Quotient and our experienced local partners pride ourselves on a high degree of sensitivity to needs and are aligned on guest safety being our topmost priority. That means we’ll be able to make itinerary or activity recommendations and adjustments so that you won’t be caught in a panicky situation. As with events of an emergency nature, there will be ground assistance to move you to a safe location or to return home in the shortest possible time.

6. Travel paperwork is driving me nuts! Can you do something about it?
YES! During the holiday exploration phase, we’ll advise the tourist visa requirements and/or Covid-19-related permits for you and your travelling party. Once you confirm our services and pay the holiday deposit, we’ll proceed to prepare all the necessary travel documents and assist you with filling the application forms, making embassy appointments etc. Some embassies require the traveller to make the final submission in person; in those cases, we’ll ready all the necessary for you prior.

7. Can I make changes to the proposed itineraries for 2022 and beyond?
Yes…customisation is what we do best! There is definitely room to make an itinerary unique and personal to you. Chat with us on WhatsApp or call us so we can assist you further.

8. The itinerary I like does not mention chartered flights and helicopter transfers – can these be arranged for my travelling party?
We’re experienced in designing private jet holidays for our clients and can certainly make and cost such arrangements for the holidays in our new collection. However, there may be some adjustments to the itinerary to improve the overall flow and holiday experience.

9. I have always travelled last minute, so why should I book in advance now?
There are a number of reasons, of which we’ll mention a couple below. They may not all apply to you, of course.

a. In today’s travel climate, restrictions and supply limitations are the bad guys. Each holiday has become more precious and more challenging to execute as, figuratively, the number of steps to get to the endpoint has increased. Other travellers are booking way in advance to secure the best possible travel arrangements. This means when you want to travel with short notice, you will likely face availability issues or have to spend more.

b. The partners we work with want to welcome happy and healthy travellers, so they offer as lenient a cancellation policy as they possibly can, which is super-duper important as your travel investment is protected in the event the holiday cannot be fulfilled on the intended dates. There are also some special perks and benefits for advance bookings. From a cost and value perspective, it is to your best advantage to book early.

c. It is prudent to allow more planning time so that we can make the best arrangements for you and your travel companions. From our experience, making rushed decisions to secure accommodation or to book tours and activities will affect your overall holiday experience. Seemingly minor developments like a fully booked first-choice hotel for a self-drive holiday can lead to further itinerary changes or inconveniences in rooming configurations.

d. There is a good chance your travel advisor will live longer to serve you. (Kidding!)

10. What are your payment terms in the new travel era?
We’ll request you to pay a deposit ranging from 15% to 30% at the time of holiday confirmation, with the balance payable 60 days prior to the travel date. In some cases, we may have to collect the remaining balance earlier – we’ll explain to you the reasons for doing so when that happens.

Pre-Covid, we collected a deposit of 50% to 80%.