We often have friends who ask, “Are you still traveling these days?” The answer is “Yes” and “No.”

Yes we are still traveling. We just returned from a trip to Palm Springs to visit friends there. I traveled to Georgia to help a friend who’d had surgery. And in November, we will make our annual pilgrimage to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

But No, we aren’t traveling as much, or in exactly the same way. We’re much more careful when moving through crowded areas, such as airports. We think about the type of experience we want to have and match it up with what we consider to be the safest experience we can have. And, of course, we have to confront the fact that, as Americans, we simply aren’t allowed to travel to many places at all.

But for us, that has meant studying our options a lot more closely. Pricing right now is pretty amazing. Through Cowboy Concierge you can get some great deals (See my weekly posting Mexico Travel Deals From Cowboy Concierge).

Traveling in the Age of Covid-19 also means getting the most out of every single trip. If we’re going to travel, we need to know that our destination offers just the experience we’re looking for – whether it’s a relaxing beach or an intriguing exploration adventure.

It also means scrutinizing the safety practices at the destinations we’ll be visiting. Mexico, being so dependent upon tourism, is implementing very robust safety protocols, aligned with international standards programs.

At Vidanta, the location we visit most often in Nuevo Vallarta, they have implemented four protocols: Cristal International Standards, POSICheck, and CheckSafetyFirst – as well as their own Safe Travels program which goes a step beyond these standards.

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Together, these programs provide a comprehensive, 360-degree approach to enhancing safety and wellness at resorts throughout Mexico.

At Vidanta, for example, their “Extraordinary Standards” program has implemented the following:

New Safety & Sanitization Team

• Oversees safety precautions at all resorts
• Works with governmental health authorities
• Trains, manages and audits locations to ensure compliance

Dining Out & In

• All food handled with the most hygienic of practices
• Every table is disinfected fully between guests
• Digital menus are now available
• Grocery delivery and take-away service is available

Your Room

• All housekeeping staff wear gloves
• Linens are changed daily
• Sanitizing fogger used in rooms between guests
• High-contact areas are meticulously cleaned daily

Throughout Your Stay

• All public areas enforce social distancing
• Automatic sanitizer distributors throughout the resort
• Sanitizing fogger used nightly in public spaces
• High-contact areas cleaned every 30 minutes
• Elevator capacity is reduced

When You Arrive

• Airport shuttles practice social distancing
• Guests enter over sanitization mats
• Luggage sanitized at arrival
• Welcome kit given at check-in

Behind the Scenes

• Employees wear masks & carry sanitization gel
• Employees are required to wash hands every 30 minutes
• Social distancing is enforced

Here is a video that further explains some of the health protocols being implemented at Vidanta. These practices are part of an international standard for hotels and resorts, so many location in Mexico will have similar practices implemented.

For more on what you can expect when visiting Vidanta, check out this customer testimonial video:

Choosing whether or not to travel is a very personal decision. There are factors involved that you have to weigh yourself. For us, knowing about the new health protocols in place has answered many of our questions about traveling to Mexico. We’re ready to go! And staying safe while we do it.