Travelling Safer in a Post-COVID World

White Pass – Yukon & Alaska

 

Why You Should Visit the Yukon and What You Should Do Here

Over the next months and seasons, the world will hopefully start to win its battle against COVID-19. As vaccines roll out and restrictions lift, many of us will begin to consider travel and trips more seriously. Since COVID hit some areas harder, different regions will become lower-risk at different times.

While some destinations on your bucket list may open to visitors, that doesn’t necessarily make them safe. As a result, safety-smart travel lovers should think about travel destinations that satisfy their needs for fun and adventure while reducing their risk of spreading or contacting COVID-19.

Timeline Graphic COVID-19 Travelling

So for those safety-smart travel lovers, we have a pitch

The Yukon should be your first choice destination when the world opens up. We’re going to tell you why, and we’re also going to suggest some very safe things you can do while here – just in case we’ve convinced you. 

---

Before Our List – Some Disclaimers:

• Always defer to health experts and applicable laws where travel and transport are concerned. That includes your own local/regional/national authorities, as well as the governments of the places you’re considering visiting when safe.
• Remember that COVID-related situations can change quickly. Nothing is 100% guaranteed during these times.
• We recommend fact-checking. You can check our sources at the bottom of this blog.
• Remember that safer doesn’t mean anyone can guarantee complete safety. 

---

REASON TO VISIT #1: The Yukon is a Naturally Safe Travel Destination

Fewer people within 6 feet + a lot of activities + safer ways to get here makes for a compelling reason.

 

We Have Lower Population Density…

Infographic density Yukon vs other provinces

While nowhere is entirely safe, the Yukon has fared well during COVID-19 compared to other places in the world and nearly everywhere else in Canada. Part of our staying more safe has been the natural advantage we have in fighting a pandemic. 

The denser a population is, the harder it becomes to socially distance within that population. Staying 6′ or more away from those outsides of our bubbles is one of the more effective ways to battle COVID-19 and reduce the risk of the virus spreading. 

Good news for travellers who want to socially distance: you’re more likely to see an animal than a person when hiking in the Yukon.

 

Population Density – Canadian Tourism Hotspots

 

Population Density – World Tourism Hotspots

 

…With Access to Abundant Amenities…

Does the Yukon have the lowest population density of any place on earth? It doesn’t. However, it does blend access to amenities AND fewer residents per square kilometre than almost any other travel destination imaginable. 

All of that natural social distancing wouldn’t mean much for travellers if we didn’t have amenities like an international airport, hotels, great restaurants, and experienced tour operators. In the Yukon, travellers can easily stay 6′ apart from others while enjoying world-class food and hospitality. Or fast food. You can have the best of both worlds when you visit the North.

---

Did You know?

New visitors to the Yukon are sometimes surprised to learn that we have: 

• Multiple Starbucks, McDonald’s’, and Tim Hortons
• Fibre optic internet
• World-renowned restaurants and bars

Also, we have high-end competition facilities, like Canada Games Center: a large, multi-sport complex. It features several hockey rinks, soccer and volleyball fields, a swimming pool that features a child-friendly section with a slide, a gym, and much more.

---

…and We’re Only a Single Plane Ride From Major Hubs

Air North – Yukon’s Airline

In the next phase of COVID-safe travel, where the world is more open but not everywhere is safe, plane travel will be one of the riskier parts of a trip.

We have great news for those looking for a low-risk, epic travel experience: Whitehorse Airport is a single plane ride from Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, and even Frankfurt. 

Not only can you get here from three of Western Canada’s major cities without a connecting flight, but you can also get here from Germany in one shot! Willkommen im Yukon.

---

REASON TO VISIT #2: The Yukon is Purposefully Safer During These Times

Kathleen Lake – Kluane National Park – Yukon

While the Yukon has plenty of world-class tourism businesses, fewer of us are here than a place like Vancouver. In tandem with the Yukon’s general sense of local collaboration, our smaller tourism industry has helped all Yukon tourism businesses work together better during this pandemic. 

 

Tourism is Leveraging Technology to Increase Safety:

Yukon businesses have been working hard to modernize and prepare for the next wave of tourists, with purposeful assistance from government grants and institutions like Yukon University. Part of that modernization has resulted in the uptake of technologies that reduce the frequency of human contact tourists can expect when visiting. 

For example: When one stays in a short-term rental operated by Neighbourly North, they’re offered a series of informative videos in place of an in-person tour.

This way, guests can feel comfortable about their stay and get important information without spending extra time face-to-face with a host. Small businesses have simultaneously improved their online ordering processes so that buyers can skip parts of the in-person transaction. 

---

---

Tourism is Also Leveraging Relationships to Increase Safety:

In working together as tourism industry professionals, we’ve shared best practices and become more efficient where safety is concerned. We’re less concerned about competition because we’re more concerned with keeping safety up and infection risks down. 

Many tour operators have adjusted their offerings to accommodate small groups with a high degree of safety. These offerings create even safer environments when the world is more open again. 

Some lodging operators have adjusted to small group + COVID preparedness and can refer guests to suitable lodgings if they have no vacancy.

We’ve been sharing our growing pain learnings ourselves. From designing new self-guided group tours, we gain handy insights about the logistics of creating brand new COVID-friendly programs from scratch. New offerings and ideas will always have some hiccups. Operators can learn from each other faster in the North to continue creating specialized, safe programs. 

Operators and professionals are following the WTTC (World Travel & Tourism Council) – TIA Yukon Safe Travel Protocols 

 

“One of the positive things about the pandemic is that the Tourism Industry in the Yukon came together, becoming even more open to partnering up with former competitors. Using the strength of many tourism businesses has allowed us to provide the best possible experience for all guests visiting the True North.” – Yukon Tourism Professional.

---

REASON TO VISIT #3: There Are Just So Many Distanced Activities

Midnight Sun Off-Road Adventure with a side-by-side in Whitehorse

Here’s some simple math: low population density + lots of amenities + Yukon tourism working together gives tourists many low-risk activity choices.

When our borders open back up, contact-conscious travellers will have a growing list of options that’s nearly as endless as a Yukon summer day. And while we can’t count on everything running at full capacity, we have high hopes about the following being ready for our next wave of visitors:

 

For Nature Lovers:

• Go on hikes in different areas, such as Carcross with its famous Sam McGee Trail, Kluane National Park and its multiple hiking experiences, and around Whitehorse with Fish Lake Trail.
  The hikes vary in difficulty and length, so any hiker or family can find the perfect spot. If you want more info on hikes, check out this guide from Yukon Hiking.
• Jump into a side-by-side, an offroad vehicle with up to 6 seats, to experience the backcountry of the Yukon. Climb up mountain tops to enjoy the breathtaking views or find a spot to admire the Northern Lights. Side-by-side trips are an excellent way to go because they allow a small bubble or family to stay together while keeping a distance from other groups. 
• Enjoy a half-day canoe trip on the Yukon River through the valley of the bald eagles. Like a side-by-side trip, canoe trips allow you to be close to your safe group while staying away from others. Plus, you’ll get a lot of upper-body exercise on a beautiful river – great for people who miss the gym when they’re away from home.
• Take a guided or solo day-trip to Canada’s fourth-largest national park. With the world’s largest non-polar icefield, Kluane National Park is full of history, glaciers, and has Canada’s highest mountain peak, Mt. Logan. If you’re looking for a slower-paced day, take a walk around Kathleen Lake. 
• Go on a tour of the Yukon’s South. Experience the fantastic colours of Emerald Lake, visit the smallest desert in the World (Carcross Desert), visit a First Nation Settlement with its amazing artists, or learn how to pan for gold.
  

 

For History, Culture, & Art Fans:

• Learn to blow your own glass art at one of the world’s most renowned glass art studios, Lumel Studios. Their expertly trained team can set you up with a distanced lesson. Develop a new skill, stay safe, and make something nice to take home.
• Explore our history before the gold rush in an Indigenous history museum like the Dänojà Zho Cultural Centre.
• Learn more about the gold rush itself in the MacBride museum in downtown Whitehorse, or take a Guided Gold Tour. 
• Visit the Dawson City museum to step back in time and learn about the Toe Shot (Sourtoe Cocktail)  – which we can all hopefully dread or enjoy again soon.
  

 

For Those Who Want to Eat and Drink Like Locals:

Salmon Bagel – Whitehorse Foodie & Cultural Walking Tour

• Visit some of our amazing breweries, or hop on a COVID-aware guided brewery tour in Whitehorse.
• Experience our attention-grabbing food scene and learn about Whitehorse’s history on a Foodie & Cultural Walking Tour through Downtown.
• Check out Salmon n’ Bannock on your own time to taste Indigenous delicacies like salmon, bannock, wild game, and more.
  

 

For Those Who Want to Be Pampered:

• Take a luxury guided tour and have everything taken care of for you. 
• Stay in gorgeous accommodations like Northern Lights Resort & Spa to fall asleep staring at the Northern Lights.

---

Do you want to be informed about border openings, our tours and epic travel tips?

---

Thanks for taking a read.

We hope you enjoyed this blog, and we hope it made you consider visiting the Yukon. We’ve all been working hard to stay safe ourselves, which will make for an extra-safe travel destination soon enough. 

See you shortly.

---

Questions? Comments?

You can send us an email at info@epic-north.com or find us on Facebook and Instagram.