It is vacation season, and your financial fortunes are looking up! But even as you crave an exciting time, you are at a loss on where to go as there is so much to choose from!
The choice of holiday destinations is always fraught with uncertainty, mostly because we wish to visit new places on each trip and have new and memorable experiences. And therein lies the dilemma. Due to the novelty of this new place, we find ourselves fretting over whether the destination will prove to be worth it in the end.
After all, no one wants to see their hard-earned cash go down the drain. Worse still, no one wants to have a lousy time while on holiday. Here are seven important points that will aid you on your holiday selection.
- Travel companions
Will you be travelling alone? With friends? Or with family? Are there children included in your travel party? The participants of the trip invariably determine which destinations are a go and which ones to avoid.
Consider the interests of all concerned and structure your trip accordingly. For example, a bungee- jumping holiday may not hold any appeal to children (or older folk for that matter). This leads us to our next point;
- Travel experience on offer
Once you have scaled-down on the type of destination you have in mind, it is time to give a deeper look at what activities might appeal to you and your travel party.
Research on the kind of events and attractions that the destinations have. Maybe you are into sports and want to watch the best basketball games, according to NBA expert predictions, while travelling to USA? Or a soccer game during your stay at South America? Or perhaps you want to enjoy some local cultural events?
In this digital age, and with a little vigilance, such information is not difficult to find. Here, try to find out the obvious as well as the not-so-obvious details about a place. I shall explain this in greater detail shortly.
- Travel Budget
Consider how much money you wish to spend. Factor in the flight costs, accommodation on offer, and other logistics to determine if a destination is viable for you. It is also crucial to consider your target country’s exchange rate. This will help you get your financial estimate as close to accurate as possible.
Remember the not-so-obvious details about a place I mentioned earlier? If you are on a budget, avoid the hyped-up stereotypical aspects of a destination and instead opt for the quaint attractions it has to offer.
- Travel requirements
Does your preferred destination have visa requirements? Will you or any of your traveling party need any vaccinations in order to travel? For example, most tropical countries such as those in Africa and South America require their inbound visitors to bring with them their yellow fever certificates as proof that they have been duly vaccinated against yellow fever.
It is important to ascertain such details to avoid hassles with the immigration department of your host country at the time of your arrival.
- Political climate
The politics prevailing at your destination will undoubtedly impact on the quality of your vacation and your overall holiday experience. Avoid destinations with potentially volatile relations. If in doubt, you could consider consulting your consular office in the host country and enquire about the situation on the ground as well as which areas of the country are safe to visit.
- Language
Always bear in mind the official language(s) used in the host country. Will communication be a problem? This is not to say that you should not visit places whose languages are different from your own. For areas where a communication barrier is likely, you can ascertain whether the hotels and tour guides there have interpreters and translators.
- Duration of the trip
Select a place that will maximize your travel experience with the time you have on your hands. In this regard, it is important to keep in mind the main attractions, activities, and events that a destination has to offer, the activities you wish to participate in, and the time you have on your hands. No one wishes to have a harried holiday experience.
At the same time, we do not want to wind up our holiday feeling like we haven’t experienced much of what the destination had to offer. So, planning your activities to suit the duration of your trip is critical.
We wish you the best as you plan that all-important trip. Travel has a way of opening us up to new perspectives. So, even as you take care of all the preliminary details, never underestimate the adventure that the unknown has to offer and always be open to new ideas. Above all, remember to be spontaneous and have fun!
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