Travelling whether for leisure or business requires serious planning.
As much as you might want to be spontaneous, there are plenty of things you need to consider ahead of time so you can have a stress free travel experience.
You know the saying by now, “failure to plan is planning to fail” and this also applies to every aspect of your life, including travel aspirations. As you set your sights on new travel experiences for the year ahead, consider the possibility of dividing your travel wishes into a list of long, medium and short-term plans.
So here are five expert travel tips to help you seamlessly plan for your next trip.
Booking ahead
Rest is an essential element for self-care. Consider planning days off from work for a weekend away well ahead of time. For example, book time off for June in February before you’ve even decided on where to travel. This travel hack ensures that time off is set in stone long before any feelings of being overworked have time to creep in.
It also gives you extra time to reflect on where you’d like your next trip to be and allows for a few months of saving funds for the trip ahead.
A travel fund
According to Upnup’s Ricki Allardice, holidays should be something we look forward to, rather than another anxiety point in our already stressful lives, so remember that sensible saving habits can go a long way toward ensuring that’s the case.
"For example, for those of us looking to plan for international or big local family holidays a few years into the future, perhaps combining the approach of saving with innovation and technology could help us. Opting to stay local these holidays and continuing to save for an out-of-country trip in the future meant that you did not have to compromise on your next holiday," says Allardice.
Upnup’s app allows users to save small amounts of bitcoin every time they make a purchase.
Seamless tech experiences
Technology is transforming the tourism industry for the good. From online check-ins, travel apps, virtual tours and contactless payments, technology helps to add an element of seamlessness to any travel experience.
Some people say trip planning, even if you’re not going to take the trip, can release dopamine and have a stress-relieving effect on our bodies and minds.
The Jurni travel tool is a repository of some of South Africa’s most magnificent little-known gems. Think of apart-hotels, family-owned guesthouses, and BnB’s scattered in the country’s most beautiful locations. You can search for activities, and locations and take imaginary holidays for yourself or make a booking at jurni.travel.
Responsible travel
Tourism boosts economies and if done in the right way, could even help to protect and sustain the environment. Another travel resolution could be to research and seek out accommodation and travel experiences that are actively working towards sustainable goals. Eco-travel is a great example of this. It encompasses experiences where guests have the opportunity to be surrounded by nature and enjoy off-the-grid accommodation.
For those looking for experiences with a few more of the frills, seek out sustainable hotels that are committed to saving water, for example. The Radisson Hotel Group advises looking out for vacation spots that use renewable energy, promote recycling and actively contribute to water conservation. The group itself is also dedicated to being net zero by 2050.
Supporting local
According to Radisson Blu Hotel Waterfront General Manager Clinton Thom, responsible tourism has taken on an entirely new emphasis as South African travellers turn their attention to the most effective ways to enable their own economy to further recover from the fallout of the global Covid-19 pandemic.
“There has been a great shift among travellers to first think local before they decide to spend their hard-earned money in other parts of the world. An important element of promoting local travel businesses is to promote them by recommending local establishments that you’ve visited during your travels to friends, colleagues and family after your stay,“ said Thom.