Happy New Year... now's the time to start planning your next trip!
January is often a dreary, grey month after the bright lights and excitement of Christmas, which is why it is ALWAYS the busiest month in the travel industry… people need something else to look forward to once Christmas has gone. You may not realise it but, as creatures of habit, we tend to do the same things, at the same time, every year. That includes booking our much looked forward to annual getaway. With a lot of holidays now on sale until October 2021 and lots of great offers for booking early it’s the perfect pick me up you need at this time of year. It's where Blue Monday came from, said to be the most depressing day of the year and it always falls in January!
Planning ahead is by far the best thing to do when booking a holiday. People often think that ‘late deals’, as they used to be known, still exist, and if you can travel anytime and have no restrictions then there are definitely deals to be had. Sadly not many people have that level of flexibility when booking a holiday anymore and the more requirements you add in, say local airport, short transfer, near the beach, daytime flights etc, the more expensive your trip will be as it's narrowing down the choices you have, The more flexible that you can be the better chance of finding a great 'late deal'. However, if you are looking at travelling at peak times, during children's school holidays, Christmas etc then you will always find the best prices by booking in advance. You'll also find that you are more likely to find free child places, you can choose where you want to stay and if you have a larger family of 5 or more there will be more options in terms of bigger rooms and interconnecting options.
Certain destinations and events get busy quicker too so if you are wanting to attend a sporting event, a theme park destination, a music event or something similar the earlier you book the more likely you are to actually get availability. Things do sell out and really popular events can be booked within days of going on sale.
When booking something so far in advance it’s also worth considering your holiday insurance at the time of booking as many people make the mistake of waiting until closer to the time of travel to cover their arrangements. This leaves them open to large financial losses in the event something happens to stop them traveling as planned. Travel Insurance is just as important as the holiday itself. It covers you for all number of reasons not just medical cover whilst away, but if you must cancel for an insurable reason before you travel, your luggage and belongings whilst away and delays during travel to name a few.
After the awful collapse of Thomas Cook in September it’s also worth making sure that what you are booking is ATOL protected. Financial protection is extremely important to consider when booking a holiday. You will always receive an ATOL certificate for protected arrangements as soon as you book with me.
Using a service like mine also frees you up to be doing the things that you enjoy doing! I will source and research the best options so that you don't have to spend days trawling the internet, checking reviews and making sure that it suits everyone in your party because I will take a very detailed brief from you at the initial enquiry stage so the ideas I pick out for you are perfect for you. Tailored to your requirements. Because I work from home we can discuss your requirements on the phone, I can come to you or we can meet for a coffee at a time that is convenient for you. If it's easier for you to chat once the kids are in bed then that is fine with me, or if a Sunday afternoon is the only time you have spare to chat then that's fine too.
I also make sure that everything is taken care of in terms of any dietary requirements being notified to the accommodation, I register your passports with the airlines, process your online check in if available, I print all of your necessary documentation and I even write out your luggage labels for you so all you have to do is pack and go! No more check lists, printing things yourself and stressing about if everything is ready.
All of the above will add up to a great value, well protected holiday or trip in 2020 and beyond!