Now is the time!
This is a question I’m getting asked on a regular basis. The quick answer is now. This might surprise some of you, so I will explain. But beforehand I’d like to say that every client and situation is different, and I can tailor the right package, and timings, to fit you and your situation.
Why now though, with everything going on?
There are three main reasons for my thought process. Firstly, a technical point. During the past nine months when there has been little, or no, travel to most areas. Lots have people have moved and rebooked their 2020 holidays to 2021. This has meant there are already many people booked to popular destinations at busy times like school holidays.
I appreciate that’s a slightly boring, but valid point, so number two is about the offers! For destinations that are starting to come back into the swing of things hotels, airlines and tourist boards are desperate to get their businesses and economies back up and running. For places in the Caribbean, Maldives, Thailand and European destinations like Greece and Portugal tourism is such a huge part of the country’s fabric that attracting people back is a key part of their future economic plans.
If you’re flexible with your dates then there are some great offers to be had and I’ve already booked people holidays at greatly reduced prices, compared to the prices that they were originally paying for their 2020 holiday.
The third is the best though. It’s going to give you something to look forward to. Something for you and your family to talk about. Something to dream about and something that you can put in the diary and plan around.
After almost a year of not being able to travel I know who much I now appreciate travel. We probably all were guilty of taking it for granted but I’m now going to most the most of every opportunity and treat it like my first trip away and my last adventure.
I will still forgive you for questioning me. But that’s where I come in. I’ve spent the last nine months dealing with this and I’m best placed to help and advise you on all that you will need to know. Entry requirements, restrictions, quarantines and testing are all things that I can add to the standard amount of knowledge and expertise you already get with every booking. With this comes peace of mind. I think this fall’s into two categories. The first is having someone on your side to guide you through, who will be there throughout the whole process, and who is on hand available at all times. The other is the financial side and protection. We are off course Atol protected and along with our trust fund your money is safe. But I can offer much more flexibility by selecting airfares and hotel rates that give us the chance to just pay a small deposit and then push the final payment dates on if required.
This means that especially for long haul trips to the USA, Canada, Asia and Africa you can book your dream trip with a small deposit, so you’ve got everything arranged and in place. But all the reassurance you need
When the world does start to come back to whatever the new normal is going to be there will be an inevitable rush and this is when we might start to see prices rise and availability drop. By having a trip in the bank at what are likely to be the best prices is a sensible option.
I’ve done exactly this with our planned trip to Western Canada and the USA next August. We have flexible flights and hotel reservations booked so I can easily amend if required.
The world is however changing at pace. The news of vaccines, quick testing, better treatments and the opening of travel corridors and reopening of many countries has all been welcomed news in the past few weeks.
Since starting my Travel Counsellors adventure I’ve always marketed myself for the knowledge and experience I can bring to your trip. This has generally meant suggesting the best times of year, best hotels for your needs, the correct length of stays, how to maximise your holidays with experiences and the best advise for all the little things. This is still the case but probably now more than ever it’s the other things that come with my experience that are going to be more valued than ever. Being here, at the end of a phone, email or WhatsApp message. Understanding the rules, regulations and requirements that will be involved in future travel. The experience of working through the pandemic and the things I’ve learnt about the suppliers that I can trust and rely on. All this goes together with the financial protection and honest advice that I can offer.
2021 is very much on offer and if you’re dreaming of getting away and finally dusting off the passport then make sure you contact me first for help, support, guidance and a level of service that you’ll not receive from anywhere else.