As you sit down to your computer to start planning out your next vacation, you get a sense of excitement welling up. You’ve been daydreaming about reading your favorite novel in a beachside cabana, experiencing authentic local food on a culinary tour, and trying your hand at snorkeling in an exotic tropical paradise.
You decide to check Pinterest and Instagram for some quick-hit ideas and inspiration, but you quickly get sidetracked by amazing bedroom decorating pics and fall fireplace mantel inspiration. After you realize how much time has gone by, you decide to go another route.
Since you probably already have some idea of what area of the world you want to travel to, you decide to hit up Expedia to gather info and Trip Advisor to help you narrow it down.
Hours staring at a screen go by. You have 20 tabs open, and you’re feeling overwhelmed by all the choices and more confused than ever about where you should go and what you should do.
All of a sudden, vacation planning doesn’t sound like fun anymore.
Sound familiar?
Here are some common mistakes people make when planning travel- and how to avoid them.
You spend too much time researching.
Most good destinations have TONS of choices for accommodations.
You’ll need to figure out what type of accommodations you want- all-inclusive or ala carte resort, a luxury rental home, a B&B.
Then you’ll need to figure out if other people have had good experiences there. You do this by searching reviews on trip advisor or google, and then you’ll have to figure out if those one-star reviews are credible!
(Seriously, how can one person rate 1 star and the next person rate 5 stars… someone is either being dramatic or lying!)
*One of the one-star reviews on a hotel that I personally love says that the resort is “too big” and that “the walk to the room was too long.” This resort has many oceanfront rooms, and it’s not a high-rise resort… that means that it has a wide facing footprint. Sure, it may take you five minutes to walk to your room, but hey, you probably stay in your room longer gazing at those views!
The thing is, reviews are subjective- everyone has different tastes, and one bad experience for one person might not be vacation ruining for another. We all have different tolerance for things going not according to plan on our vacation.
The point is… it takes so much time to research and review the reviews.
One way to save yourself time is to work with a trusted travel advisor. Even better if they’re a specialist in the destination you’ve chosen.
Travel Agents know the good, bad, and ugly when it comes to resorts. They travel and inspect them often, and they have real-time insider information from the Travel Agent community.
*We have details from travel agents who have been there RECENTLY. We know things like service issues, plans for construction, if the food is up to par, etc.
You get overwhelmed.
With so many decisions to make- where to go, where to stay, what to do, what to eat, it’s so easy to be overwhelmed and not decide at all.
Again, a travel agent is worth their weight in gold here. A good travel agent will know what to do and where to eat, and they’ll have an idea of what to suggest to you because they ask you important questions about what kinds of things you’re into and what types of food you like to eat.
Travel Agents have relationships with other travel partners that hook them up with the best tours and the most knowledgeable guides.
*Because of our relationships with travel partners, we make sure you get the best options.
Not planning for the details.
You need to know important information like your passport expiration date needs to be good for 6 months AFTER you travel for some destinations.
You also need to know about hidden fees, so you aren’t surprised (in a bad way) on your vacation. Like “resort fees,” you will be charged when you check out.
Also, just because you book an all-inclusive, it doesn’t mean that it’s completely all-inclusive. A good travel agent will tell you before-hand if you will need to pay for the top shelf liquor or the spa treatments.
Not planning enough activities (or planning too much).
A good travel agent will create a unique, personalized itinerary to include the things you love and the opportunity to create the memories and feelings you want to have on YOUR vacation.
Every vacation is different- you may be looking for R&R, but an overpacked itinerary will not create that feeling for you.
Alternatively, you may want to pack as much adventure as possible into your adventure vacation.
Typically, the magic lies somewhere in the middle.
I think you caught the point here… the biggest mistake to make when planning travel is not hiring a Travel Agent! (totally not biased opinion.)
Have you received Your Wellness Travel Guide? If you haven't, you can snag your copy here! In it, you will learn about interesting activities you can incorporate into your vacation that will help you feel renewed and refreshed. I've included a sample 10 day itinerary for you for inspiration!