Plan an Affordable and Hassle-Free Summer Vacation

Every year, literally millions of singles, couples, families, and groups of friends take summer vacations together. Summer vacations are popular, and it’s that popularity that can make planning and booking challenging, especially for families and groups of people. The demand for seats on airplanes is limited by demand, since accommodation is available. Demand to attend events or visit tourist attractions may also be affected by increased demand from vacationers.

There are several ways to make reservations and affordable reservations.

Obviously, the first step in making summer vacation reservations is deciding on a summer vacation destination. When selecting a summer vacation destination, a number of factors must be considered. Some of these factors are;

1. Are you traveling with children and, if so, what are the ages of your children? Not all accommodation providers accept babies, or even small children. This is especially the case for bed and breakfast or guest house operations. Not all destinations are suitable for children. Some destinations cater to honeymooners and couples looking for a place for a romantic getaway. While others cater to young adults looking for adventure or exciting nightlife. The destination that caters primarily to adult vacationers offers few diversions for children.
2. Airfare and lodging costs are generally fixed, but services and amenities are often forgotten until vacationers are in the country and faced with expensive meals, drinks, tickets to visit museums, historical sites or other attractions, memories etc Incidental costs can add up to a significant amount. If you have an overall summer vacation budget that you have to stick to, these costs prove to be an issue.
3. Do you or someone traveling with you have food allergies or other allergies that you should be aware of? For example, if you or someone traveling with you is allergic to bee stings, areas famous for their flower gardens are not the safest choice for a summer vacation destination.
4. Do you, or someone you will be traveling with, have medical problems that could be aggravated by environmental factors, such as dry air, humidity, dust, elevation, etc.? This writer once worked with a tour operator who allowed an obese man with a heart condition to book himself a tour of Nepal. He got off the plane, which was not disembarking passengers at a gate, but on the tarmac almost 100 meters from the terminal entrance. This is common practice in many places, and especially in smaller airports. In such cases, passengers are expected to walk to the terminal to collect luggage and go through customs and immigration. The obese man collapsed halfway to the terminal and died shortly after. The elevation, combined with his obesity and existing heart condition, was a recipe for disaster, and it did.
5. Do you or someone you are traveling with have mobility issues, such as needing a walking aid or require a wheelchair? If so, consider width and surface conditions of sidewalks, accessibility to accommodations for anyone with mobility issues, and pedestrian congestion. You should be aware that mansions and heritage buildings that have been converted into hotels or bed and breakfast accommodations are unlikely to have elevators. Many historic sections of European cities are paved with cobblestones, while sidewalks can be very narrow or non-existent. Both make navigation difficult for anyone with mobility issues. For anyone who needs to use a cane, walker or uses a wheelchair, congestion in market places or bazaars can be a nightmare, as can pedestrian traffic in cities like Hong Kong, Singapore, Tokyo, Fes, Cairo, etc.

Taking these factors into account will allow you to select the summer vacation destination that best suits your needs and address any limitations you or a fellow traveler may have.

Once you’ve selected a summer vacation destination, you can search for accommodations to book for your stay. A large number of amusement parks, campgrounds, and hotels in the US, Canada, and overseas destinations do not require reservations. However, it is advisable to book accommodation anyway. Summer vacation periods are short, so demand is much higher than normal. This can quickly fill available rooms with vacationing tourists. By making a reservation, you not only ensure that you have a room, but that you have accommodations that fit your needs.

When it comes to booking a summer vacation, many travelers will rely on the services of a travel agency. Using a travel agent is more convenient than searching for vacation packages online, calling hotels to negotiate a booking rate, or getting your own car rental deal. However, there are two things to remember when using a travel agent to organize your summer vacation:

1. A travel agent only knows what you tell him about your needs. If you research your own summer vacation and make your own lodging arrangements, it’s unlikely you’ll book a hotel that can’t accommodate kosher, vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, etc. dietary needs. travel with requires. You also wouldn’t book a room with a beautiful view from a 20th-floor balcony if you suffer from acrophobia (fear of heights). A travel agent may do so if you did not specifically mention these or other limitations.
2. Obviously, travel agents do not provide their services for free. Most are paid a percentage of the amount you will pay and many also add a service fee. If you’re planning a summer vacation and are on a budget, you may want to book your own flight and make your own reservations. There are two reasons. First of all, a travel agent will arrange your transportation and accommodation based on what will give them the most return. This may not be what gives you the best service or value. Second, with very little effort, you can save the portion of a hotel reservation set aside to compensate travel agents and tour operators. Simply research hotel rates online, then call or email and offer 30% off. It will be accepted, but if it is not acceptable, the hotel will respond with a quote. You’ll probably be surprised when you learn what the savings can be. Also, be sure to mention any mobility issues, allergies, or special diets that may be relevant before you book. Discount rooms are not usually entitled to special services without additional charges, unless it is included in the reservation package.

In addition to traveling by car, air travel is the preferred method of travel to reach summer vacation destinations. If you’re booking your own airline reservations, do it online and look at all the alternatives to get you from point A to point B. For example, a direct flight is convenient, but can be expensive if available. Many flights from departure to destination are simply not available due to the need to refuel. Where a direct flight is available, a flight with one or two stops can be half the price. Also, for the same price as a direct flight, you can often choose to organize a tour yourself.

When flying from Vancouver, BC, Canada to Quito, Ecuador, a peak summer flight costs just over CAD$1,500 with taxes and surcharges. For the same price you can book a charter tour to Cancun, Mexico, spend a week there, accommodation included. After a week in Cancun, you can take the train, a bus, or fly to Mexico City. There you can stay a day or two, then fly from Mexico City to Quito, Ecuador. The cost is about the same, if not less, and it has a nice ride. The original flight from Vancouver to Quito requires at least one stop, most two. The same goes for the alternative route from Vancouver, Cancun, Mexico City and the Quito route. The difference is that you have a stay in Cancun and Mexico City at no additional cost, instead of waiting at an airport for your connecting flight. It takes a lot of searching to find these deals, but they are available. This is because, as the saying goes in the airline industry, “A plane that takes off with an empty seat loses revenue.” Airlines will do anything to fill all the seats, even if the seat sale is drastically discounted.

If your summer vacation is focused on enjoying the outdoors, then you probably want to go camping. Even when planning a camping vacation, you must make a reservation. Public and private campsites are limited in the amount of camping space they have. By reserving a camping space, you are guaranteed a place to pitch your tent or park your RV or trailer.

To book a popular vacation destination at a discount, check online travel websites. Travel websites offer discounts at popular hotels, airlines, and restaurants around the world. However, there is a downside to using online discount travel websites. Travel sites mainly focus on the most popular summer vacation destinations. That said, you can often find a better hotel deal to fit your budget than you’d book elsewhere, saving nothing but enjoying much more luxury for the same price.

There is one final very important consideration in planning and booking your summer vacation flights and hotel reservations. Do your research and book well in advance of your intended departure. Flight deals are rarely available within 21 days of departure, except through last minute seat sales. The problem with last minute seat sales is that they are limited in both availability and the amount of luggage you can take. This is because the weight that the luggage would take is assigned to cargo, which is actually more profitable for airlines than transporting passengers. More last minute means last minute. You don’t want to risk your entire summer vacation so you can secure last-minute seat deals. Similarly, hotels will rarely do deals at the last minute, unless you show up at the desk at 2:00 am and there are openings. Even then, the receptionist has parameters as to the discounts he can give. When you start negotiating rooms well in advance of your arrival, you’re dealing with management, which generally has more latitude when it comes to granting discounts for secure bookings.