Planning Ahead for Vacation Is Key

Planning Ahead for Vacation Is Key

RECBL - Real Estate News

(TNS)-According to advocacy group Project: Time Off, more than half of American workers leave unused vacation days on their company’s boardroom table. Meanwhile, the research shows that by planning ahead, more families will actually take much-needed vacations and thus reap a multitude of personal and professional benefits.

Here are five ideas to consider:

​1. Make planning a priority. Whether you begin by tossing up a tent in the backyard or strategizing to experience a safari in Africa, there is no time like the present to begin planning family travel.

As children and grandchildren get older, their schedules become more complicated by their own commitments, making it more difficult than ever to plan time together. What’s more, with dates on the calendar, you’ll feel less stress at work, knowing you’ve provided the boss and co-workers with plenty of notice about your plans.

2. Longer vacations. According to Project: Time Off , 75 percent of those who plan ahead were more likely to take a full week or more of vacation in a single stretch. By crafting a strategy in advance, you’ll have your pick of departures, the best cabins on a cruise ship and more options in popular resort areas. While you are at it, scan the year ahead and be the first to claim vacation days around existing holidays and school breaks, creating a longer stretch for relaxation and enjoyment. Knowing good times are on the horizon, you’ll have the added benefit of anticipating the getaway.

3. Bucket lists. Taking time to create a thoughtful bucket list can make it easier to plan for meaningful vacations, those that are a deliberate reflection of your values, hopes and dreams. So before you begin listing desired destinations, ask yourself what aspects of the world-geographically, spiritually and culturally-you want to share with your children, grandchildren and perhaps other friends and family members. As your ideas take shape, know your list will evolve over the years; therefore, think about which destinations you hope to visit while your children are in the nest and which might best be saved for later. And, when it comes time to involve youngsters in creating the bucket list, remember that kids don’t know what they don’t know. Certain theme parks and resorts will likely be on their radar screens, but they may not be aware of the glories of Yellowstone or Yosemite or the historical significance of Boston or Birmingham.

4. Celebrate milestone events. Geographic spread, busy careers and school and sports schedules make it more difficult than ever to spend time together; therefore, planning ahead to celebrate birthdays, graduations and anniversaries can be an important touchstone and meaningful part of a family’s legacy. With plenty of advance notice, you’ll increase the odds that more family members will be able to take part in the fun. Ask your clan to save a date and then get to work creating a gathering that will be a lasting memory for all.

5. Reap the benefits. In-depth research indicates that Americans who take time to plan their vacation time in the year ahead are happier than their come-what-may counterparts. Planners are happier with their health and well-being, their financial picture, their personal relationships and even their overall mood, according to the research. Further, an overwhelming majority of American workers report that time off helps them relax and recharge, and offers the opportunity to pursue personal interests. Nearly two-thirds of employees say their concentration and productivity at work improves with time off. Business leaders echo this sentiment. Of those surveyed, 91 percent believe employees return from vacation recharged and renewed-and ready to work more effectively.

Lynn ORourke Hayes (www.LOHayes.com) is an author, family travel expert and enthusiastic explorer.

(C)2017 Lynn ORourke Hayes
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC

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5 Travel Predictions for 2018

5 Travel Predictions for 2018

RECBL - Real Estate News

Hitting the road in 2018? You’re far from alone. Booking.com has analyzed its data for 2018 travel to offer up the following predictions.

New tech frontiers
​Immersive experiences will reach the next level in 2018, with travelers looking to technology to help better understand a destination or accommodation before they book. Artificial intelligence and digital technology are helping consumers turn the corner when it comes to smart destination intuition, reshaping the way we research, book and experience travel.

Almost a third (29 percent) of global travelers say they are comfortable letting a computer plan an upcoming trip based on data from their previous travel history and half (50 percent) don’t mind if they deal with a real person or computer, so long as any questions are answered. Over six in 10 (64 percent) of travelers say they would like to try before they buy with a virtual reality preview, while 50 percent find that personalized suggestions for destinations and things to do encourages them to book a trip. Taking all the hard work and stress out of decision making, in 2018 technology will continue to guide us seamlessly to find the best stays and experiences for us.

From dream to reality

2018 is the year to dream big as 45 percent of travelers have a travel bucket list in mind and the majority of those (82 percent) will aim to tick one or more destinations off their list in the coming year. The yearning for experiences over material possessions continues and drives our desire for more incredible and memorable trips. With dwindling patience, instantaneous appetites and empowered by technology, travelers in 2018 will seize the moment like never before.

Most likely to feature on a bucket list is seeing one of the wonders of the world, as almost half of travelers (47 percent) will look to tick this off in 2018. Over a third (35 percent) yearn to tantalize their taste buds by trying a local delicacy, 34 percent want to head to an island paradise and 34 percent are thrill seekers wanting to visit a world famous theme park. Adrenalin junkies should consider Orlando, Fla., The Gold Coast in Australia and Dubai, United Arab Emirates, the top destinations endorsed by Booking.com travelers for theme parks. The other top travel activities to complete in 2018 are experiencing a unique cultural event (28 percent), learning a new skill (27 percent), going on an epic road or rail journey (25 percent) and visiting a remote or challenging location (25 percent).

Retro reboot

As well as new experiences, travelers will be revisiting their favorite childhood memories as part of their trips in 2018. Blending the future with the past, next year’s travelers will be inspired to return to previously loved destinations and explore them in a whole new way. A third of travelers (34 percent) will consider a holiday they experienced as a child for 2018.

The popularity of these vintage vacations stems from the feelings of nostalgia and happiness the destinations evoke. Travelers say that former family holidays recall the fondest memories, even more so than childhood sweethearts or family pets. Millennials look set to be even more sentimental with 44 percent of 18 to 34 year old's keen to hark back to favorite family destinations. With 60 percent of travelers in 2018 intending to post on social media each day, we can expect to see these nostalgic places brought back to the future and captured for social posterity.

Pop culture pilgrimage

With the world at our fingertips, we rely on many sources to inspire us to travel to new destinations. Tapping into our passions is one way of helping to identify the locations most suited to us - from culture and entertainment, to food and history. In 2018, television shows, films, sport and social media in particular look set to have an increasingly significant sway over booking decisions, as travelers turn to pop culture for their travel inspiration. Reading blogs or watching YouTuber recommendations will spark ideas for four in ten (39 percent) travelers and on-screen locations from television, film or music videos will win over 36 percent of travelers in the coming year. More than a fifth (22 percent) of travelers will be tempted by travelling for a major sporting event, with 43 percent of those considering a summer of football in Russia.

The top television program locations travelers most want to visit in 2018 are Croatia, Spain and Iceland inspired by Game of Thrones (29 percent), London as seen in Sherlock and the Crown (21 percent and 13 percent), New York and Manhattan from Billions (13 percent) and Los Angeles viewed in Entourage (10 percent).

Walk your way to wellness. The trend for wellness getaways isn’t slowing down for 2018, with almost double the amount of people planning to take health and well-being trips in 2018 compared to 2017 (from one in 10 in 2017 to nearly one in five in 2018). Trips enjoying particular prominence will be those that involve travelling on two feet. A brilliant way to take in the local landscape, walking will be the ultimate way to explore next year, with 56 percent of travelers saying they want to do walking or hiking trips in 2018.

Source: Booking.com

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The Joy of Travel

The Joy of Travel

RECBL - Real Estate News

(Family Features)--Many facets of travel, such as the anticipation, the experience and even the return trip, can enhance your mood. It can create an element of the unexpected and give you the opportunity to gain new, memorable experiences.

To explore the connection between happiness and travel, and what makes a destination joyous, Nast Traveler and happiness expert Shawn Achor created "The Joy Index."

Achor delved into the psychology of experiences that awe people and the physiology of adventure to explain the relationship between joy and travel, and identified the 10 most joyous places in the world. He also shared the following tips on how to make travel attainable and maximize the joy of your vacations:

Predictors of Happiness
The Joy Index combined Achors studies on travel and happiness with existing research from organizations, including the United Nations and Gallup, to identify six "happiness factors" based on the psychology of joy and travel: environment, well being, culture, connection, adventure and wonder. These six factors, which encompass everything from weather to geography and local food to the friendliness of the culture, can have an impact on the joy experienced when visiting a destination.

"The three greatest predictors of happiness are gratitude, social connection and meaning," Achor says. "If you have an amazing life but are not grateful for it, you do not have access to happiness. These three things scientifically improve happiness, but not just for a moment - they change the lens through which you view the world."

Travels Effect on Happiness
Travel allows you to discover something completely new and unique, which is why it can bring so much joy. According to Achor, the human brain craves novelty.

"The new experiences we have when we travel help us gain perspective and remind us that the world is bigger than our everyday problems," Achor says. "Another reason why traveling makes us joyful is the connection we experience. Traveling allows us to disconnect from our everyday lives and reconnect with the friends and family we are traveling with, as well as locals we meet along the way."

Maximizing Joy on Vacation
Remembering to be grateful is crucial for staying in the moment and finding joy in your trips.

"Try to think about how lucky we are to travel and experience the world. When things dont go your way, such as an inconvenient rainy day, see it as an opportunity to make your experience even more memorable," Achor says.

Putting yourself out there and engaging with the local culture can also be crucial for maximizing the joy of traveling.

"Learning about different stories of people with different cultures than our own helps us realize and understand some of the cool similarities we share and interesting differences based on our backgrounds," Achor said.

Making Travel Attainable
Achor stressed that happiness can be cultivated wherever you are, but to get the most out of a vacation, planning is crucial. Even though traveling can help increase happiness, many opt out of going on trips because of the cost. This, too, is where planning can help.

Source: Bank of America

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HOW TO BOOK A BETTER VACATION FOR LESS

How To Book A Better Vacation For Less

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Looking forward to your next big trip? Are you trying to make sure you’re able to find the best deals to help your pocket book? Read on for five ways to book a better, cheaper vacation, courtesy of Booking.com.

1. Book your trip at the right time

Purchasing airplane tickets 21 days or more in advance offers the best prices-especially for trips within Europe and the United States. Some trips can give discounts of as much as 30 percent for booking three weeks before the departure date.

To get the best deals on trips within Europe, you need to book flights almost two months ahead (at least 56 days) so for short haul Easter breaks its best to start booking now. For travel to Asia and the US its best to book flights around 6 months ahead (+ 171 days for Asia and + 180 for the US) so now is also a great time to plan your big summer break.

2. and 3. Book flights and Hotel at the same time
One critical, but often overlooked, method to drive savings is for travelers to simultaneously book their flight, hotel and/or rental car on an online travel agency. Flight and hotel bookings can be offered at a steep discount.  Those savings can be lost if travelers book these elements independently, which is common, so flight and hotel bookings remain the single easiest way for travelers to save hundreds on travel, both domestically and internationally.

4. Include a Saturday night stay
After evaluating terabytes of data regarding the impact of including a Saturday night stay on average ticket prices, Booking.com has concluded that the urban myth is true and most tickets including a Saturday stay offer the lowest prices and best deals. In Central Europe, average ticket prices for itineraries that include Saturdays can be as much as 74 percent less and 47 percent less for flights within the UK and Ireland. The impact of Saturday night stays exists independent of what day of the week a ticket was booked and how many days in advance it was purchased.

5. Head to an alternative neighborhood on your city break
By checking out the alternative areas of a city you can save even more on your hotel. Booking.com’s local experts have provided advice - such as booking in a business district for a weekend stay - to help travelers to find money-saving alternate destinations that aren’t too far from the downtowns or most popular areas of the cities in question.  For example, staying in the Financial District, or Battery Park City, when traveling to New York, can offer savings but still offers the chance to stay in two spots that are fast becoming the city’s new must-visit areas.

 Source: Booking.com

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