Vacationing in 2017 is more complicated than ever before. There are so many options at your disposal. Do you take a trip to Paris or do you stick to the Pacific coastline in the US? Do you go to Australia or do you go to South America? You need to know that you’re getting the best deal and that you’re getting the vacation that you’re going to remember for all the right reasons.
If you’re not one of the 55% of Americans who don’t take a vacation, here are the best ways to vacation in 2017.
Choose the Place that Speaks to You
Hotels and resorts have realized that they can no longer just appeal to everyone. It’s why they’re becoming more specialized than ever before. Some are aimed at the best family vacations and others are aimed at solo travelers. You can find resorts that only allow retirees in and hotels that facilitate lovers of adventure holidays.
Narrow down your choices by looking at who the hotel/resort/location caters to.
Use Vacation Deals Sites…but Not the Ones You Think
There are plenty of vacation deals available online. Sites like Sky Scanner have been helping people to find cheap flights for years, for example. But many such sites have become oversaturated with people. The very best deals are no longer found here.
Intelligent vacationers are opting for the second-tier sites. They’re looking at the less well-known sites in an attempt to find the deals that aren’t well-publicized.
Beware of All-Inclusive Claims
There’s nothing worse than arriving at a resort that claims it’s all-inclusive only to find that it’s not actually all-inclusive. So many resorts have taken to adding on a variety of extra charges. Okay, you can’t expect every added extra to be free, but some hotels take liberties with this.
For example, some hotels will even charge you to connect with the Internet. Extra charges like this should be inspected before you book, not after.
Book by the Currency
Many Americans think they can get the best travel photos only in Mexico or the Caribbean. These are the traditional destinations they look at because they believe that going to somewhere like Europe is too expensive for them. But the US dollar is rising in value and now has never been a better time to go to Europe. The strength of the dollar against the Euro makes it cheaper than ever to travel further.
Checking which currencies are weak against the dollar can make a vacation hundreds of dollars cheaper for you. But that may not be the case if you wait until next year.
Be Flexible with Your Date
Some people want great deals, but they’re unwilling to compromise on when they decide to vacation. You’re essentially trapped if you have no flexibility. Remember that travelling mid-week means cheaper flights and going on vacation during school terms will be cheaper for you when you take domestic trips.
Keep in mind that some locations offer lower prices only at certain times of the year. For example, prices in the Caribbean are 25% lower in winter due to the excessive heat.
Change Your Currency Smartly
You won’t be able to use your dollars abroad, so you need to figure out how you’re going to get some foreign currency. There are multiple options at your disposal. First of all, you can change your currency when you’re still at home. Ordering from a bank in advance can give you a good deal, but not necessarily the best deal.
Another option is to change at the airport. We advise against this because airport change offices are little more than criminal rackets. Their rates are many points down from the actual exchange rate and they can get away with it because most people who change their money here are trapped.
You can even withdraw abroad. For example, account holders with Charles Schwab are automatically refunded all ATM charges when they return home.
Love a Resort? Be Loyal
If you choose the same resort chain all the time, it can be worth signing up to their membership clubs. Regularly coming back can give you a variety of perks and rewards points. Business travelers do this all the time. Enough travel can even add up to free stays.
Last Word – Vacation Smart in 2017
If you want to get the best vacation you can in 2017, this is the way to do it. You’ll get to stay in some stunning destinations while saving money. Not many people know about these tips, much less follow them. If you do it, you can save hundreds of dollars.
Where will you go in 2017?