Top Tips for Booking your 2023 and 2024 Vacations
Travel is back, and we couldn’t be more excited to be sending people all around the world again.
We’ve got new destinations, new adventures, and new and exciting magazines that will blow your mind.
But, as we start to head across the globe again, booking beautiful vacations to faraway places, it’s easy to get overwhelmed with the things that used to come so easily to us all. After all, it has been a few years since travel felt normal.
So, we’ve been thinking about the little things that can make booking your 2023 and 2024 vacations even easier. The hints and tips and things not to leave until the last minute – as well as the new requirements that must not be missed in a post-pandemic travel world.
We’ve also been thinking about the big things, too. The things that help us discover new destinations in the most authentic ways. The things that sit behind which destination to choose, and what to think about in terms of how our vacations impact ourselves, those around us, and the communities and ecosystems we visit.
Together, these top tips and tricks will ensure that the vacations you take – perhaps the first vacation you’ve taken in a while – are even more special than you could dream about.
Here are our top tips to help you experience the most beautiful vacation possible.
Check your travel validity
If there’s one thing we know in a post-pandemic world, unpredictability is not to be forgotten.
When COVID happened, it disrupted the travel industry, leaving behind a trail of mess that even the best travel insurance agencies didn’t know what to do.
This is why it is important to know the rules, to understand your validity when it comes to entering and exiting countries, and to be prepared for anything that may come your way, expected or unexpected.
Although most travel agencies and concierge services like ourselves are fully equipped with the knowledge to aid and assist you so that you don’t need to worry about a thing, there are a few small things you can do.
Check that your passport. Ensuring that your passport is valid and has at least six months of validity from the date you plan on returning will make your booking process simpler and more stress-free. If it is no longer valid after a small hiatus, ensure you start the application process now because wait times are really really long!
Check your vaccination status. Many countries still have strict entry and exit requirements to be able to visit them. To ensure that your vacation is smooth sailing and calm seas, do some research before deciding on your destination.
Purchase travel insurance. Every traveler needs protection, regardless of where you are from and where you are going. This is a non-negotiable travel requirement, especially in a post-pandemic world. For more information on our travel insurance rules, read this post.
Choose somewhere unique for your next vacation
Traveling to faraway destinations is no longer just about choosing the most popular place in the world, booking your ticket, and going.
There are a lot more hoops that need to be jumped through than before.
Why? Destinations are busy. Like really busy.
They’re full of tourists, travel requirements, low availability rates, increased prices, and experiences that aren’t anywhere near as flashy as you’ll see on social media.
Sure, diving into your dream Greece vacation and enjoying blissfully warm days on the Islands seems like a great idea. Still, when you share a tiny island with hundreds of thousands of people, your experience will be less than special.
That’s why choosing somewhere unique is essential. It’s vital to ensure you will have the most memorable time possible.
This doesn’t mean you have to dive into a complete off-the-beaten-path vacation where you sleep in a cabin under the stars with no running water or communication with the outside world (although if this sounds like you, we’ve got the perfect vacation for you). But it means choosing the right destination with the right mixture of bucket-list attractions and unique experiences away from the crowds.
It means choosing a destination that understands what authentic travel is all about. It means stepping away from the comforts of Marriott hotels and flashy restaurants and instead staying in boutique BnBs and cabins. It also means choosing locally-owned restaurants, tour operators, and vendors for activities so that you can feel comfortable supporting local communities and environments, as well as feel secure that the operators are choosing quality over quantity.
Be prepared for things to be a little different
It’s no secret that things have changed in the travel industry over the last few years.
Although travel businesses have bounced back in a big way, there is still a lot of recovery that needs to be done for the industry to get back to the same place it was at before the pandemic.
Before you fly, you might find that availability is much harder to come by in all your favorite destinations. You might find that pricing looks different. There might be certain requirements you must adhere to before you travel in order to be allowed to stay in certain places.
When you arrive at your destination, remember that just because you were able to get on a plane doesn’t mean that things are “back to normal.”
Dining out and attending events still look a little bit different than what they might have been a few years ago.
While we help you navigate all the unknowns and scaries about what the travel industry is right now, it’s essential to still be mindful that things are different.
So, as much as you can, continue to practice patience. There might be longer wait times, menu changes, mask mandates, and many other ‘new normals’ that you aren’t expecting.
In other words, don’t be the person who spent COVID forgetting how to cut small business owners some much-deserved slack.
Get outdoors and get off the map
After spending the good part of two years locked inside, it’s still taking a little while to spread our wings and fly away again.
We get it. Travel is still a very scary thing. Especially in a post-pandemic world where anything can happen and unpredictability is the new normal.
Although travel bounced back with a BANG in 2022, the next two years are expected to be even more popular while people find their feet with vacation booking again.
That’s why we recommend getting off the map and into the outdoors.
You’ll not only avoid the record-breaking numbers expected for 2023 and 2024, but you’ll get to do something truly important: see the world authentically.
Nothing screams vacation more than an outdoor one with nothing but nature, wildlife, and fresh air at your back.
We’re talking star gazing on top of a crater, sleeping in a dome under the northern lights in a frontier camp, dining above ancient rainforests, and staying at a Viking farm.
We’ve been perfecting itineraries to some of the most stunning outdoor destinations in the world for some time now, including:
Alaska
Maui
Mexico
Outdoor vacations – jungles, deserts, and mountains – are an unbelievably sublime way to cast adrift from your emails and to-do lists and relax in a new destination.
They offer the perfect way to escape every day and simply enjoy the best life has to offer!
The time of year matters
For many people, timing can be a struggle when it comes to vacation planning. Many people have school, work and personal schedules to manage, meaning that there's often no choice but to travel during the high season (often throughout school holidays and summer vacation).
If these busy periods can be avoided, you will not only save money on flights and accommodation, but you likely won’t have to deal with all the large crowds that come with busy travel times!
The off-season almost always means smaller crowds. And yes, while this sometimes might mean there are fewer attractions/restaurants open, it also almost always means more authentic experiences (imagine being able to explore the heart of Venice or Rome or Florence without all the crowds!). If you want to avoid long lines, crowded squares, and sold-out tours, travel in the off-season.
Another benefit of traveling in the off-season? Since hotels, rental cars, and day trips aren't likely to sell out in the off-season, you are more likely to find availability at cheaper rates in the absolute BEST places. 5-star boutique experiences coming right up!
You know what the Colosseum looks like during the busier months (hint: crowded) and what New England looks like in the autumn (hint: crowded with lots of colorful leaves).
But, do you know what Paris looks like under a soft blanket of snow or how quiet the Trevi Fountain is at night in November?
Off-season changes everything, and the time of year you choose to travel really does matter.
Curious about a destination? Submit a trip request, and we can help you decide the best time of year to travel!
Understand what you need from your vacation
One of the most beautiful things about travel is that everybody does it for a different reason.
Some are escaping the mundane – the things like that feel a little too blah – and searching for something new.
Some are taking a break from stressful things. The people leaving behind the to-do lists, the chores, and tasks, the work.
Some are chasing quality time with their favorite people. Whether it’s for an anniversary, a honeymoon, a birthday celebration, a best friend getaway, or an adventure with the family, these vacations require you to switch off and enjoy quality time.
Some people are searching for something. Themselves. Experiences. New faces and communities and environments to explore. Understand if this is what you are searching for, and if it is, choose a destination accordingly.
Everyone travels for a different reason. That’s the beauty of travel! It’s unique, and your experiences are always going to be special to you and you alone.
That’s why we don’t offer cookie-cutter vacations. There is no ‘one size fits all’ when it comes to crafting itineraries. Every itinerary is one of a kind, curated just for you.
Although travel is still very much bouncing back after the world was hit hard with COVID-19, it’s getting there.
With a few handy and thought-out tips and tricks, we guarantee you can travel to faraway places comfortably once again.
To book your next vacation, submit your trip request here!
