Have you caught the travel bug? After spending the last year dreaming of travel, it is time to start planning your next vacation.
We are ready to pack our suitcases and travel; so we talked with Karen Wissel at Making Memories Travel by Karen, to learn what is happening in the travel industry and how to plan our first post-pandemic vacation.
Wissel is an avid traveler, with more than 30 years’ travel experience. “The first trip I took away from our family farm, I knew I wanted to be in travel,” she said. “I love making great memories for my clients by customizing a vacation or destination wedding to their needs. It’s time to start making travel memories again!”
The Hottest Trend for 2021-22?
Travel is warming up—literally! “Mexico and many Caribbean locations are up and running,” advised Wissel. “These locales offer the opportunity to travel outside of the U.S. without long haul flights, overwhelming COVID-19 restrictions, and outrageous budgets. They are affordable travel destinations.”
All inclusive resorts are hot choices. “All inclusive vacations offer worry free, seamless, safe travel with endless entertainment,” said Wissel. Typically included in all inclusive vacations are all-you-can-eat food and drinks, entertainment, and nonmotorized water sports. Tips are even included. “You don’t need to leave the resort!”
Workouts are not just in the gym anymore. You can join yoga, workout, bike riding, and personal training sessions inside the pool or in the ocean. Staying fit and healthy is a hot trend.
Spend the day doing water sport activities, such as kayaking, aqua trikes, snorkeling, and swimming. And you can join the fun with scavenger hunts, trivia, games, sports, and nightly entertainment.
Book Early
“The earlier you book, the more availability there is for what you want in a vacation,” advised Wissel. “There is pent up travel demand.” All inclusive resorts are booking six to 12 months in advance. For a destination wedding, Wissel encourages couples to plan for 2022 as soon as possible.
Looking to travel now? “Travel agents can help you find last minute deals that meet your desired location and budget needs,” said Wissel. “Plus, we can tell you the resorts that are furthest along in reopening and how they are servicing and accommodating guests.”
Work with an Advocate
Given the increased use of the internet in vacation planning, how can travel agents make planning easier? “Your travel agent is your guide and advocate,” said Wissel. “There are no fees to work with a travel agent. You can benefit from our wealth of knowledge to plan the right vacation for your family, as well as handle any unforeseen circumstances that may arise before, during, or after your vacation. Plus, we know how to get you the best deals for your trip, which is especially important with increasing airfare and resort prices.”
Right now it is best to consult a travel agent on current COVID-19 travel requirements in the U.S., your destination, the resort, and any activities you want to take up on vacation. Agents are in constant contact with the resorts on what is required and how they are making it easy for guests to comply.
Ready to Start Planning?
Wissel’s advice is to work with an agent that can guide you to make the best memories for your family at your budget.
Start by determining your budget, timeline, desired location based on flight time and natural environment, and length of stay.
How do you want to spend your vacation? Consider what activities you are looking for on vacation, and make sure they are open on the days that you are visiting. Every locale is different. Do you want to stay poolside, explore rainforests, take long hikes, drive into a volcano, take a helicopter ride, or spend time at the beach? The possibilities are endless!
If you are planning a destination wedding or vow renewal, additional criteria to consider include understanding your wedding expectations, the look and feel of the ceremony, the ages of guests and their preferences for activities, flying time for guests, and the types of room accommodations needed.
With all this great advice, it is time to get out there and explore! Talk to a travel agent, to start planning your next vacation memories.
PERSON INFO:
To learn more about planning the right vacation for you, reach out to Karen Wissel at (937) 306-8922 or via email at Karen@MMTravelByKaren.com.