Traveling in the summer is exciting and refreshing. Vacationers visit warm locales, relax away from work or school worries and celebrate the sunny season. But there are always possibilities for things to go wrong — items breaking in your luggage, spending a lot on last-minute fares, or ending up at an overcrowded location. Planning is the key to a stress-free vacation, so follow these tips to have your summer vacation go off without a hitch.
Booking Your Trip
Choosing the time, location, and travel details of your summer vacation can be the most stressful part of your trip. The first thing to decide is where you want to go and for how long. How much vacation time do you have? How far do you want to travel?
Once you know where you would like to visit, decide if you will travel by air or car. Driving is usually the less expensive option, but for farther destinations, it’s not always feasible.
Searching for flights is easy with travel search engines like Kayak. Plus, with their calendar and flexible date features, you can see the times that would be the cheapest for your trip.
Try to avoid traveling over holiday weekends if you want to stay away from crowds. Be aware that summer is a busy time for travel in general, so you will likely be surrounded by many travelers.
Finding a Place to Stay
Once you have your summer travel booked, search for lodging. Gone are the days when hotels are the only option — consider looking into home and apartment rentals. Often cheaper per night than a hotel, rentals through VRBO and Airbnb can save you money if they include a kitchen so you can cook your meals.
Hotels do offer some benefits, though, including shuttles to popular attractions and daily housekeeping. If you opt to stay at a hotel, don’t book from their website. Discount aggregators such as Expedia, Kayak, and Priceline can help you save hundreds of dollars if used correctly. Spend time researching the type of arrangement you want and then take the plunge and book early.
Packing with Purpose
Packing your bags is another part of travel that causes stress, but it doesn’t have to. Think about your previous trips and write down things that you have forgotten or were a hassle. For example, if you usually forget to charge cards, keep a checklist of all the ones you need before you begin to pack.
The wear and tear of adventurous vacations can take a toll on certain items, like sunglasses. To be prepared, buy backup lenses so you don’t have to worry about buying a new pair while traveling if the lenses break or become damaged.
It’s also helpful to avoid overpacking by figuring out a layered outfit for each day that you can change depending on the weather forecast. Master traveler Rick Steves says the key to smart packing is to bring very little.
The most important part of packing is planning, so don’t wait until the day you leave to get ready. The best way to get the most out of your vacation is by careful planning.
Embrace the Hotel Experience
Know how to add value both to leisure and business travelers. Leisure travelers will typically choose your Hotel as part of the destination experience. How can you make this experience more memorable? Guests today value and share unique moments.
Discover what it was that made the destination experience memorable. What was it that stood out during the experience? Just in time for planning their next summer vacation send them a card “Do you remember when….”.
Business travelers typically travel for convenience. Their primary purpose is not to spend time at the Hotel, but to ensure they have a place to rest and work after they do their business. What matters to them often can be Free Wi-Fi, bandwidth, business center, workspace in the room, and laundry service.
They are often traveling on a budget or per diem cost.
Today’s Hotels have to be smart when they targeted business or corporate market segments. Besides convenience and security female business travelers value;
- Well lit, secure car park or valet parking
- Room security locks as standard
- Permanently lit corridors during hours of darkness
- Room door security peepholes as standard
- Room number allocation is discreet at reception
- Female travel alone prefers not to be allocated a ground floor room (unless requested or Hotel is ground floor only)
- Provision of a hairdryer (near a mirror)
- Ironing board and iron available from room service x Space to work comfortably in a room
- Provision of a full-length mirror
While these also are important factors for male traveler their emphasis is more o then;
- Comfortable mattress/pillow
- Lightning
- Free Wifi
- Free Newspaper
- TV Channels / Digital TV
- Work desk
- Bandwidth
- Transportation
- Space for Collaboration / Meeting
- In-room Coffee
Travelers, in general, has become more aware of costs in general. And any additional costs on amenities for business travelers tend to stir negative sentiments.
Studies and research were done to show that the modern traveler today is looking for improved technology that makes their journey smoother. Many prefer some type of concierge application that assists them with real-time requirements.
And today most travelers prefer e-folios that are integrated into an expensive system. Today we experience that the modern traveler brings with them at least three digital devices. And they expect timely engagement, service, and notifications.
Put in place a strategic plan that allows you to respond and provide exceptional service for your Hotel guests. Happy travels!
What are some of the best tips you have for a great Summer Travel and Hotel Experience? This is the moment when you finally can make an impact on new and renewing customers. Learn how you can start to make a new shift today below here.
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Have an awesome and successful day!
Over to you
The hotel industry is always changing, especially during a time of crisis. Make sure to future-proof your business and continue attracting new guests by investing in these solutions.
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With a passion for revolutionizing the hospitality industry, I help hoteliers work smarter, not harder, by embracing AI, digital transformation, and innovation. My mission? To bring people and technology together to transform hotels, creating uncontested market experiences through service, confidence, cooperation, and purpose – empowering your team to elevate the guest experience and community.
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