A new year means new plans and resolutions. Preparing for the years adventures can be exciting. And with January offering holiday sales there is no better time to do so. Read on to find out my 5 of my New Year travel tips
1. Make a New Year plan, but don’t get too attached to it
It is great to have a few ideas in mind about what you want to do and the New Year is great chance to plan some ideas. Before I travel I always do a bit of background research. That way I know what options I have to do in the area and if I need to prebook. However, whenever you research whether that’s by the internet or in a book, you are far more likely to come across the more popular tourist attractions. If you fill your entire plan then it doesn’t leave any room to explore hidden gems. And in my experience these are often the best bits.
2. Consider off-season travelling in the New Year
We know the peak season is popular for a reason, it offers the best weather. But it also offers higher prices, busier streets and packed tourist attractions. So maybe for your next trip consider going off-peak? Just because it’s off-peak doesn’t necessarily mean the weather is going to immediately turn awful. You can still enjoy some sun, but if you are going for a city break then there’s rarely a bad time to go. Having to wear a jumper or bring a coat won’t ruin your holiday. And the money you save means you can go to more activities or treat yourself and upgrade your hotel room.
3. Take advantage of free cancellation
One of my favourite New Year travel tips is to take advantage of free cancellation policies. So many booking sites offer free cancellation on your room up until a specific date before your trip. This is great for you as it offers flexibility. However, what the booking sites don’t want you to do is continually check the price afterwards to see if it changes. If you see the price has lowered, book at the lower price and then cancel the old booking. I would always recommend you do this in that exact order, otherwise, you run the risk of cancelling your room and then having an issue with making the new booking leaving you without a room entirely. You can even do this up until your last day of free cancellation. Then if the same room without free cancellation is cheaper, make that booking and cancel your original one. Consider booking directly
4. Consider booking directly
This mostly applies to hotels, but it can also work for experiences and tours too. Remember to check prices to see if it is cheaper to book directly. When you book through a booking site, often a referral fee is charged to the hotel, to make the money back they often bump up the price of your booking. When you book directly there are fewer fees for the hotel, so they pass those savings onto you. It also makes it easier to manage your booking as you can communicate directly with the hotel instead of through a third party.
5. Ask a local
You can research a place as much as you like, but your knowledge will never exceed that of a local. They will know all the restaurants and bars that are worth visiting (and won’t rip you off with tourist prices) You are only going to spend a limited amount of time in each destination, so you don’t want to waste your time and money on a restaurant that serves awful food. The same rule applies to tourist attractions, they will know when to go to avoid big crowds or get the best view. Sometimes offer hidden secrets and lesser-known tourists. Whenever you book into a hotel ask at the desk, they will be more than happy to point you in the direction of some great sights and activities.
