It’s more important than ever to be organized when looking for a good deal or a nice place to stay. How do you plan to plan?
When I told my friends and colleagues how far ahead they should book their holidays for next year, I heard the following refrain: “But I have no idea what I am doing next week.”
How far ahead? As a leisure traveler, I would say that six months in advance is reasonable,” says aviation analyst Dr Chrystal Zhu of RMIT.
What if you received an invitation for a destination wedding in Mallorca in July next year? If you’re traveling during the European summer (i.e., You should book your flights for June to August now, says Karen Hislop, Travel Manager at Flight Centre Wynnum.
How about a family vacation to Australia’s ski fields next winter if you want something casual and close by? Michael Johnson, CEO of Tourism Accommodation Australia, tells me sarcastically that you “should have booked it.” That’s how busy the hotel will be. “Especially if you are looking for value for your money.”
Johnson: “We saw many short-term bookings while people were worried about cancellations.” Now, however, “we are learning to live with Covid and people are willing to book in advance.”
Even early birders are paying higher prices. Johnson says that it’s true; the prices may appear to be high, even if you book in advance with ample notice. It will be more expensive to wait.
Expected regret
How do you plan a vacation nine months in advance when you have no idea what you will be eating for lunch today? Prof Barbara Mullan is a Curtin University researcher who specializes in behavioral changes. She says that for some people, it will never work. “Some people want to be spontaneous.”
Mullan has some suggestions. “One technique we use is ‘anticipated remorse’. Do you know what will happen to you if nothing is done? You’ll either pay twice as much, stay in an awful hotel, or decide not to go. “This should help you to focus on the future.”
Another similar technique is “consideration of future effects.” Who will be angry with you if, when you should have planned and didn’t?
Johnson’s technique is especially useful for parents with school-age kids, as “you will always get caught” if you travel during school holidays.
He recommends booking domestic travel nine months in advance during these peak periods. If you crave spontaneity, then “look forward [to it] when these kids grow up.”
Plan your plan
“Another counterintuitive thing is to try to make planning part of your daily routine,” Mullan says. Her research is primarily focused on public health. We do this in order to change health behaviors. It doesn’t matter if you plan your meals or take snacks along.
“In terms of traveling, you might think about… setting aside time and thinking about your travel goals, and then checking-in weekly.”
This is especially useful if you have “tied” your dates to something.
Mullan says that if you want people to floss after brushing their teeth, do it. If you have a favorite TV show you watch every week, then you can plan your holiday around that.
Johnson uses this technique to his advantage. While on vacation, his family books their beach holidays “year after year.” It would guarantee we got in and have something to look forward to.
It is helpful to set a weekly date for planning your trip. This will help you sort out the essential but boring bits: insurance and fine print.
Zhang advises anyone interested in traveling to monitor sales, promotions, and discounts. Airlines never hesitate to offer promotions. But it would be best if you read the conditions of carriage and refund policy before you book.
Zhang says that travel is not as simple as it seems. It involves many suppliers, including airlines, hotels, and destinations. If one thing goes wrong, it can ruin the whole trip.
Hislop agrees. This is the new normal for now. It is important to inform passengers that their flights can be canceled and rescheduled at any time. Travel insurance is essential to cover them if flights are balanced and there is no other alternative or if they need to stay in the destination for extra days while waiting for a new flight. It could be years before we return to the February 2020 traffic flow.”
Hislop says, “There is a lot focus on how the world is opening up and travel costs are expensive.” This is not completely true. Not all destinations are fully wheelchair accessible.
Johnson says that flexible cancellation terms can be found if you are willing to search for them. Hotels and I think airlines, too, are more understanding of the situation and less aggressive in canceling.
Making contingencies
Zhang notes that many travel problems are weather-related, particularly in Australia. You can mitigate the uncertainty by taking practical measures like insurance, flexible bookings, and bringing extra medications with you. But how do you deal with the emotional aspect?
Mullan suggests that more planning is needed. Mullan says that he did research last year to see how not being able to travel affected people’s lives. We found that those who had an alternative plan in place (whether it was a different travel plan, a new kitchen, or many-day trips) fared better.
“Having contingencies in place can really help people who lack control.”
Mullan explains that there are certain things she cannot control. Mullan says, “We can control certain things.” It’s important to have a plan B in case your first choice holiday is not possible due to circumstances or finances.
Mullan admits that her Christmas plans were contingencies. She realized that her family was not going to leave the city because of high prices. “We had to find something else to do instead.”
Visualization
Mullan explains that visualization can be “very powerful.” It may not work for all people, but it is a motivator. “Visualising the outcome of their plan and trying to imagine, here I am on Bali’s beach.”
Well, some holiday problems will improve next year, so start with those. Zhang believes that the days of waiting in long queues at airports after arriving early may be over. Airports are introducing new technology to reduce “choke points,” such as security and check-in. She says that, for example, the UK announced a relaxation of liquid limits in 2024 due to changes made to scanning technology.
Zhang predicts that lost luggage will also be a lesser issue in the next year. She says that new tracking systems are being implemented and tested, which will lead to further improvements. Airlines are motivated to solve the problem quickly because “lost luggage is a major cost for them.”
Johnson said that thanks to a “really nice grant” from the federal government, the caravan park industry can expect to see upgraded facilities in the coming year.
Is it worth imagining as well? Currently, Australian accommodation providers face a labor shortage (and the attendant headaches that come with it for both staff and clients). Johnson predicts that these will decrease throughout the next year due to changes in skilled immigration and an increase in working holiday visa holders. When you go on vacation, the hotels will be more staffed and ready to please.
Mullan’s final tip, although some may argue that travel is its reward in itself, is to “set yourself a goal around your planning” and “reward youself when you reach it.” You could stay in a more luxurious hotel.
