By Denise Petricka, Higgins Travel Leaders
Winter is coming! If you’re thinking about getting away from the cold and snow this winter, the travel professionals at Higgins Travel Leaders advise that now is the time to start planning in order to lock in the best value.
holiday an extremely popular time to take a vacation. With everything decked out for the season, travel around the holidays is especially festive and memorable. Plus, the kids are out of school and many people have extra time off from work or vacation days to use up before the end of the year. It may be one of the few times, other than summer, when the whole family can take a trip together. And it’s a way to enjoy the holiday in a relaxing, stress-free environment, with someone else doing the preparation.
The possibilities for winter get aways are limitless.
Orlando, the Hawaiian island of Maui, Las Vegas, and New York City are among the top domestic vacation destinations for 2016, according to Travel Leaders Group’s annual Travel Trends Survey, while Caribbean cruises, the Mexican resort of Cancun, European river cruises, Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic, and London are among the top international vacation spots. They’re all in high demand for family travel.
Just remember that many other travelers will have the same idea. It pays to book early to get the most sought-after hotels, all-inclusive resorts, cruises, and flights,especially for the most popular destinations—or risk paying significantly more or facing properties and flights being sold out.
Thanksgiving, the Christmas/New Year’s holiday periods, and Spring Break are among the busiest times of the year for long-distance travel. Last winter, the industry group Airlines for America forecast that 38.1 million passengers would fly on U.S. airlines from the week before Christmas through the New Year’s Day weekend, with planes at 80 percent to 90 percent of capacity. If recent trends hold, the number of flyers will only increase this year during the holidays. By booking early, your travel agent can help you select the price and flight time that fit your needs.
And it’s never too early to plan a cruise. In fact, cruise lines are currently booking voyages well into the first half of 2017, a year from now. By booking early, you’ll ensure a wide range of choices when it comes to picking on board accommodations.
If you’re booking a multi generational family trip, planning ahead is especially important. There are lots of details to take into account. You want to make sure that family members can stay together at the same hotel or resort, or near each other on the cruise ship, for example. And, of course, it’s essential that everyone get a connecting flight to the port of departure.
Whether you’re certain about your destination or you just want to explore the possibilities, the Travel Professionals at Higgins Travel Leaders can help find options that meet your needs and budget. Once you’ve decided where to go, your agent can assist in locking in the best fares and rates at top vacation destinations across the country or around the world. Contact them at 715-834-2686 or visit them online at www.higginstravel.com.
Comments