If you are thinking to somewhere first and foremost you will ask yourself ‘how to plan a cost effective holiday trip?’
Visiting different places either in your home country or international destination, is the dream of each person. Basically holiday trips energize individuals from mind to soul. There are multiple factors associated with any holiday trips such as time, budget, destination, willingness and consequences.
We have been seeing many tourists in our own city and villages. And, we think they all have sufficient or even enough money, with adequate leisure time. However the case is not the same for all people, who are travelling frequently – at least once or twice a year. Micro-management of time and budget is the first and foremost issue to be a regular tourist and be able to visit multiple destinations during lifetime.
You may have heard that people when they are young, they have time but not money, when they are in working age they have money but not time and during retirement they have both time and money but not energy and even willingness. This issue can be handled with micro-management of time and budget with willingness. Willingness is the top most issue. We also understand, if you up to this line of this article, you have willingness for travel, holiday and explore to new destinations.
In this article we are trying to assist you to make a cost effective holiday trip plan. Cost Effectiveness does not mean to make it cheap. Paying the minimum for the same type of service is cost effective – let’s say you can explore Dubai city by hiring a budget vehicle or luxury vehicle. You can hire a private vehicle or use local public transportation – bus and train; you will finally see the same places.
What factors are relevant for cost effectiveness?
1. Destination
2. Transportation
3. Seasonality
4. Accommodation
5. Food
6. Activities
If you are travelling to nearby destinations from your city, it will obviously cost less to get there. It is obviously expensive from New Delhi to New York, however it is cheap from New Delhi to Kathmandu.
What mode of transportation you prefer makes sense for cost – as per availability, it costs more to fly Mumbai to Chhenai compared to Indian Railways. Meanwhile, you are thinking about the duration the flight and train takes to travel from Mumbai to Chennai. Yes, nowadays, distance is also measured in terms of time. Time is valuable. Time is money. Let’s say you can make money with your time. It is up to you.
Seasonality is one of the most vital catalysts for cost, if you want to travel in high season such as holiday and festival time tickets and accommodation are expensive – here the demand and supply rule of economics applies.
Wide range of accommodations are available in all cities ranging from sharing hostels, AirBNB to star hotels. Accommodations can be selected in terms of price for compromise stay to luxury.
You have to spend some amount for food during your trip that you obviously have everyday. You can explore multiple options for food like local restaurants to international chain food outlets. You can find readymade food items takeout.
As you visit new places you definitely want to see new things and do some activities. Activities cost, what you prefer to do among available activities in your destinations such as there are many things to do in Dubai like Desert Safari, Cruise Dinner, Yacht Dinner, Miracle Garden, Dubai Frame, Museum of Future and many others.
Up to now you are thinking, so how to make a cost effective holiday plan?
In one word, it can be said to do research on your holiday plan. How to research a holiday plan? Try to answer W/H questions – Where you are planning to go? Why there? What can you do there? Who else will be with you? When is the best time to visit the place? How can you get there?
At the end don’t forget to verify your destination with alternative destinations. Alternative destinations will not be applicable if the destination is your dream place. Don’t forget to consider the above -mentioned factors relating to the specific destination. Your safety and health issues can’t be compromised while visiting any destination.
Let’s talk about 20 points checklist to make cost effective holiday trip:
1. I am not compromising my security issues.
2. I am conscious about my health.
3. This is the only destination that I want to visit for now.
4. I asked all my friends and relatives to travel with me for holiday, so we can enjoy together.
5. I finalized my best time.
6. I will do this and these things.
7. I will visit this and these places.
8. I will stay in this type of place.
9. I will eat in these places and these foods.
10. I will travel by these mode of transportations
11. To book for my intended holiday, this is the best time to make bookings.
12. My bookings can be replaced, changed or cancelled in case of unforeseen situations.
13. I know about the weather and season.
14. I am prepared for emergencies. I have travel insurance.
15. I have required documents and entry permits.
16. I am planning to spend this much and have a little surplus money to deal with unforeseen situations.
17. I am prepared for communication in my destination – internet backing multilingual translation services are helpful.
18. My online booking is okay for my planned trip.
19. Booking through a local travel agent is more reliable than booking online. Local agents provide more information, reply instantly, and are responsible as per service delivery agreement/contract.
20. This is not one and only trip of my life, so I am open minded and adjustable in new places for some time. For example, you will find quite small hotel rooms in Japan, however it is manageable.
Cost effective is a value effective plan. You pay less, you get less, you pay high, you get high – most of the time this is applicable but not always. For example, you may pay a lot to see nature but you can’t see more by paying more. You can’t go to Himalaya without paying an applicable fee to the corresponding government though it is nature.
Our intention of this article is to make people think about the value of time and budget for travelers for any holiday journey. At the end of your journey, you have to satisfy yourself by saying I got what I was expecting in terms of time and money.
Comment (0)