With all of the pent-up travel lust in the world, everyone is looking to take those long-needed vacations because they have to use their vacation days, they need a mental health break, or they have run out of things to watch on Netflix. So what are they doing? Booking travel now! Now is the time to start planning your next getaway if you plan on traveling in the next 12 months. There are tons of reasons to book early, but now, more than ever booking early will be the key to the trip of your dreams.
1. Limited inventory
Most hotels, resorts, cruise lines, and tours are running with limited capacity due to Covid-19. This means most tours are small group departures (around 16-30 people depending on the tour company). You can also book a private tour for just your family and friends. Most cruises are only sailing with approximately 40% capacity of the ships. You can always book a private yacht experience as well if you don’t want to sail with a crowd. All-inclusive resorts are starting to book up to about 70% of their inventory. With most companies limiting inventory, booking now is the key to getting the ship you want, the room you want, and the itinerary you want.
2. Cancellation policies are more flexible now more than ever.
For example, Royal Caribbean has a policy called “Cruise with confidence” where if you book by your cruise by July 31st, 2021, you can cancel your cruise up to 48 hours prior to departure and get a future cruise credit to use up until April of 2022.
3. The earlier you book, the more you save.
Booking last minute for deals is a thing of the past. The earlier you book; the more value you’ll get for your money. The major factor in this is that last-minute air prices will make even the most seasoned agent cringe.
4. Some destinations have been shut down for 2 travel seasons so the demand for your bucket list trip is causing major inventory issues.
Look at Alaska cruising for example. Alaska sells out about a year to 6 months in advance of your desired sailing date. You now have 2 years of backlog of demand for that destination. Book now!
5. Vacations are essential to your mental health and well-being.
Getting away from the daily grind of work, kids, pets, cooking, cleaning, and anything else that’s on your weekly to-do list is a good thing. This allows you to unwind and reset yourself. Trust me, you need it.
It’s time to get off your couch, turn off the news, Netflix, and other streaming services and see the places that you have been dreaming of. Go eat to your heart’s content in Italy, go to Paris and see all of the museums and Normandy Beach. Go to Bali, Mexico, or Jamaica and get an over-the-water bungalow. You have been stuck at home for too long. Call your travel agent and start packing.
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