
PLANNING YOUR TRAVEL OBJECTIVE: HAVING FUN
Your Vacation • You know you want to go somewhere and do something • Deciding Where and How • Making it happen
Help Making Decisions • Researching the type of vacation • Researching the “Where do I want to go” • Researching the “How do I want to travel” • Doing it!!!!
Type of Vacation • Examine your interests and list the kinds of vacation that you want this trip • Adventure • How physically demanding (10 mile treks up mountains or strolls through forests) • What kind of risks (through jungles with poisonous snakes or guided horseback rides) • Sedentary • Type of activity – golf, cruise, sitting on the beach • Location, location, location • Sightseeing • City – self-guided or group • Country – self-guided or group
Research – Adventure, Sedentary or Sightseeing • Use your favorite search engine • http://www.google.com/ • http://www.dogpile.com/index.gsp • http://www.hotsheet.com/ • Research • Use travel sites • http://travel.yahoo.com/ • http://www.expedia.com/ • http://www.orbitz.com/ • Use specialized sites • http://www.nps.gov/ • http://www.cruisebrokers.com/, http://www.1-800-cruises.com/, http://www.bestpricecruises.com/, http://www.cruiseweb.com/, http://www.cruisecritic.com/ • http://www.playgulf.com/, http://www.resortgolf.com/, http://www.troongolfvacations.com/, http://www.afgs.com/
Research How do I want to go • Examples • Adventure – Galapagos • Choosing a type of vehicle and price range • Use general search engine(http://www.google.com/) searching multiple ways (1.Galapagos, 2.Galapagos vacation) • Follow appropriate links to get more information (http://www.galapagos-inc.com/ourfleet.html) • What other pieces do you need (travel agent, airlines, hotel)
Research How do I want to go • Examples • Sightseeing – Amsterdam – Self-guided • Travel arrangements (planes, trains, automobiles) • Things to see and Places to stay • Using travel sites • http://travel.yahoo.com/ • http://www.expedia.com/ • http://www.dogpile.com/index.gsp • Using travel specialists • http://www.fodors.com/ • http://www.lonelyplanet.com/ • http://travel.roughguides.com/ • http://www.frommers.com/
Travel Arrangements • Planes, Trains, Automobiles, Hotels, Etc. • Sites to find: • Hotels • Airlines • Full Service • Tour Operators
Full Service • Full Service Travel Sites • http://www.travelocity.com/ • http://travel.yahoo.com/ • http://www.expedia.com/ • Senior Travel Sites • http://www.elderhostel.org/welcome/home.asp • http://www.travelswitch.nu/travel/Senior%20Travel.html • http://travel.state.gov/olderamericans.html
Tickets • Airlineshttp://www.travelocity.com/ http://travel.yahoo.com/ http://www.expedia.com/ http://www.bestfares.com/home.asp http://www.cheaptickets.com/trs/cheaptickets/home/index_01.xsl Specific airlines: http://www.continental.com/ http://www.aa.com/ http://www.delta.com/home/index.jsp
Hotels • Hotel Specialistshttp://www.hotels.com/http://www.180096hotel.com/http://www.allluxuryhotels.com/http://all-hotels.com/http://www.a1-discount-hotels.com/ http://www.hotel-directory.com/ http://www.accommodationspecials.com/ http://www.hotelsatanywhere.com/
Tour Operators • http://www.affordabletours.com/ • http://www.tauck.com/ • http://www.cheapertravel.com/ • http://www.globusandcosmos.com • http://www.trafalgartours.com/
Supplies • Books, maps, camera, medications, internet access, weather • http://www.magellantravelbooks.com/ • http://www.moon.com/ • http://www.worldofmaps.com/ • http://www.longitudebooks.com/ • http://www.hikyaku.com/jpmail/cyberc.html • http://www.cyberiacafe.net/cyberia/guide/ccafe.htm • http://www.weather.com/ • http://wwwa.accuweather.com/adcbin/public/index.asp?partner=accuweather • Special considerations • Insurance (search on travel insurance, ask your travel agent, or friends who travel) • Health requirements (CDC-http://www.cdc.gov/travel/)