Ahead of the Journey: The Power of Booking in Advance
Let’s face it – we’ve all pushed things off until the last second. Life gets crazy sometimes and it is not always easy to work your way down a to-do list that seems to never end. Oftentimes, we get so caught up in our day-to-day that the trip we want to take in 6 months gets pushed to the back of our minds. It doesn’t make it any less important – it is just sometimes hard to prioritize an entire vacation when we’re simply trying to get through our daily tasks so that we can have a break.
However, there are compelling reasons to make booking your travel a priority, well ahead of time. And luckily, there are dedicated experts who can help you with every step of the process. From securing the best rates and availability to ensuring a stress-free planning process, the benefits of contacting a travel advisor to lock in your booking early are significant.
First Come, First Serve
Have you ever had your eye on something that you wanted to buy, but you decided to wait to see if the price would drop? Then one day, you finally give in to the temptation, but as soon as you click “add to cart,” a notification pops up. In big red letters, you read “sold out.” The good thing about most consumer products is that you can sign up to be notified when a product is back in stock. They are constantly working to fulfill the demand of consumers, creating more of that product.
Unfortunately, this is not the case for travel. The resort you’ve been looking at for specific dates, the special holiday market cruise, the hotel that is walking distance to a concert venue you’ll be going to – when the availability is gone, they cannot create extra rooms to accommodate you.
As travel advisors, we will always do our best to accommodate your requests – we’ll chat with several of our suppliers, scour websites, and try our hardest to find exactly what you’re looking for, but if a property is sold out, there is not much that we can do in terms of getting you into that exact property. There is power in booking early, and in the case of booking last minute, flexibility is key.
Save Now, Travel Later
Too many times, we’ve heard, “I’ll just wait to see if the price drops.” We get it – who wants to pass up on great savings?! But waiting for the price to drop does not often work in a client’s favor. As travel advisors, we’ve seen firsthand how prices for flights, hotels, and activities tend to increase as the travel date approaches, especially for popular destinations and peak travel seasons.
When booking earlier, you can often benefit from early-saver promotions and discounts – these promotions are usually not available the closer you get to your travel dates. Additionally, as demand increases, availability dwindles, which can often lead to higher costs. We have run into several situations where a client has opted to wait but when they are ready to book, the price has increased significantly.
Less Stress, More Fun
With ample time comes peace of mind. We've all been there – the frantic, last-minute scramble to book flights and accommodations, only to find limited options and higher prices.
This is where working with a dedicated travel advisor comes into play. Regardless of your booking needs, travel advisors are here to help, but when you reach out to them early, they can monitor current promotions and booking patterns on your behalf. When you reach out to your travel advisor early, you not only have the opportunity to save money, but you also get to enjoy the peace of mind that comes with a well-organized travel plan.
What are you waiting for? Avoid the last-minute stress – reach out to a travel advisor to start planning your vacation today!