Five Travel resolutions to make for 2017
Now that we are nearing the conclusion of the new year's second week, it’s time to start putting your resolutions into action. Rather than focusing on perennial favourites like “Lose 10 pounds” or “Get a new job,” make 2017 the year of travel with these travel resolutions.
Do it!
Aside from money, the biggest thing holding people back from travel is fear. In 2017, the world is more inter-connected than ever, people speak English more than ever, and travel is an enormous and valuable industry. While travelling to certain places might be intimidating, taking basic safety precautions is typically enough to avoid danger. This year, make a travel resolution to pack your Kindle and hit the road.
Be smart
Vacation where you want and don’t be swayed by discount websites or Facebook pictures. If you’ve always dreamt of visiting Paris and have saved up your vacation time and money to afford a trip-of-a-lifetime, don’t let a website convince you otherwise. A $500 round-trip ticket to Krakow might sound like a great idea at the time, but if your heart is set on Paris, you will probably regret your choice.
Conversely, if you are open-minded about travel destinations, following discount travel websites is one of the best ways to snag an awesome deal to a potentially unconventional travel destination.
Go solo
In 2017, make a travel resolution to take a solo vacation. Traveling with a buddy is a good way to save money, but nothing compares to solo travel. Traveling alone encourages you to open your mind, get out of your comfort zone and finally fulfil a travel dream.
Solo travel comes in all forms – you can book a single plane ticket to Europe and stay in hostels or you can pay the dreaded “single supplement” and book an all-inclusive. If your heart is set on traveling with others, tour groups offer single rates and might even give you a discount if you offer to bunk with another member of the group.
Travel local
Long-distance travel isn’t for everyone – sometimes sick family members, pets, or finances get in the way of the trip of your dreams. Rather than give up and have a stay-cation, research tourist attractions in your area. If you live in Toronto, take a trip to Niagara Falls or Ottawa. If you live in Vancouver, Victoria is only a short ferry ride away.
Travel hack
Your final travel resolution for 2017 must be travel hacking. Travel hacking is the art of using credit card rewards to get free travel. For example, signing up for a certain Canadian airline’s credit card will earn you a $250 credit plus a discounted companion flight every year. Other credit cards offer enough sign-up points to pay for an entire round-trip flight in Canada or the U.S.
If money isn’t an object, remaining loyal to a hotel brand or booking website can result in discounted or free hotel nights.
Make 2017 the year of travel with these travel resolutions! Regardless of whether you hope to travel across the world or are content staying within your own province, by setting resolutions, and following through, by this time next year your bucket list will be a little bit shorter.