Smart Holiday Tips for 2021

For many, being able to sojourn in a glamorous holiday destination is a luxury (or necessity) that is long overdue. Below we take a look at three tried and tested tips that guarantee that, when the time comes, you can travel smart and ensure you’re making the most of the sun, sea and sand.

Preparation is King

 When everything is going well, getting from your front door to the poolside with a cocktail can be a painless affair; unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. The list of things that can go awry, from forgetting to pack necessary items, to travel delays or cancellations, is vast. While few setbacks are ever major problems, they can certainly put a dent in an otherwise joyful experience. Of course, while many things are out of your hands there are still plenty of steps you can take to cushion yourself against unexpected outcomes.

First things first, load up on snacks and fluids wherever possible. While it’s easy to assume these things are simple to come by while moving through congested travel hubs, you don’t want to be caught out by a missed or delayed transit connection in a place with minimal infrastructure. Again, while there’s no risk that you’ll starve before you’re back on track, being able to keep your energy and hydration up helps combat stress, fatigue and even anxiety in such circumstances. This is especially important if you’re travelling with younger people who have less capacity for this type of disruption.

Another solid plan is to invest in power banks, and make sure they’re charged before you set out. Larger power banks have the capacity to recharge a smartphone up to 10 times and can even power a laptop if need be. Knowing you don’t have to worry about preserving battery life can go a long way to making setbacks less of an issue.

Eye of the Beholder

 An estimated 4.2 million people in the United Kingdom wear contact lenses, a number that is steadily growing year on year. For those that use monthly lenses, ensuring you have all you need to keep them clean and fresh while on the move can be a headache. One good option to consider is switching to daily contact lenses for the duration of your trip. This offers a host of benefits, as daily contact lenses are lower maintenance and easier to pack, as they do not require additional storage solution and cleaning tools. They also stand to save you some stress, as a lost or dirty lens can easily be replaced.

A further benefit, especially if you’re planning a trip to warmer climes, is that the more breathable construction of daily lenses helps counteract dry eyes caused by air conditioned hotels and venues. Last but certainly not least, low-cost contact lenses are a great solution for wearing in combination with sunglasses. This can save you a lot of money you would otherwise spend on expensive prescription sunglasses that you won’t get much use out of when you’re back from your break.

Strike Treasure

 By shopping around, you can often get huge savings on your upfront costs as most people book their holidays several months in advance and tend to travel in the peak seasons. Bucking this trend can work in your favour. Lastminute.com is perhaps the best known example of a platform that factors this into its service by searching for late cancellations on its directory to give you the best deals out there.

Others take this a step further, with websites like HolidayPirates aiming to deliver to you the best possible deal on package holidays by prioritising locations and times of year that are generally underbooked, such as a 5 star all-inclusive holiday in Thailand for 60% off. These deals come about due to hotels and venues slashing prices in order to fill rooms, relying on the fact that they can recoup funds through amenities.