Do you know your travel style?

Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season.

I try not to solicit friends and family, so sometimes they forget that I am a travel agent until they see my office. Since we really tried to focus on spending time with those dear to us this year instead of in the mall looking for things to buy them I got into lots of conversations about travel expectations and disappointments when people flipped through brochures or looked at pictures. The common thread?...lack of information and unmanaged expectations . I thought this would make a great blog topic to start off 2009.

One of the first considerations besides budget when making travel plans should be an honest assessment of your expectations and travel style. Even within the same budget there is a range of accommodations. There is no perfect fit for everyone. What is an ultimate relaxing retreat for one will be a snooze fest for the next person. Many people think if you 'only' have XYZ to spend there are few choices. There is always the 'so-and-so said that ship is full of old people (or partyers), type of person who refuses to try anything other than one certain cruise line. People also tend to think luxury means stuffy, or spending a certain amount ensures a certain standard. Trust me, luxury is very subjective term. What fits you for one vacation may change on the next one.
Of course working with a travel agent will help find the right fit for you and hopefully avoid that let down. When deciding what is important to you ask yourself the following questions:

• What do I want to do while on vacation? (nothing, golf, spa, beach, shop, sight see, tours, hike, etc.)
• What is a must have in my room? (will you go crazy if you're stuck in a room with no balcony? room service, robes, air conditioning in some areas)
• Do I want an Americanized experience at a large resort or prefer to experience local culture in a small boutique hotel?
• Do I like to dress up on vacation, stay casual or want the choice of both?
• Do we need child care options ? for what ages?

These questions are a good starting point to help us start to determine what destination is best for you.