There’s a whole year out there… where will it take you?
Happy New Year! We’ve returned refreshed from a festive break that saw us seeking out an ever-elusive white Christmas in Slovenia’s Julian Alps (more on that soon). But despite only just being home, these short, dark January days have me yearning for adventure.
For many of us, January can be the skintest month of the year, following all the Christmas excess and leading into tax bill season if you are self-employed. BUT it’s also the best time to plan and ideally book your next break (or two). Here’s why…
The January Sales
It’s not just retail luring us in with bargains in January, it’s also the cheapest time to buy flights. Whether it’s part of an official promotion or not, studies show January is the month that flight prices dip to the lowest overall average across the year. With Eurostar and package providers like lastminute.com also getting in on the act, it’s certainly a good time to get a deal if you can.
The Benefit of the Bigger Picture
With its new year, new calendars and new diaries, January allows us the satisfying opportunity to turn a new page and decide where to go - both literally and metaphorically. If you’re PAYE with a holiday allowance, it’s a good time to methodically plan how you’ll use it (ideally leaving some wiggle room) and if you have school age children, your six weekly opportunities to escape have already been dictated, so it’s wise to think which of them you will take and where you’ll go - before every single other parent beats you to the good stuff.
Planning your summer holidays in January offers an opportunity to plan a budget and even save if possible, something that can slip through our fingers as summer comes increasingly close and there are still no plans in place.
Bagging the Best Accommodation
If you’re booking your own accommodation, especially on airbnb and booking.com, generous cancellation policies mean many people will snap up any reasonably-priced gems, before they are sure they even want them.
In most cases, the days of last minute deals are gone and as the months go on the only accommodation options available seem to be the overpriced or the poorly-rated.
Planning early means you’ll have the pick of places within your budget. Then if things don’t work out you can always take advantage of that generous cancellation policy yourself…
More Time to Plan and Get Excited
Having your plans in place months in advance means you can borrow that destination guide from the library, start asking friends who’ve been for tips and get saving things you’ve seen on Instagram.
If travel research isn’t your happy place I’ll be offering bespoke Google Map destination guides in 2024, you can contact me for rates and details by replying to this email.
Travel guides coming soon… 48 Hours in Kyoto, 48 Hours in Osaka & Surrounds
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