The best tips for trip planning include researching your options before making a decision, yet also being prompt in booking deals to avoid them being sold out. Not putting off travel planning, but rather working from a list of what to book and when can help you stay on track to creating the best trip possible. Building a good relationship with travel agents who are knowledgeable about the areas you want to go to can make your trip planning more accurate.
Knowledgeable agents can advise you which trips that appear to be bargains actually are as well as ones that really aren't. For instance, a discount cruise can look appealing until you factor in the hot weather conditions at that time of year coupled with the fact that the cabin being discounted has no air conditioning. For some people, conditions like this can ruin their vacation by making it much less enjoyable, so it's important to get an accurate idea of what exactly a certain travel offer entails, rather than just getting swayed by the price.
Some travel agencies have checklists available for planning a trip. These can be extremely helpful in trip planning. It can be easy to get caught up in planning what sights to see or which hotels would be great to stay at and forget about having a smart travel back-up plan. Being organized with a back-up plan in case something goes wrong is one of the most crucial trip planning tips. Being as prepared as possible needn't involve a lot of extra planning time or take the fun out of anticipating a great vacation or business trip.
It's always a good idea to leave your travel itinerary with a trusted friend or family member before you leave. Preparing copies of all of your important travel papers and identification and leaving a set with the friend or family member is also advisable. If something happens and you are without the documents or identification you need because your wallet or purse was stolen or your luggage was lost by the airlines, you can ask your contact at home to send you copies. While copies of identification and documents aren't always acceptable as the genuine items, having them often speeds up the process of solving the problem. Make sure to arrange for travel insurance and traveler's checks rather than cash only during your trip planning.