When is the best time to book your holiday?

admin@travelmarketingsystems.com (TMS Help Team) — Mon, 26 Aug 2024 11:38:00 GMT

Avoid overpaying for your holiday!

Booking your holiday is one of the most exciting parts of the travel experience. The anticipation of exploring new destinations, planning activities, and having something to look forward to can brighten even the dullest of days. But when exactly is the best time to book your holiday? The answer, quite simply, is as early as possible.

The Cost Factor: Why Booking Early Saves Money

Booking your holiday early often leads to significant savings. Airlines and hotels tend to release their lowest fares and rates well in advance, and these are quickly snapped up. As the departure date approaches, prices usually rise due to increasing demand, especially during peak travel times like school holidays and festive seasons.

By booking early, you not only secure better prices but also gain access to a wider range of options. Popular hotels, flight times, and accommodations are often the first to be booked, so planning ahead gives you a better chance of getting exactly what you want without paying a premium.

The Psychological Benefits of Booking Early

Beyond the financial advantages, booking early brings several psychological benefits. Knowing your holiday is confirmed and in the diary gives you something to look forward to, which can be a great mood booster. The anticipation of an upcoming break can make everyday life more enjoyable as you dream about your destination.

Early planning also reduces stress. Last-minute bookings often lead to anxiety, as options become limited and prices skyrocket. Booking in advance allows for a more relaxed approach, giving you ample time to research and prepare for your trip. Plus, the satisfaction of having your ideal holiday lined up well ahead of time is priceless, letting you focus on the fun aspects of travel planning without the worry.

The Advantages of Booking Through a Travel Agent

While booking early is a smart move, doing so through a travel agent can elevate the experience even further. Travel agents bring a wealth of expertise and insider knowledge, often accessing deals and upgrades, ensuring you get the best value for your money.

A good travel agent tailors your holiday to suit your needs, offering personalised service that can be especially beneficial when booking early. They handle all the details and provide support in case of any issues, allowing you to focus on enjoying your time away.

Conclusion

In summary, the best time to book your holiday is as early as possible. Early bookings save money, offer more choices, and provide the psychological benefits of having something to look forward to. By booking through a qualified travel agent, you can enhance these benefits, ensuring your holiday is perfectly planned and stress-free. Whether it’s a beach escape, a cultural city break, or an adventurous expedition, booking early with expert help is the smartest way to ensure an exceptional holiday experience.

Why book through Hedon Travel?

Hedon Travel are part of a multi-award winning Travel Agency, named Best in Yorkshire for the last 2 years running, as well as going on to win the best in the UK & Ireland in 2023. Regularly receiving 5-star reviews for their pre- and post-travel service and having decades of travel industry experience, you can Trust Hedon Travel to find the right holiday for you and take care of everything until you return home after an amazing experience!

Br in touch to start your own Inspiring Journey!

Journey through Jordan

admin@travelmarketingsystems.com (TMS Help Team) — Mon, 01 Jul 2024 12:51:00 GMT

Experience the very best of Jordan on this mesmerising north-to-south tour!

Ever thought about visiting Jordan?

Let us take you on an unforgettable journey through this stunning destination. From the ancient wonders of Petra, up biblical mountains to the tranquil waters of the Dead Sea, our expertly curated tours promise a truly memorable experience. This trip was hosted by one of our Key Partners, Wendy Wu Tours, who provide high quality tours, with a high level of inclusions, including excursions, meals and all of your accommodation, flights and transfers, as well as providing a highly knowledgable local guide. Our itinerary was a day shorter than the regular one, so there is more than we describe here.

Jordan is a country everyone knows of, though maybe not quite sure where it is exactly. It has a northern border with Israel to the North-west and Syria to the North-east, to its' East is a very short border with Iraq, to the South is Saudi Arabia and to the East is the Red Sea separating it from Egypt. Probably the most well know is the River Jordan that runs along the border with Israel and the Dead Sea, again providing a water border with Israel.

Day 0: Travelling to Jordan

With Royal Jordanian, with options from Manchester and London Heathrow. After arriving late evening local time, chance to check-in and rest ahead of the first full day.

Day 1: Roman around

Included a visit to the former Roman city of Jerash, known as the 'Pompeii of the East. Here you will find 'Hadrian's Gate', built to commemorate the Roman Emperor's visit in AD129-30, a few years after visiting Britain to see the wall named after him. Continue to Ajloun, where the 12th century castle overlooks the Jordan Valley. Incredible view, including the largest remaining Roman Amphitheatre.

Each day includes a leisurely Breakfast, usually in your hotel, Lunch and Dinner in a local restaurant, providing a taste of the varied flavours that influence Jordanian diet. Lots of fresh salad and deliciously flavoured meats. A tongue tingling extravaganza!

Day 2: The promised land

A more spiritual experience, visiting Mount Nebo, the last known stop, and believed resting place of Moses. A chance to pay respects and light a candle for loved ones. Spectacular views of the area believed to be the Promised Land, the Dead Sea, Jerico and Israel. After this, we visited Madaba, for a walk through the main shopping streets and a delicious lunch, before our onward trip to Petra where we enjoyed a culinary class to learn how to create the local cuisine, followed by an optional nightcap at the Cave Bar.

Day 3: All about Petra!

The ‘Lost City of the Nabateans’, which featured in Indiana Jones The Last Crusade in 1989, making it feel strangely familiar, yet so incredibly unique. In 2007, Petra was named one of the modern Seven Wonders of the World. They are incredible carvings in the sandstone on a huge scale, up to 45m, dating back to the first century AD. The first carving is known as the Treasury, though little is known about the history and details of the Nabateans’ lives as it really did become a lost city. We toured the site during the day and took the optional climb up 1,000 steps through the mountains to reach the carving known as the Monastery.

After recovering by the hotel pool and resting, we returned to the Treasury to experience ‘Petra by Night’. A candlelit walk with a light and short performing arts display. Today was a real privilege to stand in the footsteps of the Mystical Nabateans, wonder about their lives and see such magnificent carvings first hand.

Day 4: A night under the stars!

An hour or so drive to Wadi Rum for our desert experience (that’s the sandy one, not the sweet one with an extra ‘s’!). We checked in to our ‘camp’, nestled beside our very own sandstone mountain. Around a hundred luxury ‘tents’ with a pool, inside and outside restaurants.

The ‘tents’ were a high standard, detached, with full, comfortable beds, a large bathroom and a fridge. Whilst the resort do not serve alcohol, they have no problem with you taking your own - our guide had advised us to pick some up in Amman if we wanted to. After enjoying some downtime at the pool, we readied ourselves for our desert safari, first by having our keffiyeh (headdress) put on by our guide for sun protection and to look cool (I’ll let you judge the look but they strangely did keep you cool).

We set off in our pickup trucks, riding in the bed, although if prefer, you are welcome to ride in the cab instead. The ride was great fun and the scenery was absolutely stunning, the colours of the sandstone changing with different angles of light and in the shade, pockets of activity and a walk (or run for the fit!) up a sandy hill.

Plenty of photo opportunities and a stop to hear about the old camel station near a water hole that appears during rainy season. An optional camel ride on very healthy looking, friendly and placid ‘ship of the desert’ as the sun started its descent behind the rocks. This whole area was where Lawrence of Arabia made his story, we had stopped at a visitor centre earlier near the Seven Pillars of Wisdom mountain he named, also the name of his book. After enjoying some freshly brewed, very tasty Bedouin tea, we head back to camp.

We enjoyed a traditional meal, cooked under the ground for many hours to give a mouthwateringly intense flavour to the meat, rice and vegetables. Following this, we enjoyed some traditional music and a chance to shake off any tiredness with a dance, relax with a shisha pipe, or even take an early night to rest.

The night sky was particularly stunning, with there being almost zero light pollution, a chance to stargaze or join the optional guided tour. I can see how Officer Lawrence found the allure of the desert enough so strong!

Day5: Red to Dead
After an incredible evening in the desert, for some reason I woke up before the sun rose above our mountain. As it slowly ascended, the colours of the sky and the glistening sandstone with the peacefulness of our camp felt so calming and relaxing as the Sun’s rays started to warm me. Such a beautiful way to start the day!

After breakfast, we set off on the long journey north to the Dead Sea after first stopping at Aqaba to stand in Jordan looking at the Red Sea in front of us with Saudi Arabia to our left, Egypt in front on the other side of the Red and Israel to our right. We arrived at the creatively named Dead Sea Resort, with luxurious rooms and a great choice of restaurants and bars, a chance to grab a cold beer after a long ride! First, down to the sea! The walk down highlighted just how low the sea is getting, due to Israel diverting water for irrigation from the main tributary, the River Jordan. It sits over 400m below sea level, making its shores the lowest point in the world and the saltiness comes from rock salt deposits, although at some point the whole area may been covered by the ocean.

The strange sensation of the buoyancy provided by the salt dense water was like having floats strapped to you. A short while getting the salt to your skin before getting back out (a challenge on its own!) and rubbing in the mud. A good rub for exfoliation, allowing it to soak in and start to dry, before back in the water to rinse and soak a little more. You will never feel your skin more silky smooth than at the world’s first health spa!

Back to the hotel pool to soak up some rays before hitting The Bar for happy hour (which happily is 2 hours long) and changed for dinner. The evenings entertainment mixed some modern(ish) pop music with a traditional belly dancer. We capped off the night as a group reminiscing on our experiences and enjoying a few cold ones as the night and the journey drew to a close.

After breakfast the next morning, we headed to the airport where the sight of a female worker in a hijab and another wearing regular attire shared a smoke break and a chat. Jordan has found a way for multiple beliefs to live side by side in harmony.

I was quite sad to be leaving; Jordan had made us so welcome, provided amazing food, gifted us memories that will last our lifetimes and the group had become friends that shared this remarkable experience together. I have no doubt many of us will keep in touch and hopefully our paths will cross again.
A massive thank you to Wendy Wu Tours and our guide, Oria (like the biscuit but with an ‘a’ as she told us when we first met!), who became our tour ‘Mum’ and provided endless enthusiasm and pride in her country, topped off with an infectious laugh!!

If you would like to know more about this, or any other tour, get in touch with the team for your Inspiring Journey, Tailor made for you!

Karl Douglas

June 2024

Beverley Travel

When is the best time to book your holiday?

Avoid overpaying for your holiday!

Journey through Jordan

Experience the very best of Jordan on this mesmerising north-to-south tour!