Going For Tours?

902 days ago

Are you planning to go on tour this coming holiday? I am sure that most of you are. Of course, the economy is bad, but you have been working your ass off for the past few months and all the stress has gotten into you. You will need to relax. In Singapore, we are all just so stressed out everyday with work, family, relatives and other “stuff” that taking a break is a must. Or most of us will go crazy with the huge load on our shoulders. And please, there is no harm planning early. Planning early makes everything goes “smoother”. Sure, there will always be hiccups even with the best planning, but you will find that last minute tour plans are terrible.  In fact, I would highly recommend you to start planning where you want to go, for how long, who is going with you and your travel plans NOW. Furthermore, everyone hates the crowd (with prams and noisy little kids) at the travel operator’s showroom during peak periods or at the NATAS Travel fair. I know I do.

First of all, you should try checking out what packages travel agencies have. Just visit the travel agencies’ offices and take a few brochures. Or visit them online to see what they are offering, even if you are not going overseas anytime soon. This way, you can get at least an idea on what you should be expecting. And you can plan from there. If you are planning to go without any tour guide (aka free and easy packages), you should also try to find out what they offer and what you need to get yourself (like transportation, food and even lodging).Those brochures can also be very helpful when you are planning which destination to go to.

If you are planning to go on a tour group, then the reputation of the tour agency is doubly important. Getting the right travel agency will ensure that your trip is enjoyable and stress free. Although I am sure that there will be things going wrong no matter what, a good travel agency will help reduce the chances and will ensure that things will be resolved faster.

Then plan your budget.Probably the hardest thing to do. Remember to leave a little more just in case. Especially for those going “free and easy”, I would highly recommend travelers to add in a little more. You will never know what will happen during the actual trip.  Going for budget is good, to a certain point. Hey, you are going on holiday to relax and enjoy yourself, not to suffer with overcrowded buses or trains or even planes, or sleep in dirty and unhygienic places, or eat crappy food. If you want to do all those, might as well stay in Singapore right? But however, not everything enjoyable is expensive. You can still find good value for money deals out there if you look hard enough. I myself got a great deal during my Hong Kong (and during the peak school holidays) trip on lodging – half price!

Next, you will figure out how long your overseas trip will be. You need to take leave for the duration, correct? Not all of us are bosses what. However, remember, if you are planning to have a long holiday, remember to add one more day for you to unwind and unpack your luggage and your tons of overseas purchases. It can really be tiring if you have return immediately to work the next day. Of course, if you are bringing your family (like your spouse) along, they might too need to take leave or make necessary arrangements. Not all of us can just leave everything and go off like nobody’s business what.

Well, after all that and if you are still interested in going for a holiday, please take a look at my list of Singapore Travel Agencies.

Singapore Sites