Planning your family holiday is important
Planning a trip is difficult enough, but planning a trip for you and your family can be a nightmare. Budgeting, travel costs, time off and school terms are just some of the things you’ll need to think about before you can take that much-needed break. Preparation, scheduling, and backup planning are all things that need to be thought out and put in place to ensure you jet off with peace of mind and shared excitement that your holiday will be a success, especially with the advent of Coronavirus.
While COVID-19 has all but halted travel across the world, we will be back travelling in the near future, when that time comes, it is best that you prepare and get a heads up on some important tips and considerations. This blog will help you to make the right decisions when planning the perfect family holiday.
Destination matters - but so does the cost.
Planning starts with two considerations – choosing a destination and getting the best value for your money. Family trips are some of the most expensive times you’ll spend together, most of the cost comes down to the location that you pick and travel agency or holiday website you book with.
Take the time to look around and find a location that suits you, for instance, a villa or cottage can give you seclusion and privacy, while a hotel can be a great way to meet local people and other vacationing families.
You should base the holiday destination on what you want to get out of the trip -you shouldn’t choose the destination based on the weather, all-inclusive options etc.
Different parts of the world and most exotic countries harbour dangerous diseases and infections that require vaccinations. When you are abroad, taking extra precautions to avoid certain types of food, areas and water sources can be the difference between coming home feeling healthy and experiencing sickness, that could easily develop into something more serious in the future. Our handy guide on do’s and don’ts when travelling can be found here.
Travel during the off-season isn’t always a good idea
Travelling during a school holiday can be very expensive, so it may be tempting to take a trip during the term-time to get a quick and cheap holiday. Term-time holidays are rarely authorised by schools and can result in fines if you choose to go ahead with the trip.
Planning a holiday with younger children will limit the availability of dates for you to take a break, but that shouldn’t discourage you from planning and finding a destination during a school holiday – keeping both your kids and the teachers happy.
Schedule a clinic visit and get the required vaccinations
Travel clinics offer an invaluable service to those going to a new country or abroad for the first time. If you choose to go on holiday without the proper advice and immunisation to common diseases and infections, then you may not only ruin your family holiday, but you may contract a disease that will affect your long-term health.
Exposure to diseases can occur at any point and anywhere in the world. The reason such diseases are dangerous is that they are uncommon in the UK, so you will have no natural immunity built up against them when you travel abroad. In your planning, be sure to book an appointment with your local travel clinic, we recommend that this is done a few months before you are set to travel.
Booking well in advance allows you to receive vaccinations in multiple doses, to give you the best protection possible before, during and after your trip. You can find your local travel clinic via our locations page.
Prepare written copies of your medical history
Bring your medical history with you is as important as packing your suitcase, it will allow you to display what vaccinations you’ve received and previous vaccinations, as well as your medical conditions and issues in writing. Some countries require written confirmation of certain vaccinations for the safety of you and their citizens, especially if it common in that part of the world.
Travel insurance is also important, be sure to bring along your EHIC card (European medical insurance card) if you are travelling to a European nation, you can add your family members onto your card if they are under 16 years of age.
Alternatively, you can purchase travel insurance if you will be travelling to a destination that is covered by such options.
Travelling as a family requires a lot more time, patience and thought – If you get everything just right in the planning stage, you’ll no doubt be in for a great time. If you are looking for professional consultation with quality advice – Travel Clinic Near Me is the team for you.
Where do you want to travel with your family? Do you take planning seriously? Let us know in the comments or give us a follow on Instagram and Facebook. We would love to hear from you.