An early start is half the race won. Exotic holidays usually cost around Rs 2 lakh per person. So to begin with, you should make a rough estimate of how much money you are willing to spend on the tour. Depending on the budget, the next step should be to identify the dates, the place of travel and an average assessment of the expenses you expect to incur during the excursion. This exercise should ideally be done 6-12 months before your actual date of travel. This would give you decent time to layout the roadmap for your planned holiday. If committing funds at one time is a problem, it's advisable to open a separate account where you must transfer a fixed sum on a regular basis, keeping in view your overall budget. One can open a recurring deposits account or start an SIP in mutual funds. It would save on the wasteful expenditure which could arise if the money keeps lying in the regular savings or current account.
Budget enough
Whatever initial budgets you allocate, it's always a good practice to set aside an additional 10-15%. It always comes handy, especially if you are going to travel during the holiday season. It will not only protect you against the price rise but also last minute changes in your travel plans. Families that take their holiday seriously do save up effectively for one.
Grab deals
Travel operators say the best time to book a holiday is at least two months prior to the departure. This will ensure that hotel rooms are affordable, private taxis can be rented out at a fair price, air tickets are available at regular fares. You don't have to worry about the overblown holiday tariffs and special occasions can be celebrated too. Further, it will provide you an opportunity to have a realistic evaluation of funds you would be able to spend. The early you book the better are your chances to avail the early bird offers.
If you are travelling to more than two countries, early booking means you are able to obtain all the visas in a short span of time as during the peak season the huge rush for visas at the embassies or consulates sometimes delays the process. However, booking too early, say three-six months in advance, comes with pitfalls. On many occasions, there are chances of the trip getting postponed or cancelled.
Pack Smart & Anticipate Delays
Start packing your stuff at least a week or 10 days in advance. This would save you needless costs as many a times travellers in their hurry to pack forget basic things. Besides, if you are travelling during the holiday period, be ready for flight delays. It is unusual a holiday plan goes all as per plan, so anticipate obstacles. Make sure you spare yourself an extra day or two if you're supposed to join your job or have an important business commitment.
Hit the road
Create a budget that includes travel duration, availability of Indian cuisine, mode of transfer, travel insurance, air tickets, sightseeing
Look for travel packages that has airfare, rental car, hotel rooms, travel insurance all packed into one
Visit blogs, travel sites to decide on places within the city to see
Account for delays, come back a day early or two
