Start saving now for this year’s holidays

It’s the beginning of the year and after all the festivities that come with the end of the year, a holiday is the last thing on most people’s mind. The holiday season is over for many of us until Easter.

January might seem too early to start planning a holiday, but it’s the right time to do so if you want a stress-free vacation where everything is planned way ahead of time.

Starting to think about your holiday at this time gives you enough time to plan, save and prepare for travel. Last minute bookings are always more expensive so why not start looking at options now.

Kenyans have earned a reputation of waiting until the last minute to book a holiday. This can be expensive and disastrous in terms of bookings that may go wrong or finding out that what you wanted is already booked leaving you with little or no choice. It is best to start looking at options now even if you will start paying a little later.

As you look at the options consider this:

Getting an all-inclusive package:

Destinations have partnered with local travel agents to offer all-inclusive tour packages. These mainly include flights, accommodation, airport transfers and taxes – per person sharing.

Many of these packages are advertised in the local dailies, travel magazines and websites. Due to the volumes of these packages and the negotiated prices, the holiday costs tend to come down compared to booking directly with an airline then booking the hotel separately.

Also by booking with a credible travel agent, one’s trip is guaranteed meaning that you will not be met with shocks when you get to the destination. However, read the fine print before making the booking as it costs more to change the tickets at the last minute.

South Africa and Dubai are the two destinations that offer some great packages. Time special events such as the Dubai and Johannesburg shopping festivals or the Cape Town Jazz to get packages that are fun-filled and with much more activities.

These packages are not only limited to travel outside of the country. Tour packages also have attractive domestic packages.

Low season:

Take advantage of the low prices during the low travel season, be it for local or international holidays. Most hotels offer reduced prices to stimulate travel at this time.

This is the ideal time to look out for holiday packages at the Coast, Maasai Mara and other game reserves. These packages can be sought from the hotels websites and local tour agents.

Magical Kenya, the portal owned by the Kenya Tourist Board (KTB), also has a wide range of travel packages.

Local service providers use the tourism marketing body’s website to showcase their products and any special offers they may have.

The low travel season starts from mid-January to just before Easter, then the next one is May to August and then a few weeks in November to mid-December.

2014 Brazil World Cup

There are barely 150 days to go before the whistle for the FIFA 2014 World Cup blows in Brazil. If you have not booked your trip and accommodation, do not despair because it is not too late.

There are still tickets and hospitality packages available. The World Cup comes every three years and for many, it is a time of national pride, to go cheer their national team, or enjoy some of the best football the world has seen.

It’s a tournament that brings people from across the world together, all for the love of football.

So why not go for the world cup, and this year it’s in the beautiful and culturally-rich country of Brazil. Starting on June 12 to July 13, there will be plenty on offer with special flight and accommodation packages.

Kenya has an official agent for Match Hospitality, the worldwide exclusive right holder of the FIFA Hospitality programme. The ticket includes access to the stadiums, catering and depending on which category one pays for, it can include gifts, gourmet dining and private suites.

Book now to avoid last minute disappointment and paying more, keeping in mind the fact that the whole world is looking to be in Brazil during that one month.

Explore your county or the neighbouring one:

Investments are slowly trickling into the counties with some already advertising great tourism products. Why not explore some of the local attractions, be it for a day trip or a simple out of town trip to the next county.

Some counties have well-known attractions already. This should be the year to explore new areas, or even when travelling to one’s rural home, make a stopover at a nearby country and see what it has to offer.

Start saving now:

To make travel t a little easier, put money aside every month to facilitate travel. There are saving options out there offered by different institutions including banks, insurance companies and even travel agents that allows one to start putting aside some money today for travel tomorrow.

This helps in planning that family vacation and easing the financial burden when the time comes to travel.

[email protected]

This article first appeared in the Business Daily