“Where are we going this summer”? that used to be the question that played in our minds as kids when the exams got over and the much-awaited HOLIDAYS set in. Little did we know that our parents would have sifted through a lot of information and done their homework to zero in on an appropriate destination for us to enjoy. As children, we barely gave a second thought to questions like, how to choose a travel destination? What were the logistics involved? What were the costs involved? etc., that was left for our parents, for us children, it was a breeze, after all, it was holiday time!

Tips on how to choose a travel destination – A complete guide

But seriously the question, how to choose a travel destination does not have a simple and straightforward answer. There are so many factors involved that need to be looked into before deciding where to travel. The experience of getting away to exotic locales, be it an island, beach, hill station or wellness resort has a lot of research and legwork behind it.

How To Choos A Travel Destination – A Guide

Here we take a look at the various parameters involved in choosing a travel destination. This would be especially of interest for those travellers who take their annual or biannual vacations with their families and are always at a loss on how to decide where to travel. Of course, the seasoned traveller for whom travel is a way of life does not actually need to worry much about a perfect vacation as it all falls into place naturally for them.

The Destination – What Are You Looking For?

How to choose a travel destination would depend a lot on what kind of experiences you are looking for on your holiday. The world out there is full of exotic and exciting places with different hues and dimensions, some near and some far. The experiences out there are multi-hued too. So what it all boils down to is what you want?

You have a need to travel and have a holiday, but you need to zero in on what you want from this experience to ensure that the time spent is really worthwhile. So it depends on your own inclination and interests. Are you looking to spend your time in adventure activities? Is jumping on a raft and rowing into the rapids something that fires your imagination? Are you the sort who likes ancient heritage and culture and would like to lose yourselves in ancient monuments and old temples? Or is nature that calls you to enjoy its beauty in the mountains or on gorgeous beaches?

Once you have done an introspection about your preferences, you get the answer to your own question, where should I go on a holiday? However, if you are looking to answer the question of how to choose a family vacation destination, you would need to discuss with the family members and factor in their preferences too.

Finances & Budgeting

Another important aspect to consider when deciding on your next travel destination is how much money you can allocate to the trip. After all, travel comes with multiple expenses. One needs to spend on booking flight tickets ( book flights through TripAdvisor or Agoda or CheapAir or Cleartrip or Makemytrip or Priceline ), bus, or train fare. Hotel accommodation costs need to be factored in. Food, incidental expenses, sightseeing cost and costs of activities need to be budgeted.

It is very important to answer your questions about how you would like to travel. Would you prefer to travel business class only with accommodation in luxury hotels or are you willing to fly economy and manage with budget accommodation?

So one of the most important things to consider when choosing a vacation destination is your own budget. Once you are clear about your budget you can do a shortlist of the destinations that you think are feasible and then zero in on the destination for a perfect vacation. It is also worth noting here that this is the time when the reward points that you have accumulated on your cards come into play. You can redeem them for cheaper flight tickets and hotel bookings.
Hotel booking can be done through TripAdvisor or Cleartrip or Agoda or Makemytrip or Priceline to save huge and get best deals on booking your stay.

Who Is Traveling?

How to decide where to go on vacation depends on who all are travelling with you. If you have aged family members or travelling with parents then you may want to ensure that the destination is friendly with activities that they can also be involved in. If you have toddlers with you or if you are travelling with kids, or if you are traveling with pets again this needs to be factored into your destination, mode of travel, and the type of activities that you are planning.

Time You Have

When you are thinking of how to plan a trip, one of the other important factors that need to be looked at is how much time you can spare for the holiday. Do you have a week, a fortnight, or a month? This along with the other factors like budget, preferences, etc. will provide the answer to your question about how to choose your travel destination?

The timing of your Travel

How to choose a travel destination may but not necessarily also hinge on the timing of your travel. Do you prefer to travel during the off-season with the added advantage of better deals and lesser crowds? Are you bound to a schedule and can only travel during the holiday season? Again if it is summer you may want to head to cooler climes for a perfect holiday. So it is all about timing. How to choose a travel destination also depends on when you want to travel.

Decide Your Destination The Democratic Way

There is no place for autocracy when it comes to choosing a travel destination for your holiday. So if you are looking for that perfect family vacation with smiles all around, then discuss with the family members or the group of friends, or whoever is travelling with you. Understand their interests and inclinations and together arrive at a consensus on where to head to for your holidays. This will ensure the makings of the perfect holiday.

Preferred Mode Of Travel Could Also Determine How To Choose A Travel Destination

Though at first thought, one may feel that this may not be so important while choosing a destination apart from the cost factor, it is. Some people may actually have an issue with a particular mode of travel, like say fear of flying, in which case one would need to rule out destinations that involve long flights. You may love train travel and like to enjoy the romance of a rail journey and this opens up new options in terms of destinations. On the other hand, you may love the immersive travel that only road trips offer and hence your choice of destination too will change accordingly.

You can always book a cab and enjoy your road trips. However, if you are planning a road trip and looking at getting the best deals on car rental to drive on your own, then look no further. You can rent a car and drive the car yourself and enjoy the trip.

Factor For Festivals or Events At The Destination You Want To Travel To

It is very important to have information about any events or festivals happening at the destination that you are planning to go for your holiday. This works in both ways, you may want to actually avoid the destination during a particular event or festival if it gets too crowded, so you will have travel there before or after the event or festival. It may also be that you actually want to be part of the festival or event, in which case you need to plan your travel to coincide with the event or festival.

If you are travelling to the destination during a festival or event like Christmas or New Year, you also need to factor in for increased costs of airfares, accommodation, and logistics.

Strike A Deal And Travel

If you are open about your destination and are looking to steal a deal, then look out for the best deals on flights. Head to where the best deals are happening. This way your holiday will be lighter on the purse too. Always look out for festive discounts and seasonal deals that offer irresistible deals on flights or huge discounts on hotel booking.

You may be able to avail of a special festival or seasonal discount on flights or hotels. It always pays to keep an eye open for such attractive deals. Check out various platforms like Cleartrip, Goibibo, Expedia, Treebo Hotels and some of the airlines during certain seasons to scout for the best available deals.

Do You Want To Stick To The Book Or Tread A Different Path

When you are looking to answer the question, how to choose a travel destination, one important criterion is how adventurous you are. Are you the kind who would like to stick to a conservative itinerary and select destinations that travel guide books recommend? Or are you the kind who would like to explore unchartered territories and head off to places that are beyond the beaten track. If you answer these questions for yourself and your group, choosing your travel destination becomes that much easier.

Choose A Destination From Inspiration

Have you watched a movie and got bowled over by the picturesque locales and wished you could go to the shooting location?  Have you read a book set in an exotic destination and wished you could go to the places where the protagonist goes to.? In these days of social media, the glamour of travel enters right into our homes in the form of vibrant visual content from television programs and also in the form of surreal pictures of exotic destinations on Instagram or Pinterest. If you browse the internet there is no dearth of travel inspiration with travel blogs from all over the world which are not only inspiring and inviting but also informative.

You could check out and follow us on our Instagram and Pinterest:

Instagram for travel inspirations:

Check our Instagram feed.

Pinterest for travel inspirations:

Check our travel Pins on Pinterest.

In a nutshell, there is a whole lot of travel inspiration all around and this is really helpful in giving wings to your own travel dreams.

Take Expert or Friendly Advice

Sometimes destinations may not be what they are made up to be. Reality may be shrouded under a mire of hype. So it pays to seek the advice of trusted friends or relatives or even travel experts with no vested interests. This will ensure that you make the right decision when choosing your travel destination and will have no regrets later.

Mix Business And Pleasure

If you can combine work with pleasure and especially if your work takes you to interesting destinations, then there is nothing like it. We have visited some of the most interesting and exotic locations when we were on a work tour and used the weekends to travel and explore the vicinity. Combining work and travel also enables one to spend a longer time at a destination and get a more immersive experience of the place, its people, and their culture.

Make Festivals The Fulcrum Of Your Travel

Many destinations are virtually synonymous with festivals celebrated there. Take for instance the La Tomatina festival held in the Valencian town of Bunol in Eastern Spain. If you want to immerse yourself in the festivities, then zero in on that destination but you would need to of course plan well in advance and get all your bookings done to avoid last-minute disappointments. The same holds true for any festival, be it the Indian festivals of Holi or Diwali or Songkran of Thailand. You may want to visit Christmas Night Markets and hence want to plan a visit to Europe around Christmas or New Year, in which case you would need to factor in for the cold weather too.

Travel To Learn Or For A Specific Activity

Travel is not always about seeing new destinations and having novel experiences. It can also be an even more fulfilling experience of learning an art or skill. People do travel to learn esoteric art or pottery.

It could also be that you want to travel just to indulge in your passion for say hiking, trekking, skiing, camping, rafting, mountaineering, wildlife safari, photography, yoga, surfing, paragliding, exploring historical places, cooking, Wellness and Spa, etc. It could also be you want to travel precisely to do nothing and just relax, indulging in a luxuriant spa and pampering yourself with a rejuvenating stay, taking care of your own health and wellness.

So if you are inclined towards such a holiday, first of all, you need to be clear on what you want to immerse yourself in. Is it painting, sculpture, cooking, singing, or dancing that you want to learn? Based on your interest choose your destination. If you are looking to learn Apsara Dance, you may want to head to Cambodia, and if you want to learn the nuances of Indian classical music or dance you may want to travel to India. If you are a Yoga freak and want to perfect your Yoga Asanas you may want to head to the Yoga capital of the world, Rishikesh, India.

Be Comfortable With Your Destination

One of the most important parameters that will guide you on how to choose a travel destination is your own comfort levels and how adaptable you are. The challenges could be in the form of terrain, food, language, or weather.

If you are a vegetarian or vegan, your choice of destination would need to factor that in. If you abhor extreme cold then you would do well to stay away from destinations where the temperatures are bound to plummet. If you are not confident of carrying yourself through in a foreign locale in a language which is totally alien to you, you would need to take adequate measures here or look at alternative destinations. Are you the kind that cannot rough it out and are used to luxury accommodation only, then do not plan for remote locations which though pristine and beautiful have only rudimentary options.

Destinations That Are Safe

An important aspect of travel of any kind is safety – be it health or safety at the destination. Travel Safety plays an important role in choosing a travel destination. Safety could be in terms of safety from political or social unrest in the place or could be the impact of natural calamities. It makes sense not to head to a destination where you know that there is turmoil as you may be unwittingly caught in the crossfire. On the subject of safety, it is imperative that whatever travel destination you choose, make sure that you do have a good and valid International Travel Insurance to cover you.

Bonus tip on how to choose a travel destination

How to choose a travel destination? Does this simple question look daunting now? Do you think there are too many ifs and buts involved? If you feel that it is too complicated, you always have the option of going for an all-inclusive resort or opting for a package tour where everything else is taken care of.

For booking tours and activities, we recommend the following:

Get your guide – Best for Europe and the United States
Klook – Best for Asian countries
Viator – Good for Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Spain, France, United Kingdom, Portugal, United States

We hope this detailed post that simplifies the process of how to choose a travel destination has been useful to you and answers questions like:

• What should I do for finding my perfect holiday?
• What experiences should I include in my holiday?
• When and where should I travel?

We invite you to check out our own travel experiences with destinations across India and the world to help you decide on your next travel destination.

We would love to hear from you about this post. Was it informative and useful? Let us know in the comments section.

Do You Love Traveling?

Do you want to know how to travel the world? We have put together a very useful travel resources page with best travel tips. Go check it out now.

Thanks for visiting our site Voyager – imvoyager.com and taking the time to read this post!

If you wish to collaborate/work with us then reach us at [email protected]

We’d love if you’d comment by sharing your thoughts on this post and share this post on social media and with your friends.

[shareaholic app=”share_buttons” id=”27413782″]

Follow our journey on our social media channels:
Facebook   Twitter   Instagram  Pinterest  YouTube

60+ Million Users Trust TripAdvisor With Their Travel Plans. Shouldn’t You?