Should you repeat your holiday? Let's settle this once and for all

Want to begin an argument? Just ask any member of the family where you would like to spend your next vacation. In particular, must you play it protected by returning to the identical place – or try somewhere latest?

But it's an argument value making now. Here's why: The top travel destinations for summer 2024 are incredibly well-known. Orlando, London and Cancun, in keeping with the most recent Survey by Allianz Partners. All the far-flung revenge travel destinations from the post-pandemic era are gone. People want something protected and familiar.

Christopher Elliott, the travel troubleshooter...
Christopher Elliott, the travel troubleshooter

But is that a superb thing?

Why everyone seems to be arguing about repeating holidays

According to experts, there’s a reason for the heated debate.

“When people return to the same place over and over again, they usually want predictability,” says Thomas Plante, psychology professor on the Santa Clara University. “They know exactly what they're getting and how it will work for them. That's the difference from those who want the unexpected by going to a new place every vacation.”

I even have to confess my bias: I belong to the second group. I even have no fixed address and, as a travel author, I get restless after I stay in a single place for greater than every week. So I needed to ask an authority to clarify our penchant for monotony.

“When a traveler finds a place they like, it's risky to go somewhere else,” says Jeff Galak, who teaches marketing at Carnegie Mellon University. Tepper School of Business“We've all had bad holidays. When we find one that's just right, it's hard to leave it behind.”

I'm about to pass the mic to each side of this argument. But first, let me inform you who's right: Yes, you may return to the identical place – but not in the way in which you’re thinking that.

That's why repeat holidays are great

Travelers have their reasons for returning to the identical place repeatedly. Shirleigh Brannon, a retired librarian from Marin County, travels to Anaheim twice a yr to go to Disneyland.

Her love of Disney vacations spans three many years, from the primary time she took her son to the Magic Kingdom. Experiencing the Jungle Cruise or Alice in Wonderland through the eyes of a four-year-old was something special.

“Many beautiful memories,” she says.

Even though she now knows every inch of the park, it’s these special memories that keep her coming back.

Another reason to go to again is that your folks and family will likely be there. Janet Ruth Heller returns to Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, every summer along with her clan.

“We have fond memories,” says Heller, a retired college professor. “Elkhart Lake offers many activities for families and is conveniently located for our relatives.”

There's also a certain comfort. Bernard Nash, a medical professor from New York, likes to explore the world. But he also has a timeshare property in Aruba that he returns to yearly. He loves hanging out by the pool, taking long walks on the white sand beaches, and dining at his favorite restaurants. And sometimes, he meets people he knows who’re also vacationing there.

“It’s the perfect place to just relax,” he says.

Comfort, family and friends, and special memories are all good reasons to repeat your vacation.

But I need to warn you: you’re missing out.

Why you must get out and experience something latest

Other travelers would never repeat a visit. Marcy Schackne is one among them.

“When it comes to traveling,” she says, “it’s a once-in-a-lifetime endeavor.”

Schackne, marketing director at a healthcare company in South Florida, has traveled to all seven continents and is a component of the exclusive century club that has already visited greater than 120 countries.

“There is too much to see in the world to go back and experience Groundhog Day,” says Schackne, who’s traveling to Greenland in July.

“Going to the same place every year would be boring,” says Kathleen Panek, owner of a Bed and breakfast in Shinnston, W. Va. “There is so much to see and do.”

Panek's parents taught her to read a map as soon as she could recognize numbers. And she's been traveling continually ever since – totally on road trips within the U.S. and the occasional adventure in Europe. Her only regret is that she hasn't traveled more.

There is one more reason to get out and travel: it changes your perspective. And in a highly polarizing election yr, getting out of your comfort zone could make an actual difference. Research suggests that travel Change your viewpointalthough there is no such thing as a evidence that it’ll make you more liberal or conservative – only that it’ll change the way in which you view the world.

So, to sum up, trying a brand new travel destination broadens your horizons and makes your life more exciting – and possibly much more interesting.

However, it might be improper to say that you might have to spend every holiday in a brand new place.

How to seek out a brand new place to go to this summer

Here are some ways to try a brand new destination this summer.

Ask a friend. A word-of-mouth suggestion is all the time the perfect technique to discover a latest place to go to since it comes from someone who knows you. Ask a friend or member of the family a few latest place to go to. The answer might surprise you.

Try the Random Rides button. Almost every online travel site has a feature that means that you can select a random location to go to. For example: Google Flights has a “travel suggestions” function that recommends inexpensive tour destinations.

Consult an authority. A certified travel consultant can enable you to discover a latest place to go to. If you don't have a travel agent, you could find one through the American Association of Travel Consultants.

Where must you travel this summer?

Should you go to the identical place this summer or try something latest?

“We know how to get around, where to go, what to do, how to behave in bad weather and where to shop,” she says. “You don't need maps for that.”

But Barton also loves exploring, and this summer she's traveling to Iceland and Rome to create latest memories.

Kristiana Capati-Choquet, luxury travel consultant at Embark on a journey of discoveryalso sees this duality in her clients.

“Seeing the same people in the same places feeds into the basic human need to belong,” she says. “On the other side of the spectrum, there are those who can't stand repeating vacations and have a real adventurer side.”

It's OK to have a favourite place to go to this summer. I even have many. I like Paris in July and Seattle in August. Utah is my favorite place in September – possibly one among the Mighty Five National Parks.

But for heaven's sake, try something latest. You don't know what you're missing.


image credit : www.mercurynews.com