It’s summer break once again, schools and colleges are off and parents are ready to apply for their annual leaves and whisk the family away to their summer vacations. However these much needed vacations do not necessarily have to take a big toll on your wallet if meticulous planning is in place.
Start with a budget
Have you been putting something aside for this vacation? If not, start by making a basic budget. Set aside an estimated amount for air, rail or car fare and accommodations. Next, account for the food and transportation expenses to be incurred during the vacation. Add to this, a reasonable amount for leisure activities, be it shopping or sight-seeing.
Once you know how much money you can take out for your vacation, you’ll have a clearer idea about the destination you can afford to select.
Pick a destination
Based on your budget, find out where you can afford to go. Is it going to be a local trip or an international one? A lavish one or a basic back-packing kind? Go through travel related websites online to see how much the air fare for different places is and what is the range for hotel accommodations.
Next, consider things like: Do you have a valid passport? In case of an international destination, how much time would it take to obtain the visa? Any travel agent would be able to provide you these basic details on the phone.
Be it a trip to Skardu or SriLanka, make sure you plan your trip well in advance. Confirm your tickets and transits as early as possible to ensure there is no change in schedule. Pay for the tickets well in advance to avail the early bird rates.
Book your hotels online
Booking hotels online via credit cards is easy and hassle-free. In most cases, booking online is also more affordable than doing it through your travel agent, especially when traveling abroad. Websites such as, www.booking.com and www.agoda.com will allow you to browse hotels by country, area, distance and budgets. Counter check your selected hotel by reading reviews on www.tripadvisor.com.
Pay in advance
Either via credit cards or a travel agent, pay in advance for flights, hotels, rentals, bus passes, ferries etc. so you can have comfort in knowing that the money you have in hand is for you to spend on fun and relaxation. While making the payment, notify the vendor of any specific requirements that you may have, like wheelchair assistance or airport pick and drop service.
Start your journey in style and enjoy free-of-cost hospitality by checking into the UBL Airport Lounges, located conveniently at the domes of both the international and domestic departure terminals of Jinnah International Airport, Karachi. For more details, please contact 111-825-888 or visit UBL at www.ubldirect.com
