Your 6-point checklist before taking that luxury holiday abroad

From zero travel during the pandemic to revenge tourism post-pandemic and now to luxury travel including exotic cruises, Indians are out exploring the world like never before.  The wealthy, affluent and high net-worth individuals, whichever way one might like to group them, are the ones experimenting the most. But travel can be stressful if not well planned and having a broad checklist can come in handy.
 

Where are people travelling?

Nearly 70% Indians who travel abroad are taking two or more international trips a year now according to a report by an online travel portal MakeMyTrip this year. Importantly, there was 10% jump in searches for business class seats compared year on year indicating the urge for more comfortable travel at a time when business class fares have shot through the roof because of reduced aircraft manufacturing. 
 

What is also notable is that countries like Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Bhutan, Hong Kong, Japan, Saudi Arabia and Sri Lanka are getting new attention even though the top 10 most expensive cities to book hotels on the portal continues to be New York, Mauritius, Lucerne, London, Paris Amsterdam, Mecca, Barcelona Milan and Zurich. 
 

European destinations also continue to top the charts in terms of average spends per night and 7 out of 10 most expensive cities to book hotel were from Europe but the most expensive hotel room booked on the portal in the last one year happened to be right next door– in Dubai costing Rs 2.5 lakhs per night. 
 

There are also variations on who is paying more. Karnataka, Telangana Maharashtra Delhi and Haryana topped the list of states spending on premium hotels while those from Punjab West Bengal Gujarat Tamil Nadu had a higher preference for budget hotels.
 

Visa free countries

Many affluent travelers often pair their luxury trip to US / Europe etc. by joining their sons or daughters who are either working there or studying in a top college. This is despite the odds of getting the visa on time and India’s additional secretary at the tourism ministry Suman Billa recently told a conference that getting the 10-year visa issued by US is “cumbersome and tiresome.” 
 

Indeed the wait time for US visitor visa appointments in India is still over a year. But US is not alone, often there are delays in getting visas for many other countries too and people have therefore started taking services like “visa rejection full refund” options when booking flights. The highest booking for this feature on MakeMyTrip indeed came for Europe UAE Singapore USA and Turkey flights.
 

Travel agents are therefore pushing a lot of people to go further. Indian passport holders can travel visa-free to around 35 countries, including to Thailand, Bhutan, Nepal, Mauritius, Malaysia, Kenya, Iran, Angola, Oman, and Sri Lanka and in some countries one get a quick visa on arrival including at Cambodia, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Laos, Macao (SAR China), Maldives, Myanmar, and Timor-Leste. Some of these are equally exotic and also have a lot of culturally affinity with India.

What to prioritize

One can take luxury vacations but end up coming tired out of it if things are not well planned, therefore when preparing for such a vacation first list down what do you want to achieve out of it. Do you want to sit on the beach disconnected from your mobile notifications and read a book while sipping unpronounceable mocktails? Do you want to enjoy a spa after a natural hot spring bath in south of Italy? Do you want to eat exotic cheese high up on the Alps?
 

The moment you have selected where you want to go start thinking of the additional activities you can do there for a more fulfilling and relaxing trip. These could be heritage walks, gondola rides, massage therapy or a private meal on a yacht. Also try to research on the city’s museums which are quite expensive but worth going to if you enjoy them. You will find that typically one day of the week they are free for visitors. A little planning can help you save money here and deploy that savings for a Michelin-star meal.
 

Keep in mind that while you may not spend a lot of time in your hotel, the luxury feel a good night’s sleep and then a breakfast with a lovely view provides is both memorable and worth the money spent on it. You can also try to find resorts which cater to your meal requirements. For example in case of MakeMyTrip over 40% who pre-selected their flight meals chose the vegetarian option.
 

Sweat your credit card

Finally, sweat your credit card for this luxury trip and check out all the running offers at that point of your travel and calculate the points or miles you may have.

For example if you use American Express cards you may have piled up dozens of credit card points more so because of no travel during the pandemic. Often these points can be used to buy great luxury hotel rooms for a fraction of their redemption rates if the offer is ongoing. A famous Maldives luxury resort for example costs around Rs 40,000 a night but when those sweet offers are on you can get this with your points for one fourth the price.
 

Keep them handy

When traveling ensure that all your travel documents are handy and you have multiple photo copies placed in different bags. You should also keep your bags light and keep some space in them for bringing souvenirs. Travelling light will help you save on baggage costs which are pretty steep on international flights and time consuming. Do not forget things like sneakers as you tend to walk a lot and most importantly the travel adapter as it can be a nightmare searching for the right one. It is also advisable to not carry the laptop but your mobile should have an international calling facility even though you can avoid focusing on it for most of the time.
 

Food

Like vegetarian meals, food is very integral to Indians. Most cannot consume the bland food and salads often being offered in Europe or other places. Sometimes an Indian restaurant is hard to find even though many Indian travel firms now promote hotels that are close to Indian restaurants. To keep that craving at bay just keep some ready to eat cup noodles, poha, masala tea, snacks, and chocolates in your bag always. Dry fruits and flavored peanuts will also come in very handy. Do not forget that the concept of room service is vanishing in many European cities and dragging yourself down to eat something can be painful after a full day of walking and exploring the city. This Indian food backup may be of great help.
 

Conclusion

Luxury travel is on the rise but it can be difficult to cobble. One can try to use the services of a luxury travel coach to make things easy or lean on a family or friend who have attempted a similar vacation that they talk about a lot. Finally, remember all you will come back with, from any vacation, is usually great memories