Travel Planning is All in the Research

Maribeth Clemente, travel writer, globe trotter and bon vivant has joined with Resort Maps to bring you regular tips to make travel -- and your time spent planning it -- even more fun.

We all have access to many tools to help us with our travels. I recommend you use some combination of those listed below.

Internet

The Internet has changed the way most of us research and plan our travel. It has also driven up competition between websites. You can google just about anything including the name of a destination, hotel or obscure tourist attraction and find a wealth of information and images on your search. It’s best to proceed with caution, however, since places---especially hotel rooms---don’t always appear in reality the way they’re presented on the Internet. Also, just because a room or a flight or another travel product receives star-billing on one of the major travel supplier sites, don’t assume that it’s the best possible deal. I recommend you do your preliminary research on the Internet and then call or e-mail an establishment or service. Be direct and ask tons of questions such as “what view does this room have” or “is there any construction going on on the property at this time?” Be thorough and have fun honing your investigative skills.

Contacting Hotels, Airlines and Other Travel Suppliers Directly

Go to the websites first, then follow up with a phone call. You can often obtain a better rate or an upgrade by speaking with someone from the hotel’s front desk directly, especially if you contact them shortly before your arrival. The same applies for car rental companies and other travel suppliers. Know also that airlines only post a certain portion of their seat availability on their websites; this is particularly the case for frequent flyer travel. With a bit of persistence, you might be better served talking with an agent directly. If you don’t succeed with one agent, call back and try another.

Guidebooks, Magazine Articles and Other Publications

As a guidebook author, you can imagine that I’m a very tactile person, so I love books. You can sit on a train headed to Charleston, South Carolina and page through your guidebook---that’s all part of the journey. Shuffling reams of printed out information from the Internet or viewing a computer screen for extended periods of time doesn’t quite have the same effect on me. Know, however, that if you’re looking for information hot-off-the-press, it’s best to consult a magazine, newspaper or online article.

Travel Agents

The emergence of the Internet as a major source of travel information and planning really shook up the travel agent world. Good news though: The Internet weeded out many travel agents and agencies and those that survived are better than ever. Good travel agencies typically provide services far beyond anything you can obtain from booking travel online. What if you have to make a last-minute change to your arrangements once you’ve arrived at your destination? You can call your travel agent to make these often irksome adjustments. Travel agents also provide a personalized touch with their recommendations on everything from how to hire out a fishing boat in the Florida Keys to where to dine in New Orleans. Ask around to find a good one.

Word-of-Mouth

Tell your friends, family and acquaintances that you’re pondering a trip to such and such a place. Most will gladly offer up their stories and impressions about your eventual destination---people love to share. (At times you might even be sorry you mentioned your travel ideas!) You can, however, glean some great information and insight from all of this chatter. One of my very best restaurant recommendations in Paris came from a hometown friend and that’s after I had been living in the City of Light for quite some time. And remember to constantly ask for suggestions throughout your travels. It’s always nice to go where the locals go.

Tourism Boards

I think it’s fun to pop into the local or regional Chamber of Commerce/Tourism Office while traveling. You can always pick up a hearty supply of maps (including Resort Maps!), brochures and firsthand recommendations. Don’t forget that you can also look up information on the Internet from these tourism boards before you even leave town. Keep in mind though that many companies pay to be featured by these organizations, so their listings might be a bit skewed.