It’s that time of the year when you are getting ready to travel to another country and spend your vacation there. Or maybe you are going for a few weeks and not months. No matter your reason for traveling, you must plan at least one travel activity. Travel activities are a must to enjoy your trip with your family, friends, or loved ones.
Of course, travel activities are fun and nice, but that does not mean they should be taken lightly. You should not plan your travel activities at the last moment because you will surely miss something. To avoid unpleasant events, we gathered 10 things you must check before booking a travel activity. This list will be the perfect guide for you to follow before your next trip!
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Research the Activity
The first thing you should do before booking a travel activity is research about it. No matter what travel activity you have in mind, whether known or unfamiliar, research it.
You should not do a basic or quick research of the activity that you have in mind. Doing so will do you more harm than good. You should thoroughly research any travel activity you have in mind.
For starters, you should learn about all the details, like exactly what you will be doing. What if you do not know what travel activity you should try? The solution is to research the different activities you could try out in the country you are visiting.
Another important thing to consider is to check the country’s holidays. This is just in case you plan to try out an activity on a certain day and do not know if it is a holiday. If you want to know more about the activities available in different countries, visit TourTeller.com, a travel activity meta-search service for comparing all the travel activities from multiple travel platforms.
Check Reviews and Ratings
The second thing you should do before you book a travel activity is to check the reviews. Checking the reviews and ratings of anything is a necessity. We recommend that you check the reviews on several websites and not just one.
You should also try to notice if there are any scammers in the reviews section. For example, check if some or all reviews say the same thing or have similar reviews; this probably means they are fake or bots. This will help you avoid being deceived by websites and help you book a travel activity based on true reviews.
Choose a Reputable Provider
This step is similar to the checking reviews step. When you plan on booking any travel activity, you should think about which provider you will trust. Some people may try activities without booking, but this is not the best solution. You could go to the activity without planning, only to find out they are full. You may also discover that there was a 50% discount if you booked in advance.
To avoid that, you should always depend on a provider. However, you should not blindly trust any provider that comes your way. What you should do is to choose a reputable provider. You must check the reviews on the provider’s website to do so. Some booking websites offer a selection of different providers with people’s reviews on each one.
It is advised to check several OTAs and compare prices. Some may be offering deals when you check, and when you plan to book, you find out that the price went up. You should also see people’s reviews on the services provided by the OTA. For example, check what people say about the lunch offered, the meeting points, and insurance. All of this will guarantee that you will have a great time!
Check for Hidden Costs
Another thing that would cause you so much trouble if you didn’t check it is hidden costs. When you are going to book a travel activity, make sure to check for hidden costs. Whether the price of the activity is cheap or expensive, it’s always better to avoid spending extra money.
One of the ways that will help you avoid paying hidden costs is to read the fine print. We know that most of us get bored while doing so. However, reading the fine print while bored is better than paying more money without noticing.
Another thing to check is whether there are any taxes, fees, or additional charges that will be added to the cost of the activity. That’s why you shouldn’t rush the payment process. Make sure to read all the details thoroughly and to notice if there is any difference. Especially, if the activity involves some level of risk, check if the provider offers insurance coverage.
Check the Cancellation Policy
No one wants to be pessimistic and think about possibly canceling their booking. However, you should consider the possibility of having to cancel for whatever reason. To avoid surprises, you should always check the cancellation policy when booking a travel activity.
Again, you should carefully read the fine print because, most of the time, it will include the cancellation policy. One of the things you should consider is whether the cancellation policy is flexible or not. You might want to avoid websites and activity providers with a harsh cancellation policy.
Ask yourself if you will be allowed a refund; of course, you would want a refund. Also, you should check if you would be able to reschedule or not. Unfortunately, some providers may include fines for canceling your reservation. These reasons emphasize why you should check the cancellation and refund policy.
Look for Discounts and Deals
I have been mentioning money a lot, but can you blame me? It’s impossible to find someone who will say no to saving some money. Let’s say that you want to book several travel activities, and you have to drop some activities to save money. Wouldn’t it be better if you did all the activities you wanted to do, but for a lesser price?
To save money and also try some of the activities you like, you should always check for last-minute discounts and deals. There will always be a deal or two that you have missed. Sometimes you might find a discount on an activity you weren’t planning to try. It would help if you were flexible enough to try a travel activity you didn’t have in mind. Consider this your opportunity to get out of your comfort zone!
Check the Duration and Timing
Our next piece of advice is to check the duration and timing of the travel activity you have in mind. For example, you can enjoy some activities only if you travel during a certain season. If you want to see the Northern Lights in Norway, you should go in the winter; timing matters.
Another thing that makes checking the duration important is that you can decide what you should pack. If you are traveling to try a certain activity, you should see the best season to try it and what you should pack.
If you have a tight schedule, you should check the duration of the activity. After you do so, you can decide how many travel activities you can try. It would also help you prioritize the activities.
Our tip for you is that if the travel activity you have in mind can be done at any time of the year, avoid going during peak season. This will be very comfortable for introverts since it will help them avoid crowds. You could also find cheaper prices. It’s a win-win situation.
Check for Safety Measures
We can’t stress enough how important it is to check for safety measures. It’s common knowledge that you ensure that whatever you do in any foreign country will be safe for you and your family.
So make sure to check if the activity provider has trustable safety measures. This step is even more important if the travel activity you are going to book could be dangerous. For example, diving or rock climbing.
After you check the activity provider’s website, check the reviews of people who tried the activity. This is necessary to ensure that the information the provider gives is accurate.
On the other hand, if you are going to a country to try a specific activity, then you should check the safety of this country. If you are traveling solo and are a woman, ensuring you would be safe there no matter what activity you try is essential. So remember, better safe than sorry!
Check the Accessibility
Whether you try a travel activity by yourself or with others, like family, your main goal is that you and everyone enjoy it. Check if everyone will be included to ensure everyone enjoys the travel activity.
To do so, you must check the accessibility of the activity. For starters, check if the activity would be accessible for people with disabilities. You should also check if the transportation needed to get there is inclusive and accessible to everyone.
If you find out that the common transportation won’t be accessible, check if the provider can offer accommodations. Nowadays, everything is more developed, so some activities have become accessible to everyone. Therefore, pick activities that everyone can participate in and enjoy. If everyone is happy, then all of you will enjoy the travel activity even more!
Ask Questions
The last thing you should do before booking a travel activity is to ask questions. Try as much as possible to list all the questions you have in mind and ask your provider about them.
Don’t feel embarrassed because clarifying your doubts will ensure you enjoy the activity even more. If you don’t ask, the answer is always no!
We have told you about 10 things you should check and do before you book any travel activity. Now you can rest assured that booking a travel activity will go smoothly!
