Travel industry experts have noticed a new travel trend that's happening as a result of how COVID has made us all feel.
Revenge Travel is the he latest thing in travel, although it may not be what you think it is.
For many travelers, COVID has caused a lot of issues, from canceled vacations to canceled business meetings, from annual conferences to destination weddings that were planned for months.
"Revenge Travel" is not about getting back at the travel industry. It's about sticking your thumb in the eye of COVID-19 and 2020 and taking back control. We are "taking revenge" for the loss of our precious time away from home.
You may have already seen some examples of revenge travel as your friends have begun exploring new places and sharing them on social media, or they're calling you about their next adventure coming up. You may want to do the same, but you feel out of practice.
1. Brainstorm everywhere you want to go
Starting to plan your trip can be overwhelming because you want it to be perfect in every way, this trip more than all the others. You want to go at the right time with the right people to the right place. But, the right vacation starts with enjoying the planning process.
Create a relaxing environment in your office or bedroom and write down every place you thought of going. This can be with a glass of wine, some good music in the background, and a few candles.
To start with, just make a list of everywhere you want to go and all the things you want to do and see. Even if it's a bucket list trip idea, put it on the list. Get everything out, but set a timer and write down everything you can think of that you can realistically do
Next, start sorting the list into groups of Probably, Possibly, Bucket List, and If I Win the Lottery. Once you have your Probably and Possibly — those are your initial options right now — look at what are the most realistic, the easiest, and the ones likely to fit your schedule and budget right now.
Look for a common pattern in the places you've written down. If you've written down a few things that fit together, that may be a good indication for your first trip back out on the road.
2. Personalize your trip
After you have figured out your destination, your first inclination may be to search Google and plan the next step. It's a common reaction, but it will likely give you a bland taste for the appetite you've built up for your revenge travel trip.
For this vacation, you'll want the exciting and interesting options, not the same old places that everyone else goes to. For example, if you go to Rome, don't stand in line for three hours with everyone to see the statue of David. Instead, walk around off the beaten path and find the places where the tourists don't go. See the real Rome, not the thing that has literally tens of thousands of photos available online.
Another suggestion is to search hashtags for your destination. Check out Instagram and see very recent photos of people who are there or visited there to get a taste of what you can find.
You can also hashtag search for the best hotels, restaurants, and other amenities like beaches and parks. And don't be afraid to reach out to the Instagrammers who vacationed in a city and ask them for recommendations.
3. Ask travel experts
It's okay if you feel wary about traveling again. We have blog articles that can help guide you get back into the adventurous discipline of traveling, such astoe-dip trips, and picking the right destination for you and everyone who's coming with you.
Check out TripAdvisor's different round-up articles for things to do. If you want to go horseback riding, search for the topic and your city on TripAdvisor's website. Or — and here's where you can use Google — go to Google Maps and search for your chosen travel activity in that city and see what comes up.
Read the reviews to see if there are any problems or red flags to be aware of. And check out Yelp as well, especially when you're looking for restaurants. Just remember toavoid the chain restaurants and tourist traps and vacation like a local to find the best places to eat.
In all cases, when you read reviews, don't worry about the occasional 1- or 2-star reviews. There are always people who want to complain or create problems for restaurant owners. But do look out for patterns of issues, and whether several people complain about the same thing.
Finally, work with a travel agent who specializes in your destination. And don't worry about paying them: They make their money in commissions, and they have access to cheaper travel prices than you can get, so they can even save you money.
