Yes It Is Still Possible To Travel Despite Inflation

As we enter fall, eager travellers are beginning to plan their next vacations, but with the rising discussion about inflation many are putting a pin in their upcoming travel plans. Travel expert and CEO of Inspired Travel Group, Danielle Riddle, who recently travelled through Europe, has plenty of insights to share for those who don’t want to give up on their bucket list travel dreams. —Noa Nichol

Hi Danielle! How is inflation impacting people’s decision to travel?

Naturally with inflation on the rise, people’s discretionary spending gets cut. And when it comes to leisure travelers, their travel budget sits very high on this list. But it’s important for people to understand how to juggle a revised budget to still allow for travel experiences, despite the obvious inflation setbacks. Ensuring travel is still a part of their overall budget is important in maintaining optimal health and well being. It provides motivation, stress relief, and an opportunity to rejuvenate and recharge the batteries, which is so integral to general happiness and contentment. From the corporate perspective however, this isn’t necessarily the case. If you’re not spending, your biggest competitor is. And so it’s important that corporations continue to push growth and remain consistent with their business activities, in order to stay in the game. Subsequently we see little movement in the corporate sector, if not more growth, particularly considering the need for a focus on service over volume within the travel industry. Post Covid, we have seen a dramatic decrease in the quality of service when it comes to travel suppliers, airlines, etc. So, having a people focused, corporate agency on board has become more important now than possibly ever before.  

For those who don’t want to give up on their bucket list travel dreams, what are your top tips around cost effective travel in today’s economy?

Given the nature of “Bucket List” travel experiences, this can subsequently become a costly endeavor. In order to ensure you’re getting the best value for money however, and are able to still include travel within your lifestyle despite inflation impacts, you may want to consider some of the following ideas:

• Reduce the length of your trip, and focus on quality over quantity. Even just an extended long weekend to rejuvenate can have such a profound impact on your state of mind. It can really invigorate you and give you a new found sense of motivation and excitement to hit the ground running when you return home.
• Travel outside of the peak tourist seasons. i.e. school holidays and holiday celebration periods. This way, you will see significant savings across the board, from accommodation, to flights, and experiences. Not to mention availability will be less of a concern as well. 
• Research midweek flight departures, which will generally result in overall savings due to the supply and demand nature of airfares.
• Choose a more cost effective destination by researching average costs on the ground of various locations.
• Consider a credit card company with associated travel perks and be sure to take advantage of points accrued, and the potential of free or significantly reduced expenses related to airfares and accommodation as a result of calculated everyday spending.
• Consider self-contained accommodation where you can really immerse yourself into the farm to table way of life and prepare meals with local, authentic ingredients. Nothing beats wandering down to a local farmers market to pick up fresh ingredients to enjoy with friends and loved ones on your vacation.
• Be prepared and book well in advance, and this comes to activities on the ground also. This will ensure value for money in terms of advance purchase deals, but will also ensure you have the time to allocate funds and save prior to your trip. You can break down your budget and manage the costs more constructively. 

Is local travel more cost-effective than international? Why or why not?

Traveling locally will only save you money if you’re not flying. In general flying will increase your overall costs, so if you’re staying close to home, it may be more cost effective by having the option to omit these costs. However if by local we’re referring to within Canada or even the US, the answer is undoubtedly no. Costs associated with dining and activities will be more expensive within North America when compared to many overseas alternatives; eg. Central & South America, Sth East Asia, numerous countries within Europe etc. What has become accepted locally by default when it comes to these consistently rising costs, is considerably higher when compared to so many destinations abroad. As a result, the longer your trip, the more cost effective it becomes. 

Why would you say people shouldn’t put travel on hold, even if it means adjusting plans to suit budget?

Travel is one of the most enriching and inspiring gifts we can bestow upon ourselves. It will push you out of your comfort zone, challenge you to try new things, experience new cultures, engage with different people, and overall improve your mental health and well being. Travel can have such a profound and rejuvenating effect on us, that it encourages us to pursue new ventures, take a chance on new opportunities, and gain a better sense of empathy and self growth. When we stop traveling, we stop living! Considering travel experiences that can work more effectively with a reduced budget, just simply requires more forethought, research, and creative thinking. Immersive experiences don’t necessarily equal expensive ones. So, taking the time to understand the true authenticity of the destination your visiting, and turning to the advice of a local, or enlisting the help of an experienced and skilled travel advisor, can make all the difference.  

Where’s your next travel destination, and how are you making it fit your budget?

One thing that is extremely important to us at Inspired is nurturing our employees and celebrating them with rewarding and bonding bi-annual team retreat experiences. Our Christmas retreat is our shorter getaway of our two each year, and so it would make sense that we would consider locations in Canada or the US for this celebration. However, given the significant cost savings experienced by heading a little further abroad, we’re able to obtain considerably more value for money by hosting a more adventurous retreat in Mexico. Subsequently, we end up with a culturally immersive retreat, where we can all experience new surroundings, a different culture, new and exciting tastes and activities, and yet the company is still able to stay within budget at the same time. It’s a win win for all! 

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