Is planning a family vacation on your to-do list? You will find this article super helpful.

Key Points

Planning a family vacation is the best way to rekindle the bond within the home, foster family togetherness, and create memories.
Factors to consider when planning a family vacation are: the location of the vacation (local or international), the weather season at the location, the family size, and preferred means of transportation.
Speak with an expert for better advice on planning a family vacation.

This millennium, more than ever, has witnessed a surge in career-centered yet family-disoriented professionals. It is fast becoming a norm to have one’s career almost always demanding a chunk of his time and energy at the expense of other crucial aspects of life like family. This is the reason it is not quite difficult to see successful professionals with dysfunctional families. If care is not taken, this reality will continue to linger.

It takes conscious effort to manage a career and a family at a time. And what other best way to rekindle the bond within the home, foster family togetherness and create memories than embarking on family vacations periodically?
According to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company, the outbound family travel market is set to grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 4.6% which is from 300million in 2017 to 376million in 2022 (Global Data, 2018).
Have you been toying with the idea of planning a family vacation but don’t know how to go about it? The following are great ideas to consider when planning a family vacation with your loved ones.

Having researched on best practices while planning a family vacation, here are our top factors to consider:

1. Do you want a Local or International Vacation?

A local vacation happens within your current country while an International vacation involves travelling to another country entirely. For obvious reasons, local vacations are easier to pull in relation to international family trips both financially and otherwise.

Oftentimes, a local family trip does not involve the processes of obtaining an International Passport, a Visa (which depends on your current country and your destinated country), ticket bookings and liaison with the bureau de change of your destinated country. So, depending on your budget, it is essential to decide from the word go which of these trips you can comfortably afford for your family.

2. What is your Family Size?

Another important factor to consider is the size of the family – whether nuclear or extended, as well as the individual ages of the family members.

A vacation destination for a family with grown ups will almost always be different from that of a family with preteens. If you are planning a family tourism for your little kids, you have to think destinations like Orlando, Florida where they can enjoy Disney world or Dinosaur ValleyState Park in Texas.

However, these vacation spots may not really be ideal for a family with adults. In the same vein, destinations that work for smaller families may not always work for larger families. These questions will help you determine where to go to as a family.

3. What says the Weather?

The weather condition of the the country of choice is very important to note just so you do not end up in Russia during the winter with an intention of surfing in the beach.

The weather and climate of your destination are bound to dictate the course of activities you can embark on. If you’re looking at a beach vacation on a lovely summer weather then you could be looking at a destination like Florida at a window of late June to late September.

Your family health is also one to consider in relation to weather and climate. Is anyone bound to fall ill as a result of the weather condition in your intended destination?

Cold regions of the world are associated with health challenges such as Hypothermia, Flu and Pneumonia while hot regions are associated with heat stress. Ensure that the weather of your country of choice does not pose a health risk to your family.

4. How Health Friendly is the Destination?

You would want to keep in mind that if everyone catches the flu during a family vacation, then you might have to kiss the whole point of the vacation goodbye. For a country like the United States of America that has had her fair share of influenza, commonly known as the flu, the Centre of Disease and Prevention has taken time to map out the Flu window, the peak being December and February. A healthy trip is a fun filled one, therefore, keep your eyes out for those country related illnesses and their peaks as you make arrangements for that family travel.

5. Air, Sea, Road or Rail?

The medium of transportation is another good consideration before embarking on a family trip. You will likely have more options to choose from if it is a local vacation. For most international vacations, your options will most likely be limited to air travel. The mode of transportation is important because your vacation begins right from that point. Picking out a fun and safe mode for the whole family will therefore go a long way to championing the recreational part of it all. For instance, are your kids interested in seeing it all during a trip? Then a road trip or even a rail trip would be the best for them.

6. Check the Checklist

A check list is a list of tasks to be carried out or a list of things to take along. This is important if you don’t want to forget anything on the D-day. You would be surprised how your mind could stray away from taking the first aid kit or bringing along an extra blanket.

It wouldn’t be cool if you leave the garage door unlocked either. A check list will help you to keep tab of everything. In all, every detail is meant to be tailored towards the word, Vacation.

The processes involved in family vacations are often overwhelming, and people tend to shy away from it after taking a peek at the resources involved. We hope these tips have helped to streamline the top considerations.

Planning a Family Vacation and need easy access to an expert doctor?

Do not forget to use KompleteCare™ to connect with your local doctor on your trip anywhere you are. And if you have pending doctor appointments, your physician can continue to provide care to you and your family while you are away on vacation through Online Doctor Consultation.

How telemedicine can help

Telemedicine gives you access to medical professionals services and facilities. Planning a family vacation gives you ecstasy; however, just from the comfort of your home, through information and communication technology, you can get medical advice. Telemedicine makes it easy for you to speak with healthcare professionals concerning any known epidemic disease outbreak in your chosen vacation country.

Telemedicine offers mutual trust between medical professionals and you. Do not hesitate to consult a doctor for your international medical authorisation, advice on the best ways to take care of yourself, and a lifelong planned vacation.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are the 10 steps to planning a family vacation?

Here are 10 concise steps to planning a family vacation:

Decide on the vacation location and length of stay.
Map out a considerable budget.
Search and reserve accommodation.
Identify the available means of transportation.
Organise an easy flight plan.
Research the required passport and visa documentation.
Organise travel insurance.
Familiarise yourself with the culture and cuisine.

2. What are some of the factors that you consider when planning a family vacation?

When planning a family vacation you, are to consider some factors, such as:

Destination.
Intended expenditures.
Duration.
Transportation.
A place to stay
Things to do when you get to your destination.

3. Why should we plan a vacation?

Planning a family vacation is an interesting activity. A family vacation gives you time and space to get away from work. It reduces stress and the risk of death from both known and unknown causes.

4. How often should you plan a vacation?

Going on vacation has some beneficial effects on your mental and physical wellbeing. The number of vacations you can take depends on your goals and the time you allocate to vacation. A study suggests that two vacations within a year can give you all the great experiences you want.

5. What factors affect how people feel about travel?

Some factors can influence your feelings towards travelling, such as age, gender, salary, work status, education level, family size, expenses, and having a passion for travel. Then some factors like media, safety and security, terrorism, and perceived risk can also affect your decision to travel.

6. Is vacation the best way to relax?

Planning a family vacation opens up a new horizon for you to experience relaxation and enjoy quality sleep. Vacation grants you the space and time to clear your mind and apply your creativity in whatever way you find interesting.

7. What not to do when planning a family vacation?

Planning a family vacation has an ecstatic effect on you; however, there are things you should not do:

Not planning your vacation ahead of time.
Having not required travel documentation.
Not researching the location or having a travel advisor.
Planning a family vacation at the time when there is an outbreak of disease or conflict of any form.
Not utilizing your discounted credit card reward points.

8. How do you have a successful vacation?

A successful vacation can be achieved in five steps:

Relax and enjoy yourself.
Be in vacation mode before you embark on the vacation journey.
Plan realistic vacation goals.
Start practicing your envisioned healthy lifestyle on your vacation.
Keep living the healthy lifestyle you began while on vacation.

9. Is vacation good for mental health?

Vacation is very good for your mental health; it increases the expression of your positive emotions.The increase in emotions equates to a decrease in the tendency to feel depressed. Vacations present a platform to express your true self and genuine emotions, which in turn amplify your mood.

10. What is the risk of planning a trip?

Planning a family vacation is exciting, but some risks may come with it, especially in the areas of flight tickets, tour packages, medical emergencies, or ship cruise tickets. You may encounter some risks when you have to cancel these expenses.

11. What do people worry about when they travel?

When you travel for a vacation, you may worry about: