National Shop for Travel Day

Once the winter holidays are over, many people are dreaming of and looking forward to vacation time in the new year. Plus, the first couple of weeks of the year are often the time when many airlines offer great deals and offers for those who are making travel plans.

National Shop for Travel Day is the ideal time to get excited about all of the fun travel opportunities that are coming up in the next several months!

History of National Shop for Travel Day

People have been traveling out of necessity for thousands of years, but the term ‘travel’ was likely first used around the 14th century. Obviously, Romans were the first to develop roads that made travel much more possible and convenient. While travel was mostly reserved for the super wealthy, some less financially secure people would often make sacrifices to travel on pilgrimages for religious reasons.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, Grand Tours would be experienced by wealthy people, especially young folks who would travel as part of their educational experience. This was particularly prevalent around the main cities of Europe. When the railway system was developed throughout Europe in the 19th century, travel was even more accessible.

Today, due to even more modern advances in transportation, such as airplanes, travel has become more possible for the average person. Whether it’s just hopping into a car for a road trip to see a family member, traversing an ocean on a cruise ship or boarding a jet plane to places unknown, travel has become accessible to billions of people all over the world.

National Shop for Travel Day was founded by the Travel Technology Association, a group that “advocates for public policy that promotes transparency and competition in the marketplace”. The purpose of the group is to encourage innovation and promote the ability for consumers to choose when purchasing travel, and one of their notable efforts was to establish this day.

First celebrated in 2018, National Shop for Travel Day has continued annually on the second Tuesday of the year ever since. The reason for it being situated at this time on the calendar has to do with the fact that, in many cases, the early weeks of January are an especially advantageous time to shop for travel due to many companies offering special deals and discounts.

Now is the time for taking advantage of all of the adventures and experiences that can come through National Shop for Travel Day!

How to Celebrate National Shop for Travel Day

National Shop for Travel Day offers a variety of different opportunities to enjoy and celebrate the adventure. Get ready to plan that upcoming journey with some of these ideas for paying heed to the day:

Dream of a Vacation

Each person probably has very different ideas of what makes a fun vacation, whether it’s relaxing on a beach with nothing to do but listen to the waves, a visit to many of the National Parks across the United States or perhaps it’s a whirlwind tour of all of the best cities in Europe. Whatever it is, National Shop for Travel Day is the best time to make those plans!

Shop for Travel

Whether it’s just a weekend away or a month-long cruise, National Shop for Travel Day is the perfect time to get those tickets and accommodations booked!

To get started, take a look at some of the most popular travel websites that can be found online. Try out some of these:

• Expedia. One of the most popular online travel sites, this one allows users to search for airline tickets, vacation homes, car rentals, hotels, cruises and much more. Plus, they offer a rewards program that allows users to receive points and rewards on everything they book, with no blackout dates.
• Booking.com. Starting out with hotels, this website also now includes options for booking flights and car rentals. Their rewards program is stellar and the number of options they have, especially for hotels, is pretty great.
• Travelocity. Families may be particularly happy with the ability to search hotels, cruises, airlines, rental cars and activities. Plus, it makes booking package deals much easier.
• Kayak. Those who are in a hurry and are looking for aggregated results may want to consider using Kayak. This online booking site provides loads of filters and saves users lots of time. It’s not a site for actually booking, but just for getting the information about where the best place is to book.

Connect with a Travel Agent

While some people enjoy the fun of making all of the plans on their own, many people find that taking advantage of a travel agent can make their lives so much easier. This is especially true when the travel agent specializes in certain areas of the world and can provide detailed information and resources that make travel planning a cinch.

For those folks who aren’t quite sure what kind of vacation they would enjoy, a travel agent can be the one who listens to personal preferences, takes a look at the budget, and then offers realistic suggestions for the best type of vacation that each individual or family would enjoy most. Plus, they can often suggest special packages that make travel easier and also less expensive!

Sign Up for Some Travel Resources

Perhaps a helpful activity to engage in on National Shop for Travel Day would be to not only check out some travel resources online, but also to sign up to receive emails. By doing this, it’s possible to stay informed and gain access to notifications about sales and discounts that come up throughout the year.

One way to do this is through Scott’s Cheap Flights, which is a service that allows members to choose their favorite airports and then notifies them of airline deals in advance. The company claims to save members up to 90% on airline fares! Free and premium paid subscriptions are available.