Did you know 54% of Americans fail to use all their vacation time? Well according to AAA, this creates a "stock pile of 662 million unused vacation days."
In fact, January 30th is National Plan for Vacation Day! Last year, Project: Time Off launched the initiative to encourage Americans to plan their vacation days at the start of the year.
Planning a vacation doesn't have to be stressful. Check out these tips from AAA:
- Create a tentative budget and schedule so your trip planning can be accomplished in a realistic manner.
- Research and understand the pros and cons of traveling to a destination during your preferred timeframe. Identify attractions or activities you are most interested in and determine if they will be available.
- Leverage your AAA exclusive member discounts for car rentals, flights, hotels, vacation packages and much more. Visit AAA.com/Travel or download the free AAA mobile app.
- Consider booking vacations with a travel agent. AAA offers travel services at all branch locations. In addition to having in-depth expertise about destinations across the globe, AAA has relationships with cruise lines, hotels and tour operators, which gives access to special rates and added benefits not available elsewhere.
- Plan ahead. If you are leaving the country you will need a passport, and possibly a visa or health documentation. It can take up to six weeks to get a new passport, so allow time to secure all necessary documents.
- Consider purchasing travel insurance, designed to offer protection against sudden and unforeseen events. Check with a travel agent and carefully review insurance policies before purchasing, as coverage options vary.
In addition to AAA’s tips, Project: Time Off created a vacation-planning tool to help employees get their vacation days on the calendar.
