Travel Resolutions You’ll Keep

These past couple years have made travel challenging, but this is the year you’re making a comeback. Is there a destination you’ve always wanted to go to? Do it. Is this the year you’re going to unplug from your devices? Yes. Traveling always brings new experiences, a lifetime of shared memories with loved ones and strangers alike and allows us to grow in new ways we didn’t see coming. Another year is beginning, and these are the travel resolutions worth keeping.

1. Take an unplugged vacation

Don’t bring the office with you. Set your email to “out of office,” and make sure to unplug when you’re away by completing your projects and notifying your team ahead of time. Turn off e-mail notifications and turn on vacation mode. Refrain from constantly checking your phone – live in the present instead.

2. Visit a new place

The past few years were filled with seeing the same sights, at home, every day for months. Now’s the time for a change in scenery. Go visit a new place – somewhere you’ve always wanted to go, a recommendation from friends or an opportunity that takes you by surprise. Whatever the case, a fresh perspective is a necessity this year.

3. Use your vacation days

In 2019, 55% of Americans did not use their vacation time, leaving 768 million days of paid time off unused, according to the U.S. Travel Association. Don’t let your vacation days go unused, even if it means taking a “micro-cation,” defined as a trip that is only two to three days long. Plan your trip in advance to make the most of your vacation days, and plan as many frequent “micro-cations” as you need.

4. Eat and shop locally

Supporting local businesses and eating the local fare is key to understanding the charm of the places you are visiting. Whether you are chowing down on ribs in St. Louis or lobster in Boston, purchasing gifts like a surfboard in San Diego or a book in Portland, supporting the local economy is always a good idea.

5. Make your travel dream a reality

Stop waiting for your travel dreams to come true and take steps to make your dreams a reality. Do research and estimate how much it will cost for you to go to your dream destination and start creating a plan to make that dream a reality. With a global network of hotels in nearly 100 countries and territories, Best Western^® Hotels & Resorts is here to help make your travel dream a reality.