If you are among those 36 percent of American workers who do not plan to spend their paid vacation leaves, then think twice. Employers are actually encouraging their workers to get vacations because they get more productive after having one. Getting an Indian vacation would surely be ideal, especially for a tourist who will be leaving the country for the first time.
The question is, how do you plan a vacation with a meager budget and at the same time, while in the midst of an economic recession. The key is in your planning. When preparing to go in a vacation, you should start planning early. This would give you enough time to research about affordable deals, accommodations and airfares. There are discounts that are offered, depends on the season and the location.
Airfare Discounts
The reason why a person saves on airfares, is to allocate the extra fund into other aspects of the trip. Extra funds would mean you will be able to add to the hotel reservations, activities, and food. There are different things to remember that would help you get the affordable flights going to India.
When planning for any vacation, research is very important to know the places that you would like to visit and things you would like to do on your vacation. Aside from making the vacation go smoothly, research would also help you look or stumble on really affordable airline tickets. There are different websites that you could check for affordable flight tickets.
Aside from research, it is important to be flexible with your departure and return dates. Airfares are less expensive during off-peak seasons, weekdays rather than weekends and red-eye flights. Red-eye flights refer to those flight schedules which would be leaving at around 12 midnight to 2 in the morning and are called as such because travellers would be flying with red, sleepy eyes.
If you have already planned or prepared for the vacation months ahead and you are already sure that it will be the final date, then book your flight early. Airfares tend to increase in prices as the departure date comes closer. But there are also some airlines that would give last-minute discounts.
Accommodations
What is good about India is that there are many places to visit. Alas, to little time! There are different hotels and resorts that you could chose from which can fit whatever kind of traveller you are, on a honeymoon, business, family or backpacking trip. There are different kinds of hotels that offer decent rooms and services for a low price.
Just like in airfares, research is the key. You could get an Indian travel guide or agent to book or look for affordable hotels. You just have to define which region in India you would staying in and they could choose or provide you with the appropriate hotel information. If you do not want to pay for travel agents, then you could book on your own through the internet. If you are also reserving a car, then check if the hotel you would like to stay in are giving discounts. Some hotels are giving discounts if you would be booking a hotel and a car together.
Aside from hotels, there are also apartments in India which you could rent for short and long term stays. You just have to make sure that you will be staying in a decent one. You could always check the reviews of a particular hotel, there are Indian travelogues and hotel columns which offer honest evaluation of hotels and apartments in India. You could always check the traveller or former customers feedback in different hotel websites about a particular hotel you would like to stay in.
Food and Others
There are hotels in India that would offer you special or buffet meals along with your reservation, so you could take advantage of that. There are also hotels that are adjacent to affordable restaurants. You can plan for your meal so that you will stay within your budget. If you plan to cook, then you should book a room with a kitchenette, but it will be more expensive. Some tourists would just opt for a refrigerator so they could store snacks and drinks.
You could also try saving or eating inexpensively for a meal so that you would be able to splurge on, perhaps, your evening meal. There are street restaurants which offer good food, just be cautious of the cleanliness of the place you will be eating in.
With car rentals, most hotels offer them. There are some tourists that actually survived without getting a car for their entire vacation. In India, there are different kinds of transportation like the train and the buses which you can take to get around town.
Overall, you could travel and have a wonderful time with you Indian vacation without spending too much. It is just a matter of planning and preparing for it.