Negativity can ruin a trip in a hurry.
Each of us is susceptible to having a bad attitude from time to time. But to have a successful group travel experience, it’s important to leave the negativity at home.
When you’re getting ready for a big trip, you spend the days before getting things done. You have to make sure your home and pets are taken care of, run errands, and of course, pack. And during the holidays, the to-do list is even longer. You can get trapped in the hustle and bustle of the season and forget that a successful trip requires time and space for mental preparation. As a result, it’s easy to forget to reflect on the upcoming trip or get in a positive mindset.
As you’re preparing for a trip, taking time to get in the right frame of mind is essential. When you’re traveling with a group, that’s even more important, as your attitude will impact the experience of your group. Here are some tips you and your customers can use to stay positive as you prepare for and embark on group adventures.
Anticipate Challenges
You and your travelers are probably looking forward to a wonderful experience on your upcoming trip. But you need to remember that things will go wrong and not everything operates perfectly to plan — especially in this post-pandemic era of labor shortages and supply chain breakdowns. While these problems are aggravating, it’s important to pause and recenter to a positive mindset.
If a problem arises, try to find the humor in it. If a flight is delayed, look for an opportunity to explore something you wouldn’t have otherwise been able to see. Having a creative mind or an optimistic traveling partner can help turn those negative moments into positive experiences.
Practice Patience
Travel planners, tour directors and guides always endeavor to help with issues and solve problems. But at the end of the day, there are some problems they can’t prepare for. Be patient with your tour directors, even if you do not see them working on the problems that arise. They most likely are working behind the scenes to handle them. Tour directors often have backup plans for common problems and will strive to do everything possible to get the trip back on track.
Start Each Day Afresh
While traveling, you generally wake up, prepare for your day and get going. But it’s worthwhile to take a few moments to forget any issues that may have gone wrong the day before and start the new day with a fresh mind. Your tour director is a great helper and will work hard to keep your trip on track. But even if something doesn’t work out, give them a fresh start each day. Depending on how many people you are traveling with, your tour director may be working on problems others are dealing with that you are unaware of. Give them a lot of grace, especially during the holidays.
Live in the Moment
Appreciate where you are and embrace your surroundings. We can each be guilty of not taking the time to truly appreciate the moment. You and your travelers have all have invested time, energy and money into your trip. So once you’re on the road, you need to do what it takes to make the most of it — rain or shine. Take a moment to pause and soak in your environment. Even in the midst of difficult circumstances, you owe it to yourself and your travel companions to find a positive outlook on the situation. The holiday season is a time when we all try to be a little more thankful. So, why not bring the thought of thankfulness on the road?
We all get excited about traveling, and we don’t want to carry the worries of home as unwanted baggage. But ironically, disruptions during travel can often create more negativity than similar situations at home. You have built up such high expectations for your travel experience, and you might expect your trip will be perfect. But don’t forget travel hiccups arise frequently. You can prepare yourself in advance by practicing a positive mindset. Appreciate the great experiences and the beauty of small moments.
No trip is without its problems, but every trip can be great if you leave negativity at home.
