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by Joy Thrun
Getting the best return on any type of investment is foremost in most people’s minds these days. Just think about the adventures you could have had with just a small percentage of the money most of us lost in the market. I have been reminding anyone who will listen that taking a trip, no matter what the cost, is going to refresh, rejuvenate and educate you more than any other investment even in a bull market.
It is tough times; bad weather, bad economy, bad news---which makes it even more necessary to step away. There is nothing better for your mental and physical health than a change of scenery. Get out of town and get a new perspective on life and loved ones. You have the choice to look back on this with memories of stress and fear or you can remember it as the year you and your loved ones reconnected and made lifelong memories together. Heck, your money is not going anywhere in the market anyway and that $3,000-$10,000 you spend on a fabulous trip will not profoundly change your portfolio but I can assure you it will change your life and that change will last forever.
I know it works for me and having sold travel and owning a Travel Agency for over 30 years I have seen it work wonders for a lot of people. I have escorted over 100 groups worldwide and I have seen lives changed before my eyes. Couples reconnecting, families bonding, learning and experiencing things they have always dreamed of doing.
Last May my sweet husband convinced me to take a Holland America European Cruise with my parents- my Dad is 83 and my Mom is 77. The ship sailed from Barcelona to Nice, including stops in Florence, Rome, Naples and Palermo, Italy. The cruise was less than $800 per person plus airfare. I wish you could hear and see them when they talk about the trip; I get teary-eyed just thinking about it. It truly changed their lives and mine. You never know how much time you have in this world and the goal is ”no regrets”. If you think I am on a soap box, then so were the writers of the movie “Bucket List”. And yes, when people talk about everything they want to do in their lifetime, often, if not always, a travel adventure is high on the list.
Fortunately for our business, people are turning to us to help economize and get advice on stretching their travel dollars. Unless you are spending 60 hours a week researching travel, you cannot know as much as a great, experienced travel agent. The business has become so complex it has made professional travel consulting essential. We do not charge fees for booking cruises or vacation packages, and the public is now becoming aware of that. We find leisure and business travelers want to be connected now more than ever. Bill Gates books all of his travel with a travel agent- I think that proves my point.
I have never had anyone say to me “I wish I had never taken that trip”; even when things are less than perfect it sure beats the heck out of staying home.
Contact us for more information about this and other travel related news.
Phone: (517) 349-6200 ext:13, Toll Free: (800) 643-3449Classic Travel
(517) 349-6200
info@classictravelusa.com |
