Now that you have finally bid goodbye to your worklife, you have all the available time at your disposal to satiate your travel bug. But before you set sail on your wanderlust, here are a few things you should keep in mind
If you are among those who have recently retired and want to relax, travel could be your best medicine. It is usually during this phase of your life that you have enough time—if your children are on their own, and you no longer have to work. If you are healthy enough to travel and have a fair amount of money, you may just want to pack your bags and travel.
However, this is also the phase when you need to plan your travel more meticulously than you did in your younger days, because of the age factor and other requirements, no matter whether you are travelling solo, as a couple or in a group.
Here are five questions you could ask yourself before planning your holiday, and we will help you with the answers to ensure your travel plan is flawless and you have a memorable experience.
Where Should I Travel?
The key to deciding the destination is to not necessarily get affected by your emotions and long-nurtured dreams, but by assessing practical factors.
First, check if you are in good health. For example, if you have breathing problem or knee issues, then the mountains may not be right for you. Similarly, if you travel to remote places across different time zones and are on medication, you will have to be mindful. Consult your doctor, carry enough medicine and a prescription in case your stay gets extended. Also check if a proper medical care facility is available that you can access during an emergency.
Says Jasmeet Singh, senior vice president, holidays & experiences, MakeMyTrip: “Senior travellers should prioritise comfort and accessibility when planning their trips. They should opt for destinations that offer senior-friendly amenities and ask for details, such as accessible local healthcare services, pharmacies, and accommodations with elevators and accessible bathrooms. If dietary restrictions are critical, they should opt for hotels that can fulfil their requirements, or choose hotels with such suitable restaurants nearby. Packing light, and a well-paced itinerary are essential to ensure a comfortable experience abroad.”
Once you have clarity about your health, the second aspect to check is the activities you want to undertake and assess if you can do them. So, if you want to go hiking or take a food or sightseeing tour, your travel itinerary and location will likely differ. At the same time, the destinations that are difficult to reach, involves long treks, drives or train travel may not be suitable for some of you. So, consider the mode of transport, the travel time, and your physical condition.
How TO Manage The Budget?
Once you have a list of the places, you would need to check if you can afford to travel there. When you have just retired, the corpus may seem huge, but you will have to assess how much you can allocate towards travel. The calculations can swing the balance either way—maybe you will be able to afford a Europe tour instead of just one destination or you may need to drop the idea of going to Switzerland and settle for similar places in Uttarakhand or Himachal Pradesh.
Even if your retirement corpus allows you to spend on travel, consider things like future travel plans you may have in mind to calculate how much you can spend on one trip. For this, make a budget for the two-three destinations you have narrowed down. Says Kiran Telang, a Securities and Exchange Board of India registered investment advisor (Sebi-RIA) and author, “One can have an annual allocation in the overall expenses towards travel. This allocation would depend on the kind of travel you would like to undertake, such as domestic versus foreign, budget versus luxury, travelling once or twice a year, or more. There can be a wide variation in the funds required for various combinations. You should also keep in mind whether you need to have a source of income or you have investments that you can
dip into.”
If you are travelling to an international destination, check the cost of visa, flights, stay, food, local sightseeing and other daily expenses, which may differ widely.
Travellers visiting Southeast Asia, Europe, and the US can expect varying daily expenses. For instance, the cost of flights, accommodation, food, transportation, and activities would be around Rs 50,000-80,000 per person for a 5-7 day trip in Southeast Asia, about Rs 1.5-2 lakh per person for a 7-9 day trip in Europe and Rs 2-2.5 lakh per person for an 8-10 day trip in the US, according to Singh.
“These are rough estimates, and costs will vary based on location, travel season, experiences sought and spending habit. Visa cost for Southeast Asia is Rs 3,000-5,000; for Europe, it is Rs 7,000, with additional costs for specific countries; and for the US, it is around Rs 20,000, with additional reciprocity fees based on nationality,” he says.
He adds that as the Schengen visa allows entry into 26 European countries, it makes sense to plan a longer trip when going to Europe.
Air ticket costs are a big part of travel expenses. So, ideally, look for deals before buying one. Senior citizens can take the help of their children, relatives and younger friends to find the best possible deal.
Says Sumitra Senapaty, founder of Women on Wanderlust (WOW) Club, a leading tour operator: “Choose reliable airlines that help with cancellation and delays, and select them in advance. Premium economy seats or business class for long flights are good for them.”
Singh adds, “Ticket prices vary with season, how much they are booked in advance, and airline preferences.”
Most countries in Southeast Asia are cheaper to travel to than the West. So, if you are on a low budget, one of the Asian countries can be an option. You will also need to budget for each activity you plan to do in that country, like if you go for food or sightseeing tour, participate in adventure sports, and so on. Reputed travel sites and agents will give you this information.
You can also carry an international debit or credit card. But remember, you may have to pay more in transaction fees. Frequent ATM withdrawals can be expensive. So, make larger withdrawals at a time to minimise the transaction cost. Says Senapaty: “Debit and credit cards have steep bank charges. It’s best to carry currency in small amounts. For safety, carry most of currency in travel cards.” Also, avoid exchanging money at airports, as it can cost you more. Instead, exchange them at reputable money exchangers in the city where you are more likely to get better rates.
Adds Singh, “A multi-currency travel card will allow you to pre-load cash for use across countries. Alternatively, you can use debit cards with fee-free ATM withdrawals. These offer the cheapest currency exchange rates. Typically, keep credit cards only for use in emergencies as they come with high foreign transaction and cash advance fees. Also avoid airport exchanges and tourist kiosks, as they provide unfavourable exchange rates and charge higher fees.”
How Should I Travel?
As a senior citizen, you may prefer to travel in groups to ensure security and to avoid loneliness, but it may cost more than if you travel on your own.
Says Senapaty: “DIY travel planning is cheaper because you escape paying goods and services tax (GST), tax collected at source (TCS), and other taxes. The second advantage is that you don’t pay upfront for hotels and can cancel them without penalty.”
The disadvantages could be that “you do not know the hotels or the finer details that distinguish a good holiday from a mediocre one. The guide is also unknown; reliability is also questionable, and you may end up overpaying for transport,” adds Senapaty.
So, if you are on a budget, you must thoroughly research the places you want to visit to. However, you might still need a guide for certain experiences.
To make the most of your visit, you should know about the country’s unique tours and the transportation available. Some countries have excellent public transport, while some don’t. So, one should take these aspects into consideration as well. Also, some tours can give you unique perspectives about the country, so make sure you don’t miss out on such opportunities when planning your trip. For instance, you can take unique food and sightseeing tours in Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia. But as such tours can be relatively expensive, so do your research and check the customer reviews to ensure a memorable experience and save time on research at the last moment.
Also, if you are eyeing an international destination, remember to apply for your visa in time. In many Asian countries, you can get a visa upon arrival. However, getting a visa for Europe, the US, Australia, and some other countries, can be time-taking. So, visit the websites of the respective embassies to learn about their visa rules.
Says Senapaty, “Set aside a month for the visa. These days, up to 20 per cent of Indian visas to Europe and the US are getting rejected. At times, it could take up to a year to get a visa. So, travelling to countries with e-visas is safer.”
Also, research the local weather before you plan your trip, and pack accordingly. You must try to travel light. Remember that in some countries, you may have to walk quite a distance from your hotel to take public transport or a taxi, as they may be barred from entering the city centres and busy markets.
Where Should I Stay?
When booking a hotel, research the neighbourhood within the city to find the best spot for your stay—whether the area is well-lit, has senior-friendly amenities, has security, and so on. Consider that it might make more sense to pay a little more and stay near the city centre rather than staying in a cheaper hotel on the outskirts, and spending more money commuting while visiting the places.
You may also consider cheaper accommodation within the city if you are not spending too much time in your hotel room. However, do go through customer reviews before settling for one. If you are travelling to a remote place, communicate directly with the hotel. Many websites allow you to pay after reaching your destination. It will help you avoid charges if plans change later.
Look for facilities like WiFi and Internet, and see whether the hotel offers complimentary breakfast, water, and other facilities.
What To Do In Emergencies?
Having a travel insurance coverage while on the move is always a wise choice, even if you are healthy and physically fit, or, there is even the remotest risk of theft or damage to your belongings. Travel insurance is mandatory in certain countries. Though most airlines have tie-ups with insurers, make sure to find out if the coverage is exhaustive.
Says Telang, “Travel insurance has many covers, but the most critical of those is the medical cover. Ensure that this is of a good value, as medical treatment costs can be very high abroad. Other covers would be accidental death and dismemberment, medical evacuation, repatriation of remains, baggage delay, loss of baggage, flight delay, loss of passport, and others. A comprehensive cover is better as it covers most of these risks and makes for tension-free travel.”
Next, you will need a buffer fund to last at least 10 days more than you originally planned for, to cover for emergencies. Telang adds: “It is easy to access your bank account in India with your international debit cards. That can help in an emergency. You can also use the extra limit on your credit cards in an emergency. If you are travelling with a forex card that can be loaded while you are abroad, that can be another option if you have kept sufficient money in your account.”
Planning a trip on your own, especially an overseas one, for the first time can be daunting, but if you keep these points in mind, you can hope to have a holistic experience.
sanjeeb@outlookindia.com