FEELING GLUM? PLAN A TRIP!

NEW RESEARCH TELLS US THAT PLANNING A VACATION INCREASES OUR HAPPINESS. WHAT IS YOUR DREAM VACATION? 

Basking in the tropical sun of a never ending sandy beach, cruising down the Danube, or dining on an exquisitely prepared meal in one of the world’s great cities? If happiness is important to you – (and who doesn’t want more happiness?) start planning your next vacation.

Researchers from The International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies questioned more than 1,500 Dutch speakers about their travel history and happiness levels. The results of their investigation was published in the journal Applied Research in Quality of Life. The study concluded that, compared to people who simply took time off from work, travelers experienced greater levels of happiness. In fact, the experiential quality of travelling led to greater and longer lasting happiness than buying new consumer goods. Vacations, it seems, are a good investment in overall mental health.

According to the report, travelers’ happiness quotient begins to rise with the planning and anticipation of the trip. If vacationers experience a very relaxing, stress free trip, their happiness levels are sustained during their vacation and last for weeks after returning home. Many travelers not only reported feeling more satisfied with life, but also related improvement in their quality of sleep during this post vacation period.

Longer trips do not necessarily lead to greater happiness than shorter ones. The key ingredient to vacation happiness, the researchers discovered, is relaxation. The interviewees who rated their trip as “very relaxing” on a scale ranging from “very stressful” to “very relaxing,” reported a higher degree of happiness. Of course, the activities that are relaxing for one sojourner might be less so for another. However, we all appear to agree that a “relaxing” trip is one where annoying details don’t overshadow our intentions or expectations.

Professor Joe Sirgy of Virginia Tech’s Pamplin College of Business studied the elements of vacation stress. Stress, he found, came from travellers’ concerns over health and safety as well as financial anxiety - the worry that they were spending more than they had budgeted or weren’t receiving good value from their investment. When transportation goes smoothly, when hotels deliver the services we expect, we tend to think of our trips as relaxing. Careful planning and reliable advice can help vacationers gain the most happiness from their travels.

Other studies revealed that people who travel often derive increasing levels of happiness as they travel more. Travel, even to exotic and far-flung locations, becomes comfortable with experience. We learn how to pack efficiently, think in foreign currency, or negotiate the subways in a strange city. We learn about our individual travel style and needs. Do you crave adventure and physical challenge or do you prefer to find the perfect resort where body pampering is the main attraction? Of course, if you’re travelling with a partner, you may need to find the perfect location that offers both. Frequent travellers can develop a relationship with travel experts who anticipate their needs and smooth the way for hassle-free travel.

A travel professional can increase the happiness quotient of your vacation by helping you with the kinds of details that can move a trip from “very stressful” to “very relaxing.” They have the expertise to:

Sort through the details and information during the planning stages of your trip

• Find the itinerary that meets your needs
• Locate hidden discounts
• Arrange for local tour guides and excursions

Why does travel make us happy? There are many theories. Some social scientists believe that humans have an intrinsic wanderlust, a holdover from our caveman days. While other researchers hold the opinion that travel raises our status within our peer group, and still others emphasize the revitalizing break from our everyday lives that travel provides. While travelling, we often experience greater creativity and feel in touch with our more authentic selves. A staycation doesn’t satisfy these basic human needs. It takes a real journey to get the most benefits from our vacations.

Unfortunately, the post travel high doesn’t last forever. We return to our real life of work, family and obligations. The solution is obvious. Start dreaming of that next trip.