11 Ways to Meet Your 2018 Travel Goals

By Caleb Olorunmaiye

It’s the beginning of a new year, and while we may be making resolutions on new habits we want to acquire and others we want to drop, some of our dreams such as travelling are still very much achievable. To bring your fantasy of wanderlust to reality, what exactly do you have to do you may ask?

To give you an idea on how you could get this done, I have put together some ideas that I am certain could work if put to practice. Don’t just read this, start parking and start exploring right away.

Pick a place
Sometimes the problem is we are waiting to be rich enough to travel to the most exotic places all at once, or we have this fantasy of round the world trips all at once. In reality it doesn’t really work that way. Just pick a place, a state you have never been to. Or a nearby country within the continent you have never been to. Start with the ones your country shares a border with. Once you have your mind set on where you want to go that is close and affordable, you are one step closer to meeting your 2018 travel goals.

Get a travel Buddy
Traveling solo has its perks. But for a first time adventurer, you might want to have someone to tag along with. This move has safety and economic advantages. You get to split the bills with someone as well as have someone look out for you as well on your adventure. A travel buddy also makes the trip twice the fun.

Research your destination
It is important for you to research your destination as the first part of planning your trip. Know what transportation options are available, know what the weather is like. Find out what the currency is and where to change if going outside the country. Know about points of interests that deserve a visit.

Use Social Media to find new friends in your destination
As part of researching your destination, you could also use Social Media to look out for friends who are in your destination. Looking forward to meeting new people in your destination can be a motivation for traveling. Be careful though and make sure that these aren’t new persons you are only beginning to talk to, the older and more verified these people are the better. Also, do not meet them alone. Ever. Public places serve a good meeting point for meet ups

Cheap Hotels
Some of the heaviest cost for travelers are incurred on hotels and accommodation. Skip this barrier by searching for cheap hotels in Abuja, cheap hotels in Lagos, cheap hotels in Kaduna or wherever your destination is. As expensive as some of these cities could be, there are really decent hotels for the budget travel with top services that would give you a comfortable stay. Use the filter on the hotel booking portal to select cheapest first. You would be amazed by the results you would find.

Packages
Hotel booking portals like Jumia Travel have designed and created Nigeria Vacation Packages for different purposes that you can take advantage of. From Easter Family Holiday Packages to Couples Retreat, Resort Packages to Honeymoon Packages, from Weekend Getaways to Safari Packages. There is something you can take advantage of. Simply book, pack your bags and hop on your flight. Travel in 2018 can be amazing. I am excited by all the prospects.

Discounts, Vouchers, Promos
Look out for hotel and flight promos, hotels discounts codes and vouchers. This would help reduce cost and get you great deals on luxury services you may otherwise not have been able to afford. Jumia Travel is currently offering Anniversary discounts so you might want to take advantage of that.

Travel off Peak Period
Peak period in Nigeria for travel is the 2^nd week of December through the 1^st week of January, the weekend of Easter, between July and September, as well as, every other weekend all year round really. To avoid the hike in prices on bus tickets, flight tickets, hotel rooms and food, its best to travel during the periods out of the window listed above.

Travel Light
One of the biggest deterrents for many on making the trip they have always wanted to make is that they do not know how to travel light. And when faced with packing for a trip and not going at all, they would rather not go. If you want to achieve your 2018 travel goals, learn to travel light. Have a small bag that is a dedicated travel bag and endeavor not to pack anything beyond that and a small handbag for personal effects. He who travels light, travels far. Some wise person said that.

Collaborate
Another way to achieve your travel goals is to collaborate with individuals and corporate bodies. Have an idea, look for people who are willing to work on it with you. From photographers to writers to environmentalists and NGO’s if there is something you can offer to these people on your trip, they would be no doubt willing to work with you and offset some of your bills as long as you are bringing something of value to them in return.

Travel with Expedition and Tour Groups
There is a lot of travel and tourism small businesses organizing trips for Nigerians and foreigners within and outside the country. These groups visit some of the exotic tourist locations in Nigeria and around Africa from time to time. Among them are Social Prefect, The Village Pot Adventures, The DARE Experience, Naija Nomads, Unravelling Nigeria, Globe Jaunters and a couple of others. Trips are planned all year round for exciting places like Bauchi and its amazing Forest Reserve and natural green landscape, Kajuru Castle in Kaduna, Obudu Moutain Resort in Calabar, the ancient Olumo Rock, The epic Erin Ijesha Waterfall and so many similar places around the country. Going with a group helps you past the barrier of having to plan the trip and take care of the finer details of your adventure.