Here’s How You Can Maximize Your “Pre-Trip Happiness”

Soniya Ahuja
2 min readMar 24, 2018

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Did you know that just planning or anticipating a trip can make you happier than actually going on it? According to a 2010 study, published in the journal Applied Research in Quality of Life, the happiest part of the vacation is not necessarily the moment when you set foot in your destination, but much before than that.

People in India are travelling and booking flight tickets online to achieve such happiness. In fact, people are spending money on experiences that are likely to give them lifelong memories, and those that are more likely to bring them lasting happiness than spending money on material objects, says a study by Cornell University.

Understanding Pre-Trip Happiness

Have you realized how just thinking about a trip can create a whole lot of excitement? Maybe that is why 70% Americans love to plan vacations during their work hours. The pre-trip happiness gives them temporary relief from the highly stressful work environment. This is what a Travel Secrets Survey had to say, while adding that most of these people are also stressed that they are unable to take a vacation even after so much of planning.

Many studies have found that during the planning stages of a trip, vacationers experience a significant boost in happiness. They look forward to the good times that are waiting for them. Such assurance is what brings them happiness and excitement.

How happy you feel after a trip largely depends of how it went, which can be anywhere from relaxing to neutral and even stressful, but you can always get maximum pre-trip happiness.

Tips to Maximize the Pre-Trip Happiness

  1. Share Your Travel Plans with Friends: Sharing your happiness with others definitely doubles it. And if your friends have been to the same place, they can give you some valuable suggestions and tips to further increase your fun. You can also brag about your travel plans on social media and make others jealous!
  2. Take Frequent Trips: The most obvious way to maximize pre-trip happiness is to give yourself more opportunities to travel. Instead of taking a single, albeit longer, vacation per year, plan for shorter yet more frequent trips. This will give you a mini or even micro break from your mundane life.
  3. Make Bookings Online: Isn’t it fascinating when you can get things done with just a click of a button, without needing to make any effort? So, use this magical power to book domestic flight tickets online, along with hotels and even adventure activities, and see your happiness quotient shoot up.

So, all set to get that glow on your face? Start planning a trip now!

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