Planning a vacation can be a challenge . Where are you going ? Who is coming on the trip ? How are you traveling ? Where are you staying ? These are just a few of the questions that come to mind , and there are many more questions that will need to be answered as well .
Answering questions ahead of time will lead to better planning , which ultimately will lead to a better experience on your next vacation , Heather D ’ Amico of D ’ Amico Travel said .
Creating a vision for a vacation has changed through the years , she said .
“ Back in the day , we were order takers . We didn ’ t even used to ask for a budget . Some time ago , our concept became ‘ There ’ s the right place for everyone and the wrong place too .’ Our job is to figure out what your vision is and match our expertise to it ,” D ’ Amico said .
D ’ Amico said her agents ask clients to tell her about their best vacation and their worst vacation .
“ We create custom solutions and multiple options for what you ’ re looking for ,” D ’ Amico said .
Taking a consultative approach through a conversation with vacationers , D ’ Amico ’ s agents ask other questions to help define what they want in their vacations .
“ Some people don ’ t know what they want — they know they want a beach and a tropical drink in their hand — but they don ’ t even know what questions to ask . We ask them where they want to fly from , what airports . Then we ask , ‘ Are your dates flexible ?’ What ’ s the earliest date you can leave and the earliest dates you can come home ? That gives us a window . That gives us the opportunity to find the best deal for air fare and the ability for hotel options ,” D ’ Amico said .
Other questions that should be answered , D ’ Amico said , include the following : Who is traveling with you ? ( Including all adults and children , with ages — some hotels consider children older than 13 adults .); What is the hopeful budget ? When do you plan on booking the trip — now or months from now ? If it is required for the trip , does everyone going have a passport ?
When planning your next vacation , part of creating the vision for the trip includes putting aspects of your trip or where you ’ re staying into the categories “ must-have ,” “ should-have ” and “ dealbreaker ” as you are speaking with your travel professional about the upcoming trip .
“ For some people , a waterpark or a lazy river is a must . For others , it ’ s a room with a private pool . Some people want to know the distance from the hotel to the theme park . It depends on what each different person wants ,” D ’ Amico said .
There are forms for clients of D ’ Amico Travel that help narrow down the
THE HAMMONTONIAN | APRIL 2022 | P . 17
Suggestions to plan your next vacation
by GABE DONIO
GETAWAY
YOUNG PALS LILY MENTO & DAVID D ’ AMICO IN ISLAMORADA , FLA .
VACATION DESIGNER HEATHER D ’ AMICO AT HYATT ZIVA IN CANCUN .
answers to these questions and more . The forms are available at their website : damicotravel . com . From there , D ’ Amico said she creates a custom proposal or sets up a phone call or Zoom meet to plan the perfect trip .
“ This helps us narrow down dozens of options so we can tailor a vacation to what you want . Too many options are overwhelming , and that ’ s why a lot of people come to us . Every request and every trip is unique ,” D ’ Amico said .