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LIFESTYLE
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
CONTINUED
MONIKA EVRARD Book yourself for a flexible and spontaneous vacation
GUT INSTINCT If you worry about individual and corporate responsibility, there are certain ways you can go about making sure you support the local economy. Staying at a resort, consuming solely provided goods and services doesn’t have harm the local economy. If all-inclusive is your choice, you can specify to your travel agent that you wish to stay in a hotel that has a fair and honest working relationship with the community and make sure your excursions are locally planned. In comparison, roaming along independently does foster more involvement with regional culture, especially if you stay at local hotels, B&Bs, and spend time eating February 2017
out and exploring your environment. The latter might not be as clean, as safe or guaranteed quality, but hell, it’s authentic and full of surprises. What it comes down to in the end is largely personality and preference. As Evrard puts it: “It depends on your attitude towards life in general.” If you enjoy being flexible, spontaneous and completely autonomous, then it’s a no-brainer: go solo! Combing through offers, possibilities and opportunities helps create a comprehensive understanding of and feel for your destination. It can also lead to you stumble across something you might never have considered. At the same time, endless choice and proliferating potential hotels, spots and events can make booking stressful, as the incessant fear of falling short of “the perfect plan” looms ever on. If, on the other hand, you want to remove yourself from all sense of responsibility and worry from the moment you leave your home, and have someone take care of you, then having someone do it for you is the way to go.
"IT DEPENDS ON YOUR ATTITUDE TOWARDS LIFE IN GENERAL."
WHICH WAY TO GO?
Delano asked three Luxembourg travel bloggers for their take. Jorge and Anabela Valente of diariesofmagazine.com: “All-inclusive is the ideal solution for those looking for comfort and rest. We try to immerse ourselves into the culture, try to meet the locals, eat what they eat, go where they go. We rarely do any booking beforehand, it provides a feeling of freedom.” Fabienne of luxembourgmeetstheworld.com: “All-inclusive can push you to stay in your resort because you don’t want to spend the money twice, but it’s perfect for families with children who just want to stay in one place and relax. À la carte is higher risk, but offers a lot more choice.” Anouk of letzflyaway.com: “With à la carte, you can sit on your couch at home, browse through the infinite offers available and choose what’s best for you, book or cancel your itinerary, add new plans all in the convenience of your home. All-inclusive trips cater mostly towards travellers with a certain budget, who want to know exactly what they get for their money and avoid unforeseen situations”.
Marion Dessard
“you will have someone to talk to at every stage of your travels.” This additional security can be especially reassuring if you plan longer, more complex trips. For each kind of travel, there are particular target audiences. All-inclusive arrangements are catered more towards seniors and families, according to several travellers Delano spoke with at Luxexpo’s Vakanz Fair in January. Travelling with children becomes more cost effective with all-inclusive deals, and even the more adventurous voyagers agreed that, the further the destination, the more likely they were to seek the help of a professional. However, these rigid categories blur as companies expand their services to appeal to more people. In this respect, Evrard highlights the agency’s ability to plan a North American road trip, while LuxairTours offers a variety of brochures incorporating varying types of experiences.