Ying Ying Answers What It Takes To Be A Travel Planner.

Having done numerous travel planning for more than two decades, Ying Ying shares on why one should consider engaging travel planners and what keeps her going.

24 Mar 2021

'The stars at night are big and bright

Deep in the heart of Texas'

What Makes You Tick?

Photos 'talk' to me, giving me a 'wave' that tells me I should visit. I am very visual, and I like flipping through magazines, yes, paper, and when I stop flipping, it means there is something there which attracts me. Well, I do follow certain online travel related sites and clicks on to read when the headlines or photos get my attention.

And definitely when I read my friends or followers' comments on how unique or beautiful my travel spots are, this is what makes me tick.

Tell Me About A Typical Trip Planning.

I always have in mind countries to visit. I usually start my travel research 6 months prior. You will see me in the library browsing through travel guides and magazines to get ideas. Once I have decided on the destination, I will then go through travel itineraries to see how others have planned the trips. I will always get new ideas through all these research.

I will list down the must-see places, photos included so I can be reminded of why I want to visit those places. It can range from popular must-see attractions like the French Quarter in New Orleans to obscure yet unique locations like Prada in the desert town of Marfa. I do the same sequence for accommodation and restaurants.

I am very into the built environment, so where there are interesting architecture, I will make it a point to include it in my itinerary. And if it is a place with shopping, I also make it a point to include time for that.

Wow! how long does it take you to finish a trip planning?

Yes, now you get the intensity of my travel research. I have to repeat at least the same sequence of research not only for the places to visit, but also accommodation and restaurants. This means if I am travelling to six cities, I would have to browse through various accommodation from mass hotel chains, boutique hotels to Airbnb six times! Ditto that for restaurants, not forgetting there are three meals a day.

I still have to be able to read the map and public transport networks to do up a detailed daily itinerary. This involves planning the daily itinerary to make sure that time is not wasted on travelling to and fro, and covering places which I want to visit by proximity.

All these easily take up to two months of intensive work.

What are some of the challenges you face?

Too many places, too little time. You can give me a whole week in Taipei, even if I have visited it countless times, I can still find you places you never thought existed in Taipei. This is my challenge for everywhere I visit. Yes, the sky is the same blue wherever you are, but the emotions evoked during a trip, just a simple change of season, makes a world of difference.

Geography and science were my least favourite subjects in school. The irony is I have to at least have some geographical sense now to do a trip planning. See the handwritten scribbles on the Texas and New Orleans map, it takes a lot of time and research to decide on how I cover this Southern stretch of USA.

People who think travel planning is easy. Many assume they can duplicate travel itineraries and therefore, they do not feel a need to have to pay for travel itineraries. It is all well and good if they have the time. But they forget that to be able that create that unique trip requires years of research and experience.

Finally, why should travellers pick you to plan for their trips?

I have had good reviews on my travel itineraries. I engage my clients either face to face or verbally to understand the purpose of their travel. Many assume one itinerary works for the whole family. It is not the case. I will need to take into account the different age groups, gender and understand the different and common interests, accommodate for different needs to develop a family trip itinerary.

I am very well travelled and I am the one who creates my own itinerary. Therefore, I have first hand knowledge of the places I recommend to my clients. I am effectively bilingual in English and Chinese. This puts me in a good stead as I am able to browse through additional materials, especially from Taiwan, as I think they have pretty good articles, guides, magazines which provide a different slant from the English guides.

I am good with both scenic and city type of itineraries. I have a very keen interest in architecture which gives an added edge to the type of places to visit. You can read more about here. I have an acute sense of the travel experience one desires, including accommodation, as you can see that I have travelled and lived in a caravan in California and experienced staying in a Mongolian yurt in the heart of Texas. Not forgetting what most people love, food, which is my forte as well.

I would like to recommend this article from Condé Nast Traveler magazine which puts into perspective why it is now even more important to consider engaging travel specialist for your travel https://www.cntraveler.com/story/why-using-a-travel-specialist-is-more-important-than-ever .

Having a passion for what you do is very important in sustainability. Not everyone likes to do research or planning to such a deep extent. Different strokes for different folks. Do reach out to Ying Ying should you require her advice on travel planning.

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