Whether you’re a seasoned traveller or new to frequent holidays, making travel mistakes is often unavoidable. However, this shouldn’t stop you from going on adventures. Instead, a little preparation can go a long way, and you could well be experiencing your perfect vacation just by discovering some of these top travel mistakes to avoid.
Before moving forward, we’d like to note that this list can feel different for many travellers. After all, everyone has their preferred travel experience. What’s most important is that you have the vacation you believe is perfect.
Travel mistake 1: Overpacking and bringing along too many valuables
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One of the most common travel mistakes many travellers make is to overpack. And we get it – what if you need the 18 different outfits you’ve stuffed into your bag for your 5-day excursion? Well, we’d like to assure you that you won’t need it.
Instead, a better way to travel is to pack just right or include one or two extra pieces if necessary. By bringing along way less on your travels, you not only leave plenty of space for shopping, but you’ll get to explore your destination much easier. This can be extra helpful when making your way from the airport to your accommodation, especially if you’re visiting hotspots in Europe where cobblestone streets are a common feature.
If you need extra clothes during an extended stay, we recommend looking for pay-per-use laundry services instead. These are often available with hotels, and homestays may even offer a washer and dryer combo with your booking.
As a packing tip, you might consider keeping a change of clothes in your carry-on luggage. Doing this ensures you wouldn’t be caught without a change of clothes should your check-in bag arrive later in unforeseen accidents.
While we’re on this tip, it’s worth remembering to skip bringing valuables such as expensive jewellery and designer accessories when travelling. This not only gives you peace of mind while you’re exploring so you avoid being a target of crime or scams but allows you to blend in with the locals easier. So, the next time you’re looking to travel, maybe it’s best to leave the gold necklaces or diamond rings safely at home.
Travel mistake 2: Skipping out on travel insurance
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Just like the old saying “prevention is better than cure”, skipping out on travel insurance is another one of the important travel mistakes to avoid. While it may seem unnecessary at a glance, unwanted accidents or illnesses may happen when you least expect and the last thing you’ll want to experience is to be caught unaware while you’re abroad.
Beyond protecting yourself during your vacation, travel insurance is just as beneficial for your loved ones as bills can quickly rack up in case of accidents. It’s also helpful in situations where exchange rates are higher, allowing you better opportunities to get the help you might need.
What many travellers may not realize, however, is that travel insurance doesn’t just cover your health. These days, many policies also offer coverage on your personal belongings such as stolen phones or cash as well as luggage bags in hold baggage situations.
Should you have a travel policy taken while you’re on vacation, it’s recommended you study it properly to ensure you’re well-protected and can travel worry-free.
Travel mistake 3: Not making copies of your documents or taking photos of your belongings
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When travelling, the last thing you would want to experience is to misplace your passport or be caught without a copy should it be stolen. As such, we recommend making copies of your documents to carry with you when you’re out exploring a new city. Having photocopies means you can leave your original passport in your hotel or homestay, reducing the chances of misplacing it or having it accidentally stolen.
Alternatively, you may even consider taking pictures of it to keep in your phone should you need to whip it out quickly. This practice could also be extended to taking photos of your luggage just before sending it to check-in. Having pictures of your bags beforehand is useful in case of insurance disputes at the airport, as accidents may happen during transit.
Another great reason to keep a picture of your luggage in your phone is to help airport authorities and staff identify it should it go missing by accident. With thousands of bags coming through the conveyors at the airport, being able to immediately recognize your bag can help ease a lot of worries and is an easy travel mistake to avoid.
Travel mistake 4: Forgetting your Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) applications
Photo by Imagine this – you’ve gone through the stringent security process at the airport, you’ve flown for hours excitedly to your travel destination, and you suddenly realize you haven’t applied for an Electronic Travel Authority (ETA). Unfortunately, this could mean the end of your journey and has surprisingly become one of the top travel mistakes to avoid.
Although the ETA isn’t something new for many travel destinations, plenty of countries have only recently become a lot stricter with the implementation of this system. At Holiday Tours, we always want to ensure you have a smooth vacation from start to finish, which is why we’ve curated some of the most important visa updates and ETA requirements of 2025.
As you may imagine, applying for the ETA is something you should always have done earlier. Approvals are often almost immediate but can take up to weeks during peak travel seasons. These rules can also vary across different countries, which means you’ll want to be well-prepared for your vacation to avoid making this travel mistake.
Fortunately, ETA applications are typically affordable and last between 1 to 3 years depending on your destination. This is a simplified perk that allows frequent travellers to have peace of mind when heading out on a holiday, and we highly recommend you look into this before your vacation. If you’re curious whether your holiday destination requires an ETA, you can always reach out to our team who can help you understand the system better.
Travel mistake 5: Heading out on your vacation without researching first
Photo by Next on the list of the top travel mistakes to avoid is to go on your vacation without any pre-planning. Not to be mistaken as skipping out on spontaneous travelling, but heading out on your vacation without researching your destination could make your vacation less enjoyable.
For example, many popular attractions often require time slot bookings for you to enter or have tickets sold out months before. Famed restaurants have also adopted reservation systems and you may be disappointed if you tried to go without.
Researching well before your vacation allows you to list some of the must-visit places and weed out the less fun spots. By planning ahead, you’ll avoid travel mistakes like creating an overambitious itinerary that could leave you more tired than excited to explore a new country. Putting in research time also helps you put certain destinations that are surprisingly close to each other into a single day, saving you travel time and money.
If you’d prefer a hassle-free vacation without the research headache, why not leave the planning to our holiday advisors? At Holiday Tours, we offer a range of holiday packages that fit every travel style and curiosity. From on-ground tours to cruises and more, our team is always happy to help make your dream vacation a reality. Bespoke travel packages can also be tailored to your liking, so you can travel just the way you want with Holiday Tours.
Travel mistake 6: Staying on the beaten path instead of stepping out OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE
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Do you tend to stick around tourist areas only when you’re travelling? Then, you might be missing out on the local gems waiting to be uncovered. This is a common travel mistake among many, as it’s easy to get comfortable where other tourists are. Of course, we understand how you would want to get the popular attractions checked when building your travel itinerary, but this doesn’t mean you should stay on the beaten path through your entire holiday.
While many holiday destinations are also making accommodations to break language barriers, the excitement of heading out to areas where the local language is more commonly spoken will better immerse you in the culture of the country. In fact, these hidden spots are often where you’ll get the best eats and see the most beautiful buildings that are untouched by busloads of tourists, giving you more bang for your buck when travelling.
So, the next time you’re out travelling, we definitely recommend exploring outside your comfort zone. This allows you to broaden your horizons for a more fulfilling experience, and you never know if you might find your next favourite restaurant or shopping spot.
Travel mistake 7: Not staying alert of your surroundings AND THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU
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As frequent travellers ourselves, the excitement of exploring a new country can often cloud the best of our judgement and stop us from staying alert to our surroundings. It’s a common travel mistake even for the most seasoned holidaymakers and yet it stands on our list of travel mistakes to avoid.
This is why it’s important to stay informed of common scam tactics that are usually performed in high-traffic areas. For instance, scammers may present you with trinkets or flowers claiming that it’s a gift. However, you’ll then be asked to donate to them in kind. Unfortunately, they also won’t leave you alone even if you try to return the gift. Some of these tactics are done in group syndicates, making it difficult for you to wiggle away.
In these cases, we often recommend that you never stop for strangers approaching you with supposed souvenirs. Ignoring them is the best way to avoid falling victim to these syndicates, and staying alert to your surroundings can help you plan your escape better.
Separately, we’d also suggest investing in phone straps so you can keep your device closer to you to avoid having it stolen. Keeping your bags in front instead of the back can help deter you from becoming a victim of pickpockets and offer you peace of mind while travelling.
Thankfully, it’s not all bad when it comes to keeping yourself safe during travels. Very often, you’ll come across holidaymakers or even locals who are always happy to assist you as you’re on the road. Kind gestures such as reminding you to close your bags or helping you navigate the streets of a new country are still popular in plenty of destinations, so you shouldn’t feel disheartened when exploring your bucket list spots.
Travel mistake 8: Letting these travel mistakes dampen your perfect vacation
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Finally – and perhaps most importantly, you’ll want to avoid letting these travel mistakes dampen your perfect vacation. While we have to admit that encountering minor inconveniences or bumping into accidents during a holiday isn’t the most fun, we’d always recommend looking at the bright side. After all, it’s the little things that can add up to making your adventure even more exciting.
It’s good to note that not all escapades have to be picture-perfect and that everyone can have a different definition of the perfect vacation. As such, you shouldn’t let any travel mistakes determine how your holiday went and still enjoy it. By moving forward rather than getting hung up on the travel mistakes you should have avoided, you could set yourself up for a more positive mindset and possibly even laugh at them someday.
At the end of the day, you’ll want to remember that you’ve worked hard for your well-deserved vacation, and the key is to make the best memories with what you have.
With school holidays and summer vacation season coming up, we believe there’s no better time than now to explore a variety of adventures worldwide. For holidaymakers who are hungry to dip their toes into the ocean, Contiki’s Thai Island Hopper West will give you the best sun, sea, and sand vacation across 5 days and 4 nights.
Alternatively, why not consider a longer escapade as you walk through the gorgeous streets of Europe? Spanning across Germany, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Austria, Trafalgar’s 10-day, 9-night Imperial Europe tour makes for a perfect vacation that’s hard to beat.
If you’d prefer a more bespoke experience, don’t hesitate to reach out to our holiday advisors at Holiday Tours.