Ready to ring in the New Year 2012? Each year, my husband and I meet for coffee and set our goals for the year. Travel is always top of the list. You can set your intention to make travel a priority in 2012. Need a little inspiration on where to go? You can start by watching Hot Spots 2012 on the Travel Channel on New Years Day at 9:00 pm PST/12:00 AM ET to get a sneak peek at the newest, most exciting travel destinations for 2012. My friend and fellow blogger, Johnny Jet will be hosting this fun show sure to excite the adventurer in you! John DiScala (a.k.a. Johnny Jet) conquered his fear of flying and has built a career on traveling for a living and sharing his experiences with others. He travels around 150,000 miles and visits about 20 countries each year and shares his tips for travel in 2012.
Hip Travel Mama: It’s the New Year and people are planning their New Year’s Resolutions. How can we all make travel a priority in 2012?
Johnny Jet: I hate when people tell me they don’t travel because it’s too expensive as they sip their daily mocha Frappuccino. If you really want to travel, you can make it happen. One way to do this is to cut back on items you don’t really need and then find creative ways to save on a trip. There are plenty of ways to do this. Sign up to my free newsletter to learn how. I believe everyone should go to at least one new country a year, so if you are 40 years old hopefully, you’ve been to 40 countries.
Hip Travel Mama: What are some hip destinations travelers should add to their bucket list for 2012?
Johnny Jet: London for the Olympics. Belize for the end of the Maya Calendar. New Zealand because they filmed the movie The Hobbit there and the last time Peter Jackson filmed one of his epic features, tourism had a huge spike. If you want a once in a lifetime travel experience, buy a ticket on Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic and go up into space.
Hip Travel Mama: Airfare can eat up a large portion of our travel budget. What are some tips to find great deals on airfare in 2012?
Johnny Jet: Be flexible on dates, times and airports. Look into alternative airports to save money. I’m writing to you from South Florida, but instead of flying into Miami, price out Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach… In New York look at JFK, LGA, EWR, HPN. You can find alternative airports all around the world.
Hip Travel Mama: You travel to more than 20 countries a year. What are some destinations on your bucket list in 2012?
Johnny Jet: Actually, I only went to 18 in 2011, so I was kind of a slacker. But for 2012 I want to visit at least 5 new countries that I’ve never been to. At the top of my lists are: Egypt, Indonesia, Vietnam, Croatia, Cuba…
Hip Travel Mama readers, what Travel Hot Spots are on your list this year? Leave us a comment below and share the destinations on your list for 2012.
Here’s a link to all of the air times for the Travel Channel’s Hot Spots 2012 on your time zone. Congrats John on your Travel Channel spot – we’ll be tuning in to see the travel destinations on Hot Spots 2012 on New Year’s Day!