A lot to love ABOUT TRAVEL

Building the anticipation

That tingle of excitement you get when you book a holiday, the countdown to departure day, the planning – Where to stay? What to do? Where to eat? Clothes to pack? – or lack thereof… The anticipation of future travel makes you feel good. Really good, in fact, with research showing that the mere prospect of an upcoming journey is actually the happiest part of travel for many.

We’re not discounting the joy of jetting off somewhere in first class, meeting new people, discovering foreign foods and having wild adventures. There’s a lot to love about all these things as well. But the build-up to your trip can bring just as much excitement, according to social scientists, who say we get an extra boost of happiness if we consciously delay any type of pleasure, whether that’s eating a square of chocolate tomorrow, rather than today – or booking an African safari for next month.

Of course, we don’t need psychologists to tell us this – just listen to our industry colleagues. “I love that anticipation that comes from planning, dreaming and researching my next big