A Perfect Vacation? According to New Book it's Possible. Just Stick to the Vacation Rules.

SAN FRANCISCO, March 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- A new e-book is urging its readers to take time out for reflection before locking in their vacation plans. Vacation Rules proposes 36 rules designed to help its readers achieve a perfect vacation, and suggests that vacationers clarify the issues that will make their trip a success before they zero in on specific destinations or types of vacation.

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"It's easy to get caught up in the excitement of the vacation research and booking process," said co-author Rod Cuthbert, an online travel industry veteran. "People enjoy the process of searching for destinations, looking for deals, planning activities and booking everything online. But without defining exactly what their goals are and the benefits they want their vacation to deliver, they risk spending a lot of time and money on an experience that ends up being good, but not great. That's a common outcome, and one that's easy to avoid."

"A trip that looks good on paper may not deliver any well-being benefits," according to co-author Dr. Sebastian Filep, a researcher with a focus on vacation happiness. "A classic mistake is attempting to maximize value for money by planning trips that have too many components. Perhaps you're planning a trip to Italy, three cities in ten days, and you realize it will cost only a little extra to add Venice and Milan. Constantly hopping from one destination to the next is generally not a good idea. A better approach is to plan simpler itineraries. Less complexity means more time to understand and experience the things that make each place unique. By doing and seeing less, you can do more to improve your health and well-being."

The book's first rule is the most important, and also the briefest:

Vacation more, live longer.
Failing to vacation regularly can be a contributing factor to early death: research proves it beyond doubt. Your risk of dying from heart disease -- in fact, your risk of dying from any cause -- is significantly reduced by taking regular vacations.

Other rules offer advice on when to use guidebooks and when to put them away, the importance of having the autonomy to make your own vacation decisions, remaining optimistic when things go wrong, and keeping a balance between schedules and serendipity. Vacation Rules is based on the PERMA model of positive psychology, and draws directly on research into leisure travel and its effect on well-being, health, relationships and work performance.

Available as an e-book from major online bookstores, Vacation Rules is priced at $4.99. More information is available at www.vacation-rules.com.

About the Authors

Rod Cuthbert is founder and chairman emeritus of Viator, the leading online seller of vacation activities, tours, and sightseeing, and CEO of Rome2rio, an online travel company specializing in door-to-door transport search. He has been in the travel industry since 1995 and is a frequent speaker at industry events and an advisor to a number of online travel companies. He is a native of Tasmania who divides his time between San Francisco and Melbourne. 

Dr. Sebastian Filep, PhD, is a tourist behavior researcher with an interest in research on happiness. He is a lead editor of Tourist Experience and Fulfilment: Insights from Positive Psychology and a co-author of Tourists, Tourism and the Good Life, both published by Routledge. Dr. Filep is an Assistant Professor at the University of Otago, New Zealand, and Honorary Research Fellow at Victoria University in Melbourne, Australia. He lives in Dunedin, New Zealand.

Media Contact
Rod Cuthbert:
[email protected]
Tel. +1-415-484-2839 / +61-414-955-009

Review Copies
Request review copies from Maryam Taheri: [email protected]
State Kindle, iPad or other device preference.

SOURCE VR PUBLISHING