In recent years, exploring family history and people’s heritage has become a trend that travel agencies and genealogical experts are taking advantage of. The term coined for these endeavors is referred to as “Genealogical Tourism.” Many people, particularly seniors, are planning trips specifically to visit the places they were born or where their ancestors were born. Due to the growing number of individuals taking these tours, many European countries have utilized genealogical experts in their hotels and lodging to assist guests that are searching for their heritage.
Previously, vacations and traveling were mostly about getting a break from normal life. Now however, this new trend of trip planning to search out ancestry is providing more enriching travel opportunities.
When tracing your family tree there are some obvious resources you can utilize such as simply asking your family members for information and rummaging through old family documents. There are however other great resources available to speed up this task. Some include:
If you’re thinking about planning one of these genealogical tours, follows some of these basic tips:
- First and foremost, research well. It’s important that you keep organized notes as you gather information. The better the notes, the more valuable the trip. You also want to research the cities and map out where you want to go and then check to see if those locations are holding any sort of interesting events around the time of your visit.
- Secondly, think about who you would like to travel with. Though it is largely up to personal preference, generally speaking it is more fun and safe with a greater number of people. If family and friends aren’t a good option for you, there are many group tours available to consider.
- Third, hire the right travel company that specializes in genealogical trips for seniors. Be very detailed and transparent about what your expectations and desires are so that they know what sort of plan fits you best.
- Lastly, be aware that as a senior you need to be very prepared for a safe trip. Make sure you have enough medicine to last you the entire trip, plus extra. A safe amount to bring would be the amount needed for the length of your trip plus seven extra days. Carry around the name and number of an emergency contact as well as a list of you health conditions and medications you use.
Now it’s time to enjoy your trip, learn more about your family roots and experience a vacation you will never forget!
