Why do I get upset when plans change & how can I be okay with changing plans?

Over the last few years, most of us will have had plans changed, cancelled and postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. For some, it was family holidays and once-in-a-lifetime trips. For others, it might have been a wedding or birthday celebration abroad. Whatever the reason, when plans change, it can leave us feeling pretty upset and disappointed.

This year we’ve experienced a lot more ‘normality’, and life appears to be getting back on track. But, it’s important to remember that there will always be unpredictability. Illness, extreme weather conditions, and cancelled flights can all mess up our travel plans. And as much as we’d like to, none of us can control everything that happens around the plans we make, but we can have some control over how we deal with it.

Below we’ve shared some tips for coping when travel plans change unexpectedly and how we can support you.

Acknowledge how you feel when plans change

It's completely normal to experience feelings of anxiety, sadness, disappointment and even anger when travel plans are changed. After all, you've put time, effort and money into booking a hotel, flights and activities, so suddenly finding out they're not going ahead can be challenging to process. Allow yourself to feel however you feel, process it, and move forward.

Try not to dwell on the disappointment and focus on the positives

Disappointment, when plans change, is entirely natural - especially if the reason was out of your control. But try not to dwell on it for too long and focus on the positives of changing plans. For example, suppose you’ve had to postpone your holiday to a later date. In that case, a positive might be that the weather will be better, or you’ll have longer to save money for any activities.

There is a reason for the change

Depending on how you think and feel, you might find comfort in the saying, ‘everything happens for a reason.’ You never know; there might be a reason you weren’t supposed to go on holiday or be in a particular place at a specific time. Your plans changing might have meant you’ve avoided a bad situation or opened up the doors for something better to come along. It’s all about adjusting how you think to see the positives and opportunities of changing plans.

Get to work on Plan B

Once you’ve acknowledged how you feel about your plans changing and processed what is or isn’t going to happen, it’s time to start on plan B. Ask yourself, what can you do instead of your original plan, or how can you make things better for yourself?

If travel plans have changed, chances are Plans Change can help!

What to do if your travel plans change

If for some reason you can no longer travel, the first thing you need to do is decide whether you want to try and change your booking or get a refund. Then, contact the travel company you booked with to see if this is possible. In many cases, provided you’ve got a valid reason for not travelling and given plenty of notice, they are likely to help you.

However, this won’t always be the case. For example, if you have booked a non-refundable hotel room, you are unlikely to get your money back. You might be able to change your booking, but it’s doubtful the hotel will issue a refund because, as the name suggests, the booking is ‘non-refundable.’

If you find yourself in a position where your plans have changed, and you can’t get your money back on a non-refundable hotel room, the key is not to panic! Instead, list your non-refundable hotel room on PlansChange. We operate a marketplace for people like you to sell hotel rooms they can no longer use and get back some of their money.

How to get your money back on a non-refundable hotel room

If you have had to change your travel plans and want to list a hotel room on the Plans Change website, our top tip is to consider the price. Firstly, we ask that our sellers only list their hotel rooms at the price they have paid or less. After all, it’s not about making money but recovering your losses when plans change.

Secondly, you’d be wise to list your hotel room at a slightly lower price than you originally paid. Buyers are much more likely to snap up your offer if they see they’re getting it at a discounted price. The lower you price your hotel room, the more likely someone else will buy it.

Think about what you can do with the money you’ve recovered

Even if you’ve used Plans Change to sell a hotel room and get some of your money back, you’re still likely to feel upset that you’ve not been able to go on your trip. So, why not think about how you might spend the money you’ve recovered from selling your hotel room? Perhaps you can put it towards another holiday? Maybe we’ve even got a hotel that will interest you on our Resale Deals page, and you can help another seller whose plans have changed in return!

Find joy in future travel plans

We don’t know about you, but having a backup plan certainly makes us feel better. And thanks to our unique marketplace that connects sellers who can no longer use their hotel rooms with buyers looking for great hotel deals, you always have a backup when plans change. So, find joy in future plans. Take advantage of cheap non-refundable hotel room deals, knowing that if something goes wrong and you need a change of plan, you can recover some of your costs with PlansChange.

Feeling better about your travel plans changing? We hope so! But if you have any questions or require support with the Plans Change marketplace, feel free to contact us. Our friendly team will have that smile back on your face in no time!