An itinerary is a planned route of a tour or the proposed outline of a trip or journey. Itineraries can include information on flights, hotels, restaurants, a list of places to visit, activities, and/or a plan of travel.

When a client asks for an itinerary, they usually want help narrowing down their choices of what to do on a trip. It may be as specific as creating an exact timeline to follow, providing hotels that they can choose from, or creating a list of unique activities available in the area, among others.

Minimum Requirements

• Provide one itinerary per request.
• Provide a minimum of one image per 3-hour request. If possible, add an image for each concept discussed.
• Use the client request to guide you in providing a minimum of FOUR of the following:
  • 4-5 restaurants suitable for any request the client has. It might be dinner, lunch, a seafood restaurant, etc.
    • For each one, provide the name, a link to the restaurant, a very brief overview of pricing (review websites will tell you this, the address, and hours of operation
  • Tours, Concerts, or Sightseeing Opportunities (This can be three separate sections)
    • For each one, provide the name, a link to the tour, pricing, hours of operation, a link to reservation (if available), and a brief overview
  • Popular Shopping districts
    • For each one, provide the name, brief description, hours of operation, and link to the shopping district with more information.
  • 4-5 Hotels in the area
    • For each one, provide the name, brief description, pricing, customer rating, and a link to reserve

Locating Information for an Itinerary

• Always start with a direct search using keywords and search strings. If you cannot find information through a general search, use more specific search strings, Boolean, and X-ray searches, as well as filters to pull relevant results.

  <aside> 🧠 Note: Search strings and advanced search methods e.g., X-ray and Boolean search are tools, not strategies. Do not mention these in your research reports. Instead, mention the publishers of the resources, reports, and databases consulted (e.g., International Data Group (IDG)).

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• Use reputable sources such as U.S. News and World Report Travel, Trip Advisor, Travel and Leisure, Lonely Planet, hotel websites, and government city guides.

• Blogs and other sources that are based on personal experience are considered less credible but can be used if the client is looking for reviews and personal experiences.

Findings

• Itinerary projects typically focus on one or two aspects of the trip, such as hotels, restaurants, or activities. Carefully read the Research Criteria to understand which aspect of travel the itinerary focuses on.
• Note if the Research Criteria specify the number of items required, e.g., 3-5 restaurants and 3-5 hotels, and include information accordingly.
• Make sure to include items that meet the client’s specific requirements, if any. For example, if the client wants hotels in Sydney that are available on certain dates, have a spa, and cost less than $250 per night, make sure the hotels selected meet the criteria.
• If the client specified a budget, use this budget and the cost information to shortlist the activities, hotels, restaurants, etc.
• Always include the most-recent cost details, even if the client hasn’t specified a budget. Obtain cost details from the official website of the activity, hotel, transportation option, etc.
• Organize your findings using bullets and concise headings/subheadings.
• Depending on the focus of the itinerary, the format of your findings may change. Here are some examples:
  • Example 1: The client asks for a list of hotels and activities available within a certain time period.
    • Create a heading for each category (i.e., hotels and activities).
      • You can use subheadings for different hotels and activities.
    • For hotels, include the name, brief overview, which part of the city it is located in, types of rooms available, the cost associated with each room type, and contact information.
    • For activities, include a brief overview of each activity, its location, hours, cost, age restrictions (if any), and contact information (if available).
  • Example 2: The client asks for a day-to-day schedule.
    • Include headings for each day (e.g., Day 1) with an outline of the activities being done at various times.
      • You can use subheadings for different activities.
    • Include a brief overview of the activity, its location, hours, cost, age restrictions (if any), and contact information (if available).