Get your wheels ready

New Delhi, June 1 We're bringing a new found love of road trips with us, with travel restrictions easing and summer travel on the horizon. Staycations may have felt like the only option for the past few summers, but we've realised that those local adventures helped us appreciate the ease and flexibility of having our own wheels when on vacation.

Last year, 48 per cent of Indian tourists rented a car as part of their vacation, giving them all the freedom of car ownership - at a fraction of the cost, and pretty much anywhere in the world.

This indicates that travellers intend to avoid taking public transportation on their next trip because they know that nothing says freedom like hitting the road and seeing where it takes them. It's all about giving people the freedom to explore the world on their own terms, which fits with today's trend toward more independent, personalised travel.

Booking.com shares some top summer road trip tips as part of its mission to make it easier for everyone to experience the world. Short, long, planned, unplanned... A good road trip does not have a single format. Nonetheless, there are a few basic principles that apply in any situation:

The journey is the vacation

'Making good time' doesn't mean going fast; it means making sure every minute is a joy. Motorways might be convenient, but the real adventures are to be found on the backroads, where we're free to turn off and explore every interesting forest, building, turn off, or beach we happen to stumble across.

The right car is vital

Above all, the car needs to be right for the trip. A compact car can make sense if the itinerary includes lots of busy city streets - but for a long trip with plenty of people and stacks of luggage, there's nothing like having some extra space to stretch out. Whether looking for an SUV for extra comfort and space or something with a bit more horsepower, Booking.com offers travellers a broad range of rental cars with easy-to-use search functions.

Planning pays off

Even the most spontaneous adventure is better with a bit of prep. Not just the physical stuff

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