Thinking About Traveling?

Warmer weather and long school vacations are ahead. This is the time when everyone’s thoughts turn to holidays, if not abroad, then definitely closer to home. However, two new threats to your travel plans are creating consternation worldwide. They are, of course, the recession and swine flu. How real are these threats and how long will they last?Looking at the recession first, leaders in the travel industry are already seeing reduced numbers of people moving around the world.Giovanni Bisgnani, director general of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) says: “Like the rest of the economy, recovery in the air transport sector rests on a rise in consumer confidence and consumer spending. Shedding debt will be a major headwind. US households, for example, are leveraged at 130 percent of annual income. Even bringing this down by five percent erases $500 billion in consumer spending. The challenge for governments is to turn stimulus funds into spending that fuels trade."Recovery also depends on putting people into seats of planes, coaches and trains. To that end, there are some great deals to be had if you want to travel and know where to look. For example, Vacationstogo (vacationstogo.com) is currently offering 75 per cent off some Alaskan cruises, with special deals for those aged 55 and over, firefighters, police, military – even teachers. This may be a great time to consider visiting those snow-capped mountains, enormous glaciers, bottomless fjords and wildlife like whales, bears, eagles, and seals.There are some good deals about in accommodation as well. Orbitz (orbitz.com) will find deals in large hotels internationally. EuroCheapo (eurocheapo.com) is a good site to look for accommodation if you are planning to travel in Europe. Check out their budget specials and don’t forget to look at the online recommendations of people who have actually stayed in the places you are considering. Remember too that many places will be happy to do a deal if you suggest one (seven nights for the price of six, for example).The threat of contracting swine flu may mean you are rethinking travel plans. Certainly, Mexico would seem a place to avoid just now, but the World Health Organization has not suggested travel restrictions to any country – including Mexico. Keiji Fukuda MD, who is assistant director-general for health security and environment at the WHO, says countries can set their own policies, but general travel restrictions would not be any use in stopping the spread of the virus.Unless you are elderly, already unwell, or suffer from conditions like diabetes, heart or lung disease, general advice is that it’s okay to travel so long as you carry out normal everyday health precautions like handwashing. And it may be a good idea to pop that packet of Tamiflu into your hand luggage as well.Travel companies are tending to stay away from worst hit areas: Carnival Cruises has already cancelled stops at Mexican ports for three ships and Transat AT, a tour operator from Canada, has postponed flights to Mexico for the next month.This may just be a time to wait and see. Oil companies’ share prices, closely linked to the travel industry, have taken a tumble. When they start to move up again, we will know the world economy – and people’s health – are also trending upwards.

More Fun & Less Expensive Travels – Go To Your Travel Destination Now!

Traveling can be a wonderful eye-opener to the world around us. Most people refrain from traveling due to lack of funds. But that should not be a barrier to traveling. With cheap travels, you can travel to many destinations.

Firstly, any traveler would worry about accommodation. Well, there are lots of cheap accommodations. If you are a single traveler, hostels can provide clean and safe accommodations. You may even meet and mingle with people from across the globe. Most hostels in major U.S. cities range from only $20 to $30 a night.

In Europe, Asia, Africa and South America, hostel accommodations are even cheaper. You can even get accommodation for $5 a night or less. Always check the Internet and see what is available in your travel destination. Many hostels even provide online booking, so you can arrive with your lodging already taken care of.

For couples, a cheap or budget hotel can be a great choice. There are many such hotels, motels and bed and breakfasts, located at all your preferred travel destinations. Always remember this travel tip: many of them are on the Internet and can be booked online before you leave home.

Another great travel tip is to use the public transportation system. Most travel destinations in Europe and in the United States and Canada have excellent, fast, reliable and cheap public transportation systems. Public transportation frees you from the hassles of parking the car, keeping it gassed up and learning your way around.

Another important cheap travel tip is to travel light. Trekking around Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia or the Americas does not require a lot of luggage. Take a couple of sturdy and versatile outfits, a good pair of walking shoes and leave the rest at home.

There are a number of strategies to score the best deals on airfare - credit cards to rack up frequent flier miles, using discount airlines, traveling in the off or shoulder season. The strategy that is best for you depends on your individual needs, and on the location you choose.

Also remember to always keep your cash safe and secure. Most seasoned travelers use a hidden money belt to carry passports, plane tickets and the majority of their cash. Using an in room safe is also a good idea. It is best to use credit cards for major purchases and keep a small amount of cash on-hand for incidental purchases.

Cheap travels is possible. You can even travel to the other side of the world on a cheap travel trip and still be able to enjoy your vacation. It is all about taking the time to do some research, focus on your priorities and getting value for money.

Paths Well Traveled

Ever wonder where everyone is going? The Source US department of Commerce, International Trade Administration, Office of Travel and Tourism Industries lists the top ten international travel destinations from the United States. The top destination is of course Europe, followed by the Caribbean, Mexico, Asia and Canada. The Caribbean destination is the top cruise destination accounting for 40% of itineraries. The last five destinations are South America, Central America, Oceania, the Middle East and Africa. Better get your passports ready! Remember there are new passport regulations requiring passports whenever you leave the country and the passport office is running behind with requests. Remember to organize your entire travel plans as the airports and cruise lines are busy and seem to be running to capacity. Travel agents and luggage stores are good sources to research travel information. There are loads of books written and everything is also available on the web. Keep in mind the smaller carryon sizes for International destinations and the new weight restriction on baggage. You'll want to pack lightweight luggage to keep within the 50lb. restrictions. Plan ahead and your travel plans should run smoothly. The US Department of Transportation lists the top domestic airplane routes. This information is based on enplaned passengers of all airports for a city pair from November of 2005 to October of 2006. Anyone who's traveled to or from these destinations can testify to the accuracy. Number one is New York to Chicago with 3.14 million passengers a year. Chicago is followed by Ft. Lauderdale to New York, Los Angles to Chicago, Atlanta to New York, Washington, DC to Chicago, Denver to Chicago, Atlanta to Washington, DC, Atlanta to Orlando, New York to Orlando, and last is Las Vegas to Chicago. Orlando is home of Disney World along with many other attractions. The number 10 destination is Las Vegas to Chicago and they handle 2.42 million passengers a year. That's a lot of travelers flying in and out of these busy airports. When booking your travel plans, remember to keep up with security rules and requirements. The trip is easier and will go more smoothly if you are prepared. Using the TSA locks on your luggage shows that you have been researching and are adhering to the airline rules. The 3-1-1cosmetic case for your liquids and gels in your carryon bags is the newest of the regulations. Now you'll need to pack the majority of your cosmetics and toiletries in your discount luggage. Any liquids or gels in your carryon bag must fit into a quart-sized bag zippered bag. Luckily there's a huge selection of travel accessories designed to make your travel experience easier and more rewarding. Be sure to investigate everything that's available before your trip. No use finding out the airlines aren't offering travel pillows or blankets when you have already boarded. Many corporate gifts now include all of these wonderful travel items that we don't like to do without. There are wonderful eye-shades, and inflatable back or head pillows to make the trip more comfortable. There's a huge array of travel money belts and hotel door alarms to make the trip safer. There are travel jackets that are reversible and travel shoes that can change color enabling you to pack less while still having a selection of color. There are wrist-bands to ward off nausea and No Jet-lag to take away time changes. There's packing cubes to make packing or unpacking a breeze. Check out all that's available to make the trip more enjoyable. I always like to pack the "what ifs." Take along one of the new lightweight umbrellas or small travel raincoats. Bring some travel laundry soap in case you need to clean up. Take a folding tote that will bring back the purchases which you could not resist. A luggage strap can keep your overstuffed case from popping open. Bright luggage tags will help you to identify your bags quickly. A travel wallet will keep your passport and other necessary papers organized and in one place. Shoe covers will let you pack dirty shoes back into your case. Now choose one of these exciting destinations and have a wonderful trip!

How to Determine Whether a Single Trip or an Annual Travel Insurance Policy is Right for You?

There are many different types of traveler who requires travel insurance coverage. Many people save all year to enjoy a vacation at a beach destination or resort. Others, like business people, travel frequently as their lifestyle requires. The travel insurance industry has recognized the variety of traveler. In doing so, the Canadian travel insurance companies have designed different type of insurance plan to meet the needs of both types of traveler. Travel insurance can be purchased with 2 types of duration; 1)a single trip plan which only covers the days that you are away, and 2)an annual plan that covered you for an unlimited number of trips up to a maximum length of stay. Single Trip Travel Insurance Single Trip travel insurance coverage is designed to cave the traveler for the exact number of days that they plan to be away. Coverage can be purchased for trip that last anywhere from 2 days to 182 days (212 days in Ontario). In special situations where the traveler has arranged to extend their provincial health coverage, the trip length may be extended to 1 year. The benefit of single trip coverage is that you purchase only the number of days you are away. This ensures you do not pay for days of coverage that you do not require. Coverage normally includes Emergency medical insurance up to $5 million worth of major medical expenses and hospital expenses. This usually includes emergency medical evacuation, dental accidents and other benefits. Comprehensive or All-Inclusive coverage can also be purchased in Single Trip plans. Comprehensive normally plans bundle Baggage, Trip Cancellation/Interruption and Accidental Death and Dismemberment coverage along with the Emergency Medical coverage. To get details on the insurance benefits that some travel insurance companies offer, go to our website at http://www.travelinsurancequotes.ca Annual or Multi-Trip Travel Insurance The other type of travel medical insurance is the annual or multi-trip travel insurance plan. This plan is perfect for business owners, corporate executives, and any other frequent traveler who requires travel insurance coverage for multiple trips within a year. One of the key advantages of this type of plan is that coverage is already in force when last minute travel is required. This avoids the need to scramble to buy travel insurance at the last minute. Also, purchasing annual multi-trip insurance is cheaper for frequent travelers. The cost of an annual plan is normally the equivalent cost of 2 single trip plans. Annual travel insurance plans normally include emergency medical coverage up to $5 million during the life of the policy. The plan is purchased to cover a set number of days for each trip. Trip lengths can be purchased with periods from 4 days to 180 days of coverage. If your trip happens to last beyond the maximum length allowed, you may then buy a top up to cover the days in excess of the number of days the annual plan covers. Whatever plan you may choose to purchase, be sure to select the right one that suits your needs best. Always be sure to carry the policy of the insurance with you.

International Travel Medical Insurance Tips To Help You Find The Cheapest Now

The domestic travel insurance plans are not designed to function very well with hospitals and doctors overseas, which can add to your frustration if you have problems while you're traveling. The most serious problem the international traveler faces when he or she is on the move is the possibility of having a serious medical problem or uncovered travel insurance medical condition in a foreign country. However international travel medical insurance goes a long way in helping to take care of the problem. In general terms, in the travel insurance market there are two types of insurance: travel medical insurance (or also called travel health insurance) which is more heavily weighted to cover you for any health-related problems that might occur while traveling outside of your home country and has a lesser amount of trip cancellation coverage included and the other type is trip cancellation insurance. International travel for business or pleasure keeps growing at a fast pace and isn't going to change anywhere in the near future. There are many types of international travel medical insurance today including student travel medical insurance, travel accident insurance and even backpackers travel insurance. The watchword in international travel health insurance should be prudence and attention to the smallest details. Make sure to keep handy the addresses and phone numbers of the persons who are to be notified in the event you need to make a claim while you're away. In case any emergency medical treatment is needed, have all the expenses listed in itemized bills so you can make your claim in the US or Canada. It's possible to get cheap international travel medical insurance. Some insurance policies don't cover any pre-existing illnesses, and the agents will ask for a history of any health or medical problems. Medical costs all around the world are skyrocketing right now, due mostly to the advances in specialized equipment and the cost of advanced medicines and training specialists in a many different fields. Be aware that you can exclude a medical condition that is pre-existing which can lower your insurance costs but you must be sure that the condition will not worsen while you're are on your trip and cost you a lot more. Make sure that you have your coverage in place before you go abroad. Health insurance in the United States, like Medicare, should be carefully checked for the extent of the coverage in case you need to buy additional coverage. There are so many types of health insurance today, each with its own range of small blueprints, that sometimes you're better off getting help from reputable brokers or other professionals who are in the know. Whatever compromise you choose to make between the risks and the costs in your plan, shop around not only for cheap international travel medical insurance plans, but also for a stable reputable company that gives you total information, functions with an open view and does not evade any of your questions. The time frame for the insurance policy needs to be restricted to the actual time that you're out of the country. The shorter this duration the lesser the cost, so shave off a few dollars there. There are a few group insurance plans that are fairly cheap. If you're with a tour group for foreign travel or a visiting business group or delegation you could save money with group travel medical insurance. Some international travel health insurance plans don't accept hazardous vacations such as skydiving, paragliding, mountain climbing or ice skating. You want to make sure that the emergency evacuation is fully covered in any travel insurance that you buy. International travel medical insurance is definitely a must for all travelers going out of their home country today. Whether you need coverage for your vacation or your relatives are visiting you from the old country, you want to make sure you all have proper coverage for any unforeseen major medical expenses Remember that your greatest financial risk while you're traveling outside of your home country is if you encounter any major health or medical problems. You want to avoid this risk with the proper coverage. If you already have travel insurance, check to make sure that it covers all major medical expenses including evacuation. Getting low cost or cheap international travel medical insurance is certainly possible without giving up any quality care you might need to have away from home.

Travel Trend Research Using Google Trends â?? Part 1

The travel industry is experiencing new challenges with the increasing price of fuel, worsening airport delays and the weak US dollar. Fortunately, vacationers are getting smarter instead of giving up and staying home. They are comparing domestic and foreign currencies to help choose destinations, comparing road vs. air travel, purchasing all-inclusive travel packages and even rediscovering travel destinations close to home. But where is everyone going, and more importantly, what types of destinations are attracting them? Google Trends is an online tool that offers insight into travel trends around the world. The tool is provided by Google Labs and shows comparisons of popularity for different search phrases. Try it for yourself: go to Google Trends (see the link at the end of this article), copy "business travel, vacation travel, holiday travel" (with commas but without quotes) into the text box and hit the Search Trends button. Do you see a graph with a colored line for each of the three phrases you entered? Notice the years listed along the x-axis, including tick marks at each quarter year. Google Trends uses the first phrase in your list as a baseline for comparison to the remaining phrases. Can you see how interest in vacation and holiday travel is higher than interest in business travel? Seasonal trends vary for the different travel types. For example, interest in vacation travel is highest in January and steadily declines toward December. Holiday travel follows a similar trend except for a large surge in interest during midyear (meaning summer in the northern hemisphere). Business travel has constant popularity throughout the year except for a drop in December, when weary road warriors spend more time with family for the holidays. Now let's look at regional interest for your search phrases. Near the bottom of the page, change the selection in the "Rank by" drop-down list, then look at the regions with the most searches for those phrases (remember, these are the places where online searches originated, not the places where people want to visit). You'll see "vacation travel" is a popular phrase in Canada, the USA and the United Kingdom, while "holiday travel" is popular in the UK, Ireland, New Zealand and Australia. This knowledge can help you identify important keywords for target audiences in different regions. It's important to understand that the data in Google Trends is normalized, meaning the results are ranked in comparison to all searches for the given area. This keeps areas with high populations from overwhelming the results in comparison to other regions. The benefit is you can estimate the percent interest from a region's population independently of the size of the population. In our example, there might be more people in New York than London searching for "business travel", but according to Google Trends, a higher percentage of London's than New York's population is interested in business travel. In Part 2 we'll explore travel trends by destination type.

Australian Travel Insurance for Beginners

Copyright (c) 2008 Terry Hely The need for travel insurance when traveling from Australia involves a couple of considerations that are unique. While much of the world can travel between international destinations with one direct flight, travel from Australia to the rest of the world might involve as many as 4 separate flights in each direction. For example, fly to Sydney to connect with your carrier airline, Sydney to the airline hub city, from hub city to major European city and then on to your final destination. That's eight opportunities for your luggage to suffer damage or go astray. If just one of those flights is delayed (and it's not the airlines fault) and you miss the next connection you are faced with some serious costs. While those are obviously worst case scenarios and seldom happen, their significance should not be lightly dismissed when assessing your need for Australian travel insurance. Any experienced traveler will tell you that travel insurance is the one thing you should never leave home without. Sure its tempting to save costs by not taking insurance but when something unfortunate happens and you don't have any cover, you realize just how cheap the insurance actually was. The first step in deciding what level of insurance cover is appropriate is to assess the likelihood of risk, be it physical, financial or both, that will apply to the type of travel you are undertaking and the places you are visiting. So when deciding on a sensible level of cover, what are some of the things to consider? ** Hospitals & Medical Expense If there is one reason to buy travel insurance, this is the one. It makes a lot of sense to protect against hospital or medical bills incurred while traveling outside of Australia. Costs in private hospitals in most overseas countries are horrific. In a worst case scenario, a medical evacuation back to Australia can easily exceed $150,000. In the case of serious injury you'll want the insurance to cover the cost of your return home using commercial airlines or a network of private medical evacuation aircraft. The cost of a travel insurance policy is insignificant when compared to spending all of the family finances to bring home a loved one. Things to look for in a this part of a travel insurance policy: - Unlimited hospital and medical cover when travelling to the US, Canada or Japan. - Cover for an emergency evacuation. - Provision for a relative to accompany you if you're ill or injured and travelling alone. - Cover for emergency dental work. - Cover for pre-existing medical conditions or pregnancy. Take the time to read the policy exclusions. The hospital and medical cover of a policy will stop when you return home. ** Your Luggage The most common reason for travel insurance claims is the loss of, or damage to, luggage and personal effects. The next time you are in the baggage claim area, look over to the customer support desk where those with lost luggage are waiting to lodge their details. The loss of luggage can result in a significant outlay to replace the lost items. With suitable travel insurance cover, you can start replacing the lost items almost immediately while still traveling. Always read the policy wording carefully to see what is covered. Expensive items such as laptop computers and cameras may have a limit on the amount that can be claimed. Things to look for in this part of a policy: - Are there individual item limits? - Are you covered if your luggage is stolen from your hotel room? - Are you covered if your luggage is stolen from the boot of a locked car? - Does the policy cover loss of cash? ** Cancellations & Curtailment Will your policy need to cover financial loss if you have to cancel or cut short the trip under certain circumstances. If you break your leg a week before your trip, or need to return home mid way through a trip to attend to a sick relative, how much will you be out of pocket? What do you stand to lose if the trip is all paid for but suddenly you can't go due to a serious illness/accident involving a close relative? Things to look for in this part of the policy: - Protection against loss of non-refundable deposits and any costs paid in advance if you cancel before departure due to illness or injury, compulsory jury duty, unforeseen retrenchment and natural disaster. ** Personal Liability Tourists can and do make mistakes and sometimes face litigation in a foreign country. If your actions when abroad cause an accident and injure someone, a good policy can cover your liability and legal expenses. Most policies will not pay legal expenses if you have a car accident. ** Rental Cars If you are involved in an accident overseas in a hire car, there is usually a policy excess (aka deductible) that you have to pay to the rental car company. Travel insurance can cover the costs of the excess amount. ** Delays Flight delays happen, it's a fact of life. If you have only limited time between connecting flights, it's makes a lot of sense to protect yourself against the unexpected costs that can arise from missed connections. Delays can involve hotel costs, transfer and shuttle fares, extra meals and can quickly become very expensive. Airlines will usually only compensate their passengers for delays when the airline is obviously at fault. There are many factors that can cause delays where the airlines are not at fault and in these cases, the customer is liable for their own costs. Conditions and benefits vary considerably between policies so always read the policy wording carefully if you need this cover. ** Resumption Of Journey Travel cover ends the moment you arrive home. Some policies allow for special circumstances where you were required to return home because of a sick relative or a death in the family. Not only will you be able to claim for some of these costs, but you can also resume your journey. The conditions and benefits vary considerably between policies so always read the policy details carefully. This article would be incomplete if it failed to touch on one last, important aspect of travel insurance.... the COST! Insurance bought via your travel agent will usually include a 40%-50% commission to the agent. It is nearly always far cheaper to buy your insurance online and save yourself those huge commissions which can run into hundreds of dollars for a family group. So..... the question is not really do you need travel insurance, but what level of cover do you need?

Pro Travel Network Review – an Honest Look at the Truth

Travel has become the world's largest industry, accounting for nearly $7 trillion annually. Pro Travel Network has made an attempt to market itself within that mega-trillion dollar industry. Let's take a closer look at the opportunity the company offers. A) How It All Started Established in 2003, Pro Travel Network (PTN) has quickly become on of the leading travel companies in the world today. With current offices in the United States and Canada, the company plans to rapidly expand to Australia, Western Europe and the Pacific Rim countries. This means potential big money for anyone serious about the Pro Travel Network travel agent opportunity. However, rapid corporate expansion can lead to company turmoil, but with the travel industry expanding so quickly, corporate expansion isn't something to worry about in this case. In early 2005 PTN received the coveted approval from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to become a publicly reporting company. B) The Travel Agent Opportunity Home-based business is a $427 billion a year industry. With the Pro Travel Network opportunity you can take advantage of both the booming home-based business sector and the always expanding travel business. Essentially, in order to become a certified travel agent with this company you need to buy your ITAP card (Independent Travel Agent Program) and then potentially join some additional distributor options. * $439.99 initial fee for your ITAP card * $99.99 yearly renewal fee As a Pro Travel Network independent travel agent, you will receive a 70% commission on sales. After you have completed the initial payments you will have some more distributor options to choose from - first, the RT (Representative Trainer) option: * $59.99 initial fee * $39.99 monthly fee Next, you have the CR (Customer Representative) option: * $19.99 one time fee Obviously it's cheaper to go with CR, but in the long run you have more outlets to earn money with the RT option including personal sales commissions, fast start bonus, matrix pay and earned rankings (based on sales volume). C) More To Consider... Alongside your membership comes a Business to Consumer Website that is entirely your own. This website will be utilized to advertise your travel business, and if any sales come through your particular site, the commissions belong to you. Now, a whopping 43% of money spent online is for travel. This is a huge percentage. When promoting any online opportunity or product, demand is something to always make sure is there. Additionally, Pro Travel Network will help you to obtain the two most important travel cards out there - the CLIA and IATAN cards. You can readily show off your expertise to your customers with these cards. Conclusion For the most part Pro Travel Network offers a decent opportunity to make money from home with. Of course, you have to make good efforts to have success, as with pretty much anything. Ultimately it will be up to you to decide if this opportunity is the right one. If you are positive about the opportunity you're promoting and learn how to market it to the right people, success can quickly find you.