Posts made in December, 2009

Travel Insurance For Peace Of Mind During Your Travels

Posted by admin on Dec 30, 2009 in Travel Insurance | Comments Off

Vacationing at least once in a year has become an integral part of many people’s lifestyle and as such the travel insurance has gained in importance like never before.

Just try to imagine the gravity of an emergency situation where you have to deal with an emergency medical situation due to an illness or an accident or injury. Any of these situations can throw you into a panic if you are not adequately prepared. And this preparedness comes from having travel insurance.

So next time you start planning for your next vacation, also include the cost of the travel medical insurance into your budget. Remember, without travel insurance your planning remains grossly incomplete. Even if you consider yourself in a perfect state of health, you cannot predict when accidents or sickness may befall you. Travel health insurance helps you to be on the safe side, so that you do not get hit with a huge medical bill.

Here is some basic information about travel insurance that will help you be well prepared for anything unexpected during your travels:

* Travel insurance in general does not just cover your medical expenses abroad, but also extends coverage to lost luggage and other personal belongings including passports and money. Repatriation costs are also included in the coverage and the costs incurred due to cancelled or delayed flights are also covered by the travel insurance. If you happen to damage items belonging to a third party, you get liability coverage from your insurance company. If you want all these expenses covered by your travel insurance coverage, you should purchase a comprehensive travel insurance policy.

* Most travel insurances generally cover trip cancellation, trip delays, medical and dental expenses, emergency medical transportation, lost luggage, missed connection, itinerary changes, accidental death, any kind of default on the part of airlines, cruise lines and tour operators.

* It is recommended that you buy your policy directly from the insurance company, rather than having it as an add-on to your travel package from your travel agent. This will give you considerable savings on the cost of the travel insurance and you will be able to buy a policy with more comprehensive features.

* Do not judge a policy on the basis of its price alone. A cheap policy does not necessarily mean it is a bad policy. On the other hand the more expensive policies may lack some of the more important features. So shop around on the internet, compare the travel insurance quotes and find a insurance product that caters to all your needs while traveling abroad.

* Last of all, do not take any travel policy for granted; go through it in detail, take note of the disclaimer and make sure that you do not get cheated on the important provisions of your coverage.

Thank You for Booking With Travel Agent X….have a Safe Flight..to Wherever You May End Up

Posted by admin on Dec 29, 2009 in Travel Agent | Comments Off

Happy Monday!

It’s the end of the month, and for us in the retail travel industry, it means a lot of fussing around, reconciling accounts and auditing figures. It’s more fun than your average trip to the proctologist, let me tell you.

Today started out with a real cracker though. A lady of Asian descent approached me not long after we had opened, and asked me “Where is the snow, and where can I find ski hire”. This was followed by her husband requesting accommodation for ”Lovely Ski chalet, with many happy, snow playing events”.

Now, if you look at the map, the man of the manor and I live on the Gold Coast, in the state of Queensland, in Australia. The last time there was any snow here, was possibly when Tyrannosaurus Rex had his own high rise cavern in Surfers Paradise. If it ever does start snowing in this part of the world, one can safely assume that those who rubbish the idea of Global warming, will be sending Al Gore a Hallmark card saying “Ooops …Our Bad”.

What my two Japanese friends were looking for was actually “Queenstown”.

A simple mistake to make for sure, and easily rectified by jumping on a plane and flying four hours south to the South Island of New Zealand.

Kudos to their Travel Agent!

Everyone has probably heard of the story about a travel agent who picked up a call from a woman trying to make a domestic flight in the US.
“I want to go from Chicago to Hippopotamus, New York” she said.
The agent was at a loss for words. Finally, the agent: “Are you sure that’s the name of the town?”
“Yes, what flights do you have?” replied the customer.
After some searching, the agent came back with, “I’m sorry, ma’am, I’ve looked up every airport code in the country and can’t find a Hippopotamus anywhere.” The customer retorted, “Oh don’t be silly. Everyone knows where it is. Check your map!” The agent
scoured a map of the state of New York and finally offered, “You don’t mean Buffalo, do you?” The woman paused, and then exclaimed happily “That’s it! I knew it was a big animal!”

You may think this is quite absurd, but the sheer volume of similar stories which have made their way to my ears from colleagues, is scary, to say the least. I have encountered a surprisingly large amount of unusual (read: Sorry but are you on crack?) queries myself.

I have been working in travel in one capacity or another, for quite a few years now, and it is quite a rewarding career. The opportunities for personal travel are terrific, as long as you don’t mind turning prematurely gray in the process.

Over the years, I have had clients from Brisbane ask me innocently whether they require a visa for Hobart, or what exciting Australian sights they might see on their walk from Alice Springs to Darwin (The obvious answer being: A lot of bones from previous tourists who had the same bright idea!).

Now, I do realise, that some people may be very new to the whole travel thing, and patience must be exercised with those who are just a little nervy about taking the first steps to seeing the world outside of the Rooty Hill RSL.
It is, however, a little difficult to keep a straight face when the first question out of a client’s mouth is “Does Social Security have its own airline for people on the dole?” (The appropriate answer to this is: Yes, but be prepared to wear your sturdiest runners, as that tarmac can get a little hot on the soles during that run-up.)

To be fair, it is not just clients that are eligible for the all-hallowed ‘D’OH” award.

A few years ago, one of my esteemed colleagues, who will remain nameless, greeted a most distressed women who stumbled into the store in tears, needing to get to a funeral, in Panama City.
We get ‘compassionate’ flight requests all the time, and they are never pleasant, so my colleague jumped on the system, found the lady flights, booked and sent the tickets straight to the airport, to try and make the arrangements as smooth as possible for the grieving woman.

Fast Forward to 24 hours later….

I received a phone call from the same lady who advised me that ,whilst my associate had been most prompt and sensitive in her service, she was currently in Panama City…Panama.

The funeral was in Panama City….Florida/US.

She noted that, even though the airport facilities were somewhat clean, and the dozens or roaming militia men carrying Tommy guns were not hassling her at present, she really needed to be at least another 10,000 miles away to attend the service.
I think I can safely speak for the rest of my workmates, that our collective and immediate response was a loud and panicked expletive (Think: Duck…one consonant replaced)

Even I have managed to stuff up my own travel arrangements (You know how it is – mechanics have the worst cars, plumbers always have a dripping tap…dentists with breath that could kill a man at ten paces).
On a recent trip to Singapore, I thought I would be a bit of a smarty-pants and book my own accommodation online (Even though the internet is a travel consultant’s mortal enemy). I found a great hotel, smack bang in the middle of China Town called the “Royal Peacock”…elegant looking suites, cheap rate and breakfast included. Giddy Up!

After an 8-hour flight and arriving at 05:45 in the morning, those lush looking suites and hot breakfast was about all I could think about.

When our cab driver dropped us off, I thought perhaps he had made a mistake.

No, there was the sign “Royal Peacock”, slightly obscured by boards covering two of the main windows.

It wasn’t until we had checked in and put our bags in a room with no sheets on the beds, and a smell that really, could only be urine (no matter what positive spin you put on it, urine is urine) that I thought perhaps, my choice might have less than inspired.

Eager to keep our distance from the large, unidentifiable green stain on the curtains, we decided that we would grab the freebie breakfast and then maybe look for another hotel.

My friend who was traveling with me at the time, is not a bad looking bloke, but even he was rather surprised to find several women hanging onto his shoulder and offering their hotel “turn down” services over cold rice porridge and crackers.

And when I say turn-down services, I am not talking about a little chocolate on your pillow.

Only a travel agent could book herself into a brothel!

Considering this, I kindly explained the “Queenstown/Queensland” situation to my new-found friends and re-routed their ticket to Christchurch, free of charge.

Lord only knows, I may possibly need some similar treatment down the track if/when I send an unsuspecting thick-accented American to Auckland , and not…Oakland.

Guidelines For A World Tour

Posted by admin on Dec 27, 2009 in World Travel | Comments Off

World tour is a lifetime opportunity for all people. Very few people are that lucky. So when you are planning for it, follow world travel guide so that your tour is not messed up. Make every possible arrangement so that the memories are worth cherishing. However, since a world tour is not something that you can undertake all that often, it is important that you plan your tour well. Some relevant guidelines for a world tour are mentioned below to make your journey fruitful and rewarding in the best possible way.

The first things you need to decide on before you leave for a world tour are the places you would like to visit. Then create a careful and well researched route map based on your preferences. Prioritize the places that you want to visit in the course of the tour, putting the hot spots first and then the others, in order of your preferences.

The weather of the concerned places would obviously determine the kind of clothes and other necessary gears that you may need. Be sure to stash enough woolens for cold weather, particularly places where temperatures are low throughout the year. If you are going to a sea side, do not forget to take your swimsuit.

Get to know about the cuisine of the places that you are about to visit, so that you can sample the fare when you are right there. It is certainly a wonderful experience. Tangy tasty, lip smacking, food are available throughout the world, so gorge on the local delights and give a treat to your taste buds.

Information about the scenic beauty of the place is also required so that if you are into nature you can choose such places. Or else select those spots where the history of it allures you. The architecture of some places can be fascinating and hence make it a must see so that you get the feel of the place. If in Europe use the Euro rail and enjoy a very pleasant experience. Be sure to visit the curio shops of your travel destinations souvenirs of different places collected will certainly remind you of the terrific time that you had and the wonderful memories associated with the place.

After your passport is ready, prepare for the tourist visas of the different travel destinations as they are of utmost importance. Develop awareness about the concerned places by getting information from reliable sources. Do not depend on hear say, consult a travel agency if necessary and get your air tickets booked in advance. If you are into activity check out the kind that a place has on offer for instance, snorkeling or scuba diving in places on the sea side so that you enjoy every minute of your stay.

Traveling agencies offer great packages for your tours so go ahead the get the best deals from your traveling agent. Your package will surely help you to make your trip a great stay, throughout. Book your air-tickets and hotel tickets to avoid any confusion.

Choose your destinations well so that you get the real taste of every place. Otherwise non-descript places wont hold much entertainment for you. Some of the places you could visit are: Maldives, Miami, Malaysia, Mexico, Italy, Egypt, Brazil, and Africa.

Always remember that you are on a foreign land so always be cautious of strangers, would be the last suggestion before you set out on your dream holiday

Hotel Reservation Services

Posted by admin on Dec 24, 2009 in Travel Hotel | Comments Off

Say your wife’s been hinting about a romantic rendezvous to Paris this summer, yet you have no idea where to begin. Planning that perfect weekend or dream getaway may be a challenge in itself, but finding the right hotel can pose an even greater obstacle for travelers. Hotel reservation services are an answer to anyone’s cry for help when struggling to find a decent hotel room with loads of features.

Hotel booking sites are taking the hotel reservation process to a whole new level, as more and more sites recognize people’s desire for convenience. No one wants to get the shock of their life when stepping in a one-diamond rut they expected to be reminiscent of the Waldorf Astoria. 6StarReviews.com makes note of one reservation service, Hotels.com, which offers vacation bookers options like 360-degree room tours, extensive customer reviews and local maps and activities so there won’t be any unpleasant surprises upon check-in.

Many hotel reservation services offer those booking hotels options like travel insurance, comparable price matching and vacation packages unavailable elsewhere. Ok, so maybe a romantic getaway to France doesn’t fit your bill, but skiing is your hidden passion.

There are many ski resort packages for your inner athlete, and if you have kids, many hotel reservation sites offer Disney vacations at amazing rates. Booking through online hotel sites allows travelers the flexibility they need to compare pricing, find special add-ons and sort hotels by price, hotel class or even category.

Imagine a virtual collection of every hotel listing in every city in the world, complete with color photos, ratings and unbeatable sales. This is what a run-of-the mill hotel reservation service provides you with, so your next beachside weekend in Nantucket is just what you had in mind.

5 Ways to Deal Travel Insurance

Posted by admin on Dec 20, 2009 in Travel Insurance | Comments Off

Before you go on a holiday it is necessary that you buy a travel insurance to make your great holiday experience safe. You need to be sure you have the right travel insurance for the destination you are heading, and know precisely what is in your travel insurance policy. Otherwise you could pay a huge financial penalty if things go horribly wrong.

A few tips to help you to understand your policy better and get the best deal:

1.Benefits matter: Comparing the quotations of the of travel insurance products is not just enough. Compare also the benefits of the cover, the exclusions on the cover and other product features. It’s useful to have a ‘cooling off’ period, in which you are able to decide whether or not the policy really meets your needs. If the policy doesn’t have a cooling off period you can cancel your policy for a full refund.

2.Plan it well : If you are planning to travel abroad on more than a single occasion in a year then you can save more money by buying an annual multi-trip – travel insurance policy rather than buy a single travel insurance policy each time you go.

3.Check the other options: Sometimes your travel agent or tour operator may tell you that you have to buy their travel insurance in order to buy a holiday from them, maybe as part of an inclusive deal. Only take this if the total cost is rewarding, compared to buying the holiday and travel insurance separately. In most cases you will probably find that you are paying over the odds for the travel insurance, even if it is in some sort of ‘special deal’.

4.International helpline: Carry the international helpline number of your travel insurance company with you as you. Also, keep a copy of the policy with you, as you travel. .

5.Medical coverage: Don’t think twice in order to consider a medical coverage while traveling to another country. In most cases it is always best to take the medical insurance, even if you are going to a country with an E111 agreement. This agreement helps in cases of emergency, but does not generally cover routine problems. It is also especially important if you’re in a developing country with limited medical resources.

Before you get your travel insurance make sure you understand your travel insurance well. Read the offer document carefully. Take the time to read the small print on your travel insurance policy. If you have any questions on it, ask your provider about them before you finalize the deal. If the policy is family oriented be sure that it covers all the family members traveling with you. Buying duplicate coverage does not double your benefit. It wastes money and creates confusion that could actually delay payments.

Book travel insurance directly after booking your holiday, so that you are covered for cancellation. Make sure you know the insurer’s terms for cancellation though. You may be able to lower your travel insurance premiums by purchasing join cover if you are traveling as a couple.

Understand the different policies for different travelers. There are single-trip travel insurance, annual, backpacker travel insurance, worldwide travel insurance, ski as well as winter sports travel insurance along with other specialty travel insurance policies.