TRAVEL TIPS AND GUIDE

If you plan your journeys with the help of a travel agent, keep in mind that information from that agent will affect your biggest travel expenditures (air-fare, fees to tour operators, and so on). A good travel agent can find the best (cheapest, if that’s what you ask for) airline tickets, negotiate upgrades, get a ticket on a supposedly sold-out flight, locate discounts, and provide reliable advice. A poor agent can cost you time and money.

Since it’s so important to find the best travel agency and agent for your trip, let’s consider how to do that. First, seek recommendations from friends, then look in the Yellow Pages and newspapers for advertisements that suggest a good fit with your travel plans.

How to choose and work with the best Travel Agencies ?

To make an informed choice of a travel agency, ask questions (this seems obvious but few travelers take the time):

• Are the agency’s personnel knowledgeable about the kind of travel that interests you? This is especially important if you’re considering adventure travel.
• Does the agency charge fees for its services? Some do, some don’t. For example, one national agency charges $75 for preparing a complicated domestic itinerary and $150 for a complicated international itinerary.
• Does the agency use consolidators? It is essential that it does.
• Does the agency have International Air Transport Association (IATA) approval? To get it, the agency must be bonded. If it is, funds from you that are held by the agency are protected. Be cautious about making payments directly to an agency to prepay hotels, car rentals, and so on. If an agency asks you to make payments directly to it, see if the money will be held in an escrow account (and where). If you pay a deposit, get a receipt. Protect yourself by paying with a credit card.
• Does the agency belong to a consortium of travel agencies? If so, it may be able to offer certain services that a small, independent agency can’t. For example, it might be able to transmit your travel plans to overseas consortium members that can assist you while you’re in their area.
• Does the agency have a staff person who understands complicated international fares? If not, it may send your itinerary to an airline’s rate desk for pricing and the result may reflect that airline’s interests more than yours.
• Does the agency have a toll-free number you can call from abroad? Can you reach it by fax?
• What materials (for example, lists of things to do and information on holidays) will the agency provide?– Does it have a library of guidebooks, brochures, and videos from which you can borrow? Does it have the Official Airline Guide, Star Service, the Specialty Travel Index, and other resource materials?
• Will it maintain a file on you so you won’t have to repeat your seating, eating, and other preferences every time you book a trip?

I hope this article help you to decide the best travel agencies for your vacation.

Why Travel to Asia instead of other beautiful continents in the world ?

Here’s my top 5 reasons to visit Asia :

1. BUDGET TRAVEL

You can consider major area  travel destination (specially South East Asia) as a popular budget backpacker destination. For $ 20 a day you’ll able to get a standard hotel room and meals. Asia also having several new budget airlines plying the skies as well, you can also fly between Asian countries for a reasonable price.

2. A SHOPPING NIRVANA

If you have money to spend, Asia is a part of the world that’s close to nirvana. Quality handicrafts, clothing and cheap tropical fruits are a bargain throughout most of Southeast Asia. If you have to go back home soon for a job, you can get custom-tailored business clothes made for less than off-the-rack prices in your own country.

3. EXOTIC DESTINATION

Asia is a stunningly beautiful continent, it’s a land of soaring mountains and sheer valleys, of deep gorges, sun-drenched beaches, mist-shrouded jungles, and blistering deserts. Traveling Asia is simply where beauty, exoticism, diverse and digestible journeys meet in widely range of travel option. From beautiful beaches, majestic shrines, jungle trek and mega malls are available.

4. FRIENDLY AND WARM TRAVEL

Most of Asian countries are safe and friendly to visit. Asia people are down to earth and friendly even to a foreigner.

5. GREAT CUISINE

Asia cuisines is a unique and a diversity of regional cuisines influenced by local Asia and foreign influences. You can find almost all of the world famous cuisine at Asia.

So you’re ready for a vacation,

having a budget and and ready for the big adventure.

These tips on planning a travel will help you

get a handle on the things you need to consider.

1. Travel Destination

• Occasionally there are special events that you can only attend if you book in advance. Plan what you’re going to see and make a list of things that you plan to do while away. Do some research on the Internet and travel guide books about your holiday destination, high and low season, accommodation and local custom.

2. Preparing your documents

• When you travel, you are responsible to make sure you are carrying these documents : a valid passport, a driver’s license, credit or debit cards, and immunization and vaccination records. Usually, with these documents and information you will be well prepared. To find out if the country you are traveling to requires extra documents, check with their embassy.
• Make good photo copies of your passport. Leave a copy with friends or relatives and keep one with you in a secure place. If you ever lose your passport or have it stolen, this will make it much easier to replace.
• Take extra passport size photos. If you need to apply for a visa upon entry, you may need one or two. Extra photos are always good to have.
• Make sure you have the phone number of your embassy in the country you are staying in, local phone numbers for contacts or tour agencies you’re using.

3. Travel accommodation

• You have to make sure you shop around at different travel agents, because prices can vary widely. Check that the prices quoted include all taxes and surcharges. Having travel insurance is always necessary.

4. Make a packing list

• Start making a packing list a few weeks in advance. As the weeks go by, you will undoubtedly think of many more things to add. Write them down as you go, then pack everything on your list in the last day or two.

5. Look after your finances

• Find out what currency you will need and figure out the best way for you to deal with it. Credit cards can be convenient, but also unsafe in a lot of areas. Travelers cheques are a good safe alternative.

6. Stay in touch

• Take an address book with you, with all the important contacts in it. Check on any foreign phone codes and write them in your address book. Before you start your trip, make sure you let people know that you will be away and how they can contact you while you’re away.

HAVE A GREAT VACATION !