The internet has made finding affordable travel deals an easy process. Everybody can do it these days – there is no need to hire a travel agent. Whether you’re looking for deals for a specific trip or just want to wait until a good vacation package pops up before jumping on it, the web provides you all the tools you need for doing so.

The best bargains usually don’t last very long so you’ll need to jump on an offer ASAP. Sometimes the best deals are of the last-minute variety, and other times it is recommended to book early in advance. Most experts agree that booking 7 – 8 weeks in advance is ideal.

When looking for cheap hotel rooms, keep in mind that you should never, ever just pick the first good deal you see in a city you are not familiar with. While you will want to jump on deals quickly, you should still take the time to research the hotels and locations. If a bargain hotel does is not close to all of the city’s major sights, you could wind up paying more for your rental car or taxi rides. Does the hotel you are considering offer the amenities you need as well as free breakfast? Is it located within easy walking distance to inexpensive restaurants?

Subscribe to travel discount newsletters and follow the leading travel sites on social media so that you can stay up-to-date on all of the affordable travel deals. If you haven’t already done so, download some apps on your smartphone to receive alerts. These services are free.

As for airline tickets, it is sometimes cheaper to just go ahead and purchase one with the hotel reservation. When airlines and hotels partner together, there are often good discounts available. However, you might be required to fly out of a specific airport and stay at the hotel for a minimum number of nights.

Choosing Cars in Affordable Travel Deals

If you’re going to rent a car, select a vehicle that is in your budget range and show up at the office to pick it up bright and early in the morning. If you can beat the crowd, you’ll likely get the option to upgrade for free!

Another way to potentially save on your upcoming trip is to consider vacation rentals. Sometimes it’s a lot cheaper to rent an apartment or condo for a week instead of staying at a hotel. Travel discount sites now have a section dedicated to these kinds of rentals. Just make sure that it is located in a safe part of the city.

There are always affordable travel deals to somewhere – you just need to be patient and know where to look!

Online websites are the place to look for all of the aforementioned travel search tools. Whether you want to go on a nice cruise or a big, exciting city, you can use the site to compare affordable travel deals. Take the time to look over online coupon offers as well.

DEFINITION OF ETIAS

ETIAS is the short form of European Travel Information and Authorization System, which is a full- fledged electronic system that allows and also keeps track of the visitors of other countries who do not require a visa for entering into the Schengen Zone. The legal procedures needed to pass ETIAS started in 2016 and the system will most likely be in place by the year 2021.

ETIAS will undergo a security check for each applicant to determine whether or not they should be allowed to enter any of the Schengen Zone countries. ETIAS helps ensure that the people allowed are not a threat to the security of the country. ETIAS will be primarily used for tourist and business purposes and will also benefit people visiting the Schengen Zone countries for transit or medical reasons.

PURPOSE OF THE ETIAS

ETIAS authorization was done to prioritize security of the EU countries to help ensure safe travel. ETIAS helps decrease concerns over security by its data gathering and information systems which help detect if a specific person is a threat of any type to the security of the Schengen Zone countries.

ETIAS authorization also helps in assisting travelers and EU countries by reducing the procedures needed and the application time, by improving the management of the EU country borders, assisting in the detection and decrease of terrorism and crime, helping in the impeding of irregular migration and also by reinforcing the policy of the EU regarding the liberalization of a visa. Thus, the ETIAS authorization helps in making traveling to the EU countries a safe and hassle-free experience.

WHO WILL REQUIRE ETIAS?

ETIAS is targeted for citizens of the countries who can enter the EU zone without a visa. There are 62 countries on the list who need to get ETIAS authorization, such as Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Vatican City State, Hong Kong, S.A.R and many more. By the time the system launches, which is expected to be in 2021, more countries may be added to this list.

REQUIREMENTS FOR ETIAS

ETIAS applications can be completed online in around 10 minutes. Depending on your citizenship, there are certain fields that are required to be filled out. The main requirements are: biometric information like first name, last name, date of birth and place of birth along with information regarding the individual’s citizenship, address, email, phone number, education and work experience, the first EU country the person intends to visit, background and questions on eligibility along with inquiring over medical conditions, traveling to war countries or places from where the person was rejected or deported and inquiry for information of any criminal record.

In the case of minors, their legal guardian should apply for ETIAS. In case there are family members of any EU citizen in other countries, one needs to submit proof of relationship, card of residence and any other background information if necessary. Always check if the information submitted is correct and also make sure to check your eligibility and risk factors.

Sometimes travelers have no choice and have to make travel plans at the last minute. Depending on the destination, season, weather, market conditions, etc., last minute vacation packages could be very cheap or very expensive.

While most experts recommend booking a trip several weeks in advance, that is not always possible. If something unexpected happens and you have to make plans with just a few days to spare, you might feel as though your options are limited. Fortunately, there are ways to save. Even if the rates are high, you still might be able to use a travel discount coupon or promo code.

One thing you might want to do is look into “Last Minute Deals” sections at the leading travel booking sites. Your destination just might be there. Or you might find that a particular airline is lowering rates in order to ensure that every single seat is full. Hotels also sometimes drastically reduce the price of a room at the very last minute because they don’t want any room to be unoccupied. The chain hotels such as Hilton, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn, Hampton Inn, etc… will often do this.

Try to be as flexible as you possibly can. Just fly 12 hours sooner or 12 hours later than what you have planned might make a difference in the price. Consider alternative routes as well. It might be cheaper to fly to another city, rent a vehicle, and drive to the destination. Will it be cheaper to book the airfare with the hotel room at the same time or book them separately?

Adding a Car to Last Minute Vacation Packages

Speaking of which, if you need a car, don’t rent it at the airport, as last minute car rental at airports tends to be costly. It’s cheaper to rent it from somewhere else in the area. Take a bus or cab from the airport to the street where the rental office is located. You might also want to stay at a hotel that offers free airport shuttle services.

If you’re just looking for travel deals in general and don’t have to be at any specific place at any specific time, you shouldn’t have any problems at all finding a cheap vacation. It’s always off-season somewhere in the world, so last minute deals are popping up on a regular basis.

All of the online travel discount sites have some sort of section for “last minute vacation packages”. If there is no room for flexibility in your travel plans, you can still use a special promo code or coupon to help you save on the booking.

Online coupons are very, very helpful when it comes to saving on last minute vacation packages. Whether you want to travel to a beach somewhere or have to go on a business trip to a big city, just look over all of the discount codes.

Travelling is a good thing. Almost everyone loves travelling. It is one of the things that awaken the soul as people got introduced to new places, culture, and society. Travels add flavour to our memories.

There is so much to consider when you are travelling with your kids. More than the destinations that you are travelling to your kids are more important. And particularly, if you and your kids are planning for Tour of Iceland, certain important things need to be considered. There is no doubt in the beauty of Iceland and the fun and excitement the island nation can give to you and your kids but the unpredictable weather is the one thing that can concern the well-being of your kids if you are planning for a tour of Iceland with your kids.

Let us look at some of the important tips that you should keep in mind when travelling with your kids.

Briefing the kids about the travel plans

It is important to tell your kids about the travelling you desire to take up with them. Tell them exactly where you are going. Have a little session of learning about the new place that you and your kids are heading to. Fetch some facts about the place, the country, the people and also the schedule of their plans.

Ensure to pack all the necessary things: Double check all the packing as kids cannot be trusted fully when they pack for travelling. You should make sure that kids do not pack base on their passion but on the need and necessity. Teach them how to fold clothes in a travel-friendly manner and also explain them the best ways to pack for voyaging.

Child monitoring gadgets or equipment

In this advanced world, things are made very simple with modern gadgets. One such is the child monitoring gadget or equipment. This gadget helps you to keep track of your kids and their movements. It is very helpful in all crowded place such as airport, market, and place of huge tourist attractions.

Health check-up

You should have your kids a proper health check-up before venturing out for any tour. This will help you in maintaining the good health of your kids and also avoid sudden immediate ailments.

Briefing the kids about Dos and Don’ts

It is the responsibility of the parents to tell the kids all the Dos and Don’ts before and from the time you step out of the house for the tour till the time you reach back home after finishing the tour. Tell them what they can eat and what they cannot, how to behave and reaction towards any strangers.

Choose the shortest routes for the tour

This is very helpful to keep your kids active and passionate about the tour. A long route for the tour can cause your kids to become dull and loss all the excitement. Make sure that you choose the route with no or minimum time of layover.

A constant reminder to behave on the entire trip

Kids love to run around and play. There is no issue if they are in the new place, they just follow their heart. You should constantly remind your kids to behave properly. Only when they are constantly reminded they will follow you.

When evaluating air and hotel travel packages offered by internet travel vendors, it’s crucial that you investigate all of the details before you book. Many of these offers are legitimate and do allow for some savings. You just need to take the time to compare offers and prices to make sure you really are getting a great deal.

If airfare and hotel accommodation are your primary concerns, you probably won’t need an “all-inclusive” package, unless it seems to offer things you know for sure you’ll really be using, such as fast Wi-Fi and dining discounts at your favorite restaurant(s). Some “bundle” deals also include car rental, in addition to air and hotel. You can combine any of the two or all three when you book your trip online.

Oftentimes it’s recommended that you wait for a last minute deal to become available before making reservations. If you’re not picky with the dates, this might be a good option for you. If you can only travel on specific dates, however, it might be a bad idea to risk it. What if a last minute deal doesn’t pop up and you are left without a reservation since you waited so long?

When you simply cannot be flexible with the travel dates, booking air and hotel travel packages well in advance is a smart thing to do. Find out how much travel expenses cost for your destination during the time of year you plan to travel. The tourist season varies depending on the location, although rates in most places are reasonably low during winter months (aside from Thanksgiving / Christmas / New Years).

Air and Hotel Packages Inclusions and Exclusions

Make sure you know exactly what the package does and does not include. Even an all inclusive package doesn’t cover things like airport baggage handling, spa services, off-site activities and tours, and gift shop items. Tipping may or may not be included, so read the policy beforehand.

Air and hotel travel packages tend to have minimum stay requirements. This could be anywhere from two nights to seven nights. Keep this in mind if your vacation dates are set in stone and there is no room for flexibility. Also note that the price you are presented with when viewing a travel package is usually intended per person. Do the math to find out if it really will be cheaper than buying 2+ plane tickets separately from the hotel room.

If you live near more than one airport, see if there is a price difference in air and hotel travel packages between all of the airports you can easily get to. Even if they are in the same state or region, some of the packages might be cheaper than the others.

The simplest and fastest way to find air and hotel travel packages is by looking over online deals. You can also sign up to receive alerts on all of the newest deals on dream vacations, from cruises to all-inclusive Caribbean resorts.

The world is a smaller place today and students regularly travel abroad to study. Or they may be taking a gap year to travel the world. Whatever be the case, these students don’t have access to funding or support from family and friends the way they would at home. And since youth also brings a certain amount of carelessness, accidents and illnesses are not out of the question.

One of the most important things students who are planning to go abroad can do is get travel insurance before travelling. The preconceived notion is that insurance policies are very expensive is not true anymore. Today, there are tailor made policies designed just for student who are working with a really tight budget.

Choosing the Right Kind of Travel Insurance for Students

Choosing the right kind of travel insurance for students is very important. Here is a list of things you should look for in your insurance cover to ensure that you have a comprehensive budget travel insurance package:

• Ensure that hazardous activities are covered as standard in your insurance package. Students will take part in sports, and these can cause injuries. Having coverage means that they are covered and need not worry about prohibitively expensive medical bills.
• Look for a policy that offers 24-hour emergency assistance. You never know when you could need help, so it is important to know you have a support system in place.
• Look for standard coverage for pre-existing medical conditions. Insurance companies can provide free medical coverage as part of the standard cover for a range of conditions. Check to see if your condition is a part of that list. If it is, you could save a lot of money in medical bills.
• If your medical condition is not listed as a part of the insurers’ standard coverage, connect with them to see if they can provide extra coverage for your condition.
• Go through the policy in detail and see if there are add-ons that you need which are not a part of your standard cover. You may need to customize your policy so that you can get cover for your valuables, cover for cancellations, excess waivers, etc.
• Make sure that there are no hidden costs when you are buying your travel insurance policy. Ask for details of all costs up front so you know exactly how much you are paying for your policy.
• Ensure that there is a repatriation back home option in your insurance plan.
• Choose the right kind of cover for your trip. If you plan to stay in Europe, you will get a cheaper plan. However, if you plan to go to countries other than Europe, be prepared to shell out some extra cash.

Ideally, you should not have to use your travel insurance at all during your trip. However, if the worst does happen, then you will truly appreciate the protection that you travel insurance plan offers you.

There are two levels of answers to the question of why people travel. The first is the obvious one, and probably the reason we give ourselves and quote to others. We travel so that we can see sights, experience other cultures, attend events and learn more about the world.

These are exciting reasons. But there are deeper reasons for traveling that have less to do with what we do when we travel, and more to do with what traveling does to us. These five sets of changes to ourselves are at the heart of what makes travel so compelling.

Travel Enriches You, Before, During & After

The anticipation of a trip is almost as stimulating as the trip itself and the memories afterwards. Knowing what you have ahead, and imagining it in detail, lends excitement to life, and relieves the tendency to fall into a workaday rut. The more detailed the image of the trip, the more a future trip will excite you in advance.

During the trip itself, daily life can be intense. Living in these moments fully, and noting everything around you, makes for heightened living. Clearly, this kind of intensified experience is a quality of a style of travel that takes you beyond the bus and out into the streets and squares, landscapes and waterways, of the places you are visiting. Independent travel is a world apart from “contained” travel.

Travel Broadens Your View of the World

Through travel you gain a framework for the history and significant touchstones that brought you to your current life and point in time. Now you are standing in the evil Borgia pope’s office, surrounded by the very walls that contained the man with sufficient power to write a Papal Bull-a mandate-that claimed all the wealth of the Western Hemisphere for Spain and Portugal, and secured it for the next 200 years. As you pause in the spot where that happened, the events and significance come alive with new meaning.

Now you are looking down at the stairs that lead to a tunnel connecting the home of Leonardo da Vinci with the royal palace across street. It was through this tunnel that King Françoise traveled to sit and talk with his genius friend. And now you are in Bayeux, where the French William the Conqueror built his naval vessels to cross the English Channel and claim the throne of England.

Each of these experiences broadens your view of the world and your firsthand sense of time and place.

Travel Makes You More Vibrant and Interesting

Travel gives you something to look forward to… to prepare for… to study for… and later to share. You will bring home stories. Life can get somewhat monotonous if you let it, particularly after you retire and your work life ends. Anticipation is worth at least as much as the trip itself and the memories that follow the trip.

How much better to have travel stories and observations to share then to have your conversation limited to your latest doctor visits and your frustrations with the weeds in your lawn.

Travel Re-Energizes You

Travel, and the anticipation of travel, recaptures your enthusiasm. You look ahead with excitement instead of experiencing the dulled-over feeling that comes from repetition and routine.

Travel challenges you to be at your most effective and focused level. Comfort zones may be comfortable. But it is good for you to be taken out of your comfort zones regularly. Otherwise, your social skills can begin to atrophy, and your ability to think on your feet and solve problems may decrease due to disuse.

Travel Improves Your Health and Well-Being

Travel gives you a reason to stay healthy. And it keeps you sharp longer! The challenges of travel test your acuity on a daily basis. Travel can be demanding, especially if you are not being “led around by the nose” on a group trip. You know you will need to be on your toes – to be situationally aware – to pay close attention. You will need to walk extensively, including up and down hills and stairs.

Generally by the time you return home from a trip, you will be in better shape than you have been for months, or even years. And if you begin immediately to anticipate another trip ahead, you will have a genuine incentive to keep up these improvements and be ready for the next time.

Changes and Benefits

These changes and benefits to you from travel can become permanent ones. Your life will become punctuated with enrichment, you will think more broadly. You will find yourself incorporating deliberate lifestyle changes learned during travel. You will be more vibrant and interesting as you are periodically re-energized. And you will experience enhanced health and well-being.

All things considered, this makes travel a bargain.

Buying travel insurance is not as simple as you think. Firstly, it is way more different than buying an article you’ve long desired and wait for its price to drop soon. It’s even different from buying an airplane ticket where you go online and do a price comparison to look for the cheapest one.

People who are new to it often find it very hard to get their way around it. Firstly, they struggle with the idea of whether they really need to get it or not. Most travelers believe they don’t really need it and coverage is simply spending more money unnecessarily.

To solve your confusions, here is an ultimate guide to buying travel insurance.

1. Do You Need Insurance?

To begin with, there are many countries that won’t let you in if you don’t have it. But the chances are that you’ll get away with many destinations that allow you to get away without it.

So do you wonder why you still need that? You’re right in thinking so. But it’s mandatory to be traveling with valid travel insurance. You plan a vacation because you want to escape all the stresses of life and have the time of your life. That is great thinking, but might not always end up being how you’ve planned.

Accidents never come with an invitation and are never welcomed. But they can become very bitter if you’re not prepared to battle with them. This is where travel insurance comes extremely useful.

2. Buy it Early

We all refrain from buying travel insurance because it is expensive. One of the sensible ways of saving on your buy is to get your travel insurance early. You’d still be only paying for the time you’re traveling.

However, you would still be covered for that time free of any charge.

So if you choose to purchase your insurance three months prior to flying, any changes to your travel plans are likely to be covered by your insurance company. It’s better not to wait last minute for things to go wrong and get your insurance beforehand.

3. Purchase Online

Nearly all of us admire online purchasing simply because there are plenty of discounts available. This is why it may be a great option to buy your insurance cover online.

However, this is not as simple as it may sound. Online purchases are mostly done with a low price indicator. But when buying travel insurance, there’s way more than just looking at the price. Before making the purchase, it is a must to carefully examine your policy and ensure you’ve studied it in depth.

The world is just waiting for you to explore it and nowadays having a disability is no barrier to having that dream vacation that you’ve always wanted. Sure, it’ll take a bit of planning but what vacation doesn’t?

Once you have chosen the destination, the best place to start is online. There is just so much information out there and with just a few clicks you not only find all the places of interest in a certain city or country, but you can also find out if they are wheelchair accessible, if special arrangements need to be set out before you go and what you can expect depending on what time of year you are planning to go. Once you have all of this information, you can determine what you will do on what day, of course allowing time for transfers and travel to and from places of interest.

Similarily you can find out special things about your flight online before you ever book. Things like how early do you need to be at the gate, if they offer accessible seating, what special menu items they offer and the like can all be researched way before you choose an airline. Online reviews are also helpful here as you can read first hand the experiences of others and then make your choices accordingly.

The experts recommend that you book flights and transfers months before you go, just so that you know seating is guaranteed and everything is set into place to make your travel as seamless as possible. If you use a travel agent that has experience with disabled travel you will be on to a good thing as they will know the ins and outs of how to do it the best way possible. Use their knowledge and always try to book things with major companies as they are the ones who will usually have the best amenities and extras that will make your trip even more memorable.

When it’s the day to leave, you want to leave plenty of time to get to the airport, travel at a leisurely pace so that you don’t get overtired and always keep emergency contact information with you just in case authorities need it. Just a little planning ahead and knowing what you are going into can make that dream vacation a reality and don’t forget to comment online once you get back to help others with their ideal trip!

Cesare Pavese says, “If you want to travel far and fast, travel light. Take off all your envies, jealousies, unforgiveness, selfishness, and fears.”

We all travel through life with memories, experiences, and stories that serve as the backdrop of our lives. We approach each new encounter carrying an invisible backpack filled with everything we believe we need to successfully navigate through life. If we took a careful look in our backpacks, we would find joyful memories, satisfying aha moments, financial successes, hopes, and dreams. These are packed side by side with sadness, unforgiveness, losses, and fears. Even though our lives are filled with a cornucopia of experiences, often we discount the good and amplify the bad.

Psychologists have discovered that in spite of the good things we have accomplished, negative emotions are processed in a different hemisphere in the brain than positive emotions. Because of this, negative emotions require more thinking and more information to resolve. In addition, Professor Roy Baumeister, co-author of Bad is Stronger than Good, discovered that bad experiences have more impact on us than good ones. This makes it easy for us to forget the things for which we are grateful.

To lighten our bags and empty our invisible backpacks so we can travel fast, we must unpack the negative beliefs, unforgiving attitudes we have justified hanging onto and the “they did me wrong” stories. We must eliminate as many of the things that weigh us down as we can.

Start transforming your life and unpacking your backpack by doing the following:

Remember the Good that happens to you. Five (5) good things will change one (1) negative experience. This is an excellent time to start a Gratitude Journal or a “Daily Miracle Journal.” List five or more things for which you are grateful. In gratitude, there are no limits; there are no big or small miracles. There is only gratitude. In a year, you will have from 365 – 1,825 “daily” miracles.

Brag Lists. Create a list of things you have accomplished that you can brag about. Try to list seven things. Keep this list readily available and review it weekly at a minimum. Your brag list will remind you that in the midst of every new storm that you are pretty amazing and have already conquered many storms. When life whispers “You cannot withstand the storm.” You reply, “I AM the storm.”

Identify the Miracle. Each experience brings with it a litany of lessons and blessings. List the lessons learned, the insights gained. If you cannot change the situation, use the lessons learned and the ideas gained so you can change how you think about it. Asking yourself how you can grow from this experience will help you find the golden nugget in the midst of what you perceived to be darkness.

Now your bags are lighter. What is your next stop?

Get on-board. Your dream is waiting.

Dream Big! Live the life you have imagined.

Remember, life is too short to drink cheap champagne.