• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Tourist2Traveler - Helpful Tourism and Travel Tips

  • 1ST TIMES
  • PLANNING
    • Tips & Checklists
  • PLACES
    • Mackinac Island Attractions
    • Best Places to go For Your 21st Birthday
    • What to do in Dallas at Night
    • Places to Visit in Peru
    • 10 Best Places to Eat in NYC
  • PACKING
    • Tips & Checklists
  • TRAVEL CONSULTANTS
  • INTERNATIONAL
    • Visas & Passports
    • Travel Insurance
    • Tips & Checklists
  • TOOLS & RESOURCES
    • Apps
    • Phones
    • Private Community
  • STORE

Tools & Resources

Top 10 Best Travel Tripod For Traveling Photographers

traveler with camera in a mountain

Few things are more exciting than traveling the world and exploring new places. When you are away from home, you likely want to capture memories by taking photographs or producing videos. Of course, you likely can’t get the shot you want without the right equipment. In addition to an excellent camera, you may want to invest in a travel tripod.

The are many travel tripods available for purchase today. Not all are a good use of your money, however. In this review, we list the 10 best travel tripods for traveling photographers.

Quick Navigation
​​​​TRAVEL TRIP​​​​OD FAQS
HOW WE EVALUATED TRAVEL TRIPODS
OVERALL PRICE RANGE OF TRAVEL TRIPODS
TOP 10 BEST TRAVEL TRIPODS FOR TRAVELING PHOTOGRAPHERS: RANKINGS, RATINGS AND REVIEWS
TRAVEL TRIPOD COMPARISON TABLE
THE VERDICT: THE MANFROTTO MKBFRA4-BH BEFREE COMPACT ALUMINUM TRAVEL TRIPOD IS THE BEST TRAVEL TRIPOD

​​​​TRAVEL TRIP​​​​OD FAQS

WHAT IS A TRAV​EL TRIPOD?

A travel tripod is a three-legged tool that holds cameras and other devices in place. Travel tripods come in a variety of styles, colors, materials, finishes and configurations.

HOW MUCH DO TRAVEL TRIP​ODS COST?

Travel tripods usually cost less than studio tripods. Some, however, are quite expensive. Materials, size, construction, design and branding affect the overall cost of travel tripods.

WHERE CAN YOU BUY A TRAVEL TRIPO​D?

Many big-box stores and photography shops sell travel tripods. If you prefer to shop online, you can find a huge selection of tripods at third-party sites, such as Amazon.

HOW WE EVALUATED TRAVEL TRIPODS

Our goal is to provide you with honest, reliable and valuable information. In compiling our rankings of the best travel tripods, we looked for excellence in the following areas:

  • Build quality
  • Height
  • Load capacity
  • Affordability

To create a review you can trust, we didn’t only look at published specifications and marketing materials for each tripod. Instead, we considered the opinions of both professional reviewers and actual photographers.

OVERALL PRICE RANGE OF TRAVEL TRIPODS

As mentioned above, travel tripods vary considerably in price. Still, travel tripods usually cost significantly less than those used in studio photography. The tripods that made our rankings of the best travel tripods for traveling photographers range in price from $30 to $700. Most on our list, though, cost between $100 and $250.

TOP 10 BEST TRAVEL TRIPODS FOR TRAVELING PHOTOGRAPHERS: RANKINGS, RATINGS AND REVIEWS

1. MANFROTTO MKBFRA4-BH BEFREE COMPACT ALUMINUM TRAVEL TRIPOD

Manfrotto MKBFRA4-BH BeFree Compact Aluminum Travel Tripod Black
Manfrotto MKBFRA4-BH BeFree Compact Aluminum Travel Tripod Black
  • Light and compact design. The special design of this tripod with head ensures your camera stays firmly locked in...
  • Supports up to 8.8lbs
  • Designed to fit into carry-on luggage and backpacks
Buy on Amazon

In our opinion, the best travel tripod for on-the-go photographers is the Manfrotto MKBFRA4-BH BeFree compact aluminum travel tripod. This tripod has everything most photographers want in a camera-holding device. The light and compact design of this product makes traveling through busy airports or quiet villages a breeze. In fact, it fits nicely inside most backpacks or carry-on bags.

While the BeFree is small in size, it feels strong and durable. The base supports medium-weight cameras up to about nine pounds. All three legs toggle quickly and easily into place, making shooting from a variety of heights and configurations possible. We like the professional look of this piece of equipment. Available in different colors, the tripod is sure to give you instant photog credibility wherever you go.

Even better, the comparatively low price tag on the Manfrotto BeFree tripod allows you to spend money on booking dynamic voyages. While the BeFree allows you to capture some great photos, it isn’t perfect. When the center post is fully extended, the tripod becomes a bit unstable. As such, your camera’s shutter may cause a vibration that reduces the quality of large prints. Since most photographers solve this problem by lowering the center post, this issue doesn’t bother us much.

2. GITZO GT1542T SERIES 1 6X CARBON-FIBER TRAVELER 4-SECTION G-LOCK TRIPOD

Neewer Carbon Fiber 66 inches/168 centimeters Camera Tripod Monopod...
Neewer Carbon Fiber 66 inches/168 centimeters Camera Tripod Monopod...
  • 【2-In-1 Tripod/Monopod】 Featuring a detachable leg and a removable center column, Neewer Carbon Fiber Tripod allows...
  • 【Adjustable Tripod Legs】 The 4-section legs with twist locks can extend from 22.6” to 66.1” (57.5cm to 168cm) in...
  • 【Versatile 360° Ball Head】 Metal ball head comes with a quick release plate for instant camera mounting. The 360°...
Buy on Amazon

While expensive, the Gitzo GT1542T Series 1 6X carbon-fiber tripod is perhaps the most complete traveler tripod on the market today. The 3.7-pound device is light enough to carry long distances. Moreover, its adjustable base makes setting up the perfect shot simple and fast. Some photographers notice that raising the center pole requires effort, as it tends to stick. We think this is likely resolvable with a silicone lubricant, however.

If you have a heavy camera or use bulky lenses, you will likely appreciate the payload of the Gitzo GT1542T. In fact, the tripod can support setups that weigh up to 22 pounds. The Gitzo has a hook to help you avoid accidently knocking your camera off the tripod base. It also features a failsafe lock to avoid tipping on rocky terrain. The clear standout feature of the Gitzo camera, though, is its carbon-fiber construction. While lightweight, the tripod can withstand significant punishment.

3. MEFOTO CLASSIC ALUMINUM GLOBETROTTER TRAVEL TRIPOD/MONOPOD

MeFOTO GlobeTrotter Classic 64.2' Aluminum Travel Tripod/Monopod...
MeFOTO GlobeTrotter Classic 64.2" Aluminum Travel Tripod/Monopod...
  • The MeFOTO GlobeTrotter is a compact travel camera tripod that folds up inversely and turns into a monopod. When...
  • 360-degree Panning: Accurate panoramas can be easily orchestrated using the graduated panning scale for accurate image...
  • Recessed Center-Column Hook: A spring loaded recessed hook, located in the bottom of the center-column, allows you to...
Buy on Amazon

The second and third tripods on our list are virtually tied. Both the Gitzo and MeFOTO tripods appeal to both amateur and professional photographers. However, the comparatively small price tag on the MeFOTO Globetrotter makes it accessible to virtually everyone.

This tripod is easy to set up and tear down. Moreover, its compact size makes carrying the device to far-away destinations a breeze. We like the MeFOTO tripod for its simplistic design. While you hold your camera in one hand, you can likely adjust the tripod with the other. The small stature of the Globetrotter travel tripod makes it an excellent choice for hikers. If you need to reach tall heights, the MeFOTO easily converts into a 64.2-inch monopod.

4. BENRO GOTRAVEL ALUMINUM TRIPOD WITH B1 BALL HEAD

Benro GoTravel Aluminum Tripod w/ B1 Ball Head (GA169TB1)
Benro GoTravel Aluminum Tripod w/ B1 Ball Head (GA169TB1)
  • Allows the user to implement compact and lightweight camera support. Weighing just 3.6 lbs. and able to hold up to 22...
  • The 5-section legs are held in place by twist locks and can be adjusted independently.
  • Equipped with interchangeable screw-in rubber feet and stainless steel spiked feet for increased stability. In addition,...
Buy on Amazon

The BENRO GoTravel tripod is one of the heaviest tripods we reviewed. Since a lightweight design is important for a tripod to work on the go, we dropped this device out of our top three. Still, we appreciate the many features the BENRO GoTravel has to offer. Perhaps the best of these is the quick-flip center column. This column allows you to quickly set up shots, making the GoTravel ideal for wildlife photographers.

Like the MeFOTO tripod, the BENRO device converts from a tripod to a monopod. The process is a bit more complicated, however. As such, you should probably practice transforming the device a few times before you hit the road with it. Some reviewers complain about the flimsy feel of the BENRO GoTravel aluminum tripod. At $200, we expect a sturdier feel.

5. 3 LEGGED THING PUNKS BRIAN CARBON - FIBER TRIPOD

3 Legged Thing X1.1 Brian Evolution 2 Carbon Fiber Tripod System with...
3 Legged Thing X1.1 Brian Evolution 2 Carbon Fiber Tripod System with...
Buy on Amazon

The 3 Legged Thing Punks Brian tripod is a transitionary tool for intermediate photographers. The carbon-fiber device is lightweight, which makes it easy to carry. Still, it doesn’t intuitively expand. Instead, you must twist joints to lock them into place. As such, this tripod feels like a professional-grade tool.

The Punks Brian offers excellent support for both light and heavy cameras. Its sturdy build is designed for extreme conditions. Nonetheless, some users complain about wobbling in the 3 Legged Thing’s legs. Accordingly, if you routinely shoot in windy or icy areas, the 3 Legged Thing tripod may not be the best option for you. Still, we can’t quibble with the super-cool product name.

6. MEFOTO BACKPACKER AIR TRAVEL TRIPOD

MeFOTO BackPacker Air Tripod and Selfie Stick in One Kit - Black...
MeFOTO BackPacker Air Tripod and Selfie Stick in One Kit - Black...
  • HyperLock leg locks - Each tripod and monopod uses our new HyperLock leg lock design, which is much faster than...
  • Selfie Stick/Telescoping center column - You can take selfies with the included Bluetooth remote and smartphone adapter....
  • Lightweight - Way less to carry around. MeFOTO Air combines strong and lightweight materials making it possible to...
Buy on Amazon

Not every travel photographer is looking to create a masterpiece. Many simply want an excellent picture to post on social media. For those, the MeFOTO Backpacker Air travel tripod is a decent option. This tripod offers a sturdy base for small and medium-sized cameras. The aluminum construction of the tripod ensures it is simple to pack and easy to carry.

We like the MeFOTO Backpacker for its intuitive set up. With just the turn of a rubber foot, you manipulate the tripod in any direction you choose. If you expect a professional-grade tripod, the MeFOTO Backpacker will likely disappoint. If you want a starter tripod that fits inside a backpack, though, this tool is worth a look.

7. PRIMA PHOTO BIG TRAVEL TRIPOD

PrimaPhoto PHTRBBK Gear Traveler Big Tripod (Black)
PrimaPhoto PHTRBBK Gear Traveler Big Tripod (Black)
  • Fractioned ball head with independent pan lock
  • Leg to monopod
  • Telescopic center column
Buy on Amazon

Don’t let the Big Travel from Prima Photo fool you. While the tripod is large enough to capture virtually any shot you want, it is not bulky or heavy. In fact, at only 3.6 pounds, the Big Travel competes with higher-end tripods.

We like the Prima Photo Big Travel for its customizability. Whether you want a standard tripod or a full-sized monopod, this device has you covered. This device is not, however, a professional tool. Because Prima Photo delivers an affordable tripod with its Big Travel offering, some of the components have a decidedly low-quality feel to them.

8. OBEN AC-1341 TRAVEL TRIPOD

Oben AC-1451 4-Section Aluminum Tripod with PD-117 Pan/Tilt Head
Oben AC-1451 4-Section Aluminum Tripod with PD-117 Pan/Tilt Head
  • Load Capacity: 13.2 lb
  • Maximum Height: 68.3" | Minimum Height 10.2"
  • Folded Length: 25.2" | Leg Sections: 4
Buy on Amazon

While the build quality of travel tripods tends to drop with price, the Oben AC-1341 feels strong and sturdy. This tripod relies on well-built legs and rubber feet to hold your camera or other device in place. Even though the Oben AC-1341 is lightweight and travels well, it isn’t right for all photographers. If your camera weighs more than a few pounds, you won’t want to trust this tripod to hold it.

9. RETICAM TABLETOP TRIPOD

RetiCAM Tabletop Tripod with 3-Way Pan/Tilt Head, Quick Release Plate...
RetiCAM Tabletop Tripod with 3-Way Pan/Tilt Head, Quick Release Plate...
  • Complete table top tripod for digital cameras, DSLR cameras, camcorders, spotting scopes, and many other devices...
  • Full of Features: 3-Way pan/tilt head, quick release mounting plate, bubble level, extendable center column, quick snap...
  • Strong, sturdy and durable: Aluminum construction, 20mm legs and geared center post, over-sized locks;
Buy on Amazon

At only $30, the RetiCAM tabletop tripod is the cheapest tripod we reviewed. It is also the lightest. This device isn’t tall enough to be a standalone tripod. Instead, you must place it on a bench, table or other sturdy structure. Still, it holds your camera securely while you capture important shots. While the RetiCAM’s small size may appeal to those who prefer to travel lightly, the tripod does not excel in build quality.

10. PRIMA PHOTO SMALL TRAVEL TRIPOD

PrimaPhoto PHTRSBK Gear Traveler Small Tripod (Black)
PrimaPhoto PHTRSBK Gear Traveler Small Tripod (Black)
  • Center ball head with independent pan lock
  • Telescopic center column
  • Leg Angel selectors
Buy on Amazon

The last tripod on our rankings is the little brother of the Prima Photo Big Travel tripod. This Small Travel tripod holds your camera firmly in place while you capture shots. That’s about it. It doesn’t have many of the features of the other tripods on the list. Its designers didn’t intend it to have them, though. Instead, they wanted to create a device that allows you a hands-free way to take photographs. Further, the Small Travel tripod from Prima Photo is one of the most affordable tripods on our list. It is lightweight and easy to use.


TRAVEL TRIPOD COMPARISON TABLE


Preview Product
Manfrotto MKBFRA4-BH BeFree Compact Aluminum Travel Tripod Black Manfrotto MKBFRA4-BH BeFree Compact Aluminum Travel Tripod Black Buy on Amazon
Neewer Carbon Fiber 66 inches/168 centimeters Camera Tripod Monopod... Neewer Carbon Fiber 66 inches/168 centimeters Camera Tripod Monopod... Buy on Amazon
MeFOTO GlobeTrotter Classic 64.2' Aluminum Travel Tripod/Monopod... MeFOTO GlobeTrotter Classic 64.2" Aluminum Travel Tripod/Monopod... Buy on Amazon
Benro GoTravel Aluminum Tripod w/ B1 Ball Head (GA169TB1) Benro GoTravel Aluminum Tripod w/ B1 Ball Head (GA169TB1) Buy on Amazon
3 Legged Thing X1.1 Brian Evolution 2 Carbon Fiber Tripod System with... 3 Legged Thing X1.1 Brian Evolution 2 Carbon Fiber Tripod System with... Buy on Amazon
MeFOTO BackPacker Air Tripod and Selfie Stick in One Kit - Black... MeFOTO BackPacker Air Tripod and Selfie Stick in One Kit - Black... Buy on Amazon
PrimaPhoto PHTRBBK Gear Traveler Big Tripod (Black) PrimaPhoto PHTRBBK Gear Traveler Big Tripod (Black) Buy on Amazon
Oben AC-1451 4-Section Aluminum Tripod with PD-117 Pan/Tilt Head Oben AC-1451 4-Section Aluminum Tripod with PD-117 Pan/Tilt Head Buy on Amazon
RetiCAM Tabletop Tripod with 3-Way Pan/Tilt Head, Quick Release Plate... RetiCAM Tabletop Tripod with 3-Way Pan/Tilt Head, Quick Release Plate... Buy on Amazon
PrimaPhoto PHTRSBK Gear Traveler Small Tripod (Black) PrimaPhoto PHTRSBK Gear Traveler Small Tripod (Black) Buy on Amazon

THE VERDICT: THE MANFROTTO MKBFRA4-BH BEFREE COMPACT ALUMINUM TRAVEL TRIPOD IS THE BEST TRAVEL TRIPOD

With its design, construction and versatility, the Manfrotto MKBFRA4-BH Be-Free tripod is the best travel tripod on the market today. Nonetheless, the competition is fierce. That is, we reviewed some excellent tripods. Which one is right for you likely depends on your travel style and photography goals.

10 Tips on How to Become a Digital Nomad

Most modern workers in the Western world are fed up with the daily grind. A recent survey showed that well over half of Americans feel unfulfilled in their jobs. One way many people are breaking out of this modern malaise is by becoming digital nomads. As long as you have a laptop, and online job, access to Wi-Fi, and an adventurous spirit, you too can embark on your own digital nomad journey. In this article, we’ll go over a few essential tips on how to become a digital nomad.

how to become a digital nomad
Image Source: Flickr

1. Figure Out Your Line of Work

We’ll start our list of how to become a digital nomad with finding a reliable online job. Some common jobs ideas to consider include freelance writing, teaching English, and creating an online business. Some of the most helpful websites out there for people interested in getting started freelance writing include Textbroker.com, UpWork.com, and ProBlogger.com.

If you’re thinking about going the teaching route, the two most popular countries for ESL teachers now are South Korea and China. Check out Dave’s ESL Café for more information on English teaching positions around the world. Whatever you decide do, just be sure you have a steady stream of income online before starting your digital nomad adventure.

2. Examine Your Values: Security vs. Freedom

Anyone trying to find out how to become a digital nomad should have a personality that values freedom over security. Some people need the structure of a 9 to 5 office job lifestyle, and that’s totally fine. However, you can’t expect the same degree of security and comfort from a digital nomad lifestyle, especially as you’re starting out. You need to motivate yourself to set and accomplish goals every single day.

Digital nomads also have to be able to embrace the challenges and inconveniences of living in a foreign locale. Be sure you have a mindset that values freedom more than security before starting down this exciting (and challenging) road.

3. What Country Suits Your Lifestyle?

People trying to figure out how to become a freelance writer have to find a city that fits their budget and lifestyle. It might be a good idea to take a vacation to your chosen city beforehand. Better yet, book a month-long language learning program in your city of choice to get better acquainted with the local culture of your country. Just so you know, the most common areas for freelancers (due mainly to their low cost of living) include Thailand, Taiwan, Vietnam, and Indonesia.

Phi Phi Islands, Thailand
Image source: Pinterest

4. Get A Skype Address

If you don’t already have one, you should get a Skype account and send it to all your friends and family at home. The great thing about Skype is that you can use it all over the world. There will be times when you get homesick on your adventures abroad, so it’s always nice to stay in touch with those you care about back home. Also, put together a list of contacts you can rely on in case of an emergency.

5. Invest in Quality Health Insurance

Speaking of emergencies, anyone trying to figure out how to become a digital nomad should have a great insurance plan for their health. Figure out what the health care system is like in your chosen country and ask your healthcare provider whether it works there. Of course, the best medicine you can take to give you optimal energy and health is a nutrient-dense diet full of veggies and fruits. You don’t want to be living off of McDonald’s as you travel around the world!

6. Know How to Do Web Research

You must be an “eternal student” to become a successful digital nomad. Always refine your entrepreneurial skills by researching online, visiting local libraries, and signing up for workshops in your area. Some helpful skills to learn include SEO, WordPress, HTML, and online marketing. Becoming more and more proficient in these web-based skills will definitely make you more competitive in the online marketplace.

7. Connect with People in Your Destination

Digital nomads need to know how to network. Before you head off to your chosen destination, you should’ve already connected with locals and expats living there. Nowadays, you can easily use websites like Facebook, Couchsurfing, and even various PenPal sites to get a good sense of what life is like in that country. Also, try to network with groups that are dedicated to your line of work like freelance writing groups or ESL forums.

social networking connects
Image Source: DepositPhotos

8. Get Rid of Your Debt

Believe it or not, economists estimate that eight in ten Americans have some form of debt now. Common causes of this debt include student loans and mortgages. If you have a ton of debt in your life, you’d better get that squared away before embarking on a digital nomad lifestyle. You’ll have enough to stress about as you’re traveling around the world, so you definitely don’t want debt to be a lingering issue in the back of your mind.

9. Meditate

There are limitless benefits to meditating . Why do you think so many powerful CEOs take time out of their busy schedules to close their eyes and follow their breath every day? Because it works! Only 15 minutes of mindfulness meditation every day will improve your mood, help you concentrate, and lower your blood pressure (all skills you’ll need to survive as a digital nomad). Of course, there are so many other spiritual benefits to daily meditation, but you’ll only discover those for yourself if you actually commit to a daily practice routine.

10. Take A Cold Shower

OK, we know this is a weird tip to be on a list of “how to become a digital nomad,” but hear us out. Most people in the world have what’s known as a “victim mentality.” This basically means that people blame their life circumstances on external situations rather than their own inner failings. If you truly want to be a successful digital nomad, you need to get over this mental hang-up ASAP.

 

One easy way to shake yourself out of these negative thought patterns (and improve your overall health) is to take a cold shower every morning. You’ll probably come up with a ton of excuses why you shouldn’t take this shower…but that’s exactly the point! You have to confront your lame excuses, push through them, and just do what needs to be done. This is a great psychological training tool every digital nomad can use to get motivated.

Final Thoughts

So, now you know some of the greatest strategies on how to become a digital nomad. It is possible to work anytime you want anywhere you want…but you need to be willing to put in a lot of work at the start of the journey. If you consider yourself a self-starter, then you probably have what it take to make this lifestyle work for you. Just put these strategies into practice and begin to build the life of your dreams!

Top 10 Travel Blogs You Should Be Reading in 2017

Did you ever dream of quitting your day job and traveling the world? If so, there are now literally thousands of travel blogs online dedicated to helping you make that dream a reality. Anyone looking for a good place to start their globe-trekking adventure should check out these top 10 travel blogs. All of the blogs listed below have incredible travel hacks that will help you plan your next vacation.

1. One Mile At A Time

We start our list of the top 10 travel blogs with Ben Schlappig’s One Mile At A Time. This blog mainly deals with topics like different airlines and sky miles and currently has the highest Internet traffic for any travel blog. Mr. Schlapping was born in Germany, but he often traveled from Frankfurt to Tampa as a boy. At a young age, Schlapping developed a great interest in international travel and he quickly discovered how he could use sky miles to help him travel the world on a budget.

Schlapping is perhaps best known in the travel industry for serving as the Vice President of FlyerTalk. Since he founded his blog in 2008, Schlapping has flown at least four million miles around the world. If you’re interested in all things related to airlines, sky miles, and special travel promotions, there’s no better blog to check out than One Mile At A Time.

One Mile At A Time world map

2. Migrationology

Mark Wiens’s Migrationology is the best travel blog for foodies. Even if you haven’t visited Wiens’s Migrationology website, you’ve probably seen a few of his popular travel reviews on YouTube. Although he was born in Arizona, Wiens spent his early years in Albertville, France. He then moved to the Congo where he was homeschooled for three years, and then completed his high school education in Kenya.

In 2008, Wiens got a BA in Global Studies at Arizona State University. After college, Wiens traveled around South America and South East Asia, all the while creating Migrationology. Today, Migrationology has well over 40,000 fans, all of whom share Wiens’s philosophy that food can bring people of different cultures together. Wiens’s YouTube page now has an impressive one million subscribers.

3. Two Monkeys Travel

Jonathan and Kach Howe created Two Monkeys Travel Group in 2013. While the Englishman Jonathan was traveling through Laos he met Philippine Kach who was traveling with her brother. A few months later, Jonathan got a job teaching in Vietnam and encouraged Kach to join him there. Kach initially planned to just visit Jonathan for a few weeks… but they’ve never been apart since that fateful day. While both Kach and Jonathan have degrees in yoga, they love documenting their travels online to help other explorers. Since they’ve started their blog, Kach and Jonathan have been to over 70 different countries.

Two Monkeys Travel website screenshot

4. Leave Your Daily Hell

In 2009, Robert Schrader was claiming unemployment checks in Texas. Today, he owns one of the top 10 travel blogs on the Internet called Leave Your Daily Hell. All of Schrader’s articles are designed to inspire people who feel like they can’t achieve their travel goals due to financial issues. In addition to travel coaching, Schrader writes airline review articles, destination guides, and takes some of the best travel photos in the business. So, if you’re looking for a bit of inspiration to get you from your day job to your dream destination, check out Schrader’s blog today.

Leave Your Daily Hell website screenshot

5. View From The Wing

Gary Leff’s View From The Wing blog is similar to One Mile At A Time. The main focus of this travel blog is helping people get the most out of frequent flyer miles. Leff is a self-admitted frequent flyer buff and currently works as the Chair of the Nominations Committee at the prestigious Freddie Awards. He’s also considered one of the most knowledgeable commentators on airlines and travel deals on the Web. Anyone interested in connecting with fellow frequent flyer buffs must check out Leff’s View From The Wing blog ASAP.

Here’s my ride to Austin #instatravel #privatejet #style

A post shared by Gary Leff (@garyleff) on Jul 27, 2017 at 7:34pm PDT

6. Nomadic Matt’s Travel Site

  Nomadic Matt’s Travel Site deserves a spot our top 10 travel blogs list, especially for those interested in learning how to travel with just a few bucks a day. What’s great about Matt’s blog is that he doesn’t feature sponsored content or paid trips on his platform. He does his travels just like you would and helps his readers save money while on the road while also reviewing jaw-dropping destinations such as Nicaragua, Morocco, Seychelles, and many other. Matt has also written a number of books and budget city guides and offers four travel courses for enthusiasts.   Nomadic Matt's Travel Site website screenshot  

7. The Whole World is a Playground

 Shakespeare famously wrote, “All the world’s a stage.” Well, the couple Elaine and Dave certainly took that quote a step further when they entitled their travel blog “The Whole World is a Playground.” One reason this blog is consistently ranked amongst the top 10 travel blogs is because it proves how people can travel the world while keeping their day job. Believe it or not, this couple actually travels to 15 different countries every year while holding down high-paying jobs in their native Ireland. Just a few of the countries this couple has explored include Bulgaria, China, Egypt, and Israel.      

New day, new country! #Mostar in #Bosnia is a real treat with its beautiful Old Town, amazing food and the incredible Bosnian coffee ☕ 📷 The #StariMost #bridge is easily one of the country’s most famous landmarks. The original stood for 427 years until it was destroyed in the war and was rebuilt in 2004 A post shared by Elaine & Dave (@thewholeworldisaplayground) on Aug 8, 2017 at 10:41am PDT

8. South East Asia Backpacker

It’s not really hard to see why South East Asia is becoming such a hot spot for tourism. The prices are cheap, the weather is perfect, the beaches are pristine, and the people are friendly…honestly, what’s not to love in South East Asia? Anyone thinking about traveling here for the first time should definitely check out the South East Asia Backpacker blog. Nikki Scott founded South East Asia Backpacker in 2009 as a print magazine. Since that time, South East Asia Backpacker has become one of the top 10 travel blogs for people interested in this part of the world. Whether you’re going to the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, or Vietnam, you’re sure to find tons of information on this website.

South East Asia Backpacker screenshot

9. Bruised Passports

The couple Vid and Savi created Bruised Passports to share their extensive travel history and to promote their “rose tinted glasses” philosophy. Both Vid and Savi believe in always questioning conventions and trying your best to see the positive side of life. Just a few of the 75-plus countries these lovebirds have visited include Mauritius, the Czech Republic, and Costa Rica. Anyone into fashion will really admire this travel blog, since Savi frequently posts fashion article from different places around the world.

Floating past the Taj in a world entirely our own 💜💜 ✨ ✨ Ever since my friend James saw this photograph from our trip to Agra in 2016, he’s wanted to visit the Taj. He’s visiting from the US this weekend and Vid’s in Australia, so we’ve booked an impromptu getaway with #OlaOutstation because it’s easy to book their cabs and they offer 24X7 assistance on the road and online tracking which I love – it never hurts to play it safe right?! ☺️ In case, you’re curious, we’ve already written about ALL of our favourite ways of photographing the iconic Taj Mahal on our website 😍🤗 What are you guys doing this weekend? And if you have any suggestions for Agra, do leave them down below please ☺️😍 . . #delhi @olacabs #travel #bruisedpassports #agra #roadtrip

A post shared by Savi and Vid (@bruisedpassports) on Aug 13, 2017 at 9:33pm PDT

10. Japan Travel Mate

Closing out our list is Japan Travel Mate. As you could tell from the name, this travel blog focuses exclusively on travel to the “Land of the Rising Sun.” Since Japan is such a tourist hot spot, it really merits its own travel blog. Dean Wormald first traveled to Japan in 2009, and ever since that time he’s fallen in love with Japanese culture. He created this blog to help others appreciate the richness of Japanese culture and to help first-time travelers get the most out of their Japanese excursion. If you’re a fan of all things Japan, then the Japan Travel Mate blog is right up your alley.

Japan Travel Mate website screenshot

Final Thoughts

Any of these top 10 travel blogs will teach you a great deal about financing and enjoying global travel. One of the great benefits of living in the modern age is that we can travel literally anywhere so long as we have our passport and a boarding pass. If you think you can’t travel for whatever reason, the above blogs are filled with stories of ordinary people overcoming their financial hardships to travel wherever they want to go. Read through these travel blogs to discover how you too can travel the world in style.

How to Blog from Abroad – part 1-

Machu-Picchu-347

So, you want to start your very own travel blog? The good news is that anyone can start one. The bad news is that being able to sustain a quality travel blog requires a lot of effort, a lot of investment and a lot of time. If you are serious about the task that you are about to undertake you should know a few things that we will be covering in the following article. But before we get down to business can you answer one question: Why do you want to blog?

Some people write because they desire to chronicle their adventures. Others do it because they want to share their experiences with the world. There also some who do it to help fellow travelers on their journeys. Regardless of your purpose, you should make sure that it is crystal clear before you start because it is the one thing that will strengthen your resolve despite all uncertainties.

If you want more than your family and friends to read about your travel and if you want to enthrall strangers, you have to go the extra mile. Travel blogging just about sharing experiences. A simple recount of your itinerary will not make a visitor stay. As a wise man once said, it’s the way you tell a story that really matters. With these things in mind let’s take a look at a few tricks that will help you get started with your travel blog.

What you should do Before Starting your Travel blog

Blogging requires careful planning. You can’t simply decide one day and start looking for hosting the other day. The truth is that travel is a difficult niche to blog on, and the only way that you will be successful is if you offer something truly unique.

#1 Research Other Travel Blogs

Our first recommendation would be to start reading other travel blogs (if you aren’t already doing it). This will give you a better idea about what works (and what doesn’t) in this industry. All you have to do is a Google search on the best travel blogs. Peruse the top 5 to 20 picks and try to write down the things that you liked about them.

#2 Choose your Travel Niche

Another thing that you need to do before you start is to choose your travel topic. One way to go around this is by exploring your possibilities. For example, can you travel to Asia or Africa? Are you the type to stay in luxury hotels or do you prefer off the beaten track locations? Niche travel is a much more realistic option for travel bloggers. By narrowing your scope you will be able to provide with unique information about various places and you will also be able to combine different interests such as photography and cooking with travel.

#3 Can you Capture your Adventures on Camera?

Speaking of photography, do you have the means of taking high-quality photos during your journeys? We will tell you from the get-go that very few travel blogs can survive without great imagery. Investing in an entry-level DSLR camera and owning a smart-phone capable of instagraming good quality images is extremely important.

“Improve your photography. Visuals are a very important part of blogging these days, especially in travel. Photos can immediately convey a sense of place.” – La Carmina for the Huffington Post

#4 Learn how to Sell Yourself

Lee Abbamonte is an extremely successful travel blogger who gave us some very sound advice. When asked about the thing that makes travel blog work he said:

„Don’t be afraid to ask for money, don’t be afraid to be told no, be relentless and aggressive, remember you are selling yourself at all times, so always be closing.”

Most travelers aren’t in it for the money. It takes at least half a year of sustained work and writing to attract a decent amount of followers and most of the money you will be earning might not cover your travel expenses.What do you do? Lee believes that travel bloggers should learn how to sell themselves to their readers. In other words, if you are creating amazing content that people like you must encourage them to support your future travelrs In the end, all the money invested goes back into the blog one way or the other.

Getting Started with your Travel Blog

OnlineTravelHR_Corbis

There are many things to consider when working on your travel blog, and it would be impossible for us to share them all in one article. This is why we will only be covering the basics of blogging from abroad. In this article’s sequel we will also be discussing about content marketing strategies, writing tips for evergreen and unique posts and organization tips that will make blogging constantly when abroad easier.

#5 Get Hosted & Choose your Platform:

There are several free blogging platforms that you can choose from (example: blogger.com, wordpress.com etc.). However, we recommend that you purchase your very own place on the web. This can be done through a hosting company and it is actually very simple. Once you have found a good host you can begin installing your platform.

WordPress is one of the largest publishing platforms of the moment. It comes with tones of plugins and optimization features, and it has an easy learning curve. Once you set-up your platform you can choose a theme, install some plugins (examples: Akismet, All in One SEO, Google XML Sitemaps, Photo Dropper, Contact form 7, wpTouch Mobile, Google Analytics, Feed Burner etc.) and you are ready to start writing!

The platform and hosting service that you choose for your new travel blog should also be easily accessible from different parts of the globe. This is extremely important as you will probably be moving a lot.

#6 Post Articles on a Regular Basis & Exercise Patience:

Fame usually does not come overnight. We believe that new travel bloggers should blog at least 5 times a week in their early weeks of blogging. Alternatively, if you have enough time to post lenghtier posts from your travels you should sit down with a cup of coffee and do so. Writing a lot will also help you develop your voice and attract like-minded people. If you know that you will be traveling to remote parts of the globe for longer periods you should also schedule some of your articles in advance.

#7 Reach Out to Fellow Bloggers:

As you can probably already imagine, it is not enough to write. You also have to connect with fellow travelers or writers. This can be done through various blogging platforms such as typepad.com and Blogger, or through social media channels.

#8 Maintain a Positive Attitude:

We can’t stress the importance of this issue enough. We know how frustrating it can be to write and have nobody read it. The problem is that it will take a while for you to gain some followership and in the meanwhile you have to create content that will make them want to read more about your travel. You should also take into consideration hate comments and complaints that will probably appear. Even failures can help us improve.

#9 Harness the Power of Social Media:

Even if you don’t have time to post articles every day this doesn’t mean that you can’t snap a quick photo of you riding an elephant. You can engage with your readers by showing them sneak pics during your travels to make them excited about your upcoming post.

#10 Be Descriptive:

Words such as ‚amazing’, ‚great’, ‚fascinating’ should have no place in your vocabulary. When you are describing your adventures you want to make people feel like they’ve been part of it and this calls for very specific descriptions. For example, don’t say that your food was very tasty, say that it tasted like velvety sweet chocolate. You want your followers to crave what you eat and dream about the places that you are visiting. Only then can you call yourself a good travel blogger.

BONUS – Know your Value & Track your Progress

At some point in your travel blogging career strangers will approach you in regards to advertisements or partnerships. When this happens you need to know exactly how much you value. Tracking the performance of your blog with tools such as Google Analytics or Webmaster tools is a great idea. This will give you a better idea about your progress.

This concludes our basic tips for blogging while abroad. Stay tuned for the following article which will discuss the problematics of travel blogging more in-detail.

The 27 Best International Travel Apps

The 27 Best  Travel Apps to Travel Internationally

These days, any company who’s serious about its online presence knows that it needs an app in order to make it and this is especially true about travel companies. As the saying goes, if you need it, there’s an app for that – from language translation apps to international messaging apps. Some of the biggest flight and tourism companies in the world, such as United Airlines and Booking.com have got apps, but smaller competitors have them too. You can run through every aspect of your trip with a dedicated app, from planning and booking to exploring, photographing, and socializing. Apps can call you a cab, translate for you, find a nearby WiFi hotspot or help you get in touch with your family and friends back home.

This industry segment is on the rise and there’s little doubt about it. According to the latest data in the field, some 17,000 travel apps were released between 2011 and 2013 alone. A market study on high-end consumers found that travel apps are the third most downloaded category, after weather and news. And it’s not just the well-to-do that use apps when traveling these days, either. A PhoCusWright survey showed that almost 25 per cent of nearly 2,000 travelers had used an app or mobile website to buy something travel related. Hotel bookings came in first, followed by car rentals and airport transfer shuttle tickets. Industry experts are also looking at the quantity and quality of these apps, though. They acknowledge that many of them are poor quality and there’s plenty of room for development (pun intended). They advise developers to focus on “the granularity of travel”, such as navigation, itinerary organization, weather forecasts, currency exchange and time zones.

Apps are essentially transforming travel as we know it, by rendering it far more efficient. Google Translate, top rank among language translation apps, for instance, will allow you to communicate with far improved efficiency, irrespective of where in the world your journey may take you to. However, the trend, as the experts see it, is going to be toward a move away from fragmented one-trick-pony apps such as public transport map apps and the like. Task managers that allow travelers to book, sort, plan, and photograph are the future, rumor has it – and one expert has even predicted the incoming popularity of voice activated apps, in which Siri, shall we say, is able to book an entire trip with a few taps and swipes, plus a couple of voice commands.

For the time being, though, here’s what we recommend in terms of excellent travel apps, suited both for local, as well as international trips. They will keep you entertained, connected, and organized and make your trips all the more pleasant and memorable.

Flight & Accommodation booking

Priority Pass

If you travel a lot, then you’re surely no stranger to the experience of searching for a free airport lounge – and you also know how frustrating it can be. In comes Priority Pass, a well-reviewed app available for free for most mobile devices, which basically aggregates a massive list of airport lounges the world over. As of the date this article was written, Priority Pass’s list included well over 600 airport lounges, which can be searched for by typing in the city or airport name. The easiest way to find a lounge is via GPS and the cool thing is that, unlike many other apps, you don’t have to depend on Internet access for this one. You can save and store the data for offline use and then updated when you’re next connected. So now you know what to do, next time you’re on a long layover and simply dying for a spot to nap, catch up on work, or simply stretch your legs as you wait for your connecting flight to depart.  You can join Priority Pass for a yearly fee which gives you access to all these lounges, but most will allow you to pay for that particular visit.
Free for iOS and Android

American Airlines

American AirlinesAirports can turn into the setting for a stressful experience, even for the most experienced traveler out there. You need to check in, look for the gate you’re departing from with terminal maps, be on the lookout for the status of your flight, and then eventually board it. So, what if you could do all of that online, off your Android or iOS-operated device? That’s what the good folks at American Airlines wondered, too, and then they came up with this app, which allows you to check out all the details of your American Airlines flight (and plenty more, too) at a glance. Swipe, tap, customize, play an built-in game of Sudoku, and even set a parking reminder. Check out the commercial for the new, iOS 7 redesigned app, then set your mind at ease. Flying American has never been easier.
Free for iOS and Android

Fly Delta

This is one of the best apps for international travel out there, for booking flights from the U.S., thanks to its impeccable Search and Compare features. Not only does it find you the best deals on both domestic and international flights, but it also comes with a great deal of added bonuses. You can share booked trips via Facebook, purchase extras, such as Wi-Fi, Priority Boarding, or Preferred Seats. The profile you create within the app is a fly deltaone-stop shop for managing your trips, from rebooking to transaction status verifications, to SkyMile progress. The app also allows you to check in online at selected airports around the world, as well as to track the location of your luggage (too cool!). Other features include lounge location, picture taking for parking spots, maps for airports and public transport, flight trackers, weather information and parking reminders. It’s the kind of traveling app that makes you wonder why you would ever use any other ones.
Free for iOS and Android

Booking.com

There’s no beating Booking.com in terms of planning ahead for accommodation, either locally or internationally. The website’s booking.comimpressive database of properties has got over 430,000 worldwide properties stored, plus 64,000 travel destinations. It’s also customized to help you find good pricing deals, book a specific hotel, or even change your mind, plans, and stay dates. The app’s developers have also managed to smoothly transfer the site’s seamless filtering search function to mobile devices. You can find out if your hotel of choice has got a parking lot, Wi-Fi, and any other feature you simply can’t go without. You also get access to reviews by actual guests and real life pictures from the properties. You can call customer support 24/7 right from the app, check out property names and addresses in over 40 languages, and have a complete list of both your future and past bookings.
Free for iOS and Android

Hotel Tonight

Ideally, when you’re in a new town, it’s a good idea to have accommodation for the evening booked in advance. But as anyone who hotel tonighttravels a lot can tell you, this ideal situation doesn’t always happen in real life. Sometimes, you simply find yourself out of a room to sleep in – but that’s not an issue anymore, thanks to Hotel Tonight, one of the best apps for international travel. You can search for last-minute deals from 9 a.m. until 2 a.m. with this app, which promises to negotiate the best deals on your behalf. You can book on the very same day and even choose to stay for multiple nights. The list of countries in which the app is available now includes the Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Panama, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and all parts of the United States, and the developers promise to keep expanding it in the future.

Free for iOS and Android

Traveling & Dining

uPacking List

Hate packing? Good. That makes a billion of us. Packing becomes especially hectic and complicated when you’re in one day and out the next, with laundry waiting to be done and all the minutiae and paraphernalia of your daily existence waiting to be stuffed into your luggage. Luckily, packing just became easier with this app that provides customized and customizable checklists for making sure you take along everything you need. There are several preset lists included in the free version of the app: business trips, fishing trips, trips to DisneyLand, and so on. The app’s catalog includes about 300 items which you can simply add to a list with one tap, and you can also add to, or edit the catalog as you see fit. Aside from items, you can also include actions on your checklist, such as arranging for someone to pick you up, or getting your luggage weighed. Nifty, huh?  And don’t forget to have at least 2 lists:  one for before you leave home, but I prepare a second list for stuff I sometimes forget in hotel rooms, and before I check out, I do a final check of my list of often forgotten, or particularly valuable items.
Free for iOS and Android, $1.99 for full iOS version

Trip Journal

What’s the point of traveling, if not creating amazing memories, the kind that last you a lifetime? If you’re a fan of keeping travelogues, Trip Journal is just what you need. If you’re not, you might want to consider becoming a fan, after you’ve checked out this app. The award winning app, holder of the first prize within the Android Development Challenge, is one of the top travel apps for Android because it makes it incredibly easy to record, document, and share memories from your trips either directly with your loved ones, or on social media. Here’s what the app does: it helps you create an itinerary of your route, with the aid of Waypoints/Places. You can then add media notes, in the form of text entries, photos or videos to each Place. You can also track your route via GPS, if you want to Record Your Trip. The app is also integrated with all the major social networks, including YouTube, Picasa, Flickr, and Twiter. To boot, you can also share your trip on Google Earth, to keep your friends up to speed on your whereabouts.
Free for iOS and Android sponsored by Virgin Atlantic; full versions cost $2.99 for iOS and Android

Taxi Magic

The fact that Taxi Magic’s developers call it the world’s #1 taxi app is not a stretch. It’s the naked truth. All you need to book a cab with your smartphone is this app, a credit card (registered on your device) and three taps of the screen. You can pay through your card directly and will receive the receipt via email when the fare is done. The app also allows you to track nearby cars and it’s available in quite a lot of locations: select cities in Canada, the United Kingdom, and Mexico, as well as over 60 cities across the United States, including New York. The app’s devs guarantee they only work with the best and most experienced drivers in those respective cities – and judging by the app’s reviews, they’re probably right.
Free for iOS and Android

Intellicast

intellicastYou will never need another weather app after you’ve used Intellicast, and that’s a promise that seasoned travelers can confirm for you time and again. It allows you to track the most severe of storms, or to simply check out the daily or 10 day forecasts, as per your needs. The visualizations of wind motion are spectacular, and if you’re traveling in North America, the app’s HD radar will allow you to be up to speed on the location of major storms at all times. The app covers more than 50,000 locations around the world and it also comes equipped with a predictive radar that will tell you whether it’s time to break out the sunscreen, or take shelter from incoming rainfall. The coverage provided is satellite-enabled and the app even promises to plot earthquakes in real time!
Free for iOS and Android

Urbanspoon

Deciding where to eat out can turn into quite a drag, can’t it? Especially if you’re in a new place, where you can’t exactly ask people UrbanSpoonfor recommendations – or are exploring the tourist area of an exciting city, but wouldn’t want to stumble into a tourist trap. Urbanspoon makes life easier for you, if you’re traveling in the U.S., across Canada, Australia, the UK or Ireland. Simply shake your smartphone and the app will generate a list of recommended nearby restaurants. You can discover places, see what’s in your immediate vicinity, or browse through lists including la crème de la crème. You can filter your searches by neighborhood, cuisine or price range, make online reservations, compare restaurants, and base your selections on the reviews provided by bloggers, food critics, as well as simple users like yourself.
Free for iOS and Android

Maps

iOS Maps

Back a couple of iOS generations ago, the iOS Maps app was the laughingstock of the smartphone using population. Just about ios mapseveryone knew the maps provided by Apple are unreliable and to be avoided. Of course, Apple couldn’t just allow that situation to perpetuate itself, which is why they completely redesigned the app. The results are stunning and highly recommendable. The app now includes turn-by-turn directions, interactive 3D views, a Flyover feature that can keep you entertained for hours, accurate traffic information, provided in real time, as well as a Local Search feature, with integrated business reviews from Yelp users. You can even sync your search history and save your discoveries into iCloud, so that you never miss a relevant bit of information.
Built-in for iOS

Google Maps

google mapsWhile some smartphone users swear by the iOS Maps app, others would never give up on Google Maps. We believe it’s useful to have both installed, for particularly complex navigation situations. Like the iOS app, this one also offers turn-by-turn GPS navigation, for driving, walking, and public transport. It estimates traffic and arrival times, displays nearby businesses and reviews for them and can even tell you if there’s a special offer in the area – like a special price for the lunch menu at a nearby café in Barcelona, during your stay there. One extra feature of Google Maps is its use of indoor maps, available for major building complexes. It also features 3D views, Street View and allows you to save frequent searches, when using the app signed in with your Google account. Also, if you’re signed in and have people in your G+ Circles, the map will point you to nearby places they’ve recommended.
Free for iOS and Android

CityMaps2Go

Ever found yourself in a new city or foreign country, with no data roaming services, no access to a Wi-Fi connection, and no map incitymaps2go tow? What did you do? We’re going to assume you sprung for the first city map you came across, which is often not the best map available either. Wise up, then: join the over 10 million users who’ve rightfully opted for CityMaps2Go. While we recommend the Pro (paid) version, the free one is also extremely useful when traveling, since it brings you offline maps, travel content, tips from people who’ve explored the areas you’re interested in, and recommendations for popular and interesting sights to experience. In the free version you can only choose five destinations, while the Pro one offers limitless access to thousands of places around the world. The maps even show your current position, despite the fact that they require no Internet access. The app can be backed-up and synced across devices and it also tells you when there is a more up-to-date map available.  For many large cities, they also include a Wiki-Guides.
Free for iOS and Android; full iOS version costs $2.99

Utilities & Productivity

Runtastic Pedometer PRO GPS+

runtastic pedometer pro gps+The Runtastic Pedometer PRO GPS+ app is one of the most popular fitness apps around and with good reason, given how comprehensive it is. It records every single step you take, works in your bag, on your arm or anywhere else, counts calories, calculates your speed frequency and can be set to beep every other 1,000 steps. So, what does that have to do with traveling? Quite a lot, actually, if you consider the fact that people tend to walk more when they’re away on a trip, than they do at home. The cool thing is that you can also use it with your iPhone, for a morning jog even when away on a voyage. All in all, it’s a niftily designed handy little tool for keeping fit while away, which is likely to encourage you to explore new, exciting destinations on foot.
$1.99 for iOS and Android

Adobe Reader

Hotel booking confirmations, online plane tickets, and a whole lot of other documents (including job documents, too) come in .pdf adobe readerformat these days. Now, if you own an iPhone or iPad, this can cause some problems – unless, of course, you get the Adobe Reader app installed. This free, lightweight app makes it possible to quickly open .pdfs from your mail address or from around the web, search documents, annotate them, zoom in or out, read in the dark in Night Mode, or read longer passages with Brightness Lock. The app allows you to save documents in this format with any app that supports the ‘Open In…’ function and also defines words for you, with the enabled iOS Dictionary feature. Basically, this app will work as your on-the-go office, since with it you can create, export, store, and open .pdf files. You can also make several in-app subscription purchases, like the Adobe ExportPDF, $2/month for converting PDF’s to Work or Excel files; or the Adobe PDF Pack, $9.99/month which goes the other way, converting Office or image files to PDF. As it stands, however, the free version is perfect for doing some light reading, as well as for keeping up with menial work tasks, such as report reading.  I use it for smartphone storage of documents I find on my computer, when printing the document I select Save as PDF, then take that document and add it to my phone PDF’s.  I can create an itinerary for the day, detail on points of interest, copies of hotel reservations, etc., etc.
Free for iOS and Android

Skype app

When you’re abroad and missing your friends and family, who’re you going to call? With the Skype App, the answer to that question can be “anybody, anywhere”. That’s because the same Skype you use on your computer can be used on your phone with WiFi to make affordable calls long distance, no matter where they are. You don’t need to pay as much as a dime – all you need is a Wi-Fi connection (see below, if you don’t have a WiFi connection).  Your Skype account on your computer is the same as the one on your phone.  So Skype-to-Skype calls are free.  But you can also use it to call your grandmother on her landline from anywhere for very small costs (depending on where your grandmother lives, calls start around $.02/minute into the US going all the way up to $1.44/minute to East Timor, but most places are less than $.10/minute.
Free for iOS and Android

Skype WiFi

Back at home, you know your favorite haunts and their Wi-Fi network passwords. But when you’re out on the road, getting Wi-Fiskype wifi access can turn into a complicated chore. That is, of course, if you don’t have Skype WiFi installed. This little app will literally save you money on data roaming, by locating and enabling you to connect to over 2 million WiFi hotspots online. You can connect at hotels, airports, bars, train stations and anywhere else. You connect in one tap and only pay per minute, for the time you spend connected – not for the amount of data you download or upload. All you need is a mobile device and a Skype username and password, as well as Skype Credit to pay for the online time. The app will also only allow you to spend 30 minutes per session online (and reconnect if you want to), so you don’t end up spending far too much time online, without even realizing it.
Free for iOS and Android

iOS Compass

ios compassWhat’s so cool about the iOS Compass, you ask? Quite a lot – provided you’re running the latest version of the OS, the iOS 7. The app has been massively redesigned and now looks and feels quite awesome. The compass can still be customized to point to the true north or the magnetic north, as it did in the iOS 6. It now comes with geolocation integration, which means the compass reading always shows your current city and state, plus the full coordinates. You can effectively never get lost with this app, no matter what remote corners of the world you’re wandering across – provided, of course, you have GPS access. You can set a bearing to follow and you can play at will with the compass recalibration tool, which is actually quite fun. As an added bonus, iOS7 users also get access to a level tool that can tell you when you achieve perfect level – particularly useful after you have had too much to drink.
Built-in for iOS

iOS Clock

Oh, come on – how can the built-in Clock app for the iOS be that good for traveling? Right? Wrong. In fact, we’re willing to bet ios clockthere are plenty of things you didn’t know you Clock app can do. For instance, adding a city to the World Clock section is achieved by simply tapping the + in the upper right corner of the screen. The number of supported cities is limited, but since all you need is the time zone, you can safely use a closer big city or the country you’re in. The Alarm section is also amazingly customizable: you can set one Alarm for certain days and another one for others, which makes it easy for you to set it. you don’t have to remember to do this every night. You can also disable the Snooze function and label your alarms individually. You can also set the Timer to lull you to sleep with your music of choice and switch between digital and analog times with one tap of the screen in World Clock.  And with a variety of sounds to use for each alarm, you can be gentle or use the Bell Tower to get you up at 4am to make that 7am flight.

Built-in for iOS

iOS Notes

ios notesWe’re also willing to wager that you don’t know how handy the iOS’s in-built Notes app can be when traveling. Also, we’re pretty sure you don’t know that you can customize and tweak this otherwise very simple text editor. Of course, you can always choose to use a more complex app like Evernote, but, for most text editing purposes on the go, the iOS Notes will do more than fine, and free. Here’s how to tweak the app. In the Settings menu of your mobile Apple device you can choose between three fonts and you can also change the display size of the font face. But the absolute best way to use the iOS Notes when traveling is reserved for those who also own a Mac desktop or laptop. That’s because the iCloud allows you to sync notes across devices, making your on-the-go jottings and travelogue far more easily available than before. Bonus: if you own a Mac and can zoom into the app’s icon, you will notice there’s a bit of an in-joke on display there. The hand-written scribbling on the manila-like background is a tribute to the old and iconic Apple TV add (“Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels(…)”.

Built-in for iOS

iOS Reminders

If your time as a Mac device user spans back to before the iOS 5, you might not be fully aware of all the useful functions of the ios remindersReminders app. Sure, no one’s stopping you from using a more complex task management utility app from the App Store. However, if you travel a lot and want a simple, readily available tool to help you with lists and reminders on the go (that integrates with Siri), then the iOS Reminders is perfect. The app comes with simple functions like list-making for packing or shopping, as well as with lists for tasks, which you can check off when done. But by far the coolest feature is the scheduled, time and/or location based reminders. With their aid, your phone can effectively tell you to call a person in your phone’s Contacts list at any given time, or even at a certain place. You can even have Siri speaking at you with that information. And you can also sync reminders across devices with the iCloud, which is great for those of you travelers whose lives tend to get a bit hectic while out on the road.
Built-in for iOS

Photography & Video

iPhoto for iOS

iphoto for iosThere is an absolute plethora of photo editing, storing, organizing, and sharing apps out there on the App Store. However, the iPhoto is also a pretty serious contender for the title of Best Photo App to use when traveling. Not only is the interface gorgeously designed, but the entire user experience is straightforward and streamlined. It’s also integrated with sharing functions, either via email or social media, and the app’s editing capabilities are comparable to those of some of the best other similar apps out there. It’s a particularly good idea to use iPhotos for organizing your image collections when traveling, since this Apple-developed app takes full advantage of the iOS’s computing capabilities, making it faster than other similar apps. You can Favorite photos, search through your collections, or even print souvenirs from your journeys for family and friends.
Free

postagram

Whatever happened to sending wonderful, memories-filled postcards to your loved ones back home from your travels? Well, postagramsmartphones and the Internet happened: nowadays, people would rather upload their visual keepsakes to their Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram accounts, rather than take the time and trouble to mail them via snail mail. However, if you’re a nostalgic, who believes there’s nothing quite like receiving a personal, printed postcard, or more to the point, you have a grandmother that won’t touch electronic devices, then postagram is the app and service for you. It will print and mail images from your iPhone, Android smartphone, Facebook or Dropbox accounts to anyone in the world. It costs $.99 to send one in the U.S. (and $1.99 outside the U.S.) and the first five ones are free. You can personalize them as much as you want – they will reach their destination in 2-5 business days locally and up to 2-3 weeks internationally. The developing company also offers a money back guarantee to clients whose postcards get lost or damaged in the mail.
Free for iOS and Android

Pano

panoIf you’re the outdoorsy type, who also likes to take pictures, then you’ve definitely had to deal with that situation, in which you’re overcome by the natural beauty of a particular landscape and would like to take it all in and photograph it panoramically. However, almost in spite of all the improvements for panoramic picture taking that both Apple and Android have made, taking panoramic pictures still isn’t all that easy. Luckily, there’s Pano, an app that can help you capture beautiful panoramas through a very simple process. The interface is simple, easy to learn, and the finished results are nothing short of amazing. The final resolution of the image, as photographed with an iPhone, stands at a whopping 24 megapixels (14994 x 1632). You can even take 360-degree panoramas, with up to 16 photos lined up. The app also comes with alignment, blending and color correction algorithms that make your final photos absolutely seamless.  And now it is super simple to post your Pano to Facebook or Twitter, all from within the app.
$1.97 for Android and $1.99 for iOS

Ptch

Photos? Forget all about photos – they’re just dull, still images. What if you could create a dynamic, interactive fun memento of ptchyour trip in video format? Wouldn’t that be something? What if you could customize it with text, animations, overlays, and music? That’s exactly what Ptch does and it also includes several styles for the final video. Ptch is available for iOS 5 and above devices and, while the developers had planned to bring an Android version to the market as well, they eventually abandoned that plan as they were acquired by Yahoo in late 2013. The short videos created with this app can either be made private or shared publicly on social media.
Free for iOS

Media & Entertainment

Verizon FiOS Mobile

Given the impressive number of great TV shows these days, it’s not that much of a stretch to think of someone going abroad and then missing their favorite shows there. Luckily, Verizon’s FiOS Mobile app allows you to watch any sort of broadcast content from anywhere around the globe. The app allows you to access both free and Subscription On Demand Content and its already impressive catalog of movies and TV shows is being constantly updated. What you need is an FiOS TV subscription and FiOS Internet service at home, in order to watch select live channels. You can also remotely manage DVR recordings, schedule new ones and check to see if previous recordings cleared.
Free for iOS

Kindle

kindleGot a Kinde? Great. Don’t have one? That’s ok, you can still use the Kindle app off your Android or iOS mobile device. The app brings all the functions of the device to your iPhone, iPad, or other brand of smartphone or tablet (or laptop). The interface looks great, it’s easy to use, and the app also grants you access to the Kindle Store, complete with its catalog of 1,000,000 titles. You can also automatically sync the last page you read, your bookmarks, notes, and highlights across all the devices you use. In other words, you can alternatively use your smartphone and Kindle, if you’re so inclined. There are also plenty of perks to using the Kindle app, such as special offers, exclusive titles, free book samples, and the Kindle X-Ray feature, which tells you all you need to know about a particular book. Kindle also makes it easy to look up words in its reference sources, as well as to organize and categorize your books, documents, and magazines.
Free for iOS and Android

Audible

If audio books are more your thing, then Audible is your top choice of app for listening to great works of fiction and/or non-fiction audiblewhile traveling. The app’s store includes well over 150,000 titles which you can download to your portable player, smartphone or tablet. Listen to them while waiting to board your flight or train, transfer books over Wi-Fi, navigate from chapter to chapter, bookmark the book, set your device to sleep mode, play with the narration speed, and multitask on your device while you listen. The app also has a gamification component, which allows you to track your audiobook progress and earn badges while you evolve. You can also share your Audible activities on social media and tune in for the Newsfeed from the app’s developers, with inside info on author events and new books.
Free for iOS and Android

Bonus: How are Social Media and Apps changing the way we travel? [Infographic]

The infographic below dates back to 2012, when in-app purchases for travel (as well as for other purposes, too) were relatively rare. Only 3 per cent of all accommodation bookings were made through apps, for instance. However, the Internet was already a big factor in determining people to travel: 85 per cent of travelers considered it their main source of information for planning, while 25 per cent had decided to travel following an unexpected email. 16 per cent of travelers booked their trips from their smartphones, while a significantly bigger percentage (40 per cent) used social media for sharing. Unclear as future trends always are, one thing is for sure: mobile apps are not about to go off the radar any time soon, where traveling is concerned. That’s because they take the emotionally charged experience of traveling and render it all the more efficient and socially oriented.
Infographic source: Hotels and Other Stuff

Click to enlarge
Click to enlarge

Medical Insurance for Travel Abroad: Best Deals for UK Senior Holidaymakers

Whoever said that older people shouldn’t embark on international journeys has definitely never met a savvy senior traveler before. One of the major trends of today’s society is for seniors to buy plane tickets and explore the world. If you think about it for a second, it makes perfect sense to invest in something worthwhile when you have so much free time. As many senior travelers love to say, “Age matters only if you’re a cheese”, and apparently, travel is the fountain of youth.

travel insurance for elderly

Nevertheless, even with better health in old age and an increasing affluence, elderly people are still having problems with medical insurance for travel abroad. The truth is that it can be very complicated to buy travel health insurance if you are past your prime, or suffering from long-term illnesses (eg. heart-disease, diabetes).

 

The good news is that elderly people can also get affordable travel insurance, according to Express.co.uk. You probably already know that regular travel insurance includes travel interruption insurances, baggage, health, evacuation and flight insurance. Let’s see how you can make it happen even if you are older.

 

1. How Do Elderly Pay for Travel Insurance?

Everybody knows that elderly people pay more for any type of insurance, because they are most likely to actually need it. If you are in excellent physical health, it will be easier to get insurance, but chances are that you are already suffering from a minor long-term illness, that can add to the costs. Although most insurance companies are reluctant to give out policies to senior citizens, due to the misconception that they have worse health than younger people, however, a revolution has begun. First of all, companies which cannot provide with offline or online travel health insurance are obliged to redirect them to a capable specialist.

 

Recommended:  Ageism in Travel Insurance – Older People’s Stories

 

In addition to this, more and more insurance companies, like Staysure.co.uk understand that in the future, the population of senior citizens and old age pensioners will reach unprecedented numbers. It is actually predicted that over one third of the UK’s population will be older than 55. The dynamics of modern population has changed significantly: we live longer and healthier, have less children and remain active later in life. All of these things indicate to better insurance rates for elderly people.

 

2. Why Get Old-Age-Pensioners (OAP) Health Insurance?

Traveling may sound like a lot of fun, but nothing is without risks, especially for seniors. The stress of a 20 hour flight is a lot even for people in their thirties, so you can only imagine what sort of nightmare it will be for you. As much as we would like to block negative thoughts from our heads, there’s no need to be irresponsible. It’s always good to know that you are covered in case of complications while you are away. The OAP travel policy will do this for you.

OAP insurance

Not only is it not expensive, but it also has good coverage. It is a small investment that can prevent the worse from happening. You should make sure to add it to your travelers’ insurance policy before setting out on your trip. According to Sundaytimes the average cost of treating serious illnesses abroad costs, on average, 2,040 pounds, while an uninsured hospital visit in the United States is approximately 6,000 pounds.

 

3. Why are Some Premiums Expensive, and Are they Useful?

The generic answers that insurance companies give when they refuse to insure older people is that premiums reflect an increased risk. Sadly, age is one of the major factors when it comes to calculating premium rates. Basically, the older you are, the higher the chance that you will fall ill, or be involved in some sort of accident. The insurance company will set its price irrespective of the fact that many 70 or 80 year olds are healthier than 50 year olds. They have no interest in rewarding you for being fit, but they will definitely not spare you if you are suffering from a long-term illness, because their ultimate goal is to make more money.

things to consider

So should you buy travel insurance? The answer is a definite yes, especially since you are facing more risks, and can probably not afford out-of-pocket expenses. If you travel at least six-seven times per year, you could definitely consider the annual “multi-trip” policy that will have all of your trips covered. Keep in mind that upper age limits for this policy are a lot lower than regular covers.

 

4. What to Consider Before Purchasing a Plan

People over the age of 65 who are in search of medical insurance for travel abroad should take into account general health conditions, duration of the trip and activities required during it. This way, they will better understand how much coverage they need (and avoid additional costs).

 

  • General health condition: As we already mentioned, many people in their 60-70’s are a lot healthier than younger people. This matters not for the insurance companies, but it will help you determine how much coverage you should purchase: if you are susceptible to diseases and infections, you should go for a higher policy plan.

 

  • Duration of Trip: The longer you stay abroad, the higher the chances of falling sick or having an accident. Opt for a better policy in this situation.

 

  • Activities Required during the Trip: Do you have any idea what you will be doing during your vacation? We are not talking about beach volleyball or anything of the sort. For senior citizens something as trivial as a car drive can be strenuous and lead to sickness. Comprehensive coverage policy should be considered in this situation.

Medical Insurance Travel Abroad Advice: Do You Really Need it?

Traveling is not always fun and games. In order to have the best time of your life, you should plan well in advance and take care of the organizational and insurance issues. Whether you are traveling for business purposes, in connection with your studies or for leisure, there are certain steps that you should take to avoid health problems and accidents. Preparing for a trip is not only about choosing the destination, itinerary and packing your bags, it is also about taking necessary steps to avoid complications.

should you buy travel insurance

In addition to standard precautions, if you travel outside North America, Australia, or Europe, you might also require vaccinations or protection against exotic diseases like malaria. If you have no idea how to prepare, you needn’t panic, because not even the most seasoned traveler knows all there is to know about medical insurance for travel abroad. The question remains: Do You Really Need Travel insurance? We would like to share with you general information that you might find helpful before setting out on your new adventure.

 

1          First Things First: Should You Buy Travel Insurance?

Travel insurance can be extremely useful on certain occasions, or completely useless in others. It is important to weigh out the pros and cons before deciding should you buy travel health insurance or regular insurance or not. As a rule of thumb, travelers’ insurance policies can significantly minimize financial risks of illness, missed flights, lost baggage, theft, travel-company bankruptcies, emergency evacuation, getting your body home, death, accidents etc.

Travel insurance is an added cost, and it all boils down to how many risks you are willing to take. If you are traveling to a country that is known for violence, you might want to at least have some peace of mind. Each traveler’s potential loss is different, and it depends on how much they have paid for the trip in advance, their destination, the financial health of the company or airline that they use, already existing coverage (which include homeowner’s, credit card, and medical insurance) and refundability of the ticket. It’s up to you to understand your options and make a decision.

Tip: Don’t believe travel agents when they encourage you to purchase travel insurance, as they often do it simply to increase the costs of your trip.

 

2          Travel Insurance Basics: What you Should Know

There are basically five elements included in travel insurance. We are talking about travel interruption insurance (for trip cancellation or interruption), baggage, evacuation, medical and flight insurance. Obviously, you could supplement your policy with additional safety methods, like identity theft or political evacuation or specific insurances for a sporting endeavor, like rock climbing or SCUBA, but in most situations they are not needed. It is very difficult to only purchase one type of insurance. For example, if you are interested to buy travel health insurance (the medical risks of traveling abroad can be covered by your standard health insurance), it might only be possible to purchase it together with baggage or cancellation policies as well.

vaccinations and health insurance

Comprehensive insurance refers to the type of policy which includes the five elements presented above, as well as expenses incurred if the trip is delayed, or if your tour company decides to change the itinerary. This is an excellent insurance to have, because it will take care of all the costs, even if your policies over-lapse with others. For example, if you already have medical insurance separately, your travel insurer will pay for costs without having you worry about out-of-pocket expenses.

 

Please note that the trip-cancellation coverage works as a reimbursement-only policy. In other words, you will have to prepare for out-of-pocket expenses, and after submitting proper paperwork you will have your money restored. If you are ever in a dire situation, you should contact your insurance company straight away, and ask them how you should proceed.

 travel insurance

3          Vaccinations and Other Personal Safety Concerns

Personal safety is imperative when traveling abroad. If you have the feeling that you might be at risk, the costs of travel insurance don’t really matter. The truth is that many people don’t even bother thinking about it if they leave for a two-day London trip, but if you are planning on a longer one you should definitely research the Foreign Office web pages for recommendations on security risks as well as online travel health insurance information beforehand. Additionally, you should leave information about your travel arrangements, return date, emergency contact information and destination with your department or friends.

 

Should you purchase travel insurance for a lengthy journey? The answer is yes, if you care about your health and wish to avoid out-of-pocket expenses. We have already mentioned that vaccinations are a must when traveling to Europe, Australia or North America, and we urge you not to ignore them. Fit For Travel is an excellent resource for possible diseases in different regions. In most cases, the need for vaccination depends on the destination, period and the activities you will be doing. So if you are only leaving for a conference or meeting, checking into a high-class accommodation and eating in, the chances of catching a disease are slim. However, if you are exposing yourself to places and people with poor hygiene or sanitation, doctors strongly recommend that you get your vaccinations.

 

Assuming that you have a special situation, which forces you to expose yourself to natural disaster or population disturbance areas, there are additional counter-measures that you should take. Also, if you need two shots, you will probably have to take them a few weeks apart because immunity takes time to develop. Protection against Malaria can be secured through recommended tablets.

 

4          What is Already Covered By Home, Credit Card and Medical Insurance?

Many people ask themselves: Do you have to have travel insurance? Sometimes the answer is no, simply because the person in question already has excellent coverage from home, medical and credit card insurance. Medical insurance, for example, can cover possible injuries while traveling abroad, while home insurance will often include personal possessions when away from home (this can protect your baggage). Last but not least, your credit card or current account might already include travel insurance with certain limitations (travel insurance from credit cards are usually very basic).

 

How to Differentiate Good International Travel Agencies from Bad Ones

Like many things of the old world, Travel agents have also become a punch line that is often categorized as being unnecessary, obsolete and pointless. As you can probably imagine, nobody wants to have their profession insulted, but the truth is that from a certain perspective, the concept of a travel agent has become a dying breed, but not in the way that you would imagine. It is true that the internet has given us the opportunity to research valuable information on our own,  but this doesn’t mean that we are also equipped to organize it efficiently.

international travel agencies

Travel agents, who would basically book flights and arrange trips in the past, have been forced to evolve. While they may have been nothing more but service marketers for airline companies in the past, nowadays they can offer valuable insights, and create complex itineraries for people who don’t want to waste their time with the planning process of a trip. At present, they act as personal advisers who provide their clients with much needed information to enhance their travel experience. In a letter addressed to the White House, ASTA CEO Tony Gonchar wrote that “Thanks to their in-depth knowledge, experience and industry connections, travel agents are able not only to save their clients money, but their most valuable possession: time”

 

Even if many online publications have tried to discredit the profession, the truth is that a decent amount of travelers are still considering the advantages of using a travel agent. And why wouldn’t they? Knowledgeable international travel consultants can take care of everything from planning to safety measures and itineraries. Of course, there are still those who are only interested in ripping people off. So how exactly can you differentiate Good international travel groups from bad ones? Here is a checklist for both good and bad travel agencies that will help you make the right choice.

good travel consultants

1. Good International Travel Agents / Consultants

When planning an international trip is vital to pay for value. There are many travel agents that offer value, and it is quite easy to spot them. There are many advantages to hiring a travel agent, but you must first find a reliable company.

 

  • A good travel agent Will Help You Save Money: You are probably asking yourself when to use a travel agent. Usually, when you want to cut down on costs and not bother yourself with trip planning. A capable travel agent can help you create a good itinerary and establish the best routes to help you save money.  In other words, instead of getting lost in unknown territories, you will benefit from the help of a professional.

 

  • Look for Agencies that have CLIA and IATA certifications: Professional companies are required to have International Air Transport Association or Cruise Line International Association access. This will enable them to book airlines through their booking source, and therefore avoid extra costs. There are some airlines that are not registered on these booking agencies, and this means that the consultant will have to book tickets through a third party source, like a hotel or resorts. This will add to the cost of your traveling package.

 

  • Focus on Specific Destinations for which they have First Hand Experience: What sets decent travel agents apart from brilliant ones is the level of their knowledge. While they may help you with plane ticket bookings, this is not their main objective. Nowadays, a travel agent is supposed to take into account the traveler’s desires, and budget, and come up with a personalized itinerary to transform his vacation into the experience of a life-time.

 

2. Bad International Travel Agenciesbad travel consultant

For those travel agents that are ethical, we raise our hats. Sadly, they are not  representative of all consultants in the industry. There are countless of so-called agents who do nothing but try to deceive people. Here are five things that will help you spot bad companies:

 

  • Will not tell you about refunds and cancellation policies: many bad companies think that it is a great idea to hide information that would normally be useful to a traveler. For example, in the past it was travel agents that could cancel a trip. At present, online travel sites will offer money back, even on airfare drops, as long as the booking was made at least one week before the flight, an 24 hours after the booking. This neat piece of information is something you won’t be hearing from sneaky agents.

 

  • Will Force you to make Travel Insurance even if it isn’t Necessary: If you have health insurance, you will also be covered for emergencies overseas. In addition, credit companies usually cover lost baggage, emergency assistance, and canceled trips or dismemberment. There are some international travel consultants that like to push travel insurance because it will increase the overall value of a vacation package, and therefore, will also increase their commission. Don’t be fooled.

 

  • They are asking for “bonus fees” for their services: We are not saying that all travel agents are doing this, but there are certain companies or consultants who are trying to ask for more money than they are entitled to. For example, some companies ask for commissions from their clients, but also take bonuses from the hotel or airlines that they collaborate with. If you feel that they are trying to influence your travel decisions, or influencing you to choose a particular destination/hotel/service, it might be because they have a higher commission with them. According to Donna Cambridge, co-owner of Chesterfield Cruise & Travel in Springfield, cruises are being bought. In addition to this, many international travel groups add an unjustifiable booking fee to the total cost of airline reservations.

 

The bottom line is that you may not need a travel agent to plan a dream vacation; however, if you are pressured by time, or the sheer amount of information, it might be wiser to have an expert plan it out. The question remains if you can differentiate a good international agency from a bad one.

 

 

Are Travel Consultants Still Useful? When to Use a Travel Agent

Travel consultants may have been put on the list of “most useless professions” in the world, but this doesn’t mean that many intrepid travelers have decided to stop visiting them. It may sound simple to plan and book your own trip online, but the truth is that there are certain advantages of using a travel agent. Many of us are familiar with the brick-and-mortar shops selling trips to Europe with dreamy discounts, but the concept of travel agents has significantly changed in the past few years.

when to use a travel agent

While some still offer their services from the comfort of their shops, more and more specialists have transferred to the online medium. As a matter of fact, the travel agents of yesterday were usually nothing more than agents to the airlines, who served more as order takers than consultants. Information that was once accessible only to travel agents is now easy to find on the internet. Everything from airline tickets, hotel deals and premium packages are sold on the World Wide Web. Surprisingly enough, statistics show that one in four airline tickets are still sold through brick-and-mortar travel shops. How is this possible? People still need international travel consultants.

 

Travel Agents Now Focus on Service-Oriented Experiences

The only reason why this seemingly useless career has survived is because the modern travel agent has learned to adapt to the new age. There is a special “breed” of travel agent that can put together an itinerary (for wealthier consumers) like no other. They have become experts of the destinations that they offer packages for. In other words, they know everything there is to know about the field in which they excel. Instead of selling deals all over the world, they focus on particular continents or destinations of interests.

Hand Holding Toy Plane

How much do you know about the place that you want to visit? Chances are that you don’t know the best restaurant to enjoy local cuisine, or what places you should visit. International travel groups that specialize on specific areas can create a complex itinerary that will not only save you time and money, but will ultimately make your trip more enjoyable.

 

Do You Need a Travel Agent?

It greatly depends on your desires. Apparently one out of five travelers with 100.000$ or more household income still find them useful. Of course, this largely depends on your destination and budget. Professional travel agents differentiate themselves from regular ones: they are no longer responsible of setting up flights, but they can tell you what to do and how once you are there. They focus on service-oriented experience, they offer services 24/7, and are prepared to meet up with clients as soon as they step off the plane.

when to use a travel agent

If the idea of getting stressed out from planning a trip sounds unbearable to you, why not let a travel agent take care of it. Alternatively, if you are taking simple trips to well-known destinations, like Rome, it might be wiser to search for flights, cars, travel packages and accommodations yourself. Internet savvy individuals who are prepared to scour the internet far and wide to find the cheapest packages do not need a travel agent, but those who are comfortable, or visiting places of the beaten track might require help from a seasoned travel agent.

When to Use a Travel Agent

  1. When You Want to Save Money: Contrary to popular belief, a travel consultant will not waste your money, but actually help you save it. Saving money is less about price and more about value, and most tourists look for value. There is nothing glamorous about saving money and being miserable. If you do not pick the right hotel, the right location or the right restaurant, chances are that you will not enjoy tour trip very much. This is where the travel consultant becomes useful. He can provide you with a discernible difference by qualifying and providing you with relevant suggestions based on your needs. He will also optimize your itinerary and take into consideration all travel, accommodations, visiting and partying costs. So if you want to travel for less, with a complete traveling checklist, hiring a consultant is a good idea.

 

  1. When You Want to Save Time: Many people give up on the idea of traveling because they simply do not have enough time to plan their trip. This is probably one of the most common reasons why people all around the world require the services of a travel consultant in the first place. The truth is that it does take a lot of effort and time to plan a vacation, especially when you are thinking of multiple destinations. Wouldn’t it be so much easier to spend this time relaxing, and have someone draw out the perfect itinerary, make reservations and book flights for you?

 

  1. When You Want Answers about Your Safety: Leisure travelers have always been concerned about the security aspect of their trips. It would be irresponsible to visit a country that you have no information about, especially since there have been so many cases of terrorist attacks. Obviously, one cannot pretend to know anything about a destination, especially international, if one does not have access to up-to-date information (which can be related to politics, health, terrorism, international airline or weather). Knowledgeable consults can provide with much needed information on a timely basis, and put your mind at ease.

 

  1. When You Have Too Much Information to Sort Through: As we already mentioned the Internet is formidable tool that you can use to plan a trip, but sometimes the information is just too much to sort through. After a few nights of researching through different bookings, hotels and cruises, you might feel overwhelmed by the amount of information, and simply “scream” for help. The experience, resources and education of a travel agent can prove invaluable, and essential to relieving your head pains after intensive research.

 

  1. When You Want to be Taken Care Of: The whole point in taking a vacation is relaxing. There are many tasks in this world that we could do ourselves, but choose not to, in order to save energy and time. Not to mention that a professional will probably do a much better job. If you enjoy having someone take care of your needs, you should definitely hire a travel consultant who has your best interest at heart.

In the Loop, On the Go: 8 Great Messaging & Language Translation Apps for Travelers

Finding the best apps for international travel is all largely a matter of traveling preference. However, we believe absolutely anyone who’s out on the road, in a foreign country, could benefit from any one of the apps on our list. Not only are they free, but some of them are also available for several platforms (Android, Windows, Blackberry, etc.). So, next time you’re feeling lost in translation abroad, there are two things you can do: use one of these chat apps to reach out to someone back home, or use one of the language translation apps that follow, to strike up a conversation with some friendly locals.

The Best Free International Messaging Apps

ooVoo Video Chat oovoo video chat for travelers app

Here’s a great little app for video calls and messaging, which Android users may already be familiar with. All video calls are free, both on mobile, as well as on PCs. You can create video conferences with up to 5 participants at the same time and mobile video and voice calls are free over 3G, 4G, and Wi-Fi. For the time being, the app, while free, is only compatible with a selected number of device types, such as the HTC Evo, the Samsung Epic, Samsung Galaxy S GT-i9000, as well as several other smartphones and tablets, but the developers are working on a new version, which would also be compatible with devices that have built-in front facing cameras.

Viber

As far as iPhone apps for international travel go, there was a time when WhatsApp seemed unbeatable. It lead the market viber app for travelniche for messaging apps for the iPhone – but, then, in came Viber and stole its thunder. What does this iPhone-dedicated app do? It lets you call other iPhone users, who have the app installed, absolutely for free. The cool part is that, more often than not, the quality of the sound and the connection are far better on Viber, then when using the phone’s regular voice call function. There are no in-app purchase obligations and use of the app is completely free, so long as you’re connected to a 3G, 4G, or Wi-Fi network.

IM+im video

Though only available for the Android OS, this great app is one of the best ever travel apps for Android, since it centralizes all your instant messaging programs, apps, and profiles. You can use IM+ to talk on Skype, AIM, MSN, Yahoo! IM, Facebook, Google Talk, and so on. The app is fully free and requires no SMS service in order to send out your messages. You can also use it for group chats and there’s a recently released video version available as well.

fring

Ever wanted to make one-way video calls, with friends who don’t have a camera, or don’t necessarily want to share their images with you, for any number of reasons? Here’s fring, an app that’s available both for iPhones, as well as for Android devices, and fring app which comes for free. There’s a lot this little app does – so it’s no wonder that its developers have received numerous awards for it already. You can voice call for free, IM chat, use it with your iPod Touch, and aggregate most social network profiles with it (including Skype, Twitter, Yahoo!, and MSN). It works with push notifications, too, allows you to set statuses, and works via GPRS, 3G, Wi-Fi, and even Edge.

The Top Free Language Translation Apps

Google Translate

Yes, we know: it’s no longer news for anyone that Google Translate is a great app. In fact, it’s absolutely the best smartphone app for language translation that you could opt for, since it does so much more than rendering written input into other languages. Google Translate can be used for speech, handwriting, and even image-based text. True, those latter functions could still use some tweaking from the good people at Google, but the truth remains that Google’s Translate app is the most comprehensive such app you can use while traveling. It has some 70 languages available and even comes with a dedicated Conversation mode, which you can use on the go. Bear in mind that this mode may not understand all accents and that the app is probably best used on Android phones and iPhones (but doesn’t work as well on the Blackberry, or on Windows phones). It still is a solid choice, and can even be used offline, if you download the language packs you need.

iTranslateitranslate app

There’s a bit of a controversy among iPhone users, as to whether iTranslate is a better language translation app than Google Translate. It certainly works better on iOS-powered phones than on the Android, thanks to its clean, sleek interface – but this doesn’t mean it’s not usable with great results by Android owners, too. This app also includes some 70 language packs and it’s entirely free, save for those interested in using the voice recognition feature, too. This function will cost you an extra $3. Otherwise, there’s plenty this little app can do: it comes with a dictionary, a text-to-speech function, as well as non-Romanic character Romanization.

Navita Translator

Are you one of those select few who are adamant about still using a Blackberry in 2014? Very well, then – if you do and you also travel a lot, you could probably benefit from downloading and installing the Navita Translator app. It’s completely free and has navita translator app for blackberrybeen repeatedly dubbed one of the best ever apps for the BB. It’s able to translate from and into 60 different languages and works both with typed-in text, as well as with voice recognition. It provides translations in writing, but can also utter the out loud. It somewhat lacks in terms of design and interface, but given its functionality, as well as the fact that it’s also compatible with older devices, it’s not half bad as far as language translation apps go.

Bing Translatorbing translator app

If you’re on Facebook a lot, there’s no way you haven’t noticed how Bing tends to be on the receiving end of numerous translation-related jokes. True, the translate function implemented on the social network has often produced hilarious results, but the app is rather decent, if you own a Windows phone and require quick access to translation services and dictionaries. The bad parts: it only includes 40 languages, far behind Google’s impressive 70. On the upside, though, aside from voice recognition and written text translation, the app can also be used together with your phone’s camera – say, for when you want to understand what a sign or menu means. It works in offline mode, too, and also provides spoken word translations.

  • Go to page 1
  • Go to page 2
  • Go to Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

  • Home
  • About
  • Write for us
  • Columnists
    • Ask Mike
  • Contact
  • Privacy

Copyright © 2023 ·News Pro · Genesis Framework by StudioPress · WordPress · Log in

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. Learn more.