Category Archives: Travel

Travel

How to Be a Green Traveler

With the summer upon us many people are finalizing their holiday plans if they haven’t already done so. In these difficult financial times many are opting to stay within the UK rather than venture abroad, providing a great opportunity to get to know our own country and also reducing the need to travel by plane. For those still traveling to other shores, there are also many different ways to travel, which can in fact be an adventure in themselves.

Traveling by plane produces vast quantities of greenhouse gases, and reducing or cutting air travel out altogether can make a big difference to your carbon footprint. Especially when traveling abroad, it is easy to instantly think about flying to your destination, but there are often alternatives which will almost certainly be greener, could be cheaper and will often become part of the fun of the holiday.

Within Europe in particular there are plenty of options to travel by ferry, train or coach. The numerous UK ferry ports travel to various destinations in both northern and southern Europe with the longer journeys often a mini holiday in themselves. Once at your destination, look into train or coach travel for the remainder of your journey. Coach travel from the UK is also an option with companies offering various packages across Europe.

You can, of course, travel by train direct from the UK to mainland Europe using the Eurostar. There are all sorts of travel tickets available allowing you to work out the most cost effective and quickest (or longest if you want to take in some more scenery and locations) way to travel. With sleeper carriages on many long distance trains, you can travel in comfort with the whole family.

If you are traveling further than Europe, the options are of course more expensive and take longer, but it is worth looking into the options available as you can make the journey part of your holiday.

Whatever your travel plans this summer and beyond, do consider alternatives to flying; it will probably make a refreshing change to your traveling and will also help the environment.

Travel

Baby Boomers – Book Your Travel Online

Baby Boomers are heading for retirement! They are computer literate and familiar with using the Internet. And they will be traveling in large numbers. Add more leisure time to the desire to see the world, and you have Baby Boomers booking online travel everyday. It is expected that up to 95% of all travel will be booked online within a few short years. The Boomers will research their travel needs and then book exactly the travel packages they want–and do it at their convenience from the comfort of their home or office.

Using the Internet to shop, to learn and to communicate has changed the way people think. When it comes to planning travel, with a click of the mouse the traveler can search for the best deals, look at cruise lines, lodging and rental car options. It is possible to visit any city, country, region or attraction in the world. Using satellite technology, one can scan from above, following rivers or forests, finding the location of places of interest all over the world, and learning about the many travel options. Discover modes of travel by air, sea and land that you may not have imagined existed!

Further, you can take virtual tours of hotel rooms, resort accommodations and amenities, and choose locations close to the activities you want to do while on vacation or be near a conference or business location. You can check out golf resorts, cruise lines, hiking vacations, special interest vacations or even volunteer opportunities. Literally, the entire world is open for exploration through the Internet.

For trips abroad, the Internet allows potential visitors opportunities to learn about the countries they want to visit and how to find the packages they want or create their own travel itinerary. There are numerous websites available where travel brochures can be ordered that include tourist information and even maps. Foreign embassies or consulates in the United States are also sources of information about their countries. The traveler may want to check out any travel advisories that are issued by the US State Department for potential hotspots around the world. Requesting literature and doing research ahead of a planned trip can be one of the most satisfying parts of the trip–the anticipation!

To turn travel dreams into reality, the explorer will need to find a comprehensive online travel website. Choose a website which allows for direct contact with the travel agent for advice if needed. Look for FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) on the website where many common questions about travel are answered. From honeymooners seeking romance, to seniors visiting the places they have always dreamed of, to business travelers watching the bottom line, to families planning reunions, to those seeking to learn more about a hobby or vocation — a travel agent can be a vital link to a successful travel experience.

Baby Boomers, use your internet savvy and learn how to book travel online!