Knowing what you will wear, what you may need, and when helps avoid packing unnecessary stuff. In this ultimate packing checklist, we will cover all you need to be prepared for any destination, from essentials to often overlooked items.

Explore Your Destination Online:

Before you start packing your suitcase, research your destination. See what other travelers have written about the climate and cultural norms. Read up about specific activities you have planned on your trip. This will help you come up with a packing list according to the destination’s requirements. A winter vacation will require different items compared to a business trip or a family wedding.

Build up a Packing List:

A detailed packing list is needed when planning a trip. Build your list according to categories like clothing, toiletries, electronics, documents, emergency, and miscellaneous items. This ensures you won’t forget crucial items and helps you stay organized during the packing process. 

Documents and Essentials:

Keep all your documents like passports, travel insurance, boarding passes, and hotel reservations in a secure travel wallet. Also keep a digital folder on both your phone and cloud storage. Keep physical copies of essential documents in different place than the originals. It’s also a good idea to have digital copies stored on your phone or cloud storage.

Try to Use Multipurpose Clothing:

Pick flexible clothing items that you can mix and match to build up different outfits. This helps to save space in your suitcase and keeps you ready for different occasions. Try to keep items made with lightweight, breathable, and wrinkle-resistant fabrics. For colder destinations, keep items that will you layer up so that you remain warm without packing multiple items.

When Packing Roll, Don’t Fold:

Rolling your clothes and not folding them helps to both maximize space and reduce wrinkles. This also helps to save space and makes it easier to locate specific items without needing to pack your entire suitcase. It’s a game-changer for efficient packing.

Pack a First Aid Kit:

A medical emergency can occur at any time. So, it’s a good idea to keep a small first aid kit. This should have all emergency essentials like pain relievers, band-aids, wipes, motion sickness tablets, and any prescription medications you may need. 

Electronics and Chargers:

While traveling it is important to keep your electronic devices charged and have destination appropriate chargers. Make a list to pack your smartphone and other necessary gadgets you may need during your trip as well as their chargers and destination-appropriate adapters. 

Take Travel-Sized Toiletries:

Invest in a travel toiletry kit for all your travels. This helps avoid having to carry large bottles or needing new smaller bottles. Doing this lets you save space as well as comply with airline directives about liquid quantities in carry-on luggage.

Keep a Reusable Water Bottle:

Staying hydrated is important, but it can be difficult while traveling. It is convenient to keep a reusable water bottle that can be filled up at airports or wherever you stay. This helps to reduce single-use plastic bottles usage. It is also handy to have free water with you during long flights or road trips.

Pack a Snack Stash:

Having a supply of snacks with you is convenient for long trips with inadequate dining options. Keep non-perishable snacks of your choice like granola bars, nuts, and dried fruit to sate your hunger. This helps you save some money at overpriced shops at travel stops or tourist spots.

Consider the Location:

Respect for local customs is essential, so keep the cultural nuances of your destination when packing. Modesty can be important in some areas, while in others, casual attire is normal, and formal attire may seem out of place due to the climate or any other reason.

Looking into the local culture and packing according to it will help you pack appropriately and avoid any blunders.

Pack a Light Backpack:

Keep a small, foldable backpack that can be easily packed in your main luggage. This can serve as a carry-on bag during flights and as a handy backpack for daily tours at your destination. Such backs are very convenient to hold daily essentials like your passport and documents, water, battery packs, snacks, a camera, and a light jacket.

Protect Your Valuables:

Keep all important items safe by using a money belt or a hidden pouch. This is essential in crowded tourist spots, where pickpocketing can be an issue. It’s also smart to distribute your cash, cards, and important documents across different locations to reduce the chances of loss or theft.

Follow the Weather Forecast:

Check the weather forecast for your destination when packing your clothes. This lets you be prepared for all forecasted weather. You can also make last-minute additions to your packing. A compact, travel-friendly umbrella or a lightweight rain jacket can be very convenient for destinations where sudden showers are forecasted.

Remain Comfortable:

Long flights, bus rides, and walking tours can be very uncomfortable. Try to pack items like neck pillows, comfy clothes, and shoes to make your experience more pleasant. 

Luggage Basics:

If you travel frequently, invest in durable, lightweight luggage with secure zippers and international standard locks. Follow the size restrictions of international airlines to avoid luggage charges. Also, pick luggage of a size that you can easily handle when it is fully packed.  Pick a suitcase or bag with wheels for easy maneuverability. Attach luggage tags with your contact information to help identify your bag in case it gets mislaid. It is also good to keep spare tags to replace lost ones.

Entertainment for the Journey:

Long flights or road trips can become boring, so keep a good book, download your favorite movies or TV shows onto your devices, or prepare a travel playlist. Having entertainment options on hand can turn a monotonous journey into a fun experience.

Packing for traveling is a skill that can alter your travel experience. By coming up with your personalized comprehensive packing list you can ensure that you are primed for any adventure. From cultural explorations to beach getaways, use this ultimate packing guideline to make your next trip hassle-free and enjoyable. 

Sadia Zaheer

Sadia Zaheer holds a Masters in Business Administration from IBA, Karachi. After working in several financial institutions in Client Management, Corporate Lending, Islamic Banking and Product Management she jumped careers to pursue a career in writing.
She is a Finance, Business and HR Development writer with four years of experience. She reads a lot and takes care of her multiple cats to remain calm.

The post Packing Tips: The Ultimate Checklist for Packing for Any Destination appeared first on Smartchoice.pk.

However, with planning, smart choices, and resourcefulness, traveling to Europe is possible and can be a life-changing experience. Today we will explore practical tips for making the most of your European adventure without breaking the bank. However, it is important that you opt for appropriate travel insurance so that you are not financially impacted in case of any accident or illness. 

Budget-Friendly Destinations:

Picking the right destinations can help reduce your overall travel expenses. While famous cities like Paris, London, and Rome are no doubt popular for many reasons, they are also usually very expensive. It is smarter to pick less famous but equally (or even more) fascinating destinations that offer a more budget-friendly experience. For instance, many Eastern European countries, like Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic, have a wonderful mix of history, culture, and affordability to make your trip memorable.

Planning Your Vacation Time

Plan for a vacation during the spring and fall seasons when prices are lower, and popular destinations are less crowded. These is known as the shoulder seasons since there are fewer people travelling and almost all places have lower prices.

Booking Your Flight Smartly:

Finding affordable flights is a basic part of preparing for budget travel. Use online tools and apps to compare prices of different airlines and booking platforms. Book flights for a period when you can be flexible with your travel dates. It is a smart move to opt to fly on weekdays, as flights are generally expensive during weekends and the peak holiday seasons. It is also a smart move to subscribe to promotions and discounts offered by various airlines to your planned destinations.

Pro Tips for Accommodation:

Accommodation costs can quickly add up especially if you are on a long trip, but there are multiple ways to cut down on such costs. Decide to go for budget-friendly options like hostels, guesthouses, or budget hotels. Websites and apps like Hostelworld, Airbnb, and Booking.com allow you to find affordable accommodation according to your budget and preferences. Consider staying in the suburbs and using public transportation (if it’s cheap) to reach the city center, where prices are usually higher. If you are going to remote areas find out about bus or train timings and ticket costs. 

Local Transportation:

The majority of Europe has an extensive and efficient public transportation system, which makes it easy to explore without paying for expensive taxis or rental cars. Buy city passes or transportation cards that offer unlimited travel for a certain period. Trains and buses are not only cost-effective but also provide a scenic and enjoyable way to experience the European countryside.

Culinary Exploration on a Budget:

Dining out in Europe is a delightful experience, but it can also be expensive. To save on food money, explore local markets and grocery stores for fresh fruits, breads, and cheeses. Embrace the street food culture, which is not only delicious but also pocket friendly. Additionally, consider having your main meal of the day during lunchtime when many restaurants offer affordable set menus.

Free and Low-Cost Activities:

Europe is teeming with free and low-cost activities that allow you to immerse yourself in its culture without spending a fortune. Many museums offer free entry on specific days or during certain hours. Take advantage of walking tours to explore the city, and enjoy the beauty of parks, historical sites, and architecture without breaking the bank.

Student and Youth Discounts:

If you’re a student or a young traveler, try to take advantage of the many discounts available for students. Many attractions, transportation services, and even accommodations offer special rates for students and young adults. Keep your student ID card and check your destination for youth travel cards that offer additional discounts on different services.

Travel Insurance and Health Coverage:

While it usually seems like an unnecessary expense, investing in travel insurance is necessary for any international trip. It offers coverage for unforeseen circumstances such as medical emergencies, trip cancellations, or lost baggage. Shop around for the best deals on travel insurance to ensure that you are effectively covered without overspending.

Foreign Exchange Matters:

Be comfortable with currency exchange rates, processes, and withdrawal charges. Make it a practice to use local ATMs to withdraw cash in the local currency rather than exchanging money at airports, as these are usually known to charge higher fees. Inform your bank about your travel plans to avoid any issues with international transactions and get a travel-friendly credit card that offers favorable rates and spending rewards. 

Connect with the Local Community and Other Travelers:

One of the best parts of traveling is connecting with the locals. Engage with area locals to discover hidden places to visit, authentic experiences, and cost-effective alternatives. Join online travel communities or forums to seek advice and recommendations from fellow travelers who have explored Europe on a budget.

Conclusion:

Traveling through Europe on a budget from Pakistan requires careful planning, flexibility, and a willingness to embrace the local culture. By choosing affordable destinations, being smart with transportation and accommodation choices, and exploring cost-effective dining options, you can make the most of your European adventure without straining your finances. 

Remember, the essence of travel lies not in how much you spend but in the memories you create and the experiences you gather along the way. With a bit of resourcefulness, your dream European journey can become a reality, even on a modest budget.

Sadia Zaheer

Sadia Zaheer holds a Masters in Business Administration from IBA, Karachi. After working in several financial institutions in Client Management, Corporate Lending, Islamic Banking and Product Management she jumped careers to pursue a career in writing.
She is a Finance, Business and HR Development writer with four years of experience. She reads a lot and takes care of her multiple cats to remain calm.

The post <strong>Travel on a Budget: Exploring Europe without breaking the Bank.</strong> appeared first on Smartchoice.pk.

That’s where travel insurance plays its role in reducing your losses. Travel insurance is an insurance category that protects you while you are travelling. Travel insurance helps to protect travellers from most unexpected expenses if something goes wrong while away from home.

This guide will discuss what travel insurance is and how it is useful for travellers.

What Is Travel Insurance?

What is travel insurance? Travel insurance is insurance coverage that we buy for an upcoming trip. It is designed to protect us against travel delays, flight cancellations, flight mix-ups, issues with baggage like delayed and lost luggage, and medical treatment.

The cost of travel insurance depends on multiple factors, like where you are from, the total expenses of the trip, the traveller’s age, dates of departure and return, and the initial premium paid. Travel plans can be as cost-effective as a few hundred rupees a day.

For more details, check out our article Travel Insurance 101: Understanding the Basics for Pakistani Travelers

How Does Travel Insurance Work?

Travel insurance works by repaying you for all expenses made during the interruption in your trip. For instance, if you miss a flight, travel insurance will compensate you for the missed or additional cost of a new flight you booked. Travel insurance will reimburse you for expenses incurred in case of lost luggage or medical emergencies. Travel insurance can also provide cover for trip cancellations and delays.

Common Benefits Covered by Travel Insurance

Travel insurance can be difficult to shop for since there are multiple benefits and coverage clauses to include. Common travel insurance benefits are:

• General Travel Protection, like Trip Cancellations, Travel Delay Benefits, and Interruption Coverage
• Missed Connections and Change over Fees
• Reimbursement of Miles or Reward Points
• Delayed Baggage or Lost Baggage Insurance and Personal Property
• Pre-Existing Condition Waivers
• Accident and Sickness Medical Bills (COVID coverage)
• Emergency Medical Evacuation Coverage
• Comprehensive Coverage for Emergency Medical Care
• Common Carrier Accidental Death & Dismemberment (Flight Accident Insurance)
• Search and Rescues
• Sports Equipment Renters and Rental Car Insurance
• Cancel for Any Reason Coverage (best plan if you want to cancel a trip with limited termination provisions)

Travel Coverage Types

There are two basic types of travel insurance policies:

• Trip cancellation and trip interruption coverage (Domestic Trips)
• Travel medical insurance. This is basically health insurance for international trips. This is an option suited for anyone travelling internationally.

Travel Insurance is Important Because….

A comprehensive travel insurance plan typically offers emergency travel assistance services and concierge services to you while on your trip 24 hours a day, seven days a week,

Travel insurance is slowly becoming an essential part of travel plans for any traveller. It provides coverage for unexpected medical emergencies. Medical costs can be high in many countries, and even more for Pakistani. A simple trip to a hospital emergency can rapidly add up to high charges, which will affect your budget. Travel insurance can relieve you of such costs while ensuring that you receive all necessary medical care.

Travel insurance commonly covers issues that cause trip cancellations or delays. For instance, family emergencies cause a genuine need for someone to cancel their trip due to unexpected circumstances, like sickness or a natural disaster. In such cases, travel insurance will compensate for most expenses related to your trip.

Similarly, suppose a traveller experiences any issue that results in a trip interruption, which is under the insurance cover, e.g., flight delays or cancellation. In that case, travel insurance can offer compensation for additional expenses incurred due to these factors.

For more details, visit our blog, The Benefits of Buying Travel Insurance Before Your Trip

Buying Travel Insurance

Travel insurance offers us peace of mind and a sense of security when travelling. Knowing that you are covered against financial loss in case of an emergency or unexpected event can allow you to relax and enjoy your trip without worrying about the economic consequences of something going wrong.

Like in any financial contract, it is essential to go over the terms and conditions of your travel insurance policy in detail to know what is and isn’t covered. Some guidelines may have exclusions or limitations on coverage, so it’s important to ask questions and clarify any concerns before you finalize a policy.

Similarly, some regions have restrictions on coverage and exclusions.

Travel insurance is necessary for anyone planning to travel, as it protects against unforeseen events and can save you from potentially disastrous financial losses. Whether planning a short trip or an extended stay in a foreign country, investing in travel insurance is a smart and responsible choice.

Things to Do

When picking a travel insurance option, you need to be aware of the usual insurance buying checklist. You need to:

• Read the policy document,
• Compare different plans and policies from different companies.
• Ask about coverage clauses and exemptions.
• Ask about network associations with your travel destinations to see how well you will be covered there.

As a traveller you need to get a comprehensive travel insurance policy that covers the most common travel issues and reimburses you for them on time.

Sadia Zaheer

Sadia Zaheer holds a Masters in Business Administration from IBA, Karachi. After working in several financial institutions in Client Management, Corporate Lending, Islamic Banking and Product Management she jumped careers to pursue a career in writing.
She is a Finance, Business and HR Development writer with four years of experience. She reads a lot and takes care of her multiple cats to remain calm.

The post How Travel Insurance Protects You Against the Unexpected While Traveling appeared first on Smartchoice.pk.

Buying travel insurance is something most of us ignore. Few of us buy travel insurance ahead of time, and even fewer compare policies to find the best travel insurance in Pakistan.

Here is everything you should look for before buying travel insurance in Pakistan.

1.  What does Travel Insurance cover for you?

A good travel insurance policy covers many situations, from minor to terrible inconveniences. This can be having your luggage delayed, or it could be a severe medical emergency, like getting stung by a poisonous insect and needing immediate medical attention.

You need to be covered for everything from lost and delayed luggage, flight delays and cancellations to medical treatment, medical evacuation and even transportation in case of severe illness and death. All these situations have different claim limits, of course.

Travel insurance also covers financial issues like reimbursing deposits or if your credit card is used fraudulently overseas.

2.  How to choose Travel Insurance

With so many different benefits in a travel insurance plan, it can be hard to select which one is worth your money. You should look for how much you are reimbursed for common travel hiccups.

Look for travel insurance that covers flight delays and cancellations since delays happen more often than we realise. They can be highly inconvenient, mainly because they cause you to miss your connecting flight. Ensure that your policy covers you for a decent period.

3.  Which Travel Insurance to Buy?

Like anything you buy, the best travel insurance gives you the most value for money. Say you are only travelling to Thailand for a weekend trip. You’re probably travelling light and don’t need significant coverage for loss of baggage.

You shouldn’t buy the cheapest in this case. The cheapest insurance will probably have lots of terms and conditions when it comes to claims. The important thing is to read the terms and conditions of your preferred policy carefully and make sure you are not caught unawares. This is especially important when you have pre-existing medical conditions

4.  Common mistakes In Buying Travel Insurance

How many of us know how to buy good travel insurance that suits our needs? Here are some common mistakes to avoid when buying travel insurance:

• Don’t just buy the first travel insurance you find. It is important to go through the details of the coverage provided to see if they are adequate for your needs or to cover the risks of the destination you’re travelling to, e.g. medical coverage and loss of personal belongings.
• Not reading the policy carefully: Many people make the mistake of not reading it carefully and end up with a policy that doesn’t cover what they thought it did.
• Not buying enough coverage: Another common mistake is not buying enough coverage. People sometimes buy the cheapest policy available without considering the coverage they need.
• Not disclosing pre-existing conditions: If you have a pre-existing medical condition, it’s important to disclose it to the insurance company. Failing to do so can result in a claim being denied.
• Not understanding the claims process: Make sure you understand how to make a claim and what documentation you need to provide. This can vary between policies and providers, so it’s important to be familiar with the process before you need to make a claim.
• Buying your travel insurance at the last moment: Like while waiting to board your flight or going to the airport? You should know that extra travel insurance benefits are applicable if you buy travel insurance ahead of your trip. For instance, coverage for natural disasters is automatically included.
• Not comparing policies: Don’t just buy the first policy you come across. Take the time to compare policies from different providers to find the best coverage for your needs and budget.
• You shouldn’t buy travel insurance just for the days you are overseas: You should include flights to and from your holiday destination to cover overall travel time. In the case of baggage delays, accidents during flights and connections, or even missing a flight, you will be able to claim damages.
• Not reading your travel insurance policy: like I always say, you need to read all policy documents carefully to see what is covered and what is not. Reading through the policy document lets you know what’s included and excluded, the claim limits, and what you need to do to file a claim.
• Assuming all travel insurance is the same: If your holiday includes adventurous elements like skydiving or scuba diving, check to ensure that the travel insurance you are considering covers these high-risk activities. Not every insurer will cover such activities, including sky diving, hot air balloon rides, and bungee jumping.

5.  When should I buy Travel Insurance?

Many things can go wrong when you’re travelling. Half of these things can happen even before you leave Pakistan. It is generally a good idea to purchase travel insurance as soon as you have made any non-refundable payments for your trip, such as flight tickets or hotel reservations. This will ensure that you are covered for any unforeseen circumstances that may arise, such as trip cancellations, medical emergencies, or lost or stolen luggage.

6.  Why should I compare Travel Insurance before buying?

It is important to note that travel insurance policies’ exact coverage and terms can vary, so it’s a good idea to carefully review the policy and understand what is and isn’t covered before purchasing. Additionally, some travel insurance policies may have a time limit for when you can purchase coverage, so it’s best to do so as early as possible to avoid any potential issues.

Sadia Zaheer

Sadia Zaheer holds a Masters in Business Administration from IBA, Karachi. After working in several financial institutions in Client Management, Corporate Lending, Islamic Banking and Product Management she jumped careers to pursue a career in writing.
She is a Finance, Business and HR Development writer with four years of experience. She reads a lot and takes care of her multiple cats to remain calm.

The post Travel Insurance 101: Understanding the Basics for Pakistani Travelers appeared first on Smartchoice.pk.

Maribor, Slovenia

Slovenia is a tiny but vivid country, especially for family travel. Rent a vehicle and head north from the capital to Maribor, a condensed city that’s just a stone’s throw means on very little distance from active entertainment suitable for all ages. The activities there include canoeing on the river Drava in summer and skiing in the nearby resort of Pohorje in winter. In spring, the tourist can try the resort’s single-track toboggan that hurtles down the ski slopes at up to 30mph.
Where to stay in Maribor
• Best place for staying near nature: Chateau Ramšak – Vineyard Glamping Resort
• Best apartment-style: Hotel Maribor, City Apartments

Reserva Monteverde, Costa Rica

Costa Rica is a yet to be explored completely travel gem. It’s a world leader in eco and adventure tourism, with the Monteverde area a prime example. About half of the sheltered area is conserved as the Bosque Eternal de los Niños (“Children’s Eternal Forest”), a huge stretch of lush cloud-forest, rainforest and montane evergreen forest threaded with trails and full of wildlife-spotting prospects. As one can expect, there are plenty of outdoor activities available for all kinds of adventure appetite: hiking, camping, zip lines, canopy excursions and horse riding. Nearby Monteverde Cloud-forest Biological Reserve offers yet more primeval forests and adventure activities, while Reserva Santa Elena even has pushchair-friendly trajectories.
Where to stay
• Best B&B to stay in Costa Rica: Camino Verde B&B Monteverde Costa Rica
• Best place for staying near nature: Chira Glamping Monteverde
Things you can do
• Best for nature and animal experience: Sustainable farm tour
• Best for foodies: Bread making in the forest
Tailor-made trips
Families travelling can opt for tailor-made trips, for instance, see sloths, toucans, monkeys and more on a visit to Costa Rica with any native, expert service providers. Take a look at sample travel plans like Beaches and Volcanoes and Tropical Costa Rica and use them for your own, personalized schedule.

 Bali & the Gili Islands, Indonesia

A country located in South-East Asia has all the ingredients of the tropical beach vacation for travelling alone, friends travelling in group and families with children. Bali’s entrancing Hindu culture and jaw-dropping tropical sceneries are enough to have any family mesmerized. But there’s no short supply of activities to keep the children from having fun, starting from Ubud’s monkey forest and shadow puppet shows to waterfall swimming at Gitgit and dolphin-watching off on the Bali’s north shore. When it’s time for serenity, the serene Gili islands are a short boat ride away. With white sands and still waters, Gili Air is the picture-perfect place to enjoy the tantalizingly slow pace of island life, but Gili Meno’s turtle hatchery is unquestionably worth a day trip.
Where to stay
• The Best family place in Ubud: Mehrudani Boutique Hotel
• Best family hotel on Gili Air: Vyaana Resort Gili Air
What to do
• Suggested activities for the active family: Beginner’s surf lessons for the whole family in Kuta
• Best to explore the island paradise: Snorkel Gili Nanggu, Sudak & Kedis islands
Tailor-made trips
We recommend that before travelling contact a travel guide or an expert on the area for the ultimate Bali family holiday. Take any travel plan and tailor it according to your fondness, like the Rest and Relaxation in Bali and Lombok itinerary, or start your request from scratch.

Havana, Cuba

At Havana apart from experiencing the fading magnificence of the exciting city, Havana has a mass of places to go with children. An excursion through the planetarium walks you through four floors of rooms, projecting a journey through the outer space, from the Big Bang (represented by a light and sound display) onwards. The Parque Almendares, as well as being a welcome stretch of greenery, is an impeccable picnic spot and offers rowing on the river and crazy golf.
The place to stay in Cuba
• The best place particularly for families: Home Jaime y Cuki
• The best boutique hotel: Malecón 663 Boutique Hotel
What to do in Havana
• Best for exploring the Old Town: Walking tour and Cocotaxi Ride
• Best for exploring the new parts of Havana: 2h convertible Classic Car ride
Tailor-made trips
We believe that you should plan and book your family trip to Havana with made trips so that you can enjoy the most while you are staying in Havana. Have a look at some example itineraries, like this active family adventure or this e-bike tour across the island. You can one or the other modify an existing travel plan or start from the beginning and just take in the comments of your local expert will then create and quote your personalized trip.

 Rosario, Argentina

While Argentina isn’t exactly well known as a family destination, it has a lot to offer for us to recommend it to you as a family destination for a vacation. The food is wonderful (kids will particularly appreciate the traditional heladerías or ice cream parlours); there’s a spectacular variety of landscapes and open-air activities, and the wildlife-spotting is second to none. Rosario makes a good base if you want to venture away from Buenos Aires; not only does it offers child-focused attractions like the Jardin de los Niños and the Museo de los Niños, but one can head out on river tours or rent a car and work your way north, ending up at the awe-inspiring Iguazú Falls.
Best Place to stay
• Best to stay in the city centre: Holiday Inn Rosario
• Best value: Roberta Rosa de Fontana Suites
What to do in Argentina
• Best for first-time visitors: Walking tour through the historic centre
• Best for views: Riverboat tour on the Paraná river
Tailor-made trips
For a trip family trip to Argentina that the whole family will definitely enjoy, get in touch. You can always pair up with a local expert to plan and book every aspect of your holiday. Have a look at many sample travel plans, like Magical Patagonia, and get encouraged for your own trip.

North Island, New Zealand

New Zealand’s North Island might not have snowcapped mountains, but it doesn’t hold back when it comes to affected scenery. Kids will be captivated by the sulphur stink at Rotorua, the little living lights in the glowworm caves of Waitomo and the bubbling pools at Hot Water Beach on the Coromandel Peninsula. If you hire a motorhome you can explore at your own pace. We all are fascinated with the lords of the rings trilogy, these days it’s impossible to separate New Zealand from it, and young enthusiasts will love the hobbit holes at Hobbiton, as well as Wellington’s Weta Workshop, the centre of New Zealand’s film industry, where kids can absorb all about prop building and prosthetics.
Where to stay to North Island
• Best in Rotorua: Prince’s Gate Hotel
• Best in Waitomo: Waitomo Caves Guest Lodge
Things to do in North Island
Best for family museums: 3D Trick Art Gallery
Best evening experience: Glowworm caves boat tour
Tailor-made trips
For family holidays in New Zealand, try the Rough Guides Tailor-Made Trip service: itineraries like the self-drive North Island can be used as a starting point for your own, personalized adventure. Find sample travel plans and travel with an amazing programme for your family.

San Ignacio, Belize

San Ignacio, Belize is one of the safest and stress-free Central American countries to explore with children. Apart from its colourful marine life and beautiful beaches, its (malaria-free) rainforest interior provides tropical excitement. At Caves Branch Jungle Lodge near San Ignacio, you can float downriver in an inner tube through luxuriant forests full of cheeky spider monkeys and squawking toucans, then wake up to a dawn chorus of chirping cicadas.
Places to stay
• Best for nature immersion: Hidden Valley Inn & Reserve
• Best for staying close to town: San Ignacio Resort Hotel
What to do
• Best for history & fun: Caracol Maya Ruins & Waterfall tour
• Best for outdoor adventure: Half-day canoeing tour
Tailor-made trips
If you’re looking for family holidays to Belize, contact the local experts as soon as you decide on the destination. They would be happy to create, quote and book itineraries tailored to your preferences and wishes and desired places.

Colorado, USA

You won’t find finer views and cleaner air than in Colorado, USA. If you’re looking for a family trip that embraces the great outdoors, this state solicits to be explored. Start in the compact, mile-high city of Denver, from there it’s a short drive to the sparkling alpine lakes and magnificent peaks of the Rockies. Hidden further east is Colorado’s answer to the Grand Canyon, the dramatic Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, one of America’s most discounted national parks. Older kids with an interest in history will also be fascinated by the Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde in the state’s southwest corner.
Where to stay
• Best for boutique luxury: Kimpton Hotel Monaco Denver
• Best for families: Hyatt House Denver/Downtown
What to do
• Best for a first impression: Half-day tour from Denver to the Rocky Mountains

• Best for evening entertainment: Haunted Walking Ghost Tour – suitable for the whole family

Nairobi, Kenya

On the exterior, this extensive city doesn’t seem like one of the most sensible places to go with kids. But Nairobi has access to some delightful child-friendly attractions. Nairobi National Park, where lions, leopards, giraffes and zebra roam free within sight of the city, is the perfect day trip for wildlife watching. For a more hands-on experience, try the Giraffe Center where you can feed these sophisticated, long-necked beasts from a raised gallery, or the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust where bereaved elephants are transformed and prepared for life in the wild.
Best places to stay
• Best location to the CBD: Swiss Lenana Mount Hotel
• Best for a luxurious break: Villa Rosa Kempinski
What to do
• Closest National Park: Nairobi National Park, an easy drive from Nairobi for a half-day safari experience
• Best for up-close animal encounters: David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust & Giraffe Center
Tailor-made trips
Thinking about going on safari? Check our Family Safari in Kenya trip. For a memorable trip to Kenya, we can connect you with a local travel expert to plan and book the perfect holiday.

Puglia, Italy

Puglia, in the heel of Italy’s boot, is a great choice for a family holiday in the sun. With no end of pristine beaches, the Salento peninsula is a highlight; the seaside town of Otranto with its hulking castle makes an appealing family-friendly base. The countryside has its charms too, not least the fairytale trulli – kids will love spotting these pint-sized limestone dwellings with conical roofs, which are dotted throughout the region. Head to UNESCO-protected Alberobello for a town full of trulli you can even spend a night in one for added fun.
Places to stay
• Best in Otranto: Vittoria Hotel Resort & Spa
• Best in Alberobello: Tipico Resort
What to do
• Best for foodies: Street food walking tour in Lecce
• Best in Alberobello: 2-hour guided walking tour to learn more about its unique history

Tailor-made trips
Plan your family holiday in Italy with local Italian trip planners and trip advisers. Our local experts create customized travel plans according to your preferences and wishes, with straightforward pricing and easy booking options.

Bran, Romania

In Bran, Romania for older children, Romania is a feast of freaky folklore. With its grim disguise, bartizans and ramparts, and dangerous position, teetering atop a rocky no-nonsense against a mountain backdrop the Bran Castle is the exemplary vampire count’s lair. To spend more time exploring and less time waiting in line, make sure to get your entrance ticket well before time. The historical symbol behind Romania’s Dracula legend (Vlad Țepeş) is as terrifying as Bram Stoker’s fiction: he wasn’t known as “the Impaler” for nothing. There are countless other atmospheric sites linked to the legend, not least Poenari Castle, where Vlad once lived, and the country’s “cult of the dead” is never far from the surface.
Where to stay
• Best for families: Pensiunea Casa Doina
• Best for a little luxury: Casa Din Bran – Inn Nature

Edinburgh, Scotland

The Scottish capital is tiny enough to promenade round and hosts a number of fun and educational attractions for the whole family. But what makes Edinburgh stand out is its festivals: there are twelve major festivals throughout the year, including the famous Fringe, from a storytelling celebration to a science fest. If you don’t go during festival season, the Camera Obscura makes for some preposterous family photos, and of course, there’s the Museum of Childhood where you can get sentimental and wistful and the kids can get hands-on.
Where to stay
• Best for a little luxury: Radisson Blu Hotel Edinburgh
• Best on a budget: Novotel Edinburgh Centre
What to do
• Best for Harry Potter fans: Harry Potter magical walking tour
• Best for a rainy day: Camera Obscura and World of Illusions
Tailor-made trips
Book your family holiday in Scotland with Rough Guides Tailor-Made Trips. Family adventures from Harry Potter to Loch Ness await or book your own personalized trip with the help of local experts and tourist guides.

Brittany, France

Brittany, France is a European bucket-and-spade holiday, it’s hard to beat Brittany. France’s roughly beautiful northwest offers everything from charming seaside resorts and family-friendly campsites to remote coves and rocky peninsulas. For a first visit, base yourself in St-Malo, where a strip of stunning beaches stretches east from the winding streets of the old walled town. Older children can try windsurfing or catamaran sailing at the St-Malo surf school, while grown-ups will bargain fresh oysters to feast on and local ciders to sample. And on rainy days, consider a trip to the Aquarium.
Where to stay
• Best for ocean views: Kyriad Saint-Malo Plage
• Best on a budget: Hotel Eden Saint-Malo

Toronto, Canada

Toronto is a-buzz and amazing with kid-friendly activities, from cheap thrills marveling at the slick skyline and interweaving town aboard a streetcar to splashing out on a ticket to go up the famous CN Tower and sighting dinosaur bones and Native Canadian headdresses at the ROM (Royal Ontario Museum). To make the most of your time in Toronto, book your entrance ticket well before time and receive chosen access to the ROM. Chinatown and nearby Kensington Market are great browsings and wandering territory, and the Toronto Islands are only a ferry ride away, but a world apart from the city’s hustle and bustle. If you have time on your hands, you can venture south to spectacular Niagara Falls or north to the rocky islets of Georgian Bay. For children over 7 years of age, check out the adrenaline-fuelled zipline experience from Niagara Falls.
Where to stay
• Best for a little luxury: Fairmont Royal York Hotel
• Best for great views of the city: Radisson Admiral Toronto Harbourfront

Lake Retba, Senegal

Senegal has a lot to offer families, from wide-open beautiful beaches on its wild Atlantic coast to some seriously curious natural wonders. There’s the pink-hued Lake Retba, which, at its liveliest, is a startling sight. There are undulating sand dunes ripe for you and your 4X4 to explore, and don’t miss Ile de Fadiouth – a small island in the south made entirely from shells.
Best places to stay
• Best for being on the coast: The Rhino Resort Hotel & Spa
• Best on a budget: Hotel Mermoz
What to do
• Best for wildlife: Fathala Wildlife Reserve
• Best for a relaxed tour: From Dakar or Saly to the Pink Lake

Antalya, Turkey

Antalya, in southern Turkey, is packed with activities to keep the whole family entertained. Behind Konyaaltı beach lies the Antalya Aquarium (complete with 4-D cinema), the Wildpark (devoted to insects and reptiles) and – for when the kids really can’t bear the heat an indoor snow park. Next door is Antalya Minicity, which has a 1:25 scale re-creations of some of Turkey’s most iconic landmarks. The Toy Museum at Antalya’s harbour also provides a fun distraction from the beach.

Best places to stay
• Best for family fun: Titanic Beach Lara
• Best on a budget: Sealife Family Resort Hotel
What to do
• Best for families with teenagers (14 years) and older: Quad Safari
• Best for younger children: The Land of Legends Theme Park

Tokyo, Japan

There are loads of kid-friendly destinations in Japan, but when it comes to places with activities all the family will enjoy as with everything you’re spoiled for choice in Tokyo. The Ghibli Museum and Odaiba highlight, and the city have plenty of huge parks and interactive museums to explore together. Tokyo Disneyland is also nearby, while Yokohama (for Chinatown and yet another Ferris wheel), Kamakura and Nikkō (more nature and history, less neon) are all visitable on a day trip.
Best places to stay
• Best on a budget: Hotel Gracery Shinjuku
• Best for a little luxury: Grand Nikko Tokyo Daiba
What to do
• Best for a full day of fun: Tour to Disneyland or DisneySea including transport and preferred access
• Best of both worlds for younger & older children: Tokyo Legoland and Madame Tussauds entrance tickets

Cape Tribulation, Australia

Queensland’s Cape Tribulation is great fun for courageous children, and adults too. With both lush forests and palm tree-lined beaches, there are plenty of activities that Australia has to offer. From here, you can also take a boat trip out to the barrier reef or trek through Daintree Rainforest on the lookout for primordial cassowaries, avoiding crocodiles, spiders and snakes along the way. The brave might want to try a night-time rainforest walk or a thrilling treetop jungle zip wire.
Where to stay
• Best for being close to the rainforest: Heritage Lodge In the Daintree
• Best on a budget: Cape Trib Beach House
What to do
• Best for outdoor lovers: 2-hour beach and rainforest horseback ride
• Best for underwater fans: Ocean Safari Tour including snorkelling

The Maldives, Indian Ocean

The Maldives in the Indian Ocean might seem like a honeymoon-only destination, but don’t be turned off. Most resorts are child-friendly it’s best to check first, though, to avoid being surrounded by just-married couples. Rent a hut on the beach and children will spend hours playing in the white sand, jumping in waves or snorkelling in the shallow waters.
Many islands have swimming pools and offer beach games, kayak hire, and dolphin-spotting trips too, with diving courses for older children.
Where to stay
• Best for on a budget: Meeru Island Resort & Spa
• Best for a little luxury: Velassaru Maldives
Tailor-made trips
Not sure where to stay and what to do? Consider taking a combination trip Sri Lanka and the Maldives together, and contact the local tour advisers today for your own, personalized offer.

Ko Lanta, Thailand

Ko Samui or Ko Lanta are great possibilities for family holidays, with plenty of facilities and lots of distractions for kids. If the thought of resorts makes you shudder, Thailand’s well-developed traveller arrangement makes it fairly easy to head to a more isolated island or part of the mainland. Thailand is especially great for kids in January National Children’s Day (the second Saturday of the month) means free activities and public transport for children all over the country.
Where to stay
• Best for a little luxury: Pimalai Resort and Spa
• Best for amazing views: Unique Sea View Apartments
What to do
• Best for beach lovers: 4 Islands and Emerald Cove Snorkelling Trip
• Best for local immersion: Tung Yee Peng Village Eco-Tour
Tailor-made trips
Thinking about taking the family for a vacation to Thailand? Don’t worry about the logistics but let the professional local experts take care of the quoting and booking process for you if you are not a frequent traveller and need help with planning and execution. Modify existing itineraries like the way you desire Family Time in Thailand trip or start from scratch starting from asking the quote online.

Cape Town, South Africa

The outside activities are never far away in Cape Town, which makes the city a on the whole great destination for children. It’s tough to beat the city’s marvellous beaches, the highpoint of which for most kids is Boulders, home to an inhabitant of the penguin-breeding colony. The beach at Fish Hoek, a little further north, boasts a playground alongside its beautiful beach and gentle waves. There’s also a richness of parks and open spaces, the spots are perfect for picnicking in fine weather, while for rainy days there’s a handful of good, hands-on museums.
Best place to stay
• Best for views of Green Point: Cape Royale Luxury Hotel
• Best for a little luxury: The Table Bay Hotel
Best things to do
• Best for exploring underwater species: Skip-the-line tickets to the Two Oceans Aquarium
• Best for coast views: Sailing Trip across the bay
Tailor-made trips
Explore Cape Town on this 8-day long sample trip or stay active as a family and cycle the Garden Route – the locals and experts would be happy to plan these trips for you or create your own unique family adventure.

Galápagos Islands, Ecuador

The daring wildlife of the Galápagos Islands makes adults feel like kids and make kids feel like they just can’t believe their luck. They’ll tread softly in between giant tortoises, have birds land inches from their nose, splash around in the shallows with playful baby sea lions, and snorkel near hammerheads and enormous turtles. When they get tired of the wildlife one-on-ones, amuse them with stories and accounts of the sixteenth- and seventeenth-century pirates who hid out on the islands. The landscape is still (almost) exactly as those old sea dogs would have known it, and there’s still even some old pirate graffiti to boot.
Best place to stay
• Best for a little luxury: Galapagos Casa Playa Mann
• Best on a budget: Galapagos Verde Azul
Tailor-made trips
You can explore Ecuador’s cultural cities before heading to an island paradise or create your own itinerary from scratch with the professional help of our local experts.

Tobago, Caribbean

Perhaps the Caribbean’s most laidback place to take the kids, tiny Tobago provides dozens of activities and wildlife experiences, from beachside horse-riding to hummingbird spotting. Instead of high-rise hotels, you’ll find small-scale guesthouses accustomed to catering to families. Steel bands and street eats, fresh juices and safe swimming beaches – one you’ve been “Tobagoed” you’ll want to return.
Where to stay
• Best on a budget: Lillibets
• Best for being by the ocean: SeaScape on Heavenly Bay

Travel Secure

One thing to remember is safety and security comes first, be it financial or health. You need to insured that you are covered and protected. The world has evolved in the past one and a half year and the things, such as additional documentation like vaccination certificates has become as important as your passport. The countries which didn’t require travel insurance, have now explicitly mentioned the presence of corona care in your travel insurance policy.
So it is recommended and suggested that before applying and executing any plans it is imperative to get the travel insurance and travel secure and carefree without any hassle and stress.

Last word! ‘

OK so you’ve read all the way through the article and you’re now equipped with a list of places to go with kids in tow. But what about getting there? We’ve all been on an aeroplane with a crying baby or unruly toddler and felt the parent’s pain. And we’re not going to lie: long-haul travel with the whole clan can be challenging, but there are some ways to make family travel go more smoothly.
Firstly, if your children are old enough, get them involved in trip planning – talk to them about where you’re going and ask them to think about a special day out or activity that they’d like to do while you’re there. If your kids are crafty, think about a scrapbook that they can start to work on before you leave, and add to while you’re away. Let your kids pack their own mini suitcases or backpacks with games and favourite toys. And don’t feel guilty about letting your kids watch movies on the flight!
Travelling with a baby or toddler? First of all, give yourself a break. Many of your fellow travellers will have been in your position and understand the stresses and strains. Get to the airport early so you don’t have the additional stress of being late for your flight. Different airlines have different rules about free seats or discounts for children, so do your research and you could save yourselves money.
Be realistic about what you can see or achieve in a day and enjoy the downtime as much as you’re exploring time. Young children will take a while to adapt to new time zones, temperatures and cuisines, so be patient with them (and your partner!).

Khurram Zahid

The post 21 Best Holiday Destinations to Travel with Family and Children! appeared first on Smartchoice.pk.

So we believe that heading off on a new adventure and voyage is one of the most exciting things to do, and the opportunity to visit new destinations and find out amazing experiences is always a good idea. We know that when you are excited and something that you call a great trip on the horizon, even the planning can be exciting, but, learning from our experiences of life we know that the best-laid plans in the world can’t always account for everything.

Travelling can be a pricey business, and unexpected travel expenses can have a huge effect on what you’re able to do on your trip. No one wants a nasty surprise halfway through their dream vacation, and ending up over-budget, or worse still running out of cash can really kill the holiday mood.

Still, it has been found that people run out of budget despite preparing a substantial travel budget due to overspending without acknowledgement. This brings us to the need to face unexpected expenses that can be harsh and at times unforgiving or severe (when travelling on a budget) in your pocket.

Well, that doesn’t mean that you didn’t prepare or plan well. Despite travelling with proper preparation and reservation, there are times where travellers are charged in the name of tipping, hotel booking fees, hotel resort fees, and complimentary snacks. While organizing your trip, one should be familiar with the tipping culture of different countries; it may seem like a very small thing but if ignored, this alone can cost an individual a lot of money. Well, you can go through the additional expenses by doing some research and the required groundwork about the place prior to your travel plan. In case the hotels are too expensive, you can choose hostel-based self-service in most countries abroad.

It’s easy and usually normal to go over budget when travelling. It might be as small as that souvenir you absolutely needed or you had an exotic and expensive dinner one night. Whatever it may be, these are extra expenditures you chose to pay for, so what happens when there are expenses you weren’t expecting or had calculated in your original “travel budget plan”? Those troublesome hidden fees can seriously hurt your wallet and throw off your vacation.
The good thing is that with a little preparation and research you can avoid most of the common unexpected travel expenses that may arise. So before you book a last-minute flight to Maldives or Turkey or fly across to Europe, take a look below at what we have got to say about some of the things travellers often forget to budget for, as well as costs that can take you by surprise or even as a during your vacation, and how to avoid them.

Here are a few common unexpected travel expenses and what you need to do to avoid them:

Baggage Fees

Baggage fees can be complicated and a little tricky, especially when flying numerous airlines. They all have different weight and size dimensions that can cost and charge you a pretty penny if you don’t meet those requirements.
Before filling your suitcase to the top, find out the weight and size requirements for each and every airline you are flying. Also, check your ticket to make sure luggage is included with your ticket. Budget airlines/tickets when travelling with a lot of transit don’t always include free checked luggage or even a cabin carry luggage!
Baggage fees are usually not kept from us; they are reasonably awaited costs that contribute to our trip. To combat this situation, you can begin learning about the airline’s weight, size, and height restrictions. Before you pile up so much fabric in your suitcase, make sure it’s used; else, there’s no point in paying for needless products. If they are redistributed by the dense and challenging, you should even suggest wearing any of them
To avoid ever having overweight luggage issues when travelling, invest in a portable luggage scale that you can use in your hotel or even at the airport before checking in the luggage to save an expense.

Hotel booking fees

You find the perfect hotel in the perfect place and the price is right within your budget. You come back to purchase the room and as you checkout, you notice the hotel has tacked on “service” fees and “cleaning” charges, making the price more than you anticipated.
To avoid surprises, go through the process as if you were actually booking the room, all the way until payment is needed. Don’t enter payment, but take note of the total price. You will be shown the complete total with all fees attached.

Hotel city taxes

In some countries, like Europe, lodgings will charge a city tax. This is recognized as the tourist tax. This can fluctuate from 2 euros per person to a percentage of your total price. This is usually paid when you get to your lodging and many tourists are often asked to pay with cash only. One of the tourist’s on their recent trip when they stayed in a few Airbnb’s and had forgotten about these taxes and they put my budget out of proportions.
Don’t be like them, simply ask the hotel or host if they have any tourist taxes or additional fees and how much they will be.

Debit/Credit card fees

There are 1000’s different banks across the world, which means fees for non-members. If the travellers don’t have a travel card, travellers probably end up paying ATM or withdrawal fees. If someone is travelling internationally, some cards may even charge a tourist’s small percentage for each purchase.
The best way to avoid these fees is to have a travel card that reimburses these fees or one that can be used internationally with no ATM or purchase penalties. Don’t forget to always notify the bank when travelling out of the country to avoid the card being denied or worse eaten up by a machine.

Roaming charges

In this global village today we’re connected to our phones and want to be able to use them wherever we go. However, it’s not always possible to do so while travelling.
Turn off roaming on the cellphone to avoid expensive bills when after travel individual return’s home. Use Wi-Fi when and where possible, or think about purchasing a Sim card at the destination. Let us explain how to do this and other tricks in this heading for using your phone internationally.
Usage of cell phones overseas is often inevitable or inescapable, but it can come with some seriously cumbersome roaming charges. Data and minutes are usually overpriced, and when individuals are paying by the minute or the megabyte a quick scroll through social media, using the map app, or a check-in phone call will come with a huge bill.
It is well worth and recommended to turn off roaming before travelling, so you don’t inadvertently get charged for anything. Use WiFi as much as possible for internet use, and if someone is likely to need to make regular phone calls, think about procuring a local sim card.

Tipping

Some restaurants add automatic tips to the bill. This may put a ding in an individual wallet if it was more than that was planned on tipping. Ask beforehand if tips are applied automatically, or add the 15-20% tip to your dining budget for every meal to add wiggle room.

Patio fees

In the European Union countries, it will often cost people more to sit down or sit outside at a restaurant. In Italy, it is common for places to charge for sitting and drinking coffee. In Spain, we were often charged extra if we wanted to sit on the patio outside rather than inside. Restaurants will frequently note the additional fee at the bottom of the menu or a sign. If in doubt, don’t be afraid to ask or try looking it up on sites that may help better navigate through the process.

Uber/Cab fees

There may be an extra charge for that ride from the airport to any of the desired destinations. This applies mostly to Uber or any other ride-hailing applications but sometimes happens to Cabs in cases of turmoil in a country. For instance, during the strikes in Paris, cab scammers were charging in the air approximately 150 euros to get into the city from the airport. During peak times, Uber will increase ride prices
To avoid paying a great deal of money, know that there are flat rates for taxis and that they must bear these. People often travelling should learn these rates to avoid getting ripped off. If Uber prices are over-the-top, consider opting for public transportation like the metro, the bus, or a shuttle.

Emergencies

Having an emergency is the last thing you want to think about when on vacation, but it’s something we have to think about. Accidents can and probably will eventually happen if you travel frequently. To make sure you’re covered, purchase travel insurance for every trip or have a credit card on hand in case of an accident. Well, nobody goes on holiday knowing medical emergencies are waiting for them on the way. There is always a risk of disasters when you are travelling from your city because the body cannot always cope with the abrupt shift in the routine or environment. These circumstances are inevitable; an individual will have a hard time dealing with them if they don’t handle them adequately. Start preparing for them in advance by taking all the requisite vaccines, medicines, safe travel insurance, and emergency funds are a must.

Travel insurance helps in transferring the risk from the individual pocket to the insurance provider in case of any unforeseen situation or circumstances. The travel insurance allows the traveller to enjoy the vacations/holidays without any worry and with ample peace of mind.

Prior Research of the Holiday Destination

You can be exhausted on or after flying while you’re on holiday, and taxis at the airport are often too costly. Around peak time, rates are paid twice, and the risks of theft are increased; To avoid such scenarios, carry out prior research on the location, be it a small street, place, or spot. Read more of the various modes of transport to choose carefully as public transport is better than the reserved one. You can share a taxi if you like since they provide the same degree of comfort at a lower price.

Cellular Charges

Smartphones are the most used devices in our daily life intact; everyone needs their phone throughout the journey, right from booking tickets to uploading photos on social media. In the middle of the trip, it will help take pictures, navigate locations, carry all the other documents, and require road maps.

To avoid heavy cellular charges, knock out surplus services from your setting or inquire about any of the best packages available from your mobile operator, when travelling make use of free WiFi wherever available as the data usage generally goes up while travelling. When going for a month or more than a week, the traveller can consider buying/upgrading him/herself to a local sim card.

Foreign Exchange Fee

Been there and done it kind of situation as we try and plan everything about the vacation and it is planned to the tee, but in a certain scenario where we might realise the day before you are due to leave that you don’t have any foreign currency! Changing money at the airport commonly comes with poor exchange rates and big fat charges. Taking money out from ATMs abroad with your day-to-day card can be even more expensive.

While all foreign money exchangers will charge a certain fee of some sort, there are plenty that offers better rates and lower fees. Make sure when travelling does a little research online in advance to find the best places to change money. On the other hand, take a look at debit cards that offer no charge/fee-free withdrawals abroad. This will give an individual more flexibility which makes the person free of the responsibility and one doesn’t have to carry cash…although there will still be the risk of ATM charges.

We know from an experience that on the first trip abroad, many people have no idea how pricey converting the money could be. Currency exchange places also usually take a fee for their services, costing a person even more. Use a currency converter, to make sure to get the best rate. It is also often cheaper to exchange money in the destination country rather than at home before the start of the trip.

Credit Card Charges

An individual tends to pay for minor things with cash, snacks, and souvenirs and so on one might not always be able or want to carry enough physical money to cover larger purchases. However, using credit cards abroad can come with a whole load of hidden charges, which can quickly add up if one is not careful. Bad exchange rates, foreign transaction charges and Dynamic Currency Conversion can all make using plastic on vacation a bad idea.
Quite a few credit cards do offer fee-free use abroad. It is worth calling the credit card company before an individual journey anyway, to prevent the card from being blocked for ‘suspicious activity, so one should take a moment to ask about charges as well. If you are a frequent traveller it might be worth applying for a credit or debit card that lets an individual spend money abroad free of any expense. Another option is to get a prepaid card from a foreign money exchanger.
Exchange rates with these cards are usually better, and you’ll be able to withdraw money from ATMs.

WIFI

We have already mentioned WiFi and cellular charges, it is worth indicating out that even in today’s super-connected and globalised world, many hotels and airlines still charge for WiFi use. When it comes to hotels, check out what their WiFi usage policy is, and how much they charge for the usage. It might even be worth upgrading to a marginally more expensive hotel if they throw in free WiFi! With airlines, just download on the tablets and devices with offline music, films and games, Netflix series and enjoy taking a break from the email notifications!

Departure Taxes

We are scared of the nasty final surprise, we often have to face at the end of a vacation, many countries like Costa Rica and Argentina charge departure taxes at the airport when leaving. These do not really cost that one can avoid, hence it is recommended to do a little research in advance so it doesn’t come as a pure shock when confronted with an added fee/tax when an individual is going back home.

Visa Costs

While many countries require the traveller to sort out the visa situation in advance and before travelling, there are also plenty of places where you need to buy your visa on entry, at customs.
In line with departure taxes, this isn’t really something one can avoid. But with pre-planning, travelers can ensure that they have the required money set aside for any and all visas and border crossings that one might/will need throughout the trip. Costs aside, when it comes to procuring visas it is worth doing intensive research in advance anyway as if you are missing something that one might need to enter or exit the country one will have to spend a lot of time trekking back and forth to the embassy, which brings stress, hassle, and loss of vacation time!

Last Word!

We hope this article would be a great help to anyone travelling be it you or your loved one! Understanding that having a certain budget will bring you peace of mind so that you can fully enjoy your trip without the worry of spending or over-expanding your budget. It’s always a great idea to have a miscellaneous section of your budget for unexpected expenses as well. Whether business or pleasure, enjoy your next trip without the concern of unexpected expenses.

Khurram Zahid

The post Unexpected Travel Expenses (And How to Avoid Them) appeared first on Smartchoice.pk.

• The tickets from Pakistan are too expensive and not many promotional offers are available
• Green passport doesn’t top the list in attracting visas
• Lack of clarity on travelling Pro-Tips that can help in saving money
• Difficulty to travel extensively due to huge difference in currency with other currencies

And the list continues…

We understand that everything cannot be controlled and is not under the human capacity to manage it. There are still certain aspects that we can control and increase our chances and ways to travel more and more!!
Budgeting is one thing that is required not only for home but anything that you plan to endeavour in life. Even a simple and planned budgeting can take you a long way when travelling alone, with friends, family or any of your loved or dear ones!

Create a Travel Budget in 6 Simple Steps

Now that you know all the cheap travel hacks that we shared in our previous blog, and how we afford to travel around the world, let’s create a travel budget just for you, so you can travel more than ever and enjoy life.
Your budget will govern how much money you need to save for your travels, and it will also kind of shape your trip. For instance, if your travel budget is insignificant, you might leave out certain cities, places or activities. And if you’ve got a lot of dough (money) to spend, you can do detailed research on all the fun things you can do with it!

In this blog, we will share with you exactly how we do it, in 6 simple steps. The beauty of this exercise is that you can cater it to fit whatever your dream trip may be – whether it be a one-week vacay in Hawaii or a one-year journey around the world or the budget allows travel to your very own northern areas only.
And what more attractive is, it only takes about 20 minutes to sketch out a really solid plan of how much money you’ll need to save for your trip. So what are you waiting for?

Let’s take the first step in turning your daydreams into reality…

Step 1: Define and understand your Travel Style

Travel is completely and fundamentally personal, and there’s no one “right” or “wrong” way to travel. But to define your budget, you’ve first got to figure out your travel style.
We have listed down a different type of travellers keeping in view their preferences, likes and dislikes, read the following types and see which one sounds most like you:

Budget Traveler

The budget traveller usually says that ” they don’t mind sleeping in dorm rooms or taking local means of transportation (even though it’s at times slower and crowded)”. They prefer eating at authentic “hole-in-the-wall” type eateries and don’t typically take up organized and guided tours. They believe that travelling on a budget allows them to interact with locals and every so often brings more adventure than when you are paying a lot of money.

Mid-Range Traveler

A mid-range traveller is said to be the average budget traveller according to them “they like a mix of comfort and authentic adventure”.

They don’t want to sleep in dorm rooms with people they don’t know, but also don’t need a 5-star hotel every night of their trip. When travelling, they tend to enjoy eating at a variety of places –ranging from street stands to nice cafes. These range travellers enjoy splurging every once in a while but do balance it out by being okay roughing it a bit too. For mid-range travelling balancing the budget is the key.

Luxury Traveler

Well well a luxury traveller, wen travels “they like to enjoy the finer things in their travel, from posh hotels to the top-rated restaurants and entertainment during their travel.” They believe that a vacation should be full of fun and expensive things, and don’t like holding back on anything at all. They feel that they should enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime experience and feel happy and comfortable to have all the details arranged for them, even if it costs more on their travel budget. They take Traveling as their time to relax and explore and don’t want to miss out by following a strict budget.

So which one is it?

We believe that maybe you are between two styles. Not quite on the “budget” kind, but not exactly “mid-range” traveller either. Or perhaps you’re somewhere between “mid-range” and “luxury”.
Please rest assured, there is no right or wrong way to feel about the way you travel. But understanding what type of travel style you identify with is the first step towards coming up with a realistic budget.

Step 2: Find your Daily Budget

Do a quick and swift Google search for a daily budget/expenditure of a country you’re thinking to visit. A good place to plan your visit is to start with the budget of Your Trip. We recommend choosing a country, your travel style and desire (Step #1) and the one that suits your currency, and you’ll get a pretty good assessment of how much to expect to spend each day while you are there.

Write this number down because you’ll need it for the next steps of the travel budget.

Step 3: Get your Preliminary Total

In the next step multiply the number you got in step #2 (Daily Budget) by how many days you plan to stay in that country. This will give you the initial cost of your overall trip. But, hold your horses – you’re not done just yet!

Step 4: Give yourself some “Padding” that can also be known as “Cushion”

Now, calculate 10-20% of the preliminary total you got in Step 3.
You know yourself best. If you’re great at managing and calculative that you stick to your budget, maybe you can travel with an additional 10%. But if managing the budgets aren’t your thing, maybe an extra 25% than the expenditure calculated is more realistic. We usually advise the addition of 15% padding.
Add this added percentage number to your total, but don’t include the amount in your daily spending funds (Step 2). Remember, you are not required to and should not want to spend this money. Simply put it’s just there as a buffer for souvenirs, last-minute splurges or accidental expenses.

Step 5: Plan your big fat expenditures

Even if you have a budget to stick to, some luxury and fun expenses are just part of travelling. Don’t let the shortage of money hold you back from something you’ve been dreaming and constantly planning about, like diving in the Galápagos or taking a hot air balloon ride in Cappadocia. It may be expensive and costly, sure, but it’s part of your journey. And if you really want to do it badly enough, it’s definitely worth it.
A point to remember is that plan out your splurges in advance so you’re ready when you have to undertake them.
Pro-Tip: do include this cost in your total budget, but don’t divide it into your daily spending.
And when you do some affluent spending, make sure it’s with an ethical company (by ethical company we mean, the ones) who are giving back to the local community and environment.

Step 6: Add on Airfare and Travel Insurance

Note: When you search for a daily budget in a particular country, it will typically NOT include airfare or travel insurance. You will have to add these costs in as well.
For airfare: We like getting airfare estimates on sastaticket. pk because you can search for all the flights available for the destination and see the cheapest day or cheapest flight to fly with.
For travel insurance: We like World Nomads for travel insurance. Get a super quick quote here.
And there you have it: Your own fully-customized travel budget! CONGRATS!

Tip: You can also do this exercise in reverse order. What I mean is if you have PKR 300,000 saved up, and you want to visit Thailand or any East-Asian country, start with Step #6 and work backwards by subtracting the costs. You’ll be able to see how many days a rational budget will bring you with PKR 300,000 to spend.
It depends on the country you choose and then the budget required to be set, or it can be the amount in hand and then set the budget accordingly.

Step 7: Get Insured!

Okay, since we have covered all the main steps that need to be kept in mind while making a budget. But one main thing that needs to be kept in mind is “buying travel insurance” is very important. It is the invisible 7th step that needs to be taken to ensure that you stay on your budget. Travel insurance acts as a cushion and takes away your financial stress and worries.
Travel insurance helps you stay within the planned budget and enjoy stress-free travel by paying a very minimal amount to cover your risks and any unforeseen circumstances and situations.

So Peeps! Don’t forget to follow Step 7 when planning your vacations!

Reasons to Embrace Budget Travel

Most travellers throw themselves into a category or two of traveller- backpacker, luxury, tourist, adventurer, long-term, volunteer, etc.
Most categories are ones that the traveller chooses to identify with. But there is one category that most people, travellers included, assume is a category that one belongs to out of circumstance, not a choice:

Why?

1. Traveling on a budget keeps our feet firmly planted on the ground

While travelling one does not need anyone waiting on us, picking up our dirty towels, or otherwise being felt like royalty. Travel is taken as an opportunity to dig into the world, not take a break from living. We are humans. The surest way to remember that common playing field is to not place ourselves within a hierarchy that may feel false. When travelling one prefers to avoid the false hierarchy whenever one can and to try not to accept service without offering some of our own in return. Travelling on a budget doesn’t allow people to pay for luxury services and that’s the way we like it.

2. Budget travel keeps people from adding one more barrier to connecting with the local population

Being South Asian and having brown skin there’s no getting around the privilege that these two factors afford us, wherever we travel, whether we like it or not. These factors also give multiple levels of engagement before they interact with us as a tourist, no matter where we go. There are assumptions about Asian particularly South Asians who travel the world. And by local standards, we often are people who others are little conscious about.

Staying in good hotels that cost more than a Pakistani’s salary for a month or dining at preposterously overpriced restaurants all the time while travelling. A point to be noted can be and should be added to this the fact that many upmarket hotels instruct their staff to paint the greater area as somewhat unsafe and you have a recipe for disconnection. When you are on a budget it requires individuals and families to eat in local eateries and stay in hostels, at least most of the time. Given the option, one should always choose to stay, eat, and do things that, at the very least, do not add to the gulf between the tourist and the local population.

3. It makes us less of a target for deceitful characters.

Usually, people have always been of the view that some travellers disseminate that staying in a nicer, more expensive hotel or neighbourhood will keep them safe from theft and physical harm that may happen to them in other localities. Many people travel with tour operators because they think they will be “safer” at tourist attractions and would be well guided. Now, this may or may not be true (and certain neighbourhoods are “safer” than others, all over the world), so what it seems like if I were going to rob someone, I would rob someone I was pretty sure that they had something to steal, right?

Most travellers should know not to flash around their wallet, iPhone, or Rolex to help avoid the unwanted attention of something unwanted. But often some of those travellers will proudly boast about the fancy hotel they are staying in and loudly explore tourist trap areas with a large group of fellow targets. Seems like telling the world that you are staying at the Pearl Continental while walking the beach in Karachi with 10 other fellow travellers to have just as much potential to draw negative attention to you as the Rolex a tourist is wearing.
Travelling on a budget means you can walk more often than ride in taxis, are seen entering and exiting basic accommodations, and pay for lunch at local eateries with lesser bills. Our entire being exudes “we don’t have much,” and I think ultimately leads to less potentially negative attention. It’s not foolproof, but it helps.

4. Budgeting keeps us travelling longer

This is no secret. Stretch the money out and the trip stretch out the trip as well. The money could be spent in a week what can be spent in a month. We can also make what the average tourist spends on a two-week vacation last us for a month or more. Easily. Not everyone wants to or has the capability to travel for a long period of time. But if you are planning a long-term trip, why not stretch the budget as far and as long as it will possibly go so that you can spend more time exploring the vastness that is our world?

5. Traveling on a budget makes us think “outside the box.”

When you have finite resources, no matter where you are, sometimes you need to get creative with what you eat, where you stay, and what you do for entertainment. Some of our best recipes have come from getting creative with what’s in the house, and our last housesit came about as we were wondering how to make our thin budget stretch even further.
Sticking to a budget is like a puzzle that keeps your brain thinking and the creative juices flowing. Bartering, gift economies, trades, and volunteering are all creative ways to exchange for the basics you need. Knowing we have the ability to get creative when times get tough is a valuable life skill.

6. Traveling on a budget really forces us to connect with who we are and what we need.

There are lots of things each individual wants. But very few people actually know, without a doubt, what they need to be the healthiest, most content, most present person they can be. Stripping yourself of the luxury of the first world living and really identifying those things you actually need to make you a whole person is a gift you give yourself when you travel.
Travelling on a budget illuminates this inner knowledge even quicker. No one’s answer is the same, but almost everyone I know is somewhat surprised by the answers they discover and always thankful for the journey they took to realize those answers.

7. It completely redefines can and can’t.

When money is flowing, there are lots of things I hear travellers say they “can’t” do. Travel on a local chicken bus in Guatemala? Can’t do it. Eat street food in India? Can’t do it. Sleep in a hotel room in Mexico without air conditioning? Can’t do it.
Now take away the cash flow. Suddenly a $10 hotel room, without air conditioning, looks pretty great, especially when it happens to offer an ocean view. A bbq corn from a roadside stand in Karahi becomes a delicious daily treat. Those rides on the chicken bus become memories you will relay over and over to friends long after you have returned home.
There are lots of “can’t” that suddenly turn into “cans” when money becomes scarce. It’s a good idea to explore the edges of those “cans” and “cant’s” once in a while to really find out who you are and what you are capable of.

8. Traveling on a budget keeps us moving slowly.

No doubt about it, slow travel costs less than lightning-fast travel. To arrange more cost-effective, long-term accommodations, spread transit costs out over longer periods, and eat in more than we eat out, we need to travel slowly.
Thank goodness budget travel forces us to stick to a slow schedule because slow travel also keeps us in touch with the real reason we are travelling- a deeper connection with the world’s people and time to soak in everything our world has to offer. You can’t do that by zipping through a city in 2 days.

9.Traveling on a budget makes us really consider where our money goes and the impact it may have.

It’s harder to thoughtlessly throw money around when there is a very limited amount of it. Having limited monetary resources means we have a more connected relationship with what we spend. We know where every dollar is going and choose exactly how we want to spend it.

Do we really want to hand over thousands of rupees to a “tour guide” who seems to be taking advantage of the street kids milling hungrily around him? It’s impossible to say “well, it’s only a few thousand” when your daily budget for two people is per day PKR 5000 to 7000. It’s much harder to “look the other way” when literally every dollar matters.

10. Budget travel reminds us day after day that the world is absolutely humungous and completely awe-inspiring.

When you travel on a budget for a long-term trip, you realize very quickly that you cannot “see it all”- your budget won’t allow it. But here’s the thing…. you could never see it all anyway. Money produces the illusion that you “know” India, Mexico, Ghana, or Switzerland by allowing you to buy experiences and visit place after place and site after site, all the while worrying that you “missed something”.
In truth, no matter how many entrance tickets you buy, no matter how many cross country flights you take, and no matter how many “world-class” restaurants you eat in, you will never, ever experience all that a country has to offer. Travelling on a budget creates an immediate sense of freedom.

You can’t see it all, and you know it from the beginning of your journey. So, instead of closing as quickly as possible from place to place, you should slow down, appreciate what lies within and beyond the great sites, focus on what really mesmerizes you, and release the alarm of “missing something.” That sense of wonder that comes from the simple realization that three months, six months, or one year in Pakistan will never be enough, even if you had a ton of money stashed, which quickly exhibits into utter awe at just how much there is to see around, experience, and learn in every corner of the world, not just the country you happen to live in.

That awe is, without a doubt, the best gift we have created for ourselves by travelling on a budget.
Most travellers identify as budget travellers on some level, but unlike other forms of travel, few embrace the concept that budget travel can be a conscious choice rather than a limiting circumstance.
Why not change our perception of what budget travelling means and embrace that budget and all of the unique opportunities that come from it?

Khurram Zahid

The post Create Travel Budget in Few Simple Steps! appeared first on Smartchoice.pk.

Travelling is an addiction…

Yes, I would use the word addiction because it becomes the food for the soul, a need for life, and a constant desire to do more!!

Having said that….. traveling from Pakistan is a difficult task as the cost and expenses are already too high! Apart from that, it is difficult to get any country visa on a green passport easily! So when an individual can procure the visa he/she should try and make the most of it.

Since everything is a little expensive for a Pakistani traveler, planning beforehand and at the same time looking for cheap hacks should be a priority and way forward for each individual packing the bag and embarking on a journey!

Be flexible with your travel dates and destination

One thing that a traveler must undertake is to put in some time and effort and Look for the cheapest flights from your home airport to anywhere in the world. “Use the ‘travel anywhere’ option on Skyscanner or you can log in to sastaticket. pk to find the cheapest fares from your desired airport to any country in the world. We are sure you can find some amazing last-minute deals this way, sometimes you can get cheaper tickets with just some proper internet surfing!

Become good at saving money

Saving money is not second nature to all individuals, some people can’t resist looking at a pretty thing and not having it. Well, here is the news if you wish to travel saving money is one very important thing. Understandably, it’s a constant learning process. But remember that the more you save in your routine days been the more you would be able to use to fund the travels. Stick to the mantra “save for the future and just pay for life”

For instance, like eating food and buying toothpaste and stuff, stick to the essentials and you are all good to plan your future travels.

Choose Cheap Countries

Your budget basically dictates where you travel too… for instance with a budget of PKR500,000 will mean very diverse things depending on where in the world you plan to travel. In Western Europe, for instance, it might get you 15 days at max, where in South America you could spend a month traveling. And if you bring that amount to Pakistan (domestic travels), you could stretch it out to a good number of months.

If your objective is to travel for a long period of time, select countries where your money will last longer. Simple. It is advised to choose countries where an individual can travel for less than PKR10,000 per day between the two of us because then you can travel longer. (Plus, many of the places the world has to offer are not really that expensive, and smart traveling would further serve the purpose).

If you do choose expensive countries, PLAN it out

One can desire to travel to some amazingly expensive places which are dream locations (like Iceland and Japan), which one should not rule out because of money since every place has its own charm. To do that an individual needs to do a lot more planning for expensive countries comparatively when you’re visiting cheap countries. Think of ways to save money: Will you be able to cook? What is the cheapest mode of conveyance? And always think outside of the box when it comes to lodging. (Hint: read the rest of this article for all the answers to those questions.

Plan well ahead in time for budget-minded wanderlust inspiration and expensive places without breaking your bank.

Pick the Right Travel Season

To travel to any country in the world, you need to give proper thought to the time of year you’ll be visiting because that can have an impact on your budget. For instance, Croatia in July will be packed with tourists and you’ll be paying a lot of dollars because it’s peak season (some people make that mistake and regret it). But in some months when many tourists don’t flock to that place, you’ll still have nice weather and cheaper prices. If there’s a more affluent country you wish to visit, try traveling during low or shoulder season for the best deals.

One thing to Note: Keep track of all your expenses (yes, ALL of them!)

Go Incognito

When booking flights you have to browse in an incognito or private browser to avoid cookies that follow what you’re doing online. Travel sites will track what you’re looking for and can bump up prices when they know which flights or destinations you’re interested in and the last thing you want to do is be paying more for a flight! An incognito or private browser makes sure you’re not followed and you’re free to do flight research without the worry of higher prices.

Budget Tracking App Cheap Travel Hacks

You need to track every single thing we spend money on while traveling.

“Everything”, means “everything” we mean: lodging, food, transportation, tours, entry fees, and yes, even that woven bracelet we bought from a small child that was too cute to fight back the urge. It may sound punishing, but it is the best way to stay on a tight budget, and after a while, it will become a habit. There are plenty of apps on both the store’s iOs and play store to keep track of your budget so make sure you try out a few and choose one that works for you.

Pack Light and Pack Right

We have certainly been guilty many times of over-packing in the past and we’d drag around extra clothes we never wore on the trip. It is one terrible burden to pay the luggage fees that many airlines have enforced already. Carrying less luggage makes us feel freer, packing light means you can carry your luggage yourself and you won’t have to pay those bothersome baggage fees, which can add up to a big expenditure if you have multiple flights.

Related: Eco-friendly travel gear you can take anywhere that will save you money

Make lunch your biggest meal

Eating lunch at a restaurant is almost always way cheaper than dinner. Multiple restaurants and cafes offer discounts on that meal of the day. While traveling only dining out for one meal a day is a proven way to avoid using all your money while traveling and it’s also an exclusive way to stay healthy even on vacation.

Book extra-long layovers on flights

If you book a flight with Airlines such as Qatar Airways will pay for you to stay at a hotel for at least a night.

One of the saving hacks is booking flights with the longest layover possible.  When you book a flight with a long layover you can explore the city in transit and tick it off your travel bucket list. Recently many airlines are offering free tours and even hotels, it is an even better offer. Airlines like Qatar Airways offer this opportunity and Doha is certainly one of the cities you can explore in 48 hours. Singapore and Turkish airlines offer this too.

Keep a stash of snacks

Keep a supply of snacks to spend less on food

Eating out at different cafes and restaurants is one of the quickest ways to drain your travel funds, Kristin Luna, journalist and travel blogger, told Insider. And while traveling one should always have their energy bars full and body fully charged. You should carry some instant energy-boosting bar such as granola to satisfy the hunger and to get an immediate energy boost. Doing this would help you in cutting down the count of meals for the day.

 Carry a reusable water bottle

When you carry a reusable bottle: It’s good for your wallet and the planet

Make it a habit to carry a water bottle with you whenever you travel. Whether it’s a weekend getaway or a longer journey. This saves a good amount of money on a bottle of water. While traveling you will need water multiple times a day, as well till you reach the destination. Those pretty little pence add up as buying three bottles of water minimum every day; that’s a lot of pocket change.” Another bonus is reducing your use of plastic to help the environment.

Find Deals on Hotels

Accommodation is the next big expense after your airline tickets and it adds up quickly and can often be the biggest expenditure while traveling, but there are multiple ways to cut this cost significantly. Please constantly remind yourself that accommodation does not have to be expensive! Just to give you an idea, you can stay in at some pretty fantastic places, and the sites below are how you can get ahhh-mazing deals for you and your loved ones:

If you plan to travel in Asia, Agoda is hands-down the best platform to find cheap and reasonable lodging. The site is easy to use and has a great user system, so you’ll easily get a feel for how nice each hotel is. And the deals are unbeatable.

Booking.com

Booking.com is love when traveling in Europe and traveling around the U.S.A. They have a really good bed and breakfast deals and are always running discounts on the stays. Their free cancellation option/service is a nice perk.

Airbnb

Airbnb is a good option because you’re able to stay in a more “local” area and can have access to kitchens so you can save money on food as well. Try out Airbnb. If you’re new, sign up at Airbnb and you’ll get off your first stay via Airbnb! Yes, seriously no publicity stunt!

Hostel-world

Keep a little calm! Keep reading after you hear the word “hostel”…

Hostels are practically always cheaper than customary hotels and opposing to popular belief, the hostels are not just dorms! There are almost always private rooms that are quite affordable. Plus, many hostels have kitchens you can use, free breakfast, affordable tour options, and local advice. And they typically have a common space where you can meet other travelers and exchange stories and travel information.

Couchsurfing

Another option available for accommodation is Couchsurfing is completely free and you’re able to stay with a local which can help you get unforgettable experiences that you wouldn’t be able to have in a hotel. Another perk can be that maybe you’ll make a new friend! Before using it for the first time, you might want to read about Couchsurfing safety and tips so you feel more at ease.

Camping

Conditional to where you are in the world, camping can be an amazing way to save money on lodging (and it’ll be an adventure!). Be sure to really about the laws in the host country as to where and when you can pitch a tent, and invest in quality gear. There can be nothing worse than waking up to a soaked tent and sleeping bag.

One possible disadvantage of this option is that you’ll have to pack your housing with you. You’ll have to find the balance between abating your load, while still being prepared.

Avoid being scammed

We should be big believers that there is more good in the world than bad, there are disagreeable characters in every city and country of the world. However, when you travel you’re in unacquainted terrain. This can make you a target for people trying to scam and take the money you carry.

One of the things you can do before traveling is Google “common scams in _____” before visiting a new country or city. Each state has scams of its own, and once you’re aware of them, you’ll be less likely to fall victim to those scams.

And as a general rule of thumb, the most common areas to be scammed are before, during, and after transportation. For example, the time that is between landing at the airport and reaching your hotel. When you are carrying all your luggage, tired from traveling, and in a completely new place.

Purchase Travel Insurance

When and wherever you travel, you cannot risk traveling without travel insurance. Many people might think that it won’t save you much money upfront, but if something were to happen (God Forbid), you save hundreds and thousands of rupees by being protected. We’ve seen a handful of people who have had ill-fated mishaps on the road and have had to be transferred (airlifted) to nearby hospitals. That type of evacuation isn’t inexpensive, and it most definitely will add a couple of zeros to your budget. Don’t risk it. (EVER)

One myth buster is travel insurance isn’t as expensive as you’d think! And it will cover emergencies (even though we hope you never have to use your coverage!). Depending upon the policy purchased it even covers valuables stolen on the road or delayed flights. You can choose the right travel insurance policy for you within no time now! There aren’t any excuses anymore.

 Sign Up for Email Alerts

One of the important travel tips is signing up for airline and other travel companies and even travel insurance providers newsletters so you are in-loop of sales and be one of the first to know. You could save thousands and be on your vacation sooner than you think!

Go on Free Tours

Many cities around the world offer free walking tours. This is a very common practice in Europe, which is definitely a place where you’re going to want to be saving money. Many tours are offered through hostels or your lodging can recommend you a free tour. The duration of the tours varies from 1-3 hours and in the end, you’re requested to pay what you can or what you thought the tour was worth. So even though the tour isn’t entirely free, you still get to set your own price according to your budget and you get to familiarize yourself around the city and learn about the history and culture.

Exchange Your Money in the Right Places

Avoid exchanging money at banks and airports. Figure out how much money you require by using an app such as XE Currency Converter, exchange the equivalent in the local currency and then get it exchanged at small kiosks that are often found at malls or any shopping streets. They usually provide the best exchange rate. Banks and airports often charge you higher and the payout is lesser than normal kiosk vendors. Avoid that by going somewhere that has foreign currencies on hand and readily available at a good price.

Some of these are the best travel hacks and are so simple to implement them and can be done right away, some other mentioned may take a bit more planning. But for the effort that you put in you will save and you will be able to travel more. Many of these tips you can go deeper into to help you find cheap flights, the best rewards programs, and more. These hacks are just the beginning to helping you find free travel, which can totally be done if you hack right! So Best of Luck! Pack your bags and hop onto the journey of your life!!

Khurram Zahid

The post Brilliant Hacks for Cheaper Travel…. appeared first on Smartchoice.pk.

SUMMARY

This article highlights some major point to ponder and keep in mind while travelling especially immediate Post-COVID-19, as our life our travel would also change so keep that in view, this article covers upon many small yet essential points and keywords and actions before embarking on any journey, it can be as small as carrying sanitizers to getting your travel health insurance.

You can take this article, as your must-have while preparing for the voyage, covering these grounds will not only save you a lot of hassles while travelling but would also ensure safe and secure journey, without worrying about anything. The uncertainties are there out in the travel world right now but, by keeping a few things at hand, for instance, medical records, travel history, medicines, masks etc.  you can save time and be worry-free while en-route to your travel destination.

We also have included WHO health guidelines, or rather travel guidelines that would help the individuals to navigate in times of uncertainities and epidemic and pandemic situation.

The world has been changing…
It is changing at a very fast pace…

The way we travelled pre-COVID-19 scenario seems like a dream, something which cannot be comprehended now for its possibility of it happening in the recent future. I being a travel enthusiast would love to travel at any chance that comes my way….

These times where travelling seems like an impossible and a forgotten fantasy, it is also leading to another apprehension that what would happen would the pieces of training and meeting be held the same way? Leisure travel would be all easy cause of fewer people aiming to travel or the increases surveillance and increased sanitization points while you are in-journey towards your destination.
Things people carry and the way they pack before beginning the journey would change to some extent drastically, no more many formals to pack, instead of a few formal shirts for your online meeting. Your medicine pouch would carry more sanitizations and disinfectant devices than other things; one thing would occupy the top of your head which is “PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE”.

The severe outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has left people in an upsetting state and has limited all travelling activities. The local authorities and governments have requested people to go under quarantine and isolation when necessary and exercise extreme caution for their safety. These guidelines have shunned any travelling plans and locked people in their houses.

For many of us travelling is a lively activity and is often close to the heart of many individuals including me. As many people like to plan extensively about their travelling schedules and destinations and make elaborate preparations to make it a memorable experience. It is even encouraging for specific job professions that people cater because the waiting traveller within them compels them to seize every opportunity.
If you are planning a travelling expedition on any scale for the right reasons, then make sure that you are in line with the SOPs. To assure your well-being, follow these steps for your travel plan to avoid/escape contracting the COVID-19 virus.

Highlighting this “WHO” has made some recommendations for international travellers
It is prudent for travellers who are sick to delay or avoid travel to affected areas, in particular for elderly travellers and people with chronic diseases or underlying health conditions. General recommendations for personal hygiene, cough etiquette and keeping a distance of at least one meter from persons showing symptoms remain particularly important for all travellers. These include:
An important and “must” thing to do for each traveller…
Travellers returning from affected areas should self-monitor for symptoms for 14 days and follow national protocols of receiving countries. Some countries may require returning travellers to enter quarantine. If symptoms occur, such as fever, or cough or difficulty breathing, travellers are advised to contact local health care providers, preferably by phone, and inform them of their symptoms and their travel history.
For travellers identified at points of entry, it is recommended to follow WHO advice for the management of travellers at points of entry. Guidance on the treatment of sick passengers on board of aeroplanes is available on ICAO and IATA websites. Key considerations for the planning of large mass gathering events are also available on WHO’s website under the heading of Operational considerations for managing COVID-19 cases on board of ships has also been published.
For countries which decide to repatriate nationals from affected areas, they should consider the following to avoid further spread of COVID-19:
• Exit screening shortly before flight; risk communication to travellers and crew;
• Infection control supplies for the voyage;
• Crew preparedness for possibility of a sick passenger in flight;
• Entry screening on arrival and close follow-up for 14 days after arrival.
(WHO recommendations would help to reduce the risk of transmission of emerging pathogens from animals to humans in live animal markets)
General recommendations to all countries during the pandemic of COVID-19
Countries should intensify surveillance for unusual outbreaks of influenza-like illness and severe pneumonia and monitor carefully the evolution of COVID-19 outbreaks, reinforcing epidemiological surveillance. Countries should continue to enhance awareness through effective risk communication concerning COVID-19 to the general public, health professionals, and policymakers, and to avoid actions that promote stigma or discrimination. Countries should share with WHO all relevant information needed to assess and manage COVID-19 promptly, as required by the International Health Regulations (2005).
WHO continues to engage with its Member States, as well as with international organizations and industries, to enable implementation of travel-related health measures that are commensurate with the public health risks, are effective and are implemented in ways which avoid unnecessary restrictions of international traffic during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Once we have checked with the protocols for international travels during and post-COVID-19, yet at the same time, while travelling you need to ensure that all the important points, the Dos and Don’ts are kept well in mind, I would also recommend that create a checklist before putting your travel shoes on so that you don’t miss out on any of the new-travelling essentials while packing your bags and preparing yourself for post-COVID-19 Travel.

Travel during COVID-19

Don’t forget to take your prescription medication with you. Sanitizers are a must-carry in this period as you will need to maintain a high level of hygiene. Add hand tissues as they are easy to carry and practical. Update your insurance details and carry your card with you in case you fall sick or get involved in an accident. Travel insurance to cover you in transit is inevitable. Get acquainted with the details of the package to know what exactly it covers.
You’ll pack differently

A Comic illustration

I recently saw a TikTok video of a man taking out a bag of wet-wipes and thoroughly wiping down his table and seat before sitting down for takeoff? Well, it could be something you might start to see in the flesh. Even if it’s not to that comedic extent, we’re being directed to wash our hands, and the only way to do that when on the move is with hand sanitizer (its no replacement to water but it definitely will keep your hands sanitized on the go). We may well see the relaxing of liquid carry-on restrictions as travellers want to take more than 100ml, especially on long-haul flights.
Along with hand sanitizer travel packs, it’s a pretty easy prediction to make that a lot more people will travel with masks. In the same way that companies have made luxury, fashionable travel baggage, we will most likely see “desirable” travel masks worn by Instagram influencers. So there we might see the booming industry of safety medical supplies for the masses.

Don’t forget to carry your Health Medicines…

If you are taking medicines be it vitamins or on any medication prescribed by the doctor? Ensure to pack any prescription medicine in your hand luggage or the luggage or a bag that you are going to carry in the aeroplane. So, if in case you experience any delays or flight cancellation, you can still take your dose timely. The bags with you plan to carry also put some of your health-related products in it. As when you reach the destination these sample medicines may help to check with the suppliers near you in case you run out stock that you have taken along.

The little box you want to tick every time you travel

Whenever we are booking flights we are mostly concerned with the flight’s schedule, timings, the baggage allowed the planning of itinerary in which places to visit hotels to be booked rides to taken, cars to be rented and much more, all this we do is to ensure that we don’t miss out on anything important and worthwhile. We want to cover all the monuments, for instance, feel like “we went to Beijing but did not see Wall of China”. To avoid any such mishap while travelling that we make “plans” and then “check” and “double-check” those plans. What is recommended is to make a check-list and tick those boxes when one task is done but one box that should be checked and not be forgotten at any cost is of procuring “Health Insurance coverage via travel insurance” this insurance would not only protect you against any foreseen risk will protect against health issues that you may face post-COVID-19.

This important document which would be one of the most essential travel accessories after your “PASSPORT” your “TRAVEL INSURANCE” it can be acquired through Smartchoice.pk in just matter of few minutes, so whether you remember to purchase it a night before your flight or while going to the airport. You can get your document in your inbox in just a few minutes after paying online.
Remember that in the changed COVID-19 scenario, no country would allow people to enter their borders without valid travel medical insurance which means (coverage for COVID-19), Smartchoice.pk has the insurance providers on their platforms which provides coverage for COVID-19 written in the policy words. So just do what they say, “INSURANCE KARAO TENSION BHAGAO”

Society won’t like you when you’re sick-FLY only when you have no sneeze or cough…

Even those who have been affected and recovered from COVID-19, and have built up immunity (if the virus doesn’t mutate too much) but still, they would not want to travel with a cold. The current state of affairs and the belief with which the world is adopting social distancing will make it socially and publically unacceptable to travel even with a cold or any of the symptoms. Imagine the looks you will get if you cough or sneeze at an airport or an open public space or on a plane will be contemptuous. I predict looking at the present scenario that social stigma and shame that comes with it will put a lot of people off, resulting in the potential for more no-shows on travel days (once the tickets prices are stable).

You’ll prefer the train before the plane, a bus or a car…

As we have explored and pondered over the idea in our previous articles that once the travel opens, the domestic travel will recover first (since there’s no border control) and for most countries that means taking a train or a bus. Using the means you will not only be able to get back on tracks (ha, a joke) first, we’ll also be more secure about it, more sure about our domestic environment than an unknown international one. The trains would be preferred more as they would be less crowded, have windows that open, and also are much more environmentally friendly, plus you can get one room for your family if travelling with family. As we have seen in Europe, that now the lockdown is lifted, I predict people will rush to take a train, just because they can do so.

The air quality will be an advertised feature, if not carry a mask with filter

Have you ever wondered or previously have been concerned about the quality of air in the airline? For instance, any idea what grade air filter PIA uses on their flights? How about Emirates or Turkish Airlines? Which Airbus model has the cleanest air for humans? Is there any research that does Boeing planes have fewer microbes in the air? No idea right? Well, you may not know now, but once the flights resume again, airlines will start boasting about their filtration systems, as to how you may not need any mask or filter while travelling with them, and it can be one of the priorities for you to choose while selecting a flight. I have come across some airlines email which has started emailing customers about their current systems in an attempt to stop people cancelling. By the end of the year, the airlines have realized that it’ll be a question many people will be asking how safe is the air onboard?

Test yourself and Get your Medical History

Along with the travel health insurance, one thing that is needed to board the plane is “THE COVID-19 CERTIFICATE” procured in the last 24 hours. So the first thing that you need to do is get yourself tested for the virus to ensure that you are not a carrier. Anyone exhibiting mild signs of illness and is unable to provide a report showing that he isn’t infected can’t travel.
Besides that, if you are waiting for COVID-19 test results, then again, you are not the perfect candidate for travelling. As well, if your test results for COVID-19 came positive when you got tested, and you recovered from the disease, even then, you are not in line with the international travelling requirements.
You need to ensure that you are carrying all the necessary paperwork to prove these things to avoid any interference while travelling. Also to your best knowledge ensure that you are not in the presence or influence of any COVID-19 host. To be on the safer side carry your medical history with you at all times while travelling internationally. It would bring certainty that you have all the needed paperwork to prove that you haven’t faced an illness that might point and indicate that you were a carrier of the virus at any point. Have your medical records updated of the last two weeks to help you get through the checks smoothly before your date of travel.

Always Keep travel history updated…

It has been noted during the pandemic that the most common way of being infected with the virus is by travelling from one place to another and coming in contact with different people. Any person who has been in another country in the past 14 days possesses the same risks. That is why you need to be prepared to present your travel account before boarding a flight to ensure the authorities at any point in time that the chances of you catching the virus are slim to none.

Carry all essentials

Think of all the necessary things that you need to ensure remarkable hygiene. Wear a pair of gloves at all times and remember not to touch with glove anywhere near your face, carry around 75% alcohol wipes and hand sanitizers, and remember that the face mask is a must-wear. Remember that instead of coughing or sneezing casually, see that while you do that you cover your mouth with your sleeves.
PRO-TIP: Carry a bunch of toothpicks along while travelling and use them to push elevator or ATM buttons instead of touching them with your own hands. Carefully dispose of the toothpicks after using them once instead of carrying them for reuse. Also, make sure that your devices and documents are in polythene (transparent) bags while passing through security checks.
Repeatedly use your sanitizer when you aren’t wearing gloves and avoid passing the sanitizer bottle to another individual. When travelling treat everyone as a potential carrier of the disease, be more cautious and conscious of your ways while travelling.

Remember the guidelines and follow all the SOPs

All these aforementioned included, remember the fundamental guidelines issued by “WHO” and other “Health Agencies” to ensure your safety. Maintain a safe distance (Social distance) of about two meters from everyone around you, avoid touching things or people until necessary, and don’t stride into crowded places. Wash your hands regularly for 20 seconds when you get the chance and don’t use anything belonging to other people. Make sure that you are following all the precautionary measures to warranty your’s and the safety of your loved ones while travelling.

The EndNote!

When you travel and there is no way out, follow these steps one by one and make sure that you are not violating any of the safety guidelines. In the case at any point, you feel unwell and feel that you are coming down with something, without any delay reaches out to relevant medical amenities immediately, and isolate/distance yourself from others. Remember that while you are considering everyone as a threat, you also have the equal potential to qualify for it. Even if you don’t feel any symptoms regarding it, you can still be at a vital risk and be a potential carrier and a threat to the others around you. So be careful, vigilant at all times and stay safe!

Personal preference for travel differs depending on individuals, though some other common travel items are just a carry including toothbrush, toothpaste, lotions, among others. Some people cannot survive without a book or something worth a read, and several people escape boredom through indulging in computer games or phones. Find space in your luggage for whatever you use to escape boredom, don’t travel unless you have to during this pandemic and once its over be cautious and conscious about every move you make while travelling. Till then be with your loved ones, and travel safely when you must.

Travel is fun and the most adventurous thing one can experience. an individual needs to understand that the old wats to travel may take years to return to its old self, the travel where the human was care-free and did not bother much about it, things like social distancing, wearing of masks and sanitization and other important things. the human beings would have to live with the “NEW-Normal”.

The New Normal is here to stay for a while…So we need to prepare ourselves to live with whatever the way the winds go and things travel…

Khurram Zahid

The post Must Have Travel Accessories when Flights Resumes After COVID-19 appeared first on Smartchoice.pk.

Travel…

It is a word that we want to hear so desperately since we know the current situation and the present scenario it is extremely unpredictable and while it is not possible to travel now but it is important to know and understand important things to know once the normality returns, thinsgs like what would be the travel conditions and what would be the places where it would safe to travel, what would be the SOPs undertaken before embarking on the journey, what certificates would be required and how can they be acquired and so on and so forth…

Another important thing that post-COVID19 people would be concerned about would be WHICH PLACES CAN BE CONSIDERED AS SAFE, NEW EPI-CENTERS OF TRAVEL…

This article provides you insight for all such queries and questions that you may have in your mind once the travel-across-the-globe resumes, Smartchoice.pk aims to makes you completely aware and geared for your future travel adventures, through this article.

Cancel Everything & Stay Home….the thing we have been doing since February onwards, weddings cancelled, travels cancelled, religious and social get together cancelled, parks, amusement parks and cinema halls closed and all those things that could have been a meeting point for a large group of people were either postponed or cancelled until further notice.

Now…

“Fear of humans and crowded places will be etched in our hearts for the rest of our lives.”

So keeping the scenario in view all travel plans including both domestic and international have been put on hold pretty indefinitely as a result of the COVID-19 crisis, and a lot of countries have been hit incredibly hard financially as a result of the lost tourism.

At the moment is being felt that…The era of peak travel is over

Covid-19 has changed the world’s jet-setting ways in the blink of an eye. It could take years for things to return to normal. We have seen many people for years while travelling we have seen many people following a proper cleaning routine: scrubbing tray table, seatbelt, sanitizing armrests, and screen before settling into a completely sterilized seat. The reason for being so meticulous is some people being frequent travellers fly 100,000 miles a year, and since they travel a lot they attribute a lot of their general good health on the road to this fastidious in-flight composition so what if it was just a placebo effect at play?

We all remember Naomi Campbell video that went viral last year for her far more “meticulous approach to aeroplane sanitation, the internet responded with merriment and scorn. I responded with admiration and envy for the extensiveness of her arsenal. Well now that I think why hadn’t I thought of masks and gloves?

Of course, now lots of us are thinking about masks and gloves and not only thinking but using it as well, day in day out. Whenever we step out of our homes…be it for getting milk or groceries it has become a permanent part of our dress code and accessories we carry with us where we go and when we go…
Hardly any industry presently is unscathed by the Covid-19 crisis, but the travel industry was among the first to be affected and has been dealt a particularly brutal and fierce blow. Only just a month after the worldwide lockdowns were placed and border closures sealed off entire countries from reach of the masses and travel enthusiast, many of them are already looking back fondly on the tranquil days of travel.

Until February, the pressing existential crisis was too much of it, in fact: travel was on the rise, booming economies and increasing flight routes made the world more accessible than ever before in the history of mankind, swamping destinations like Iceland, Barcelona, and Tulum with more tourists than they could manage. Now, the crisis is the survival of the industry’s and its existence.

Rafat Ali, chief executive and founder of travel industry news publication Skift say that “It’s going to take so long for the demand to even come close to what it was,”, he further added that Skift was relying heavily on over-tourism; now, there has been a complete shift dramatically, to tracking the rapidly changing milieu for airlines, hotels, and all facets of the travel industry.

Present Travelling Scenario

We’re still deep in the clutches of the coronavirus pandemic, so it’s difficult to predict when or how travel might resume, let alone whether and how much we’ll feel comfortable wandering around the world again with the kind of carefree nonchalance to which many of us had become accustomed.

The UN World Tourism Organization counted 1.4 billion international tourist arrivals in 2018, and, well before this crisis, had predicted 1.8 billion arrivals by 2030. With virtually all travel halted, recovery will take time.
Travelling industry post-COVID-19 it will predictably take five years to return to normal, this prediction can be predicted taking into account the previous experiences of the airline industry in recent incidents it took three years to recover post-9/11, and two years to return to pre-2008 revenues after the recession.

Travelling and Attached Live-li-hoods

We all want Travel back and it has to be back, for too many individual livelihoods and economies depend on it. More than 10% of the global workforce is employed by the tourism industry, the farmers who supply hotels with their produce to drivers who take tourists for excursions and beyond, millions and millions of people rely on business created by travellers. But the way we travel around will undergo a dramatic transformation.
Sure, travellers are likely to adopt a sterilizing procedure that falls somewhere in between some people aware of their workspace and Naomi Campbell’s on the sanitation spectrum (keeping in view the of recent happenings, she has upgraded her game to a hazmat suit). But before the masses feel comfortable taking to the skies again, the classic road trip will be resurrected.

Cleaning and cleansing of personal space would become very important to people. No would ever, look at people whom we thought were crazy beforehand cleaning their seats and sanitizing anything they touch, the people we use to make fun of…lesson learned never again!

Things which could make travel foreseeable in the future…

Travel Industry experts comprehend that technology will be a key instrument in the restoration of travel around the world, with electronic passports and IDs, boarding passes, proper medical screening and robot/ mechanical cleaners will be deployed widely to limit and restrict physical interaction between and amongst people and surfaces. Hotels, airlines, and especially cruises will have to determine how to give voyagers the prescribed personal spaces they feel they can keep themselves protected in. And in the short term, travelable local trips to vacation rentals with clean and disinfected facilities can ease shell-shocked travellers post-COVID-19 back into their adventure mode.
Airbnb-type places where you can disinfect yourself, especially in a more remote setting, far-flung areas, mountainous trails etc. those would be the first few steps for us travelling outside.

Road Trips would be the New Attraction

Many people who have never spent so much time at home in one go or consecutively are spending time confined in their home spaces, they are the ones who spent the majority of the time in transit and moving from one place to another. Many of the famous travel bloggers and influencers believe that post lockdown and when the contagious virus spread is contained road trips are going to become a huge thing, especially in the late summer and autumn. It is feared that there’s going to be a bit of corona hangover, with people afraid of going to festivals, being in loud and huge crowds or even going to airports.

The coronavirus-induced financial crisis worldwide will also be a key factor in keeping travellers close to home, at least in the short term travel plans. Influencer and travel host Oneika Raymond says “The economic impact of coronavirus will leave many people with less money to do non-essential travel,”. One of the factor people would travel more domestically because it’s a less daunting prospect and also usually cheaper than a trip to a country far away.
Instagram feeds ad Facebook timeline also many travel groups like travel diary and travel freaks etc. people are posting their nostalgic throwbacks to global adventures that they had pursued it will slowly start to be peppered with new images from those regional and domestic trips.

They think international travel is going to open slowly and gradually and before entry into some countries, travellers may have to prove that they are negative Covid-19 tested, probably within the test which has been conducted within past 24 hours of travel. Probably Europeans and Americans, for the first time in recent history, are going to feel what it’s like to have an unwelcomed passport for a while, and some countries, even if they do open up their borders to international travellers, may not allow the entry of citizens from America and Europe.
Whether some travellers from certain countries will be out-and-out banned from the entry remains to be seen, but it’s certainly expected that the unrestricted jet-setting many of us had come to take for granted is over, basically pretty much until a vaccine is developed, a vaccine that is probably more than a year away. And after that obstacle, travellers may need to present and carry some sort of Covid-19 pass, very similar to the yellow fever certificate that is a mandatory requirement for certain parts of Africa or South America.

Health Insurance a Mandatory Need…

Government-prescribed and required quarantines on arrival or reentry in the country could become the norm while taking an international trip may get out of reach for people with limited vacation/leisure time. And in general, travellers are much more likely to go for health insurance before they undertake travel, many leading insurance providers in Pakistan are providing COVID-19 coverage and protection which can be very easily by filling in just a few details can be acquired from Smartchoice.pk while comparing one policy against other and getting the best price for your desired policy. One thing recommended is to read the fine print of their travel policy, and pay close attention to the World Health Organization and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines as they plot their travels guidelines.
Influencers and bloggers or vloggers in the travel space, whose personalities and businesses have come to be defined by their jet-setting escapades, are taking these unforeseen and undesirable intervals as a chance to take a run of the mill, though many are still unsure what the future beholds. Many of the travel bloggers are essentially unemployed at the moment, as there’s no travel happening and it does not seem that it shall resume anytime soon also one more uncertain thing is the public’s appetite for travel moving forward, as so things are in hanging and many are losing so much money and jobs.

“I NEVER BEEN SO GRATEFUL AND AWARE OF WHAT A PRIVILEGE IT HAS BEEN TO GLOBETROT UNTIL NOW”

In the meantime, many people who have travelled and explored are looking back on her past travels with a sense of thankfulness and once the travel resumes each sight you set the eyes on and each flight you take, you will be more appreciative of the ability to travel freely and safely.

We need to wait and watch, all travel destinations will recover at their own pace as nature has its way of dealing with things. While Italy has been one of the hardest-hit nations, its legion of die-hard fans might help it rebound as soon as they’re able to return. Andrea Grisdale, who is chief executive of the destination management company IC Bellagio says, “Italy is a country that our travellers have an emotional connection with.”

Countries…Not on the top of your travel list…Post-COVID-19

Many countries such as India, Indonesia and other populous countries have which are yet to reach a coronavirus infection peak, and the long term implications are still vague, but its population density might turn off some travellers. The tourist need for personal space to practice disinfecting and sterilizing routine for travelling individuals. People might go back to a place soon like Ladakh, in India a scenic mountainous region in the north, may increase, secluded islands of Indonesia and other countries less populous and explored areas.

Countries…which would be our first pick post-COVID-19

Looking at the scenario and the bigger picture we’re going to see is more tourism to Africa because it has not been hit that hard, though cases are still on the rise, it is far-flung desert and safari while the idea of heading deep into the isolated bush for a safari might be appealing, it’s too soon to tell what sort of effect the current lack of leisure industry might have had on the endangered wildlife. Tourism is a critical aspect of safeguarding efforts on the continent, and a long time shutdown means empty parks and the great loss occurrence of park fees.

Change that we can expect…

For the commercial airlines, tour guides and operators, and businesses that survive this shutdown, operations will adapt and evolve. Take a popular activity like rafting or some adventurous games where you need to share your gloves and helmets with other people around, would you want to share gloves and helmets with others again, and are you ready to wait while the equipment is sanitized thoroughly before it is your turn? Aspiring rafters will likely be asked to procure their gloves and helmets, and sanitation costs might be added into the overall price tag.

Perks of immediately travelling Post-COVID19

You can expect some of the money being saved post-COVID-19 once travel resumes as flights are going to be cheap because they’re going to have to persuade people to sit on planes and it’s going to be all right, at the same time costs of some things are going to go up because of the necessity of more cleanness and upgraded sanitary conditions.

Constraints and limitation post-pandemic

It’s would not be an overstatement to say things will have a very different outlook in the years to come virtual meetings are being carried out on Zoom MS teams and other software’s, technology is already making organizations question the need for business travel until it is necessary; borders are being more blatantly defined; senior citizens who have the time and resources in-hand who look forward to travelling the world will likely walk more cautiously; and even young, fearless tourists enthusiastic to set out as soon as possible might feel frustrated due to the onset of travel restrictions until vaccines are widely available for the masses.

COVID-19 Impact on the planet…

The universal halt of global travellers has had a positive impact on a planet exhausted by the effects of climate change, and when borders do reopen, people would adopt a more mindful approach to travel to their desired destinations and it will likely be on top of the mind of many people to take fewer trips, extended trips, more meaningful trips. As we arise from months of social distancing, we might be craving for human connections, for instance, enjoy the cooking and atmosphere of our loved ones in Naran or Kashmir or a family road trip to the Himalayas and Karakorum. People might call it “the great reset,” and it shall. “Create awareness for a better kind of travel.”

While an end to this crisis seems farfetched at this point and time, a lot of countries are going to be affordable to travel to and will need as much tourism as they can get once this is all over to even chip-in to bring the economy back on track. Since we’re all suffering extensively from cabin fever when our quarantines end, let’s make a blueprint or a list of the best countries to visit once the government lets us travel.

Italy

We know the situation Italy has faced an unbelievable loss of life as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. More than 8,200 people have died, and their government and economy have been struggling as the disease rages on. With that understood, Italy will need our tourism now more than ever when this is all the COVID-19 crisis is over. We don’t have to explain to you the sites Italy can offer you to calm and at the same time tantalize your senses, the serenity it can offer so just make sure it’s on the top of your travel list this travel season. Rural countryside will be more of a draw than Milan or Rome in keeping with what might be a universal inclination for travellers to gravitate towards distant, isolated destinations worldwide.

China

China offers a lot to see and explore starting from Great Wall to the Summer Palace and the Forbidden City, China has some of the most remarkable sites to see and offers some of the most unique culinary ad cultural experiences in the world. Putting this forward tourism is suffering exponentially thanks to the coronavirus. Since Trump reckoning the virus a “Chinese flu” to increased prejudice across the country, China will never be the same old China after this pandemic. Go to China! See the sights, and experience one of the greatest cultures and traditions in the world. At the same time enjoy some amazing time in Shanghai and value for money shopping at Guangzhou, being the hub of industries and shopping.

South Korea

A country that has world’s ninth-largest economy, one of the fastest-growing economies has been significantly affected by this crisis and heightened xenophobia, South Korea will unquestionably have a hard time getting back their lost tourism and holiday business. But one needs to remember that the eclectic shopping experiences at Myeong-Dong and 600-year history of Bukchon Hanok Village are all just worth the trip to this side of the Asian continent.

Mongolia

While the utmost travel restriction has landed on Mongolia, the country has a countless number of sites that will need attention when the coronavirus crisis ends. The Gandantegchinlen and Erdene Zuu Monastery are gorgeous locations, and the Gorkhi-Terelj National Park is worth the long trip that one can undertake.

Travel Fact: The World Tourism Organization UNWTO expects the number of international travellers to fall to the level of 2013: Instead of 1.4 billion travellers like last year, only one billion people will travel. That is one third less. Has there ever before been a decline of this magnitude? The OECD, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, is predicting a drop of 40 to 70% in international travel for its 36 member states this year.

Tonga

I small island country next to Fiji and can be reached after taking a connecting flight from New Zealand, is one of the most attractive places in the Oceania region, with beautiful islands and resorts, some exotic corrals and beach activity with the sun that shines bright. People with amazing culture, it can just be the place you want to be and visit, post-COVID-19. The currency being used in Tonga is “Panga.”

Australia and New Zealand

These two neighbour countries have been pretty great at managing the on-going pandemic and should be on your definite list, it has a lot of splashy as well adventurous activities to offer, starting from its beautiful beaches to museums to Oprah house, it’s just a place you cannot miss also the Kangaroo and the Kiwi make the cherry on top.

Singapore

Singapore a city-state, which used artificial intelligence and mapping due to which they were able to overcome, control and mitigate the crisis pretty successfully, Singapore is just the right mix of east meets the west. It is a beautifully modern and technologically advanced country. It can offer a lot of things for people travelling to Singapore. One thing to keep in mind is that it’s an expensive country to travel to prepare accordingly.

Few questions that we would like to put forward and do come to our mind are…

1. What do you think: will we all have to stay home this year?
2. One thing to remember: We will have to follow the rules of social distancing for a long time until a vaccine against the coronavirus becomes available.
3. Let’s look into the distant future: Many people are worried about when there will be full freedom to travel again. What conditions must be met so that we can once again travel without restrictions?
4. Will people then travel just as carefree and naturally as before the pandemic or do you expect people’s travel behaviour to change, to shift away from mass tourism?
5. A look at the cruise ship sector is also interesting. This has been in the news a lot in recent weeks. Will it suffer permanent damage to its image?
6. Last question: If travelling will again be possible without any restrictions, what will be your next holiday destination?

Tourism is part of normal life in almost all societies, and everyone will be happy to travel again. To what extent they can afford it depends on how hard we are hit by the economic crisis that follows the COVID-19. But overall, there will be a lot of catching up to do.

Travel is the most amazing thing on can do based on the fact that they are rightly equipped with everything they do and every place they travel. According to the experts, travelling is not going to be normal anytime soon, by normal we wish to indicate that it shall not be same as it was for a long long time. But nevertheless, humans are great at adapting things they will and shall adapt themselves “To the NEW Normal”.

Khurram Zahid

The post Best Travel Destinations After COVID-19 Crisis!! appeared first on Smartchoice.pk.