How to Plan a Holiday Trip?

Every year millions in America sets up for a holiday trip. Whether you are going to your grand mother’s for a family re union or simple holiday trip, these type of occasional road trips are often source of stress. Before going on a road trip different thoughts like having restless children in car, or car trouble such as any technical problem along the way is enough to make anyone consider staying home.

But if you plan your trips then you can avoid such type of problems.

Here are some simple tips for trip planning:

1. A planning for your trip to holiday destination will be very useful for you. First look at the starting point from where you are leaving then check out the possible routes to your holiday destination. Keep that in mind that on road it won’t be only you driving during holidays there are so many others and traffic is always a factor. Point out the alternate routes or shortcuts because those will help you to reduce time spent in traffic jams and you will reach to your desired destination sooner. This pre planning of your road trip will be handy even in case of detours, road construction or other situations that might block your primary route.
2. Book a flight to your holiday destination though it’s much expensive but it’s more convenient. Plan your trip early so that you can take the advantage of advance purchase discounts. Many airlines are busy during holidays and booking in advance is always handy because you get then your desired flight.  New York, Los Angles or Atlanta such holiday destinations are always congested during holidays. Try to book a flight to a nearby airport and renting a car for short drive to your destination.
3. For traveling make a plan for your luggage also if you are traveling by a car then look at that how much room you will be having car for luggage, and how many people will be traveling with you in the car and how much room they will need to travel comfortably in the car. Luggage matter for flights is more concernable because there is a possibility of lost luggage and most of airlines also charge extra for checked baggage. For example for a family of four each carrying a few bags will cost several hundred dollars. For air travels always try to pack as much light as you can.
4. For a cheap travel avoid peak times. On Fridays and Sundays roads are congested with traffic so make plan for traveling on Tuesday or Thursday because then you wont face any traffic jams. Traveling in night is also a good way because then kids will be sleeping during the trip. For air travel same planning works also that avoid peak times. Traveling in no peak times you are having less chance of delays or canceled flights.
5. Always keep an eye on alternate travel options aside from flying and driving; you can consider traveling by train, bus or a ship. These options will reduce your stress of driving, or running for airports and you will enjoy your trip also.

When to Use Frequent Flyer Miles?

Most airlines are having frequent flyer or loyalty programs, which benefit both airline and customer. To gain full benefit, use the accumulated miles strategically.

When Tickets are Expensive?

Some of destinations are short on distance but with expensive air tickets for that consider using miles.

For Peak Time Travel

Peak travel seasons are summer and fall and at that time fares go up, sometimes they go almost double than winter fares. In such situation use those miles and book as far in advance as you can.

For Family Vacations

As multiple tickets will add up, use miles for the flight and then fly to your destination.

Keep Checking Your Miles to Know When They will expire

Use the flyer miles for purchase lounge access at airports, hotels stays and goods from partner merchants. Keep checking your account so that you can know when they will be expire.

Cautions and Tips

Check the price of flights and look for sales and cheaper routes to your destination. Buying and transferring of miles can be expensive so while purchasing miles try to buy the required number of miles for which you can have a free ticket. Award tickets like revenue tickets come in full fare and discounted versions. To get the saver award book in advance that can use half the number of miles as a standard award ticket.

Work from Home as an Online Travel Agent

Travel industry has been a mystery for many people. Travel agents share the same attributes of their jobs as real estate agents. You can be a travel agent or a home based freelance travel agent, or you can also start travel agent work after your retirement. For a number of people, this is a full time job, while others enjoy it doing as a part-time work. Travel industry is an ever growing industry. If you are looking for a home based work then you can start working as a free home based travel agent. Just by learning few things you will be become able to work as an independent travel agent and earn a good amount of money.

Responsibilities of a Travel Agent

The responsibilities of a travel agent include the booking of travel customers. A travel agent provides information about the available travel options to the customers and makes booking for them with their suppliers. In return to this suppliers pay them a commission based on the number of booking they have made. A travel agent is free to change their suppliers if they see existing supplier not paying them commission. A travel agent is also independent of changing their client service fee for the time which they are giving to their work.

Amount of Commission a Travel Agent Gets

Many hotels pay 10% of the cost of the hotel excluding taxes and fees. If you book your hotel a customer with a $100 per night then you will get $10 on that reservation. In some cases, travel agents can get paid a better price of performing the same work. Booking through an online travel agent doesn’t cost a lot to the customer unless the travel agent charges for the services.

Who Can Do This Job?

Anyone who has set up an account with travel agents can do this job. Many suppliers require their agents to have an IATAN, CLIA or ARC number. IATAN sits for International Airlines Travel Agent Networking. CLIA sits for Cruise Lines International Association. ARC sits for Airline Reporting Corporation.  Memberships for all these companies require certain things such as sales, money in the bank, training in the relevant industry or experience, and membership fee. Most require the Errors and Omissions insurance of $1,000,000 or above.  However, an average travel agent, membership is exceptional, as they can work with some organizations as an independent agent. It is advantageous to work with a travel agency. That is because most of them many of these are unable to make sufficient sales with a specific supplier in order to gain high commission levels and bonuses.

There are more chances to get increased commission percentages when you work with many travel agencies. You also get a consistent support from your agency and it holds importance.

Scope of a travel agent

Travel industry is an ever changing industry. These changes sometimes bring good news for its workers, while sometimes bad news. According to recent changes that have been made, airlines have cut the commissions for their travel agents. Nevertheless, there are still many other suppliers who are paying good amount to their agents. In past, cruises were booked only by the rich people, but this trend has changed now and people belong to all income can book them. Every year more and more people book cruises.

On which services you can earn commission?

Following are the services on which you earn good commissions:

• Hotel reservations

• Rental cars

• Tour packages

• Cruises

• Some airline flights

• International airline tickets

• Travel insurance

• Ground transportation

• Attraction tickets

• Train tickets reservation

People always need travel agents to make their travel booking practices easier. Selling travel services is not a tough job because people need to travel from one place to another with varying reasons.

How to get into travel industry?

Most people think that they need to have any special training to start their career in travel industry. In reality, truth is quite different from it. You can step into this industry anytime and after getting in start training. Training doesn’t take a lot of time. You can join training courses offered by organizations like ICTA; CLIA etc. working with suppliers is also the best practice to learn this work.

How to Travel In Free?

If you are having any family member or friend who can store your belongings and stuff for a considerable time period, it is a time to start long term traveling. It is obvious that nobody will like your arrival on his doorstep without a planned departure date so be careful when you once decide for visiting someone. Inform them before your arrival so that your surprise may not lead you towards a counter-surprise from their side.

The other factor which is to be seriously considered is the money. You need a lot of money in the hotel expenditures, general accommodation, visits etc. a part from that, money is required in almost all the activities that you normally do during your trip. So keep enough money with you once you depart for a place.

Anyhow, if you want to start off your long term traveling adventure, here are some tips for you which will certainly help you a lot in numerous aspects. You just need to follow them up seriously. Remember they are just the few. Hundred of other ways and opportunities are there and you just need to explore them out. A little effort is of course needed but the output is going to be according the input given by you.

Anyhow, these tips are quite helpful for you if you are seriously looking for a long term travel. So there you go with eight tips regarding the long term traveling.

1. Caretaker’s Gazette

It is quite beneficial if you join this service. The annual membership is approximately 30 US dollars. The chief advantage of the joining is that you gain an easy access to a people who want the individuals to take care of their living places without rent-fees. There is a variety of opportunities for almost every one like campground hosting, ranch hands, motel management, organic farm workers, nursing for the old people etc. There are so many places all around the world from US to Australia, Europe to Micronesia and in short every where.

You can also apply for the additional stipend on the bases of your experience and entailed work. There are many people who are simply working for the world trade arrangements and paying opportunities, all you need is to explore.

2. Woofing

This is also an organization which has got a lot for you. It actually is an acronym perhaps for “World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms”. It is an international organization which has a vast network in almost 70 countries. The organization is of gardens, organic farms, business ranches, exchange of services for accommodation, training and food etc. they are many services which they require.  Some of them are maintenance of basic garden and farm, handy work and caring for the small kids and children. Almost, anyone who is willing to have such lifestyle gets works and opportunities here.

If you work with Woof, you will surely find many links to a number of volunteer organizations and such sort if opportunities regarding the work exchange. You can get a lot of valuable experience by working with them. Moreover you become social and find a lot of friends almost from all kinds of backgrounds and status. Above all, you become able to manage your expenses at your own in a constructive manner.

If you want to gain full access to the listings and contact details, many companies demand a subscription. The details are normally about the hosts. The prices of subscription vary from place to place but they are not over priced for a received value. It thus depends on you that what are your priorities and preferences.

3. House Careers

If you think that you can spend your vacations house-sitting for somebody and you are eligible for it, many opportunities are there for you. There are lists upon lists of the individuals who require people to look after their places of living for varying time period. This time period can be of weeks, months or even years. There is vast range of the place, you can find such work anywhere in any part of the world.

There are some limited free membership options offered by some companies, so better you go for them. One year membership is also offered but it solely depends on your needs and requirements.

4. Organic Volunteers

You can find hundred of worldwide opportunities like woofing and Caretaker’s Gazette. We can simply say that it is just like pick blueberries for a living. The prospects are not at all limited to the organic gardens and farms, but some hostel management jobs, artist retreat internships, jobs related to agricultural and permaculture etc. are also there. Hence it is up to you that what are you good at and what you really want to do. A wide variety of the services have been offered to you so choose according to your skills and preferences.

5. Couch Surfing

It is actually a network of many people who are ready to open up their homes and places of living for the random travelers. They also are willing to open them for those travelers even when they aren’t the hosting guests. There are numerous sites having high quality members and referrals. They have planned out a comprehensive and affective plan for the safety and security of the traveler as well as the host. But it is also to keep in mind that when you are living at a strange place for a stranger, there are many risk factors which must be seriously considered and many precautionary measures must be taken before hand. In short, you need to be extra careful.

6. Global Freeloaders

It is somehow similar to the couch Surfing. It is basically a cultural exchange program for both the traveler and the host. There are no charges for registration, it is all free. The only thing which is needed is that the member must be able to host well and travel as well. So if you lack any of the above factors you are humbly asked to wait.

7. Servas

Servas is basically original couch surfers and Global Freeloaders. It is actually an organization which is non profit, non dimensional, and non ethnic. It just works for the good-will and cultural exchange. It has been working for about 50 years and it is also recognized by the United Nations. A part from working for connecting the people and places, it has got many volunteers who work in the relief camps and work for the peace through a number of projects. It is something which must be appreciated.

The hosts offer their houses, living places and dinner tables for normally two nights to the traveler who just meets with their approval. There is a process known as exhaustive process, and travelers need to go through that. There are some in person interviews which are taken in order to screen and filter the quality and deserving candidates. The interview is normally taken before the acceptance of any individual for a specific work.

8. Hospitality Club

It is internet based. Nothing is charged if you want to join this. It is actually the Servas of the online world and it is also too beneficial. There are many steps which they take for the facilitation of the people and their members. There is a series of passport checks and online feed back system with balances and checks to keep it safe. It is also efficient in working and there is a lot of scope for the people seeking long term travel.

Some of the opportunities regarding the long term have been illustrated above, but they are just few. There are uncountable opportunities and ways which you can go for in order to have such kind of traveling. All you need is to do a little research and discover for the opportunities. Find the best and suitable places. But keep this thing also in your mind that you must be very careful regarding the work and services you do for the strangers and host. You need to adopt some extra precautionary measures for your own safety; otherwise it is a great risk not only to you but also to your life. Always work with a genuine company and once you get to do some work, be sincere and try to be professional.

There is a vast variety of the services and jobs offer, the most important thing that you must keep in mind while deciding for a particular one is your ability. If you are not able to do and perform a particular task which you are choosing, the whole effort gets useless. So be careful regarding the choice of the work as well along with other factors. .

People generally choose to work but later they find themselves in certain disputes like they don’t feel good living at a particular place for some one, especially if the time period is too long. So once you start working, be very professional. This is also a part of the long-term travel.