Frustration with travel hassles keeps would-be fliers away

Via Washington Post:

While you may be as unique as a snowflake, the same things that bug you about flying very likely bother most people, but do they trouble you so much that you avoid flying?

A survey commissioned by the U.S. Travel Association showed that 38 million people avoided domestic air travel in 2013 out of frustration with the experience.

The travel industry group calculated that cost at $9.5 billion in airfare, $5.8 billion in hotels, $5.7 billion in recreation, $3.4 billion in food service and $2.8 billion in car rentals.

Asked “Which of the following are you most concerned about before taking a trip by air?” travelers top responses  were:

Delays/cancellations (39 percent)

Fees imposed by airlines for checked bags, seat assignments etc. (26 percent)

Safety (11 percent)

Security screening (8 percent)

Sixty percent said they would take an average of 2.6 more trips per year if air travel were made more efficient.

Traveling to the World Cup? Tips for Safe Travels

Via Mashable:

The biggest event in the world for soccer fans is only days away.

About 600,000 international travelers will head to the 12 host cities across Brazil for the World Cup from June 12 to July 13, 2014. That's in addition to more than 3 million Brazilians who will be attending the games.

If you are one of the lucky travelers headed to Brazil, here are a few suggestions for making sure your trip is great.

1. Have your documents in order
U.S. citizens are required to have a visa to enter Brazil. World Cup attendees receive a free visa, but anyone else must pay $160.

Your passport should have at least six months left before it expires. Make a copy of your passport and health information to carry with you and leave the original in a secure location like the hotel safe.

While traveling keep your documents and any other important papers with you — use a zippered plastic bag to keep them together and dry.

2. Share your itinerary with family or a friend

Write down your itinerary, including flights, hotel information, contact numbers and dates of travel, and give it to a friend or family member who will be able to help if anything happens. Make copies of your passport and any credit cards you'll be carrying, also.

3. Learn the key phrases in Portuguese

If you don't speak the language already, you aren't going to learn Portuguese in the next three days. But learning a few words and phrases can make getting around much easier.

Duolingo is a great app for practicing basic vocabulary, and the Portuguese course makes learning the language like a game. Rosetta Stone also released an app for iOS and Google Play for World Cup vocabulary.

4. Take care of your health
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends travelers headed to the World Cup games in Brazil visit their doctor's office first. Travelers should be current on routine vaccines, including measles, tetanus, chicken pox, polio, and flu. Also, depending on where you are traveling, you should also consider getting vaccinated against hepatitis A, typhoid, hepatitis B, yellow fever, rabies and malaria.

If your medical insurance does not cover you for international travel, purchase a policy for your trip. There are many options available online.

In addition to learning how to ask where the stadium is, also practice — or carry with you — how to ask for medical assistance in Portuguese.

5. Pack strategically

The World Cup's host cities are all across Brazil. Wherever you're headed, you will probably have a long trek to get there, so packing light is key. Pack items that are good for multiple situations and that can easily be washed in your hotel bathroom.

Any medications should be packed in your carry-on baggage, and not checked. Don't forget a first-aid kit, and be sure to leave room for souvenirs.

6. Stay safe
The U.S. Department of State has detailed information for the 160,000 Americans who purchased tickets to World Cup games. U.S. citizens can enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program before they go to receive updates and any alerts or warnings for their destination.

Be wary of pickpockets in crowded tourist areas, avoid taking unmarked taxis, and do not wear expensive jewelry or clothing that makes you stand out as a tourist.

In other words, use common sense and take the usual precautions to stay safe while traveling abroad. Tourists are common in Brazil's many cities, and many areas are safe. Being aware of what to watch out for is your best bet for avoiding any accidents.

7. Have an emergency plan

What would you do if your wallet were lost or stolen? Who can you call who will be able to help? What does your insurance cover if you are injured? Be sure to have an answer to these questions before you leave.

Also, know what help is available to you while in Brazil: The emergency numbers in Brazil are 190 for the police, 192 for calling an ambulance, and 193 for calling the fire department.

8. Enjoy the journey

And we don't just mean the games. Chances are that reaching your World Cup destinations will take many hours and cover thousands of miles. Don't wait until you reach a stadium to have fun.

Brazil is an amazing country and the World Cup games are sure to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for fans.

Don't shop for travel at work, study says

It is probably not a good idea to shop for leisure travel from the office during business hours, according to a new study from Rice University and Iowa State University.

Using data from a major online hotel reservation site, the study examined the quality of the hotel that consumers chose for their vacations and subsequently how satisfied they were with their stay. They found that consumers who traveled farther and made reservations during business hours were more likely to select higher quality hotels but were less satisfied after their stay. More than 35 percent of those studied made purchases during business hours.

"We were interested in understanding when people make more expensive purchases and their satisfaction afterward," said Ajay Kalra, the Herbert S. Autrey Professor of Marketing at Rice's Jones Graduate School of Business. He co-authored the paper with Wei Zhang, an assistant professor of marketing at Iowa State's College of Business. The paper will be published in the Journal of Marketing Research.

The study is timely as Americans begin planning for summer vacation travel and important because of the magnitude of the United States' leisure travel industry, the paper's authors said. According to the U.S. Travel Association, the industry in 2012 generated direct spending of $597 billion and an estimated economic output of $2 trillion.

In their study, the researchers identified three circumstantial variables at the time of purchase that were likely to impact both the hotel choice as well as postpurchase satisfaction: the time between purchase and the hotel stay; the distance between the city from where the reservation was made and the city where the hotel is located; and time of purchase (business or nonbusiness hours). They then incorporated these three circumstantial variables into an econometric model.

The study consisted of a random sample of 4,582 consumers who made hotel reservations between January 2008 and October 2009. All the consumers who were studied paid for their hotel stay at the time of reservation.

The researchers found that consumers who traveled farther and made reservations during business hours were more likely to select higher quality hotels but were less satisfied than those people who stayed at the same hotel, but traveled less, and people who booked during nonbusiness hours.

"We speculate that occurs because people are either more fatigued at work and tend to buy more expensive items or that vacations seem more appealing while people are at work," Kalra said. "This kind of preliminary data indicates that people should not be making purchases when they are working."

The authors also found that consumers who book and pay earlier are more likely to select higher quality hotels and are more satisfied than those who wait till the last minute.

"So the reasoning, not originally ours, is that if you pay earlier, the 'pain-of-paying' -- which is the pain you feel when paying for something -- diminishes with time, leaving people happier during their vacation," Kalra said. "This tells us that people will enjoy the vacation more if they pay before."

In addition, if the service in the hotel is bad, then the pain felt at the point of purchasing probably comes back, making people less satisfied, the authors found.

"Our findings suggest that looking at such circumstantial variables is very useful for product managers to understand and predict choices and satisfaction assessments," Kalra said. "These variables should help firms to increase their understanding of consumer decision-making and develop better marketing strategies."

The findings should also help consumers by understanding the factors that impact their decisions, like the timing of purchase, he said.

Top Five Travel Tips for Spring Break 2014

Making plans to travel this Spring Break?  Be sure to read this press release, released by the United States State Department.

Media Note
Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
February 26, 2014
For some college students, Spring Break is a time to bask in the Caribbean sun. Some use their respite from classes to volunteer in a foreign country. Others venture across the Atlantic to embark upon a European adventure or to visit friends studying abroad. Regardless of the destination, the U.S. Department of State encourages students to follow our tips for traveling abroad:

1. Avoid underage and excessive alcohol consumption. “Overdoing it” can lead to an arrest, accident, violent crime, or death.
2. Obey all local laws, and remember they might be different from our own. Don’t carry or use drugs, as this can result in severe penalties. Don’t carry weapons either—some countries have strict laws, and even possessing something as small as a pocketknife or a single bullet can get you into legal trouble.
3. Before you leave for your trip, learn as much as possible about your destination at our website dedicated to student travelers: studentsabroad.state.gov. Here, you can find out about entry requirements, crime, health precautions, and road conditions.
4. Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). This program keeps students up-to-date with important safety and security announcements, such as Travel Warnings, Travel Alerts, and security messages.
5. Keep in touch with your parents. If you will be without Internet or phone service for a few days, let them know. We receive many calls from parents who fear the worst when they have not heard from their children. In most cases, their child is fine, but has been too busy to check in.

Of course, even well-prepared travelers may face an emergency, like a lost passport or an injury. In those cases, our embassies and consulates are available to help 24/7. Be sure to write down the contact information for the U.S. embassy or consulate in your destination country.

Top 5 Travel Resolutions You Should Start Doing This 2014

In Traveler's Today magazine, author Althea Serad discusses the changes you should make this year to your travel habits.

Many people want to travel better and even more. It's easier today because of the advancement of technology, airline tickets are cheaper than they used to be, travel blogs websites and books are readily available and more affordable, so what's your excuse for not being able to travel?

If you really want to travel, set some goals. Whatever it is your reason for wanting to travel, whether you just want to get with the fad, or you want to fill stamps on your passport, or the classic reason of seeing the culture and surroundings each new country has to offer, set your goals, and set them with quality.

If you want quality travel tips, here is the Top 5 we've gathered from www.wheretraveler.com.

Resolution 1: Stop overlooking nearby destinations

Traveling doesn't mean you have to have a passport, hop on a plane and get far away. You never know, but the next amazing place might be even in your own backyard (pun intended). There could be a nice zoo inside your city, a college campus or church with amazing architecture, and of course maybe a new restaurant down the block. It could also be another city that's next to yours, never considered by anyone as "travel-worthy" just because people are so used to seeing it. You must resolve to never again disregard the fact that any place, even the nearest one could be a destination for quality travel.

Resolution 2: Do one thing that scares you.

This doesn't mean that 'one thing' has to be life-threatening. How could you travel then if you're dead? This just means taking a step forward in conquering your fears a.k.a. a culture's tradition like getting inked by a tribal elder in the Philippines or eating balut, a scrumptious delicacy also in the Philippines which isn't for the liking of everyone. Besides, travel really is about new experiences and becoming more open to what the world has to offer and just understanding our amazing planet. Travelling isn't really about moving from one place to another.

Resolution 3: Turn every trip into travel.

We don't usually travel when we're on vacation, especially family trips. You don't usually explore because you're simply there because of the family. However, these overly familiar family trips can turn into travel if we just open ourselves up to new experiences and see the road ahead a little differently. Stick in an extra hour or two ahead or in between your trip and just...explore. Pull off the highway, gas up and check any local attraction that you haven't been to before that's along the way to your final destination. You can also try looking at any local flora or fauna and you'll be surprised at how diverse and blessed your country is.

Resolution 4: Try something new on each and every trip.

Not everything you try has to be something that you like. In line with Resolution 2, doing something that scares you, this will be less scary as it will just take you a little bit out of your comfort zone. This is part of travel - doing something new that you may or you may not like. Just make the most out of every destination and try everything new that you can. You will be bringing back less regrets and just new travel experiences. Hey, even something as mundane as saying "good morning" to the person next to you at the bus can be considered something new. Just try it!

Resolution 5: Go on at least one solo trip.

This resolution has been mentioned in countless blogs and articles for 20-somethings. It is maybe considered a universal goal already. This is because something changes within you when you're flying solo, whether you're travelling or not. Of course, the change is more intense when travelling.  You have to depend on nobody but yourself. You literally have to be a friend to yourself. You will experience and learn new things with and about yourself that you've never thought possible. It will be a life-changer and an eye-opener in all sorts of ways. This can also be freeing. You can literally try ANY thing that you want because who's there to stop you but yourself? But of course, to do this right, you have to be open to the world, respect people and each place's culture and just limit digital connections. Do it the old-fashioned way, ask strangers. You'll realize it can be more fun than it actually sounds.

Travel Sites Now Offering Layway Plans for Getaways

Have you been wanting to take a vacation, but can't afford to pay the huge payment when you book it?  Have no fear, fellow travelers.  The following article from CBS Minnesota offers options for the monetarily challenged.

After last week’s deep freeze, Dori Schlampp is doing something many of us have been dreaming about: Escaping the cold for a week in beautiful Belize.

“We’re really excited,” Schlampp said. “Especially with the weather, the way it’s been outside.”

Schlampp is taking a luxury trip to an exotic location, but even a modest family vacation can quickly add up to $4,000 or more, which is why some travel sites are now promoting layaway plans.

Sears Vacations, Gate 1 Travel, and eLayaway Travel all offer ways to book now, pay later.

But is it a good deal?

“Travel agents have always been able to do the payments plans,” said Nora Blum of Travel Leaders. “We just haven’t necessarily advertised it like layaway.”



“A lot of people find that it’s a lot easier to make those small payments of, you know, $300 or $400,” she said, “rather than a big lump sum.”
eLayaway charges 3.9 percent for its service and Sears charges $9 per month, while Gate 1 asks for a deposit and a final payment 45 days before departure, just like traditional travel agents.

“We’ve been doing it for years, for many years, and we don’t call it anything,” said Jenny Mikkelson, the vice president of Travel Beyond, which booked Schlampp’s trip to Belize.

They’re known for luxury vacations and safaris, but they still split up the payments for some clients, and view the new layaway plans as more of the same.

“It’s marketing. A different marketing ploy to get people interested in what they might think is a different way of booking travel,” she said. “But, essentially, any travel agency can do that.”

Paying over time is available on vacation packages, but not “air only” deals. Because the final payment is due six weeks out, it works for trips you book well in advance, like your summer vacation or next winter’s getaway. You’re too late to do it for spring break.
Blum said she’s been booking trips for 20 years and paying over time is always an option. Most vacation packages require up-front despots, followed by a final payment 45 to 60 days in advance. So, she often breaks up the balance into smaller payments, running customers’ credit cards on a monthly basis, for no additional charge.

Tips for Travel Savings in 2014

A new year means new destinations and experiences.  This article from the New York Times will get your year started off right.

Break a resolution yet? If any were travel-related, here’s some good news: In 2014, you can save while staying the traveler that you are.

In other words, set your nonnegotiable standards, then minimize costs and maximize value. For example: Let’s say you refuse to sleep in the same room with a stranger. That means you won’t be staying in hostels, so concentrate on lowering costs on hotel stays or short-term rentals.

Here are four issues about which budget travelers of good faith can differ, and some tips on cutting costs no matter which side of the debate you’re on.

A Room of One’s Own?

This is no longer just a hostel versus hotel debate. Private rentals through Airbnb have long been in the mainstream, and hospitality exchange sites like Couchsurfing and BeWelcome are thriving — two visitors from Lyon, France, who found me through Couchsurfing, are staying in my living room even as I write this.

Hostels, however, will still be the mainstay for backpacker types. Many use the big booking sites Hostelbookers.com or Hostelworld.com, but it’s also worth getting to know Hostelz.com, a search aggregator not unlike Kayak. You’ll get to compare prices for Hostelbookers and Hostelworld (as well as the Eurocentric site HostelsClub). But even better, the site also shows ratings from all the sites, as well as lengthier reviews Hostelz pays travelers to write. That’s especially important, because hostels vary as widely as hotels in comfort and cleanliness.

For those who need their privacy, don’t write off Airbnb; you can set filters to show you only private rooms or even entire houses. And despite the name, I’ve found that many Couchsurfing hosts (though not me) offer spare bedrooms.

If you really want to stick with just hotels, there are ever more ways to save. Two new sites monitor hotel prices after you reserve in case prices go down: TripRebel simply refunds you the difference, and TripBAM alerts you if the price drops in the same or nearby hotels and offers to rebook your reservation. For the truly picky, TheSuitest uses hotel features and amenities to calculate a room’s value relative to its price, so you can find the best deal on a place with, say, a gym or great views.

And finally, a compromise of sorts: the growing Britain-based Camp in My Garden (campinmygarden.com), on which users can offer their backyards to potential campers. It’s dirt cheap, and tents are, after all, completely private.

Connecting the Stops

On a flight from New York to São Paulo last year, I sat next to a young guy headed to Buenos Aires quite indirectly. He had long layovers in São Paulo and Montevideo, lengthening a 10-hour trip to more than 24 hours. But to him it was a no-brainer — he’d save a few hundred bucks.

If that sounds familiar, you probably already know how to list flights by price and set filters to allow multiple layovers on sites like Kayak and Bing Travel. And here’s another tip for flights in Europe: The WhichAirline app and site (whichairline.com) can help you find inconvenient but very cheap connections that other engines don’t. For example, it found me a $119 flight from Paris to Budapest on the budget carrier Ryanair, with a layover of about five hours in Milan each way. (The cheapest option on the usually dependable Vayama.com was $280.)

If you’re anti-layover, consider making your dates more flexible. It’s far easier than it used to be. About a year ago, Google introduced Flight Explorer (google.com/flights/explore), which displays a bar graph for the best prices to a specific destination over any specified time range. Even better, be flexible about your destination: Pick a region (“Western Europe”) and it will show you those same bar graphs for multiple destinations, starting with the cheapest options. You can also set the maximum length of the trip.

Miles Mania

 There are two kinds of fliers: miles obsessives who pay more upfront for airlines in a specific alliance and shuffle miles-accruing credit cards to reap free flights at the end; and others who can’t be bothered, who just look to save on each individual flight, car rental and hotel, regardless of the brand.

Being a miles maniac requires a steep learning curve in a world that seems to be both endlessly complicated and constantly shifting. Navigating this world requires a lot of help, and many turn to smart sites like ThePointsGuy.com. Two new ones are also worth a look: Altimetr.com debuted in June, and though it often takes a higher-end approach, evaluating business class service and private jets, it includes plenty of articles for the rest of us, like comparisons of frequent-flier programs and a useful intro to the whole points game.

If it’s all about frugality for you, try RichmondSavers.com, courtesy of a husband and wife team of C.P.A.s in Virginia, which focuses more closely on how to save big. Their step-by-step guide to a free family trip to Disney World is a good test of whether miles mania is right for you.

The Grid: On or Off?

I post to Twitter and Instagram wherever I go, but not without feeling conflicted: It’s fun, but it’s also part of my job. I’m not sure I would do it if I were traveling for pure pleasure.

But for fans of social media — and other sorts of data usage — it’s undeniably getting cheaper to stay connected. Last year, T-Mobile became the first major carrier to include international data in its regular domestic plans; customers can now check their email in Mongolia or post to Facebook from Frankfurt with no additional charge. (There is one catch: the free data comes with a promise of only 2G coverage, though you can pay for 3G and 4G, as with other carriers.) And there’s no reason anymore to pay for international text messages; that’s what What’s App and its ever-growing list of competitors are for. (Of course, you can also use local or international SIM cards.)

Those who do pay for data now can use it to save money more easily than before. Last year saw Google’s Field Trip (fieldtripper.com) make the jump from Android to iPhone. The app alerts you when you are near attractions, restaurants, sales and the like, using information from an ever-growing list of sources. It’s customizable, and I’ve been teaching mine to stick to the cheap stuff. Now, among other things, it alerts me when I’m near a restaurant reviewed by master hole-in-the-wall-finder Robert Sietsema for Eater.com.

Of course, those who prefer to stay out of touch and find things the old-fashioned way don’t require any fancy technology tips to help them save. In 2014, as in 1914, they’ll get their budget travel advice from handy analog devices called human beings.