Author: City Traveler

Since the invention of steam powered trains in the 19th century, mass transit for work and leisure has continued to grow more rapid and more convenient. As trains became cheaper to use, urban tourism, the act of heading to big city’s like New York for vacation, became ever more popular. Of course, the development of modern travel did not stop there. Thanks to the increase in air travel’s popularity between 1945 and 1969, the U.S. air tourism industry was cemented as a staple of the American travel industry. Now, over 42% of Americans fly for leisure annually, totaling $160 billion in revenue, according to Columbia University, on an annual basis.

Thanks in large part to fluctuations in crude oil prices, an increase of no less than 30% in a six month period, according to Business Week, airfare has increase significantly. In 2012, Americas biggest airlines raised their prices on three separate occasions, putting the final nail in the coffin of a three year increase of over 12%, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. These increases hit all Americans, but none do they affect more than American college students.

As NAFSA points out, nearly 274,000 American college students study abroad every year to complete their degrees. Locations range from Africa to Asia, rural to metropolitan, but one thing remains the same; college students are having a terrible time adjusting to cost increases. Many are using vacation travel sites from their mobile devices to quickly and easily get deals on their travel plans. However, as you will see, the student travel agent, an admittedly traditional service, may be more important now than ever before for saving on student travelling.

• Important Connections

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Whether you’re planning on city travels in Europe or elsewhere, student travel companies are able to offer unique deals for one reason; connections. As Forbes writes, student travel agents maintain symbiotic relationships with airlines, hotels, and credit card companies to get you deals and them more business.

• Knowledge Through Experience

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The best travel agents, such as those staffing student travel services, are among the most well-traveled people in the world. According to Tripology, this puts them in a unique position to help their clients plan exciting, interesting trips, wherever they are going. On many occasions, student travel agents have taken part in similar study abroad programs, offering perspective as well as experience.

• They Look Out for You

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Perhaps the biggest advantage to using a student travel agent is that they keep an eye out for their clients. If travel arrangements change, flights are canceled and the like, then travel agents will work to help mitigate the problem quickly. After all, their getting paid literally depends on your success.

Travelling when you are a student is essential to both your academic success and your success in becoming a well-rounded, worldly individual. However, recent changes in the airline industry have made it exceptionally difficult to do what you need to. If you want to reduce your travel costs, then a student travel agent may be just the thing.

With the aid of hotel search sites, more and more people can find an affordable way to make hotel reservations at the best hotels possible. These hotel search sites allow users to compare hotel prices to find the best deal. With this influx of guests from hotel searches, there have been some strange visitors dropping by. Here are a couple of the craziest stories hotel workers have seen!

For the love of salad.

A Reddit thread titled, “Hotel workers of Reddit, what’s the craziest, weirdest thing you’ve discovered in a guest room?” sparked a long discussion filled with amusing, and sometimes horrifying anecdotes that included hotel workers finding brown bags filled with cash, dead bodies in beds, and even a toilet that had been desecrated from a full weekend without flushing. However, one Reddit user who owns a BandB left the most bizarre story, saying that he found a battered old notebook titled, “Why I Love Salad.” The book was filled with “literally 40-80 pages on why salad was amazing. There’d be the occasional suggestion that the author believed salad to be alive in some sense.”

“God fearing people like me should be protected from accidentally zapping into that kind of Muck!”

Disgruntled employees have the chance to vent and share some laughs with each other on the site, Not Always Right. After finding a convenient and affordable place to stay from his hotel search, the hotel phoned one man about running out of his cash deposit. He’d apparently spend a few hours over the course of three days watching adult television, and had spent his deposit.

Coming down to see what the matter with his bill was, the man dressed in full Jewish prayer garb said of the bill, “here is no way I watched that filth! Look at me! Do I look like a man who would watch that sort of shocking thing? I don’t understand that a hotel would subject its guests to that kind of immoral muck in the first place. I don’t want anything to do with that! God-fearing people like I should be protected from accidentally zapping to those kinds of channels.” The hotel clerk explained that there are about three fail safes to ensure that no one can accidentally start watching it, and the man finally paid. He then phoned down about five minutes later complaining about his TV, only to find that the hotel clerk had put a child lock on it to stop a God fearing man like him from accidentally zapping into that muck!

Sometimes hotel searches yield some unsavory and strange guests, but with price comparison hotel search sites, you can find some unbelievable deals. Just be sure not to take everything with you! If you have any funny stories from hotel searches, feel free to leave them in the comments! Check out this site for more: www.holidayinncamden.co.uk

In England, tourism currently contributes £96.7bn to the economy. For years, places like the Warwick and Windsor castles, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Wembley Stadium, and the mysterious Stonehenge have attracted travelers from all over the world. And though the historic sites of England are spread throughout the country, it is London that draws the most tourists and travelers. The city itself is full of historic places to see and limitless entertainment options for anyone who is traveling on business, visiting family, or just enjoying a European holiday with friends. As a result, it is the city with more international visitors than anywhere else in the world.

While some people might prefer to find a house or apartment that they can rent for their European holiday, the majority of people will want to just stay in hotels where they have less responsibilities. Fortunately, in London, doing so is easy since there is a plethora of hotel accommodations in the city. In fact, estimates suggest that there are more than 700 hotels in the city. That number might seem high, but considering the huge amount of visitors that the city sees every year, it should not be all that surprising.

With so many different hotels available, the variance is tremendous. Some hotels might offer lower costs and discounts to attract travelers who have a specific budget in mind, but many are geared towards providing the best experience possible. Throughout London, there are hundreds of luxury hotels that offer the highest quality features. The best hotels provide every amenity – including gyms, saunas, and great food – to make sure that patrons have all the comforts of home, even while visiting a different country.

One of the complaints that some travelers might have about larger hotels that are designed more to get people in and out at their convenience, rather than make sure they enjoy their stay, is that they do not get the hospitality that they covet. However, according to statistics from Hotrec, European hospitality businesses are small and employ less than 50 people 70% of the time. As a result, they are able to provide excellent service that helps make European vacations more relaxing and enjoyable.

Though there are lots of hotels available, finding the right one is not always easy. Every traveler has different priorities and needs when it comes to a European holiday, so even the most recommended hotels are not always the best option. Because of that, taking the time to do a bit of research is a vital first step when it comes to planning a great trip. Learn more about this topic here.

So you have got a vacation coming up. Have you considered where you will be staying for the time that you are in Zanzibar? Have you looked into any luxury resorts in the area? You have a variety to choose from, there is bound to be at least one that will fit your vacation plans and the style that you are seeking. Take a few minutes to read some information on luxury resorts, see what you have for options, then consider one for the next time you vacation.

• All Inclusive Resorts

My all time favorite option for luxury resorts is the all inclusive option. All inclusive means that all of your food and drinks are taken care of, the price is wrapped up into the package for the whole stay, so you do not need to worry about bringing around extra cash just to go to eat. Most all inclusives are huge resorts, so there are several food options, usually with a monster buffet as well, in the vicinity, so that you never actually need to leave the resort.

The only caveat is that you should really read the fine print here. Sometimes the all inclusive only includes certain restaurants, sometimes it only includes non-alcoholic drinks, or does not cover taking one of the paddle boats out. Be sure that you know exactly what you can and cannot do with what you are paying for.

• Beach Resorts

Contrary to common belief, not all vacation resorts are beachfront. In fact, if you are looking to cut down on costs, you can get one that is not located directly on the sand. But is it worth it to drive 15 minutes to go the beach on your vacation just to save a little money? Make sure that, when looking for the details of the resort, that you are choosing the right one with the details that you are actually looking for. If a resort is not on the beach, it may try to only subtly work it into the description.

• Couples Resorts

These are usually adult-only resorts that focus specifically on couples and at least one theme or activity. They are obviously for couples, and can be for honeymoons, or for spicing the relationship back up. You can find them focused around tennis, golf, water skiing, couples massage and spa packages. All to bring you closer to your loved one as you go through the experience together.

Convinced? Now you will never go to another vacation again that is not located at a luxury resort. Forget some cheap hotel that gives you a crummy “continental” breakfast and a musty old room. Go to the place where they excel in treating you right and making you feel welcomed Helpful sites.

How do you find cheap hotel prices? Anyone who has ever wanted to take a vacation, but worried that they would not be able to afford it, has asked themselves this same question. If taking a holiday were more affordable, you would probably do it more often. Fortunately, there are three ways that you can find cheap hotel prices.

• Keep an eye out for holiday deals.

Holiday deals go into effect when a hotel experiences a slow or “shoulder” season. If you are travelling to London, then this time is in October. The slower seasons are generally right before or right after what would be the busiest season for a location, so look to plan your trip around those times. You might also be able to find extra deals related to what day of the week that you choose to stay at the hotel, but you will have to check and see which cities have lower weekend or weekday rates. In some cities, it is actually cheaper to stay during the weekend!

• Consider holiday packages.

Cheap hotel prices are sometimes found when combined with other services. For example, by booking a certain hotel deal you can get a discount on your airline reservation, or vice versa. Some holiday packages are framed around the price for the flight and the hotel for just one person, but others are created around additional attractions coming with the hotel room. For example, one offer describes a free Thames River cruise when two or more nights are booked at one hotel.

• Learn how to make holiday reservations.

As a rule, you should make them as early as possible. However, in rare cases you will find that cheap hotel prices come from hotels that have lost reservations and are looking to fill them up as quickly as possible. You should start your hotel search as early as possible, and look for deals before demand rises and therefore bring up the cost of a hotel room.

Do not forget to check hotel reviews before you jump at the first great deal that you find. What good is a cheap hotel if you end up miserable on your vacation? Affordable hotel rooms at good hotels do exist, and if you follow these three tips, then you will have no trouble finding them. Good references here.

According to an October 7 article on Forbes.com by Tonya Mohn, young tourists have been contributing to a travel boom. In 2012, young travelers (including students) spent approximately $217 billion on vacations, which totals up to more than any their group. With the right student travel site anyone could find themselves saving quite a bit of time, stress and money.

A wide range of city travel guides are readily available online. This makes it incredibly simple to access them from tablets, smartphones and other devices that people planning student travels may have with them when they are on vacation.

Student travel sites can make it easy to travel, no matter which way people prefer to travel. Roughly 76% of U.S. students and adults that embarked on vacations last year used trucks and cars to arrive to their vacations. In 2008, 42% of Americans claimed to fly for leisure in 2008.

Like many other things, high quality student travel sites came about to meet the constantly growing demand for assistance in the U.S. air tourism industry. The internet has contributed to one of the largest booms in tourism growth since the boom in air travel that took place between 1945 and 1969.

A number of you people have discovered the ease that comes with staying in hostels. Hostels with leisure amenities developed and grew in popularity originally in the 1930s in the United States. One of the biggest reasons for this was the fact that the automobile became more affordable. No matter where a student may be planning on going, they should make sure to check out a student travel site beforehand. It may end up sending them a great deal of money and hassle.

Ask anyone who has been to England, London is truly a great destination. London is home to the oldest public zoo in existence, originally opened in 1828, and is also home to several large museums such as the British Museum, and the better known Natural History Museum. If you are planning a trip to London, you will want to look for hotels near Kings Cross.

Why Kings Cross? Harry Potter fans will recall the name of the famous railway station as a gateway to Hogwarts, and for the rest of the real world Kings Cross serves a similar purpose. It is in an area of central London, and serves as a major hub for railways, so you can get almost everywhere from the station.

To get the most out of your trip to London, look for discount hotel rooms. Did you know you can stay at a two star hotel, reviewed with four stars, for approximately $96 a night? All you need to do is search online for cheap hotels near kings cross. It is the best way to compare multiple hotels and get the best rate.

Between 2008 and 2009, hotel rates were reduced in London by about 20% to make it more affordable for tourists to stay in the city. Some hotels near Kings Cross Station include London budget hotels, and the Comfort Inn London. Budget hotels near eurostar and Camden Market may also be worth looking into.

Tourists spent 9.4 billion pounds in London in 2011. In 2012, the Olympics brought thousands of people from all over the world. There many not be any big event drawing you to London right now, but that might make it the perfect time to visit! Look for discount hotels and enjoy staying in a hub of activity at Kings Cross.

Did you know that in 2005, Americans took 1.19 billion trips throughout the country? Some travel for career, some for school, and some just for the fun of it. For those looking for student travel Canada has some of the best locations in the world. However, whether you are looking to student travel Canada’s cities or those in Mexico and the United States, you should do what you can to save money. After all, what college student has a ton to spend on their vacation? Here are four tips for having a great time while saving money as you look to student travel Canada and beyond.

• First and Foremost

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While you certainly want to be cost effective and have cheap student travels where you can find them, you should be sure you have fun while you do so. Most Canadian cities, whether Toronto or Vancouver, offer incredible sites to see while also offering affordable lodging, food, and entertainment. Do not make student travel discounts be mutually exclusive to your enjoyment. Student travel websites, like Travel CUTS, offer ideas for having a great time while giving students a chance at reduced travel and lodging costs.

• Consider Travel Insurance

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Did you know that governmental insurance may not cover emergencies encountered while you are on your multi city travels? According to RBC Insurance, your provincial health insurance may not cover illness and injury when you are abroad in certain countries. RBC cites a case where a Canadian citizen was injured in Florida and had to pay almost $60,000 in medical expenses. With comprehensive, cheap student travel insurance you can avoid a similar issue.

• Want a Guide?

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Did you know that using a city travel guide can make your trip a lot more eventful? Imagine, you have just landed in New York City but have little idea what you want to do while you are there. City travel guides provide you with a list of options so you can pick and choose what activities and foods you want to experience. Thankfully, travel guide services can now be booked online, making them available on smartphones and tablets wherever you are.

• Use Your Feet in Cities

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Urban tourism grew to popularity in the U.S. in 1915 and forever changed the way Americans perceived and navigated through their cities. Since that time, transportation technologies have come a long way. This has made it possible for Americans to travel across the country and through their cities for much less. Those savings are certainly passed on to the country’s guests. However, having said that, one of the best ways to save money and get to know a city is to walk to and from your destination. For this reason, many cities, including San Francisco and New York, offer walking tours to get you better acquainted.

If you are one of many Canadian scholars looking to take advantage of student travel Canada and the rest of North America offer their residents, follow these four tips to more enjoyable, more affordable getaways. Happy travels!

I am willing to bet that at some point just about every college student gets that urge to get away and travel Europe. What holds most of us back is the expenses and planning out how exactly we can travel across the continent and where to stay. College student travel to Europe is not impossible though.

Traveling in a group is one way to make an overseas trip a reality. Student group travel allows you to split costs and chances are someone in your group can speak a language you do not or is already familiar with a region, making travel that much easier. If you do not know anyone wanting to join in on the adventure, check out student travel sites online before planning out an itinerary to see if anyone else is looking to make a trip. Like minded strangers make excellent travel companions!

Grand City travel hotels are a very good solution as well. They have over 100 locations throughout Germany and Europe, at many of the cities and regions you will likely find yourself visiting, and make cheap student travel across Europe a possibility. Grand City travel hotels offer luxury stays matched with affordable pricing. Student travel discounts may even be available to lower the price even further. They claim to guarantee the best prices in all of Europe, and frankly you cannot argue with them.

Speaking of discounts, chances are you can get a discount for any student travel flights, hotel stays or general travel expenses if you incorporate the trip with your school curriculum. Many universities heavily encourage studying abroad and will likely fund some of the costs for a trip overseas if it pertains to the university. Exploit being a student! I know you want to do it, and if you are smart there really is no reason you should not be able to make an affordable, enjoyable European vacation. Good Luck!

Here comes vacation time! After months and month of hard work and penny pinching, your two week window of fun and relaxation is finally set and ready to be planned. But before you get to wade in the ocean, you have to wade through the stress of deciding where to spend those two wonderful weeks. And you are not the only one with ideas. How do you decide?

Why decide at all? Why not check out multi city travel packages?

Not everyone in your family might have the same definition of fun. Some might want adventure, some might want quiet time, and some might want an immersive cultural experience. Finding one location to suit all these tastes can be daunting. But variety is the spice of life, and with multi city travel packages, everyone can get the vacation they want.

And even the most fun and relaxing vacation spots can get stale after a while. Multi city travel packages can help keep your time off fresh and exciting, by making it easy and affordable to experience more than one city. Spend a few days on the beach, then head inland for a few nights of dinner and dancing, then see the sights on a nature tour, and finish up with great seats to a concert by a world class symphony. You can do it all.

Or what if you all happen to agree on what to do, but there are several options for where to do it? Multi city travel packages make activities like baseball stadium tours and museum tours a breeze to plan. Plan a food tour of Italy. Travel the safari parks of Africa. Or even see architectural ruins on multiple continents. The sky is the limit.

Having trouble making up your mind? Check out a preplanned multi city travel package, available from most travel agencies and tour planning organizations. They plan the route, and you sit back and experience news things at every turn. Check the itinerary and review multiple city travel guides to find the funnest things to do in each city along the way. And who knows? You may just be inspired for next year…