As you prepare to visit family over the holidays or enjoy a tropical getaway, you are probably focused on finding the best travel deal or which is the best day to fly. Here is what you need to know to avoid your carefully planned travel going terribly wrong. From holiday sickness to legal issues, don’t miss these tips.
Sleeping in a Manger
The large number of online options have made it easier to reserve a range of accommodations if you won’t be staying with family. It has also increased the odds of encountering problems. This can quickly ruin your dream holiday. There is never a good time to find yourself without a place to stay on a holiday. You certainly don’t want it to happen over the Christmas holiday season when replacement housing would be the most difficult to find.
Booking with an established hotel is usually the safest option. While there are no guarantees, a hotel’s desire to maintain a good reputation and encourage repeat visits provides incentive to do the right thing. If the cost or other factors rule that out, make sure you are selecting a safe, reliable alternative. Play close attention to online reviews of anywhere you’re thinking of staying. Be on the lookout for fake reviews. That has become more common as people try to profit from the home rental market.
Visions of Sugarplums
Food is an important part of the holiday season. Whether you are reunited to eat at your family’s dinner table or eating at some foreign location, food can tricky. Overly rich foods can lead to digestive issues. Even exposure to unfamiliar germs can lead to medical issues. When traveling further afield, the chance of encountering contaminated food, airborne illnesses, or other mishap.
To limit your risks, pace yourself during the festive season. Only eat food from reputable sources. When traveling to strange places in exotic locations, avoid drinking tap water. Be cautious about consuming raw fruit or vegetables. If you are preparing food, make sure produce is thoroughly disinfected and cleaned. Cooked food is more likely to be safe. Don’t let holiday sickness or an injury ruin your holidays.
The Sleigh Ride
Transportation is obviously a key part of holiday travel. It can also have many risks. From a financial standpoint, missed flights or other delays could cause you to lose the money you’ve already invested on your trip. For some trips this could be a minor inconvenience, whereas for others, it could be a painful loss. Consider the difference between the loss of an inexpensive flight to visit family versus a flight delay that could cause you to miss a cruise or other expensive travel.
‘tis the Season
Winter is a peak time for travel and also for influenza. Either of these could make issues related to travel more likely. If your health care system doesn’t cover travel sickness in the location where you’ll be visiting, consider buying insurance. There are basically two types of travel-related insurance. One type will compensate you if miss connections or other issues prevent you from being able to travel when scheduled. The types of delays covered varies from plan to plan so do your research before you buy. Variables include whether personal health issues are covered, missed flights, or, for example, a death in a family.
Health travel insurance is another option. This can cover your medical costs while you are away on holidays. Check to see what a plan covers before you buy. Variables include coverage on emergency medical treatments, medical evacuations, compensation for the lost travel due to illness or injury, and even helping to facilitate communications and legal issues in foreign countries. This can protect you from considerable expenses if an emergency arises.