All posts in Travel planning

Millions of British travellers have taken advantage of hassle free travel to the United States thanks to the visa waiver program, but that is all to end when the Electronic System for Travel Authorisation [ESTA] comes into force.

From the 12 January 2009, you will need to apply online, at least three days ahead, and provide information ranging from personal details to travel plans. Only if you are judged as suitable will you will be allowed entrance to the United States.

Passengers who fail to clear the new hurdle will be referred to the US embassy or advised to apply for another visa, which could take weeks or months to process. Today I had a look online for advice and found a few third party websites that seem to be charging £25 for a PDF guide of the new procedures, that I find outrageous.

As I find more information I will add it to this post but in the meantime please find links below to free information for travellers.

» Department for Homeland security
» ESTA online application
» ESTA web help

If you have any questions or guidance please leave a comment.

It has on many occasions being brought to my attention that I am a bit of a geek, so you can imagine my delight to hear that a company has launched a virtual mall, which includes a floor full of travel shops. Yes, the high street shops are closing, but the virtual world is booming.

Hat tip: Travolution

Okay, so The Mall is a travel affiliate site, but, it is unique, and I like that. What disappoints me is the lack of content. I would like to read more information about the holiday provider, rather than an affiliate link through to its website. It is a start though and it would be great to see it develop into the travel version of Second Life.

Improving user experience

As it stands you have to ask yourself would you visit this site to search for a holiday, I would not because it is adding on extra clicks to the searching process. For fun though, I like, and hope that they development it and take comments on board.

Second life in Travel

They are a number of travel companies including Lonely Planet and STA Travel that have got involved in the Second Life virtual community. I wrote about this a year or so ago, and published some screenshots, yes, that’s me in the Hawaiian shirt.

I would be interested to hear from readers what they think about a virtual world where they enter a shop, search through brochures, and actually book a holiday in a 3D environment. I am undecided but it looks fun, but then I am a geek.

Tour operators are reducing the number of holidays available to consumers, airlines are cutting routes. Everyone is feeling the side effects of the financial crisis, and you can expect to see more travel agencies and airlines go into administration during the coming winter months.

Scrums between airlines and travel companies

Next year we will see more scrums between the airlines and travel agencies, which does not make life easier for the consumer as we are forced to choose flights on price, yet, booking with an airline direct brings financial protection concerns.

No more incentives

I would love to paint a more colourful picture on the travel industry, but I think 2009 is going to be tough. Forget those last minute deals, kids go free special offers and incentives to book, those have all being thrown out of the window.

Travel Rants consumer poll

[poll id="4"]

Education of our children

We will see fewer families go away on holiday, which I think is a real shame because holidays are a great way for our future generations to learn more about the world, especially learning new languages and understanding different cultures.

Promote Britain

This is a great opportunity for Visit Britain to really promote this country to its residents, as more of us will have no alternative but to stay at home. In some respects that is good because we need to spend our money improving tourism in our own country, and they are so many places and attractions left undiscovered by tourists.

Please join in the poll and I would love to read your comments on what impacts you think the financial crisis will have on the planning of your holiday next year.

What is a travel consumer supposed to do when they want to plan and book their holiday early? There is a chance that their holiday could end in heartache if the tour operator, travel agency, or airline was to go into administration.

Package Vs Do-it-Yourself Holidays

For the past two years I have wanted to travel around the United States, so I thought I would plan and book early. This weekend I paid a visit to First Choice to pick up some brochures. I would love to do the 16-day tour around the West or East Coast, but this would set me back £1,600 including a ridiculous single person supplement with Cosmos Tourama.

Compare this with 16-day tour of the East Coast, booked independently, with a return flight to New York with Aer Lingus, budget hotels, and an Amtrak ticket to get around, costing under £1,200 saving me nearly £400.

No confidence in struggling airlines

That is a lot of money to me, but in the back of my mind, I am aware that Aer Lingus have just announced that they are making over 1,000 staff redundant. This does not make me very confident about booking a flight with them.

Yes, I could book by credit card for financial protection, or take out airline failure insurance, but if I am stranded abroad, I am going to have to find my own way back home.

Delay in claim refunds and re-booking stress

On the other hand, I could book the trip with an ATOL registered travel agency, but there is nothing stopping that agency going into administration, and then I am left with the stress of trying to claim my money back and have a wait before I can book another holiday.

The future of travel is not rosy

The future does not look too rosy for travel does it when you put it into perspective. Therefore, what is a consumer supposed to do? Last year I planned to go to Canada, and I was on the verge of booking with Zoom airlines, how lucky was I.

I have travelled all over Europe, by booking direct with the airline, and then booking my own hotel, but booking this way to the United States is too much of a risk in the current climate. I want to book the holiday in December for September 2009, so it will give me time to pay for the holiday and save up spending money.

Consumers face booking dilemma

If I book it independently, I save myself £400, and potentially book with an airline or hotel company that goes bankrupt. Alternatively, I pay the extra £400 and feel confident that the Civil Aviation Authority has to get me back home or refund my money.

I am sure it is a dilemma that many consumers now find themselves in.