save travel

Animation of a Virgin Galactic flight from launch to landing

truf — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 11:59:10 +0000

With Virgin Galactic rolling out whiteknighttwo on Monday we thought it would be fun to highlight the Virgin Galactic experience. This animation shows what it will be like to takeoff, drop from whiteknighttwo, blast in to space aboard spaceshiptwo, feel what it is like in microgravity for 4 to 5 minutes and then land again safely on the ground.

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Adventure Travel Tips, Deals, And Destinations

truf — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:01:00 +0000

For some people, taking city tours, visiting breweries, and lying out on the beach just isn’t enough. These tourists want a trip filled with adventure; one that’s off the beaten path. Adventure travel is a specialized type of travel that isn’t filled with the typical tour buses and bed-and-breakfasts. Adventure travel engulfs a more exploratory sense of the word “travel”. Adventure travelers would rather hike up a mountain, trek through a jungle, or ride white water rapids than sit in an air conditioned bus and be chauffeured from place to place.
However, although adventure travelers don’t partake in all-inclusive resort stays, adventure travel can still be quite expensive. That’s because the destinations adventure travelers travel to (and the activities they do) often require special guides, groups, and sometimes equipment.
If you want a change of scenery and want to experience adventure travel, here are some tips on how to make it more affordable. Follow these tips and save a few bucks for when you’re in-country.
Adventure Travel Tips and Deals
Tip #1: Find Affordable Airfare to Your Adventure Travel Destination
Regardless of what you do when you arrive at your destination, getting there can be costly. Airfare will always be a factor in your travel budget, regardless of if you’re traveling to go on a safari, hike the Himalayas, or lay on a beach. Flying is an expensive way to travel; however, thanks to the Internet, it doesn’t have to be. The Internet is filled with deals on airfare to destinations all over the world. If you’re planning an adventure travel trip, search the web for airfare and budget travel deals. The web is jam packed with travel web sites offering amazing rates on airfare to many travel destinations. So if you’re planning an adventure travel trip, find airfare deals online.
Tip #2: Book Your Adventure Travel Adventures When You Get There
Since adventure travel takes you off the beaten path, it’s fairly simple to find great deals on rooms, materials, and tours in the outskirts of town. However, if you try to book a room or find a tour guide before you leave, you’ll probably have to deal with a middleman to book your accommodations; and anytime you deal with a middleman, the more it’s going to cost you. The middleman will most likely charge you some sort of service or finders fee. By waiting until you are in-country to book your accommodations and materials, you’ll be able to cut out the middleman and save some money on your adventure travel.
However, before you jump on the plane, it’s a good idea to check out adventure travel blogs and websites online. They’ll help you get in touch with other adventure travelers who can give you advice on who you should contact when in-country to make the necessary arrangements. You don’t want to journey to a foreign land completely blind.
Tip #3: Find an Adventure Travel Group to Travel With
Believe it or not, there are travel groups out there that specialize in adventure travel. These groups are experienced in adventure travel and have the right connections to get you deals on your trip. Adventure travel groups normally travel as a group and benefit from group rates. They also have connections with people in other countries to plan the best and most affordable activities. Planning an adventure travel trip on your own can be complicated and very costly. By finding an adventure travel group and going with them on their adventures, you’ll be able to cut down the cost of your trip and also meet some new people along the way.
Top Adventure Travel Destinations
Africa
Africa is referred to as the cradle of human life as we know it, being the oldest inhabited territory in the world. Travel through Africa will reveal the modern dilemma of a region pushing forward with globalization and technology at the same time that many cultures and tribes are striving to protect their traditional way of life. In addition to human life, Africa supports the world’s most spectacular collection of rare species and biodiversity. Encountering Africa’s wilderness firsthand is not only a radically unique experience, but also a once-in-a-lifetime privilege that future generations may not have the opportunity to share. For more information on adventure travel to Africa, visit http://www. cfares. com/africa.
Thailand
Thailand offers the diversity of a society running in parallel: booming city life and leisurely beach escapes, thickly canopied jungles and white sand islands, indulgent cuisine, clubs and cocktails and the sanctuary of Buddhist lifestyle. Thailand has come of age as a traveler’s dream destination, an affordable gateway to paradise with adventure at your fingertips. For more information on adventure travel to Thailand, visit http://www. cfares. com/thailand.

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I dont Drive! I travel

truf — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 11:59:06 +0000

I hope that the officer who told me that he would stop me if he would see me realizes that it would not be a good idea to tow my car like he said he would

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Benefits And Disadvantages Of Online Travel Agencies

truf — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 00:02:22 +0000

Once upon a time…
Before the dawn of the information super highway, brick-and-mortar travel agencies were the key to booking travel arrangements and finding deals on airfare. These agencies helped travelers plan trips and book flights, hotel and car rental reservations, and other travel necessities. But as the Internet started to dominate all areas of commerce, travelers began to turn to online travel agencies instead of the brick-and-mortars. These “virtual” agencies offered all the travel planning options and discounts conventional travel agencies offered without requiring travelers to leave their home. No longer did travelers need to make appointments and meet face-to-face with a travel agent just to make travel arrangements. There was now a convenient online solution to booking travel arrangements and finding discounts on airfare.
Reality Check
Online travel agencies haven’t completely decimated the conventional brick-and-mortar shops. Traditional travel agencies still do a great deal of business with travelers and are one viable solution to booking travel arrangements. However, as busy as our lives can be, online travel agencies do offer a quick and convenient solution to finding airline tickets without taking you away from home, or even work – and the brick-and-mortar shops realize this. Some conventional agencies are also hitting the web and establishing travel websites to cater to those individuals looking to quickly search for and book flights. So even though online travel agencies haven’t completely decimated the conventional travel agency industry, they have established a viable and convenient alternative to booking vacations, business trips, and other travel plans.
Life Still Exists in the Brick-and-Mortars
Conventional travel agencies still command a large portion of the travel booking industry. Their face-to-face service is what keeps them in business and, depending on the needs of the traveler, a more realistic solution to booking travel arrangements. When you book your travel plans through a brick-and-mortar travel agency, you’re working with real people and if you’re a frequent traveler, it’s nice to have a “favored agent” to turn to for travel information and advice. With an online travel agency, you’re simply interacting with a virtual interface that allows you to search for and book your own travel plans without ever speaking with a live person. Many people prefer face-to-face interaction and would never even dream about using a travel website to book their travel plans. There is still something to be said about personal service and the conventional travel agencies are capitalizing on it by offering personalized services and conveniences to travelers.
So Where do We Go from Here?
As you can see, there are benefits and disadvantage to both conventional and online travel agencies. Each one offers its own experience and features that make it unique from the other and in favor with different people. When it comes to selecting the best option for you, you merely need to ask yourself “What am I looking for in a travel agency?” The best way to answer this question is to check out a few online travel agencies, compare them to some brick-and-mortars, and see which ones have the savings, products, and services you desire.

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14 Ways to Make Traveling with a Disability Easier

truf — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 12:00:13 +0000

If you travel with a disability, handicap, physical limitation, mobility limitation, or developmental disability, have special needs, or use an electric wheelchair or handicap scooter, it’s a good idea to learn as much as you can to make disabled travel easier.
Or if you’re a mature traveler or senior who is a slow walker or just wants a slower pace, becoming more informed about disabled travel services and disability travel resources, will lessen the anxiety that often accompanies disabled travelers.
The following travel tips, resources and information for the disabled will help make trips, tours, holidays and vacations a lot easier for you, or for a child with a disability, whether short-term or long-term.
1. Plan your trip well in advance! Do you need to order extra supplements, medications or renew prescriptions, fix eyeglasses or change prescriptions, get a physical, have dental work done, have your wheelchair fixed or tuned up, etc. ?
2. If possible, always book your travel through an agency that specializes in helping people with disabilities. This is important because specialized travel agents and tour operators for the disabled are experienced and can save you some awful headaches.
They offer a lot of good tips and a wide range of services for the handicapped traveler. Among other things, they can arrange for a: wheelchair at the airport, wheelchair accessible hotel room, wheelchair rental, lift-equipped accessible van, full van, minivan, RV, handicap scooter, or any other handicap vehicle.
Travel agents for the disabled can help arrange accessible transportation, help plan the best accessible cruise, give cruise line and cruising tips, arrange travel insurance and take care of special needs.
Agents can check with hotels for: inner and outer door widths to accommodate your wheelchair, ADA-approved handicap bath tubs, grab bars, or for roll-in showers. Just tell them your needs.
Travel agents can help you find cheap airfare, cheap tickets, cheap flights, cheap travel auto insurance, cheap hotels, cheap car rentals, cheap cruises, cheap vacations and cheap travel of all kinds.
3. Besides taking along your travel agent’s phone number, you’ll also want to take with you the phone numbers for the travel agencies that specialize in disabled travel at your destination, in the event you can’t reach your own agent.
These travel agents may know how to solve problems that come up regarding your hotel, car or van rentals, etc. , even if you didn’t order your tickets through them.
4. When traveling to another city, check out the local health and medical associations before you go. For example, get the phone numbers for the local MS chapter if you have MS. These organizations can be great resources.
They usually know what museums, restaurants, theaters & other local facilities are wheelchair accessible and where you can get oxygen, emergency supplies or medical assistance. They may be able to help you with any problems that arise.
5. If you plan to rent a handicap scooter, wheelchair, electric wheelchair, handicap van, full van, mini-van, RV or other vehicle in another city, don’t wait until you get there. Make all the arrangements before you leave on your trip.
Make sure you ask any specifics like, are there tie-downs, ramps, or hoists, etc. Check on what van, RV, car or auto insurance you’ll need before you go.
6. Don’t leave anything to chance. If you can, double-check all the arrangements your travel agent makes. Call the airlines, hotels, scooter, wheelchair, car, RV or van rental companies, medical equipment rental companies, etc. , and verify the specifics, especially if you’re traveling in a wheelchair or have any other special needs like oxygen.
This is important if you haven’t used the agent before.
7. If you need oxygen or any other special medical equipment, call airlines and suppliers well in advance of your trip. Don’t wait until the last minute. Start calling them as soon as you know you’re going to be traveling or taking a trip.
Then double-check with your travel agent and the airline at least three to four days before your flight.
8. Arrive early at the airport. It’s better to wait around there than miss your plane. This will eliminate some of the pre-trip anxiety you might feel and make for more leisurely travel. This seems like common knowledge but many people still arrive at the gate just in the nick of time.
With all that’s going on in the world today there are many reasons why you want to allow for more time at the airport.
9. In your airplane carry-on bag keep copies of the prescriptions for your medications and eyeglasses, extra eyeglasses, sunglasses, all your medications and supplements, and a list of your doctor, dentist and other health professionals with their addresses, and phone numbers.
Include your doctor’s fax number for prescriptions in case you lose your medications. Keep duplicate copies of these in your luggage and at home by the telephone. Know where your medical records are kept.
10. When you travel, and for any other time too, if you take medications, learn their names and exactly what they’re for if you don’t know. People come into the emergency room all the time and don’t know what medications they’re taking. You might be surprised to find out that most people say ‘a little yellow pill’ or ‘a white capsule’, etc.
Emergency workers need to know what you’re taking so they don’t give you medication that would interact adversely with it, overdose you or somehow interfere with their treatment and your recovery.
11. If you’re traveling by air, tell the flight attendants when you board, of any medical problem you might encounter on your flight. Note the location of the closest restroom before getting seated. Tell the flight attendant if you think you’ll need assistance getting to it during the flight.
You may need or want an aisle seat for easy access to the restrooms. Discuss seating with your travel agent.
12. If you need someone to travel with you, ask your travel agent for ideas or suggestions. Call the local chapters of medical associations and ask if they can recommend a travel assistant or travel companion to help or accompany you.
There are national companies who offer traveling nurses, traveling companions or travel assistants to accompany disabled travelers or people with serious medical issues.
13. Make sure to take with you: any medical cards, Medicare cards, discount cards, car or auto rental discount cards, auto insurance policy numbers and agent’s phone number, passport, airline tickets, etickets, American Express Travelers Cheques, debit cards, credit cards, and drivers license. Photocopy everything.
Keep photocopies in your luggage and at home by the telephone or someplace where someone has access to it in case you need it.
14. Read everything you can about traveling with a disability. Read disabled travel books, access guides, accessible guidebooks, disability travel articles and travel publications for the disabled traveler. Read the personal travel experiences of wheelchair users and others who have traveled with disabilities. Be informed.
These travel tips, information, resources, and services for the disabled should help you, or anyone with a disability, handicap, physical limitation, or who uses a wheelchair, have an easier, more pleasant, anxiety-free, trouble-free trip, tour, holiday or vacation.

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Become A Travel Agent And Live The American Dream

truf — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 00:07:42 +0000

Often people considering a career change look to the travel industry and decide to become a travel agent. Nearly everyone desires to travel and many seek coastal vacation travel destinations. Most families take an annual vacation and many head to the closest beach. Anyone who wants to become a travel agent will seek this lucrative market with millions of eager customers. The travel industry rarely experiences a severe downturn, even at time when the economy suffers. An entrepreneur seeking to become a travel agent will provide costal vacations for consumers and enjoy the sun and surf with his or her family as well. Different consumers want different coastal vacation travel packages. Some want cheap Hawaiian vacation packages, some want to head to Orlando, FL to see Disneyworld. Franchise owners who begin a home based business and become a travel agent learn how to promote these destinations and many more coastal destinations around the world. When a consumer decides to become a travel agent, the research often involved costal vacation travel. Travel franchise owners consider this travel “research,” since their knowledge of these destinations helps them market the coastal vacations better after they become a travel agent. Most consumers spot a “stupid” travel agent who does not possess a clue about what they promote. Knowledge put the home based travel agent ahead of the competition. Completing the “research” represents only the first step after the person decides to become a travel agent. Finding potential customers and closing the sale of the coastal vacation travel package challenges even the most experienced marketing professionals. These tasks intimidate most people but the successful travel franchise owners who become a travel agent rise above the challenges. Those who succeed after they decide to become a travel agent will see everyone as a potential traveler. Almost everyone responds positively when asked if he or she would enjoy coastal vacation travel. Prospecting–a term that describes identifying potential customers–makes or breaks a business. A successful person who decides to become a travel agent keeps a list of potential customers and checks in with them often. While many travel franchise owners who decide to become a travel agent know many prospective customers, the ability to close the sale eludes them. They did not consider how they would close the sales when they decided to become a travel agent. The travel franchise owner fails even if he or she knows thousands of potential customers wanting coastal vacation travel packages if they cannot close the sale. Finding a sales support team can eliminate this lack of experience for those who decided to become a travel agent. A coastal vacation call center provides solutions. Sales center employees know how to convince customers to sign on the dotted line. They receive extensive training on selling the coastal vacation travel packages and help those who decide to become a travel agent. Franchise owners who decided to become a travel agent need this type of support to be successful when selling coastal vacation travel packages. Using a coastal call center gives the travel franchise owner a professional sales team. The coastal call center employees do not compete with those who become a travel agent and credit all sales of coastal vacation travel packages to the travel franchise owner. Instead, the professional closers call center team enhances the franchise owner’s home based travel agency and assists the owner in bringing in more profits.

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Canon EF Lens Travel Mug

truf — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 12:03:50 +0000

I got a Canon EF lens collectors mug. It looks awesome. It pays to have friends with accreditation at the Olympics.

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Why Do you Pay Commissions When you Do your Own Travel Bookings?

truf — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 00:09:52 +0000

When you buy a travel package, tour or service your price may include a number of levels of commission added to the original pure cost of the product direct from the supplier.

To give an example of such:

Let’s take a tour operated in Australia at a cost direct from the operator of say $1,000:

1. This tour may be listed with an Inbound Tour Operator.

2. The ITO buys for $1,000, marks up 10%, sells to Wholesaler- tour price now $1,100.

3. The Wholesaler buys for $1,100, marks up !0%, sells to Retailer- tour price now $1,210.

4. The Retailer buys for $1210, marks up 10%, sells to Traveller- tour price now $1,331.

(prices change if percentages are higher, or less if the ITO is not in this equation)

(without the ITO, retail price would be $1,210 at 10% or $1322 at 15%).

The commission element, without the ITO at 10% mark-up is $210 per tour per person (21%).

The commission element, without the ITO at 15% mark-up is $322 per tour per person (32%).

So the Traveller pays variable levels of middleman commissions. . When you have 2 or 3 or a family of travellers, this is a considerable amount of cash and if you have a tour costing in excess of $1,000, just do the math.

Similarly, brochure prices have commissions built in to them for the retailers of 10 – 25%.

If a consumer goes to an Outlet Store they expect outlet prices, if they go directly to the Manufacturer they expect ‘go-direct’ prices, so why not handle travel arrangements in a similar way?

Because, it is only fair that each level of the product sales cycle earns revenue for the business involved and these businesses are necessary and needed to ensure that products are marketed, promoted, brochured and sold to consumers around the world who may not be comfortable with handling their own bookings and need the assistance of an expert professional travel consultant. . However, with the growth of the internet and the ability to now find the source of travel products, travellers who handle their own arrangements should get a fairer deal on the pricing as a middleman is not needed in the purchasing process.

It does not make sense for most travel operators to show different prices on their websites, Retail, Wholesale or Internet Direct etc as this could undermine their supply chain by deterring the efficient middlemen from representing their products, so we have to find a way for all of the

‘do-it-yourself’ bookers to get a fairer price.

There is a way. A new service has been introduced that enables travel operators to encourage and reward travellers who are comfortable with direct bookings and for them to get a fair price break for the commission no longer required to be paid out. The new service, operated by TopTravelSites. com, offers TopTravelVouchers for sale that have values equivalent to, or more than the commission elements on the operator’s travel products. These may be purchased by travellers at very deep discounts to their redemption values, getting closer to the direct cost price of the travel product for the consumer. . . think outlet pricing or go-direct deals.

The Travel Operator still incurs the commission cost by issuing a toptravelvoucher but the beneficiary of the price break is the traveller, not the middleman. By encouraging and rewarding travellers, the operators should get more traffic to their websites.

TopTravelSites can be compared to a retail travel company but it does not sell travel. It only introduces travellers to operators involved with the program and invites them to go directly to the travel websites of its clients. If travellers want to do business directly with the travel providers on the site they can get a price break by purchasing toptravelvouchers online at prices of $30, $50 or $100usd (or equivalent foreign currency). The vouchers have a 100% money-back guarantee and if, after the travel has been completed, the traveller is unhappy with the product, the cost of the voucher is reimbursed and redress is sought from the operator.

Hundreds of vouchers are currently available and new vouchers are being added each month but when you see a voucher valued at 1,500 euros for sale for $100usd it may not be long before you will see thousands of choices. Many other vouchers are available and can be purchased by single travellers, groups or families, leading to very healthy savings for all ‘do-it-yourself’ bookers.

Many travel operators will continue to sell through a supply chain but there are thousands of travel businesses around the world that want to improve their representation and for their services to be seen by a wider audience of travellers. Most travel operators would always be willing to pay a commission on sales and so this site might offer great appeal to them. It will surely attract travellers booking their own arrangements and being rewarded by rebated commission and as long as the site operator keeps to low overheads (no bricks and mortar stores or expensive brochures) it will also appeal to many more travellers and travel providers. .

You can visit the site at http://www. toptravelsites. com where you can also link to some last minute deals, a travel ezine and some destination specific sites for the South Pacific. .

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Should Travelers Who Book Direct Get Fairer Fare Prices?

truf — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 12:09:37 +0000

A travel website that does not sell travel but enables travelers to save money on travel as long as they do their own bookings is now offering services to internet travelers. This service is a unique addition to travel options for all travelers comfortable with direct bookings using a new type of travel document called aTopTravelVoucher.

The operators of this service are addressing the issue of travel pricing which often includes a 10 to 25% mark-up to allow for the payment of travel agent commission to either wholesalers or retailers but when travelers buy directly from the provider (accommodations, tours or transportation) they can still pay the price inclusive of commission. To overcome the travel providers’ problems of showing multiple prices for the same products and services on their websites, they can now offer ‘fair fare prices’ by issuing top travel vouchers.

Travel Providers are given marketing and promotion in exchange for their own travel vouchers, equivalent to or more than, the commission that would be payable upon sale of their various travel packages and services, so they still incurr the commission cost on sales but do not have to alienate their distribution chain of wholesalers and retailers by offering a retail, wholesale or ‘direct’ price on their website. This is done by the voucher operator who sells their vouchers to travelers at deep discounts to their redemption values to be used when making direct bookings, hence a travel agent who does not sell travel, only travel vouchers and therefore is not a travel agent.

According to the website information of the voucher operator, they are able to offer the ‘Fair Fare Price’ option because they do not have the normal operating costs of travel agencies such as shops, reservation systems, brochures, advertising and high staffing levels, but can still offer the traveler and the travel provider a service that is fair to all users.

Before purchasing top travel vouchers, travelers are advised to check for quality and availability directly with the website of their travel selection and when satisfied, make a direct booking mentioning the voucher, then purchase the voucher. All vouchers come with a 100% money-back guarantee and in the event that the traveler is not happy with their travel purchase upon completion, the cost of the vouchers will be reimbursed and the matter taken up with the provider.

There are three levels of vouchers, $30, $50 and $100usd achieving various levels of savings but to give an example, at the time of this article there was a voucher valued at 1,500 euros (around $2,000usd) on sale for $100usd. If the vouchers are purchased outside of the USA the price is shown in the relevant currency. All vouchers are issued online and the provider is also sent a duplicate with the traveler details to encourage assistance in any travel itinerary planning of the traveler.

So as not to deter expert travel agents and agencies from participation in this service the site invites them to identify any destination and activity expertise and to also offer vouchers to encourage travelers to seek out expert professional agents. Many retail agents offer their own travel packages and tours and many are comfortable in dealing with new clients from anywhere in the world over the internet, telephone or skype. The site cautions travelers to be careful when selecting ’specialist’ agents who are not necessarily experts and who may have just taken a simple test operated by a tourism office or tour operator promoting their own destination or products.

The travel selections with TopTravelVouchers are limited at present but the site operators are confident in the growth potential, but if you want to see what is available, you can find them at http://www. toptravelsites. com

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Does the Internet Benefit Small Travel Businesses?

truf — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:04:05 +0000

Yes, of course it does, but as much as it should?

When you think of the number of travel directories and websites available to travelers you would think that this is a world free of the normal conventions of business but unfortunately it is often bound by restrictions that travelers would not appreciate. Pricing of travel is one of the conventions that are not yet totally free of restrictions and understandably so due to distribution considerations.

Travel businesses using the traditional distribution chains for the sale of their products need to allow for the payments of commission to various levels of middlemen, Inbound Tour Operators, Wholesalers and Retailers, all who need to take a percentage for their efforts in enabling travel services and products to reach the consumer.

Websites however, reach directly to consumers and enable them to make direct bookings with travel providers but they can still incur the costs attributed to these middlemen. But, to place a two-tier price for each product could deter the agents from representing products so a new way had to be found. This is where TopTravelSites stepped in with their newly developed service for the travel provider who wants to continue with the traditional supply chain but also wants to encourage travelers who are comfortable with making their own arrangements directly with providers and who do not need the services of travel agents, just the internet.

The service called TopTravelVouchers gives travelers a ‘fair fare price’ on direct bookings but the provider still incurs the cost of commission.

This new price format is achieved by the travel operator issuing a voucher in exchange for marketing, promotion and deliverance of travelers directly to their websites to make their bookings. The voucher is sold to travelers at deeply discounted prices to their redemption values enabling the traveler to be the beneficiary of a ‘nearly net’ price for the travel package or service. The operator of TopTravelVouchers does not have the normal costs that are attributable to retail and wholesale agents such as shops, reservation systems, brochures and high staffing and is thus able to encourage travelers to book directly with their clients and to get a price saving for their efforts. It is in effect a travel agent that does not sell travel, only travel vouchers, which are to be used towards travel purchased from the travel companies who are participating in the service.

Many travel businesses do not use middlemen, often due to the small size of their travel operation, but they would still be prepared to pay a commission or fee for a referral or a sale. They still need to make travelers aware of their products and services and to be able to offer encouragement and a reward gives them an opportunity to reach out to travelers who prefer to deal directly with operators.

There are thousands of smaller travel businesses around the world ranging from B&B’s, Family Boutique Hotels, Small Tour Operators, Adventure and Eco Tours that are rarely seen by the vast majority of travelers. These operators are not found in the glossy travel brochures or represented by travel agents but they often have excellent products and services which can be seen on their websites. Many of them are willing to pay a commission to a seller of their products but are not able to get travel agent representation. This new voucher system allows them to encourage and reward travelers who prefer to handle their own arrangements directly with the operators by offering a price that reflects discounted commission costs and thus savings for the do-it-yourself traveler.

TopTravelVouchers sell at three price levels according to the savings on each: $30, $50 or $100usd or equivalent currency if purchased outside of the USA. They may often be purchased in multiples, benefiting families or groups and at the time of this article there was a voucher costing $100usd with a value of 1,500euros (around $2,000usd) offered on a small ship cruise in Greece that is also a small travel operator not normally represented by the agency system.

Travelers are given 100% money-back guarantees if the vouchers are not used within 1 year of issue but maybe this should be for two years as the vouchers are normally valid for 2 years. Even after the completion of travel and travelers are unhappy with the quality, the voucher cost is reimbursed by TopTravelSites and the problem taken up with the travel operator.

It is obvious that this service will only work for TopTravelSites if supported by the world of travel providers who need to expand their representation as the retention of only a small percentage on each sale needs to be followed by high volumes of voucher sales but it is a unique service offering benefits to both travelers and the smaller travel businesses in the travel industry utilising the logical use of the internet for direct bookings.

If you want to see the current voucher offers you can visit them at toptravelsites. com

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