BC Travel Agent

If you’re planning a trip to the UK sometime in the near future and you’re wondering where to go, what to do, and looking for some really great deals, you’ve come to the right place. You’ll find a huge amount of helpful information on how to make the most of your traveling money and some wonderful ideas on places to visit during your travels.

When booking a flight there are a few secrets to remember to make sure you’re getting the best deal possible.

1.Avoid booking your flight at the very last minute.

At times you can find exceptional last minute deals, but more often than not, you’re in a huge rush and you just don’t have the time to look for the best deal. You may worry that fares may go down closer to your travel date, but there are ways to get around this.

2.Search airline sites.

While travelers often assume they can get the best deals using a discount site, in reality this is becoming the exception, and not the norm. Airlines are getting savvier and saving the best deals for their sites.

3.Use a flexible fare search.

If travel dates aren’t a huge issue it’s best to search for flights using a range of dates instead of just a single departure and return date. You can get the best deals using this method.

4.Combine those weekend fares.

Construct your own itinerary and save money all once by scanning for connecting flights. Some discount sites do this for you, but if you’re using the airline site you’ll have to perform this trick yourself.

5.Check out hotel + airfare packages.

As long as you’re not booking at the last minute you may find that purchasing a package deal versus airfare alone will save you money in the long run. Since you need accommodations anyway this is a great way to save money.

6.Search for flights in the early am and on weekends.

Look for deals while other people are not. You can snag seats at very reasonable rates during off hours.

7.Check airline rates regularly.

Don’t assume that you’re getting a great deal by looking just one time. Check for airfares on multiple occasions and take note of any differences in pricing.

8.Buy two fares instead of just one.

With airfare, sometimes package deals aren’t always the best value. On many occasions checking the fares of connecting flights and purchasing them separately offers more savings. This is the same concept used in evaluating weekend fares.

9.Book flights that offer refunds if rates go down.

There’s no reason you should pay a higher price than someone who bought a ticket at a later date. You don’t have to settle for that look for flights that offer you this option. You can potentially save a great deal of money by doing this.

Stay and Save

Accommodations can be a huge part of travel expenses. While most travelers want to find a quality place to stay, no one wants to invest nearly all of their money into a hotel room. Anyone can stay home and do that. We’ve listed several helpful hints for finding reasonable quality accommodations below.

Avoid Staying Near Cities and Tourist Attractions

It may be convenient for you to stay in a hotel near a major attraction and big cities offer a huge selection of entertainment options but you will pay far more for hotels in major locations. If you’ve rented a car, stay outside of town and drive in to the tourist attractions. Your hotel should be less than half the price of hotels in the city.

Enjoy Accommodations at Guest Houses and Bed and Breakfasts

What guest houses and B&Bs lack in size they almost always make up for in personal service. These places are also considerably cheaper.

Stay During the Off-Season

Book your stay in slower months and save a great deal. Business slows downs at certain times of the year making hotels and other venues more willing to offer considerable discounts.

Save Money by taking Advantage of Discount Passes

If you travel to various locations and pay entry fees as you go this can add up rather quickly. There are many UK locations that offer discount passes to overseas visitors that will more than pay for their initial purchase price after just a few visits.

If you love castles and historic venues the English Heritage Overseas Visitor Pass is the right choice for you. They offer options for purchase for single adults and family packages at reasonable rates and best of all, your visits are unlimited!

If you’re planning to stay in York, England you may want to invest in the York Travel Pass. With this pass you gain entrance to York’s major landmarks and purchase options are offered for singles and families.

If you’re planning on taking the train a bunch, look at some Eurail Passes for the United Kingdom and see if it’ll be cheaper and less hassle than other means of transportation. Often, it isn’t, but a lot of the time it can end up being a much smaller hassle.

Take Advantage of Free Attractions

The UK has numerous free attractions available. You can visit museums, parks, and zoos without paying any fees. You can find an alphabetized list of free attractions here!

Eat for Less

Another major expense for travelers is food. You can spend massive amounts of money on food alone if you’re not careful. Of course, an occasional treat shouldn’t be too expensive but your food expenses should be kept to a minimum if you want to have enough money for shopping and sightseeing.

Whenever you visit an area it’s wise to check out the local fare. Find copies of menus and check online for ratings on service and pricing. If you are staying in a place where you can prepare your own food you can save money by eating there.

It is possible to visit the UK without spending a small fortune. If you’re savvy and plan ahead, you can create you’re a memorable trip that you’ll be talking about for years to come.

Packing everything needed for stress-free travel is an art that few perfect. At some point, even the savviest traveller is likely to encounter the frustration of forgetting to pack some essential item. In some aspects, modern technology has enhanced the travel experience, with online services to purchase tickets, make reservations and check personal email and financial accounts. In other ways, technology has further complicated the whole affair by making it necessary to pack a host of batteries and chargers for cellphones, laptops and digital cameras.

With rising baggage fees and overweight-baggage charges, most people prefer to travel as light as possible, but there are some essential items that should accompany you whenever you travel. Here are five things that, if forgotten, can result in considerable hassle and expense.

1. The All-Important Passport

Canadian passports are good for five years, but most travel experts advise against travelling with a passport that will expire within six months. Some countries will not only bar entry to those whose passport is set to expire during their trip, but to those whose passports will expire shortly after their planned date of return. In a pinch, you can get a new passport in 10 business day by person. It takes 20 business days by mail.

2. Other Important Documents

Carrying photocopies of your passport, birth certificate and proof of citizenship is a good idea, too. Many hotels will ask to hold your passport at the front desk until you check out but will often accept a photocopy instead. Pack photocopies in carry-on luggage and leave a set of copies with someone at home, too. If possible, make a computer scan of important documents like passports. Email them to yourself using an internet-based account so you can access them from any computer.

Documents to photocopy:

• Passport
• Birth certificate
• Proof of citizenship
• Vaccination certificates
• Airline/cruise/rail tickets
• Itinerary
• Insurance policies
• Prescriptions for medications

3. Traveller’s Insurance

Some experienced travellers maintain that traveller’s insurance is unnecessary. They reason that airlines and hotels will refund your money whenever they can’t meet their obligations. Hopefully, you’ll never need traveller’s health insurance, but preparing for unforeseen events is never a bad idea. A little investigation may reveal that you already have enough coverage through a homeowner or automobile insurance plan or through your credit card company.

Travel health insurance will cover the costs you may incur if you have to cancel a trip due to ill-health or if you get sick or injured while on a trip. Considering the staggering health costs in some countries, obtaining travel health insurance is a wise precaution. Be sure and read the entire policy carefully before signing it. One policy, for example, may promise to take you to the nearest hospital while another may take you to the hospital of your choice.

4. First-Aid Concerns

Always bring any medications, as well as copies of the prescriptions for them, in carry-on bags. A small first-aid kit can stop a larger health problem in its tracks. The kit should include band aids, Dramamine, antibiotic cream, anti-diarrheal medicine and pain relievers. Hand wipes with germicidal cleaner are a good idea, and don’t forget sun screen and lip sun block. Finding some of these items on location might be difficult and you may need them before you get there.

5. Staying Connected

You’ll not only want to bring all the batteries, chargers, adaptors, converters and memory cards that you need for your cellphone, digital camera and laptop, but any instruction for them that you might need as well. Most laptops are designed to handle 100 to 240 volts, so they should operate in most countries without a power convertor, but be sure to check your laptop manual to be sure. If you plan to plug in the laptop’s power adapter, you’ll want to ensure that it operates with 50 to 60 Hertz frequencies.

Of all the electronic devices you’ll bring along on a trip, the plug convertor may be the most important. In many countries, you’ll need one before you can plug in anything. Travel stores offer plug converters for various electrical outlets around the world.

Once you’ve collected all this stuff, checked exchange rates with the currency exchange, picked up your money and packed, get out there and enjoy yourself.