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How is the Internet of Things Revolutionizing Travel Industry

How is the Internet of Things Revolutionizing Travel Industry


At this point, it is genuinely impossible for one not to have heard about the Internet of Things (IoT). After all, it is among the most potent technologies to have emerged on the scene in the recent past. How do we know? Well, there are millions and millions of devices across the globe that have enabled seamless connections between people, tools, companies, and databases, among other factors in the ecosystem. Given its ability to help, it should come as no surprise that IoT has also made its way into pretty much all the industries in the world. However, the impact of IoT has been particularly impressive in the travel industry because it has demonstrated the ability to assist not only the back-end of travel operations or customer-facing operations but both of them. So, you can imagine why it has now become a massive hit in the global travel industry.

You see, customers in the travel industry are very demanding; they want the best services, peppered with innovation, and all that at affordable prices. The competition this has then given rise to would have been nearly impossible to deal with, had it not been for technologies such as IoT. From empowering service providers to collect feedback in real-time and then leverage that data to adapt their services to enabling automation, personalization, and so much more — IoT has proven it is here to stay. But if you are still on the fence about it, here are some of its other benefits for the travel industry.

  1. Baggage handling: Lost baggage is a massive problem in the travel industry — one that ruins not only the travelers’ experience but also brands’ images. However, thanks to IoT, companies now have the opportunity to leverage data management and intelligence-based insights to streamline baggage related processes. Some of the facets IoT can help with includes: communication with indoor navigation tools and technologies, assistance during irregular operations (IROPs), and more.
  2. Personalized experiences: As mentioned above, customers today demand services that are specially tailored to their preferences. In this context, IoT helps companies overcome the challenge of gathering the requisite data that can then be processed to glean the insights that are necessary to deliver services that are following customers’ tastes and preferences. It also enables service providers to keep a tab on their inventory and engage customers accordingly. 
  3. Automate operations: Unlike what some people may be inclined to believe, there is enormous scope for automation in the travel industry as well, i.e., not every single thing needs the involvement of a human being. So, with connected devices such as cameras, smartphone sensors, and more, companies can automate processes such as check-ins, check-outs, etc.
  4. Give customers control: Since a vast majority of travelers typically stay in hotels, there is an abundance of scope to leverage IoT to deliver substantially better experiences for customers. Hotels can make use of IoT to enable customers to connect their own devices with the in-room infrastructure to control, say, the light settings, room temperature, and more from their devices instead of walking up to the switches to make the required adjustments manually. And not only that, but folks can also be allowed to order room service from their devices instead of placing a call to the department. And the benefits are not just for customers alone — sensors can be leveraged to see when the rooms are not occupied to automatically shut down the air conditioning or dim the lights during the day. Such factors may seem trivial to the onlooker, but you wouldn’t believe just how much hotels can save when they integrate IoT into their operations.

Some may say that IoT is not a must-have for the travel industry, at least not yet. But we beg to differ — IoT is now a must-have for travel portal app development so your company can continue to deliver sublime experiences to customers.

Technology

Tell a Story for the Ages: How to Keep a Travel Blog While You’re in Turkey

Tell a Story for the Ages: How to Keep a


Tell a Story for the Ages: How to Keep a Travel Blog While You’re in Turkey

Did you know that 51.9 million people visited Turkey in 2019, breaking the previous year’s record by 13.7 percent?

Well, it’s true, and with good reason! Turkey is an amazing place to visit, and keeping a blog while you’re there is a great way to share your experiences with those at home. Not only that, but you’ll be able to look back on it in many years and remember your time there.

Read on for some tips on how to keep a travel blog while in Turkey!

Have an Allotted Blogging Time

The first step to keeping a travel blog in Turkey is to have a specific time set aside to post. This will stop you from putting off writing blog posts and hold you accountable for uploading consistently.

This time doesn’t need to be every day- in fact, two or three posts a week should be sufficient. Choose what days of the week you want to upload on and stick with it!

Write on Your Phone

That being said, the time that you allot to write blog posts can simply be when you’re on public transit. There’s nothing better to do when you’re sitting on a bus or a train, so you might as well whip out your Smartphone and begin to talk about your daily experiences and the cool things you’ve seen.

Not only will this make it easy to blog- you won’t even need to take attention away from your travels!- but it will also make sure that the things you’re writing about are fresh in your mind.

Take Pictures to Go With Posts

People back home will want to experience what you’re seeing rather than just reading a description of them. That’s why you’ll want to put some pictures of cool things that you see with each blog post you make.

Check out https://madeinturkeytours.com/history/ for some information on sightseeing in Turkey. On the tours offered by this site, you’ll get to see lots of amazing historical locations and artifacts that are photogenic enough to upload to your blog.

Don’t Stay in a Hostel

Many people who travel abroad will choose to stay in hostels, especially when you’re going somewhere that you don’t speak the language. These buildings have many people staying in the same room, which has benefits but also has downsides.

One of the biggest downsides to staying in a hostel is that you may be distracted from writing and uploading blog posts. People will be making noise around you and making it difficult for you to focus. Instead, find a bed and breakfast that’s within your budget and stay there.

Enjoy a Fantastic Trip

If you want to write a travel blog that stands out, you’re going to need to have an amazing trip. Go to new places, try interesting things, and don’t shy away from the unknown. Turkey is a place filled with unique cultural traditions, friendly locals, and authentic and interesting food. Don’t be scared to try new things!

More on How to Keep a Travel Blog

Now that you know how to keep a travel blog while on your trip to Turkey, it’s time to learn more writing tips. Check out the ‘writing’ tab on our home page for more information on how to write well and make your blog stand out online.

Entertainment

Travel Ideas: Why Spain Is Where Everyone Falls in Love

Travel Ideas: Why Spain Is Where Everyone Falls in Love


Travel Ideas: Why Spain Is Where Everyone Falls in Love

Did you know that Spain received 82.8 million foreign tourists in 2018?

It’s easy to see why Spain is a tourist hotspot—the European country offers an array of cultural landmarks, fascinating history, and beautiful beaches.

Keep reading to learn why Spain should be your next vacation and to find out why so many tourists fall in love with the country.

Reasons to Visit Spain

Spain is a bustling, beautiful country that is filled to the brim with incredible sights, exciting things to do, awe-inspiring places to relax, and scrumptious dishes to try.

But what are the country-specific reasons why so many tourists flock to popular Spanish destinations?

1. Blissful Beaches

If you’re planning on visiting Spain, you need to take a trip to one of Spain’s many luxurious beaches.

Spain is blessed to have over 5,00 miles of coastline and thousands of beautiful beaches. Spain is also blessed to have 300 days of sunshine, so you’ll have plenty of time to kick back and relax on a beach.

Maximize your beach trip’s relaxation by choosing one of the hidden gems in the country.

Some beaches can get very busy, so why not head to Costa de la Luz? Costa de la Luz is situated near the Portuguese border and has a number of hidden coves and unspoiled beaches. 

2. Cool, Cosmopolitan Cities

The cities you must see in Spain include the capital city, Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, and Seville.

These bustling cities have an array of museums, art galleries, shopping facilities, and breathtaking architecture to explore. 

Madrid and Barcelona are best known for being big arts and cultural hotspots. In these cities, you’ll find plenty of historic churches and cathedrals, fascinating landmarks and monuments, and intriguing modern art. Not to mention the vast abundance of restaurants, cafes, and bars to try.

3. Historic and Cultural Wonders

Spain has 45 UNESCO World Heritage Sites to explore (along with other landmarks and historical points of interest, that haven’t yet made it onto the UNESCO list).

Discover the cave paintings of Altamira, take a trip to Segovia’s Roman aqueduct, head over to Granada and marvel at the Alhambra fortress, or check out the historic city of Toledo.

History buffs are really spoiled for choice in Spain, as there are so many fascinating places to tick off and learn about as you journey through the country.

4. Delicious Food and Delightful Wine

What could be better than wining and dining while looking out across beautiful Spain scenery?

Spain has an unlimited array of restaurants, cafes, bars, and eateries scattered throughout the country.

Sample all the local cuisines and find yourself a new favorite dish. We recommend trying some tapas, Paella, Gazpacho, Patatas bravas, and Pisto.

As for the wine, Spain is known for producing incredible wine so make sure you try coupling some wine with your meals. Alternatively, head over to a winery and learn more about how the wine is made and try a variety of different wines.

5. Amazing Spain Landscapes

Spain is home to endless beaches which are ideal for relaxing on, but if you’re more of an adventurous soul then you need to check out the impeccable Spanish landscapes and mountains.

Have a go at hiking up some of the northern Pyrenees mountains, or head to the Sierra Nevada in the south of Spain and visit the popular skiing resort. 

If you want a contrast to the mountains in Spain, you can also find Cabo de Gata in Almeria. Cabo de Gata is Europe’s only desert and has been the inspiration for many Hollywood spaghetti westerns, which were filmed in the area.

6. Adventure Is Around Every Corner

Hiking isn’t the only activity that thrill-seekers and outdoor enthusiasts can do.

For those who like to get their heart pumping, you can walk along a scary footpath that leads to a zip line between Spain and Portugal.

There’s also an array of skiing and snowboarding options, as well as plenty of places to do scuba diving. 

On the northern coastline of Spain, you can also find annual surfing competitions. While in Pamplona, you can run with the bulls, this annual event takes place in July. In Spain, you can get involved with jet-skiing, rafting, canoeing, bungee jumping, climbing, and skateboarding. 

7. Weird Festivals

Spain is home to many strange and weird festivals.

However, because the Spanish know how to throw a party, we’re sure they won’t disappoint. 

Get stuck in with the celebration of near-death experiences as you get carried in an open coffin at the Festival of Santa Marta de Ribarteme. Start a tomato fight at the world’s largest tomato fight at the La Tomatina festival. 

8. Incredible Islands

Spain also boasts an abundance of incredible islands.

Head to Ibiza if you want an exciting nightlife experience and golden beaches. Treat yourself to the beautiful beaches and resorts in Majorca. Climb the volcano in Tenerife and enjoy excellent views of the volcanic surroundings. Hikers and volcanic lovers should also check out Lanzarote. 

La Palma is ideal for those who want to enjoy a lush green jungle and take part in several walking tours and trails. Historic enthusiasts need to explore Menorca, while whose who can’t keep still should head to Gran Canaria where you can find golf arenas and surfing opportunities. 

If you fall completely in love with everything Spain has to offer, then why not buy or rent a property there?

Finding your dream Spanish property is as easy as strolling down the beautiful Costa del Sol beaches with Right Casa Estates. Spend more time enjoying Spain and all of its wonders.

Why Spain? Now You Know

There are so many reasons why Spain is the right choice for your next vacation, or even as a place of permanent residence.

Whether you enjoy relaxing on the beach, exploring the great outdoors, treating yourself to the latest high-end fashion, or sitting back and trying new dishes, Spain is the perfect place for you.

If you enjoyed reading this article, be sure to check out some of our other insightful articles. 

Entertainment

Do I Need a Visa to Travel to USA from UK? Answered!

Do I Need a Visa to Travel to USA from


Do I Need a Visa to Travel to USA from UK? Answered!

It might be an instinct to assume that if you’re from an English-speaking country then you wouldn’t need a visa to visit another English-speaking country.

Unfortunately, it’s a bit more complicated than that.

“Do I need a visa to travel to USA from UK?” can be quite a common question, so keep reading learn all about the process and what you need to do to have a successful trip to the US.

So Do I Need a Visa to Travel to USA from UK?

In short, yes, you do.

However, it isn’t a traditional visa. What you’ll need is an ESTA in order to travel to the USA with no issues.

ESTA stands for Electronic System for Travel Authorization and it’s a mandatory requirement for UK citizens to get before arriving in the United States.

What Is an ESTA?

The ESTA was first introduced in January 2009 and it applies to citizens of 38 different countries. 

It’s a Visa Waiver Program (VWP) that is put in place as a middle-ground type of procedure instead of a standard travel visa for visitors coming in from certain countries. 

In addition, as long as your trip doesn’t exceed 90 days, then you should be eligible for a streamlined and quick ESTA visa waiver. 

The ESTA’s Procedures and Rules

As you’re planning on traveling to the US, you’ll have to apply for an ESTA before departing in the cases of tourism or business travel. Moreover, it’s also required for transit. 

Thus, it’s important to ensure that you have a valid transit ESTA if you’re a British citizen with a connecting flight in the US. 

This can also apply to Caribbean cruises. Depending on the cruise’s trajectory, you might need to have an ESTA on hand.

The deciding factor is whether you’ll be stepping in American territory or not. If the cruise departs or arrives at an American port, it’s better safe than sorry to have a valid ESTA with you.

ESTA Application Process 

You can apply online for the ESTA, which immensely speeds up and facilitates the process.

However, before you start your application process, make sure you have the following documents on hand:

  • Valid passport
  • Flight ticket information
  • Accommodation information and receipts
  • Debit/credit card

After completing your online form with all of your personal information and passport details, you’ll be asked to pay the application fee. Afterward, you’ll be sent the confirmation for a successful application and your ESTA by email.

Furthermore, it’s important to keep in mind that while the maximum stay is 90 days from the date of entry, the ESTA’s validity period is two years. 

The ESTA’s expiration date can cause issues if it’s not renewed in a timely fashion. Therefore, make sure you have your ESTA renewal taken care of because you don’t want to be stuck mid-air between the US and the UK with an expired ESTA.  

Ready for More Content and Advice?

Now you know the answer to the famed question “do I need a visa to travel to USA from UK?” 

With a valid ESTA all ready to go, you’re in a good place to relax and enjoy your trip. As long as you keep a close eye on your ESTA’s expiry date, you won’t have any problems.

Moreover, there is so much more content to check out before you go. Head straight to our popular articles section for all the advice that you need!

Technology

How to Find Travel Topics For Your Blog That People Will Actually Read

How to Find Travel Topics For Your Blog That People


How to Find Travel Topics For Your Blog That People Will Actually Read

Would you like to write a travel blog but aren’t sure what to write about?

The world of blogging is full of interesting content that can entertain others. Blogging lets people look into the lives of others, and gather inspiration to do things.

Not only can you entertain people with a blog, but you can also provide valuable information. With a blog, you can post about several travel topics, such as how-to articles and advice.

Continue reading to learn about some ways that you can gather travel topics to write about.

Decide What the Goal of Your Blog Is

When you start writing a blog, you need to decide on what you want people to take away from it. Your blog should revolve around a specific theme. Writing travel blogs allows you to provide several topics to people, but you can’t be all over the place.

If your goal is to help people, you should write articles that help people figure out how to do things and provide travel advice.

If your goal is to inspire people, you can write about the positive things that come with traveling. You can also incorporate photography into your posts to show the beauty of the world.

You can also use a travel blog to document your life. People often use blogs to post about the things that they’re doing, the places they’re visiting, and what their plans are. 

What Do You Enjoy Doing?

You can come up with several travel article ideas by figuring out what you enjoy doing. If you’re someone that enjoys visiting beaches, you can write about cities that are on the coast.

Do you love food? You can be like Migrationology and travel the world to eat food. He goes around to different cities in foreign countries and writes about them and the food that he’s eaten. 

Basing your blog around the things that you enjoy doing will make it more personalized, but readers will be able to expect 

Discuss Travel Topics That Are Useful

One of the reasons that people read travel blogs is because they are planning on traveling themselves. They will want to read the information that they find useful because it will benefit them on their future travels.

Anyone can write about their travel itinerary, but you’ll make a difference to people by providing useful info. You can write about things like travel gear, places to visit, a country’s laws, and what there is to do.

Start Traveling to Get Inspired

If you’re going to write a travel blog, you need to have experience traveling. If you don’t have the experience, you need to, at least, have plans to travel. Without travel experience, you won’t be relatable to viewers.

Having already traveled will allow you to answer questions that you had before traveling, which are the same questions that others ask. You’ll also be able to provide realistic information.

Traveling is a unique experience that lets people learn more about the world. Seeing new places, meeting new people, and eating food that you’ve never seen before will make your mind flow with new travel blog ideas.

During your travels, you may pick up new hobbies or take an interest in a certain lifestyle. This will give you content that you can use for your blog.

If you’ve never traveled before and are interested, you can look into a travel agency to help you plan a vacation. They will help you with hotels, activities, and provide you with more information about the locations that you’re interested in.

Travel Blog Advice

Here is some advice that you should consider if you’d like to make your travel blog successful:

Use Social Media

Social media is dominating the internet, with nearly half of the world using it. With social media, you’ll be able to interact with your audience and post more about your travels.

Platforms like Instagram allow users to post photos and videos to their profile page and “stories.” This gives people something to look at throughout the day, rather than waiting for a new blog post.

Post YouTube Videos

Creating YouTube content will give your blog a boost because you’ll be able to do more. With YouTube, you can post videos, polls, and photos. Users can comment on your posts, giving you a way to receive feedback on your content. 

You can use YouTube hand in hand with your blog, posting videos about your travels. People like to see videos because they provide a real feel of the environment at hand.

If you’d like to get creative, you can invest in a drone for videos of cities and landscapes. Pair your footage with smooth editing and music, then upload your video to YouTube and your blog.

Try New Things

Don’t be afraid to try new things. The whole point of traveling is to experience new things and go out of your comfort zone. If you aren’t willing to do new things, you’ll be limiting your creativity and traveling for nothing.

While traveling in itself is a new and different experience, you should open up to things of different cultures. This will let you think of new things to do, and you’ll be better prepared for future travels.

Start Your Travel Blog Today

Once you have decided that you’d like to start a travel blog, the first thing you have to do is make one. After you make one, think of some things that you’d like to do and places you want to visit.

Coming up with travel topics doesn’t have to be difficult, you just need to allow yourself to embrace the world. 

Feel free to browse our website to find more topics relating to travel!

Technology

Get Sponsored to Travel: How to Land Awesome Sponsors for Your Travel Blog

Get Sponsored to Travel: How to Land Awesome Sponsors for


Get Sponsored to Travel: How to Land Awesome Sponsors for Your Travel Blog

You’ve always dreamed of being a successful travel writer.

You love combing through Instagram and checking out the most luxurious hotels, beautiful destinations, and seriously breathtaking scenery and landmarks.

The only thing standing in your way? 

Your lack of knowledge about how to get sponsored to travel as a blogger and influencer. 

Don’t worry — this post is here to help you to learn how to make it happen. Read on to start living your dream life.

Start with Brands You Know

If you want to learn how to get brands to sponsor your Instagram or blog, the best thing is to start with ones you know. 

After all, a cold pitch email to a company whose products or services you use as a part of your routine will sound much more genuine than reaching out to a company you know nothing about. 

Maybe you’ve traveled across the world with some seriously durable luggage, and want to feature your favorite suitcase and its ability to stand up to the elements in a post. 

Contact the marketing department, specifically the public relations manager, to find out how to make it happen. 

Network on Social Media

In your quest to become a travel influencer or travel photographer like David Highbloom, you’ll spend a lot of your time on social media. 

In-person networking is still important, but the truth is that most of your networking will take place on social media. 

Of course, make sure you follow other travel bloggers, brands you love, and popular hotels/resorts (and even airlines!) But also get active on popular travel hashtags. When you upload a photo of yourself, tag the companies whose products you’re wearing or showing off. 

You might be surprised by how many free travel opportunities within your niche come pouring in once you establish yourself on social media.

Publish on Travel Sites

When you’re trying to get sponsored to travel, you have to make sure that the biggest players and companies in the game know who you are. 

Yes, coming up with content for your own blog and your social media platforms is incredibly important. 

However, you also need to do what you can to get published on well-read travel blogs and sites. Become a contributor, and include links back to your own blog and social media handles in your content. 

This makes it much easier to connect with hotels that work with bloggers and other sponsorship opportunities. 

Are You Ready to Get Sponsored to Travel?

We hope that this post has helped you to better understand how to get sponsored to travel. 

Whether you’re connecting with powerful brands and other influencers on social media, or if you’re trying to make a name for yourself on travel sites, remember that things might take time. 

Our blog is here to help you to learn how to write interesting, informative travel content — that lands you tons of travel sponsors in the process. 

Keep checking back with us for more writing, SEO, and social media tips and tricks. 

Entertainment

How to Write Travel Articles That Sell Your Business

How to Write Travel Articles That Sell Your Business


How to Write Travel Articles That Sell Your Business

The act of traveling has been capturing the hearts and minds of people for generations and will continue to enchant us for hundreds of years to come.

Because of our innate fascination with travel, it’s no wonder that travel articles are as popular as they are.

Travel articles are an excellent way to attract a little extra attention and help give your small business a boost. That said, creating travel articles your customers will want to read is easier said than done.

If you’re interested in writing travel articles to help sell your business but aren’t sure where to begin, we can help.

Here’s everything you need to know about writing travel articles that will captivate and entice your readers.

Be Picky With Your Topics

While getting caught in the rain on a train platform had a significant impact on you — the same might not go for your customers.

When picking topics to write about, you want to make sure they are timely, valid, and you can tie them back to your company’s mission.

An article about an exhilarating trek through Spain may work well for this website, but it may not for other sites.

Make it Unique

No two people experience things the same way. So, you can be sure that no matter where you go, you’ll come back with a set of stories only you can tell.

A talented travel writer knows to lean on what made the trip different, rather than focus on what they think their readers are expecting to hear.

A Picture’s Worth a Thousand Words

Apart from being excellent for improving your article’s SEO, pictures provide a fantastic way to immerse your readers in your story.

By giving your readers a taste of what the place you visited looks like, they can better connect with your story.

You shouldn’t overpower your writing with an extensive gallery of every single picture you took. But, by adding a few select photos, you can create an article that sells your business.

Keep It Simple

When writing about travel, it can be very easy to wind-up waxing poetic.

Part of what makes travel so enchanting is the potential for aimless wandering. But, when writing a travel article to help sell your business, you can’t afford to waste your word count on romanticism.

Write Your Ending First

While travel is about the journey, not the destination, you cannot say the same about a piece of writing. A travel article is, in essence, a story. And every good story must have a solid ending.

Before you get writing, you should figure out where you want your story to end up. The best way to do this is by creating a reverse outline. Start with your climax and ending, then figure out what you need to include in the run-up to the finale.

How to Write Travel Articles

People will always have a fascination with travel. Which, is why you can always count being able to use travel articles to sell your business.

Now that you know what goes into a good travel article, it’s time to get writing.

If you’re in need of a few extra writing tips and tricks, we can help. Check out our extensive collection of writing guides to help take your writing to the next level today.

Business

How to Tell Compelling Stories as a Travel Writer

How to Tell Compelling Stories as a Travel Writer


How to Tell Compelling Stories as a Travel Writer

Do you fantasize about visiting exotic locations and getting paid to write about them? If so, you have competition. The projected job growth for travel writers is only expected to be about 2% through 2024.

This means if you’re determined to have a go at this niche you need to make your writing stand out, beyond impeccable spelling and grammar. The best travel writers out there know how to tell a story that captivates their readers.

Read on to learn how you can become a great travel writer with interesting stories to tell.

Always Write in the First Person

The enjoyment of travel is a very human experience, which means you should strive to make a personal connection with your readers. One of the best ways to do this is to always write your articles in the first person.

This not only makes it obvious that you’ve visited the location you’re writing about first hand, but it makes your audience feel like a trusted friend is speaking to them.

Travel writers differ from usual journalists in that they usually have personal opinions to share. By contrast, writing from a third person perspective makes you sound way too objective and distant from your readers.

Avoid Cliches

Most people can name some common travel phrases off the top of their head, such as bustling boutiques and sweeping views. Try to avoid using tiresome cliches as they are formulaic and can bore your audience.

Come up with different ways of describing things instead.

Travel writing should be almost conversational as if you’re telling a friend about your latest adventure.

Provide Insider Information

Good travel content should always inform. When people are interested in visiting a destination, they want to know about the best affordable hotels to stay at, the best times of the year to avoid crowds, how to save money on public transportation and more.

In other words, they want insider tips; tactics on saving time and money that not too many other people may know about. If you discovered how to score a free London bus pass or found out that visiting the Colosseum at night is less touristy, definitely include this information when writing about a location.

Knowing the inside scoop will make you sound more like a local. You’ll also come across as a trusted source.

The Paris Guy is one such travel writer that offers tips on how to avoid lines at common Paris tourist attractions.

Write About Unique Attractions and Locations

The same old tourist traps have been covered thousands of times by travel writers. Instead, consider focusing on or highlighting niche attractions and locations that not many people have visited or may think of traveling to.

Sometimes the most interesting places can be found in small towns or villages that have as much to offer as big cities. Hidden or quirky tourist attractions and unique restaurants and shops will appreciate the free PR.

Keep Reading and Learning

Reading travel magazines, books, and newspaper articles will help launch ideas about new places to visit while also teaching you how to keep your own writing fresh. You may also want to visit travel expos and seminars to learn about new destinations and get the inside track on travel tips and new hotels.

Meetup groups that focus on travel, whether local or international, can also provide you with story ideas to pitch to travel editors.

Start a Blog

One of the best ways you can add credibility and writing samples, particularly if you’re a new travel writer, is to start your own travel blog. It doesn’t matter if you begin by covering attractions within a day’s drive of your residence or sharing travel clothing tips; it will give you a chance to practice travel writing and get better at it.

It helps if your blog focuses on something specific. Maybe you love to visit old diners and other vintage American attractions, or you’re really into visiting glamping locations. Or perhaps you have a knack for discovering the latest travel gadgets or sampling authentic local cuisine on trips.

Whatever your specialty, it should be something that you’re really passionate about. This will make updating your blog something you look forward to.

With time and the right content, you should begin attracting an audience and enough traffic to help monetize your website.

Leverage Social Media

If you’re serious about starting a travel writing career, active social media channels are a must. Besides using them to post photos from recent excursions, they can help you connect with magazine editors and industry contacts.

You don’t have to have a presence on every social media channel, but whichever ones you choose aim to post updates regularly. Try to engage your followers in conversations.

Social media is also a great place, of course, to share blog posts and travel articles you’ve written.

Don’t Give Up

You can’t expect every editor you pitch a story idea to get back to you. The key to successful freelance travel writing is to keep actively pitching and never give up.

Try not to take rejection or the lack of a response personally.

Perseverance is the key to any form of successful writing. Keep hustling, reading, and learning as much as you can about travel writing and you’re bound to receive agreements to publish your pieces.

Are You Ready to be a Travel Writer?

Being a travel writer can be a very rewarding gig, whether you want to do it full-time or to supplement your regular income. There’s nothing like exploring the world and everything it has to offer and then sharing your experience with others.

To start becoming a better travel writer, check out our numerous travel and leisure posts. They’re sure to spark some ideas for places to visit and write about as well as inform you of how to be a better and smarter traveler.

Entertainment

10 Secrets from the World’s Top Travel Bloggers

10 Secrets from the World's Top Travel Bloggers


10 Secrets from the World’s Top Travel Bloggers

Becoming a globe-trotting blogger sounds intriguing in every way. Imagine being able to see the world, all the while earning an income? It’s like being on a lifetime vacation with the perks of earning enough to pay for your travel bills.

But what does it really take to become a travel blogger? The concept of quitting your day job, leaving your home country to travel the world sounds fun but scary.

How do travel bloggers do it? If this is something you aspire to become, then the best way to learn is from those who are already doing it. You can find plenty of individuals and couples on Instagram who has blogs documenting their travels.

Let’s take a look at some of the ways they’re able to achieve this.

1. Go Incognito When Searching for Flights

You’re going to book countless flights while on your travels local and abroad. This means you’ll need to save as much as you can when booking your tickets.

One secret travel bloggers use when they’re shopping for flight tickets is to search while on incognito. Why is this important? Because airlines track your search history to see which routes you’re searching for. Then they hike up the prices.

The way around this is to switch your browser to incognito mode so the airliners are unable to do so. This will allow you to shop around for tickets and double check prices without worry of price hikes.

2. Travel Bloggers Bring Along Comfort Items

Now, there are various tools you can use to help make your travels more comfortable. This is especially important when you’re traveling with children. For instance, you can allow your children to bring along a toy or stuffed animal.

A portable sound machine can also make staying in a strange hotel more comfortable. It will help improve the atmosphere and also drown out loud guests and street noises.

3. Don’t Overpack

You never want to pack too many items when you’re traveling. Not only will it weigh you down, but it’ll empty your wallet. You have to pay for extra luggage that’s not qualified as a carry-on, so more fees to worry about.

Try to only pack what you absolutely need – clothes, underclothes, hygiene products, your laptop, smartphone and maybe a few snacks and drinks.

You’ll also be happy you don’t have to wait around in long lines for your luggage. Too often people lose their baggage because of airliner mistakes.

4. Download All Maps Ahead of Time

You want your maps to be downloaded in advance and in offline mode. This way, you can access them in the event you don’t have cell phone data or Wi-Fi access.

Some areas in foreign countries have no internet access, so you’ll need to ensure you can get to your hotel and other locations without an issue.

It’s a good idea to download the way to your hotel, back to the airport and to the destinations you plan to visit during your stay.

5. Give the Local Cuisine a Try

There’s no better way to experience a culture than to head right to their food markets and restaurants. The types of foods eaten in a particular country is sometimes a complete 360 from what you’re accustomed to in your home country.

This will also give you some interesting content to share with your blog audience. You can even do a video to show the food and the atmosphere of the restaurant you’re dining in.

A lot of people are curious about the foods in different countries and cities, so this will really help your audience out.

6. Get a Filtered Water Bottle

There are two reasons you want to go this route. One, filtered water bottles will ensure your safety, since you’ll drink from tap water quite often in certain foreign countries. Then you can also save money on having to buy bottled water during your stay.

Then there’s the eco-friendliness – you’re not throwing away a bunch of plastic bottles that stay in the landfills, polluting our environment.

7. Bring Hard and Soft Copies of Your IDs

The last thing you need to happen is for you to lose your passport and ID while in a foreign country. It can take weeks, if not months, to sort things out, depending on where you’re at.

So to help ensure things don’t go awry, you should bring along hard and soft copies of your identification cards. You can scan your cards and send them to your email, Dropbox or another cloud service.

If you’ve yet to get your passport or need a new one, you can get an expedited passport. You can purchase it online and have your application processed in just 24 hours.

This is definitely the best friend of travel bloggers.

8. Monetize Your Travel Blog

You’ll need to earn money while you’re on your travels. Since you’re aspiring to become a travel blogger, then it makes sense to earn money doing what you love.

There are different ways you can monetize your blog. For instance, you can use display advertising or earn money promoting products and services via affiliate sales.

Then if you have your own products, you can promote and sell these as well.

9. Fly Around the World for Free

Sure, this sounds a little too good to be true, but it’s really not. At least, not if you play your cards right. It’s all about building up your frequent flyer points. You can visit sites like Frequent Flier, Extra Pack of Peanuts and Frugal Travel Guy for tips and resources.

10. Always Pack Cash

Today, everyone uses credit and debit cards to pay for everything. But if you’re planning to visit third-world countries, then expect there to be cash-only vendors.

Make sure to bring along cash just in case. Plus, if you lose your card, you will have some backup money you can use. Also, note that ATMs aren’t always the norm, so don’t rely on this for cash withdrawals – get it before you arrive!

Becoming One of the Top Travel Bloggers

Wouldn’t it be great to one day be considered as one of the elite travel bloggers? Well, that day could come sooner than you think. But it will take hard work and dedication to pull this off.

With the above tips, you can ensure you’re doing all you can to make your travels easier, so you can continue doing what you love doing – blogging about your travels!

If you need help writing content for your travel blog, you can always hire expert help from Article City. Stop by our site today to find a professional writer to help with your weekly or monthly content!

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5 Tips to Help Choose Your Travel Clothing Wisely

5 Tips to Help Choose Your Travel Clothing Wisely


5 Tips to Help Choose Your Travel Clothing Wisely

As the world changes, the urge to hit the road or take to the skies keeps increases, and for good reason.

With the influx of negative news stories and social media posts, it is easy to feel like you don’t have anything in common with people who are different from you. Travel changes that perspective, and gives you an opportunity to see a place and a culture you couldn’t have experienced otherwise.

Of course, before you can go anywhere new, you have to face one of the most difficult aspects of traveling: packing!

Packing the right travel clothing can be difficult. You don’t want to bring too much and weigh your suitcase down, but you also don’t want to bring too little and appear unprepared.

Below, we’re sharing five packing tips that will help you ensure you carry the right travel clothing to your new destination.  Read on to learn more!

1. Consider the Weather

Fashion might be important to you in your everyday life, but when you’re thinking about travel clothing, comfort is key.

You’re going to be walking around exploring a new place, so you want to pack clothes that will be right for the elements. Do some research beforehand on what the weather is going to be like during your trip.

One item to bring no matter what the forecast says? A lightweight rain jacket, just in case.

2. Bring Sturdy Clothes

The last thing you want on a long trip is a delicate item that you can only wear once before having to take it to the dry cleaners. Expensive items and fancier materials are better left at home.

Instead, opt for articles of clothing that you know you can wear several times without washing, and that will be easy to clean when you get home.

3. Do a Wardrobe Refresh

One of the best ways to get excited about an upcoming trip is to buy new clothes and accessories that you’ll debut once you reach your destination.

Set a reasonable shopping budget, and start looking for new items that will fit in well with your vacation location. A site like https://www.kledingafterpay.nl/ is a good place to look, because they have everything from laptop bags to blazers to necklaces, all for a reasonable price.

4. Consider the Culture

If you’re traveling somewhere to explore a new culture, you want to make sure that you’re being respectful of the local customs. Styles and dress codes are not the same everywhere in the world, and that’s something you should be aware of.

There are a lot of resources online for finding out the appropriate dress for different locations, so do some research beforehand.

5. Pick a Color Scheme

If you’re worried about fitting everything into a carry-on bag, it can be helpful to pick a color scheme. White and black, for example, is always classic. Or you may want to be a little bolder, and pack neon colors.

Whatever you choose, matching all your clothes and accessories to that color scheme can help you save space.

Read to Start Prepping Travel Clothing?

No matter where in the world you’re going for your next vacation, you want to make sure you’re prepared with the right outfits and accessories.

These tips will help you remember to pack everything you need. For more helpful tips, please contact us at any time.