Impact of Cloud Computing on Travel Industry

Introduction

The last decade has seen major changes in the travel distribution landscape. First, it was the Internet that started a revolution and forever changed how the travel industry operates. This online boom followed by subsequent economic slowdown has created new dynamics in travel distribution. The proliferation of smart phones and social media has resulted in further creating both chaos as well as new opportunities. While opening up new avenues for growth, these developments have also created new operational challenges.

Challenges faced by travel distribution industry

Dynamic Demand

One key nature of the travel industry is that the demand for travel is highly seasonal and cyclic. This creates a challenge for any operations manager in terms of capacity planning and right sizing of the IT support infrastructure. Planning for peak size can result in underutilization and lead to higher marginal cost. On the other hand, not planning for peak load runs the risk of lost transaction opportunities, unsatisfied customers and finally business losses. This is one of the primary reasons why most travel distribution players end up having higher IT infrastructure cost and lower operating margins.

Increased Search Volume

Increased number of travel portals along with a changing pattern of travel booking behavior of the travelers, has resulted in a huge surge in ‘look to book’ ratio. This increased number of availability request per booking now runs into thousands from a mere single digit number few years back, putting an enormous pressure on existing IT infrastructure. According to Pegasus Solutions, global processor of hotel transactions through the GDS and ADS channels, the look-to-book ratio soared to around +60% over 2009 levels and is expected to rise further. Today’s common look-to-book ratio is almost at a 2,500 -3,000 to 1, -primarily due to growth of online reservation and the changing consumer behavior who is now looking ‘value for money’ deals. For this, travel shoppers use multiple avenues such as search engines, referral sites, websites, mobile applications, and social media.

Business Disruptions

Just prior to the recession, online travel booking soared to all time highs attracting further investments in IT infrastructure in demand anticipation. However, discretionary travel was one of the first spends that was cut down during the slowdown. This caused a severe strain on financials and travel companies had to rethink their models yet again.

Increase in number of sales channels

Popularity of smart phones has persuaded travel players to embrace mobility as a medium to manage bookings and provide other experiences to increase customer stickiness. At the same time, social media sites have also become very popular and travel portals are trying to utilize this trend by integrating different social media components with their sites. Of course, more number of channels also increases complexities in product management.

Cloud computing from a travel distribution perspective

The Cloud helps enterprises to have a dynamically scalable abstracted computing infrastructure that is available on-demand and on a pay-per-use basis. This model not only saves the IT teams from investing heavily on infrastructure, but also shields them from the intricacies involved in infrastructure setup and management. Presently, apart from providing the on-demand IT infrastructure, cloud service providers typically provide interfaces for other related IT management services. To understand the application of Cloud computing to the travel industry, availability searching or shopping is probably the best example; it is by and large the biggest resource consumer in a typical travel process. In today’s circumstances, travel enterprises who run their entire travel application on a single infrastructure platform put unnecessary stress on operational budgets. One of the probable solutions to this problem is to decouple the availability search functionality from the traditional CRS system transfer it on an infrastructure that can support flexible demand. At the onset, it seems to be a complex and upheaval task, as it creates operational challenges such as latency. However, these challenges can be handled through a cloud based solution which offers higher scalability by using modern architecture patterns. On the other hand, mobility is witnessing an unprecedented growth in demand – this is another area where a cloud strategy can bring in competitive advantages for travel organizations. The key challenges that travel enterprises are facing today regarding mobile and social media channels are manifold, viz.,

  • With the advancements of mobile devices such as iPhone, iPad, Android, Symbian, and Blackberry, travel enterprises need to invest in leveraging these to further their distribution and fulfillment channels.
  • Mobility, being a rapidly evolving technology, is difficult to predict in terms of short term as well as long term demand. Due to this, travel enterprises are facing a challenge in scoping the required infrastructure for supporting mobility channel.
  • Travel enterprises need to create a business model to measure increase in revenue and profit against the costs incurred on mobility & social media investments.

Cloud based flexible and on-demand infrastructure enables a travel enterprise to offer mobility and social media channels without incurring any fixed cost. Using a cloud infrastructure, a travel enterprise can start in a small way and grow into these evolving markets with a lower risk and financial strain.

Key concerns in adopting cloud based system

Availability of a Service

Organizations worry about whether utility computing services will have adequate availability, and this makes them wary of Cloud Computing. But in reality, cloud infrastructure providers such as Amazon and Google have much lower outage compared to any internal IT system.

Data lock-in

The primary way to access the cloud platforms is through proprietary APIs. Thus, enterprises feel that they cannot easily extract their data and programs from one site to run on another. But in reality, all major service providers have an obligation in their contract to return the data to the enterprise. These service providers also have data access APIs that can be used to extract data in standard formats.

Data Confidentiality and Statutory Requirements

Many enterprises believe that their data will not be secure in the cloud, since current cloud offerings are essentially public networks. However in reality most of these cloud service providers have better data protection and security mechanism than most IT organizations. They achieve this through the usage of audit trail, encrypted storage, and network middle-boxes. Service providers also comply with various statutory and audit requirements related to enterprise and personal data security and usage.

Integration with external systems

Since travel distribution systems interact with multiple external applications, travel enterprises always have a concern about integrating the cloud based system with other external systems. However, all major cloud service providers have web service interfaces that can be utilized to integrate the cloud based system with other external systems.

Solution for the ‘long tail’

As we know, the travel industry comprises of many small to mid-sized companies. A large majority of which are very entrepreneurial and niche in terms of the products and services they offer. Companies in this ‘long tail’ have little or limited IT knowledge or support and rely on numerous third parties for IT. Such companies always find it difficult to balance their IT spending between IT upgrades and innovating on their solutions, and this tends to become a barrier for business growth. Even today, many small time travel enterprises do not even have an IT system, because they cannot afford to setup an IT operation in-house. Economics of Cloud environment can change this basic premise and make it both affordable and beneficial for travel enterprises of any size who can use this service to derive a competitive advantage. Such an environment brings tremendous advantages to such companies because it also helps them to manage their cash flow better. At the other end of the horizon, start-ups are finding it easier to build and offer products like CRSs, tour operating systems, distribution systems or basic inventory systems on a SaaS model, which is a stronger value proposition and provides a competitive edge to their offerings.

Business outcomes of using cloud based systems

From the above discussion we can conclude that travel enterprise can achieve business growth by leveraging the power of cloud computing:

  • A cloud-based solution reduces the total cost of IT ownership for the travel enterprises and offers performance, reliability, security, and flexible scalability advantages
  • Travel enterprises are able to increase customer base due to higher availability, low congestion, and additional sales channels
  • Competitive advantage to the small and mid-sized enterprise in the form of lower fixed or upfront capital cost
  • Improved operational efficiency due to low marginal cost
  • Ability to manage risks better by reducing fixed investment on any new initiative

How To Select The Best Home Furniture

If you have an interest in purchasing home furniture from Malaysia then there are certain considerations that should not be overlooked. As it is known as one of the top five exporters of furniture worldwide, you can be sure that the range of options will be extensive. It is important to think carefully about the purchase so as to ensure that you buy the perfect items for your place of residence.

Before spending any money you should visualize how the pieces you are considering would look in your own home. Whether or not you opt for a complete set of furniture or choose individual items would depend upon your exact needs. Often selecting separate pieces would give you greater scope for flexibility and changes at a later date.

If you feel that you do not have the time or the inclination to sit down and analyze every aspect of choosing modern Malaysian furniture, the solution would be to hire a professional to conduct the task on your behalf. Most interior designers would be able to suggest specific pieces depending upon your tastes, current decor, and budget. As such individuals are trained in decoration you would be able to create a look that is unique.

Today, choosing home furniture is a lot easier thanks to the internet. Now wherever you are located you can browse at leisure a wide variety of online furniture retailers. If you are planning to shop online make sure you are clear on such factors as the exact color of the items, their dimensions, and shipping costs. You should also inquire if there is a return policy in case you are not happy with the goods once they are delivered.

Of course you can always spend time visiting furniture stores in person. Though you would be able to see exactly how certain furnishings appear you would not necessarily have access to the greatest range of items or the best deals. Using the internet to locate suitable pieces and then planning a viewing trip would make more sense.

Before parting with your hard earned cash make sure you have considered how the home furniture will be transported to your home. Do you need to pick it up or will it be sent to your address. Also, do not make the unfortunate mistake of buying pieces that are too large to fit through your doors or windows; this is an error that occurs all to often.

Why Your Business Needs Corporate Travel Management

Are you a manager or business owner constantly finding yourself sending employees and sales people to conventions, networking events, and seminars all around the country? You are probably finding the process a bit stressful and have already tried different techniques to make things easier. If you have not made much progress in streamlining your corporate travel, it’s understandable. After all, organizing corporate travel can be a challenging task regardless of the size of your corporation. That’s why you should contract a corporate travel management firm. An established firm has the experience and expertise that will make your business travel organization a walk in the park. You would be surprised at how much time and money you can save on your corporate travel operations by allowing a professional to tweak, track, and trim a few things here and there.
If you have been organizing your corporate travel in house, it’s time to allocate your time more effectively and outsource your travel management to a firm. Did you know that you could be saving money on corporate travel expenses in more ways than one? Whether your employees are attending seminars in the US or traveling abroad to expand international markets, you will be able to benefit from the services of a corporate travel manager. From discounts on airline travel and hotels to important expense accounting tricks, a travel management firm has that special sauce that helps your company save.
One of the most attractive advantages to working with a corporate travel management firm is the savings on airfare. If you decide to partner with a large firm who purchases airline tickets in bulk you will easily pay for the management fees using the savings you realize on airfares alone. By working with a travel management service you increase your buying power by orders of magnitude and keep more cash in your expense account. Another way business travel firms can save money for your firm is by connecting your employees ahead of time with several discounted hotels so you don’t just save money on hotel costs, but your employees save time researching hotels. And, as we all know, time is money.
Another excellent benefit of travel management that should not be understated is the tax and corporate accounting advice that is included. A good travel management company will have a unique way of recording and combining travel expenses that allows you to deduct more taxable expenses from your corporate income taxes. If you have not considered, recorded and tracked every single transaction that is accounted for during a corporate voyage (which includes food, drinks, an entertainment expenses) then your company is paying too much in taxes. The key is to write off everything related to every business travel. This is a smart and perfectly legal method that can save your company even more money. You might be thinking about the absolute nightmare of tracking every employee travel expense, but don’t worry, your travel manager will have that figured out too.
Corporate travel management firms these days are incredibly savvy when it comes to technology. Many firms offer a free app that allows each employee to track every single expense as they go about their day on any given trip. The data is uploaded to the app server in real time allowing you to track expenses, compare to other employees and generally keep an eye on which expenses are being billed to the corporate account and why. If you prefer not to see or deal with this information, you can simply request a status report at the end of each month or after each trip and the firm will deliver a summary of all expenses to your smartphone or laptop.
Corporate travel management is crucial for any corporation whether big or small. Keeping track of expenses, obtaining cheap airfares and hotel stays as well as keeping the expense accounting up to par is not a luxury, it is critical for staying competitive and running an efficient business. Most travel management firms will charge a reasonable fee that will pay for itself with a portion of the savings realized. Besides, what is the dollar value that you place on your own time and that of your employees? Any wise business owner or corporate manager knows that time is money.

If You Are Taking Digestive Health Medicine, You Need To Be Careful

It seems that all of us at one time or another feel a need for some kind of digestive health medicine. If by medicine you are referring to a natural treatment then you’re on the right track. If you want to take a prescription drug or non-prescription drug, you need to find out all the facts.

All drugs are unhealthy for you.

Of course, a certain pharmaceutical drug can save a live in an emergency but we as a modern society have become far too dependent on them and they are causing much more damage to some people than they are helping.

Pharmaceuticals are man-made synthetic drugs which leave potentially dangerous toxins in the body. It’s a proven fact that medications are the cause of certain disorders and disease so unless you absolutely have to take a drug for your condition, why not look at a natural alternative?

Digestive health in particular, is a great example of this. We eat a terrible, high processed diet for many years, until finally symptoms manifest because of certain nutrient deficiencies such as digestive enzymes and dietary fiber. Our body eventually needs quality nutrients or else parts of it will start to break down, just like your car if you don’t change the dirty oil and give it clean fuel.

Drugs are not made to cure a disease, only provide temporary treatment of recurring symptoms

Think about it, does a pharmaceutical company want to sell you a cure? Of course not. That would be the last sale they make to you for that problem. Our focus should be on digging a little deeper to find the true cause of the digestive health problem we’re dealing with.

If you have constipation, taking a laxative might give you some temporary relief but it won’t cure your problem for good. Extended laxative use can muscular functions of your bowel, can drain your body’s water, minerals and vitamins. Excessive use can also damage your kidneys.

Now, wouldn’t it be great to naturally cure constipation through the use of diet. Replacing high processed foods, and fast foods which don’t contain many quality nutrients, with real whole foods? Add fresh fruits, raw and steamed vegetables and then replace your processed grains such as white bread and rice with whole grain bread and brown rice. Get the idea?

These wholesome foods will add more dietary fiber, more vitamins, more minerals and digestive enzymes which will help in your body’s digestion and also absorb more of the nutrients from these foods.

Remember, digestive health medicines are a waste of time and money. You need to think about a cure, and that can be done with quality nutrients.

Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food.” – Hippocrates, 400 BC

Tips to Take Care of Your Home Furniture

There are many reasons why people have furniture at their home. Some have furniture to improve the decor of their home while others have furniture so that all family members sit together and spend quality time. Whatever be the reason, it is important that you take care of the upholstery to keep it looking brand new.
Make sure you include upholstery care in your normal household cleaning routine. For example you must vacuum the upholstery when you vacuum the walls and the floor of your home. Vacuuming the upholstery will ensure that surface soil and the dirt embedded in the fabric fibers is removed. If you don’t use a vacuum cleaner you can use a soft brush to remove the dirt from the upholstery.
The life of your furniture can be extended if you turn over the loose cushions in your home. If you don’t turn over the loose cushions they will develop indentations and can get damaged easily. You can also fluff the cushions to ensure they keep their shape. When using the furniture some seats may be used more frequently than others, changing the cushions will help them keep their shape and distribute their use.
Moderate sunlight may be good for your furniture but excess sunlight can cause the furniture to fade and fry. Avoid placing your furniture in direct sunlight. Some fabrics like silk are delicate and exposure to sunlight can damage the fabric.
Airborne pollutants from smoke and cooking fumes can damage the fabric. Therefore it is important that your room is well ventilated. Keeping the surroundings clean will also minimize the possibility of damage from air pollutants.
To keep your furniture free from dirt and dust it is important that you have some rules. Don’t allow anyone to eat on the couch or the chairs. Make sure you cover the cushions will the removable cover that can be machine washed. Dirt from shoes can damage the fabric of the upholstery, so make sure no one sits on the furniture without removing their shoes. Pets can be a great addition to your home but never allow them on your furniture.

How to Get Free Dental Care in the Texas State

Today a lot of people never get dental insurance included in their medical insurance policy. In fact a long time back, the thousand dollars of dental fees were not even covered by insurance policies. Nothing seems to have changed in fact the costs involved in dental treatments have now doubled or tripled than before. Now, even if insurance covers dental treatment costs only a small number of people are actually able to afford it. Due to this reason a lot of people have opted for tooth extraction as an alternative of paying for dental care. Many of them even avoid getting dental care treatments on time due to the expenses involved. Tooth decay and gum disease are the common risks involved if oral care is avoided long enough.
Out of all the 50 states in the U.S., according to the Texas Senator Eliot Shapleigh only a minimal number of residents in Texas have overall health insurance and therefore it ranks last in this regard. Free dental care has become a need all over the country and especially in Texas, so now a lot of organizations have started to put an effort to offer free dental services and there are now several places where people can go, to avail free oral care.
If you are in need of free dental treatment you can start by contacting the Texas Dental Association Smiles Foundation. Every year these dental care opportunities are provided by the licensed dentists at this organization for those who are in need of immediate dental care. The Texas Mission of Mercy is a large event which is held every year for two days in variety of cities all across the state. Here hundreds of people are able to receive free dental care from the volunteering dentists. They even offer free dental services on the go by traveling into communities in mobile vans known as ‘Smiles on Wheels’.
A second alternative to receive such schemed care is by applying at a Hill-Burton Facility for free dental care. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Resources runs the Hill-Burton program, where qualified people are allowed to avail free or low-cost dental and medical care. To be eligible the income level of each patient should meet the current HHR Poverty Guidelines. All you need to do is to go to a facility near you where a Hill-Burton obligated facility is accepted and apply for the free treatment and care. In Texas there are now 11 Hill-Burton facilities and by visiting the HHR website you can find more information about them.
Lastly searching online for a free or low-cost dental clinic will also help you to receive free oral care. To find the right program and service all you need to do is type the term ‘free dental care’ into a search engine with the city closest to you. You can find a comprehensive list of free and low-cost medical and dental care services listed by state and city at Free Dental Work.org.

Panic Disorder in Children – Caring For Them

Panic attacks are a rough thing for anyone to experience. These bouts of intense fear and panic often leave a lasting impression of the effects. Although millions suffer each year from this, it is not just limited to adults. Quite often just as adults can be affected with panic disorder, children can be too.

As parents, witnessing our children going through such an event can be a trying period of time for both the parent and child. Just as we may feel extremely stressed and worried about our young one, imagine how they feel too. We need to do what we can, but how do we care for them when these attacks occur?

The first thing that usually comes to mind, is the thought of calming them down. There are many different ways to go about this, and how effective they may be can differ from child to child. With this being said, there are a few generally effective things we can do.

When a panic attack occurs, our presence may often be one of the few things that can get through to them. Hold them close, and let them hear your reassuring voice. This will tend to bring about a sense of security within them, and could help them to calm down sooner.

Be more active with them. By this I mean talking with them more, being a little more involved with their activities. Understand them a little better, so you can spot the things that may trigger their panic attacks. Through your guidance, you may be able to help them overcome those fears and reduce the occurrences of attacks.

Doing this will also create a better bond. This will in turn act as a solid form of support for the child, something that is desperately needed during this period of time. Try to have open conversation and reassure them that everything will be fine. Reassurance from a parent can be very powerful.

Feel Secure With Best Travel Insurance Coverage

Bajaj Allianz life insurance is a distinct corporate among the world giants such as Bajaj auto and Allianz group. Bajaj auto is the largest manufacturer of two-wheelers and three wheelers in the world and Allianz group is one of the top ranked insurance companies in the world. Bajaj Allianz insurance company has more than 800 offices around the whole world and about 4 million satisfied clients. Bajaj Allianz life insurance company provides an extensive variety of insurance plans and policies.

Bajaj Allianz insurance offers convenient payment schemes like debit cards, credit cards, cheques, or directly from their customers bank accounts. The friendly and patient agents of Bajaj Allianz life insurance helps in the specifications of insurance policies, quotes and terms that best suits each individuals needs.

Bajaj Allianz offers a wide variety of insurance in India. Travel companion, travel elite and student travel are the most important insurance plans under Bajaj Allianz. They are also providing other travel plans like corporate insurance, travel Asia and travel swadesh yatra. Let’s go in to some details of these plans.

Travel companion is a travel insurance policy which is a comprehensive package which provides complete medical and health cover to the international traveler. You can choose a suitable plan according to your requirements from the travel companion insurance plan which offers customized plans for individual, family and senior citizen of age, 61-70. This policy covers personal accident, medical expenses and repatriation, loss and delay of checked baggage, personal liability, loss of passport, cashless service, hospitalization expenses, hijack cover, emergency cash advance, trip delay, golfers hole-in-one etc.

Travel elite is a customized online travel insurance that provides the discerning traveler a good range of policies to choose from, where each policy will be customized to meet your specific requirements. One can choose the policy depending on whether they are a student, a businessman, senior citizen, corporate executive or one traveling with the family. There are plans for individual, family, and senior citizen of age, 61-70 and senior citizen of age, 71-75 in the travel elite insurance plan offered by Bajaj Allianz.

Student travel insurance plan is specially designed for students to make their travel risk free. This plan offers protection for a student’s as well as coverage for other essential needs like medical and hospitalization help. There are three plans which come under student travel. They are study companion plan, student elite plan and scholars guide and brilliant minds.

Corporate international travel is a comprehensive plan which provides complete medical and health cover to the international business traveler. This plan covers your business trips abroad. Bajaj Allianz offers customized plans for virtually every requirement of corporate employees traveling abroad. Companion, elite and age 61-70 plans come under the corporate insurance plan.

Travel Asia policy is a comprehensive plan which offers complete medical and health cover to the international traveler. You can choose from the travel companion and travel elite plan which come under the travel Asia policy.

Don’t worry. Bajaj Allianz also provides travel for the domestic traveler. Travel swadeshi yatra is an insurance plan that takes care of all your needs during domestic travel. This policy comes under 4 different plans which are customized to suit the various needs of a domestic traveler.

Discount Home Furniture for An Entertainment Room

Having a room in the house dedicated to entertainment can be relaxing. Whether you’re turning an old bedroom into a game room or the basement into a den, you’ll want a space that has a great sound system, a lot of space for guests, and great discount home furniture that will accommodate everyone.

The first thing you need to do is figure out your entertainment set up. How big your television is going to be depends on the size of your room. Consider wall mounting for saving some space. A great surround sound system will help give that movie theater feel when watching films. You can mount speakers above you in the corners of the room or just placed them on the floor. Either way you’ll get a unique audio experience.

If you are a gamer, setting up your consoles in here will be another great entertainment option. Make sure to purchase a surge protector so you can plug everything in one place and protect them from any electrical blow outs.

Setting all your electronics up, plus storing DVDS, video games, and other nick-nacks can be tough. A large entertainment center is a great piece of discount home furniture that can be used to keep you organized. They often come with built in DVD shelving and extra space to store that Xbox 360 or Blu-ray player underneath the television.

After you have your sound systems and electronics set up, it’s time to think about seating. Couches are a great option, but sectionals are even better if you are planning on using the room often to host parties. Sectionals can accommodate more people but their layout can save some space. Don’t forget an ottoman, as it can be great as an extra seat if needed. You can often find ottomans that also double as storage which may be another way to keep those movies in order.

Another discount home furniture option is true game room pieces like a pool table or ping pong. No matter what game of choice, even if it’s an old school arcade cabinet, it’ll be appreciated by all. Everyone enjoys a good movie, but to have an option to play a game multiple people can really get involved in is great in itself. It’ll also let your game room have a bit of an old school feel. Don’t forget the much needed dart board.

Carving out a separate space for fun and games will you, family and friends a place to go a little crazy without disturbing anyone else in the house. Properly furnished, it could soon become your favorite room in the entire house.

Over 65s Travel Insurance – 4 Reasons Why It Is So Important

Is you are wondering if holiday insurance is really worth it, It is far more important than you think! If you are thinking about not taking out insurance to save a few dollars, think twice. You could financially ruin your retirement. It can be obscenely expensive to access health care overseas. There are a few companies out there that specialize in over 65s travel insurance. You just need to do a Google search to hunt them down. Here are 4 of the top reasons why getting travel insurance is absolutely necessary, especially when you’re looking forward to enjoying your retirement.

In travel, there’s a wise saying that goes: “If you can’t afford to get travel insurance, then you can’t afford to travel at all.” Getting insurance has always been important, but it’s even MORE important today, with the state of world travel. Here’s reason #1:

Reason #1 – To Cover Health Emergencies.

It’s a hard fact to swallow, but most of us simply aren’t as healthy and strong as a senior citizen as we were in our 20’s and 30’s. That’s why it’s always a good idea to get travel insurance to cover health emergencies. Adequate travel insurance will even cover the costs if you have to be flown home, even if you’re on a stretcher and have to take up the space of six to nine seats! However, don’t expect to be covered for pre-existing illnesses, you are considered a high risk. This fact should save you hours of search time.

Reason #2 – To Cover Travel Delay Costs.

Cancellations and delays are a fact of travel. Just in case your first flight gets delayed and you miss your connecting flight, adequate travel insurance will cover the costs of re-booking, hotel, and food. It’ll soften the blow of the delay, and perhaps even give you a chance to explore the town of your stopover a bit!

Reason #3 – To Cover Trip Cancellation.

Remember that weekend trip that got canceled because you got sick on Friday? Unfortunately, that can also happen now, even if you’re already free from the stresses of work! So as a precaution, get some travel insurance to cover the costs in case the trip does get canceled.

Getting adequate travel insurance will also make sure you’re covered in case your travel agency suddenly goes bankrupt. Unfortunately, it happens, particularly online travel agencies. There are so many small travel agencies popping up these days, some unfortunately not as deep-pocketed than others.

Reason #4 – In Case Of Insurrection.

Switch on the news these days, and you’ll see a revolution here and there, an earthquake, cyclone or tsunami. Unfortunately, things aren’t doing so well in many parts of the world. These things tend to happen without any warning! What will you do if a situation changes at your destination?

Ask the travel agency (or the travel insurance provider) if they cover the costs incurred by such events. If you’re not sure, read the fine print. If you’re not 100% about the peace-and-order situation in your intended destination, then you’d better get covered. Travel insurance should not only cover trip cancellation in case your government releases a travel warning to a particular destination, but if something should happen when you are in a country, they can help with evacuation.

So the next time you plan your vacation, factor in the costs of travel insurance. After all, you can’t totally enjoy your vacation if you don’t have the peace of mind that only travel insurance can give you! There are plenty of options available for seniors and over 65s travel insurance.