words Alexa Wang
Image source: Pexels
Every year, approximately 2.8 billion people travel the world. For these billions of holidaymakers and travellers, the primary concern remains the same: How can we ensure that our holiday goes smoothly?
We want to be able to enjoy ourselves and relax, taking in the hot summer sun and taking full advantage of the 24/7 room service. While picking a reliable airline and reading through all of the reviews of your chosen hotel will help to ensure that you’ve got the basics down, there are additional steps that you can take. We have outlined these, helping you to make sure that your next holiday goes smoothly too.
Know Your Rights
The last thing that you want to be doing before you leave for your holiday is reading up on international laws and policies. But these rights, regulations, and laws can affect every part of your journey. EU regulation 261/2004, for example, determines whether you are entitled to compensation if your flight is delayed or even cancelled altogether, which can be between €250 and €600 per person, according to Flightright.com. Likewise, the same source notes that you are entitled to compensation if the airline overbooked a flight and thus left you without a seat to your destination.
Many countries will have laws about unsafe conditions, discrimination, or stolen/damaged property and it’s worth reading up before you go. In doing this, you can help to protect yourself (and the money that you’ve spent on your holiday) in the event that you are unfairly treated or if you face huge delays or poor service. At the very least, research all this if you’ve faced a problem after your flight – better late than never!
Have Backup Money
Many of us already plan ahead and take travel money with us in order to buy souvenirs and trinkets for our family and friends. Your travel budget will also include expenses for food and additional travel during your holiday as well. But do you have backup travel money in the case of an emergency?
Your emergency travel money can be used to pay off medical bills in the event that your travel insurance takes a while to come through and you need to pay before being treated. This money can also help you pay for alternative accommodation if you discover that your intended accommodation isn’t up to scratch. Be sure to keep it safe, either by taking a lockbox with you or by hiding it in a money belt.
Learn the Basics of the Language
There are approximately 1.5 billion English speakers in the world, which is approximately 20% of the global population. This means that wherever you go, it is going to be quite likely that someone there will speak English and will be able to communicate with you. But levels of English speaking are going to be lower in more rural areas and your accent or specific English phrases may not be understood.
That’s why it’s wise to learn some of the language before you go. You need only learn the basics if the language is tricky, such as being able to ask where the bathroom is, how to ask for help, and what the appropriate greetings are.
By following these rules, you will help to make sure that your holiday goes as you hope. Stick by these and you’ll be having a relaxing break in no time at all!
