The world at your fingertips
Did you ever heard someone saying that you have the world at your fingertips? Did you ever thought what that would mean? Well, we will explain you in this article how things are going today and how easy is to arrange and book a holiday while you are really travelling. It really doesn’t matter if you are travelling for either a business or leisure purpose, most of the people today have their smartphones with them everywhere they go. Well, together with tablets and laptops all these devices are made to help you make your travel easier than ever.
The world at your fingertips – definition:
Generally speaking the words “the world at your fingertips” mean that you can have anything you want within easy access. It means that you have access to everything in the world with the help of technology and other sources. Even if in particular these words would perfectly fit to a young person who is active, energetic and ready to go all the time, generally speaking they are perfect for anyone that has access to a smart device. We are not living 400 or 500 years ago and not even 100 years ago when today’s technology didn’t even existed. We are lucky to have the possibility to arrange world lifetime journeys, holidays and to book flights or hotels in just few steps. It is just because most of you have the world at your fingertips.
The world at your fingertips – importance of apps:
We all know that planning few months ahead is the best you can do when you want to arrange a holiday or journey. But with the help of our smart devices, today you can really have the world at your fingertips. (Find more journeys on blog.worldlifetimejourneys.com) Travelling in many places around the world we realized how small is the world and how easy is to have it at your feet. Not necessarily need to call or book in advance, just open your smartphone, tablet or laptop and use from hundreds or thousands of apps the one that best suits your needs. You can find applications for accommodation bookings, transport tickets and you can do many more travel arrangements with the use of apps.
It is said that by 2020, more than half of the world tourists will use their smartphones or tablets to arrange a holiday or journey. We can’t imagine how important is to have the possibility to do bookings and to buy tickets in just few minutes and steps. With the evolution and creation of apps, we are able to arrange last minute holidays at better prices. You now have the world at your fingertips.
The world at your fingertips – mobile sites improved:
We were talking about the applications on smartphones or tablets. But on the other hand most of the travelling websites improved their mobile sites as well. Hotels or hostels, flight, rail or coaches companies and not only, most designed their mobile sites for easy bookings. There are various information and charts that you can see all over the internet. They show you how in the last years bookings made on smartphones almost overtook the ones made from desktops or laptops. Companies pay more attention on their own mobile websites because they know for you is better to have the world at your fingertips. We are always on the move, always in rush. For many of us it seems that the time is not enough for the activities we have to do.
Now almost every travel website that you go on, will offer you the possibility to complete a booking or a purchase within few clicks. In fact it shouldn’t take you more than 5-10 minutes to book a hotel room or to buy a flight ticket. The only things you should know already are the location you want to go, keeping in mind some of the features the hotels need to have. Once you know your location, head on to the mobile site and complete your booking or purchase. It can be an online travel agency, a hotel or a flight, rail company. Same as doing a booking, to complete a purchase is easier today than it was years ago. Only by using your credit or debit card, an e-voucher or using your loyalty points you can purchase a travel ticket or holiday in few clicks.
The world at your fingertips – book your room while you are travelling:
It sounds very adventurous. But to have the world at your fingertips, it means you can book as you go like many people do today. Most of the people book far in advance and plan their trip accordingly. On the other hand, last minute bookings are not a secret anymore. You just need a bit of courage, some virtual money on your bank account, a destination in mind and you are good to go. These last minute holidays and journeys are working perfectly for any length of your trip or any type of destination. But keep in mind that you have more chances to get good deals if you travel outside the high season. Why not trying to book a city break during quieter times? Why not trying to book a room in one of the beach hotels during spring or autumn?
Book when the crowds are not so big and you will benefit of the best deals. Do your homework before your trip and search for the price range of the hotels at your destination. Also keep in mind some of the features you really need the hotels or rooms to have so you can apply your filters. But please note that as many filters as you put, they will narrow your searches and you can loose good deals. If you decide to go directly at your destination, try to arrive as early as you can. Like this you have plenty of time to go around that city and to look for the best accommodation deals. Always look further than the tourist areas or further than the city center. Look for Bed and Breakfast if you can stick with that and you will certainly get the best prices.
As closer to the city center or to the beach you are looking, the higher the prices for rooms. Then it depends of what type of traveler you are. If you are looking for a nice and quiet sleep, then consider accepting a room at the upper floors or a room away from the noisy area. Don’t forget that you can rely on others people help to find good rooms to stay. Talk with the local tourist information office, with travel agents or even with taxi drivers. Sometimes you’ll be welcomed by locals offering their rooms to rent so why not having a look?
The world at your fingertips – buy your last-minute travel tickets:
While booking/buying travel tickets few months in advance remains the most secured option, last minute tickets gain more trust. Normally the best possible prices you will get immediately after an airline gets a flight on the market. But how do you know when is that happening? Every time a new flight, rail or sail journey is coming up, they offer several seats at the cheapest prices. When these seats are booked, the travel companies increase their prices. Again, they usually offer several seats at the newer discounted price and so on. Normally if you book minimum of 2-3 months in advance, you should benefit of the best possible prices.
But what if you don’t know your dates until very late before going or you simply love to be spontaneous? Well travel companies like airlines, rail, buses or sail companies or even rental car companies, all have the strategy to offer cheap last-minute tickets most of the time. (Find more journeys on blog.worldlifetimejourneys.com) If the transport you are travelling with is not going to be full, then the prices can drop significantly. You will certainly get the cheapest options if you don’t care too much about the dates or destination of your travel. In two words: be flexible. But to have the world at your fingertips and to leave everything on the last-minute there is always a risk. While most of the time prices will drop, there is the chance not to do so, in which case you either not go or you will end up paying double or more.
It’s important to know that last minute transport is cheap when you book outside the busy times. Please book during the week (preferably Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Thursdays) and during the quieter months usually October until before Christmas and January until before Easter. Avoid weekends and school holidays and also the daily peak times if you want the cheapest transport deals. Another important thing is to clear your cookies history every time you finish a search because the more you do searches, the higher the risk from the transport companies to increase their prices due to your searches.
The world at your fingertips – mobile ticketing and conclusion:
Today more of you have the world at your fingertips. More people are using mobile ticketing which is by far less time consuming and often better in prices. It also reduces the paper costs using this paper-less option by paying for your travel arrangements directly from your phone using a secured platform. Many travel applications like Airline ticketing, rail ticketing, bus ticketing, tourist attractions ticketing or even rooms ticketing are available today for an easier use and a quicker booking and payment process. You can now secure your seat or room in minutes. The delivery methods are also more convenient than going to a local travel company or to the ticket desk of a airline, bus or railway company. You will receive your tickets in minutes via e-mail or SMS. You will simply receive a confirmation form or e-mail with the barcode or OCR code needed to be scanned.
In the end, if you really are flexible and spontaneous you can get the best last minute deals. You need courage, you must like to risk a little bit and to choose the least crowded periods. Only in this way you can secure the best travel deals in the last possible minute. Travel safe and choose to have the world at your fingertips!
Tips & Tricks
Arrange journeys, holidays and book flights or hotels in just few steps using your smartphone
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Follow applications and travel website directly on your smart device
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Check frequently for accommodation and transport on mobile websites
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Complete a booking or purchase in just few clicks on mobile websites
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Book your room or seat as you travel
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Use your electronic wallet, an e-voucher or the loyalty points to pay
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Check for last minute holidays and journeys
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Choose to travel midweek or outside school holidays
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Choose to travel outside peak times or outside the high season
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Check for the price range on the destination before you book
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Arrive as early as you can to find the best room
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Apply your filters when checking for travel arrangements (not too many)
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Always look further away of the city center or tourist areas
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Ask local tourist office, travel agents or taxi drivers for offers
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Accept the risk and leave everything on the last minute
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Clear your cookies history every time you finish a search
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