Travelbug logo

Find and Follow Us
Travelbug logo

Blog

Ideas, suggestions and recommendations that can help you choose from a more limited palette of options that we know — both from professional and personal experience.

Driving on the left is not the minority sport that you think it is!

Irish holidaymakers are used to the fact that they have to negotiate the strange phenomenon of driving on the wrong side of the road when they usually go abroad since most of the near continent are right-hand drive, as is north and most of Central and South America. Like all things in life, it's an experience that you get used to in time with the result that one easily switches mode when the need arises and you need

Looking for a bit of sun and heat?

I think that we are universally agreed that this year's summer was one of the worst on record and with the long range weather forecast for the next eight years not particularly encouraging, perhaps it's time that we had a conversation about the 10 hottest places around the world that we should consider for that next holiday. By some measures, Bangkok is actually considered the hottest big city on earth. The average temperature for the

The World of Travel — where misconceptions abound!

There are many misconceptions that continue to prevail to this day among travellers about various types of travel activity. The famous phrase:  'Newly-wed, over-fed and nearly-dead' was the disparaging comment that was often made in relation to the cruise industry and although that was never the reality, it gained traction, particularly in the minds of people who had never actually cruised. The same phenomenon that causes certain people to condemn some controversial book, song or film even though they've

Are you a fan of Downton Abbey?

If you’re like me, then you’re a sucker for period dramas such as Downton Abbey — the costumes, the characters, the luxury, the opulence etc. Sadly, it’s just make-believe TV,  but such dramas take their cue from the way that the upper classes actually lived. Now while the days of the Downton Abbey’s of this world are long gone, it is still possible to get a sense of what it must have been like to

When paying more money can cost you less!

Regular readers of this blog will know that one of the recurring themes that we re-visit from time to time is that of trying to get people to realise that cheaper isn't always better — in fact it rarely is. Value for money needs to be your constant mantra if you are a consumer who wants to get more bang for their proverbial buck. Some perfect examples of this truism came across my desk earlier this week

So you think you know your amusement parks?

Ask anyone to name a few famous amusement parks and they'll likely come up with names like Disneyland Paris, Port Aventura, Alton Towers and Universal Studios. If they've been to St. louis or Southern California, they might even list slightly less well known attractions such as Six Flags or Knotts' Berry Farm. So, what are the chances that any one of you can guess which amusement park has won this year's Golden Ticket Award? Any of

Do you actually know what a travel agent does?

Ever tried to follow the instructions on how to programme your old video recorder from the manual that came with it? Or any other electronic device for that matter? The instructions are usually as clear as mud because they are written by the guys who designed the device in the first place and who mistakenly assume that we (the users) know more about what they're talking about simply because they do! As travel agents, we are often guilty

Choose your holiday based on value for money rather than price alone!

It's perfectly understandable that intending holidaymakers should compare prices between competing products, destinations or suppliers when researching whom they should book their next travel arrangements with. It's all too easy though to lose sight of the most important criteria of all — which one represents the best value for money? Everyone is familiar with the old saying 'You get what you pay for' and rarely is that more true than when making travel arrangements. Because the true cost of a holiday

Breaking out of your comfort zone — Part 2

Let's not mince words here — it's been a crap summer this year! It's rained so much over the course of the past few months that I'm now worried that I might  develop webbing between my fingers and toes. If you are one of the countless disappointed souls who waited and weaited and waited this summer to see if prices would drop or that you might benefit from some last minute deal that never happened then you

A bitter pill to swallow?

I think we all agree that the summer of 2012 is best forgotten as, by all accounts, it has been the worst in living memory as far as sunshine and good weather were concerned. Of course the consequence of all this is that many people who perhaps had previously decided that they would not be holidaying abroad this year subsequently changed their minds — further adding to the pressure on a limited capacity of both

€249 for a round-trip airfare to the Far East — where’s the catch?

You've all heard the old adage  '... If it sounds too good to be true ...' and generally speaking, it's usually a reliable rule of thumb to adhere to. Every now and then though, a deal comes along that proves the exception to the rule and the latest example is from none other than Azamara — the boutique cruise division of Royal Caribbean. Azamara  occupies the upper end of the cruise market and boasts small

How charter holiday pricing works — Part 2

Last week, we explained in more or less simple terms how charter pricing works. This week, we focus on scheduled airline fares and the fundamental manner in which they differ from charters. Scheduled airline fares apply only to scheduled air services. These are operated by airlines. A scheduled service must operate on the date, time and frequency specified — whether  the flight is full or empty. As a general rule of thumb, the further out

The art of getting a quote that is both competitive in price and relevant to your needs starts with gathering all the right information about what you want to do (or think you want to do!).

Request a quote

Are you a Travel Agent?

Join the agents network thats going places!