Tips For Travelers
Traveling outside of the U.S.?
As of June 1, 2009, the U.S. government requires most U.S. citizens entering the United States at sea or land ports of entry to have a passport, passport card, or other travel document approved by the Department of Homeland Security. Make sure you are ready. To learn more, go here.
Other Tips from NTA
NTA tour operators are travel experts. Averaging more than 23 years in the industry, these professionals have seen it all. Here are some tips for travelers on the road.
Packing Tips
Here are some packing tips from travel professionals to help you prepare for any type of travel.
- Pack heaviest items first.
- Pack shoes, travel alarm, etc at the bottom of the suitcase.
- Use luggage space wisely.
- Stuff hosiery into the toes of your shoes. To protect your shoes, wrap them in T-shirts if you don't have shoe bags. Roll sweatshirts and undergarments to fill space. A full bag helps keep the contents from sliding and wrinkling.
- Coordinate your wardrobe around one or two basic colors.
- This will automatically eliminate many items of clothing. Separates are best because they can be mixed and matched.
- Don't pack too much.
- An old traveler's trick is to lay out everything you'll need, then take half and return the rest to your closet.
- Use lightweight bags if possible.
- Canvas or nylon bags are more economical than leather. Remember that most airlines have a weight limit.
- Minimize wrinkling by packing shirts buttoned.
- If possible, only fold clothes at the waist and seams.
- Place plastic dry cleaner's bags around clothes to minimize wrinkling. Keep each layer as flat and even as possible.
- For silk shirts, use large zip-lock plastic food bags. This keeps the shirts wrinkle-free. Bring extras to use for packing a wet bathing suit.
- As you pack, make a list of the contents of your suitcase.
- Bring this with you in case your luggage is lost or stolen and you need to make a claim.
- Carry fragile, valuable perishable items with you.
- Money, jewelry and prescription drugs should be carried with you. Make sure you have at least a toothbrush in your carry-on bag.
- Pack sample sizes of toiletry articles.
- Liquids travel best in plastic containers. Squeeze the air out of the bottles before you fill them up and don't fill them to the top. Place the containers in plastic bags before you put them in your suitcase.
- Be sure your baggage is clearly labeled.
- Remove old airline tags. Make sure your name and address is in a prominent place on the outside and inside of each luggage piece.
Tips for Student Travel
The following is a list of tips for students and parents when traveling abroad. These tips are not listed in order of importance.
- Verify that the travel agent or tour company is a member of a professional association such as the National Tour Association, the United States Tour Operators Association or the Student & Youth Travel Association.
- Ask questions before you go.
- Parents should ask the company for references, find out the adult chaperone to student ratio and how long the company has been operating in the destinations it features.
- Verify that the tour company has coverage.
- Make sure the company has errors and omissions, professional liability insurance coverage. Professional tour companies should have this coverage.
- Make sure your student has insurance that will cover emergency medical needs.
- Check for travel warnings and public announcements before you go. Visit http://travel.state.gov/ for information.
- Remember to fill in the emergency information page of your passport and make copies of your passport data page and any visas. Keep a copy separate from the originals while traveling, and leave one at home with your family.
- Leave an itinerary with someone at home, and make sure that someone knows where you are at all times.
- Carry your hotel information, including name and address, with you. You also should include a phone number to reach your tour company in case of emergencies.
- Avoid looking like a tourist. Try to blend in with your surroundings and never go off on your own.
- If possible, try to carry a cellular phone with you at all times.
Tips for Avoiding Travel Scams
- NTA urges travelers to use this top 10 list when making spring break or vacation plans:
- Verify that the travel agent or tour company is a member of a professional association such as the National Tour Association, the United States Tour Operators Association or the American Society of Travel Agents.
- Verify that the tour company has errors and omissions, professional liability insurance coverage. Professional tour companies should have this coverage.
- Don't be taken in by an attractive Web site. An eye-catching Web site does not ensure the reliability or integrity of the company.
- Carefully read the company's cancellation and refund policies.
- Use a credit card to purchase tickets whenever possible, and if cash must be used, always get a receipt so you have a paper trail. Beware of companies sending a courier for a check, requesting direct bank deposits or a certified check. Prior to payment, you should ask for all the details on any trip in writing and review them carefully.
- Ask the company for client references. Attempt to get a reference on a client or group with whom you are familiar.
- Avoid high-pressure sales with a limited time to evaluate the offer.
- Decline offers requiring a property sales presentation.
- Request specific hotel and airline names, addresses and phone numbers - broad terms such as "all major hotels" and "all major airlines" are warning flags. Insist on a local phone number if given an 800 number - this will establish that the tour company or travel agency has a central office from which it operates.
- If you receive a vacation certificate in the mail, take it to a local NTA tour operator who can evaluate it.