Travel expenses are one of the expenses businesses must prepare and include in their budget planning. For instance, there may be seminars, conferences, in-person meetings to meet new clients or close deals, site visits, or networking events and expos in another state or country.
Lockdowns are ending around the world and countries are starting to ease border restrictions and reopen for international tourists. On August 6, 2020, the U.S. State Department lifted the Global Level 4 Health Advisory, which advised U.S. citizens to avoid all international travel due to the global impact of COVID-19. So you now might wonder what countries are open for travel and for U.S. citizens travel in particular.
Now it seems that a lot of time has passed since the beginning of the pandemic. Many countries have already experienced a peak in incidence and are slowly beginning to ease restrictions. However, there are still over 70 countries that stay completely closed allowing only citizens, residents returning home, or people in other special circumstances to enter. More than 100 countries continue to maintain entry restrictions (e.g. for people with certain citizenship or those arriving from particular countries). And only a few countries have no formal restrictions on entry by air but may require adherence to special measures while on their territory like the COVID-19 testing or quarantine upon arrival.
The pandemic forced people to stay at home and cease traveling as domestically as internationally. Now, as stay-at-home orders are being lifted and cities around the world are slowly reopening, travel restrictions have started to soften, and travelers are looking forward to traveling again. Some travelers give preference to camping, short trips, and road trips, while others hope to return in the sky. But is it safe to travel right now?
While the heart of the Midwest may not be everybody’s first choice as a travel destination, Columbus, Ohio, is a wonderful place to vacation in the spring and summer. With a wealth of festivals, activities and sporting events, coupled with easy access, Ohio’s capital city is perfect for families and solo travelers alike. Traveling to Columbus can also be done rather cheaply when redeeming points or miles for travel.
There’s no reason that being deaf or hard of hearing should prevent anyone from traveling. While it can offer its own challenges, nothing compares to sunning on an exotic beach, exploring a world-class museum or strolling through a quaint village. A little preparation and planning in advance can help make any trip—be it by plane, train, bus or boat—stress-free and fun.
From overbooked flights and endless delays to cramped airplane seats and lost luggage, traveling can sometimes leave you feeling like everyone in the industry is out to get you. Fortunately, that’s not so. Travelers United, a non-profit membership organization with a five-star rating from GreatNonprofits.org, has your back.
RewardExpert recently spoke with Charles Leocha, the organization’s president and co-founder, about the inspiration behind Travelers United, their accomplishments and current initiatives, and the launch of a new paid membership option.
Step into many major cities of the world, and chances are there will be a river at its heart. Think about the Hudson in New York, the Thames in London, the Danube in Vienna, the Nile in Cairo, the Han in Seoul and so on. But rivers are not just important to big cities. Healthy, vibrant rivers are also critical to rural communities, and many of these smaller rivers particularly in Africa, Asia and Latin America, are endangered.
That’s where International Rivers comes in. The Berkeley, California-based organization works to preserve and protect the world’s rivers from overdevelopment, misuse and destructive projects. It is also dedicated to giving local citizens the right to participate in decisions that affect their lives.
From free checked bags to free seat upgrades, and free wi-fi to free continental breakfast, ‘free’ is many travelers’ favorite four-letter word. If you’re among them, you’ll love TheFreeSite.com. Created as a catalog of the Web’s best freebies, the site will help you score free samples and services you can use at home or on the road.
Do you try to stay active while on vacation? If so, you’re not alone. An Expedia survey conducted earlier this year found 53 percent of U.S. residents believe it’s important to exercise while traveling. While sightseeing on foot was cited as the most popular way to stay physically active while away from home, some travelers also said they engage in biking and running, often in the hotel gym.
But what if you prefer to make exercise the centerpiece of your vacation and not just a way to balance out a few indulgent restaurant meals? For travelers who live an active lifestyle and want to maintain it while exploring new destinations, there’s nothing better than an adventure with Backroads.
If you’re a traveler, who better to ask where to eat or what to see than someone who actually lives and cohabitates in your destination?
That’s how Spotted by Locals has become a force in the travel game, using iPhone and Android apps and up-to-date blogs tips by hand-picked locals in 67 cities across Europe and North America. And according to the company, it’s getting bigger and bolder.
Are you a traveler who enjoys authentic culinary adventures and meeting locals? If so, EatWith has you covered. A peer-to-peer marketplace for chefs and food lovers, it brings local hosts and food-loving travelers together for an entirely new type of dining-out experience. Tara Wagner, EatWith’s PR representative, spoke with RewardExpert about the inspiration behind the ground-breaking San Francisco–based communal dining company and why you should book a seat at an EatWith event the next time you travel.
Shopping online for a new set of luggage, or surfing the web for a great buy on airfare or hotels? What if you knew a way to shop where you could save money and donate to your favorite cause at the same time? It doesn’t just sound too good to be true, it actually is, thanks to a company called Goodshop.
JJ Ramberg, co-founder and managing director of Goodshop, spoke with RewardExpert about how easy it is to find deals on just about anything, including trips and travel-related items, and in the process donate to a cause you’re passionate about.
Whether you enjoy lounging on the beach with bestselling fiction novels or want to fill hours of boring airline travel with engrossing nonfiction tales, buying reading materials can take a bite out of your entertainment budget. Why not save those hard-earned dollars for another daiquiri and borrow your next read instead? Thanks to OverDrive’s partnership with local libraries across North America and worldwide, checking out eBooks and audiobooks is simple, easy and—best of all—free.
Whether you’re searching for that gorgeous resort for a family trip to the Bahamas, need a budget friendly hotel in the suburbs of New York City for a last minute getaway, or seeking 5-star accommodations in Rome, trivago has you covered.
While keeping children entertained is certainly a challenge on long road trips, it’s not the biggest source of stress for American families traveling the country by car. In fact, a recent survey of more than 1,000 parents with kids under the age of 18 found that “where to stop along the way” is actually the largest cause of anxiety and family strife.
Are you traveling in Athens and want to learn about ancient Greek philosophers? Are you on business in Tokyo and need a quick refresher course on Japanese business etiquette? Then learning website Quizlet is the perfect tool to use, wherever you may be.
Sometimes the most memorable experiences are the ones that aren’t on any itinerary. The experts at Adventure Life, a custom travel company with headquarters in Missoula, understand this and allow for the serendipitous in every carefully crafted vacation they plan.
ResDiary gives both consumers and restaurateurs more time to travel. It’s an extremely useful tool, whether you’re on the go looking for the perfect restaurant, or looking to manage your business wherever you are in the world.
Realizing you need to go to therapy is not easy. Then, finding a good therapist is a whole other challenge. Noah Rubinstein, founder and CEO of GoodTherapy.org, recognized these concerns and created the organization to serve as a place for anyone, anywhere, anytime to search for help. There are thousands of therapists from over 30 countries listed on GoodTherapy.org. “As we heal ourselves, we help to heal our world,” he stated.
