Travelers beware: from holiday fraud to security to personal security, some key considerations can make or disrupt a big journey, according to industry experts.
Here are four things to keep in mind as you plan your future vacation.
Not all travel agents and vacation packages are legal
If a vacation package or a time sharing arrangement sounds very good to be true, it is probably.
An important number of people become victims of holiday package fraud each year – with more than 55,000 travel frauds resulting in a loss of over $ 122 million in 2023, according to the Federal Commission of Trade Commission.
While fake websites and he can create anonymous online fraud, some are executed by bad actors posing as professionals ready to get your money in exchange for perfect travel.
“One thing we are seeing a lot in our industry is cheating on people who claim to be through agents,” Fox Digital Erika Richter, Vice President of American Travel Advisors, told Virginia, for Fox News Digital.
Richter said travel traveler agents project 3% growth each year from now to 2032, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
“So we’ve seen a lot of people come to the industry, but the barrier to the entrance is really low. You need more hours and licenses to cut your hair than you do to reserve trips for someone.”
In December, an Atlanta -based travel agent was arrested for making the alleged travel arrangements for the George Mason University Basketball team after receiving over $ 100,000, according to the United States lawyer’s office.
“This travel adviser came very lawful, but ended up deceiving the whole team and their families and is facing crime charges … I have been with the organization for 10 years, and I am increasingly seeing these purely unscrupulous actors who claim and poses that they are travel advisers and reproduce people away.
Richter recommends doing your research to make sure you are working with a real professional.
“Make sure you are working with a verified travel adviser,” she said, adding that travelers can try verivacation.com, which shows certifications to travel advisers.
“People passing through our program have been verified and have tried sales. They should try to a record of sales, and they must take our courses and pass our course of ethics. They must do education every two years in order to maintain their status. “
Safe travel destinations may not be so safe today
Terrorism, political instability, civil unrest and even environmental factors are constantly changing the landscape for travelers.
In many countries currently on the State Department’s “non -travel” list, the US government has disabilities to help citizens who have been written or in trouble.
“The US State Department does not have a higher advantage than the security and security of US citizens abroad,” a State Department spokesman for FOX News Digital told.
“We take our commitment seriously to provide the citizens of the USA clear, time and reliable information about any country in the world so that they can make informed travel decisions.”
Countrydo has a travel counsel, issued by the State Department, starting from 1-4 levels.
“The level set for a country in travel counseling is based on determined risk indicators such as crime, civil unrest and other potential risks,” the spokesman said.
“We routinely update our advice to reflect the most current conditions on the ground.”
Knowing the laws and customs of your destination should be a major advantage, according to the State Department.
Travelers can get all the facts in a particular place by visiting the trips.state.gov.
Richter also advises to consider your risk tolerance before reserving a trip, including who you are traveling with.
“Are you traveling with your family? Are you taking children? Are you making a solo female journey? There are so many different considerations to consider when it comes to security, ”she said.
Keep in mind that when you read a country’s travel counseling, there are sometimes certain areas that are considered unsafe, Richter said.
“When you are looking at all the data of the State Department, are you seeing them holistically or by region?” She said.
Citizens traveling overseas can register in the SMART Department of State Travele Registration Program (HAP.STATE.GOV) to receive alerts and other information from the US Embassy while abroad and also enable the US Embassy to reach you in urgent cases.
Richter always recommends people to enroll at the embassy when they are traveling abroad as a more protection layer if a situation arises.
Travel insurance can save you money
Whether you are climbing the mountain in Alps or Kayaking in Thailand, would your medical insurance plan cover an accident or illness?
Finding the answer before traveling should be a major advantage.
“Most of the health plans would not be,” said Thomas Stefaniac, Executive Director of the United States Travel Insurance Association, based in Maryland, for Fox News Digital.
“If you are seriously ill or you need an urgent procedure or overseas surgery, most US health plans do not know them internationally,” Stefaniac said.
Checking the travel insurance box at the front is a way to share costs that arise unexpectedly – medical and other – otherwise they can be unaffordable or inaccessible on a top.
Travel cancellations, delays in the resulting air travel, lost bags and medical expenses such as illness, accident or even death are all items that can be covered in a travel insurance policy, Stefaniac said.
Stefaniac said in comparison to the cost of some tripps, increased insurance is a nominal fee.
“A basic plan can cost between $ 250 to $ 500 or so much dollars,” he said.
“If you are reserving a $ 5,000 or $ 6,000 trip, an experience of $ 400 or $ 500 is still a very good peace of mind to have in place.”
The cost is also based on the level of coverage you need.
“If you are doing things like climbing rock, this may not be covered in a traditional plan,” Stefaniac said. “It can be something you want to add to politics.”
Stefaniak said many travel insurance providers have applications that can provide additional support and travel information for subscribers.
“So many people are traveling more and more just as you want to make sure the places you explore and have dinner in are very, very safe.”
Many of the plans provide 24-hour assistance.
“Say you are on the other side of the world and you have to catch the carrier, [then] You can get the help you need for whatever you are experiencing, ”he said.
Richter said she tells passengers that defending a trip is protecting an investment.
“Especially if you are doing a honeymoon or a big bucket lists trip, you really want to secure this,” she said.
Protect your personal information
The number of data compromises in 2023 increased by 78% compared to a year earlier, according to an annual data break published by the identity theft resources center.
When people are on vacation, they are often more vulnerable to an attack on their second personal data to use Wi-Fi public networks and exposure to a tactic called “Jerking juice”, where thieves install malware through basic USB charging stations and use it to steal information.
“Take the precautions needed to protect yourself,” she said. “Nothing is mindless.”
One of the main ways the data is violated is through the password protection, or their absence.
A recent study by ExpressVPN, a virtual private network provider (VPN), found that 81% of Americans have shared passwords with their spouse or another important, which may endanger their online security.
A VPN is a technology that creates a safe, internet coded connection that masks your IP address and protects your online activity.
This way you can browse online more secure, especially on Wi-Fi public networks.
But once your password is at risk, even a VPN cannot protect your data.
Richter suggested to travel with battery packages, so you are not inserting your phone to airports.
“You want to be careful with Wi-Fi networks you are joining too. There is a Wi-Fi mobile device that provides not only a level of security and security but also helps if you are somewhere where there is no Wi-Fi.”
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