Globe Aware news

Recent events in the Middle East have put travelers on edge. Here are some tips on staying safe if you plan on travelling to the region in the near future.

" Maintain a high level of vigilance' ' travel security experts advise caution when traveling to the Middle East

Jan 8, 2020 

By MEERA JAGANNATHAN and ANDREW KESHNER

The State Department says Americans should maintain " situational awareness' in the region following the Baghdad airstrike

Tourists at the Khazneh, or Treasury, in Petra, Jordan. The popular destination is in a region of the world where tensions can be expected to rise after an U.S. airstrike in Baghdad, Iraq, killed a top Iranian military official.

Iran and Iraq are obviously not destinations for most U.S. tourists, but experts say U.S. citizens should exercise caution when traveling to other countries in the Middle East following the U.S. airstrike that killed Iranian military leader Qassem Soleimani at Baghdad' s international airport last Friday.

Iran, which has several armed allies in the region, retaliated Wednesday by firing a volley of ballistic missiles at two American military bases in Iraq. The Federal Aviation Administration banned U.S. airlines from flying over Iran, Iraq and waters of the Gulf of Oman and Persian Gulf, and Reuters reported that a number of non-U.S. airlines, including Emirates and Lufthansa, had canceled flights around Iraq and Iran.

Meanwhile, a Ukraine-bound Boeing 737 BA, -0.77% operated by Ukraine International Airlines crashed Wednesday after taking off from Tehran, killing all 176 people on board. Ukraine' s embassy in Tehran said the crash was under investigation by a commission, and that any statements about its causes before the commission' s decision were "not official," the Washington Post reported.

Iran and Iraq are listed as Level 4, meaning do not travel to them, by the State Department, while Israel and Jordan are deemed Level 2, calling for increased caution.

Travel experts advise caution when visiting the Middle East. "Any of those places in the Middle East, I would have a heightened level of concern," Tim Bradley, managing partner of IMG GlobalSecur, a Tavares, Fla., a firm advising companies, nongovernmental organizations and mission groups on safe travel across the globe, said last week after Soleimani' s killing.

The State Department did not respond immediately to a request for comment Wednesday, but it urged all U.S. citizens last week to leave Iraq "due to heightened tensions" in the country and surrounding region.

The department sent out a string of notices on Twitter TWTR, +1.25% cautioning American citizens in countries including Morocco, Lebanon, Kuwait to maintain "a high level of vigilance" and "good situational awareness" in light of the tensions in the region. American citizens in Bahrain should also be on the lookout for demonstrations or unrest, the State Department said.

"While we have no information indicating a threat to American citizens, we encourage you to continually exercise the appropriate level of security awareness," a department tweet stated.

The State Department regularly issues travel advisories on a 1-to-4 scale; countries rated at Level 1 are places where travelers should "exercise normal precautions," while Level 4 is a warning not to travel to a country so designated.

For context, Iran and Iraq are listed as Level 4 countries, while places like Israel and Jordan are deemed Level 2. These are countries where the State Department says travelers should use "increased caution."

Travelers should be especially aware in public squares, and should also recognize that U.S. embassies and Western-branded hotels can face increased risks of attack, Bradley added.

The State Department' s " Smart Traveler Enrollment Program' is a free service under which travelers send their itineraries to the department.

What about Americans planning travel to lower-risk Middle Eastern destinations like Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar?

"Don' t cancel your plans," said Matthew Bradley, the regional security director for International SOS, a medical and travel security services firm (and no relation to Tim Bradley of IMG GlobalSecur).

That said, travelers to those traditionally lower-risk regions might still minimize their movements to reduce the risk of being a victim of circumstance, he said, and maintain a heightened sense of awareness.

Trust your gut, said GlobalSecur' s Bradley, a former FBI special agent. "If you don' t feel comfortable somewhere, it' s time to leave."

Tim Bradley said there are other ways to plan ahead:

• Enroll in the State Department' s "Smart Traveler Enrollment Program," a free service under which travelers send their itineraries to the department. The program gives updates on a country' s safety conditions and enables government officials to get in touch in case of emergencies.
• Brush up on current events before traveling, even if it' s just to know when holidays are approaching, he said.
• Travelers should be in touch with family and friends back home as their trip proceeds. It' s also smart to leave a hard copy of the trip itinerary at home with someone.
• Arrange transportation from the airport to the hotel ahead of time. Hotels typically can provide a car service, he said.

Market Watch

Traveling to a foreign country for the first time can be both exhilarating and anxiety inducing: have you considered all the required information, devices, social protocols and social etiquette? How about finances, security and insurance? Much to consider. Here are some tips on how best to navigate.

10 Things You Need to Know About Traveling Abroad for the First Time

DECEMBER 26, 2019

By Megan Grant
Parade

Remember that one time I went to Paris and brought my blowdryer so that I could look #fabulous while strolling down the Champs-Élysées, but forgot that the outlets are different and I couldn' t use it so my hair was a giant ball of frizz for eight days?

Fun times.

There are so many details we forget when traveling abroad' some minor (see: the great hair frizz of 2018) and some much more crucial. If you' re planning on boarding a plane and adventuring to a faraway place, here are 10 things you need to keep in mind about traveling abroad.

10 Things to Know About Traveling Abroad

1. Figure Out How You Can Pay for Things Beforehand
"l just swipe my card, yeah?" Maybe. But maybe not. Michael Turtle of Time Travel Turtle tells Parade.com, "When you' re in a different country, you may not be able to pay for things in the way that you' re used to. I normally always just tap my credit card at home, but there are quite a few countries where you still need to use your PIN, so make sure you remember it if you' re planning to use your card. There are some countries (particularly in Scandinavia) that are moving to a cashless economy, so they may have no option but to use a card."

If you plan to use a card, one more word of caution: Fees. Watch out for them. "Your bank may charge quite high fees so look into this in advance and investigate your options," Turtle advises. "You can normally find a credit card offer that will have zero international transaction fees and I would recommend signing up for one of them if you' re going to be doing a lot of travel. On the other hand, there are still a lot of countries that mainly use cash' even Japan, despite its very modern reputation' so it' s also wise to have a card that will let you make cash withdrawals without a huge fee."

Cash always works too, but again, there' s one caveat you have to be careful of, according to Turtle: "Bringing your own country' s cash and exchanging it is also a good option, although I rarely do that because you' ll always lose a bit of money on the conversion and I prefer not to travel with a lot of money on me."

2. Dress Accordingly
You may be a stranger in a completely foreign place, but try not to look like it, okay?

"One of my suggestions would be to try to blend in with the locals. You don' t want to stand out too much by looking like a tourist because not only can this be embarrassing but it can set you up as a target for pickpocketing or theft," says travel writer Reannon Muth. So, what should we do to avoid this?

"To blend in, I' d suggest wearing muted colors or dark colors and avoid wearing sneakers (especially white ones!)," she explains. "In the US, people wear sneakers all the time, but in Europe and most of the other countries I' ve visited (I' ve been to over 40), people only wear athletic shoes when they' re working out. Sneakers are usually a dead giveaway that you' re a tourist. I' d also recommend wearing clothing that' s somewhat stylish (or at the very least fits well and isn' t overly baggy or wrinkled). In the US, a sports hoodie, yoga pants, and flip flops (athletic leisurewear) is perfectly acceptable attire for wandering around town, but I' ve found that in many other countries, people aren' t as casual with their attire."

3. Invest in a Pair of Good Noise-Canceling Headphones
Flights are long. Planes are loud. You won' t be able to sleep, read, watch movies, or do anything else with the sound of jet engines numbing your ears. "Good noise-canceling headphones for the flight are a must," says international speaker Adnan Kukic. He recommends the Sony WH1000MX3.

4. Don' t Assume People Speak English
This one is tough, I know. What the heck else are you supposed to speak? Before you go to another country, though, you should brush up on the basics, at the very least. Muth explains why:

"It can be rude to just walk up to a sales clerk and start speaking English. Even if you' re in a touristy area and are 99.9% positive the person speaks English, it' s still polite to greet them in their own language and then ask them if they speak English. At a minimum, you should take the time to learn how to say " hello,' " excuse me,' " please,' and " thank you.’"

5. Check Your Phone Plan
During my frizz-filled trip to Paris, I made another startling discovery: Apparently, the phone towers in Las Vegas don' t reach to France. Who knew?

You might be able to use your phone overseas. You might also be charged an arm and a leg for it. "Most plans will charge exorbitant fees to use your phone overseas," explains Turtle, "although some do have good deals about international roaming, so it' s worth investigating whether your provider does. For most people, though, you' re not going to want to have long conversations or text message conversations on your phone while you' re away."

Thankfully, there are plenty of alternatives for staying in touch with people' when you have WiFi, that is. "I find it' s quite easy to avoid doing that if you just make calls with something like Skype or WhatsApp when you have WiFi at your hotel," Turtle says. "The problem is data. We have become so accustomed to using our phone to look at maps, search for public transport timetables, check opening hours, and find reviews of restaurants, that you may be lost (literally) without data on your phone. So, in this case, I recommend buying a local SIM card that has enough data for your stay."

It' s always good to err on the side of safety, though. "… you shouldn' t assume that you' ll always be able to get an internet connection while you' re traveling," continues Turtle. "Perhaps the hotel WiFi is dodgy or you can' t get a data signal on your phone. I always make sure to download maps for offline viewing on my phone and I screenshot any directions or public transport timetables that I need. I also take photos of signs at train stations or ferry ports that I might need later on. We are so used to knowing that any information we need is right at our fingertips at home, but that' s not always the case when we' re traveling so it' s better to be prepared."

6. Take a Nap ASAP
Jet lag is brutal. Your body has its own internal clock, and when it' s disrupted, weird things can happen. According to the Mayo Clinic, it can go beyond sleepiness and even affect your mood and concentration and give you, ahem, stomach issues. No thanks.

Thankfully, there' s a little trick. "As soon as you land in your abroad destination, take a nap, even if for just a few hours," advises Kukic. "It helps greatly to adjust to the different time zone."

7. Respect Mother Nature and All Her Creatures
While on an exciting trip, we understandably want to do things we' d never do at home. But there' s a reason to pause and think before you take part in typical touristy activities: It might be to the detriment of a living creature.

"Never ride an elephant (or support animal tourism)!" says Dani West, elephant advocate for Free the Oregon Zoo Elephants. "Interested in getting up close and personal with our majestic wildlife? Support and visit sanctuaries around the world … but do your research! Never ride, bathe, or pay to see them in zoos or circuses."

Have all the fun you want on your trip, but still be mindful of how your activities impact others.

8. Remember That You Might Not Be in a Service-Based Country
"… the US is unique in that we' re a " service industry country,’" Muth tells Parade.com. "In nearly every other country I' ve visited, this isn' t true. Americans' version of " good customer service' doesn' t exist. Shopkeepers may not greet you when you walk into a store and waiters might not come and refill your water glass. They aren' t being rude; that' s just the norm in their countries. You' ll often find that you' ll have to hunt down a salesperson or waiter in order to purchase something or put in an order."

Muth explains that this extends to ordering food at a restaurant. You might not get as much special attention as you would in the US: "Similarly, when you order in a restaurant, it' s customary in most countries that you don' t ask for substitutes with your meal. You order what' s on the menu and that' s it (no " dressing on the side' requests or " Can you add almond milk instead of regular milk?' ). This really isn' t done unless you have an allergy and it' s actually considered rude. It' s a quick way to earn a reputation for being a " demanding crazy American.' Obviously, you can ask for substitutes if you really need to. But I' d just try to keep it to a minimum. If you have to change the entire order to fit your tastebuds, you might be better off ordering something else."

And while we' re on the topic of food…

9. Be Prepared to Change Your Eating Habits and Meal Schedule
"Eating and drinking can be very different in another country and it' s important to be prepared for things to not be the way you would normally expect," says Turtle. "In Spain, for instance, dinner is always eaten very late so you may often not find restaurants open at 6 p.m. or 7 p.m. But I' ve also been caught out in smaller towns in Europe where they' ll stop serving dinner at 9 p.m. In countries like Morocco or Malaysia, you' ll rarely find alcohol served with meals for religious reasons, so don' t expect you can have a glass of wine with dinner. And in Japan, you may come across the restaurants where you have to order all your courses from a vending machine at the entrance before you sit down."

Tipping also varies from country to country and culture to culture. "In North America, it' s expected to leave a considerable tip for every meal, while most places in Europe just expect a small token of a couple of euros, while many Asian countries find a tip to be rude and you shouldn' t leave anything," adds Turtle.

10. Stay Aware of How Much Space You' re Taking Up
"Unless you grew up in a crowded city like New York, you may not be accustomed to maneuvering through cramped subway cars or crowded marketplaces, but in many other countries, space is more limited than it is in North America and locals are experts at taking up as little space as possible," says Muth.

"This also applies to your voice' talk quietly in public. Although it' ll differ depending on where in the world you' re traveling to, I find that in most of Europe and many places in Asia, people speak quietly and remain more reserved when talking to strangers," continues Muth. "This is partly cultural but also because people in, say, Tokyo, are used to moving among thousands of people every day and are conscientious about not disturbing people around them by speaking too loudly."

Traveling abroad is exhilarating and eye-opening. Just do your due diligence before you go and always be mindful of your behavior.

Parade

Holiday travel is hectic: busy airports, overwhelmed airline staff, weather delays, high ticket prices are but a few of the challenges. Katherine Parker-Magyar writing for Forbes shares some collected wisdom from popular travel writers on how best to survive and thrive during the Christmas and holiday travel season.

15 Travel Writers Share Their Best Tips For Holiday Travel

Katherine Parker-Magyar, Contributor Travel

It’s the most wonderful (and chaotic) time of the year. As hordes of travelers descend upon airports nationwide to journey home for the holidays, the prospect of December travel strikes both excitement and anxiety in the hearts of many. We decided to consult the experts for travel advice for the upcoming season (including tips on how to make your economy ticket feel like business class.)

To that end, 15 travel writers shared their hard-earned wisdom on everything from travel rewards programs to appropriate-airport attire. (“Air travel is a horrific slog, it’s every man for himself, and you should wear whatever makes you feel most comfortable,” Todd Kingston Plummer offered on the latter.)

To check or not to check, that is the question. Or, one of the questions, at least. And while some writers we interviewed were vehemently against such profligate packing habits (“the cardinal sin of traveling,” according to Leila Najafi), there is something to be said for the mantra that more is more. Often, the things we’re likely to forget are those that are most obvious. (I surely am not the only one who has found myself in a foreign country sans passport… Twice.)

With that in mind, remember to stash your everyday essentials in a carry-on before boarding (preferably in a pre-packed travel case to minimize your likelihood of forgetting.) Offers Merissa Principe: “You never know when you might have to borrow your receptionist’s motorbike in the Thai jungle at 2AM to find some Advil.”

Read on for our list of the best travel tips, sourced by the ultimate industry experts, to avoid that same fate. But if you do encounter some (inevitable) mishaps: Fear not. In the words of Lesley Chen: “Boring trips don’t make for good stories anyway.”

Todd Kingston Plummer (Daily Beast, Los Angeles Times, Vogue, etc.)

I’m so sick and tired of people perpetuating this myth that airplane travel should somehow be glamorous, and that you should dress up for the plane. That is unequivocally false. I don’t care if you’re taking JetBlue to the Caribbean or flying in Singapore Airlines Suites Class' air travel is a horrific slog, it’s every man for himself, and you should wear whatever makes you feel most comfortable. If I’m flying to the tropics, you can bet that I’ll be wearing shorts. And if you think wearing pants somehow makes you immune to all the germs floating around on airplanes, you’re living a lie. Live your truth. Wear your comfiest shorts on the plane. Never apologize.

Jillian Dara (DuJour, Hemispheres, Travel & Leisure, etc.)

I hate creating expectations, but I like to be educated on a destination before a trip, so I do a certain level of pre-trip research. Part of this is to scope out popular attractions, restaurants, and bars, but more importantly, it’s to anticipate and understand a new culture’s customs. Additionally, I try to incorporate free time into my itinerary; the best way to discover a new place is to get lost, I’m overly curious, but always respectful.

Teddy Minford (Fodor' s Travel Guide)

I used to roll my clothes, but now I only roll wrinkle-resistant fabrics and fold anything that might wrinkle' I hate ironing, and I don’t like to travel with a steamer. The amount of space saved by rolling your clothes is not worth the wrinkles! My general rule for not overpacking is that your clothes should only take up half your suitcase. The rest should be free for shoes, toiletries, and everything else. This is where packing cubes come in handy, but they’re really not necessary if you’re using a clamshell-style suitcase (like every travel writer’s best friend, the Away bag).

Gemma Price (Condé Nast Traveller, Departures, Wall Street Journal, etc.)

Ok, the thing I can’t live without is my plane pack. Flying long haul in economy every other week isn’t the most comfortable, so I have a selection of little pouches that contain everything I need for the journey. I pack Clorox sanitizing wipes for the armrests and table because they hardly ever clean those things. Plus, some medications against a dodgy tummy (loperamide, Pepto Bismol, etc.) because there’s nothing worse than getting the trots at several thousand feet… And having the cabin crew yelling at you to go back to your seat and put your seatbelt on when you just can’t.

I have a Cabeau eye mask and memory foam head pillow ' it scrunches up quite small and is super comfortable ' and some heavy-duty earplugs that shut out screaming and snoring equally well. To keep me from looking like the crypt-keeper on disembarkation, I also bring a sample pot of my favorite moisturizer (Jurlique Moisture Replenishing Day Cream), and a little bottle of Evian face spray that I swiped from a Maldives resort gym. Is it bougie? Absolutely, but it works.

Josh Laskin (Outside Magazine, The Points Guy, Travel & Leisure, etc.)

For me, I always make sure I don’t have to check a bag. It gives me one less thing to worry about ' whether or not my belongings are going to make it where I need them to ' while traveling. I always watch people pulling huge luggage bags behind them, trying to get them up and over curbs, tripping and falling in the process, and think to myself, “man, that’s really not for me.” I bought a large 65-liter backpack, which can fit as much ' if not more ' than a large suitcase, and bring it as a carry-on. It also allows me to walk around hands-free, which is a pretty liberating feeling when traveling long distances or for longer periods.

Chelsea Davis (Forbes, Insider, TravelPulse, etc.)

Some of the things that have helped me on my travels are writing out five or so common phrases that I may need to know if I’m chatting up locals and having pre-loaded webpages with important info on the sights I want to see or maps if I can’t get WiFi.

Another thing I try to do when I get to a new place is to jump on a free walking tour with a local! You get the lay of the land and, hopefully, some insider tips on what to see, do, and eat. When it comes to packing, I try to think worst-case scenario' physically. I bring meds for allergies, itch cream & bug repellent (mosquitos love me!), Advil, Neosporin just in case… you get it. And when it comes to airports, I make sure that the second I get off the plane, I make sure I know what the local time is (not just trusting my iPhone to recognize the different time zone)' especially when I have a tight connecting flight.

Leila Najafi (Eater, Thrillist, USA Today, etc.)

I never check in a suitcase. It’s the cardinal sin of traveling in my book. Time is your currency when you’re traveling, so you want to be as efficient as possible. I’ve been able to go to Europe and Australia for three weeks with just a carry-on. You learn to get good at packing a wardrobe that you can mix and match, and if I’m staying at an Airbnb, I’ll do laundry.

Ramsey Qubein (AFAR, BBC, Condé Nast Traveler, etc.)

International travel is much more comfortable when you take advantage of the perks of airline and hotel elite status like upgrades, early check-in or late checkout at hotels, and airline and hotel lounges. Even those that don’t travel as frequently can take advantage of special benefits like lounge access, priority boarding, and fee waivers through certain credit cards. It certainly takes the hassle out of constant travel, and actually, kind of makes it more fun!

Merissa Principe (CBS Local, HelloGiggles, etc.)

If you want to travel like a travel writer, you need to have the right apps! I always download the app of the airline I’m traveling with, so I can get mobile updates as well as terminal and gate information. The rewarded miles don’t hurt either! My other must-have app while traveling is Mobile Passport! When I’m arriving stateside, I always use my mobile passport app to breeze through customers. I fill out the customs form on the app while we taxi to the gate and have found that it’s saved me hours over the past few months.

I’d also recommend having a pre-packed in-flight bag that has everything you might need ready to go for your flight so you can pull it out of a backpack or carry-on before finding your seat. That way, you’ll have all the essentials, like laptop, charger, book, Chapstick, headphones, snacks, just to name a few, all in one place so that you don’t have to hassle in the aisle and boarding can continue efficiently.

Finally, if you’re traveling via carry-on, which is very travel writer-esque, roll your clothes to save room, pack easy mix-and-match layering clothes, and don’t forget to pack pharmaceutical essentials like Advil! You never know when you might have to borrow your receptionist’s motorbike in the Thai jungle at 2AM to find some!

Amanda McCoy (POPSUGAR)

For me, it’s all about surviving the long-haul flight to make sure I don’t arrive completely wiped out with sore muscles. I essentially turn that coach seat into my own little spa oasis. A gel sleeping mask, lavender essential oil, cucumber under-eye masks, and' most importantly' an inflatable footrest (which is still the best damn $20 I’ve ever spent). Even flight attendants constantly comment on how I’ve turned my economy space into a pseudo-first class seat… Just minus the champagne.

Sandra MacGregor (CNN Travel, National Geographic, NYT etc.)

Noiseless headphones, my Kindle full of books I’ve been dying to read but put off until I am on an airplane, and my Seed facial serum by Canadian luxury vegan brand VERDURA are my travel go-to’s. Oh, and a person in the seat next to me who is affable (and doesn’t snore) is a nice bonus.

Lesley Chen (Brit + Co, Parade, etc.)

 My toiletry bag has a second set of everything I use (face wash, toothpaste, floss, lotion, etc. in miniature size). So, I can just grab it and go without having to worry about if I remembered to pack my face wash from the shower or my contact case from the counter. Things I always pack: a pair of black jeans (it’s a 2-for-1 because you can go dressy or casual!), a pair of running shoes (because I know the one time I don’t bring them will be the time I actually motivate to go to the gym), and flip flops.

This is kind of a terrible tip, but this is how I avoid jet lag: When I fly to and from international trips, I force myself to stay up on the plane and watch as many movies for as long as possible, and then when I land, I power through/keep moving until nighttime. By bedtime, my body is usually so tired (and probably disoriented) that I just go to sleep, and it kind of resets itself. Also, coffee helps.

Amber Gibson (Forbes, Hemispheres, WestJet Magazine, etc.)

If you’re making a long journey and worried about jet lag, get a spa treatment the first evening you arrive. Book it for as late as you can in the evening and go to bed right after. There’s no better way to prime yourself for a good night’s sleep.

Claudia Laroye (Flight Network, The Globe and Mail, Twist Travel, etc.)

‘A gelato a day keeps the tantrums away.’ This travel tip works wonders for kids but also adults too. It keeps the ‘hangries’ at bay, incentivizes good behavior while traveling, and gives everyone a boost when spirits flag due to jet lag. And hey, it doesn’t have to be gelato, it could be cake, cookies, wine, etc. We live by this motto when we travel, and I know it works in real life as it’s saved us from more than a few meltdowns.

Kelsey Ogletree (Modern Luxury, ROBB Report, WSJ, etc.)

As tempting as another round of late-night cocktails' or hitting up just one more cool dance spot' might sound, I’m a big fan of calling it a night as soon as you (politely) can. When you really want to learn about the culture of a destination and squeeze in as much as possible when you’re staying in a place for a short time, you don’t have time to feel tired or hungover. Early to bed, early to rise, has always suited me well whenever I’m traveling for work!

Forbes

If you are taking a volunteer vacation, a family trip to Disneyland or a Mediterranean cruise, few things put a damper on events like lost luggage. Lost clothes, toiletries, medications and electronics can drastically impact plans and enjoyment. Aimee Robinson, writing for Express Newspapers shares some tips that will help your bags arrive at your destination at the same time you do.

Luggage: One simple passenger mistake makes lost luggage more likely – do you do this?

LUGGAGE going missing is a traveller' s worst nightmare, however, it seems there are some passenger mistakes that make this unfortunate scenario more likely. Are you guilty of doing this on your travels?

By AIMEE ROBINSON

Lost luggage is a nightmare for many travellers. While often this means passengers are left without their baggage for days at a time, causing chaos for holiday plans, a worst-case scenario can see their bags lost forever. It turns out that while airport and airline staff are sometimes at fault for this, there is also a chance that one simple mistake by passengers can be the reason their luggage goes missing.

The problem can arise long before passengers even get to the airport.

One travel expert revealed the small oversight, which they said is often why bags don' t make it onto the right aircraft.

On a post in Reddit, the expert explained: "Not a secret, just common sense; the reason some bags miss their flight or get misrouted is because passengers don’t remove old tags.

"It confuses handlers as well as the conveyor belt scanners. I see it happen all the time."

Bag tags are used by airline carriers to route luggage to its final destination.

A small tag is usually attached to the tag with a barcode and number, meanwhile, the passenger is given a stub with a matching barcode.

It is vital passenger' s keep this tag safe, it will come in extremely useful should the bag go missing.

Additionally, some airports still require the passenger to maintain their baggage tag stub as proof before being reunited with their luggage.

However, once a journey is completed it is advised customers strip their luggage of their used tag so as not to confuse future flights and risk losing their luggage for good.

While baggage handers are frequently told to double-check the dates on luggage tags, the fast-paced nature of the job means sometimes mistakes can be made.

In fact, the latest baggage report from SITA revealed that 22.7 million bags were lost or temporarily mislaid globally.

According to SITA, there are several common reasons why luggage goes missing such as ticketing errors, bag switches, airport or customs restrictions, failure to load the bag or security issues.

Luckily, a baggage handler also shared his top tips on how passengers can keep their luggage safe,

He said these tips are simply "common sense".

In order to ensure your bags stay together, even if they aren' t with you, the airport worker suggests making sure all of your bags are the same.

He says: "Get the same bag, same colour same everything.

"If you’re lucky they will stay together and come off the truck together, not only because the handlers will place them together because they look the same, but they stack better when they are the same size."

The baggage handlers also went on to offer a word of warning when it comes to packing.

"If your bag is over 55lbs, it’s gonna have a bad time.

"How annoyed do you get lifting your own bag into the back of the car, imagine having to do that 200 times, it gets frustrating and tiresome, and sometimes we just throw with very little care because they are too heavy to do carefully."

Other handy hacks include ensuring you have a sturdy bag-complete with a re-enforced handle and strong exterior, and filling out the attached name card that comes with many suitcases.

Of course, there are some situations when lost luggage simply can' t be helped.

An expert from Staysure, a travel insurance provider, spoke to Express.co.uk to offer advice on what to do if passengers find themselves in this situation.

Julian Kearney, CEO of Staysure, says the best thing to do is "keep hold of any airline or any other ticket that confirms your travel arrangements".

He added: "In most instances, luggage is reported missing whilst under the supervision of airlines and there is nothing that travellers can do to prevent their luggage going missing whilst in their care.

"In the unfortunate event of this happening, Staysure customers are advised to notify their airline straight away and register the loss by completing any necessary paperwork.

"This will be required in support of any claim made under their Staysure Travel Insurance Policy."

Express Newspapers

Determing the next great trip and adventure can be a challenge: finite money and time must vet seemingly infinite travel opportunities. Generation Z travelers are turning to social media to help them in their due diligence, finding the next-best-destination, trend and activity. Allie Jones in a recent article for Conde Nast Traveler examined the trends and motivators sending the newest generation of travelers around the world.

Gen Z Are Starting to Travel' And Instagram and YouTube Determine Where They Go

By ALLIE JONES
July 29, 2019

Experts differ on the exact confines of America' s newest generation, Gen Z, but for the purposes of this article, let' s say that it includes anyone born after the year 1995. That means that Gen Z' s oldest members are now in their late teens and early twenties' the time of life when, if you' re lucky, you get to start traveling on your own.

Like many of her peers, 18-year-old influencer Kayla Kosuga has documented her early travels on social media. Kosuga, a recent high-school graduate, has 550,000 subscribers on YouTube, where she' s posted videos about her "morning routine," her boyfriend, "being grounded," and other relatable aspects of teen life for the last two years. Last year, she recorded a vlog during a family trip to Washington, D.C.' the classic boring educational vacation. But this year, she informed her followers she was striking out on her own in a video titled "TRAVELING WITHOUT MY PARENTS FOR THE FIRST TIME." (She went to Beautycon, an influencer conference, in New York City.) Later, she traveled to Bali with her boyfriend and documented the trip on YouTube and Instagram, where she has 162,000 followers.

According to Jonah Stillman, a 20-year-old expert on his generation, this documentation is a crucial part of how Gen Z travels, whether they have hundreds of thousands of followers or not. "We really are the first native generation to a world with iPhones, smart tablets, smart watches, all these different things," he says. Stillman runs the consultancy GenZGuru with his father, David Stillman, a Gen Xer, and they advise companies like the NFL and Deloitte on how to reach young consumers. "Social media plays into, not only travel, but almost every aspect of life" for Gen Z, Stillman says. "Gen Z pretty much goes through every decision they make, every activity they do, every trip they take, with the lens of: how can I create a permanent moment using social media? Whether that be taking an Instagram photo, or creating a travel blog, or posting day to day updates on my Snapchat story."

Riley Taylor, a 20-year-old photographer who often shoots Gen Z travel influencers at music festivals like Coachella and popular European destinations like Venice, confirmed that social media is one of the first things he thinks about when booking a trip. He typically works with models like Eva Gutowski, 24, an influencer who parlayed teen YouTube stardom into a travel-influencing career, creating glowy, dreamlike images that, he says, are extremely popular with his peers. "One of the things I love about social media is that you can kind of see the places that other people have been to and curate the way that you would want to visit these places and what you want to do," he says. "I often use the saved section of Instagram and will save a bunch of inspiration photos for a certain place that I want to go to. That kind of helps me figure out where I want to go and what I want to do there and make sure that I take photos of."

“GEN Z PRETTY MUCH GOES THROUGH EVERY DECISION THEY MAKE WITH THE LENS OF: HOW CAN I CREATE A PERMANENT MOMENT USING SOCIAL MEDIA?”

Taylor said that Instagram is currently the most influential platform among his peers, followed closely by YouTube. There are thousands of travel influencers on these platforms who make a living visiting far-flung destinations, often at the behest of hotel, airline, and fashion brands, he adds. And many of them are just barely out of school, like Taylor' s friend Gutowski, who has 6.8 million followers on Instagram and recently posted photos from Tokyo, New York City, Death Valley, and Disneyland. (Disneyland remains a very popular Gen Z destination, perhaps because the park encourages visitors to take as many photos as possible.)

According to Stillman, influencers like Gutowski have essentially replaced old-school travel agents and formalized review sites for Gen Z travelers. "What we have seen specifically with travel, picking travel destinations is pretty much the end of the era of experts as we know it," he says. "We’re not going to big travel agencies or companies to get recommendations of where we are going. It’s really peer-to-peer reviews, and you see that in almost all aspects."

Taylor concurs. Usually he picks places to travel "by word of mouth, or if I see somebody I trust and look up to on social media [who has] been there, then that would definitely be a deciding factor," he says. He adds that social media influencers have been his primary motivation when it comes to planning trips for himself' and its clear that Instagram and YouTube have made travel feel more accessible than ever before to Taylor and his peers. "From a young age, I really did want to travel and I was always so scared and didn’t think that it would actually happen,” he says. “But from watching so many people on Instagram and YouTube and different social media platforms go to these places and see that it’s not a big deal, I was kind of able to get over my traveling fears and start traveling."

And like many of his peers, Taylor has been savvy about getting certain trips paid for. Brands like the fashion company Revolve have invited him to Coachella to take photos of other influencers, who in turn promote the festival to the general public. (Taylor himself has 128,000 followers on Instagram.) Stillman says that music festivals are a common first trip for his peers to take away from their parents. "I think that Gen Z has really brought back what maybe the traditionalists remember in their age of Woodstock' we have our modern-day versions," he says. "You see on social media that Gen Zers flock to these different events, whether it be Lollapalooza, Coachella, Country Fest, all these different things, because it’s the best of both worlds. You’re vacationing, you’re with friends, you’re in a very unique environment."

Overall, Stillman says that Gen Z travelers are price-conscious and more likely to spend money on travel and experiences than pretty much anything else. "Growing up in the midst of the 2009 recession and seeing the downfall of their parents’ money" contributes to this mindset, he says. "We are very price-conscious shoppers. Oftentimes, when you buy a premium item, or something nice, it creates buyers’ remorse. However, when you see my trip, or you buy a festival ticket or concert ticket, whatever it may be, you very rarely have remorse about a great experience with friends. You also get to create that memory on social media."

And that "memory" gets shared with many others, providing them a glimpse into influencers’ lives and allowing them to build up the confidence for their own first trips. When Kosuga posted "Traveling Without My Parents For the First Time" on YouTube, she was sharing the ups and downs of navigating everything from Beautycon to Times Square (fan encounters included). The travelogue garnered over 300,000 views' and is one of her best-performing videos to date.

Conde Nast Traveller