If airlines are offering huge discounts to lure money-weary individuals into traveling, imagine the larger discounts that a travel agency can offer. Since travel agents purchase blocks of seats, they can pass on the savings to their customers.

Most major travel companies online have slow seasons when there are fewer people booking trips. If you book your trip during this time, you could save a substantial amount of money. Everyone books trips in the summer and around the holidays, but fewer people are traveling at other times of the year.

Given that travel agents deal every day with hotel managers, restaurant owners and managers, bed and breakfast supervisors, tour operators, limousine companies, and other people who offer a specialized service, they know who and what are offering better prices and when.

Traveling internationally might take you into cultures that are extremely foreign to you. If you are booking these trips on your own, you may not know what appropriate attire is to wear in certain situations, or how you are supposed to act in a different country. Your travel agency can help you with all of these things, and will prepare you for being in a different culture.

The increased number of choices does not just help you save money. It also means that you have limitless possibilities when it comes to travel.

When you are going through an online travel agency they will make you aware of aspects such as these. You will have access to travel safety alerts, and the newest information about where and when it is safe for you to travel. Booking a vacation on your own is not going to give you all of this information. If you research it yourself you may not be too sure if you are receiving the proper information.

Another nice convenience, for repeat customers, is the ability to create your own customer profile that allows you to save certain options in your preferences that will streamline future vacation planning. You can save time and hassle by storing any corporate or membership discount numbers, frequent flyer numbers and other pertinent information on your customer profile.

Even though, travel agencies will be delighted to serve you all types of travel, but most of them are likely to be stronger in either business travels or leisure travel services. Ask the travel agency about their specialty. If your need is ‘leisure’ then go for the one more focused into arranging personal or leisure trips. Try to find a specialist if you have special rather than general needs.A few travel agencies specialize in shipping cargo. Of course… that’s not entirely relevant if you’re looking to fly for business or personal reasons. Still, this should go to show how many different areas an individual agency can specialize in.

A real travel agent is just going to try to find you the very best deals available. They’re not going to try to lean all of their customers towards one airline or another. There are a few so-called “travel agents” out there who are secretly receiving bonuses from certain airlines, but this isn’t a common practice, nor is it encouraged within the travel agency industry.

Online travel agencies haven’t completely decimated the conventional brick-and-mortar shops. Traditional travel agencies still do a great deal of business with travelers and are one viable solution to booking travel arrangements. However, as busy as our lives can be, online travel agencies do offer a quick and convenient solution to finding airline tickets without taking you away from home, or even work – and the brick-and-mortar shops realize this. Some conventional agencies are also hitting the web and establishing travel websites to cater to those individuals looking to quickly search for and book flights. So even though online travel agencies haven’t completely decimated the conventional travel agency industry, they have established a viable and convenient alternative to booking vacations, business trips, and other travel plans.

Conventional travel agencies still command a large portion of the travel booking industry. Their face-to-face service is what keeps them in business and, depending on the needs of the traveler, a more realistic solution to booking travel arrangements. When you book your travel plans through a brick-and-mortar travel agency, you’re working with real people and if you’re a frequent traveler, it’s nice to have a “favored agent” to turn to for travel information and advice. With an online travel agency, you’re simply interacting with a virtual interface that allows you to search for and book your own travel plans without ever speaking with a live person. Many people prefer face-to-face interaction and would never even dream about using a travel website to book their travel plans. There is still something to be said about personal service and the conventional travel agencies are capitalizing on it by offering personalized services and conveniences to travelers.

As you can see, there are benefits and disadvantage to both conventional and online travel agencies. Each one offers its own experience and features that make it unique from the other and in favor with different people. When it comes to selecting the best option for you, you merely need to ask yourself “What am I looking for in a travel agency?” The best way to answer this question is to check out a few online travel agencies, compare them to some brick-and-mortars, and see which ones have the savings, products, and services you desire.

Missionary travel is one of the best ways to travel and experience other people and cultures for anyone who wishes to stretch their legs and be of service to others at the same time.

The advantages to missionary travel are many and one of the great things that it offers is that you are guaranteed to always have something purposeful to bide your time with while you are traveling. You can rest assured that your church will have all the hot spots of injustice ready to go for you when you arrive so there will be no need to waste any time scouting them out on your own. Drug addiction, prostitution, poverty, gang violence, and Pagan practices run rampant in many foreign countries so you can rest assured that there will be no shortage of souls to save.

If your church offers missionary travel, than there will also be food and housing available for you when you arrive at your destination. Making new friends that share your beliefs is one of the other benefits of missionary travel.

Missionary travel is a great personal test for yourself that you can take that will prove invaluable in your later years and while others may choose to stay behind in your home town to enjoy their creature comforts you will be off building memories and character. If you are going to move up in standing in your church and plan on one day being a respected elder then missionary travel is one notch in your belt that will always put you in a command position.

Completing a mission for your church is a right of passage that will always set you apart from the crowd and it means that you have paid your dues and that your mettle has been tested.

To find the latest information on missionary travel as well as mission travel, visit Christian travel agency Golden Rule Travel that specializes in missionary, adoption, and humanitarian travel. Golden Rule Travel has the years of experience, the technology, the contacts, the contracts, and the dedication to customer service to give you the least expensive, most hassle-free travel possible. A brief overview of what goes into optimizing your travel experience:

* Golden Rule Travel checks multiple sources:
o The Amadeus CRS system
o The online travel sites
o Special negotiated contracts direct with many major airlines
o The consolidators (many who consider Golden Rule Travel one of their VIP clients)

* Every booking done is reviewed by the general manager, one of the most experienced agents, to ensure that you got the best deal possible and that all the details are done properly. When you get a ticket from Golden Rule Travel, you have two agents working for you, not just one.

* At Golden Rule Travel, the Christian travel agents will be honest with you.

* Golden Rule Travel is dedicated to providing the best customer service possible (Golden Rule Travel has cell phone numbers so you can call the owner or general manager 24/7 if you have an emergency).

Golden Rule Travel offers a full range of travel services to individuals, church groups, NGOs, humanitarian agencies, and missionary organizations.

Online travel agencies will be able to hook you up with the right missionary travel. They can book you a tour anywhere in the world via any type of transportation. If you are planning a missionary travel, contact a missionary travel agency.

The Greater Mekong Region is emerging as one of the world’s most famous travel destinations. The region has many features that make it very attractive to tourists. These include unspoiled natural beauty and magnificent attractions. A variety of ethnic peoples with unique languages and customs together with a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Laos make the region most attractive to tourists, particularly since parts of the region have been inaccessible for years.

The Mekong River flows from the Himalayan Mountains in China through Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. These five countries form the Greater Mekong Region.

As the largest country in the region, Thailand is more than just a gateway – often referred to as the most exotic country in Southeast Asia. A visit to the Grand Palace in Bangkok for sure. Trips to a floating market or to the Bridge on the River Kwai. From pristine beaches in the Southern Islands to the Northern mountains with its waterfalls, elephants bathing in mountain streams, and Hill Tribe villages.

Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar – Four small countries neighboring Thailand. Each opens a different world of exploration. Cambodia – the highlight is visiting Angkor Wat, an architectural masterpiece constructed in the jungle in the early 12th century. Vietnam – is a varied country, offering beaches, mountains and hundreds of years of history from the ancient Cham Towers to remnants from the Vietnam War. Laos – savor the crafts, culture and hospitality of Laos with a river trip, visits to ancient temples, gorgeous palaces, and traditional villages. Myanmar – journey the length of this enchanting land on the mighty Ayeyarwady River, and discover the treasures of over two millennia of civilisation including exquisite Buddhist art and magnificent temple architecture.

If you are planning a vacation for the Greater Mekong Region countries, just visit the website of Azure Travel which is the Bangkok-based tour operator and travel agent. Azure Travel provides package tours in Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, hotels reservation, vacation throughout Thailand and South East Asia. Azure Travel is entering the hospitality business with valuable experience. This enables it to provide the best services for clients. The staff has many years of experience behind them.

You can sign up for one of the popular package tours or work with Azure Travel to design a tour to your own specifications. Either way, Azure Travel guarantees your satisfied vacation.

Ugandans Should Learn to Promote Their Country It is great that Uganda’s tourism industry is growing in leaps and bounds but experts say that this is still not enough, considering that Uganda aptly described by Sir Winston Churchill as “the pearl of Africa” has a lot to offer the world. James Dummer first visited Uganda in 1997 and 1998 to try and create a cultural opera festival for three weeks at Entebbe’s Imperial Botanical Hotel, only to discover that is was still too soon to carry out such an undertaking. Dummer decided to revisit Uganda in 2006 in the month of July 2006 so to try and promote the countries rich heritage to the rest of the world. Uganda being a niche’ market that attracts great numbers of middle and up-market visitors is certainly not doing enough to promote its tourism industry compared to the likes of Kenya, South Africa and Tanzania. James Dummer says he has attended countless travel fairs that are organized in different parts of the world for the last couple of years and taken a keen interest for the past decade in the trade fair stands that are allocated to Uganda’s Tourist Board. In his evaluation of the Uganda’s stand in ITB Berlin and that London’s World Travel Market (WTM), Uganda’s tour operators pay hefty fees in order to secure a small desk to participate in a stand that is already congested. Despite of all this, he says (UTB), that is Ugandan Tourist Board, the body charged with marketing the countries image abroad has not really been aggressive in exhibiting what Uganda as a country has to offer to the world. The major Uganda tour attraction that is promoted by the tourist board are the primates mainly mountain gorillas and chimpanzees, which has in turn accounted for over 50% of the annual earnings from tourism for the country. It is sad though that the mountain gorillas which are faced with extinction are not being aggressively from protected. Every so often, we hear of mountain gorillas being butchered in one of the gorilla families. It must be said though that the number of mountain gorillas has increased quite a bit in the last few years due to the conservation efforts of the Uganda wildlife Authority and international organizations. The new gorilla families are being opened up for gorilla tracking further boosting Uganda safari attractions. Dummer argues that spending on something that is as obvious as primate tourism which is guaranteed to fetch money and is already over subscribed is not a wise venture bearing in mind that (UGSTDP); Uganda Sustainable Tourism Development Programme is no longer funded by the European Union. He says it would be wise for the Tourist Board to promote other aspects of the country’s tourism, namely, the peace and security that the country has attained and the diversified and rich culture of the over 46 different tribes that inhabit this relative small but beautiful country. The termination of the funding by the European Union is a huge blow as regards the promotion of tourism in Uganda. Uganda’s beauty ranges from the rich wildlife from the semi arid regions of north east where we find the Kidepo valley national park which consists of beautiful flora and fauna with bird species that are found no where else to the dense tropical rain forests of south western Uganda, where we find the Bwindi impenetrable forest and Mgahinga mountains whose major attractions are the mountain gorillas. Gorilla tracking has been is major attraction and the permits are becoming quite hard to acquire given that only 10 people are allowed to track a gorilla family per day. This is one of the main request for anyone visiting or wanting to do a Uganda safari. At the world travel fair in Berlin on 5th march, in which Rwanda took the award for the second consecutive year, the private sector foundation had to fund the stand that Uganda used to exhibit her major attractions. Rwanda was able to demonstrate that despite being a landlocked country which affects the price of doing a tour or safari, it was able to attraction high end spenders. Without a proper budget the staff at Uganda’s Tourist Board are kind of handicapped and can do only so much, as a result, Uganda’s membership at the World Tourism Organization was also terminated due to failure to pay the subscription fee of a couple of dollars. It is high time the government realized the amount of money that tourism is bringing into the country and aggressively campaigned for it. About 25% of the country’s export revenue is from tourism and the brief CNN “Gift by Nature” advert was great but a lot needs to be put into this specialist market in terms of specialist people with great marketing abilities. Tourism, has the potential to take this country to great heights considering that it is one industry where the local people unlike in the GAVI funds can reap directly, not to mention its ability to project a positive image of the country internationally. One of the people who have visited the country are coming back regularly and some have considered doing business in country or even settling in the country as a second home.

Mountain gorilla tracking is one of the most awe inspiring wildlife experience as you climb up and down the steep slopes of the vine clad Bwindi impenetrable forest in Uganda or the Virunga mountains of Rwanda’s Parc Des Volcans. This activity can take any where from 3 hours to 8 hours depending on how far the mountain gorillas have strayed in their foraging for food.

However, it is important to note that there are only over 700 mountain gorillas left in the wild and these can only be found in the border regions of Uganda, Rwanda and Congo and as such are protected by the governments of all three countries. Although the Congo (DRC) government finds it hard due to the unrest in the region where these giant gentle apes are found. There has been numerous killings of these apes needlessly by the rebel groups who have been taking refuge in the Congo forests thus hampering the conservation efforts of all three governments as these gorillas tend to cross borders, although this happens mainly between Uganda’s Mgahinga gorilla national park and Rwanda’s parc Des Volcans. The gorilla families in Uganda’s Bwindi include;

• The ‘M’ group; Mubare group consists of 10 gorillas with 1 silverback and was opened in 1993 for tourism.
• The ‘H’ group; Habinyanja group opened in 1998 for gorilla tours and trekking is composed of 21 individuals with 2 silverbacks
• The ‘R’ group; Rushegura group was opened to trackers in 2002 and is composed of 1 silverback and 10 gorillas.
• The ‘N’ group; The Nkuringo group consisting of 1 silverback and 19 gorillas was made accessible to trekkers in 2004.

Mgahinga national park tucked away in south western Uganda’s border with Rwanda has fewer gorillas than Bwinidi, which cross the border occassionally into Rwanda. This park has a solitary group of habituated gorillas namely Nyakagyezi which is open for tracking. Nyakagyezi has about 11 family members; 3 adult females, 2 silverbacks, 2 infants and 4 juveniles.
The high number of tourists coming into Uganda and Rwanda respectively has led bodies like Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), charged with protecting, Uganda’s wildlife to draft policies and regulations for those doing mountain gorilla tracking. These are;

• Any one with a communicable disease, like as diarrhoea or flu, is not allowed to visit the gorillas.
• Surrounding the gorillas is not allowed, people are to remain in tight groups.
• Once found contact time is limited to only one hour
• Please observe all instructions from your guide.
• A distance of about 5 meters is to be left between the tracker and the gorillas
• A tracker is advised to move back slowly when approched by the gorillas
• No flashes from cameras are allowed.
• Eating and smoking within 200m of the gorillas is forbidden.


• One is required to cover his / her mouth when sneezing or coughing or turn away from the gorillas.
• Human excrement is to be buried at least 30 cm deep in the ground.
• No disposal of litter within the park.
• Spitting in the park is forbidden.
• Minors (those under 15 years) are not allowed to track gorillas.
• Lound noise and sudden movements when with the gorillas is discouraged.

There are a number of companies offer gorilla safaris and a quick check with any of your favorite search engine will yield a number of very good tour operators within the region. There is Uganda gorilla safari

Best Vacation Packages Planning a vacation ahead with your entire family but don’t have enough time for the tits and bits of planning, then the vacation packages come as a great help in such a situation. You always wanted your vacation to be the best planned with enough time for sight seeing, adventure, recreational activities and most important of them, enough time for relaxation. But if you are on a family vacation and if you are the one who is responsible fro the planning and execution, then you can simply forget the word relaxation from vacation dictionary. This is so because you will always be busy in managing small details which will end up consuming your whole time spoiling your entire vacation. To give you that edge in successful planning, in fact to relieve you of the hectic vacation planning, many travel companies offer hundreds of vacation packages. A vacation package is a completely planned affair of events right from accommodation to sight seeing.

The vacation packages are the best way to save on money when you are going with your family for vacations. The vacation packages normally include package cruising, meals and entertainment along with hotel rentals and other major expenses. Although the vacation packages help you to save a considerable amount on your vacations it is advised that you should go through the package deals carefully before paying and get definite information regarding add-ons. The vacation packages help in making a holiday more enjoyable, without having to worry about the small details and their arrangements. There are many of us who would happily opt for the vacation packages for a specific destination. The reasons behind utilizing the vacation packages are more than one. The majority of travelers who usually are accompanied by the family think that the best way to enjoy vacations is by taking up the vacation packages. Among the top reasons behind the popularity of vacation packages are, first of all it can save you money especially where family is concerned. Secondly the vacation packages add convenience which have every amenity they can think for a perfect holidaying with the family. With the growing popularity of vacation packages you can find hundred of offers which sometimes can actually confuse you while making a choice. There are many ways of choosing the best vacation package for your favorite tourist destination and one of them is to follow some basic steps. First of all know all about the company offering the vacation package and keep an eye on the fine print before finalizing your vacations package, even if you think you have found the perfect option for you. Many of the vacation packages do not include all the costs which you may have to pay later. Also make sure that you are offered the best quality of food and beverages and the right kind of accommodation as promised. Carefully consider the excursions offered and the schedule of the travel. For the best vacations choose the right vacations package and enjoy with everyone as long as you want.

Travel packages created by travel agents, resorts, and other travel adventure companies may solve any issues you may have when planning a vacation for yourself or for you and your family. Packages usually include hotel, entry to amusement parks, beaches, and other attractions, food vouchers, and may include rental car and airfare. You can book these packages in advance so you will know that your room and other items are reserved. If you are unsure about which vacation package to choose, visit your travel agent. They will be able to suggest packages or help you create your own. With a travel agent, you will be able to book everything you need to have during your vacation. Our travel agent was even able to tell us about the weather in Alicante before we traveled there.

Your travel agent is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to travel packages. But if you would rather investigate the possibilities yourself, there are many websites that can provide you with the information you need to know. Included on these sites are prices, descriptions of the types of activities available, and how long you should stay. When researching possible destinations, choose only the ones that interest you the most. This way, you will be able to narrow your choices quickly and easily. After finding out as much as you can about the vacation, you can book it online or contact the resort or company that is hosting it and make reservations.

Although their are numerous online travel services a traditional Travel agent is as much an important part of the trip as comfort is to traveling! The role of a travel agent has been increasing with the times and today most people are dependent on them for executing most of their travel plans so that they can rest easy and just enjoy their trip. It is the responsibility of the travel agent to help and guide the travelers about the constantly changing schedules and airfares, availability of packages for vacation, and a lot of travel information that the traveler may not know about.

Choosing a reliable travel agent can be an important decision, since how you travel and your comfort will be largely decided by the travel agents. You should verify the information given by the travel agents, to be on the safer side and minimize your travel hassles. In case of International travel, choosing a proper agent becomes more important. The right agent should be able to foresee your problems and guide you about them. They should provide information related to customs regulations, important documents like visas, passports, currency exchange rates and certificates of vaccination.

Many hotels, cruise liners, resorts, and special travel groups make use of travel agents to market their travel packages to the ever increasing rate of people choosing to travel both inland and overseas. Most agents advice you on destinations and make arrangements for hotel stays, transportation, tours, car rentals, etc. Information on weather conditions, restaurants, tourist attractions, and other such necessary information are also provided. A good travel agent could also take the trouble of checking out hotel services to gauge their quality of service in order that they can base references on a first hand report.

With the changing times, the travel industry has seen a big development in terms of Internet bookings and travel related information made available on the net. The number of people using online services is growing. This has resulted in a change in the view of the convenience of traditional agencies. A poll result of American tourists revealed that over 92 percent of them generally buy their travel related necessities online. According to these consumers, online travel agencies have cheaper rates, are the easiest to use and offer all the relevant information. A word of caution is necessary for those using the Internet for their travel bookings. Be sure to navigate the site, verify that the agent has a good back-up system. Also ensure that there are no added costs that are credited to your credit bills. Till a few years ago, travel agents provided free services to their customers. Travel agents worked as agents for airlines, hotels, rental car companies, etc. The agencies worked on a commission basis from these suppliers. But free travel agent services began changing as a result of certain changes in the rate of commissions. For example, in 1995 Delta Airlines imposed a $50 limit on domestic airline commission rates.

The role of the travel agent is thus not only diversified but one that necessitates trust and responsibility.