Important Travel terms you should know
Travelling is everyone’s hobby. Well, most people at least. Why do I say this? 90% of the people I have come across and we got talking about hobbies, you can bet that travelling was first on the list. I am a travel guru and a self-confessed travelling addict. They say that the first step to recovery is acceptance right? Well, I have accepted, and the best part of this addiction is that it’s actually good for you and you need not recover from it. I like posting pictures on Instagram and Facebook that I take at travel destinations. Most comments and private messages I get are from people wanting to know where I took those pictures and how they can go there themselves. Even the people that I didn’t think would be willing to spend any money for a holiday. A friend of mine once said to me that he lives vicariously through my pictures feed and wouldn’t mind living my life. If only he knew that he can easily have the same experiences as I have. I call it lack of information/awareness, which I will talk about another time. (You can hold me to this.) Having concluded that travel is everyone’s hobby (or a substantial number of people at least), one would ask themselves why people do not travel more often. There definitely is a reason. There are various terms used in travel, and until you understand them, you will not be able to tell a good deal from a raw one. If you misunderstand the terms, you might find yourself in trouble and the bad experience is enough to make you lock up your travel dreams and throw away the key. I want to define these terms for you in layman's terms. Once you understand them, you will be able to make sound decisions while making your travelling plans. Hospitality providers, Tour operators and agents will also benefit as they will handle an already educated clientele :) 1. Per Person Sharing This is a very common term. I am sure you have come across it in your search for a holiday package. Most hotels/agents use it while selling their products. They will use acronyms as well, e.g. PP (per person), PPPN (per person per night), PPS (per person sharing) - For instance, if a double room costs 10,000 per night, the price per person sharing will be 5,000. Per person sharing simply means, the amount each person pays when sharing a room or a service. 2. Single Supplement This sounds like the price you pay for being single or a lone ranger:) It's the amount charged on top of the 'per person sharing' price. Once you pay the supplement, you are entitled to stay in a room alone or get the service exclusively. Does it make sense? Yes it does! Supposing Hotel X charges 5,000 per person sharing per night, this means 2 people in that room will pay 5,000*2=10,000. If you are single, they require you to add a supplement of 30%. I.e. 5,000+30%=6,500. A room that would have fetched the hotel 10,000, is given to only one person at 6,500. Mind you, most hotels do not have rooms designated for single occupancy. Most rooms have the same amenities. 3. Flying Package Like the name suggests, it's a getaway that involves flying. Whenever you come across this term in a package, you should know return flights are inclusive. 4. Return Airport Transfers During my years in travel, I have come across so many people who misunderstand this term. Transfer means being ferried from the airport or bus terminal - or a particular point that your sourced transport can't go beyond - to the accommodation facility. The word return means take back to the original point. Do not confuse Return Airport Transfers with Flying Package. 5. All-Inclusive This term confuses many people and is wrongly used in many cases. The term has two meanings, depending on when it’s used; in a hotel setting or a safari setting. In a hotel setting, All-Inclusive means you can have all you can eat and all you can drink. You are entitled to breakfast, lunch, dinner, 10 o'clock and 4 o'clock tea and snacks, soft and selected alcoholic drinks. Most hotels will offer unlimited drinks at the bar between 11 Am and midnight. In a safari setting, the term is used when the price mentioned caters for every item listed in the itinerary/program. 6. Half board This simply means that you’re entitled to two meals per day, mostly breakfast and dinner. When you travel to a place and want to engage in activities such as excursions, city tours etc., it only makes sense to book your stay on half board. 7. Full board This entitles you to three meals per day, breakfast, lunch and dinner. If you travel to a park or a place with no restaurants nearby, be sure to book your stay on full board. If you find this helpful, kindly share and help a friend :) #TravelWithEliud
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