The concept of travel started as a luxury for the wealthy—only those with the means to book seats on airplanes and plan top-notch vacations would do so. People would rely on third-party travel agents to do the work for them, which didn’t come cheap, but over time, the travel industry changed its tune. Travel needed to be more digitally integrated and cater to a broad mix of travelers. From then on, the everyday person could use technology, whether a flight search platform or a hotel comparison site, to put together an exciting trip all on their own and at reasonable prices.
In a world where casino operators offer 120 free spins for real money, we’re seeing technology dominate just about every industry, changing how businesses run and what consumers expect. Whether we want lavish, budget-friendly, or somewhere in between, we can book a trip to just about anywhere in the world at any time, all perfectly matched to our preferences.
If you’re still new to the travel scene or feel like you could up your travel planning skills for the better, we’ll go through plenty of ways you can incorporate technology into the process.
Step #1: Researching Destinations
Word of mouth is often the most powerful form of influence when it comes to travel. If a friend had a great time in Cuba or your extended family has shared plenty of interesting stories about their time in Iceland, it’ll likely pique your interest. But there’s another way word-of-mouth has amplified through a megaphone, and that’s social media. Instagram and Pinterest are teeming with unlimited firsthand visual creator content that lets you explore destinations through real travelers. At the same time, communities on sites like Reddit and forums on popular travel platforms like TripAdvisor are great places to ask questions or get an idea of hot destinations. For beautiful and detailed overviews of countries and cities around the world, Lonely Planet has tons of articles and country guides that’ll give you the information you need.
Step #2: Booking Your Flights and Stays
Once you’ve settled on your destination, it’s time to figure out how to get there and where to stay. Flight and accommodation booking has many nuances, with fluctuating prices based on demand and date, and third-party booking sites that could give you a better deal. The best way to book is to open up a couple of flight and accommodation booking sites using a VPN, which can help protect your personal information when you book and help you appear as a new user whenever you change your geolocation. That way, you can avoid those pesky price changes that websites might implement for users who continuously track prices. For stays, consider using Expedia, Booking.com, or even Airbnb or Vrbo if you’d rather find a different kind of vacation rental.
Step #3: Creating Your Itinerary
Itinerary creation can be difficult, especially if you’re going somewhere with lots to see and do and you’re only there for a short amount of time. Which essential spots do you want to see? What’s the best way to order everything to save time and effort? While you could put in the manual effort, using artificial intelligence-based apps or tools can provide you with a more tailored itinerary. Easy-to-use tools like ChatGPT have specific trip planning bots that you can access with a Plus plan, where you can plan entire trips to anywhere with one simple question.
Mindtrip takes the concept one step further by completely catering its platform to travelers. There’s the “Create a Trip” option where you can fill in details like your destination, budget, and travel vibe, and receive a detailed itinerary complete with restaurants, sights, and more. If you want instructions on the most efficient way to get around and organize your itinerary, download the app Wanderlog. Wanderlog also has excellent collaboration options, so you can delve into trip planning with your travel buddies.
Step #4: Getting Around
Finding your way around a new city or town, whether on foot, by car, or on public transport, can take some time to get used to. Luckily, you won’t get too lost (unless you want to!) with apps like Citymapper and Google Maps that’ll map out detailed journeys for you. These apps operate in real time, showing you when the next bus is coming, what transfers to make, and multiple ways to get to your destination. Need to interact with the locals or read signs but aren’t fully up to date on your Duolingo lessons? iTranslate has keyboard, voice, and camera translation features that will certainly come in handy no matter how you need to communicate.
Tip: Other Useful Gadgets to Travel With
- Universal Charger: Especially if you’re visiting several destinations in one trip, having a universal charger with a variety of different converters will ensure you can plug in and charge your gadgets regardless of where you are.
- Tile or Apple AirTag: Losing anything on vacation is stressful, so sticking a Tile or AirTag on your bags or luggage will help you keep better track of your items.
- Noise-Canceling Headphones: While headphones are a must on planes, trains, and other transportation, a dedicated noise-canceling function will make all the difference.
- Airplane Phone Mount: Taking a budget airline? These airlines don’t always have the best entertainment options, if any at all. An airplane phone mount can let you comfortably watch movies and TV shows from your phone to keep you entertained during the flight.
