With your long awaited annual leave fast approaching and your suitcase packed and airport chaos hopefully avoided, all that is left for you to do is board the flight…Right?
Well, there are actually some essential steps that you need to take in order to ensure that your family holiday goes as smoothly as possible.
As travel chaos ensues and searches surrounding it are up 110%, holiday makers will be keen to ensure that they have plans in place for things that are within their control.
With this in mind, Bespoke software development company decided to investigate which tech travel hacks you should be using to make travelling safe and enjoyable.
Take photos of your travel documents
You always need identification when travelling, but it’s also wise to have a digital backup. Should there be a scenario in which you lose your wallet or it’s stolen, it will be a lot smoother getting to and from your destination if you have photos of all your important documents.
The easy way to do that on an iPhone is to use the handy document scanner built into the native notes app. Alternatively, on an Android device, you can take some photos and mark them as favourites in your gallery. This will take away all the hassle of finding your documents in your luggage.
Additionally, it is also worth saving your identifying documents as PDF files and transferring a copy to other devices, such as a Kindle. As a result, you will be able to access documentation offline. This is especially useful when you don’t have a secure internet connection.
Keep track of your belongings
Losing your belongings on holiday is devastating and can leave holiday makers stressed out when they should be relaxing. To combat this, use a digital tracker that can help you keep an eye on your valuables and track them if you lose anything. These trackers can be used on laptops, phones, wallets, keys, and luggage.
There are many different types of trackers that can be used, some will be Bluetooth and others will use GPS. A quick search on Amazon will provide you with trackers at a range of prices so you can ensure the safety of your items even on a limited budget.
Don’t rely on paper boarding passes
It’s easy to misplace paper boarding passes so you would be wise to take advantage of the digital option. To access the digital version, you can log in to the airline’s website and arrange for them to email your boarding pass. There is also the option to download your airline’s app to access it!
It is also worth remembering that some airlines will charge you to print boarding passes so it is worth having a digital copy. Especially if you are already on a tight holiday budget. If you do decide on this option, bare in mind that it relies upon you having a charged device to display the boarding pass. Or, alternatively, you could bring a power bank to ensure that you never run out of charge.
Make use of a GPS tracker
It is likely that you will be travelling to one of the many popular tourist destinations and with that brings travel chaos. Due to congestion on the roads and large crowds gathering to admire local attractions, you will be subject to hold ups.
To avoid this, it is worth making use of a GPS that gives you navigation details and traffic details. Meaning you don’t need to wait in long traffic queues when you could be enjoying your holiday. To alleviate any navigation issues in a destination that you are unfamiliar with, it is sensible to make use of gps tracking apps, such as, citymapper to reduce the chances of you getting lost.
Booking your stay
All holiday destinations will be packed with visitors, particularly during the peak season. To ensure that you have a place to stay, it is worth booking well in advance and to make use of the varieties of apps that are available to search for accommodation in different locations. Make sure you check the reviews and get them booked so you have a guaranteed place to stay.
It is worth remembering the loyalty schemes that will help you save money on accommodation. For example, you can use expedia points or booking.com’s genius programme which gives people the opportunity to get 10% of their booking cost.
There is also the option of buying Airbnb gift cards on Amazon alongside the occasional discount that they offer. Gift cards are a great option if you are planning on going on a big trip and would like to store travel credit.
Load your playlist
When travelling, there will be periods where you are bored waiting in queues or on a layover. Therefore, it is important to ensure you have entertainment to hand. By creating a personalised Spotify playlist and downloading podcasts, you will never be bored!
As you will have no signal on the plane, it is important to have all your playlists, podcasts, and films downloaded so you can access them offline. You can go one step further and make your entertainment productive by listening to a travel podcast about your destination so you are clued up just in time for your arrival.
Get your digital driving licence
A digital driving licence is useful as it can be used as identification when travelling abroad so you don’t need to carry your passport with you at all times. A digital driving licence updates quickly with new information, such as change of address. Heaven forbid your phone is lost or stolen, but if an unfortunate event unfolds you can wipe the digital ID before getting a new one.
