Air Canada wants to keep customers engaged with its loyalty program. Pictured is an Airbus A321. Air Canada
Skift Take: Loyalty programs are huge businesses for airlines. The American Airlines program, for example, is worth an estimated $30 to $35 billion. At those kinds of valuations, airlines cannot let their schemes atrophy. They need to keep them relevant.
Surround by tall pine trees at the basin of Heavenly Mountain and a close walk to the shores of Lake Tahoe, Basecamp Hotel is a rustic camp-like accommodation with chic undertones located in South Lake Tahoe on the border of California and Nevada.
The hotel offers travelers a stylish home base with a strong resemblance to that of a base camp to rest after an adventurous day discovering the area’s natural beauty.
The highly-affordable and eco-friendly hotel in South Lake Tahoe adds a sheer bit of luxury to make everyone a happy camper.
Designed with exploration in mind, the 50-room boutique hotel offers travelers modern amenities in a cozy atmosphere. From a typical plush king-sized room to queen-sized rooms featuring bunk beds, the hotel can accommodate any size party. Each room takes on a rustic decor lined with reclaimed wood, painted tarps as headboards and comfortable wool blankets at the end of every bed. The high-thread count bed linens featured in each room adds a touch of luxury for travelers. Other amenities include a flat-screen TV, gear racks, free wireless Internet access, a desk and a spacious in-room bathroom with a walk-in shower and eco-friendly bath products.
Energy efficient room heaters, in-room recycle bins and reclaimed building materials are just a few of the additional green credentials Basecamp Hotel offers. But while the hotel’s founding principals include sustainability, its chic comfort is the main attraction.
Travelers can take advantage of a unique experience and stay in their Great Indoors room, which brings the great outdoors camping experience indoors. Lined with green carpet to resemble grass, an electric log fireplace, landscape painting adorning the walls and a tent pitched over a king-size bed, book your “campsite” inside Basecamp Hotel.
Or step into the lap of luxury where travelers have the option of renting the Penthouse Suite. After a day of exploration, unwind with a stocked wet bar and views stretching through the forest to the high peaks of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range.
A communal environment is encouraged inside Basecamp Hotel as it provides travelers a lounge area with large leather couches to sink into and a fireplace to warm up by all while sharing stories and travel experiences with others. Or enjoy a coffee with a fellow traveler during continental breakfast, which is served daily and included in the price of the room.
The hotel also offers two dinner sittings at the large reclaimed farm table in the center of the lobby; share in a fondue experience among other travelers or possibly another family style dish depending on the day of week and time of year.
A few added touches Basecamp Hotel offers travelers includes a roof-top hot tub over looking the mountains, cozy fire pits to toast some marsh mellows at night and a stocked cash bar featuring organic beers and steaming hot chocolate.
With long trails through the woods, water activities within walking distance and two of North America’s best ski resorts are just some of the natural resources just waiting to be explored, Basecamp Hotel is the most affordable and stylish option no matter the type of traveler or adventurist.
The eco-friendly hotel will have you traveling back to South Lake Tahoe year after year.
If you’re going to Lake Tahoe in the skiing season, check out these ski resorts in Lake Tahoe.
I’m sure you’ve had similar experiences I had whilst traveling. You’re in a certain place and a fellow traveler, or a local, tip you off on a little-known beach, bar or accommodation. Great travel tips from other travelers or locals always add something special to our travels. That was the inspiration for Travel Dudes.
You will need travel insurance when you plan to volunteer abroad. Most companies that organize travel trips insist or recommend you having volunteer abroad travel insurance.
Travel insurance is an insurance that is intended to cover medical expenses, financial and other losses incurred while travelling.
Travel insurance can be gotten directly from insurance companies, travel agents and travel suppliers. The insurance covers student travel, business travel, leisure travel, adventure travel, cruise travel and international travel.
If you’re going to be volunteering abroad, you’re going to need to get specific travel insurance.
Buying travel insurance is tricky especially when finding the right plan for you that will cover you extensively. Travel insurance covers you against risks such as severe weather, last minute cancellations, terrorist attacks, emergency/accidental care, and travel delays, missed connections, lost baggage etc.
Most people buy travel insurance so that they are medically covered when they are abroad; they don’t want to lose money due to cancellations and others want to prevent losing their luggage and travel documents.
There are various companies to buy travel insurance from depending on your location, price and what you want. Some insurance companies provide travel insurance which is niche specific where they specialize in student travel; others offer simple policies for everyday travelers, some offer just medical insurance or evacuation plans.
World Nomads, for example, has specific travel insurance for volunteering abroad – get more details here.
Depending on what plan you want there are generally two types of plans which are package plans and travel medical plans.
Trip cancellation coverage provides reimbursement for lost travel expenses if you need to cancel your trip. Unexpected events like sickness, death, severe weather, industrial strike, terrorist incidents, something happens to your destination residence, theft of travel documents like passports, financial default by tour operator, and you may be needed back at work.
Trip cancellation insurance is important because some volunteer abroad fees are expensive which can go up to $ 5,000. With some organizations you are asked to plan early in advance in order to confirm a place with them. In such a situation during the period of waiting a lot can happen and you may need to cancel your trip. Also volunteer abroad programs involve a lot of several stops and connections and they have a higher risk of problems and things to go wrong.
Trip cancellation is important as you may choose to volunteer as a group or as a family and you may need to cancel because one of you may fall sick. This will save the money that could have been lost. Depending on the insurance company you use, they each have a number of reasons for you to cancel and they will reimburse you. Trip cancellation coverage should be bought early in advance to make sure you get the full benefits.
Health insurance from your country only covers you while you are at home. When you decide to volunteer abroad you will need travel insurance. Travel insurance takes care of medical coverage while you are volunteering abroad. When you are abroad despite of the vaccinations you are given you are still prone to be infected by indigenous diseases.
The coverage includes being taken to hospital, being treated, charges for hospital stays, the cost of drugs, and evacuation back to your home country. Medical insurance is important since when you are in a foreign country and you might know where the hospital is. Also they may be speaking in a foreign language and getting help might be a bit difficult. When you are evacuated back to your home country, they will take you straight to hospital for further treatment. When buying medical insurance, inform them of your preexisting conditions to make sure you are fully covered.
Travel insurance covers against lost or damage baggage. This happens a lot due to connecting many different flights. It also protects against your property being stolen. There are some occasions when you arrive at your destination and your baggage is delayed.
The cover includes reimbursement of essential items like toiletries, and basic clothing. Some companies offer extra coverage on car rental damage protection, identity theft, and adventure travel coverage. Consult your travel agent on which is the best insurance company to use and what exactly they cover
There are many companies, travel agents and specialty travel companies that provide travel insurance. They vary greatly on price and what they offer or cover.
At Travel Dudes, we highly recommend getting travel insurance from World Nomads.
Volunteer activities in their Standard plan may cover include:
Volunteer activities their Explorer plan may cover include:
Get a quote from World Nomads below:
I’m sure you’ve had similar experiences I had whilst traveling. You’re in a certain place and a fellow traveler, or a local, tip you off on a little-known beach, bar or accommodation. Great travel tips from other travelers or locals always add something special to our travels. That was the inspiration for Travel Dudes.
Want to leave goodness in your path when you travel?
These sustainable travel tips will help you to embark on travels that are good for the earth, communities and yourself.
They will help you to immerse in local culture, see the land through the eyes of the people who live there and it will save you a ton of money.
It’s also possible to travel sustainably while on a budget…here’s our tips.
Live happy. Live healthy. Live free. Live beyond yourself. And travel sustainably.
Here’s our top sustainable travel tips:
1. Walk, bike and use public transportation over taxis, rental cars, and flights.
2. Eat locally produced food. Stick to a whole food plant based diet, which means more veggies, fruits, grains, nuts and less or no animal products
3. Be a part of the local economy. Eat local, shop local, play local. Avoid national chains and corporations.
4. Reduce- Reuse- Recycle– In that order. Trash sucks, don’t make it! Check out our sustainable camping tips.
5. Use the sharing economy. Use websites like couchsurfing.com, warmshowers.org, wwoof.net and craigslist.org. The sharing economy is one of our top tips for how to travel the world for free!
6. Buy less stuff and purchase used stuff when you can. You can buy second-hand camping gear, luggage and clothes.
7. Conserve water and electricity. Just be conscious of your usage. Refrain from buying water in plastic bottles by rather taking your own travel water bottle and filling it up with tap water (where safe).
8. Don’t use one time use anything’s (bags, take out containers, bottled water, straws, napkins etc.) Carry your own reusable dishes, cutlery and bags.
9. Positive consumerism. Buy from businesses that are using business for good.
10. Simplify. The less you need the easier it is to be friendly to our planet and to get around.
11. Travel light and carry only what you need (here’s our guide on how to pack lightly). It will force you to interact with the locals.
12. Be conscious. When you make decisions take into account where things come from and how they were produced. If you don’t know then find out. Take action by putting the information you find to good use.
13. Live beyond yourself. How do your actions affect other humans, animals, and the earth? Make your decisions based on the wellbeing of everyone and everything not just you.
14. Lend a hand to the local community. Spend time at orphanages, volunteer at a community kitchen, or pick up trash from the beach. There are so many ways to give back!
15. Help protect wildlife by refusing to purchase wildlife products and take part in tourism activities that include animals.
16. Don’t go where you’re asked not to go. Certain places are out of bounds for a reason – they could be private land, or they could be protected wildlife areas. Respect the rules of both the land and the local community.
I’m sure you’ve had similar experiences I had whilst traveling. You’re in a certain place and a fellow traveler, or a local, tip you off on a little-known beach, bar or accommodation. Great travel tips from other travelers or locals always add something special to our travels. That was the inspiration for Travel Dudes.
Travel planning isn’t all about booking flights and hotels, it includes a few boring aspects….one of them being travel insurance.
What is travel insurance you might ask?
Travel insurance is one of those things that you have to have, but hope you’ll never use.
If you’re a traveler that loves to count every penny then travel insurance is probably not high on your list, as you won’t reap any immediate benefit from your purchase…but trust us, you’ll be happy you got it should anything go wrong on your trip! Travel insurance will save you A LOT of pennies when you have to make use of it.
There are different travel insurance options available, some travelers may be happy with a general policy, while others prefer a tailored package provided by companies such as World Nomads.
Various cover options include trip cancelation, luggage protection, emergency medical expenses, and emergency medical transportation.
Travel insurance includes various types of cover for your travels. Here are the main things that travel insurance includes.
This is the most basic coverage and covers most events that would result in you not being able to take your trip.
Examples include but are not limited to: Sickness, Injury, Job Change, and Financial Distress (bankruptcy) to either yourself or any of your travel companions. A good policy may also cover Delays, Terrorism, Political Change, Supplier Cancellations and Natural Disasters.
If you have arranged for double occupancy accommodation and your partner cancels or has to change their plans, you can get the required “upgrade” covered by insurance.
Any delay that is out of your control can entitle you to compensation.
This coverage can provide access to local legal experts in the event you get caught in any legal misunderstandings.
Any procedures or treatment performed during your trip or potentially as a direct result of an event that occurs on your trip. This segment of coverage can sometimes include a minor amount of Dental care as well.
Note that SafetyWing’s Nomad Insurance now includes cover for Covid-19. As with any other illness on the cover, all medical expenses will be covered – as long as you didn’t contract the virus before taking out the insurance. Testing for COVID-19 will only be covered if deemed medically necessary by a physician. The antibody test is not covered, as it is not medically necessary.
If you are bringing your pet (this is generally restricted to a cat or dog) they can be covered for emergency medical expenses.
This coverage is necessary for trips where you may not be near medical facilities and you may need transport like a helicopter or express train to get to a proper medical facility.
If an event causes the loss of any body part (dismemberment), you can be compensated according to standard fee schedules. The other portion of coverage is self-explanatory.
If your baggage is lost or delayed, you can get reimbursed for necessities as well as clothing and other personal effects. Some plans will cover items that include laptops and electronic devices.
Our recommendation is to ensure that you at minimum purchase Trip Cancellation/Delay coverage since that covers any major trip changes. Some Medical plans will continue your coverage while you are traveling abroad so the Accident/Medical Coverage, Emergency Evacuation, and/or AD&D coverage may even be redundant for some travelers.
However, the medical coverage you get from a travel insurer can be of much better quality, and can put you as a traveler at a lower risk of having to pay up-front for exorbitant medical fees before being reimbursed.
Additional coverages should be subscribed at the travelers discretion.
You never know when you could get sick or injured while on a trip. This is especially important if you are taking part in adventurous activities like hiking, snowboarding, surfing, or scuba diving.
With travel medical coverage, you won’t be paying a huge medical bill. You’ll also have assistance services – in your own language – to locate a suitable medical facility and arrange transportation.
You never know when you’re luggage will get lost on the plane, get stolen while traveling on local buses/trains etc., or get damaged while in transit. This includes not only your clothes in your suitcase but your precious equipment such as camera, laptop, cell phone etc.
If your luggage is delayed, travel insurance will reimburse you for each day you are without it, and if it’s stolen you’ll be covered to be able to replace your items.
There could be a number of reasons why you have to suddenly cancel a trip — illness, family emergencies, work responsibilities, or another emergency comes up and you can no longer go. You never know what life is going to throw at you.
With trip cancelation coverage, you’ll be able to recover your expenses for these covered reasons and more.
If you are traveling a route that requires more than one flight and you happen to miss your connection for whatever reasons, many travel insurance policies will cover you for those missed connections. The same goes for if your flight is canceled.
If you are planning on doing any adventurous activities or participate in any sports, this cover will be extremely important for you. World Nomads covers a number of different activities including those in the snow, water, air, on land, and a variety of sports.
Whether your scuba gear gets stolen or you get injured while windsurfing, you’ll be covered.
You can get tailored travel insurance if you’re going to be working or volunteering aboard, you’ll then be covered for anything that happens to you while on the job. Specific covers include for child care, general farm work, hospitality, restaurant, teaching, admin work, ski instructor, and even for office work.
If your prescription medication gets lost, stolen, or runs out, there are travel insurance covers that will assist you with filling in an emergency prescription. This is an important cover if you’re on any vital medication!
What happens if you book the most amazing trip with a tour company months before you’re due to leave on the trip, then just before something happens to the company and they close down? Some travel insurance companies will help you recoup your expenses already paid and help you book another trip.
This is possibly every travelers worst nightmare. A good travel insurance policy will help you replace your documents and assist in getting you home.
Should a natural disaster such as a hurricane, earthquake, or flood occur or an act of terrorism happens wherever you are, you’ll want to get home. A travel insurance policy will assist in getting you home safely.
Also, if these should happen in your destination before you leave and have to cancel your trip, you’ll also be reimbursed for your expenses.
For a good travel insurance, we strongly recommended World Nomads. They are a well-known and trusted brand among many frequent travelers, they offer good value for money, flexibility, availability to claim online while you’re still away, offering coverage for a range of adventure activities, provide up-to-date travel safety alerts through their World Nomads Travel Safety Hub, and even allow you to buy a World Nomads policy if you’re already traveling.
Travel insurance from WorldNomads.com is available to people from 140 countries. It’s designed for adventurous travelers with cover for overseas medical, evacuation, baggage and a range of adventure sports and activities.
Note that World Nomads does not cover travel to countries with a COVID travel ban, so familiarize yourself with the exclusions (read more about their Coronavirus cover here). Nonetheless, getting travel insurance is extremely important to get while travelling in a pandemic.
Get a quote from World Nomads below:
All in all, the rates for full coverage Travel Insurance are very reasonable given you choose the right provider. It is well worth getting full coverage if you can. You will be very grateful for the options full coverage provides should your trip not go as planned.
We have seen many trips be interrupted by unforeseen circumstances (even before Covid-19), and a good quality travel insurance plan, such as the one offered by World Nomads or SafetyWing, that covers everything is often the savior of a spoiled vacation.
Knowing what you are paying for and what your plan includes is important, and we hope the breakdown of each aspect of coverage helps you next time you are researching and purchasing travel insurance.
I’m sure you’ve had similar experiences I had whilst traveling. You’re in a certain place and a fellow traveler, or a local, tip you off on a little-known beach, bar or accommodation. Great travel tips from other travelers or locals always add something special to our travels. That was the inspiration for Travel Dudes.
Saudi Arabia is considering barring overseas pilgrims from the annual hajj as worries grow about the emergence of new variants. Ibrahim Uz / Unsplash
Leisure travel still leads the recovery at Hilton, but business and group travelers are signaling a return to booking rooms. Matti Blume / Wikimedia
A bigger number of U.S. travelers interested in international trips will use travel advisors post-pandemic. C Watts / Flickr Commons
Airplane flying over natural vista in the U.S. Sylvia Gorajek / Unsplash
The exterior of the Hard Rock Cafe in Venice, Italy. Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi said on May 4, 2021, that his country would launch travel passes for vaccinated travelers by mid-May. Hard Rock Cafe
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