Travel search tools - TripAdvisor

One of the first websites to visit when planning a holiday is TripAdvisor.

The TripAdvisor website is designed to help you plan your holiday, locate information about places you might like to visit, explore hotel and travel options and then be referred to other websites where bookings can be made. A major feature of the website is that travellers can post reviews and photos of places visited which may help you decide where you want to go and what you want to do.

To start a search, type the name of a country or city or hotel in the Search box at the top of the screen.

Make your selection from the Drop Down list.

In this example we can locate information about Edinburgh by exploring the travel guides, we can explore the variety of accommodation options in the city, find information about available flights, and find out about places to visit and festivals and other events.

The Before You Go tab in the Edinburgh Guide provides general information about the city including Neighbourhoods, Architecture and Culture, public transport in the city and general information for tourists including banks and money, tipping, making phone calls and the weather. So when planning a holiday it would be useful to explore the information in TripAdvisor about your selected destination.

Trip Advisor is also very useful for selecting accommodation. Choose the city, town or village where you want to stay and then check the accommodation options which have been categorised.

You can search all accommodation options, family hotels, B&Bs, luxury hotels etc.

When you locate accommodation in which you might be interested you will find a rating bar for the hotel created from visitor reviews.

You will also find reviews made by visitors which may assist you in making your choice.

On a previous visit to the UK we used TripAdvisor to successfully locate a variety of accommodation, often in villages off the main tourist routes as well as in major cities.

TripAdvisor also has a section where you can select flights to and from your destination. After choosing the required search option you will be referred to another website such as Expedia to book the flight.

Plan how you want to travel

Decide what sort of holiday you want to have. Visiting family combined with some sight seeing may be one option. You might just want a relaxing holiday in one location. Exploring as many new locations as you can could be a reason for travel. Or you might just want to try new experiences.

Some people decide on the places they want to visit and then hire a car to travel to each location. Some travellers utilise the public transport systems, particularly rail travel or coaches to move from place to place. Air travel between counties may be a preferred option. Travel companies provide tours throughout different parts of the world. Coach tours are available in most areas while in parts of outback Australia tours in 4 wheel drive vehicles are offered. Increasingly cruises are a popular way to travel and visit new places. River cruises are popular, especially with the 'baby boomers'.

When planning a holiday searching and comparing the websites of tour companies is a good way to see what is available. APT is an Australian company offering tours in many parts of the world. The website allows you to search for tour destinations or travel styles and brochures about tours can be downloaded. Tours can be booked on the website.

APT offers a variety of river cruises in Europe, the most popular being a two week cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest. A number of other companies also offer European river cruises including Scenic Tours, Viking River Cruises and Avalon Waterways.

There are also websites that provide general information about cruises, including reviews, and provide comparisons between the cruising tours on offer including Cruise Away and Cruise Critic.

APT also offer Coach and Rail tours in different countries, including Australia.

Other companies offering tours in Australia include Heritage Tours and Adventure Tours. Intrepid Travel offer tours in many countries including Australia.

If you want to explore Europe by train have a look at the Eurail website for information about Eurail passes, countries you can visit by train, information about trains in Europe plus a guide to planning a trip through Europe by train.

 

There are many options available to explore the world and many companies offering tour possibilities for your holiday. Exploring the websites of companies offering tours and transport options is part of planning a holiday online.