Overseas Travel Tips from Geneva Hospitality

With Geneva Hospitality’s first overseas resort, Caracola Beach and Spa Resort, in the process of being built, we thought we’d share some of the best overseas travel tips we’ve come across.

1. Always Remember Safety First
When visiting a new area, it is always important to remember that there are good and bad parts of town. In order to stay safe during your travels, be sure to research the area you are traveling on sites like TripAdvisor.com and Expedia.com, through user comments. You can also ask the concierge at your resort if there are any areas you should avoid.

2. Global Travel Service is Essential
If you happen to get sick or injured during your trip, it is important you have someone you can call and are able to get to a hospital where your native language is spoken. This is why it is absolutely essential that you have some form of global travel service. Many credit card companies offer a form of Global Travel Service, if you use their cards, which can provide you with emergency medical care, cash, and other benefits if you become injured when traveling abroad.

3. Luggage and International Travel
One of the most overlooked factors of international travel is luggage requirements. Every country has a different set of guidelines for the size and weight of luggage that can be brought onto their airplanes. Take the time to understand the luggage requirements of the country you are visiting. It will only take a few minutes to do the research but could ultimately make the difference between you making your flight or not.

4. International Travel Health Insurance
Be sure that you are covered by either your own insurance company or an international provider before traveling internationally. It is important to have health insurance on top of a Global Travel Service even if some form of insurance is already incorporated within the service. You even have the option of purchasing insurance for a single trip.

5. Gain Access to Airport Lounges
Check to see if any of the credit cards you own give you access to airport lounges. These lounges are essential for international travelers who may have long wait times at airports. These lounges offer free food, drinks, televisions, and usually internet or computer access.

6. Travel with One Airline
If you frequently travel internationally, try and stick with the same airline for each trip. As a member of an airline rewards program you can build miles very quickly with international flights, which often give you access to free upgrades, flights, and even lounge memberships. You may also enjoy priority boarding and perks for passengers traveling with you.

7. Try New Foods in Moderation
While it is important to try new foods during your trip, do so in moderation. It will take your body a while to get used to the new bacteria in the foods of different countries, so try to eat new food along with food that you are familiar with.

8. Be Sure to Guard your Passport
Your passport is very valuable to thieves in different countries, and most of the time it is more valuable than the money in your wallet. Be sure to keep a careful eye on it because it is much easier to get money on a trip than to replace a passport.

9. Understand the Customs of the Area
In some cultures it is custom to give those you visit a gift upon arrival, so be sure you understand the customs of the region that you are visiting. This sometimes small thought can go a long way towards showing your respect for someone's country and culture.