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Best 12 Travel Apps for Navigating Europe Without Data
Best 12 Travel Apps for Navigating Europe Without Data Europe is a dream destination for travellers, offering a rich tapestry of culture, history, and natural beauty. However, navigating its streets, attractions, and public transportation without reliable data can be challenging. Thankfully, there are several travel apps designed to help you explore Europe seamlessly, even when youâre offline.âŠ
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đ§łâš What to Pack for a Perfect Trip to Spain!
Planning an adventure to Spain? From the stunning beaches of Costa del Sol to the vibrant streets of Barcelona, packing wisely is key to enjoying every moment of your trip! Hereâs a quick guide on what to pack for the Europe tour packages to ensure you have the best experience possible.
đ Clothing Essentials
Lightweight Fabrics: Opt for breathable materials like cotton and linen to stay cool.
Layered Outfits: Spring and autumn can be tricky; pack light sweaters and a versatile jacket.
Comfortable Footwear: Explore those cobblestone streets with comfy walking shoes and stylish sandals!
đ Travel Accessories
Daypack or Tote Bag: Perfect for carrying essentials while exploring.
Reusable Water Bottle: Stay hydrated and eco-friendly!
Sunglasses & Sunblock: Protect yourself from the intense Spanish sun.
đ Travel Documents
Passport & Copies: Keep a digital and physical copy handy.
Travel Insurance: For peace of mind on your European adventure.
Local Currency: Having euros on hand is always a good idea!
đ± Tech Gadgets
Smartphone with Offline Maps: Never get lost while navigating the beautiful cities!
Portable Charger: Keep your devices powered for all those Instagram-worthy moments.
Universal Travel Adapter: Don't let dead batteries ruin your trip!
đ Cultural Considerations
Modest Clothing for Religious Sites: Remember to dress respectfully when visiting churches.
Spanish Phrasebook or App: Learning a few phrases can make your experience even more rewarding!
đ Health & Safety
Basic First Aid Kit: A must-have for minor mishaps.
Face Masks & Sanitizer: Always good to have in crowded places.
With this packing guide, youâll be ready to dive into the vibrant culture, delicious cuisine, and breathtaking sights of Spain! đâïž
Must Read for more info About Europe
Suggested Blogs: Happiest Country in the World
Suggested Blogs: Best Places to Visit in Nov
Suggested Blogs: Top Restaurants in Amsterdam
Suggested Blogs: Best Things to Do in Switzerland
Happy travels, and may the European tour be filled with unforgettable memories! đâš
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Expert Tips to Make Your Solo Trip to Europe Memorable
Embarking on a solo trip to Europe is a dream come true for many travel enthusiasts. The continent boasts a rich tapestry of history, culture, and diverse landscapes, making it a perfect destination for every kind of traveler. Whether you're interested in visiting popular attractions or discovering off-the-beaten-path gems, Europe has something to offer. To ensure you have an unforgettable and smooth journey, here are some expert tips that will make your trip to Europe truly memorable.
Plan Ahead but Stay Flexible:
Before setting foot on European soil, take the time to plan your itinerary. Research the destinations you want to visit, attractions you wish to see, and local experiences you'd like to try. However, it's essential to balance planning with flexibility. Unexpected opportunities may arise, or you might stumble upon hidden gems not found in guidebooks. Leave room for spontaneous adventures and adapt to unforeseen circumstances.
Mix Popular and Off-the-Beaten-Path Attractions:
Europe is home to some world-famous landmarks, and it's only natural to include them in your itinerary. However, don't shy away from exploring lesser-known places that offer unique experiences and a more intimate connection with the local culture. Strike a balance between popular attractions and off-the-beaten-path gems to get the best of both worlds.
Immerse Yourself in Local Culture:
To truly experience Europe, immerse yourself in the local culture. Engage with the locals, learn a few basic phrases in the local language, and participate in cultural events or festivals. This will not only enrich your travel experience but also make you feel more connected to the places you visit.
Embrace Local Cuisine:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Food is an integral part of any travel experience, and Europe is a food lover's paradise. Be adventurous and try the local dishes, street food, and traditional delicacies. Avoid sticking only to familiar food options and instead let your taste buds embark on a journey of discovery. Eating like a local is not only an enjoyable experience but also a great way to understand the region's culture and traditions.
Opt for Sustainable Travel:
As a responsible traveler, consider adopting sustainable practices during your trip. Use eco-friendly transportation, avoid single-use plastic, and support local businesses and artisans. This will not only reduce your environmental impact but also contribute positively to the communities you visit.
Take Advantage of Public Transportation:
Europe boasts an extensive and efficient public transportation system. Opt for trains, buses, and trams to get around as they are often more affordable, reliable, and eco-friendly than renting a car or using taxis. Additionally, public transportation offers a chance to interact with locals and observe the daily life of European cities.
Prioritize Safety:
While Europe is generally safe for travelers, it's essential to take precautions to ensure your safety. Keep your belongings secure, be cautious in crowded areas, and stay aware of your surroundings. Research the safety situation in each destination and avoid risky areas. Trust your instincts and don't hesitate to seek help or advice from locals or fellow travelers.
Travel Light and Pack Smart:
Packing light is a golden rule for any solo traveler in Europe. Pack versatile clothing suitable for various weather conditions and mix and match outfits to save space. Remember to carry essential documents like your passport, travel insurance, and any necessary visas. Also, bring a portable charger, a reusable water bottle, and a travel adapter to stay connected and hydrated on the go.
Embrace Technology:
Smartphones and travel apps can be your best friends during your solo European adventure. Use apps for language translation, navigation, currency conversion, and local recommendations. Offline maps and travel guides will help you stay on track even without internet access. However, remember to balance technology use with being present in the moment and enjoying the real-life experiences.
Capture Memories, But Don't Forget to Live Them:
Photography is a wonderful way to preserve memories of your European trip, but don't get too caught up in capturing the perfect shot. Take the time to appreciate the beauty around you and savor each moment. Some of the best memories are those that are etched in your heart rather than your camera roll.
Conclusion:
Traveling solo in Europe is an enriching experience that will leave you with unforgettable memories. By following these expert tips, you can make the most of your trip and create lasting connections with the places and people you encounter. Embrace new cultures, savor local cuisines, and explore both iconic landmarks and hidden gems. As you traverse the European continent, remember that the real magic lies in being open to new experiences and allowing yourself to be inspired by the beauty of your surroundings. Happy travels!
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Android Information & Subjects
Here's what you have to know in regards to the gadgets, software program, security, and more. You can even access your record from a pc, utilizing the Inoreader net app, and the service will hold track of which articles you have read in either place so you will at all times know where you left off.Â
Inoreader is free to use with an optionally available $50-a-yr skilled plan that lifts a a hundred and fifty-supply restrict on your subscriptions and adds advanced options such as offline reading and an in-app translation choice. TripIt serves as a central organizer for all of your journey-related plans .Â
Its $49-a-12 months TripIt Pro service then offers you actual-time flight updates all throughout your trip â often even beating notifications by airways' personal apps.Â
TripIt is the Swiss Army Knife of Android travel apps, and its widget is value every inch of house in your cellphone's residence display screen each time you've a visit on the horizon.
For the extra categories, Google is working with builders corresponding to ChargePoint, SpotHero and Sygic to launch beta apps by the top of this 12 months. Android News The transfer follows Apple's announcement in June that it will allow parking, EV charging, and fast food ordering apps in CarPlay with the launch of iOS 14.Â
Microsoft is finally able to launch the unique, dual-display screen Surface Duo gadget it first revealed nearly a yr ago. The Android 10 system has two 5.6-inch OLED shows, joined by a slender 360Âș hinge, which may work collectively as one 8.1-inch show.
It has an 11 megapixel digital camera that helps 1080p video conferencing and 4K video capture. The 360Âș hinge lets the one digicam face inward or outward. A new firm, OnwardMobility, is choosing up the BlackBerry torch.Â
OnwardMobility is licensing the BlackBerry model and guarantees a 5G BlackBerry cellphone with a physical keyboard in North America and Europe in the first half of 2021.Â
Further, on Google Pixel phones, Android eleven brings a new function referred to as Live View with Location Sharing. When somebody sends you their location, the function makes use of AR to indicate you precisely the place that person is in the true world, how far-off they are, and can information you to them, even in parks or the wilderness.
New screenshot tools, together with constructed-in screen recording on all telephones. On Pixel telephones, Android eleven brings a new feature when taking a screenshot that allows you to simply copy an image or textual content to the clipboard instead.Â
CAT right now launched the S42, its latest "mid-vary" rugged telephone, for sale unlocked in the US. Like most CAT phones, it's rugged and waterproof , but in addition fully washable with soap and water.Â
It's rated for six-foot drops onto metal, and likewise meets US army spec for thermal shock, vibration, humidity, and salt mist. Its 5.5-inch HD screen is protected by Gorilla Glass 5 and works with both gloves and wet fingers.
Your Android phone can help you keep productive on the go â if you have the right apps to get the job done. The Wroba banking Trojan is spreading to Android phones in the U.S. through text messages that additionally attempt to steal Apple passwords from iPhone customers.Â
Two-thirds of Android malware infections come straight from Google Play Store, say safety researchers, however it's nonetheless one of the safest locations to download apps.Â
The Galaxy S20 FE packs all the best options of the Galaxy S20 into a more reasonably priced package, but there are some commerce-offs should you get this telephone.
Google has added a Calendar app to Android Auto, and is working to allow navigation, parking, and EV charging apps from third-party developers. The Calendar app makes it simple to get driving directions to locations saved in calendar events, and call phone numbers saved with events. The firm has additionally added a new Settings app to Android Auto.
It is now a valuable resource for people who wish to make the most of their mobile gadgets, from customizing the feel and appear to adding new performance.Â
Despite making great phones for years, Sony continues to battle to penetrate the US market. Sales quantity has fallen yr after year, with 2019 limited to solely 5 million models offered globally.Â
To help alleviate this drop, last year, Sony launched the Xperia 5, the return to compact smartphones. This yr, rumors indicate a sequel is first on their agenda. If you have not used a Samsung gadget in a couple of years, the Galaxy S20 series will be your first style of One UI 2, the pores and skin working on prime of Android 10.
Microsoft has custom-made each the Android OS, and its suite of productiveness apps for Android, to enable new twin-screen functionality. The Surface Duo will launch September tenth starting at $1399.Â
It has wonderful support for the 4G networks of AT&T and Verizon, and decent help for T-Mobile's 4G community, although it doesn't assist band 71.Â
Key specs include a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 processor, 6 GB of RAM, 128 or 256 GB of storage, Cat. 18 LTE, 3,577 mAh battery capability, 18W quick charging, fingerprint reader, and USB-C three.1 together with video output to DisplayPort or HDMI.
If you favor the idea of a single scratchpad as an alternative of a sequence of individual Post-Its, Ruff is the tool for you. The amusingly canine-themed app is designed to bring a single, delightfully easy scrolling sheet of text to your cellphone.Â
Anything you sort into that sheet is automatically saved domestically in your system and might easily be archived for later reference or despatched wherever else for sharing or external storing. Our guide, which covers 13 key classes, will lead you proper to those that deserve a place on your Android phone or pill.
Although One UI is on the heavier aspect, it has loads of thrilling options that transcend what's provided in inventory Android.Â
If you are reading this article right now in your Galaxy Note 20, you might be utilizing one of the powerful smartphones on the market â but are you taking full advantage of it? The answer is probably going no, however you possibly can change this with a few apps.Â
Google has offered an replace stating that eighty% of Android apps have adopted the HTTPS normal by default. HTTPS encrypts network visitors, stopping third events from intercepting knowledge from apps. See the world on your smartphone with these amazing virtual reality journey apps for Android and iPhone.
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Igo primo maps for junsun d100
#Igo primo maps for junsun d100 for android
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Best Mac Apps For Travel
The Best Travel Apps for 2019
Best Free Apps For Mac
Best Mac App For Travel
Top 10 Mac Apps
Best Apps For New Macbook
Best Apps For Mac 2020
Best Free Apps For Mac
Airbnb
Jan 04, 2020Â So, hereâs our pick of the best offline GPS apps for your Android or iOS phone. OsmAnd Offline Travel Maps & Navigation. A product of collaboration between two open-source platforms â OpenStreetMap and Wikipedia â OsmAnd allows you to download seven map files for free for offline navigation. Depending on your usage and device memory.
Jan 03, 2020Â The Best Calorie Counter Apps of 2020 Counting calories with a smartphone or tablet app is the smartest way to do it. Brad Stephenson. Freelance Contributor. Brad Stephenson is a freelance tech and geek culture writer with 12+ years' experience. He writes about Windows 10, Xbox One, and cryptocurrency. Our editorial process.
Jan 06, 2020Â The 100 Best Android Apps for 2020. Not all of the Google Play store's 2.9 million apps are worth downloading. Our picks of the best Android apps in 14 categories deserve a place on your phone.
Jan 19, 2017Â The 50 Best New Travel Apps for 2017 The 50 Best New Travel Apps for 2017. So weâve combed through dozens of the latest travel apps (and a.
Feb 09, 2019Â One of the questions I regularly get asked by coworkers is about my favorite Mac apps. Iâve been using a Mac since 2004, and Iâve downloaded, purchased, and demoed hundreds of apps.
Explore your world by finding deals, booking flights, knowing when to pull off the road, and getting out of town with the best travel apps.
Oct 17, 2019Â The best way to navigate is to use the app to search for ideas. As of October, TripIt users can now even download the app to their Mac desktop. You donât want to land in a foreign city for the first time without these travel apps. XE Currency Converter.
We review products independently, but we may earn affiliate commissions from buying links on this page. Terms of use.
How do you decide where to travel? Where do you research destinations? How do you find good deals on flights and accommodations? How do you find your way around a place once you arrive? The best travel apps answer all these questions.
From the time you start thinking about your next destination to the moment your feet hit the welcome mat back home, having the right Android and iPhone apps on hand can make the whole experience smoother and less stressful.
How Can Apps Make Your Trips Better?
Pack light, set a budget, make an itinerary, and make backup plans. What else is there to say about travel? Plenty. Some of the best travel apps inform you about your destination, with advice, insights, tips, and warnings for how to spend your time. Apps for driving and road trips let you know what to expect along your route, where to buy gas, and which exit to take to find a reliable ATM. Other apps keep your itinerary organized, alert you when you can get a deal on flights, or give you a way to explore your options for where to go next.
What's Not Here?
https://treetalent209.tumblr.com/post/657547245000982529/pool-maintenance-software-for-mac. We didn't see the need to include all the big-name search aggregator sites such as Expedia, Hotwire, Orbitz, and Priceline, seeing as most people are already familiar with them. They help you search for and book (usually by prepaying) flights, hotels, car rentals, and sometimes packaged vacations and cruises. The same goes for hotel search aggregators, like Booking.com, Hotels.com, and Trivago. I've only included here the ones that serve a specific niche or those that are excellent but not well known.
Listed in alphabetical order, here are the best travel apps to keep on hand.
Airbnb
Airbnb started by connecting travelers with people who have rooms, apartments, homes, and other accommodations to rent. The site now offers much more for travelers, including tours, classes, workshops, and restaurant reservations. Whether you use Airbnb to find a place to sleep or for inspiration about what to do on your next trip, you're guaranteed to see big, beautiful photographs of it all.
AllTrails
AllTrails is a mobile app and website that helps you get outdoors. It has lists of trails for hiking and walking around the world with pictures, maps, and directions to trailheads. You can download trail maps offline if you sign up for the Pro version of the service for $29.99 per year. It's a great resource for quickly finding the best places to be outside when you're in an unfamiliar area.
Culture Trip
A friend of who's an avid traveler recently tipped me off to Culture Trip. It's a cross between a travel magazine and an SEO-driven website that runs articles with headlines that start The Top 10⊠or The Best Places to⊠The content is supposedly written by locals, and the real hook is that the Culture Trip app lets you save articles to Wishlists that you create. Make a Wishlist for each destination you want to visit or some theme that drives your travel (Snorkeling Spots, perhaps), and you can save Culture Trip articles there for your reference.
GasBuddy
On driving road trips, you'll be happy to have GasBuddy at hand. It helps you find gas by location and price either in real time on your phone or via its website, if you like to plan ahead. If you can save a couple of bucks by cruising a little farther down the road, GasBuddy will let you know. It's available in the US, Canada, and Australia.
Google Flights
Never turn down a second opinion. Despite all the excellent travel search sites available these days, Google Flights is one to add to your list. Use it when you need a quick check on airfare for round-trip, one-way, or multicity flights. It also lets you explore destinations based on price and dates.
Google Maps
My number one go-to travel app is Google Maps. I use it to explore destinations before I arrive and make a note of places that look interesting by adding a star or flagging them on the map. As my travel plans shape up, I use the map to put together a plan for the day by visiting places that are grouped together. You can also save your maps offline so that you won't get lost even if you don't have data on your phone.
Hopper
The mobile-only app Hopper tracks flight prices and gives you periodic updates on whether you should buy now or wait. What makes this travel app valuable is its level of detail. It doesn't just tell you to wait to buy your ticket, but gives you a date when the price will likely rise. You can book through Hopper, too, with a commission fee of a few dollars.
In areas like corporate finance, investment banking, and accounting, people are always looking for new ways to make different financial models that are easy to understand and very informative. A software used for financial modeling can be used for this purpose as it helps the users to make multi-dimensional models very easily and quickly. The most financial modeling software are very easy to. About Financial Modeling on a Mac. Financial modeling What is Financial Modeling Financial modeling is performed in Excel to forecast a company's financial performance. Overview of what is financial modeling, how & why to build a model. On a Mac is becoming more and more common, and while the PC is still recommended, it is possible to get by on an Apple device. What is financial modeling? When asked to define financial model, many people come up with long-winded descriptions using terms like forecast and cash flow and hypothetical outcomes. But the definition needs to be that complicated. A financial model is a tool (typically built in Excel) that displays possible solutions to a real-world financial problem. And financial modeling is the task of. Financial modeling software for mac.
Here's what you need to know. Voice memom app for mac. It was announced at that the beloved Voice Memos app would be making its way to Mac with the macOS Mojave update, and a few neat features are coming along with it.
Hotel Tonight
Best Mac App For Travel
Some people, myself included, panic at the notion of having to book a hotel room at the last minute. For travelers ready to fly by the seat of their pants, there's Hotel Tonight. This travel app specializing in selling off same-day hotel reservations, often at steep discounts. It has options to book in advance, too, but the best deals are same-day bookings.
iExit
Here's another travel app for driving trips. iExit tells you exactly what's near every highway exit, from gas stations to ATMs. If there's a particular restaurant chain or other service you love, you can mark it as a favorite and the app tells you if it's coming up on your route. You'll never kick yourself again for settling for a greasy spoon when better food was just around the bend.
LoungeBuddy
There's no need to be jealous of frequent travelers who have airport lounge access through their membership status or a high-flying credit card. With the LoungeBuddy app, you can find lounges in airports that let anyone in for a fee. LoungeBuddy tells you not only the fee, but also what you can expect inside, from the food and drink to whether there are showers. And if you happen to have lounge membership through other means, the app can often tell you that, too.
Rick Steves Audio Europe
Travel writer Rick Steves has an app for European travels with dozens of audio files. Some give you background information on a particular city or region while others are audio guides for navigating popular sites. I listened to some of his Rome content while viewing the Sistine Chapel and again when walking around the Roman Colosseum. If you're traveling to any of the top destinations in Europe, download this free app and consider listening to some of the segments while planning what to see and do.
Roadtrippers
Find interesting places to stop during a road trip using Roadtrippers. With this app and website, you can explore a map of the US and Canada (with some coverage for Mexico, too) that has unusual roadside attractions, museums, amusement parks, campsites, restaurants, and more. When you find a site you like, just add it to your trip, and Roadtrippers draws your route accordingly. A Roadtrippers Plus account for $29.99 per year or $6.99 per month lets you download maps offline and add unlimited stops along your route, whereas you only get five with a free account.
Roomer Travel
What should you do when you've prepaid for a hotel and your trip suddenly gets canceled? Download Roomer or go to roomertravel.com/sell. This app and website helps people sell prepaid reservations to others who can use them, usually at a lower cost. It can help you recoup money that might otherwise be lost to the travel gods. It can also save you money if you buy a reservation from someone who can't use it at a discounted rate.
TripAdvisor
Sometimes people have to go to unexpected places that they didn't choose, like for a wedding or a business trip. When I don't know anything about my destination, I turn to TripAdvisor. It's one of the most comprehensive online sources for travelers, with background information about different cities and regions, plus highlights of what to see and do. It has reviews of hotels, restaurants, and activities, written by members of the TripAdvisor community, as well as photos from their travels so you know what to expect before you arrive. TripAdvisor has relationships with various booking sites, too, which means once you finish researching hotels or restaurants, you can easily reserve them.
TripCase
TripCase is a free app that helps you organize your trip by making an itinerary for you. The itinerary can include flights, accommodations, rental cars, restaurant reservations, and more. To make an itinerary, you forward travel confirmation emails to TripCase, and the app does the rest. The next time you launch the app or log into the website, a complete chronological lineup of your trip is waiting for you. You can manually add details, too. The result is similar to what you get from TripIt (see below), but the method of collecting the information is different.
TripIt
Top 10 Mac Apps
TripIt is similar to TripCase in creating an organized itinerary for you, but TripIt builds your travel plans by sniffing out confirmation emails in your inbox and pulling out the most important information. If you don't want to give TripIt access to your email, you can use the app by forwarding emails to it instead or manually entering details, but that's not the point of the app. If you are disorganized and haphazard with your travel details, TripIt might do you a lot of good.
Uber
Uber operates around the world, and while the in-app options vary from place to place, the general concept is the same everywhere. There are a few reasons that ride-on-demand apps work so well for travelers. First, it eliminates the need to carry local currency. Second, you don't have to speak the same language as your driver to get to where you need to go. Third, there's no haggling. If you don't want to give Uber your business for one reason or another, do a little research on what other riding hailing apps operate in your destination.
Viator
When you travel to a destination that might require a little hand-holding, Viator is a great website and app to keep in mind. It specializes in tours and packages, from daily excursions to week-long adventures with transfers included. Note that the quantity and quality of the deals varies dramatically by destination.
VRBO
VRBO, which is HomeAway.com with new branding, helps you find vacation homes, apartment rentals, and other accommodations for your travels. Unlike Airbnb, where you can still find a room to let in someone's private home, VRBO focuses on private homes, including beach houses, ski cabins, private apartments, and villas. The next time you're traveling with a large group or planning a destination reunion, keep VRBO in mind.
Wanderu
Best Apps For New Macbook
Do you want to search for buses and trains with the same ease you search and compared flights? Wanderu is the app you need. This aggregator and comparison app includes methods of transportation that other sites skip, namely trains and buses. You can also use it for flights, car rentals, and hotels, but it got its start with buses and trains, and that's still what sets it apart from competitors. For journeys serviced by Amtrak, Megabus, BoltBus, and other ground services, use Wanderu for quick and reliable results.
Waze
Best Apps For Mac 2020
While Google Maps tells you about officially reported problems on the road and whether there's traffic, Waze knows the nitty-gritty details, like the location of police traps and potholes. This free community-driven app for traffic and road conditions is popular among taxi and car service drivers, although it's equally useful for everyday drivers. Beware that Waze demands your GPS information at all times, which takes a toll on your battery.
Zomato
If you live in the US, there's a good chance you've never heard of Zomato. In some countries, however, it's more popular than Yelp, and it covers the same ground as Yelp. Zomato is a crowd-sourced review site for restaurants. One reason it's better than Yelp is that its contributors regularly snap photos of menus and upload them to the restaurant review, so you get more than just flippant remarks and blurry pictures of french fries. In some regions, Zomato partners with local restaurant delivery services, so you can get take-out at your hotel or Airbnb.
More Travel Tips
The travel apps in this list will get you far, but there are additional ways to ensure a successful trip. For instance, a VPN app can help protect your network traffic on public Wi-Fi networks away from home. You may want to pack some specialty devices too; you never know what you'll want to capture or what gear you will need in the field. Be sure to read our guides below for more travel advice.
Financial software for mac small business. It's a plus when accounting software can also serve as an invoice generator.Recurring InvoicesWith this feature, you can schedule the system to automatically generate and send invoices for recurring charges, such as subscriptions. Some accounting software programs integrate with third-party payment processors; others require you to use their in-house processing services. Very few of the accounting applications we evaluated include recurring invoice functionality.Automatic Payment RemindersThis feature helps you remind customers about upcoming and past-due payments. You can choose how frequently invoices are sent â daily, weekly, monthly or annually â and indicate whether there's an end date to the billing.
7 Tips for Finding the Best Hotel Discounts
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Discover top attractions as well as hidden gems and plan your trips day-by-day. Your trips can be synced with the Sygic Travel app to guide you on your travels. Sygic Maps, Navigation, Routing & Optimization experience trusted by 200M users worldwide is available also for your Apps & Solutions. See the complete set of Sygic map agnostic SDKs and APIs. Sygic Gps Navigation Maps is a For Business & Partners Sygic technology that is accessible through a complete set of SDKs for web and mobile development. During Sygic 15 years of long experience, we developed countless mapping and navigation solutions for 2000+ integration partners in various industries. Also, check out Navigon Europe APK For Android Free Download. Driving with Sygic GPS Navigation is easy and safe. The app will guide you safely to your destination even without an internet connection.
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If travelling is something that you love, but find just a teeny bit stressful, then there are plenty of useful apps that can make your experiences better on your next holiday.
There are so many apps on the market. In fact, weâve covered the best outdoor ones here. With a new one launching every day, how do you choose which ones are the best use of your screen space?
If you need a guide to the best of what the app world has to offer, then take a peek at our recommendations below.
1. Skyscanner/Expedia
Who doesnât want the best deal on flights, hotels and car hire? If you want to save some moolah when booking your trip, Skyscanner is a must. If you need a last minute hotel, you wonât have to pay through the nose as itâll find you the best prices. You can also set it up to give you price change alerts. This app is completely free, so itâs definitely worth a download when planning your next holiday.
The Expedia is a similar app allows you to find deals on hotels, flights and activities. But the benefit of using the app over the web version is that you can get double the points when you book, there are mobile-exclusive deals, and it will alert you when your flight gets delayed.
Who doesnât love saving cash on flights and hotels?
2. Citymapper
This award-winning app is probably the most useful of the bunch, especially when exploring a new city by foot or via public transport.
On Citymapper you can find the quickest route to your destination out of all the transport modes available. This could include a combination of train, car share, taxi, bus, train or walking. Itâll also give you easy step by step directions, and will send you alerts if a line is disrupted.
The app covers cities in the US, Canada, Latin America, Europe, Europe, Asia and Australia, and you can check which ones are covered here.
Get the fastest route to your destination with Citymapper.
3. Duolingo
Duolingo is a handy little app which you can use in the lead up to your holiday to brush up on the local language.
You wonât have to mime and point when ordering your dinner as this app provides you with lessons that build your reading, speaking, listening and writing skills. The lessons are designed to feel like a game, making them fun, which will keep you motivated to learn.
An easy to use tool to help you make friends with the locals, or to use self-development if you want to pick up a new language. Itâs also completely free so you only have to invest your time and dedication.
Avoid any mishaps by learning the language with this app.
4. App in the Air
Are you the kind of person who sits down to have a cup of tea, and before you know it, 20 minutes have passed, youâre late for work, and you donât know how it happened? If this is you, and time management isnât your strong suit, then App in the Air is going to help your monitor and keep on top of your flight schedule.
App in the Air splits your flight schedule into a timeline with check-in, boarding, take off and landing. Each stage has a countdown telling you exactly how much time is left, which means youâll never miscalculate how much time you have. It will also notify you if there is a delay or a change in your timetable.
You can also access this when youâre offline, so you wonât have to stress about keeping track of time when youâre on a tight schedule. App in the Air is also free to download.
If you need a little help getting to the airport on time, App in the Air will keep you on track.
5. TripIt
Nobody likes scrolling through 5 pages of mail trying to frantically copy and paste all of your confirmation emails it into a readable itinerary. If thinking about schedules turns your brain to soup, then TripIt is the simple (and free) solution.
All you have to do is forward all of your travel confirmation emails, and the app turns it into a master itinerary â totally genius! Meanwhile, you can access it on all your devices even when you donât have Wi-Fi.
Get your entire itinerary in one easy to read format with Tripit.
6. XE Currency
Youâre probably already familiar with XE Currency if you shop on overseas websites, or like to monitor the progress of the Aussie dollar. But you might not know that thereâs also an app version.
XE Currency is especially handy if your holiday takes you across several different countries. With this app, you wonât unintentionally rip yourself off when buying souvenirs or deciding what to eat for lunch.
It provides live exchange rates and enables you to calculate the prices on your phone. Youâll always know the value of every $AUD you spend! You can get the free version which does come with ads, or the pro version (which is 3rd party ad-free) but comes at a small cost.
Know exactly how far your dollar will go with this currency calculator app.Â
7. Prey
If you stress about your phone getting stolen, then the anti-theft app called Prey: Find My Phone & Security is going to give you peace of mind when you next go away.
This free app allows you to locate and protect your phone or tablet as you can get the location set up zones to alert you if your device moves out of a particular area, and you can alert the current user by displaying a message on the screen.
Itâs also super handy to have when youâre not travelling, as you never know when you might run into a spot of bad luck.
It always helps to be prepared if you gear gets stolen.Â
8. Airbnb
If the thought of staying in an overpriced, overrated hotel, or dodgy hostel doesnât tickle your fancy â thereâs always the option to use Airbnb.
If you havenât heard of Airbnb yet â itâs fast becoming one of the most recognised and used accommodation sites/apps of the last few years. Airbnb allows you to search for a house, apartment, loft or cottage or castle (yes, a castle) to stay in, and thereâs something for all budgets.
You can also look for and book experiences, and get info on local-approved secret spots, bars and restaurants as well. If youâre the type of person who likes to immerse themselves in the culture of a city or country, staying in an Airbnb instead of a hotel is going to be your cup of tea.
Who needs an overpriced hotel room, when thereâs Airbnb?Â
9. Google Translate
If languages arenât your strong point, and thereâs not a helpful English speaking stranger in sight â then thereâs always the Google Translate app to the rescue. Just pop in the text, and youâll be able to get access to 59 languages even when youâre offline.
If youâre not able to type in the characters, you can snap an image and it will translate it for you, as long as its one of the 37 languages included.
You can even hand draw the character, and the app will translate it for you from the 93 languages included in this feature.
Think you know what Tartare de Filet de Boeuf is? Double check with Google Translate. Just FYI, itâs not fillet steak with tartare sauce!
10. Netflix/other streaming services
Youâre probably going to spend a lot of time in airports on your trip. If youâve already got a streaming account with Netflix then definitely get the mobile version. You can now download episodes or movies and watch them later, which is perfect when you need to pass time while waiting for your next flight.
Netflix can be streamed in almost 200 countries and territories, which is why itâs a good option for entertaining yourself while travelling overseas. You can check out the full list of country availability here.
If youâre a member of another streaming service with similar features, you might be able to use that instead. Just check before you leave that you can use it internationally.
If youâve read all your books and mags, and you need a wi-fi free distraction â Netflix is a good choice.Â
You donât want to spend your entire holiday glued to a screen. Youâre there to soak up the sights and sounds and have some new experiences.
But, if you want a little help organising, navigating or getting the best value for your money on your holiday â then these apps are hopefully going to hit the mark. Bon voyage!
What travel apps do you recommend for anyone about to go overseas? And, for more travel inspo, head here.
The post The 10 Best Travel Apps You Need to Download appeared first on Snowys Blog.
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Scotland's Highlands & Islands Travel Guide - Lonely Planet
Scotland's Highlands & Islands Travel Guide Lonely Planet Genre: Europe Price: $14.99 Publish Date: February 1, 2019 Publisher: Lonely Planet Seller: Lonely Planet Global Ltd Lonely Planet: The worldâs number one travel guide publisher* Lonely Planetâs Scotlandâs Highlands & Islands is your passport to the most relevant, up-to-date advice on what to see and skip, and what hidden discoveries await you. Sip the water of life, whisky, in an ancient pub; walk the West Highland Way (or a little bit of it) for some of the countryâs finest scenery; and join a ceiliah for an evening of Scottish dancing. All with your trusted travel companion. Get to the heart of Scotlandâs Highlands & Islands and begin your journey now! Inside Lonely Planetâs Scotlandâs Highlands & Islands : ⹠Colour maps and images throughout âą Highlights and itineraries help you tailor your trip to your personal needs and interests âą Insider tips to save time and money and get around like a local, avoiding crowds and trouble spots âą Essential info at your fingertips - hours of operation, phone numbers, websites, transit tips, prices âą Honest reviews for all budgets - eating, sleeping, sightseeing, going out, shopping, hidden gems that most guidebooks miss âą Cultural insights provide a richer, more rewarding travel experience - covering history, people, music, religion, cuisine, politics âą Over 52 colour maps  ⹠Covers West Highland Way, Central Highlands, The Great Glen & Lochaber, Skye & The Western Isles, Northwest Highlands, Orkney Islands, Shetland Islands, and more The Perfect Choice: Lonely Planetâs Scotlandâs Highlands & Islands is our most comprehensive guide to Scotlandâs highlands & islands, and is perfect for discovering both popular and offbeat experiences. Looking for more extensive coverage? Check out Lonely Planetâs Scotland or Great Britain guides for an in-depth look at all the country and region have to offer. eBook Features: (Best viewed on tablet devices and smartphones) âą Downloadable PDF and offline maps prevent roaming and data charges âą Effortlessly navigate and jump between maps and reviews âą Add notes to personalise your guidebook experience âą Seamlessly flip between pages âą Bookmarks and speedy search capabilities get you to key pages in a flash âą Embedded links to recommendationsâ websites âą Zoom-in maps and images ⹠Inbuilt dictionary for quick referencing Authors: Written and researched by Lonely Planet and Neil Wilson. About Lonely Planet: Lonely Planet is a leading travel media company and the worldâs number one travel guidebook brand, providing both inspiring and trustworthy information for every kind of traveller since 1973. Over the past four decades, weâve printed over 145 million guidebooks and grown a dedicated, passionate global community of travellers. Youâll also find our content online, and in mobile apps, video, 14 languages, nine international magazines, armchair and lifestyle books, eBooks, and more.   TripAdvisor Travelersâ Choice Awards 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 winner in Favorite Travel Guide category âLonely Planet guides are, quite simply, like no other.â â New York Times âLonely Planet. It's on everyone's bookshelves; it's in every traveller's hands. It's on mobile phones. It's on the Internet. It's everywhere, and it's telling entire generations of people how to travel the world.â â Fairfax Media (Australia) *Source: Nielsen BookScan: Australia, UK, USA, 5/2016-4/2017 http://dlvr.it/R1P7w4
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I referenced this post a LOT while I was travelling (skyscanner is now my favorite flight search engine ever.) I see no point in making my own separate post, so Iâm just gonna add on a few more resources that I either like a lot or have had recommended to me. There is now a resources page on the blog which has all these resources listed and organized. If you have a website you like to use that isnât listed here, shoot me an ask and Iâll add it to the page!
Offline maps: Everyone has their favorite offline map to use. Theyâre super useful, especially when youâre in a country that doesnât have a lot of free wifi and donât want roaming charges. Personally, I like maps.me, though their point-to-point navigation sucks. Other people swear by google maps (you can download them) though google is banned in China so I wasnât a fan. Here is a list of the top offline maps so you can compare and figure out what works best for you.
Nomadicmatt: Easily the most well known budget travel blog. They have articles on everything from budgeting to what itâs like to be a solo female traveler in different countries. Very helpful.
Sleeping in Airports: Airport reviews for the best and worst airports in the world. Lists things like showers, luggage lockers, nearby hotels, and the best sleeping spots. Great for if your flight is delayed or cancelled, or if you just donât want to pay for the first or last night of your hostel.
IAMAT: The International Association for Medical Assistance to Travelers. Handy for finding an English speaking doctor if you need one. (I think you need to be a member, but itâs low cost or free.)
Cleartrip: Booking app and website for flights, hotels, and trains in Asia. I only used it for finding trains in India and checking flights in China, but it was useful.
Ctrip: Not to be confused with Cleartrip. Pretty much the only good way to book a train in China, unless you A) speak Chinese or B) want to go all the way to the train station just to book a ticket. The booking fee is totally worth it.
Travel China Guide: Everything you need to know about Chinaâs train system. Which is incredibly confusing. Invaluable website IMO
Literally any offline currency conversion app.
The Man in Seat 61: A train and ferry travel guide in Europe. Gives you step by step instructions, time and cost estimates, and tells you where to buy tickets.
Momondo: An up-and-coming cheap flight search engine thatâs pretty similar to skyscanner! It has the added fun function of showing the possible listings on a map when you select âanywhereâ as your destination.
World Nomads: Travel insurance seller for independent travelers.
Websites
Some people are able to hurl themselves blindly into the unknown. I am not one of them, so here are some websites Iâve found invaluable.
Discount airlines (Ryanair, Wizzair, Wow Air, Easyjet): most of them have flexible date options showing the cheapest days for flights. Wow Air can get you across the Atlantic (Boston-Rekjavik-Destination) for as low as $160, and the others have flights around Europe from about âŹ15.
Skyscanner: the only flight search engine I know that includes discount flights. Also lets you scan an entire month for flight prices.
Student Universe: a flight search engine that finds student fares for flights. It doesnât include discount flights, but it does have a useful date grid showing the cheapest dates for round trip or one-way flights within a week.
Eurail: the Eurail Pass site, with all the maps and pass types and rules.
Drungli: the flight search to use if youâre feeling spontaneous. You tell it when youâre going or where youâre going, but not both. It will find you the cheapest tickets for that destination or date. This is the âI guess Iâm going to Estonia this Fridayâ website.
Hostelbookers and Hostelworld: the best websites for finding and booking hostels. Both have extensive databases of hostels, a lot of useful filters, and good review systems. Hostelbookers, in my experience, finds better deals. Hostelworld is a bit easier to use.
Couchsurfing: The couchsurfing website. You donât need a profile to browse peopleâs profiles and reviews, but you do need one to see the descriptions of their homes. Signing up is free. If you do make a profile, fill it out as thoroughly as you can.
AirBnB: You donât need an account to browse, but I believe you need one to make a booking. Signing up is free. It has a really useful map with a price slider you can adjust; only rooms within your chosen price range are visible on the map of the city.
Rome 2 Rio: An amazing A to B website. When you plug in where you are and where you want to end up, it shows you all the possible ways to get from one to the other. In the sidebar it lists options using every available combination of train, plane, bus, taxi, and ferry, as well as estimated times, distances, and prices. Invaluable for planning a trip. Not a booking website, but it can help you get some idea of your options, and the time you should expect to spend traveling.
Wikitravel: the most comprehensive travel guide youâll ever find. Although it can be dry, it has articles for pretty much anywhere you could hope to go. It has the usual travel guide items like descriptions of culturally significant attractions and dishes, but it also has everything else youâll ever need. For each city, it will tell you how to get to and from the airport, how to use the public transportation system, what scams to look out for, what behaviors locals find rude, local attitudes towards LGBTQ people, activities and cultural events off the beaten path, advice for attending school or finding work, and a brief history of the city and its regions. It has everything.
Who To Tip: an index of when and how much tipping is expected, broken down by country. If, like me, youâre terrified of insulting your nice waiter by tipping them (or not tipping them), this is a good website to have before you eat out in any new country.
Google Translate: wherever youâre going, try to memorize hello, please, thank you, help, and excuse me in the local language. It will let you mumble through a shocking amount of crowds, admissions, and restaurants. In most countries, the locals will appreciate it.
Workaway: A great option if you want to stay in a city or country for longer than just a few days, Workaway connects you with businesses looking for volunteers. In exchange for what is usually about 20 hours/week, you get free accommodation and often meals (what you work and what you receive vary by host). The jobs vary from hostels to farms to private yachts. I prefer this to WWOOF, because the review system and profile give a better idea of what to expect. Just two things: there is a $30 fee for a 2-year account, and for legal purposes technically it is âadventure tourismâ rather than a job.
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[vc_row type=âin_containerâ full_screen_row_position=âmiddleâ scene_position=âcenterâ text_color=âdarkâ text_align=âleftâ overlay_strength=â0.3âł shape_divider_position=âbottomâ bg_image_animation=ânoneâ][vc_column column_padding=âno-extra-paddingâ column_padding_position=âallâ background_color_opacity=â1âł background_hover_color_opacity=â1âł column_link_target=â_selfâ column_shadow=ânoneâ column_border_radius=ânoneâ width=â1/1âł tablet_width_inherit=âdefaultâ tablet_text_alignment=âdefaultâ phone_text_alignment=âdefaultâ column_border_width=ânoneâ column_border_style=âsolidâ bg_image_animation=ânoneâ][vc_column_text]Want to travel Europe but donât know where to start? If youâre looking for cheap places to visit in Europe and the best time to travel to Europe, start here.
This is the most comprehensive post you can find online talking about all the Europe travel tips in one place! (It will be continuously updated as I uncover more travel tips for Europe as I go.)
If youâre wondering how to plan a trip to Europe the best way possible â so that itâs time-efficient and cost-efficient â you can find the best way to travel Europe depending on the places youâre visiting in this post. It goes into detail every single mode of transport in Europe so that you can find one that suits your preferences and budget.
Like a scenic view but donât want to spend too much? Choose train.
Spending an extended time in Europe slow travelling through different cities? Get a train pass.
Looking to stay in remote locations off the tourist path? Carpool and housesit for the best experience.
Youâll get all these valuable tips and more in detail in that post!
Want a rough guide on how much it costs to travel Europe? This post details my cost breakdown.
Are you ready to get mind-blown by all these travel tips for Europe? Get a pen and paper ready! Or better yet, pin or bookmark this post so that you can always refer back to it later. :)[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=âin_containerâ full_screen_row_position=âmiddleâ equal_height=âyesâ content_placement=âmiddleâ bg_color=â#edededâ scene_position=âcenterâ text_color=âdarkâ text_align=âleftâ overlay_strength=â0.3âł shape_divider_position=âbottomâ bg_image_animation=ânoneâ shape_type=ââ][vc_column column_padding=âno-extra-paddingâ column_padding_position=âallâ background_color_opacity=â1âł background_hover_color_opacity=â1âł column_link_target=â_selfâ column_shadow=ânoneâ column_border_radius=ânoneâ width=â1/4âł tablet_width_inherit=âdefaultâ tablet_text_alignment=âdefaultâ phone_text_alignment=âdefaultâ column_border_width=ânoneâ column_border_style=âsolidâ bg_image_animation=ânoneâ][image_with_animation image_url=â20793âł alignment=ââ animation=âFade Inâ img_link_target=â_blankâ border_radius=ânoneâ box_shadow=ânoneâ max_width=â100%â img_link=âhttps://www.belaroundtheworld.com/day-trips-from-reykjavik-iceland-with-preposterous-views/â%5D%5B/vc_column%5D%5Bvc_column column_padding=âno-extra-paddingâ column_padding_position=âallâ background_color_opacity=â1âł background_hover_color_opacity=â1âł column_link_target=â_selfâ column_shadow=ânoneâ column_border_radius=ânoneâ width=â3/4âł tablet_width_inherit=âdefaultâ tablet_text_alignment=âdefaultâ phone_text_alignment=âdefaultâ column_border_width=ânoneâ column_border_style=âsolidâ bg_image_animation=ânoneâ][vc_column_text]TRAVEL HACK:[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]As always, I find the best way to source for the cheapest flights is by checking on Skyscanner & Momondo.
As for accommodation, I found HotelsCombined to provide the most comprehensive, unbiased comparison of different hotel sites. đ Airbnb is another reliable one for accommodation. Use this link to get $62 off!
Protect yourself against mishaps & misadventures with World Nomads travel insurance.
Order your very own portable WiFi device & travel easy with Tep Wireless.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=âin_containerâ full_screen_row_position=âmiddleâ scene_position=âcenterâ text_color=âdarkâ text_align=âleftâ overlay_strength=â0.3âł shape_divider_position=âbottomâ bg_image_animation=ânoneâ][vc_column column_padding=âno-extra-paddingâ column_padding_position=âallâ background_color_opacity=â1âł background_hover_color_opacity=â1âł column_link_target=â_selfâ column_shadow=ânoneâ column_border_radius=ânoneâ width=â1/1âł tablet_width_inherit=âdefaultâ tablet_text_alignment=âdefaultâ phone_text_alignment=âdefaultâ column_border_width=ânoneâ column_border_style=âsolidâ bg_image_animation=ânoneâ][vc_column_text]
HOW TO PLAN A TRIP TO EUROPE â NAVIGATING IN EUROPE
Download Google Maps
Unless you prefer a physical map..?
Google Maps has a feature that allows its users to download offline maps.
Sarah from Borders & Bucket Lists says that for example, say you are visiting Paris, youâll simply go to the Google Maps app, type in âLausanne, Switzerlandâ, tap the ellipses in the top right hand corner, and press download!
This tip doesnât work in all countries (it doesnât work in Japan), but it works across all of Europe!
This means that if you donât have a data plan or are in an area without Wi-Fi, you can still have access to directions due to your downloaded Google Maps.
Do note that you will need to complete the download of your desired areas WHILE YOU ARE CONNECTED TO WI-FI before you lose that Wi-Fi access.
Read:Â How To Plan A Route On Google Maps (To Use Offline On The Go)
Download Maps.me
Donât hire an expensive satellite navigation (sat-nav). Instead, download maps.me into your phone so you can use it offline. Iâve used maps.me throughout my New Zealand road trip without once paying for a SIM card or activating data roaming â thatâs how reliable it is!
Focus on a specific destination
Yes, Europe is the second smallest continent on Earth, but that does not mean itâs small!
Streets of Helsinki, Finland
If you plan to snow sled in Lapland, explore artistic Helsinki, cross the English channel by ferry, take a selfie at Neuschwanstein Castle, and climb the Parthenon in Athens all in one week, you are only setting yourself up for disappointment.
When visiting Europe for the first time, focus on a specific European region. Pick a place or two, depending on the time and budget you have to explore Europe, and really experience it.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=âin_containerâ full_screen_row_position=âmiddleâ equal_height=âyesâ content_placement=âmiddleâ bg_color=â#edededâ scene_position=âcenterâ text_color=âdarkâ text_align=âleftâ overlay_strength=â0.3âł shape_divider_position=âbottomâ bg_image_animation=ânoneâ shape_type=ââ][vc_column column_padding=âno-extra-paddingâ column_padding_position=âallâ background_color_opacity=â1âł background_hover_color_opacity=â1âł column_link_target=â_selfâ column_shadow=ânoneâ column_border_radius=ânoneâ width=â1/4âł tablet_width_inherit=âdefaultâ tablet_text_alignment=âdefaultâ phone_text_alignment=âdefaultâ column_border_width=ânoneâ column_border_style=âsolidâ bg_image_animation=ânoneâ][image_with_animation image_url=â19253âł alignment=ââ animation=âFade Inâ img_link_target=â_blankâ border_radius=ânoneâ box_shadow=ânoneâ max_width=â100%â img_link=âhttps://www.belaroundtheworld.com/packing-list-europe-winter/â%5D%5B/vc_column%5D%5Bvc_column column_padding=âno-extra-paddingâ column_padding_position=âallâ background_color_opacity=â1âł background_hover_color_opacity=â1âł column_link_target=â_selfâ column_shadow=ânoneâ column_border_radius=ânoneâ width=â3/4âł tablet_width_inherit=âdefaultâ tablet_text_alignment=âdefaultâ phone_text_alignment=âdefaultâ column_border_width=ânoneâ column_border_style=âsolidâ bg_image_animation=ânoneâ][vc_column_text]Read this:[/vc_column_text][nectar_btn size=âsmallâ open_new_tab=âtrueâ button_style=âsee-through-2âł color_override=â#f27471âł hover_color_override=â#f27471âł hover_text_color_override=â#ffffffâ icon_family=âdefault_arrowâ text=âPacking List for Europe Winterâ url=âhttps://www.belaroundtheworld.com/packing-list-europe-winter/â%5D%5B/vc_column%5D%5B/vc_row%5D%5Bvc_row type=âin_containerâ full_screen_row_position=âmiddleâ scene_position=âcenterâ text_color=âdarkâ text_align=âleftâ overlay_strength=â0.3âł shape_divider_position=âbottomâ bg_image_animation=ânoneâ][vc_column column_padding=âno-extra-paddingâ column_padding_position=âallâ background_color_opacity=â1âł background_hover_color_opacity=â1âł column_link_target=â_selfâ column_shadow=ânoneâ column_border_radius=ânoneâ width=â1/1âł tablet_width_inherit=âdefaultâ tablet_text_alignment=âdefaultâ phone_text_alignment=âdefaultâ column_border_width=ânoneâ column_border_style=âsolidâ bg_image_animation=ânoneâ][vc_column_text]
BEST TIME TO TRAVEL TO EUROPE
Plan A Trip in the Off Peak Season
One of my favourite travel tips for Europe is to visit during off peak season. That is when there are no crowds, accommodation is cheaper, and you donât have to stand in long queues to see attractions (like I did when visiting the all-too-famous Alhambra in Spain.
Sure, we all love the romance of Italian holidays. While most Italian itineraries are set in summer, Northern Italy in November is also a wonderful idea â no crazy summer crowds, no long museum lines, no inflated hotel prices, generous shaving of truffle at every restaurant and bonus is, you get to see some gorgeous fall colours!
Zakynthos Blue Caves, Greece
Similarly, while visiting Greece in the thick of summer is enticing, the Greek islands are equally well-loved in October without the insane tourist crowds.
If youâre looking to have a much more relaxed and cheaper experience in Europe but you still want nice weather, Ann and Rick from The Road Is Life recommends visiting between the months of April â June, so that you donât have to pay more than you have to.
Best Time To Visit Tallinn, Estonia
St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
The absolute best time to visit Tallinn, Estonia is late June to mid-July. Itâs peak festival season and not too hot (average highs are in the low 20âs).
Tallinn, Estonia
One specific highlight is the Midsummerâs Eve Festival at the Estonian Open Air Museum â lots of bonfires, music, food, and a fair bit of alcohol until the sun goes down.
Best Time To Visit Croatia
Plitvice lakes, Croatia
The best time to visit Croatia is at the end of May through early June. Red White Adventures suggest that if you go at the end of May, a lot of the tickets (flights, activities, accommodation, etc.) are cheaper and you avoid the tourist peak season.
The pro of going in June is that the water starts warming up at this time of the year, so if you love being in the ocean, you donât want to go too early in the season.
Best Time To Visit Italy
Vernazza in Cinque Terre, Italy
Lesley from Freedom56Travel visited Italy in July and learned that July is definitely not the best time, especially if you donât love the heat and humidity. Rome is particularly hot and humid in the peak summer months and there are few places with good air conditioning.
The best time to visit Italy is April-May and late September-October. Crowds are smaller and temperatures are much more humane!
Best Time To Visit Palma de Mallorca, Spain
The Travelling Stomach recommends to visit Palma de Mallorca in November for gorgeous sunny days and the perfect temperature to explore. Youâll be able to score cheap flights and stay in beautiful boutique hotels at bargain rates and wonât have to hustle through the crowds to see La Seu, the iconic cathedral.
Get $62 discount off on Airbnb!
CHEAP PLACES TO VISIT IN EUROPE
Travel to Eastern Europe If On A Budget
If youâre looking for the cheapest countries to visit in Europe, look no further than East Europe.
While most visitors to the continent tend to focus on Western Europe, the Eastern European countries can offer much better value, and without the hordes of tourists. In the Eastern European countries, prices are significantly lower than in Western European countries and Scandinavia.
Cities like Minsk in Belarus or Brno in the Czech Republic provide a more authentic, off-the-beaten-track experience than over-touristy London or Paris. A loaf of bread in Poland costs an equivalent of 1⏠while in Denmark, you will pay an equivalent of 3-4âŹ.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=âin_containerâ full_screen_row_position=âmiddleâ equal_height=âyesâ content_placement=âmiddleâ bg_color=â#edededâ scene_position=âcenterâ text_color=âdarkâ text_align=âleftâ overlay_strength=â0.3âł shape_divider_position=âbottomâ bg_image_animation=ânoneâ shape_type=ââ][vc_column column_padding=âno-extra-paddingâ column_padding_position=âallâ background_color_opacity=â1âł background_hover_color_opacity=â1âł column_link_target=â_selfâ column_shadow=ânoneâ column_border_radius=ânoneâ width=â1/4âł tablet_width_inherit=âdefaultâ tablet_text_alignment=âdefaultâ phone_text_alignment=âdefaultâ column_border_width=ânoneâ column_border_style=âsolidâ bg_image_animation=ânoneâ][image_with_animation image_url=â6998âł alignment=ââ animation=âFade Inâ img_link_target=â_blankâ border_radius=ânoneâ box_shadow=ânoneâ max_width=â100%â img_link=âhttps://www.belaroundtheworld.com/exploring-europes-capital-cities-budget/â%5D%5B/vc_column%5D%5Bvc_column column_padding=âno-extra-paddingâ column_padding_position=âallâ background_color_opacity=â1âł background_hover_color_opacity=â1âł column_link_target=â_selfâ column_shadow=ânoneâ column_border_radius=ânoneâ width=â3/4âł tablet_width_inherit=âdefaultâ tablet_text_alignment=âdefaultâ phone_text_alignment=âdefaultâ column_border_width=ânoneâ column_border_style=âsolidâ bg_image_animation=ânoneâ][vc_column_text]Read this:[/vc_column_text][nectar_btn size=âsmallâ open_new_tab=âtrueâ button_style=âsee-through-2âł color_override=â#f27471âł hover_color_override=â#f27471âł hover_text_color_override=â#ffffffâ icon_family=âdefault_arrowâ text=âExploring Europeâs Capital Cities on a Budgetâ url=âhttps://www.belaroundtheworld.com/exploring-europes-capital-cities-budget/â%5D%5B/vc_column%5D%5B/vc_row%5D%5Bvc_row type=âin_containerâ full_screen_row_position=âmiddleâ scene_position=âcenterâ text_color=âdarkâ text_align=âleftâ overlay_strength=â0.3âł shape_divider_position=âbottomâ bg_image_animation=ânoneâ][vc_column column_padding=âno-extra-paddingâ column_padding_position=âallâ background_color_opacity=â1âł background_hover_color_opacity=â1âł column_link_target=â_selfâ column_shadow=ânoneâ column_border_radius=ânoneâ width=â1/1âł tablet_width_inherit=âdefaultâ tablet_text_alignment=âdefaultâ phone_text_alignment=âdefaultâ column_border_width=ânoneâ column_border_style=âsolidâ bg_image_animation=ânoneâ][vc_column_text]
Mix Western Countries With Eastern Countries
If the appeal of Western Europe is too much for you to miss out on, mix Western Europe countries with Eastern Europe countries to bring the overall cost of your trip down.
For example, start your trip in Scotland or Iceland and then head over to Turkey or Budapest.
By the end of your trip, the cheaper countries should bring down your daily costs considerably!
Donât Forget To Visit Smaller Towns
When youâre travelling to Europe, donât get so caught up in the big cities that you miss out on the allure of smaller towns.
Colmar, France
Places such as Ulm, a quiet homely town in Germany, or the cute village of Colmar, France, offer history, fine architecture, superb hospitality and nature â plus theyâre way cheaper than major centres such as Granada or Dresden.
Visit Poland If On A Budget
Poland is a relatively cheap country to visit in Europe, with a great diverse range of locations to visit, including the gothic spires of Krakow, the snow topped mountains of Zakopane, the beach resorts of Sopot and my favourite Wroclaw where you can spot little gnome statues everywhere!
To keep costs down, consider travelling by Flixbus â the buses are of great quality and connect most major destinations.
Visit Tbilisi, Georgia If On A Budget
As far as affordability goes, Tbilisi, Georgia is surprisingly one of the cheapest countries to visit in Europe and increasingly tourist-oriented⊠and I havenât even gotten to the food yet.
Head to Machakhela for great Georgian food â itâs a chain restaurant with a large English menu. Look for day tours in the (heavily reconstructed) Old Town area, but skip the touts.
Visit Portugal If On A Budget
Lisbon, Portugal
Despite its recent boom in tourism, Portugal remains the cheapest country in Western Europe by a fair margin, and one of the best places to travel in Europe in my opinion.
Porto in particular, the second-largest city, is significantly cheaper than Lisbon, the capital.
Entry to most Porto museums only costs a couple of Euros, and many of them are free on the weekends!
Visit Prizren, Kosovo If On A Budget
Prizren, Kosovo
Kosovo was formerly only known as a conflict-zone, and was only recognized as its own independent country in 2008.
For an interesting history and culture lesson, head to Kosovo and Prizren, an Islamic haven in the heart of the majority Orthodox Christian Balkans.
A small river cuts through town with many picturesque bridges crossing over it.
In the centre of town is a large mosque that broadcasts a sing-song call to prayer five times per day.
For a viewpoint over the surrounding mountain range and over Prizren itself, hike up to the Prizren fortress. Itâs a favourite spot for both locals and tourists to experience sunset and sunrise.
Hostels in Prizren cost no more than USD8 per night for fabulous locations, and meals can be had at bakeries and local restaurants for USD5-USD10 per person.
Visit Mostar, Bosnia & Herzegovina If On A Budget
Mostar, Bosnia & Herzegovina
Just a day-trip distance from touristy Dubrovnik is Mostar, Bosnia & Herzegovina.
This small town is famous for its massive stone bridge that arcs 24m above the Neretva River. On both sides of the bridge are medieval towers, and from there spans Mostarâs old town.
Cobblestone streets reminiscent of the Ottoman Empire era are lined with shops selling Bosnian coffee (similar to Turkish coffee), sparkling stained-glass lamps, and handmade jewellery.
Wandering through town is a history lesson in itself, as you see buildings with gaping holes in the sides from cannons, and bullet-ridden façades.
Hostels and restaurants are cheaper here than in neighbouring Croatia and the rest of Europe. Get a dorm bed for less than USD8, a coffee for USD1 and a full meal for less than USD10![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=âin_containerâ full_screen_row_position=âmiddleâ equal_height=âyesâ content_placement=âmiddleâ bg_color=â#edededâ scene_position=âcenterâ text_color=âdarkâ text_align=âleftâ overlay_strength=â0.3âł shape_divider_position=âbottomâ bg_image_animation=ânoneâ shape_type=ââ][vc_column column_padding=âno-extra-paddingâ column_padding_position=âallâ background_color_opacity=â1âł background_hover_color_opacity=â1âł column_link_target=â_selfâ column_shadow=ânoneâ column_border_radius=ânoneâ width=â1/4âł tablet_width_inherit=âdefaultâ tablet_text_alignment=âdefaultâ phone_text_alignment=âdefaultâ column_border_width=ânoneâ column_border_style=âsolidâ bg_image_animation=ânoneâ][image_with_animation image_url=â21572âł alignment=ââ animation=âFade Inâ img_link_target=â_blankâ border_radius=ânoneâ box_shadow=ânoneâ max_width=â100%â img_link=âhttps://www.belaroundtheworld.com/cheapest-way-to-travel-europe/â%5D%5B/vc_column%5D%5Bvc_column column_padding=âno-extra-paddingâ column_padding_position=âallâ background_color_opacity=â1âł background_hover_color_opacity=â1âł column_link_target=â_selfâ column_shadow=ânoneâ column_border_radius=ânoneâ width=â3/4âł tablet_width_inherit=âdefaultâ tablet_text_alignment=âdefaultâ phone_text_alignment=âdefaultâ column_border_width=ânoneâ column_border_style=âsolidâ bg_image_animation=ânoneâ][vc_column_text]Donât miss:[/vc_column_text][nectar_btn size=âsmallâ open_new_tab=âtrueâ button_style=âsee-through-2âł color_override=â#f27471âł hover_color_override=â#f27471âł hover_text_color_override=â#ffffffâ icon_family=âdefault_arrowâ text=âCheapest Way To Travel Around Europeâ url=âhttps://www.belaroundtheworld.com/cheapest-way-to-travel-europe/â%5D%5B/vc_column%5D%5B/vc_row%5D%5Bvc_row type=âin_containerâ full_screen_row_position=âmiddleâ scene_position=âcenterâ text_color=âdarkâ text_align=âleftâ overlay_strength=â0.3âł shape_divider_position=âbottomâ bg_image_animation=ânoneâ][vc_column column_padding=âno-extra-paddingâ column_padding_position=âallâ background_color_opacity=â1âł background_hover_color_opacity=â1âł column_link_target=â_selfâ column_shadow=ânoneâ column_border_radius=ânoneâ width=â1/1âł tablet_width_inherit=âdefaultâ tablet_text_alignment=âdefaultâ phone_text_alignment=âdefaultâ column_border_width=ânoneâ column_border_style=âsolidâ bg_image_animation=ânoneâ][vc_column_text]
OTHER IMPORTANT EUROPE TRAVEL TIPS
Get a Europe Travel Adapter
Consider buying a travel adapter (plug) specifically for Europe for convenienceâs sake. All of Europe operates on the same 2 round outlets, except for the UK.
Shops Are Closed On Sundays
In some European countries (e.g. Germany, Poland) shops, markets and malls are closed on Sunday. If you forget about it, you can always do small shopping at the gas station, albeit pricier.
Do Your Homework
Everyday Wanderer suggests: Some Americans are notoriously ignorant about the world outside of our borders. Rise above the reputation and take the time to educate yourself in advance about the places youâre visiting in Europe. At a minimum, you should know historical highlights, key cities, the currency, and the languages spoken.
Save Money on Food â Download Too Good To Go
If you want to eat cheap around Europe, download the app Too Good To Go. The app itself is for saving food that is still too good to throw out, but expiry date says otherwise.
In the morning, check businesses around and see what you would like for dinner.
You can very often have a portion for two for about USD2 or less even in Scandinavian countries, which are normally very expensive.
Save Money on Food â Eat Street Food
Steak and restaurants are a no-no!
Street food in most Eastern European countries like, Czech, Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania are very cheap, delicious and quite filling.
Get your FREE travel expense sheet and track your expenses!
Save Money on Food â Check out Withlocals
Withlocals is a site where you can meet locals that would kindly share a home-cooked meal with you for a much cheaper price than a restaurant.
Save Money on Attractions/ Museums â Go on Free Entry Days
Versailles, France
Europe has some of the best museums in the world, but their entry fee is often expensive. A thing most people donât know is almost every museum has a free entrance day!
Before starting to design your itinerary for a city break in Europe, check the official website of all the attractions you want to visit.
A lot of them have a âfree access dayâ or a âfree access hourâ. For example you have free entry at the Vatican museums every last Sunday of the month. Prado is free every day in the last 2 working hours
Save Money on Attractions/ Museums â Book Tickets in Advance
The major countries in Europe entertain millions of tourist from all around the world. Once you have finalized your dates and destinations, start purchasing some of the hotter sightseeing tickets in advance online when visiting Europe.
Eiffel Tower from inside
If ascending the Eiffel Tower is on your sightseeing list, purchasing skip-the-line tickets in advance can save you hours of time wasted waiting in line.
Here are some popular attractions that youâll have to spend HOURS queueing if you donât have a ticket:
Skip-the-Line at Sistine Chapel, Vatican City
Skip-the-Line at Louvre, Paris, France
Skip-the-Line at Versailles, France
Skip-the-Line at Colosseum, Rome, Italy
Skip-the-Line at Royal Palace, Madrid, Spain
Skip-the-Line at Acropolis, Athens, Greece
That said, donât pre-book every single activity, leaving you no room for flexibility or adjustments based on the weather.
Itâs Okay to Skip Attractions That You Arenât Interested In
It doesnât matter if an attraction is popular. If it doesnât interest you, itâs totally fine to skip it when you visit Europe. That way, youâll have more time (and budget) for the activities that matter most to you.
Save Money With A Waitrose Loyalty Card
If you are staying in close vicinity of a Waitrose store, do sign up for a Waitrose loyalty card. Along with other discounts on your purchase, you can also grab a FREE coffee or a tea every day with this loyalty card, whenever you visit Waitrose store.
Save Money on Currency Exchange Fees
Whenever you withdraw money from an ATM, when asked do you want to go with our conversion or decline, always decline it. Also, if you are paying at some restaurant or cafe and they ask you at the terminal of your transaction whether you want to pay in Czech currency or your local currency, always choose the local currency.
Protect Yourself from Foreign ATM Scams
Euronet is one of the commonly used ATMs in tourist destinations of Europe. What happens is, when you insert your card, it can detect itâs a foreign ATM and immediately the scam starts.
Letâs take an example of the Czech Republic. When you enter your foreign ATM card, it will force you to withdraw a very a large sum of money starting from 10,000CZK to 20,000CZK, which is nearly the average salary in Czech republic and as a tourist, you spend two days in Prague and you obviously donât need that kind of cash.
Even if you choose the lowest amount, they offer you a very bad rate for your currency and also the additional transaction charge. You would lose almost 15% of your money.
Everyone warns you of charges of currency exchange places but no one warns you of this. You can lose up to one-third of your money if you use these ATMs!
Get A European SIM Card
When travelling abroad a local SIM card could save you a lot of money and time. First of all, you can call people, hotels, activities at a cheaper price. Furthermore, you can activate some data package if you want to remain connected and update your social media without hunting for Wi-Fi, which might not be always available in some areas.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=âin_containerâ full_screen_row_position=âmiddleâ equal_height=âyesâ content_placement=âmiddleâ bg_color=â#edededâ scene_position=âcenterâ text_color=âdarkâ text_align=âleftâ overlay_strength=â0.3âł shape_divider_position=âbottomâ bg_image_animation=ânoneâ shape_type=ââ][vc_column column_padding=âno-extra-paddingâ column_padding_position=âallâ background_color_opacity=â1âł background_hover_color_opacity=â1âł column_link_target=â_selfâ column_shadow=ânoneâ column_border_radius=ânoneâ width=â1/4âł tablet_width_inherit=âdefaultâ tablet_text_alignment=âdefaultâ phone_text_alignment=âdefaultâ column_border_width=ânoneâ column_border_style=âsolidâ bg_image_animation=ânoneâ][image_with_animation image_url=â20609âł alignment=ââ animation=âFade Inâ img_link_target=â_blankâ border_radius=ânoneâ box_shadow=ânoneâ max_width=â100%â img_link=âhttps://www.belaroundtheworld.com/useful-travel-accessories-must-have/â%5D%5B/vc_column%5D%5Bvc_column column_padding=âno-extra-paddingâ column_padding_position=âallâ background_color_opacity=â1âł background_hover_color_opacity=â1âł column_link_target=â_selfâ column_shadow=ânoneâ column_border_radius=ânoneâ width=â3/4âł tablet_width_inherit=âdefaultâ tablet_text_alignment=âdefaultâ phone_text_alignment=âdefaultâ column_border_width=ânoneâ column_border_style=âsolidâ bg_image_animation=ânoneâ][vc_column_text]Read this:[/vc_column_text][nectar_btn size=âsmallâ open_new_tab=âtrueâ button_style=âsee-through-2âł color_override=â#f27471âł hover_color_override=â#f27471âł hover_text_color_override=â#ffffffâ icon_family=âdefault_arrowâ text=âUseful Travel Accessories You Must Haveâ url=âhttps://www.belaroundtheworld.com/useful-travel-accessories-must-have/â%5D%5B/vc_column%5D%5B/vc_row%5D%5Bvc_row type=âin_containerâ full_screen_row_position=âmiddleâ scene_position=âcenterâ text_color=âdarkâ text_align=âleftâ overlay_strength=â0.3âł shape_divider_position=âbottomâ bg_image_animation=ânoneâ][vc_column column_padding=âno-extra-paddingâ column_padding_position=âallâ background_color_opacity=â1âł background_hover_color_opacity=â1âł column_link_target=â_selfâ column_shadow=ânoneâ column_border_radius=ânoneâ width=â1/1âł tablet_width_inherit=âdefaultâ tablet_text_alignment=âdefaultâ phone_text_alignment=âdefaultâ column_border_width=ânoneâ column_border_style=âsolidâ bg_image_animation=ânoneâ][vc_column_text]Lastly, I highly recommend you to purchase a European SIM Card because from June 2017, there are no roaming costs in all the countries. This means that you no longer have to buy a new SIM Card in every country you visit.
Unfortunately, SIM Cards cost differently in European countries. In Italy, it can cost as much as 30⏠and if you do not activate a bundle it will cost you a lot. I highly recommend you do not buy one there.
French Riviera in Nice, France
On the contrary, France is usually a cheaper option. But DO NOT buy it online beforehand, or they will charge you too much money for one of their European Holidays plans. Buy one in a boutique when you are in the country, it will be much cheaper. So start practicing a bit of French, you will need it. đ
There you have it! When you can stretch your budget, you can enjoy yourself more, such as the chance to sample Michelin-star food in Budapest for as low as 13âŹ.
Now tell me, whatâs the most surprising tip youâve gleaned from this post?[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=âin_containerâ full_screen_row_position=âmiddleâ scene_position=âcenterâ text_color=âdarkâ text_align=âleftâ color_overlay=â#ffffffâ overlay_strength=â0.3âł enable_shape_divider=âtrueâ shape_divider_position=âbottomâ bg_image_animation=ânoneâ shape_type=âmountainsâ][vc_column column_padding=âno-extra-paddingâ column_padding_position=âallâ background_color_opacity=â1âł background_hover_color_opacity=â1âł column_link_target=â_selfâ column_shadow=ânoneâ column_border_radius=ânoneâ width=â1/1âł tablet_width_inherit=âdefaultâ tablet_text_alignment=âdefaultâ phone_text_alignment=âdefaultâ column_border_width=ânoneâ column_border_style=âsolidâ bg_image_animation=ânoneâ][vc_text_separator title=âRead other useful Europe posts!â][recent_posts style=âslider_multiple_visibleâ category=âeuropeâ columns=â2âł button_color=âAccent-Colorâ hover_shadow_type=âdefaultâ order=âDESCâ orderby=âmodifiedâ posts_per_page=â8âł][vc_column_text][mailchimp][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
50+ Essential Europe Travel Tips To Equip Yourself Before Every Europe Holiday Want to travel Europe but donât know where to start? If youâre looking for cheap places to visit in EuropeâŠ
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What Are The Top Challenges Facing Fashion Brands & Retailers In 2019?
Those who regularly follow our blog will be aware that weâve previously written about the challenges to various industries including travel, hotels and retail. Continuing that trend, in this blog post, weâve decided to investigate some of the current challenges faced by fashion brands and retailers. Weâll be exploring the following: Social media networks, influencers & trust The high street vs online Responding to the concerns of a âwokeâ generation Online marketplaces Lack of an adequate SEO strategy So, what are you waiting for, lets dive straight in⊠Social Media Networks, Influencers & Trust While SEMrush has identified that social media is a less significant source of traffic for online fashion stores globally compared to other sources, thatâs not to say it isnât still a powerful force for setting trends, raising brand awareness and assisting in the increase of sales. This is particularly the case for Instagram, which has been shoppable since 2016, who claim that a third of its users have bought an item of clothing they discovered while using the social network. Between carefully curated photos and well thought out partnerships with influencers/ambassadors, itâs unsurprising that fashion brands and retailers should thrive on this highly visual platform. That said, an increasing scepticism and lack of trust associated with social networks and influencers presents a blocker to fashion brands and retailersâ success via this channel. According to Dealspotr, Millennials in particular are losing trust in online influencers when it comes to discovering and buying fashion online. While there are FTC guidelines on disclosing ads on social networks, they are often ignored or implemented incorrectly. This only adds to confusion and distrust amongst followers. A survey of more than 1,000 shoppers conducted for BBC Radio 4 also discovered that most shoppers do not trust social media influencers. Staggeringly, 82 percent of people were not always clear when an influencer has been paid to promote a product. Whatâs more, in a post Cambridge Analytica climate, there remains a sense of cynicism by social users surrounding their personal data and how it is used. The 2018 Trust Barometer Special Report: Brands and Social Media by Edelman found that 60 percent of people no longer trust social media networks. More specifically, independent research firm Ponomon Institute reported last year that trust in Facebook had plunged by 66 percent. This decline in trust when it comes to social media, influencers and ads presents one of the biggest challenges facing retailers and fashion brands today. So, what can fashion brands and retailers do to counter this? Moving forward, itâs clearly imperative that brands demonstrate complete honesty and transparency with social followers about how their data is being collected and used. In terms of influencers, many businesses are now adopting the tactic of pursuing collaborations with micro influencers. While they have a smaller number of followers, micro influencers tend to have more niche, loyal and highly engaged audiences compared to those with high profiles or celebrity status. With this in mind, fashion brands and retailers might want to jump on the bandwagon. Not only are micro-influencers more affordable but theyâre viewed as more genuine and trustworthy by consumers. If youâre just getting started with influencer marketing or are looking for advice, check out our A-Z guide to influencer marketing. The High Street Vs Online These days, itâs almost predictable to turn on the news to hear that yet another high street retailer is either closing down or closing many of its stores. Undoubtedly, a significant factor for the demise of high-street retailers is the lure and convenience of online shopping. According to a PWC survey, high street exits (including those by fashion retailers) remain at a historic high. Indeed, the top net fallers in 2018 were banks and financial services â followed in close second by fashion retailers. Most recently, it was announced that Gap intends to close over 200 stores worldwide as its US parent company launches a massive restructuring programme. Arcadia Group, which owns the likes of Topshop, Burton and Miss Selfridge, at the time of writing, is also looking likely to be put into administration. Last year, it was House of Fraser which took a knock â with 20 of its 59 stores across the UK expected to close, including its London Oxford Street store. Depressing stuff for those on the high-street. On the flip-side, the likes of Boohoo, PrettyLittleThing and Nasty Gal, all exclusively online womenâs fashion retailers, recently announced strong growth. Boohoo, was particularly impressive, boasting a 97% leap in revenue from March 2018 â 2019. There are multiple factors that might be the reason behind the successful performance of online fashion retailers compared to high street footfall, such as the rise in mobile shopping and the ease with which purchases can be made online to name a few. Whilst the stats donât look good for high street fashion retailers, all is not lost. In fact, thereâs often increasing demand from online brands to open physical stores, to cater to shoppers who want to try products on instore before they commit to buying â think Missguided at Bluewater. We believe that the key is to take an omnichannel approach to the online/offline shopping experience. After all, very few people shop exclusively online or only in store, but rather combine the best of both. For fashion retailers that have both a high street and online presence, navigating the two can be a challenge. Nonetheless, we have some top tips for how to do so: Enhance an excellent instore customer experience by utilising engaging technologies such as VR and augmented reality. Make payment on and offline quick and easy. If your issues lie solely with getting footfall to a brick and mortars store, consider running exclusive instore deals and discounts. Perhaps most importantly, if youâve opened or own brick and mortar stores, youâll need to make sure you get your local SEO right! Responding to the Concerns of a âwokeâ Generation Young people today are increasingly concerned with any deemed societal injustice, particularly social and environmental causes, which has led to whatâs been labelled a generation of âwokeâ young people. With regards to the fashion industry, sustainability is currently high on the agenda for many young consumers and they increasingly favour fashion brands who are in alignment with their values. This movement has even seeped into the political sphere with the environmental audit committee recently calling on the government to make fashion retailers take responsibility for the waste they create and put an end to an era of âthrowaway fashionâ. Fashion brands who are taking these concerns seriously include PrettyLittleThing which recently launched a new line of clothes in April which are made from recycled materials. They also announced a partnership with Regain â a recycling app. This collaboration aims to prevent unwanted clothes heading to the landfill. It allows users to donate unwanted clothes at pick up points and, in return, they receive discounted codes that can be used with Regainâs retail partners which includes the likes of Missguided, Boohoo, New Look and SuperDry. Itâs not just the planet and concerns about workersâ rights however that influence young peopleâs fashion buying decisions. Consumers are increasingly championing brands that embrace diversity and represent all types of people (regardless of age, sex, race religion and ability). Interestingly, a data scrape of over 2000 fashion retailers, cited by the State of Fashion 2019 report, revealed the appearance of the word âfeministâ on homepages and newsletters increased by a factor of more than 5 from 2016 to 2018. However, a fashion brand or retailer advocating any cause can prove risky for their reputation. Thereâs always a likelihood that existing or potential customers will not support the cause in question. Alternatively, others might criticise it as a transparent marketing ploy and question whether itâs a genuine value shared by the company. Primark are a prime example of this. In 2018, the fashion retailer was criticised for releasing a collection of Pride themed t-shirts which were produced in Turkey â a country ranked third worst in Europe for LGBTQ equality. Ultimately, fashion retailers face a risk to their reputation if they are seen to be supporting a cause merely for gimmicks/PR opportunities as opposed to genuinely believing in it. Clearly, in order to thrive today, fashion brands and retailers will have to do more in terms of their corporate, social and environmental responsibility. Here are our top dos and donâts for demonstrating that you, as a fashion retailer or brand, are listening to the concerns of a âwokeâ generation: Be genuine. Take a stand on something that inspires a personal passion. Donât capitalise on a crisis. Cynical customers will be able to see right through it, not to mention that itâs insensitive. Be fully clear about what statements you want your brand to make or support. Be consistent in this message across all communication channels. Ask yourself the question: âwhy would my audience careâ? Learn from those brands whoâs âwokeâ marketing has backfired. Take Nike, whoâs controversial advertisement last year saw a boycott of their goods. Online Marketplaces Online marketplaces, such as Amazon, Alibaba, eBay, Zalando, ASOS marketplace and Rakuten, can present both risks and rewards for fashion brands and retailers. For well-known fashion brands, it can prove a smart step to join one. Almost half of online sales are made on marketplaces, it typically has positive implications for SEO and can help brands reach more consumers. Smaller fashion brands tend to avoid it due to shipping costs and commissions eating into margins, and their brand getting âlost in the crowdâ. Thereâs also an element of loss of exclusivity which stems from the sheer scale and popularity of these platforms. However, fashion brands that opt out of marketplaces tussle with having to work extra hard to establish and please their customer base. Indeed, with their huge selections and low prices, the likes of eBay and Amazon have become the âdefaultâ online shopping destination for many. Amazon has been a particularly big gamechanger, with 44 percent of shoppers looking for an item there first before searching via Google or going directly to a retailers website. In order to compete with these big players, there are some things you can do: Offer an exceptional, personalised service. Friendly, helpful and knowledgeable staff who can be contacted via phone, email or social channels will gain your fashion brand more of an edge over sophisticated online marketplaces. Be flexible and offer a variety of payment/collection models such as âclick and collectâ. Make the returns process on your items is as simple as possible. According to Gartner, 92% of customers will buy again if returns are easy. Ultimately, these online marketplaces have raised the bar in terms of what consumers expect and are the basis by which shoppers judge other online shopping experiences. Therefore, itâs critical for independent fashion retailers to provide an exceptional shopping experience online. Inadequate SEO Strategy In April, it was hard not to avoid the news of ASOSâ 87% drop in profits. But what went wrong for the fashion retailer, exactly? Well, in essence, ASOS launched 200 versions of its website depending on which country the customer was in. This had a negative impact on ASOSâ search engine rankings (and, consequently, the traffic to their site). In addition to this, they made multiple changes to the way users navigate around the website and to the display of new products. In light of this, you probably read a fair few âletâs bash ASOSâ type blog posts regarding their âdisastrousâ SEO strategy. This isnât another one of those. For one, blaming the ASOS digital team entirely is simplistic. Expansion costs and discount campaigns have been cited as additional contributors to the drop in profits, not just SEO instability. Plus, there was likely sound strategic thought and good intentions underlying the digital teamsâ decision making process. That said, industry professionals are right to highlight what ASOS clearly did not do. One thing being that they probably failed to use thorough A/B testing to discover the impact the planned changes would have on user behaviour. Itâs also been pointed out than an experienced SEO should have picked up on the potential problems ahead. This suggests that, while ASOS does have an internal SEO team, they were either not listened to or they were not utilised effectively. Ultimately, this highlights the threat faced by fashion brands and retailers in the event of failing to implement in-depth testing ahead of mass, site wide changes. It also drives home the need to actively listen to SEO expertise when itâs provided. So, there you have it, the top challenges facing fashion brands and retailers in 2019. Do you own, or work for, a fashion brand or retailer? Have you identified any additional challenges to the industry that weâve missed in this blog post? If youâd like to discuss them with us, or any of the above, please let us know in the comments below, weâd love to hear your thoughts and feedback. Are you looking for some insight on using influencers for your fashion brand or do you require an in depth, SEO strategy for the year ahead? Get in touch with our team via the form below, weâd love to help out! 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Could âMobilemoonsâ be the newest trend in travel? One-Third of Americans Would Choose a Solo Trip with Only Their Phone Instead of Taking a Travel Companion
Buddymoons and babymoons better step aside, because the âmobilemoonâ is the newest travel trend on the scene: When given the ultimatum to choose between their mobile phone or a travel companion to bring on their next trip, one-third (33%) of Americans said they would choose to travel solo with just their device.Â
Travel expert and frequent solo traveler Courtney Scott comments on the new trend: âHaving traveled to over a dozen countries alone I can attest that solo travel gives you the ultimate freedom. It pushes you to explore with no limitations and itâs a beautifully introspective adventure too. Mobile devices are an essential resource for travelers, helping us feel more informed and more confident on the road, so it doesnât surprise me that many people would rather travel with their phone than with a friend. Use your travel app to manage your itinerary, research your destination and stay connected to friends and family â but donât forget to put your phone away and fully immerse yourself in your surroundings, too!âÂ
The Expedia mobile app already makes it easy to plan a trip, save money, and explore a destination to the fullest. Plus, the appâs helpful in-destination features like trip reminders, itinerary access offline, and Taxi Card, which translates driving directions to your hotel based on local language, truly make it the ultimate travel companion for your next â or first â solo trip.
âWe recognize there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to solo travel preferences, but that doesnât mean solo travelers canât have it all in the one device theyâre most reliant on during their trip,â said Alexis Tiacoh, PR Manager for Brand Expedia. âFrom exclusive discounts and perks to the ability to book local activities on the go, our app has everything solo travelers need for an epic âmobilemoon.'â
The Solo Travel Report serves as a resource to discover destinations, helpful planning tips and cool new insights on navigating solo trips from start to finish. Hereâs a deeper look at the findings:
What Drives Solo Travel: Overall, solo travelers most often say they take solo trips to meet new people and explore new places, disconnect from work and life, and improve their independence and confidence. And while the simple desire to get away is the biggest motivator for going it alone over any movie, book or celebrity influencer â itâs no surprise that the best-selling novel turned feature film âEat Pray Loveâ was the top source of inspiration for the 5% of travelers who said a movie prompted them to take a solo trip. Solo Travel is Becoming the Preferred Travel Category: Two-thirds of respondents agree they prefer the freedom of traveling alone and meeting new people over the desire to have a vacation companion. Younger travelers (83% of Gen Z and 80% of Millennials) are especially likely to agree. Less than 40% of the respondents Expedia surveyed identified themselves as parents, and of those, nearly all of them (82%) agree they too would prefer to travel alone. The Ideal Solo Trip: While some might want to spend their summer backpacking across Europe, the most popular solo trip is the âWeekend Breakâ â a quick couple days in a new city or off the grid (30%). Americans are more likely to want to experience an âIsland Getawayâ â cruise to a tropical destination or visit a beach (23%), âFoodie Tripâ â eat their way through a region known for delicious cuisine (16%), or âEvent Travelâ â visiting a place specifically to attend a music festival or sporting event (14%). Solo Travel Destinations: Domestic travel continues to be the foundation of how most Americans choose to vacation â and solo travel is no exception. US travelers are more likely to choose new or familiar places within their own country, and 69% said their last solo trip was in the USA. When it comes to future solo trips, roughly 3 out of 4 Americans (74%) say their ideal location is in the USA followed by Canada (45%) and Europe (42%). Solo Trip Advice is Practical: When it comes to planning your solo getaway, experienced solo travelers emphasize preparation and a positive attitude. Stick to a budget, know which travel documents youâll need and always have a plan B. Americans mostly feel that itâs good to be mindful of fears but to not let them stop you (20%). This Is When Things Get Awkward: Generally, solo travelers feel most uncomfortable when they are lost and need directions (42%), or when they are lost in translation (38%). US travelers also dread having their phone battery die or eating alone (29%).
For even more insights and findings from Expediaâs 2019 Solo Travel Report, visit the Solo Travel hub on the Viewfinder blog. To experience all the benefits of the award-winning Expedia app on your next solo trip, download it for free on iOS in the App Store and on Android devices through Google Play.
About the Solo Travel ReportCITE Research (www.citeresearch.com), on behalf of Expedia, conducted an online survey among 2,521 respondents â 1516 in the US and 1005 in Mexico. Respondents screened were aged 18 years or older, had taken a trip by themselves in the past or planned to take a one in the future. Expedia defined solo travel as doing any form of travel â taking a flight, boat, train, driving themselves, staying in a hotel or vacation rental, etc. in which the person is by themselves.
About Expedia Expedia.comŸ is one of the worldâs largest full service travel sites, helping millions of travelers per month easily plan and book travel. Expedia.com (https://ift.tt/1qixklg, 1-800-EXPEDIA) aims to provide the latest technology and the widest selection of top vacation destinations, affordable airfare, hotel deals, car rentals, destination weddings, cruise deals and in-destination activities, attractions, services and travel apps. © 2019 Expedia, Inc. All rights reserved. Expedia and the Airplane logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Expedia, Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. CST# 2029030-50. Visit our web site https://www.expedia.com/ or use our mobile app to book cheap flights and hotels.
Contact: Alexis Tiacoh, [email protected]
SOURCE Expedia.com
Related Links
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The post Could âMobilemoonsâ be the newest trend in travel? One-Third of Americans Would Choose a Solo Trip with Only Their Phone Instead of Taking a Travel Companion appeared first on Tripstations.
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BONUS - Tips for your own globe trot!
Hi yâall! Before I wrap this blog up, I wanted to do a short post on some of the tips and tricks I learned along my travels and share some of the less-than-perfect instances and straight-up epic fails of my trip. On social media, we are usually sharing our best, most idyllic moments, and YES this trip was the most wonderful and dreamy experience, BUT there were some hiccups along the way that I would like to share in hopes that all of you planning your next getaway can learn a thing or two!
Understand (CLEARLY!) the terms of your travel abilities as a US citizen / what your travel visa allows. Before I left the US, I had some trouble finding the end-all-be-all source that clearly explained how long I was allowed to stay abroad without a student or work visa. If youâre planning an extended trip to Europe, hereâs a quick summary: There is a group of European countries called the Schengen Area (get the list of the 26 here) that do not have passport control at their mutual borders. This means itâs suuuper easy to get in and out of these countries (who doesnât love skipping customs?), but it also means that you cannot stay any longer than 90 days (combined) during a 180-day period. For example, my time spent in England and Ireland did not count toward my 90 days, but the time I spent in every other country on my trip did count. I extended my stay in London just so I could comply with these rules and literally left Holland on my 90th day. Also, DO NOT OVERSTAY!!! If you overstay even 3 days over your allotted 90, you could be subject to an entry ban for one year or more! That would be the worst, so just donât do it! Thank god for the sage advice I got from my ex-pat gal pals Lizz and Kaylee (and the Dutch Consulate was super helpful, too!), otherwise Iâd probably be banned from Europe and consequently would hate myself :)
Use Hopper and Google Flights to find good travel deals, but be sure to enter your passport info on the airlineâs site once you book. This is less of a problem for Google Flights and moreso a piece of Hopper advice. My family had a hell of a time getting over to Amsterdam on our way out from the US because our flight from LAX to London was super delayed and we missed our connection to Amsterdam. We booked through Hopper and got a sweet deal, but we didnât realize that it really helps improve your experience to write your passport info in your airline reservation profile after you book. Since our online profile was blank (aka, we did not go to AA.com and enter in our passport info after booking), the airline was not able to automatically re-book us on a new flight out to Amsterdam, and therefore I spent nearly THREE HOURS on the phone with Hopper and AA trying to sort new flights for us. It was a logistical nightmare, so just trust me on this and please enter your passport info in your airline profile.
Buy travel + health insurance. Luckily I didnât have to use mine, but it definitely gave me peace of mind. For example, just tooootally hypothetically speaking, you might be biking around Amsterdam one day, and you just tooootally hypothetically might get hit by a car. And then youâll hypothetically get up, and youâll be completely fine minus a bruise and a scrape, and everyone around you will be so nice and make sure youâre ok and sit with you until you feel calm enough to get back on your bike because you donât have data and you canât call your boyfriend, but what if you werenât so lucky and you actually got seriously hurt and couldnât go to Germany the next day??? That would have been unbelievably awful. Anyway, thatâs just a totally hypothetical story, Mom and Dad...
If youâre visiting a US Embassy anywhere, DO NOT bring electronics with you! You can bring in your phone, but thatâs it. Donât make the same mistake I did and bring literally ALL THE ELECTRONICS to your embassy appointment when it clearly states on your appointment confirmation NOT. TO. BRING. ELECTRONICS. They wonât let you in and youâll have to reschedule your appointment for another date. Iâm still rolling my eyes at myself.Â
Download Google Maps and star your favorite places. My brother taught me this trick, and itâs a life-saver. When you go on the Google Maps app, search for the city youâre going to (e.g. Paris, France), tap the banner that pops up on the bottom of your screen, and click âDownload.â This saves the map to your phone so you can access it offline/on airplane mode! You can also star/save your favorite places or places you want to visit when you have data/wifi and access those offline as well.Â
Pack light when possible. If youâre country-hopping via train or youâre carrying on for your flight, pack as lightly as you can. Thereâs a lot of overhead lifting involved on planes and trains, so lightweight, versatile clothes and essentials only, ladies! The allowed airplane carry-on size is a bit smaller in Europe than in the US, so just keep that in mind so the flight attendants donât glare at you (silly American!) as you try to stuff your roller bag into the overhead compartment.Â
Having some data and minutes is never a bad thing. If you download your Google Maps and plan all your outings in advance / when you have internet, you can definitely get by. But I canât tell you how many times I was SO GRATEFUL that I could use my phone to call a cab in a pinch, double check whether something was actually open before trekking all the way over there, or just navigate public transit and get from A to B much easier. Something to consider...Â
Look up the rules for train & bus tickets/transit and abide by them! Getting written up for not instantly punching your bus ticket sucks. Thinking you can use your London Oyster Card to get to other cities in England is just plain dumb. Look up the rules! Better safe than sorry!
Make friends with locals whenever possible. Donât be shy! Iâve found it just makes your experience in a city that much better. The world is a friendly place and people are generally nice!
Be zen when sh*t doesnât go your way. Itâs a basic concept, but itâs worth stating. You will probably miss flights, trains will be late, your AirBnB host wonât show up when (s)heâs supposed to... but you just gotta roll with the punches. Itâs part of the fun (?) of travel!
Now go out and globe trot with confidence, my friends!
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15 tips for traveling alone
I recently returned from a four-month trip around Europe. I backpacked to Spain, Portugal, Italy, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Germany, Norway and The Netherlands, sometimes with my best friend, sometimes with new friends, and sometimes all alone.
Travelling alone was one of the best experiences of my life. Youâll surprise yourself with your keen intuition, your ability to cope with a new language, your friend-making skills, your geographical bearings and overall just how much you enjoy doing whatever you want, whenever you want - from eating whenever, going wherever and doing whatever you feel like doing. Sometimes I had gelato for breakfast, once I spent six hours in a museum, a few times I slept til midday, I went to a music festival solo and I swam in the ocean morning, noon and dusk.
But travelling alone can also be problematic and lonely if youâre not properly prepared. Hereâs some easy tips that really enriched my experience travelling alone.
1. Laptop smart Not only is it exceedingly hard to navigate foreign transport sites from a phone, my laptop proved really valuable to me when I needed precious downtime, which was about once a week. I loaded up a portable hard drive with movies and boxsets so I could retreat into my own little world with my headphones on to watch a movie in bed when I needed a bit of âmeâ time.
2. Device smart - I subscribed to Spotify Premium for $10 a month and built myself some playlists by mood - chill, happy, groovy, pensive. Then I downloaded them, so they were available offline. - I also downloaded Tripit, an app that links with your email and builds you an automatic itinerary based on your email confirmations. - I also downloaded Maps.me, an app with offline maps and GPS location so I was never lost. I dropped a (permanent) pin on the location of my accommodation in each city so I always had my bearings. - Also make sure your emails are accessible on your phone - I found the Gmail app to be the best option for me, because many of my emails were available offline - valuable when I needed an address or confirmation number, which was a lot!
3. Spend smart I went with Citibank Australia, who offer a Citibank Plus everyday account with fee-free withdrawals and fee-free transactions anywhere in the world. Shop around your banks and see what deal you can find - donât just go with your own bank, who might smash you with withdrawal and transaction fees. Every dollar counts when youâre overseas.
Read More: http://emmaelsworthy.com/post/150905135617/15-tips-for-traveling-alone
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New Post has been published on Coinlus.com
eCharge is an upcoming German project that aims to leverage blockchain technology in an effort to reinvent the way electric vehicles stay charged. It is a timely project as it seems like the mass adoption of electric vehicles is just around the corner. The International Energy Agency reported approximately 2 million e-vehicles on the road in 2016. This number could grow to as high as 20 million by 2020. By 2025? Up to 70 million. By 2050, a staggering number of e-vehicles could be in use, potentially even approaching 500 million. This will be possible due to the important work industry leaders like Tesla are doing to advance the efficiency, affordability, and practicality of owning an e-vehicle. But with so many of these vehicles on the road, how will drivers manage to keep them charged, without causing an overwhelming impact on the environment? Here whatâs you need to know about eCharge that will help you understand the important role this ICO will play in the (surprisingly near) future of e-vehicles.
The eCharge Vision
As renewable energy sources are rapidly approaching a point of being universally cheaper and more cost-effective than fossil fuels, it is becoming profoundly clear that e-vehicles will eventually dominate a significant portion of the consumer automobile market. With this in mind, eCharge CEO Markus Dold has preemptively positioned eCharge as the solution to a problem that will certainly occur in the future â a severe shortage of e-vehicle charging stations. Although some regions may have a reasonable density of consumer charging stations, e-vehicle drivers who wish to travel longer distances outside of these areas may not have the option to do so. Worse yet, drivers who choose to risk long-range trips may overestimate the distance their e-vehicle can travel without a charge, resulting in them being left stranded on the open road. Dold has a bold, but ingenious plan to establish a network of affordable eCharge stations in hotel parking lots across the European continent. Not only will these eCharge stations improve the e-vehicle driversâ ability to travel long distance, it will also provide hotels with a uniquely valuable utility that they can leverage to attract guests. Some might call that a win-win situation. eCharge aims to install 50,000 of these stations across Europe in 2018, but Dold has his sights set higher and wants to distribute 1 million by 2019.
How eCharge Works and Its Benefits
Itâs important to note that eCharge is a project that is hardware-based, rather than the purely blockchain-based ICOs that have hit the market. Their vision is to provide infrastructure to support e-mobility. The company is offering to set up their smart charging stations in hotel parking lots at no initial cost. In exchange for this service, the hotel pays recurring rental fees and another fee each time a customer charges a vehicle. This removal of the upfront investment costs could be seen as an incentive to hoteliers as it clearly rewards them for offering their guests clean and reliable e-vehicle charges via the eCharge network. But what really sets eCharge apart from many of its competitors is the way blockchain technology will be used to optimize the transactional process that is involved with charging an e-vehicle. This is possible because the platform is built upon cutting edge blockchain-based smart-grid infrastructure.
eCharge Balances Supply and Demand Using Smart Micro-grids
The smart-microgrid system that will serve as backbone of the eCharge network works by connecting distributed sources of renewable energy to form a network of providers. When demand peaks, this network can also connect to the larger grids in the area as necessary to offset supply drops. Thanks to blockchain technology, these networks will also have the technical capacity to accurately meter the amount of energy being produced and consumed by all participants in real-time. This ensures that all transactions occurring across the eCharge network are fairly coordinated. Because the amount of energy being put into the system by each user can be accurately tracked via the blockchain, hoteliers can even benefit from investing in their own renewable energy sources and connecting them to the grid. Similarly, e-vehicle drivers could recoup some of their energy costs by selling off some of the power stored in their car batteries when demand in the network is high. The eCharge team calls this impressive functionality the vehicle-to-grid (V2G) network. But donât worry, there is no risk of depleting your battery and having to wait for it to recharge again in the morning using the V2G network. It is designed to draw power from car batteries mostly during peak hours (typically overnight) to keep the supply balanced, while still making sure that the car is fully charged before morning.
The eCharge App Offers Convenience to E-Vehicle Drivers
Using the eCharge mobile app, e-vehicle drivers will be able to identify where they can find a charging station that is connected to the eCharge network and plot their routes accordingly. Rather than relying on luck to find a charging station when they need it, the app gives drivers certainty that chargers will be available en-route to their destination. The application also features a wallet that will allow users to receive, store, and use ECH tokens.
The Team Leading the eCharge
eCharge has the potential to revolutionize e-mobility. As such, a team of intellectuals and business people is needed to smoothly implement this complex business model. These are the minds leading eCharge. Markus Dold is a German serial entrepreneur who is the founder and CEO of eCharge. Before founding eCharge in 2016, Dold found success in developing software products for eCommerce and businesses in the hotel industry. Holger Czesnat is a veteran of the hospitality industry and the COO of eCharge. His qualifications for this role are made clear by his experience as founder of Booking.com. Under Czesnatâs leadership, this highly successful hotel booking platform became Germanyâs top online booking system after only 5 years. These two well-established leaders have a team behind them working to help eCharge develop a charging network that will be able to accommodate the needs of the growing community of European e-vehicle drivers.
The eCharge Token Presale and ICO
If you have read up to this point, you should be able to see the validity of eChargeâs business model. (To get a deeper understanding, give the eCharge whitepaper a read.) But the leadership of eCharge understands that without proper strategy and access to an appropriate level of funding, even the best of ideas are bound to fail. That is why they opted for an ICO. Through the ICO, eCharge will be able to implement their strategy faster and with a higher level of efficiency. By involving people who understand how revolutionary technological advancements can shift economies across the globe, they are also helping build a community of eCharge users that will promote growth within the network.
What You Should Know About the ECH Token
The ECH is a ERC20 cryptocurrency that will be used exclusively for eCharge as its native token. In its upcoming ICO, eCharge will distribute 37,000,000 ECH tokens to investors in order to raise funding for the project. Another 200,000 tokens will also be airdropped (distributed for free) to ERC20 wallets leading up to and during the ICO. Another 5,000,000 will be kept off the market and retained by eCharge to maintain liquidity within the network. This is a smart move that shows investors the eCharge team is thinking hard and smart about possible contingencies. ECH will be the currency used to pay for all services offered in the eCharge ecosystem and can be purchased using either a credit card, PayPal or cryptocurrencies (primarily Ether). It will allow for cross-organizational means of settlement across the network, simplifying the transactional processes for all involved parties. This is great, because casual users of the eCharge network wonât need to worry about the complexities of navigating cryptocurrency exchanges when they can just purchase ECH using a traditional payment method. Itâs also important to know that each time a token is used, it is âburnedâ by a smart contract â meaning it no longer can be used. This ensures that the value of ECH will rise over time as the number of existing tokens diminishes.
ECH Token Distribution
Unlike many ICO projects to date, eCharge is linked to a real hardware-based service that requires far greater initial investment compared to a digital product offering. As this is the case, eCharge has announced exactly how the funds garnered through the ICO will be allocated. Sharing these details is certainly a refreshing aspect of the eCharge ICO. Below is the current estimation of how ICO funds will be spent:
53% â Purchasing eCharge stations and distributing them to hotels
20% â Marketing eCharge to encourage growth of the user base
10% â Introducing new features and functionality to the eCharge.work mobile app
5% â Research and development to enhance the platform
2% â Legal services to ensure compliance with applicable regulations
ECH Token Sale Procedure
The private keys for the ECH tokens being distributed will be created offline and secured with a password. Exchange rates for purchases will be determined based on the international market for ether. Because of this, each user needs an ether address to join into the token sale. Following each purchase, all transactions and balances will be recorded in the ledger system. At the end of the sale period, every transaction will be verified by the eCharge staff. Tokens will be delivered 2 weeks after the token sale has been officially finalized. This is par for the course with many ICOs, so there is no cause for concern that tokens arenât being doled out immediately.
eCharge ICO: Final Thoughts
One concern with this ICO is the sophisticated nature of installing immense volumes of hardware that must be integrated with the systems of an equally large number of energy suppliers across Europe. As 2018 progresses, we will learn more about how steadfastly Dold can maintain his goals. According to their whitepaper, we can expect to see them install charging stations at 500 hotels in Germany and another 500 in Austria. Additionally, they aim to introduce additional revenue-generating functions for the platform, like hotel booking and e-commerce-related features in the eCharge app. eCharge is traversing mostly uncharted territory as they prime their firm to service the e-vehicle fleets of the future. Of course, nobody can be certain how things will play out but so far eCharge has made it clear that they have the capacity to pivot with changes as the e-mobility market grows. To take part in the eCharge token presale which is currently live, visit their website. - http://bit.ly/2GzmRMs - Coinlus.com
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