2023 travel "rules" and "regulations" + "change" update

 

     Even though the "summer travel season" is at its peak, I am offering an updated guide to travel "rules" and "regulations" + "change" for 2023 into 2024.

     It is important to know that all travel COVID 19 restrictions are no longer applicable.

     I've also included a link to a website that offer suggestions for avoiding security line holdups, as in the USA and elsewhere, travel includes going through the "security" screening, and each country has it's own rules and regulations.

     Even if you research your own travel itinerary using Expedia or some other booking website, you can't expect them to tell you about security screenings, even the airline you intend to use will not give you that information.  

     I suggest that the best way to avoid being flagged is to use a "trusted" and "knowledgeable" travel agent to make your bookings, is.  Of course, you need to let the travel agent you choose know that you expect them to be familiar with the rules and regulations of "security screening" in the countries you plan to visit.

     I've also included a link to the USA government website advising about visas and entry requirements for Americans.

     More importantly, I am preparing you for a change to Visa requirements in 2024, wherein Americans will need a travel visa for European travel, and once more, it is important to use a "trusted and knowledgeable" travel agent to give you the correct information and to provide you with the help you will need.

     Although this blog has been about saving $ and traveling comfortably, traveling on the cheap in this 21^st century is not possible if you want to travel comfortably.  I understand some may not care how they get there, but saving $$ is not effective in this 21^st century when travel disasters are a regular occurrence,  For instance, a flight is cancelled  or your plane is delayed, you have paid in advance at an Airbnb, and you can't get there, therefore, you lose your money.

     A good solution to this "money losing 21^st century" travel dilemma" is to use a United States Tour Operator Association member (USTOA) who goes to the destination you want, and a knowledgeable trusted travel agent will guide you budget wise, as to which USTOA tour operator is best for your pocketbook.

      Here are some facts about USTOA, see the link:

     Every USTOA tour operator will "guarantee" your travel arrangements, and if a destination on the tour is cancelled you are entitled to a refund for that portion, however, in most cases a destination equal to the one that was cancelled is substituted, also the number of days listed for your tour remains the same, however, in the travel industry tour operators go bankrupt more frequently than is known, therefore, the best feature of choosing a USTOA member's tour:  in case of bankruptcy, all the money you expended in advance will be fully refunded, it is guaranteed by USTOA.

      I wish you and yours happy traveling in 2023!

 

https://www.usa.gov/covid-international-travel 

https://thegetaway.com/trip-planning/tsa-tips-that-will-make-security-screening-a-cinch/?style=quick&utm_source=adwords&utm_medium=c-search&utm_term=travel%20laws%202023&adid=665603181530&ad_group_id=150873331363&utm_campaign=TGA-USA_-_Search_-_tsa_tips_that_will_make_security_screening_a_cinch_-_Desktop&gad=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwoeemBhCfARIsADR2QCvHgwIfUUDK8vosw6SZ5WUsAJr3Exszv0ttWPQBD3fN3Ff6JBYmXT8aAlL4EALw_wcB 

https://www.usa.gov/visas-citizens-traveling-abroad 

https://www.boundless.com/blog/u-s-citizens-visa-travel-to-europe-2024/ 

https://www.interexchange.org/articles/travel-abroad/etias-authorization-for-european-travel/

https://ustoa.com/ 

 

 

The use of Psychology in Travel

 

There's nothing about traveling in the year 2023 that hasn't been heralded in the major media, whether on cable or in print, instead in this post, I want to discuss more about the psychology aspect in travel.

Manipulation is not always a bad thing, in travel, the psychology of it feeds us when we are at a questioning point in our lives, whether we can't travel anymore, or we need a break from a situation that is too stressful.

My experience covers the gamut of traveling, whether to earn a living, or just to take a break when I had stress, all of it.

Most of all, traveling somewhere where I didn't think I'd every go, taught me how to enjoy the moments.  Travel is a moment by moment experience, the wonderful, the good, the disappointing, no time to make plans when you are traveling, the time plan is before you travel, and then you'll find out the best of plans have a way of not working out.

Yet at the time when you can't travel, the memories are the best part, somehow anything that wasn't good, or not what you thought it would be, has a way of filtering out the nasty.  And using your travel photos as your cell phone "wallpaper" makes the pleasurable moments repeat to warm you on a cold winter's day.  Alternately, on a hot summer's day, it helps to remind that the best of times are still possible.

Of course, famous writers have been writing about travel to see the world on a dime.

Even you can get paid for traveling the world for free, all of it is possible, the travel industry needs writers to promote every aspect of travel.  In these days of stressful airport experiences, and stressful flight to get to where you want to go, the aspect of not knowing how it will turn out needs a writer to inspire traveling in spite of it.

My advice is to travel while you can, don't postpone the experience, no matter how late in life, those memories are priceless at times when you need to be buoyed.

 

https://www.travelagentcentral.com/running-your-business/using-psychology-to-determine-perfect-vacation-experience 

https://www.thattravelblog.com/blog/10-publications-that-will-pay-you-for-travel-writing/ 

https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2015/04/06/mark-twain-american-vandal-book 

https://www.onlinepsychologydegree.info/psychology-of-travel-adventure/ 

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-human-beast/202302/travel-as-a-transformative-experience 

2023 travel season's "Emperor With No Clothes" parable

Be assured, the summer of 2023 will go down as an unprecedented time to travel since the end of years of active COVID 13 strains fears.

Despite the 2023 prerecord of preseason plane travel delays due to FAA staffing problems, this summer of flights to Europe record setting prices are not de-incentivizing travelers away from their summer plans abroad, whether to Italy, France, Switzerland, Germany,.

Western Europe is a favorite destination for Americans.

Some so-called" savvy Americans will chose  adjacent countries, even if too close to Ukraine, just to save a buck.

If they find their destination isn't like a western European country, they will still come home to rave about the "laid back" attitude of the people, but not about the food or accommodations, which may not be up to Western European standards.

However, I use the "Emperor With No Clothes" parable to ID the idiocy of traveling with the knowledge of an unpleasant trip to get to where you want to go.  The planes will be filled with the less desirous seats in "economy," but the extent of the "parable" widens when  paying much more for better seats in that same low fare cattle car economy section.

 I can advise, in 2023, the American mood is to travel before something worse happens in this crazy world, is a must.

Nothing can deter that kind pessimistic bucket list travel.

The worst things can happen, but then, what lovely pictures of the places you visited to place on your wallpaper permanent locked iPhone screen.  

  It will be easy to forget anything that was terrible or even frustrating about your summer trip.  

 And as the months pass into the days of a terrible 2023 winter, any and all travel frustrations will disappear when you view your iPhone screen to share those memories with your envious friends, who didn't take the chance to travel during that parable travel summer of an "Emperor With No Clothes" 2023.

 

https://www.nytimes.com/explain/2023/05/25/travel/summer-travel-airports-flights?smid=url-share 

https://www.foxla.com/news/summer-2023-travel-season-predictions 

https://www.travelagewest.com/Industry-Insight/Business-Features/summer-travel-trends-2023 

https://www.travelagewest.com/Industry-Insight/Business-Features/summer-travel-trends-2023 

https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/in-depth/travel-experts-airlines-forecast-record-breaking-numbers-for-summer-travel 

 

 

2023 & travel myths

 

As I've discovered over the years, travel myths are more apt to be debunked, but only if you are really determined to go "despite" what may occur.

In my opinion, those days of "dressing up" for an upgrade" are literally gone with the wind,  today, your "upgrade" will never take place unless you have certain other perquisites, depending on the airline you choose.

And those so-called experts are only experts if you chose to believe what they say, however, as a travel insider for many years, I know that's part of the "expert's propaganda" based on who they shill for.

Nonetheless, my research has determined that knowing certain truths about how your booking method counts, re fees and such, also, the ability to get ahead of the line, depending on how you go about setting up your travel itinerary. And in my many years of experience as to all aspects of the travel industry, time consuming checking of facts and myths are essential to getting the $$$ worth out of your travel experience.

Therefore, I can advise you to take care in determining what you want out of travel experience.

Oddly some people just want to chalk up a travel bucket list, and the actual experience is less important than listing it in your list of "essentials" to get done, while others want to tout how they "saved money" by doing such and such.

Insofar as I'm concerned, the "idea" of travel is just that, the "idea" is now more important than the going.  Everyone has a different comfort zone, that's my meaning of "idea" when discussed as a travel experience. which in today's travel marketplace may mean, not so comfortably even with more $$$  spent.

However, insofar as "travel myths" feel free to find your own "debunking" philosophy and rack up those travel miles as you age into travel experiences. 

https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/travel/travel-myths-busted 

https://www.consumeraffairs.com/news/dont-believe-everything-you-hear-an-expert-exposes-the-biggest-myths-about-travel-042523.html 

https://www.thelisttv.com/money-finance/debunking-travel-myths-for-your-summer-trips