Travel News Monkey

The Swiss ski resort is playing host to around 2,400 politicians and business leaders. The summit will last for five days and it will have an impressive 17 sessions devoted to issues related to climate change. The winter of 2006 in Austria has been the warmest since records have been maintained from 1768. 2006 also saw the fifth-hottest winter in Switzerland.

These changes in climate can have a seriously deleterious effect on the winter tourism economies of several Alpine states. The rise in temperature is causing a lack of snow cover on the hill slopes which affects tourism at the resorts. Read more.

The dollar is getting us less and less in Europe. But that shouldn’t deter the true-blue travellers amongst us. It’s an experience and better days shall surely come but till then there are many things you can do to make your dollar go further than you would expect when vacationing in Europe.Even though Europe does not offer many budget holiday choices, you can surely travel smart if you are informed.

·        Remember that B&Bs are excellent alternatives to hotels; they are cheaper and these services bring warmth that is often missing from the hotel services.

·        Then, there are hostels. Find out if there are hostels along your holiday route. There are almost 2,000 hostels in Europe and many offer discounts to individuals above 55 years. You can use the hostel’s kitchen to prepare food. Look for hostels that do not require a membership.

·        Find out the period when hotels offer discounts, if travelling to a business city book over the weekend and you will be able to avail good discounts. Look up deals on websites and approach the hotel directly; ask for discounts when you know that the business is slow. It helps if you make an offer to stay for more than three nights.

·        If you’re travelling with a family, budget-chain hotels will give you real savings. The room tariff is the same for singles or for a family of four.

·        The key here is saving so settle for one-star service where you can. You don’t really use shoe-shine machines in the hallway, do you?

·        Instead of booking an extra room, ask for an extra bed in the same room.

·        Avoid eating at the hotel you’re staying, its expensive. Besides there’s so much to explore when you step out. Look out for the gourmand or gourmet stuff on the streets.

·        Value for money as far as food is concerned is a very satisfying, its better to go to hotels where you see the locals congregating instead of a place to which the tourists flock to. There is always the option of picking up items for a picnic lunch at the deli section of a supermarket. Shop at the bigger stores where you can avail god discounts on snacks and takeaway food.

·        Eat what’s in season, better taste for less. Also, approach eating with an open mind, it’s a very cultural thing. The French prefer to have wine whereas across the border in Germany, it may be beer during the same time of the day. Also remember, drinks had at the bar can often cost half of what you would pay to be served at the table.

·        Some things don’t change, so transpose your local knowledge to your present situation. You know that eateries near open-air markets and in office districts offer good cheap food. Do not overtip, ask when in doubt. Opt for tap water and skip dessert; small things add up. Of course, you’ve got to strike a balance between enjoyment and saving.

·        While travelling, keep your option open regarding flying into one city and flying out of another.

·        Rail travel in Europe can be a cheaper alternative to flying if you have time on your hands. Check out the cost of passes. In Europe, first-class tickets cost one and half times the second class fare. And do not forget buses which are an excellent way of getting around using the roadways and are cheaper than the railways.

·        Find out an agent who sells consolidator tickets; these can save you big dollars when you fly in Europe.

·        As far as shopping is concerned, know the best places to do you shopping, not just in the country you visit but also between countries in Europe. Flea markets and department stores should throw up some interesting purchase options for you.

·        Keep cash handy, withdraw from ATMs in a manner that the transaction fees are minimized, in other words make some large withdrawals. Deal in local cash and do not use your credit card frequently.

·        If you have to do a currency exchange, do it at bureaus that tell you both the selling rate and the buying rate. Check if you are eligible for any kind of discount on this.

·        Take time to understand your bills and ask for a break-up of the expenses. For big purchases see if you are eligible for claiming VAT refunds. This can be up to 20% of your purchase cost.

·        When sightseeing, do some prior research and keep a guidebook handy. Dial directly to make long-distance calls. Cards with scratch-off PIN codes give huge savings when compared to the rates charged by the American services.

·        Try to travel off-season because this is when the best rates on almost anything are to be had. Judge the merit of your airlines in terms of costs to your destination and not by any frequent flier points that you may accrue or miss.

·        Get passes to activities that offer one, such as museums and film shows.

·        A great budget idea is to save time. When travelling in Europe, time is money and when you save on time, you save money.

European nations from England to Ukraine were hit by a storm accompanied by hurricane-force winds on the 17^th and 18^th. 47 deaths have been reported, most were motorists who were unlucky to be outside. 14 people died in England, 12 in Germany, 6 each in Netherlands and Poland, 4 in the Czech Republic, 3 in France, and 2 in Belgium.

Power and transportation have been severely affected in Europe. Flights are running behind schedule and people have had to re-schedule their travel plans. The Czech Republic and Germany witnessed huge blackouts with more than a million homes having to go without electricity. Fallen trees and debris have made road travel difficult and trains are now recovering from a near-total shutdown.

Meteorologists forecast a stormy 2007 because of the warm summers recently.