Of all the home-based business possibilities, it’s hard to imagine one that’s more fun or potentially profitable than operating a home-based travel agency.
Not only do you get the enjoyment of sending people off on their dream vacation, but you earn a good commission for selling services that you do not have to actually provide yourself. What could be better than that?
If you’d like to become a home-based travel agent, and enjoy discounted or even free trips for yourself as well, then the following “Top Tips For Becoming A Home Based Travel Agent” will get you started in the right direction.
1. Affiliate with a legitimate host agency that has all of the required certifications.
The most successful home-based travel agents are independent contractors who work with a host agency. You use the host agency’s resources and established relationships to tap into their network of travel vendors and suppliers. It’s important that your host agency has the proper industry credentials and that they have a program in place that allows you to use those credentials in order to establish yourself as a legitimate travel agency.
As a home based travel agent you need certain credentials like the CLIA card. CLIA stands for the Cruise Line Industry Association. This industry-recognized credential allows you special agent rates on discounted cruises and offers a whole array of benefits to you and your customer.
To be recognized as a travel agency most host agencies are usually bonded and accredited through ARC/IATAN. ARC was established by the travel industry to provide prompt, efficient, and secure distribution and settlement of travel purchased in the U.S. IATAN-International Airlines Travel Agent Network endorses travel agents and provides the IATAN ID card, which identifies you as a U.S.- based travel sales professional.
If you are considering working with a host agency that doesn’t provide you with their IATAN/ARC number, and other required credentials, move on and select one that does.
2. Choose a host travel agency that provides comprehensive training
Even though you are an independent home-based travel agent, you still need professional quality training so you know how to operate in the travel industry as well as what you are and are not allowed to do.
Getting up-to-date on the best places to travel, tourism trends, and how to fulfill the needs of your customer is vital to your travel business. You want to choose a host travel agency that offers comprehensive training and courses on various travel services, products, marketing, etc.
For some host agencies, taking a course or training is necessary in order to be eligible for certain travel credentials. And, although it is not required to book travel, your job will go much easier and you’ll develop more repeat business, if you are well-trained and well-informed.
3. Choose a host travel agency that will help you promote your business.
Don’t choose a travel company that does not offer some assistance with marketing your travel business. The best ones will offer a turn-key website or online booking engine for your clients to use when booking their travel.
Even better are the travel companies that also provide you with automated marketing tools such as auto responders to handle email campaigns and promotions.
You’ll save money, and gain more customers, if you partner up with a host travel agency that provides ready-made templates to print business cards, postcards, flyers, etc. These are all the tools in your marketing arsenal that will help you get the word out about your home-based travel business.
4. Choose a host travel agency that handles ALL of the travel details for you.
Most host agencies handle all the booking and routine travel details for your clients, but what happens if a name is misspelled on a plane ticket or your customer wants a refund? Find out what type of customer support is available and read their policies carefully before you sign on as a home-based travel agent.
At a minimum, look for:

The collapse of the UK’s third largest travel company has been all over the news, what you may not be aware of is that a further 22 companies have followed suit during the last 6 months. It is even more alarming to think 9 of those were a direct cause of the XL demise.Hundreds of holidaymakers were left stranded abroad with many being left without a way back home. People were frantically trying to book new flights home but were met with increased prices and as they had no other options, they were forced to pay the required amount.Many people choose to opt out of travel insurance when going on holiday. They think the problems going on will not affect them, however, the chances are at the moment you are more likely than not to experience a delay of some kind. Being without travel insurance is a disaster waiting to happen and something you should not risk.Many experts say think we have not seen the full effects of the XL collapse. If this is the case then many more tourists will find themselves with problems on their holidays. The thing to remember is, holiday insurance will protect you from all this. Should you have to pay for extra flights, your insurance (as long as you have sufficient cover!) will cover you.For those who have not yet set off on that dream holiday, double check everything before you leave. Most people pay for the holidays on their credit card; if this is the case then you are ok. Your credit card company should reimburse you. Ones loss is often another ones gain. Other airlines, such as EasyJet, have added extra flights to their schedule to try and help customers who have been affected. People have been experiencing problems on holiday for many years now but with recent developments, finding cheap travel insurance could not be more important.Finding travel insurance is more important after the collapse of 23 holiday companies in 6 months. Looking for insurance is easy by shopping online where you can find the best deals on cheap travel insurance .

Bali’s varied landscape of hills and mountains, rugged coastlines and sandy beaches, lush rice terraces and barren volcanic hillsides provide a picturesque backdrop to the colorful and deeply spiritual culture of this \”Island of The Gods.\” Below are a few questions that are commonly asked plus tips on the do’s and don’ts of Bali Travel.

1/ Do you need a visa for travel to bali?In general you don’t need to get a visa before you to Bali from most countries. A visa costs approximately US$10 for 7 days/US$25 for 30 days. If you have a Hong Kong SAR or Macau SAR passport, then you will get a free visa.Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the date of entry into Indonesia, and you must have proof of onward passage (either return or through tickets). If you cannot fulfill both of these requirements, you may not be allowed to enter the country.The Visa on Arrival is non-extendable and cannot be converted into a different visa. Once you disembark, you will come to an area where you buy your visa. (Do not miss this section).  AFTER you have paid for and received your visa you THEN to proceed to Immigration where your visa will be processed.

2/ Is it safe to travel to Bali?On October 12, 2002, the most commercialized, southern area of Bali came under attack by terrorists. The Kuta Beach tourist area is often referred to as \”Little Australia\” by the local people because it is known to primarily cater to Australian tourists and surfers. This shocking tragedy sent the message around the world that no tourist destination is completely safe in our dangerous times. What a disappointment to all who have come to deeply appreciate the hospitable Balinese people and their culture. But the intent of the perpetrators was to strike at Western revelers and their commercialism. Since Bali as a whole is primarily unscathed by such ugly decay, the Balinese culture remains untouched. However, the impact on the tourist economy has not been minimal. In recent years, tourism has contributed significantly to the financial well-being of the island and even to Indonesia as a whole. Swift efforts by the government to ensure a speedy recover are underway. Strict security measures have been implemented. Some countries have already lifted travel warnings implemented, and tourism to Bali is again on the rise.

3/ Do I need a License to drive or Ride in Bali?Yes. If you live in Australia, then the best way to do this is to see your NRMA branch and apply for an International Drivers License which will cost you $25 for one year. Other countries: see your roads and traffic authority to apply for an international licence.This is easy to do, will save you the headaches of police fines and problems; and will be a lot easier than applying for a temporary license once you get to Bali as this takes a full day in Denpasar filling in applications and doing the test.

More Bali Tips:• Change money at a reputable looking location, use your own (or the hotel’s) calculator before changing! • Drink a lot of bottled water and eat lots of fresh fruit – do your body a favor. • Be careful with your belongings at all times. Crime is on the increase and can ruin your holiday. Cases of handbag snatching have been reported, so leave important documents in your hotel safe and wear your bag across your shoulders! • Try not to step on offerings in the street (walk around them). • Respect the slow pace of processions when stuck behind one, i.e. don’t honk! • Haggle when buying (except on price-tagged goods.) • Buy ‘Imodium AD’ to relieve bouts of Bali belly. • Have a great holiday in Bali!

Don’t:• Forget to take your passport (or a photocopy of your ID). • Do drugs! It can carry the death penalty, and there are enough foreigners residing in Bali courtesy of the Govt. Prison service! • Touch people’s heads – it is very offensive to Hindus. • Enter a temple during menstruation. Sorry Ladies! • Forget to put salt on your food & drink water – you will probably sweat a lot. • Worry too much about the ice – its government-quality controlled in established bars and restaurants. • Forget to look and listen while you cross the road. Cars may stop, motorbikes may not! • Forget to reconfirm your flight 72 hours prior to flying.

By following these tips, you will get the most out of your holiday with the least amount of hassles. Have a great trip and enjoy!

In the old days, children would head off to school with a piece of notebook paper in one hand and a pencil perched behind one ear. But in this modern age of technology, even elementary-age children are burdened with books, pencil cases, calculators, the obligatory cell phone, a personal PDA for scheduling and perhaps even a notebook computer. Most of these items are hastily thrown into a backpack, and slung over one shoulder as they head out the door.

While experts have recommended that a kid’s backpack should weigh less than 15 percent their  body weight, many kids routinely lug around more than twice that percentage. Over time, this backpack burden can create health problems such as stooped posture, chronic back and shoulder pain, stiff necks and muscle weakness. Lisa A. Haney, Director of Rehabilitation Services at Pennsylvania Hospital, has said that “More than 40 million U.S. students carry backpacks, and most of them are unaware that overloading them or carrying them incorrectly can set them up for a lifetime of problems.” According to Ms. Haney, “It’s up to parents, teachers and schools to help spread the word about backpack safety and help our kids lighten their loads.” To minimize the harmful effects of carrying a backpack, it is important to follow these five tips: 1. Make sure you and your child pick a backpack that is appropriate for your child’s age and size. You should physically weigh the backpack to make sure it is less than 15 percent of your child’s body weight. 2. Adjust the backpack so it rests in the curve of the lower back. The pack should never rest more than four inches below your child’s waistline. The shoulder straps should be well-padded and as wide as possible to help distribute the weight of the backpack.  3. Check your child’s backpack and make sure they have only packed items that are necessary for the day’s activities. The heaviest items should be loaded in the back of the pack (closest to your child’s back), and items should be arranged so they don’t shift and move in the pack. It is better for the child to hand-carry a few items than to over-load the backpack.

4. Instruct your child to wear both shoulder straps. Slinging the pack over one shoulder can cause a great deal of muscle strain. It causes the child to lean to one side, curving the spine and causing discomfort throughout the back, neck and shoulders. Be sure to adjust the straps so the pack fits snugly against the child’s back and make certain to fasten the waist belt, if the pack has one, to distribute the weight more evenly.

5. If your child can’t, or won’t, wear the backpack properly, you may need to consider a rolling backpack. Just make sure the handle is long enough so your child doesn’t have to twist or bend to pull the backpack.

By following these five tips, your child’s backpack can do its job, without doing in your child!

The thought of schools are always tied in with backpacking. What if you get a chance to go backpacking in Europe, one of the most beautiful locations in the world? It would be an experience to recall. The most important thing required for this trip is of course a backpack, which is strong enough to carry your belongings. Do not over pack your backpack, as you must remember that you have to do a lot of walking to catch the ferry or the tourist buses in and around the cities in Europe.There is a certain segment of individuals who prefer backpacking to Europe during summer as they can savor summer activities and visit various beaches. But there are others who opt to plan a trip to Europe in wintertime. Winter would not be disappointing for them too because France have the skiing opportunities. The best place for skiing would be Interlaken which is on a double lake system completely surrounded by mountain peaks. Another interesting event during winter is the winter carnival at Venice, Italy.It is very essential to pack according to the weather conditions when planning Backpacking in Europe. Don’t forget to have two pants with lots of pouches if visiting in summer.  It is more handy if you take pant that can convert to shorts when needed. Pack 2 -3 shirts with one or two long sleeve shirts. You have to have at least 3 pair or under garments. Hiking shoes or walking shoes would be the most preferable shoes for the backpacking trip as you have to walk a lot. You can also carry a pair of sandals or flip flops to walk around the place you stay.When you decide to go on backpacking trip to Europe, you may not be certain where you might pass the night. This is where travelers’ inn comes in convenient. They are very much cheaper and handy that hotels. The best places to spend a night while in Europe are the traveler’s hostel. They are cheap and you do not have to make any reservation. Do enquire about the stuff they provide at the hostel which would make it convenient about what to pack in your back pack.Most significantly, get copies of all your essential documents such as passport, your medical info and put it in different places in your backpack as well as your wallet and your trouser pouches. Last but not the least; Remember to enjoy your Europe trip and have fun backpacking!!If you are looking for more information about backpacking in Europe, take a look at European Travel Site or/and Cheap European Travel