With the global economy growing for six consecutive years, more and more people venture abroad for business, leisure or oftentimes both. What most of them forget, however, is that if they are not careful they can pay through the nose for travel and accommodation, or depending on which country they are visiting, the cultural shock can ruin the otherwise pleasant experience. Below we decided to give our top 3 hacks any seasoned international traveller is using, to get the most out of his or her international trip.

Research the location

Most people who often travel for business or pleasure, make a thorough research in order to find the best accommodation options. The reason is, more often than not, the best location is not in the city centre, or near the venue/resort you are going to. In fact, the best value hotels are located a bit further away, but are easy to commute to and from your business or tourism destination. We have an excellent blog post regarding the top picked accommodation options during an international business trip.

Consider all travel options

When we talk about international travel, the first thought that jumps to mind is flight tickets. But this is only partly true. If you are flying from US to Europe you might want to consider taking a way cheaper flight to a neighboring EU country and then taking the train or rent-a-car, if your final destination is a few hours drive away. Taking the bus between cities is also a viable option if your budget is tight. Another way you can approach your travel conundrum is by checking any of the trendy travel services that can save you hundreds with just a few clicks. Useful websites any savvy traveller should use include www.awardwallet.com and www.airfarewatchdog.com among others.

Get familiar with the culture

We all heard the funny stories our friends and colleagues told about the time they were abroad. It’s not all fun and games however. Social shunning or disastrous mishaps during business meetings can occur because of neglecting the culture and social habits of the country you are visiting. There are a few ways international road warriors combat this problem. Translator Apps like iTranslate and government websites providing info for each country like this one can help you soften the culture shock. Last but not least research some local coupon apps and try out the local cuisine and night life the way the locals do. This will greatly enrich your international trip and leave fond memories to tell to your friends and family.

Like our short list of useful hacks? Share them with your friends or colleagues and you might want to get a nice looking postcard or a souvenir as they would be sure to thank you!