RESEARCH. I always say that research is the key to success in planning any travel. One of the easy ways that I do ongoing research is to follow some cool sites on social media. My favorite way to review these sites is on Twitter. I get a great selection of articles every day that I can scan through to see what is pertinent to me at the time. I have found tons of useful information this way. I love the Bookmark feature on Twitter. If I am scrolling through articles when I just have a free moment and find something I would like to read in depth, I bookmark it and come back to it later when I have more time.
There are sites that I also like to follow on Instagram (like Samantha Brown and The Points Guy) that do a great job with Instagram stories and posts.
Here are some helpful travel sites that I follow:
Travel & Saving
Scott’s Cheap Flights @scottsflights
- Follow their site for random Cheap international Airfare Updates
- Sign up for a Free Membership to get general deal notices sent to your e-mail
- Go Premium for $39/yr for the best personalized flight deals
I follow them on Twitter and signed up for a Free Membership. I intend to upgrade to the Premium Membership this year as I get closer to planning my next International Trip.
Southwest Air @SouthwestAir
- Join their Rewards program to get notices whenever they have a fare sale
- Earn points for flights you book through their site
- Earn points by booking travel through their hotel and car rental partners
I get direct e-mail updates from the Rewards Program plus follow them on Twitter to see all the latest happenings and contests.
SPG / Marriott @spg
The latest news, updates and promotions from SPG . Points and Rewards information, featured hotels and booking deals.
IHG Rewards Club @ihgrewardsclub
The latest news, updates and contests from IHG Rewards Club. Articles on featured hotel lines or locations, new hotels and booking deals.
Gate 1 Travel @Gate1Travel
They offer many different ways to configure trips. Air included, or land only. Some come bundled with a rental car. Opportunities to book optional experiences. Great deals on independent and escorted travel around the world. Some offers can be purchased through portals or other apps to provide additional savings.
Great Value Vacations @VacationsReview
Tour vendor offering affordable vacation packages. They also post travel tips, hot travel deals and “must see” lists for travel locations.
Ebates
For Rebates on travel I already plan to book. I just can’t turn down Free Money! Picking a Big Rebate day to book the Trip or Hotel Room I already planned on doing is a no brainer!
Miles, Points, Travel Information & Reviews
Your Mileage May Vary @YourMileageVary
Read relatable posts on Miles and Points, Rewards Programs, Travel Reviews, Travel gadgets, Disney and everything else Travel. They make learning the ins and outs of travel fun and easy to understand. (Even for a nerd like me).
I follow them on Twitter, Facebook and their Blog….I don’t want to miss anything!
The Points Guy @thepointsguy
High level articles on Rewards Programs, Miles and Points, Travel Advice, Best value Vacations, Air Travel, Hotels and more. A whole Team of contributors on top of all the latest Travel News.
I follow on Twitter and Instagram (they post some cool stuff on Instagram).
Loyalty Lobby @LoyaltyLobby
Advice on how to Maximize your travel experience by using Travel Loyalty Programs. A Team of contributors bringing you the most current deals and updates from Hotel and Airline Loyalty programs.
I follow on Twitter
Miles to Memories @milestomemories
Sharing tips and tricks for saving money, earning rewards and help you to be able to travel more. Covering Hotel and Airline Loyalty Programs, and all the latest travel news.
I follow on Twitter
Samantha Brown @SamanthaBrown
Great travel tips, reviews, and stories. Advice on best travel practices, places to see and things to do. Always keeps it real and entertaining.
I have watched Samantha on TV for years and now follow on Twitter and Instagram.
Travel Publications
I follow all of these publications on Twitter.
Afar Magazine @AFARmedia
Travel News, tips, inspiration and stories. Reviews and ideas to help you plan your best travel experience. Encouraging people to really explore a culture and connect with people along the way.
Conde Nast Traveler @CNTraveler
What I like about Conde Nast Traveler is that they do stories on topics and places that interest me. What I don’t like about them is if you follow their site they send you way too many marketing e-mails. Better just to follow on Twitter and not provide an e-mail!
Frommers @Frommers
Travel Deals, tips, and trip ideas. Travel reviews and all the need to know info on the latest gadgets and equipment. Guide books.
National Geographic Travel @NatGeoTravel
National Geographic brings a different perspective to travel stories. Not only featuring the most beautiful photography but deep dives into more than just the touristy info on areas. Real information on the people and culture as well.
Lonely Planet @lonelyplanet
Inspiration for planning trips, travel tips, guides and advice. Great photography and travel videos.
*****
It may seem like I follow a lot of publications that provide similar material, but they all present things just a little differently. Their main topics can vary widely. Some are more fun, some have more facts and some just give me inspiration for future travels. Of course, I don’t read every post, just the ones that grab me.
I gave up on Travel & Leisure because they inject a bit too many tabloid style gossip items into their site and repeat them frequently. I am not sure why that is, but I find it dumbs down the rest of the content too much for me.
Summary
Everybody has different travel needs and goals. Tailor the social media sites you follow to your personal travel interests. If you fly Delta instead of Southwest, follow them instead. I also like to add some specific tourism sites for places I plan to visit soon (Like Visit Portugal, Solo Sicily) or visit often (Pure Michigan, Traverse City.Com). It is an easy way for me to keep up to date on news and happenings in that specific area.
I have included website links and Twitter addresses for most of the sites discussed. Take a minute to check out some of their sites and see if any appeal to you for your travel needs.
Definitely post a comment if you have a favorite site that you think I should check out!
The World According to Dev 