Learning about travel while surfing the Net

The Internet can whisk all arm chair travelers and/or vacation researchers from their living room to their dream destination in a few clicks. In my classroom I try utilize this tremendous tool and use the power of travel multimedia presentations to teach students about destinations and the suppliers that operate tours in that area.

One starting place for my Web destination searches is www.youtube.com. Type in your search terms and you’ll see a vast array of videos. I prefer to view ones that are posted by the destination’s tourism office or a travel supplier. OK personal vacation videos may interest some folks but I really don’t like to use these as teaching/researching tools.

Another great research tool is to visit the official tourism site of the country that interests you. Go to the tourism offices of the world directory (www.towd.com) for a fairly comprehensive list of major destination then dream away. Once you arrive at these sites you can search the country in depth or explore its various regions and attractions. Note: you may have to click & search as some sites are tough to navigate but many sites have their own multimedia links.

By going directly to a cruise line (www.cruising.org) or tour operator’s web site (www.ustoa.com) you’ll not only access a wealth of visual information about their products and destinations visited but you’ll also discover any special offers.

A world of information is only a few mouse clicks away but I encourage you to consult with a travel professional before you make any purchases. Share your research with them then let them do their thing.

Often their service is free and their advice priceless. What may seem like a good deal to you actually may be the trip from…well you know where. Can you tell one from the other?

Got travel? Email thetravelprofessor@gmail.com.

Happy travels!