Thinking of Traveling Overseas?
Tourism Research Australia’s national visitor survey showed that Australians took 4.4 million international trips last year. Whilst an overseas holiday may previously have been a once in a lifetime event, for many Australians it’s becoming more and more commonplace. However, as Australian travellers become more seasoned they shouldn’t become complacent about the basic precautions that help make sure their overseas adventure is unforgettable for all the right reasons. The department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and other travel advisory services offer some handy tips for travellers planning an overseas trip.
Take out travel insurance: Each year around 30% of the Australians who travel overseas do so without travel insurance. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade reports instances of families having to sell the family home or cash in superannuation funds in order to pay medical costs of family members who’ve either fallen ill or been injured overseas. You can obtain a cheap travel insurance quote in just a minute from Budget Direct and enjoy the peace of mind that travel insurance offers before embarking on an international journey.
Register with the smartraveller website: By registering their details on the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade operated website www.smartraveller.com.au travellers can receive government travel advice regarding their destination before and make it easy for loved ones to locate them in the event of an emergency.
Guard against unnecessary aggravation: Should you be unlucky enough to lose any of your documentation you’ll be glad if you’ve taken a few basic steps regarding their security. Make sure your passport has at least six months validity and carry additional copies of your passport photo with you in case you need a replacement passport while overseas. Make copies of your passport details, insurance policy, travellers' cheques, visas and credit card numbers. Carry one copy in a separate place to the originals and leave a copy with someone at home
Obey the law: Local laws and legal processes can be very different from those in Australia. Consular assistance cannot override local laws, even where local laws appear harsh or unjust by Australian standards.
Make sure you’ve got the appropriate visas: Check to see if you require visas for the country or countries you are visiting or transiting through.
Make sure you’re vaccinated: Check with health professionals for information on recommended vaccinations or other precautions and find out about overseas laws on travelling with medicines.
Get a one minute, cheap Budget Direct Travel Insurance quote on-line.
