Kent


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<p>Who better to advise on bagging a bargain, exploring stress-free and enhancing your holiday, than travel industry insiders? From well-travelled celebrities to founders of holiday companies, top travel journalists and frequent-flier public relations experts, Muddy posed the all-important question: what’s your top travel tip?&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-1-request-a-price-match">1. Request a price match&nbsp;</h2>



<p>“When booking a hotel, email them directly to see if they will price match a cheaper rate you’ve seen online – they will often match the offer and maybe even throw in a nice surprise upon arrival!”&nbsp;</p>



<p><em>Camilla Coburn Davis,</em>&nbsp;<em>Director of PR,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.anantara.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Anantara Europe</a></em>.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-2-carry-a-change-of-clothes">2. Carry a change of clothes</h2>



<p>“I always travel with a spare set of underwear and change of clothes in my hand luggage. Usually some kind of dress in case my suitcase doesn’t make it to my destination so I’m always prepared for every eventuality! Also, I always change into leggings and a cosy jumper as soon as I’m onboard a long-haul flight, then change back just before arrival and feel refreshed. Nothing worse than sitting / sleeping in your clothes for a lengthy flight.”</p>



<p><em>Julia Perowne, Founder &amp; CEO,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.perowneinternational.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Perowne International</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/julesperowne/?hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@julesperowne</a></em></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-pack-disposable-cameras">3. Pack disposable cameras</h2>



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<p>“Pack each family member a disposable camera! Most don’t remember what they photographed so it’s a great way to extend your holiday once you’re back home – waiting for them to be developed and then putting them in an album!”</p>



<p><em>Oliver Bell, Co-founder,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.oliverstravels.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Oliver’s Travel’s&nbsp;</a></em></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-4-check-out-city-passes">4. Check out city passes</h2>



<p>“If you’re on a city break, most tourist boards offer a pass with unlimited use on public transport and entry to top museums and attractions, representing huge savings if you use it well.”</p>



<p><em>Jane Anderson, Travel Editor, Prima magazine&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/janeandersontravel/?hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@janeandersontravel</a></em></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-5-secret-seasons">5. Secret seasons&nbsp;</h2>



<p>“Get savvy with your spending by talking to a tour operator (preferably Turquoise!) about ‘secret seasons’, the time of year when prices drop by as much as 50 per cent from high season rates in some places. Also look at midweek flight departures, rather than weekends, as you can often shave around 10 per cent off the flight cost!”</p>



<p><em>James Bell, Managing Director,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.turquoiseholidays.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Turquoise Holidays</a>&nbsp;</em></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-6-try-a-wonky-weekend">6. Try a wonky weekend</h2>



<p>“Most of us know travelling mid-week can be cheaper when it comes to flights, trains, buses and hotels, but what if you can’t take that much holiday from work? Travelling Saturday to Monday (rather than Friday to Sunday) means you not only bag a cheaper deal, but avoid chaotic rush hours.”</p>



<p><em>Cody Candee, Founder and CEO,&nbsp;<a href="https://usebounce.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bounce</a></em></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-7-pre-book-transfers">7. Pre-book transfers</h2>



<p>“I always suggest pre-booking your transfer from the airport to the hotel, especially when arriving somewhere new to you – it’s cheaper and safer.”</p>



<p><em>Valerie Hoffenberg, Founder &amp; President,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.shetravelclub.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SHe Travel Club</a></em></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-8-pack-a-spare-bag">8. Pack a spare bag&nbsp;</h2>



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<p>“Take a really excellent set of headphones, for good sound quality on a long-haul flight. A cross-body handbag, for when you’re faffing around and need to have your hands free to shop, explore and everything else. And pack a spare bag, because let’s be honest we all buy stuff while we’re away. Bag in a bag, that’s my top tip.”</p>



<p><em>Lauren Laverne, BBC Radio 6 presenter&nbsp;</em></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-9-points-make-flights">9. Points make flights</h2>



<p>“Make sure you have one of the many&nbsp;<a href="https://www.americanexpress.com/uk/credit-cards/ba-credit-card/?linknav=uk-amex-cardshop-allcards-text-BritAirwaysAmexCC-carousel">British Airwayrs American Express</a>&nbsp;cards to collect&nbsp;<a href="https://www.avios.com/gb/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Avios</a>points for flying. I collect one Avios for every £1 spent on purchases – there are no fees to get the card and it soon mounts up.”</p>



<p><em>Lynsey Devon, MD &amp; Owner,&nbsp;</em><a href="http://www.heavenpublicity.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Heaven Publicity</em></a></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-10-get-off-the-beaten-path">10. Get off the beaten path</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Unknown-1-1.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-68327" /><figcaption>Avoid the crowds.&nbsp;</figcaption></figure>



<p>“Avoid peak seasons and overdone destinations to enjoy a unique experience and reduce the impact of over-tourism on the local community. Also, look for places to stay that use green energy, or even generate renewable energy on site, to cut your carbon footprint.”</p>



<p><em>Rebecca Thomson, CEO of&nbsp;green travel planning platform,&nbsp;<a href="https://ecosytravel.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ecosytravel</a></em></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-11-sandwich-seats">11. Sandwich seats</h2>



<p>“If you’re travelling as a pair, always book “sandwich” seats – the aisle and the window seats in a row of three. Unless it’s a full flight, it’s unlikely anyone will then pick the middle seat, which means you’ll have the entire row to yourselves. And if someone does end up between you, you can always just ask to switch seats so you can sit next to your travelling companion.”</p>



<p><em>Nadia Walford, Founder,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.nadiawalford.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nadia Walford PR</a></em>&nbsp;<em><a href="https://www.instagram.com/nadiawalfordpr/?hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@nadiawalfordpr</a></em></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-12-clear-your-cache">12. Clear your cache</h2>



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<p>“Always remember to clear your internet cache before booking flights and hotels; the more you search, the higher the prices get. Smart cookies clear those cookies before booking!”&nbsp;</p>



<p><em>Bonnie Rakhit, luxury travel editor/blogger,&nbsp;<a href="https://thestyletraveller.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Style Traveller</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/bonnierakhit/?hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@bonnierakhit</a></em></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-13-be-loyal">13. Be loyal&nbsp;</h2>



<p>“Loyalty really does pay. There are hotel booking websites which you can build free nights up with, like&nbsp;<a href="http://hotels.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">hotels.com</a>, simply by booking through them. For every 10 nights you stay, you get a credit to the average cost of those 10 nights. It’s brilliant, I’ve had lots of free nights this way!”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p><em>Anita Clements, PR Director for&nbsp;<a href="http://www.hamilton-pr.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hamilton PR</a></em></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-14-use-a-travel-debit-card">14. Use a travel debit card&nbsp;</h2>



<p>“I use a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.currensea.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Currensea</a>&nbsp;card (rather than my usual credit or debit card) when I’m travelling, so I don’t get charged mega bucks for transactions. It connects to my bank account, acts like a normal debit card and is faff-free.”&nbsp;</p>



<p><em>Cathy Bartrop, founder,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@travelguruTV" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">TravelGuruTV</a></em></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-15-ski-season-bargains">15. Ski season bargains&nbsp;</h2>



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<p>“When booking a ski holiday next season (2023/24), 16 December will offer those who break up early some bargains because most of Europe is not on holiday until 23 December, so book ahead! Similarly, we’re expecting Brits to dominate early Easter next year – week commencing 30 March – as France holidays a little later in April.”</p>



<p><em>Cathy Rankin,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.pierreetvacances.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pierre and Vacances</a></em></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-16-pack-light">16. Pack light</h2>



<p>“Every kilo counts on a flight so although you might have a 25kg allowance, it doesn’t mean you have to pack to the max! Packing as lightly as possible reduces the overall weight of the plane, which then uses less fuel. It also makes it much easier to move around between accommodation and use different modes of travel to access those beautiful and unspoilt lesser-known areas.”</p>



<p><em>Torunn Tronsvang, CEO,&nbsp;<a href="https://upnorway.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>Up Norway</strong></a></em></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-17-use-a-suit-bag">17. Use a suit bag&nbsp;</h2>



<p>“Rather than packing your clothes randomly into a suitcase, use a suit bag or garment&nbsp;carrier. Arrange all of your holiday outfits onto hangers (one outfit per hanger is easiest), then pop them into a suit bag and fold into a suitcase (or hang in the car if you’re on a staycation). When you arrive at your destination, no need to unpack, simply hang the suit bag up in the wardrobe and all of your outfits are ready and waiting!”</p>



<p><em>Monica Stott, founder,&nbsp;<a href="https://thetravelhack.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Travel Hack</a></em></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-18-take-some-tech">18. Take some tech</h2>



<p>“I always pack my Sony A7III camera, DJI Osmo and DJI Mavic Drone because you never know when you might stumble across something amazing on your travel to snap or film. My other travel tip would be to get lost and follow your nose! This may seem counter intuitive, however you discover a destination in far greater depth when surprises and unplanned experiences come into play.”</p>



<p><em>Geordie Mackay-Lewis, Co-Founder,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.pelorusx.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pelorus</a></em></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-19-swimsuit-in-hand-luggage">19. Swimsuit in hand luggage</h2>



<p>“If you’re packing for sunnier climes, keep a swimsuit and sundress in your hand luggage, then if it’s delayed or lost, you’re covered for the first couple of days. If you’re travelling with someone else, split your stuff between the two suitcases for the same reason.”</p>



<p><em>Catherine Leech, Director,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.101holidays.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">101Holidays</a></em></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-20-go-solo">20. Go solo&nbsp;</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Unknown-4.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-68328" /><figcaption>Travelling solo can be liberating!&nbsp;</figcaption></figure>



<p>“Roll (don’t fold) your clothes and try a solo trip at least once in your life – it’s liberating to go where you want, when you want, plus you’re more likely to chat to people, which is one of the joys of travel. Oh and visit fancy restaurants at lunch time instead of the evening, they usually have a cheaper set menu.”&nbsp;</p>



<p><em>Amanda Statham, Travel Editor,&nbsp;<a href="https://muddystilettos.co.uk/travel/">Muddy Stilettos</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/amanda_statham_travel/?hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@Amanda_Statham_Travel&nbsp;</a></em></p>



<p><em>Want more tips? Watch Muddy’s travel editor Amanda Statham on Channel 5’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.channel5.com/show/bargain-holidays-get-the-best-deals" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bargain Holidays: Get the best deals</a>.</em></p>


20 travel hacks you need to know (from those in-the-know)

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