| When the ball drops in Times Square, the new year | | | | semi-permanent visas are especially encouraged to |
| will begin a new decade. But some travel trends from | | | | research any new regulations for the country they |
| 2009 will be sticking around. So what travel trends | | | | plan to do business in. This should be done in plenty |
| should a savvy traveler be aware of in 2010? | | | | of time to procure needed documents. |
| 1. More creative travel. Whenever gas prices soar and | | | | 4. International travel and health insurance not |
| consumer budgets tighten, travelers get creative. | | | | affected by possible healthcare bill passage. Although |
| Home exchanges are one of many creative vacation | | | | it seems any official passage of a healthcare bill will |
| options that are here to stay. A home exchange | | | | wait for the new year, the results are not likely to |
| program is where two members who are interested | | | | change the need of travelers for international health |
| in visiting each others' areas get to know one | | | | insurance. Medicare currently doesn't currently cover |
| another enough to literally exchange homes. A family | | | | overseas services, and many private insurance plans |
| in Germany may live in the home of a family from | | | | gave similar restrictions. Even plans that do cover |
| New York while that family is visiting their exchange | | | | medical services rendered outside of the country, do |
| partner's home in Germany. | | | | not cover medical evacuation back to the US. In a |
| Other travelers prefer to spend their vacation | | | | true overseas emergency, these are always big |
| serving others. Whether they are involved in teaching | | | | concerns for travelers. |
| English or working disaster relief, more people are | | | | 5. Terrorism travel concerns. Unfortunately, terrorism |
| looking for purpose in their vacation. In fact trends in | | | | is not taking a vacation. The effects of terrorism will |
| creative vacations all offer more than just cost | | | | be felt in everything from heightened air travel |
| savings. They offer new friendships and good | | | | security to hotel bombings to interrupted flights. |
| feelings with less tourist trappings. | | | | International flights to and from the US are the most |
| 2. More competition for travel dollars. As vacationers | | | | likely to be affected. The use of full body scanners |
| get creative, competition in the travel industry heats | | | | are likely to raise the privacy concerns of disabled |
| up. Many luxury hotels in popular tourist destinations | | | | persons and certain religious groups. Longer lines and |
| will continue to offer incentives of all kinds in an | | | | travel delays are inevitable along with quickly changing |
| attempt to lure vacationers. Some small business | | | | regulations. Make sure to keep up on the latest travel |
| have found paying cruise liner prices for business | | | | regulations just before your flight and know what |
| conferences to be more economical than renting | | | | your travel insurance will cover in case of a serious |
| hotel space. And the deals aren't likely to go away | | | | incident. Do not assume terrorism can't happen to |
| soon. | | | | you. |
| 3. Increasing demand by foreign governments for | | | | On a lighter note, one travel news-maker should |
| documentation of travel health insurance. In 2009, | | | | become less of a concern as 2010 moves on. Not |
| many countries, especially those with a government | | | | only are there vaccines available to fight the Swine |
| health care plan, began tightening their health | | | | Flu pandemic, but developments have been less |
| insurance requirements for visitors to their country. | | | | severe than feared. Although the Swine Flu is still |
| And such pressure for proof of international health | | | | killing at risk people under the age of fifty, the older |
| insurance is only like to increase in the new year. | | | | population seems to have some immunity. |
| Incidents in which a foreign citizen becomes | | | | Unforeseen events could still occur, but the current |
| unexpectedly stuck in their country without proper | | | | 15 percent infection rate in the US is much lower |
| treatment or a way to return home creates an | | | | than the 50 percent infection rate originally predicted. |
| uncomfortable international situation for many first | | | | So here's wishing you a safe new year of travel. |
| world countries especially. Business people who need | | | | |