- Check Your Paperwork
Ensure that your passport is current and that you have any necessary visas for your trip in advance. Expired or missing paperwork can delay your trip and add costly charges for expedited applications. Most travel management companies can provide visa/ passport support before you travel.
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- Employees That Stay Together, Save Together
Some companies are instituting room-sharing policies for co-workers traveling together. Along the same lines, sharing car service or taxis to and from the airport is an easy way to save. If you’re on different flights, plan to meet your co-workers at an airport lounge and travel to the hotel together, instead of meeting at the hotel.
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- Plan Ahead and Stay In Touch
The earlier you book air tickets and hotel rooms, the more likely it is that you’ll find a lower rate. Many airlines and hotels will offer you a lower rate if the price for your trip falls after you’ve booked it. Plan your trips as early as you can and ask your supplier for a discount if you see the rate drop.
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- Public Transportation
Use public transportation when feasible, and inquire about extended passes. In most cities you’ll save time and money when you purchase a daily or weekly pass in advance instead of paying for each fare individually. In London, for instance, a Travelcard is advised if you plan on staying a few days or more.
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- Credit Card
When paying by credit card in a foreign country, double-check the currency in which you are being charged. The slip may read “109.00,” and you may think you’re paying 109 Mexican pesos (about 10 U.S. dollars), but you’re actually signing off on 109 U.S. dollars.
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- Seek out tax free shopping
Seek out tax free shopping. Some countries -- Switzerland and Poland, for example -- offer tax exemptions for tourists in designated shops. You’ll need to secure proper documentation, so do your research beforehand so you know what to ask for and from whom.
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- Learn the local tipping etiquette
Learn the local tipping etiquette. For services on which you tip 15% at home, you may be able to get away with 5% or even nothing at all. In the Netherlands, for example, tipping is not expected in bars or restaurants, but patrons may leave change up to the next euro in a bar, and up to five euro in a restaurant.
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- Buy sightseeing tickets in bulk
Buy sightseeing tickets in bulk. In many cities -- New York, Seattle and Toronto, just to name a few -- you can save on admission when you buy a booklet of passes in advance.
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- Avoid fines by researching local tax and transaction laws
Avoid fines by researching local tax and transaction laws. In Italy, for example, every sale must be accompanied by a receipt, no matter the amount. And when a receipt is not presented, both buyer and seller can be fined. The law, by the way, is intended to curb tax fraud.
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- Equipment Rentals
When renting recreational vehicles and watercraft -- like bicycles, golf carts, Jet Skis, canoes and boats -- ask about late-in-the-day discounts. By renting at 4pm instead of noon you can sometimes save.
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