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The recent changes in TCS (Tax Collected at Source) has made international travel costly. From July 1, the TCS rate on foreign remittances, including bookings for tour packages, credit card on international transaction etc. will rise from 5% to 20% of the total transaction amount. Thus, shooting up the international travel budget by many folds.
However, here’s a list of 5 ‘Must-Do’ things to save cost on your international trip. Whether you’re traveling for leisure or business, these five essential tips will help Indian travellers optimize their international journeys and make the most of their travel budget.
– Book Components Separately: Instead of purchasing complete foreign tour packages, book accommodations, flights, and activities separately. This allows more control over your itinerary and can save money by avoiding package deal markups.
– Book flight tickets not too early and not too late: Buying the air tickets 2-3months before the travel date is the best time to book flight tickets. Not too early and not too late. Best is to check the Low Fare Calendar while booking the tickets.
Another trick is to avoid weekends and book the flight for weekdays to weekdays… Thus choosing Wednesday to Wednesday over Friday to Friday.
Check Google Flights, Goibibo and MakeMyTrip for the best combinations of multiple airlines to dish out the lowest return fares.
– Walk and Use public transport: If you are visiting a new country, walking is the best way to understand the place, meet people etc. Also, it saves a lot of money. You can use Google Maps to reach your destination.
In case the distance is too long, consider public transport. Public transport abroad is more environmentally-friendly and usually saves money.
o Having a personal car or riding a Taxi may be expensive. Take the Bus, Tram, Train for a fulfilling journey. In fact, train travel in European countries, or Tram in Amsterdam etc. are great tourist attractions.
– Avoid booking a hotel, Check for accommodation with own kitchen, and Eat like a local: Booking a hotel can be costly whereas staying in an apartment can be less expensive. Eating out every day at restaurants can be too expensive.
Check for AirBnB accommodations with own kitchen. You can probably make the breakfast or some other course and save some extra bucks.
While eating local food should obviously be in your list, save money by shopping in the local supermarkets for lunch where you can find good local dishes that you can warm up in the microwave. And incase of eating out, search for local restaurants away from main streets where they serve good food at much lesser price.
– International Roaming Packs- A Must: International calls and data consumption without any roaming packs can put huge financial pressure due to the excessively high tariff. Relying completely on public Wi-Fi is not always safe and also since that won’t be available everywhere, you won’t be connected.
Hence, taking an international roaming plan is a must to stay connected at an affordable rate.
While you should check with your mobile operator, Vi is the only telecom operator which offers truly unlimited international roaming packs.
While Vi postpaid international roaming packs start from Rs. 599 and above, offer unlimited data, unlimited calling and SMS.
Vi is also the only telecom operator to offer prepaid International Roaming Packs at as low as Rs. 249 with a validity of 3 days.
With these essential tips, Indian travellers can optimize their international journeys. Enjoy your international adventures while staying connected, prepared, and mindful of your expenses. Bon voyage!