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Following a successful six-month trial, ATM organisation Link has announced that they are to increase the number of UK ATMs that dispense foreign currency. As well as giving out UK Sterling, cash points throughout the country will be adapted to allow dollars and euros to be withdrawn by holders of UK debit and credit cards.
In the initial trial, travellers were enthusiastic about the ability to withdraw foreign currency without the need to make a special trip to the bank, travel agent or bureau de change. The convenience factor, rather than favourable exchange rates or commission fees seemed to be most important to travellers who took advantage of the trial machines.
Link’s Head of Planning and Development, Graham Mott, believes that the move will be welcomed by many travellers. He said: "The theory at the moment is rather than waiting until they get to the airport to get their foreign currency - as many people do, travellers will withdraw their holiday money at an ATM in the weeks leading up to their break."
Superstore giant Tesco’s finance arm have been trialling the foreign money dispensing cash points at four locations and are keen to increase that number to 20. Mott believes that upon seeing the success of the current ATMs, airports would be eager to install multi-currency machines in the future, perhaps with even more currencies than pounds, euros and dollars on offer.
However, he may have already been beaten to the punch by Raphaels Bank, who has announced that they are to operate ATMs at London airports. Their ATMs are to offer 24-hour access to euros and US dollars without commission fees and at the same exchange rate as the bureau de change, giving travellers the opportunity to avoid the high charges applied to cash withdrawals by debit or credit cards from ATMs abroad.
If in any doubt about the charges that will be paid when withdrawing cash abroad, travellers are advised to check with their bank or credit card company before leaving for their holiday.
The option of being able to withdraw foreign currency from UK cash machines gives credit card companies another opportunity to differentiate their products by the way that they charge the withdrawals from ATMs. Aware that many potential customers now compare credit cards based on a number of factors, not just the headline APR, this gives a unique sales opportunity for one enterprising credit card company to set themselves apart from the rest of the market.
The size of charges for withdrawing currency with UK credit cards abroad has long been a sticking point with many consumers and it will be interesting to see how the credit card companies treat foreign currency withdrawals in the UK.
| ©2007 Adam Singleton. All rights reserved. |
The last thing that any traveler needs is to be plagued by mosquitoes throughout their journey. Just as there are sure-fire ways to reduce the incidence of these pests in the home environment, definite steps can be taken to stave them off when you're away from the home front. This is especially important in a society that's been afflicted by the variety of diseases that are commonly carried among the mosquito population.
Just as that which is red is known to enrage and attract a bull, dark clothing will invite mosquitoes. Avoid the tendency to wear garments that are darker in
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As an airline pilot, I've developed a list of sleep tips.
That's because I must spend many nights in hotel rooms and I must always be well rested when flying.
Many of these travel rest tips can also improve your sleep at home.
In addition to these great travel rest tips, there are some key travel accessories that I use to assure a great night sleep. They help while recovering from jet lag or sleeping at unusual hours, even in the noisiest locations.
The main reasons people have trouble sleeping well in hotel rooms are:
The European Environment Information and Observation Network (EIONET) defines traveling off-peak as "traveling outside rush-hours to avoid overcrowding in public means of transport." This sounds all too simple and as we might expect - easier said than done.
For both air and car travel, avoid the crowds by traveling during the week, especially from Tuesday through Thursday. An added bonus is that airfares for travel Tuesday through Thursday are usually cheaper.
Mid-morning and late afternoon flights tend to be less crowded, plus you can really avoid commute traffic during this time. This site also offers the load on late-night flights
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Family vacations can be one of the most anticipated highlights of the year. Maybe it is crossing several states to a favorite amusement park or driving 100 miles to see the grandparents. Whatever your case may be, if the kids are going they will need to be entertained while traveling to make it easier on everyone.
Today there are many items to keep the kids entertained while traveling compared to 10 years ago. Keep in mind that some of these ideas that I will be giving you are not only for traveling but will also get lots of use after
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Traveling is a great way to escape the rat race and experience new cultures and places. Alas, your experiences can fade with time. The best way to prevent this is to keep a travel journal for your trips.
Take a minute to give some consideration to your most recent trip. What sticks out in your mind? Now think about the first trip you ever took. Undoubtedly, you remember few things about the trip. The experiences you’ve forgotten are lost to time. If you had kept a journal, this wouldn’t be the case.
There are famous instances of people
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