In this day and age, planning and booking a holiday has never been easier. With a few clicks, you can explore destinations, compare prices, and make reservations. However, the number of holiday scams is also increasing.

Unscrupulous individuals and organized scam gangs have found creative ways to exploit unsuspecting tourists. But there are ways you can protect yourself against it.

Possible travel scams and how to protect yourself against them

Fake booking websites

One of the most common forms of digital travel fraud is the creation of fake booking websites. These sites mimic real travel booking platforms, making it difficult for unsuspecting travelers to recognize them as fake.

Cybercriminals often lure their victims with attractive offers, heavily discounted prices, and tempting vacation packages. They manipulate you to the point that you make a payment, but do not deliver the promised reservations or accommodations; in the end, you are left without accommodation and without money.

To protect yourself, always check the authenticity of a website by clicking on secure connections (HTTPS; key symbol in front of the URL in the address bar). If it is a website that is previously unknown to you, read reviews beforehand and make sure that the website is affiliated with reputable travel associations or organizations .

In addition, you can use a VPN (Virtual Private Network), as some providers have integrated the function of warning you about malicious websites and blocking them.

In addition, you can send your IP address with an online VPN and your data encrypted through a VPN tunnel. A VPN is therefore a good, universal tool for more privacy and security on the net.

Phishing and identity theft

Phishing is a technique used by cybercriminals to obtain personal information such as credit card details and other sensitive data.

In the context of travel fraud, the cybercriminals can send emails or SMS pretending to be from well-known airlines, hotels, or travel agencies. These messages often ask users to update their personal information or make an immediate payment to secure their bookings.

If you become a victim of such an attack, it can lead to identity theft and financial losses.

Therefore, never open links or attachments in email or SMS that come from an unknown sender. Even with supposedly known senders, you should be extremely careful and, if in doubt, contact the company or person and find out whether the message is authentic.

Holiday rental scams

The advent of platforms like Airbnb, which connect travelers with vacation rental homeowners, has opened up new opportunities for scammers. Fraudulent advertisements, fake photos and non-existent accommodations are now the order of the day.

Unsuspecting travelers book these accommodations, only to find out at their destination that they have been scammed. Some scammers even pretend to be owners and demand advance payments.

How to protect yourself: Use reputable rental platforms with reliable verification procedures and user reviews. Avoid upfront payments in the sense of bank transfers or payments outside of a platform, and be wary of offers that seem too good to be true.

If in doubt, communicate directly with the owners or managers, ask for additional photos or information, and verify the existence of the property through independent sources.

Social media scams

Cybercriminals create fake social media accounts and lure users with dreamy vacation photos and enticing promotional offers. They require prepayment for exclusive offers or holiday packages and disappear once payment is made.

In addition, social media is also used to collect personal information about people’s travel plans, which can then be used for targeted scams or break-ins.

Research and verify the authenticity of social media accounts before engaging with them. Be careful when it comes to sharing detailed travel plans or personal information about yourself publicly.

We all need vacation at some point. Time out from the stress of everyday life, from the office and the hustle and bustle that surrounds us everywhere every day. And by everyone we really mean everyone: singles, couples and families with children. But not always the planning of the trip or the trip itself is crowned by relaxation. Usually, however, the stress does not start at the destination, but some time before: At home while planning your trip!

Here are some tips on how to get to your well-deserved holiday relaxed (and not ready for a holiday!).

Tip 1: Finding the right destination

Many people mean many different opinions and this can also be the case within the family. If you already know (your) holiday destination: wonderful, then nothing can go wrong!

But often we have no idea where our next (hopefully relaxing) vacation will take us. When choosing a destination, good advice can sometimes be quite expensive. Therefore, the following must first be explored:

What should our holiday look like?

Even if you don’t know a specific destination, you can weigh up in advance what kind of holiday it should be: do you want to spend a beach holiday by the sea, in a nice resort or apartment? Or should it be an active holiday in the mountains, where you can see and experience as much as possible? Or is the family drawn inland for sightseeing in different cities? Once this first hurdle has been cleared, then further planning will (almost) take place.

Another important question is:

How long can the arrival time be?

This question alone narrows down the potential travel destination very narrowly. If the travel hours do not matter, you are flexible and can consider distant places. But if you only want to be on the road for a certain maximum number of hours, it becomes more difficult. It is still important to consider: why travel far away when the good is so close?

Closely linked to the question of travel time is also this one:

How do you want to travel?

Do you want to go on holiday with your own car and be as flexible as possible on site or would you prefer to reach your destination by train or plane in a more relaxed way? When choosing the means of travel, you should always keep the needs of all travelers in mind, especially for families with children, either nerves can be extremely tense or a relaxed start to the vacation can take place.

Tip 2: Well packed is half the battle!

Once the destination is set, half the battle is already done. Now it’s time to adapt the luggage to the destination and the travel time. Various packing lists on the Internet can help here and significantly shorten the preparation time. But not only should you think about the right clothing, but also about the healthiest possible travel food for the whole family.

Tip 3: Plan (and book) joint activities on site

But not only the luggage should be well thought out and organized. A lot of stress can also be taken out of the destination itself if some destinations, for example sights in cities or attractive offers especially for families, etc., are planned before arrival and the tickets for them are booked in advance. So you can not only start your vacation free and drive to a foreign city without pressure, but usually you can also find the best combination offers of tickets for sights and public transport online. In Rome, for example, you can use the Rome Pass , it is definitely worth making an online comparison to see which ticket is best suited for the family.

Another valuable tip (especially for families with children):

When planning excursions, you should always have an alternative ready in case the weather conditions change unexpectedly.

Tip 4: Nothing is a must, everything is possible!

At home you are tense and constantly under pressure. This is not only due to the many to-do’s that you have and also burden yourself with – from household to family to work – but also to the constant accessibility that the age of information technology has given us. Yes, a smartphone can be a blessing and a curse at the same time, because no matter where you are, you can be found anywhere and thus contacted. But not only that: you yourself also very easily fall into the comparison trap! Quickly check the social media channels and you will see many beautiful pictures of fantastic vacation spots or accommodations of friends or just people you follow, and start drawing comparisons to your own life – usually these are not positive. In order to avoid all this and rule out another stress factor, you should actually do one thing on vacation: put your smartphone aside, turn it off and don’t let social media and other messages get carried away by comparisons of your own life with those of others. Just enjoy the newfound (smartphone-free) family time and get to know each other much better on a different and new level. Not only the psyche, but also your children will be grateful if you don’t constantly look at the small screen, but devote your full attention to them.

If you follow these tips, nothing stands in the way of a relaxing holiday with the whole family. We wish you a safe journey!

On an upcoming trip, preparation plays a central role for success and the relaxation factor. This way you ensure a relaxed start and have all the necessary accessories for the holiday at hand. But when packing your suitcases, but also when choosing the right luggage, there are many pitfalls lurking. We show you how to keep an eye on all the important points during your preparation.

Create a thorough checklist

Before you start the actual packing of the suitcases, you should create a thorough checklist. Certainly, meticulously writing down the necessary utensils is not only not much fun at first glance, but can also take a long time. At the same time, however, the list makes the actual packing of bags and suitcases much easier. Apps can also be a valuable tool when creating a corresponding list. The individual points can be conveniently entered here and ticked off when completed. This way, you always have an overview, and most of these planning apps are available free of charge for all common platforms. If you prefer to use the classic version with paper and pen, you can create categories with different colors to highlight particularly important medications, for example. This provides more clarity and prevents these essential accessories from being forgotten.

High-quality cases and bags make the difference

But the best list is of little use if the right luggage is missing. Especially for longer trips, sturdy, high-quality bags and suitcases are essential. These can easily cope with the high weight that has to be moved on holiday. In addition, there is the possibility to use corresponding accessories with important additional functions. This applies, for example, to practical wheels on the underside, a padded carrying strap or even an integrated lock to prevent unauthorized access to the contents. In general, good suitcases are not really cheap, but the investment is worth it. The luggage proves to be a stable and long-term companion even under high loads.

Tip: Modern suitcases and bags not only impress with a high practical use, but are also often considered a fashion accessory. Elaborate patterns and colours, different materials or well-known themes are taken up in the design to provide the desired variety. There are also elaborately designed products for children with the favorite hero from well-known series or books.

Think about your pets too

Before you successfully start your holiday with packed suitcases, you should also think about caring for your pet. In many cases, it is not easy to take with you. This applies, for example, to many small animals, such as a hamster. But in the meantime, there are good opportunities to increase the well-being of animals even when they are away with suitable pet supplies. This applies, for example, to a stable stable for animals that generally live outdoors. Corresponding offers in excellent quality are available at surprisingly low prices for chickens, for example. There is also the right product for rabbits or rabbits, for example with a large stable with numerous activities and retreats. With the right equipment, your pets can relax and enjoy their time in their familiar surroundings, while you forget your worries and gather new impressions while travelling.