Social networking sites like Twitter have done a lot to keep us closer with friends and acquaintances. But they can also take you further – saving you money by keeping up with travel deals, avoiding long phone negotiations with airlines, and helping you stay in touch wherever you are in the country. Twitter is a powerful tool in planning your next vacation. It’s all about Search and Follow!
Before you Go – Follow!
Instead of checking Travelocity or British Airways every day or subscribing to a lot of newsletters, you can follow them on Twitter for the latest updates on their travel deal and last minute sales. Check out American Airlines' Twitter feed (@AAirwaves) for domestic flights. @BritishAirways features special packages that only last until midnight and @UnitedAirlines offers “Twares” – fares available only on Twitter. Or let @TheNegotiator do the work for you by following him – Priceline’s official Twitter feed. Simply search under "Find People" and type in your favorite airline – or several favorite airlines.
You can also follow hotels and rental sites for the latest deals in lodgings. @TheBestWestern sprinkles in travel tips, fun facts and polls along with their latest rates.
You can also follow like-minded travelers- people you know who are on the go who will have updates of their trips and tips you can follow up on.
Before you Go – Search!
When you’re investigating your travel destination, you can type in search terms "jazz festival" or "children’s museum" or "east coast" and see what comes up. Without even having your own account! You can also extract words from your search by putting a minus sign in front of them. So if you want to search "cider – hard”, and you’ll get results that will lead you to apple orchards instead of pubs.
Searching key words can also lead to great new twitter friends to follow. A search of "travel deals" can lead you to @BookTravelDeals. Search "cruise deals" "last minute travel" "cheap rates london" or whatever best describes what you’re looking for and you’ll be amazed at what you find.
During Your Trip – Follow!
Once you’re at your destination, you can follow venues and locales to hear about events you might otherwise never hear about. For example the Smithsonian has a Twitter account (@smithsonian) that gives you updates and exhibits on area museums. Turn your trip into a spontaneous adventure if you have a phone that lets you tweet on your feet. Used alongside the excellent map application in iPhone, with a few clicks you can sidestep the tourist traps and find the real heart of wherever you’re headed.
Know of a celebrity in the area? Why not follow them and see what spots in town are hot enough for the A-list crowd. Be prepared to narrow it down to your favorites if you head to LA, or else the Twitter din is deafening!
During Your Trip – Search!
Searching specific restaurants, venues, shows while you’re on vacation gives you up to the minute reviews before you plunk down your hard-earned vacation dollars.
Rather than comb through various pamphlets, Whether you want to see if that Imax show is all that dizzying or if Space Mountain has re-opened, you have a huge database to search even if you never open your account.
Of course, you should open an account because then you can get followers. You can ask for specific advice in your travels from the people following you and they comment with replies. Whether you Tweet "What's the best ride at the Fair today?" or "Whats the best mountain to climb in Utah?" you’ll net responses that will not only take you further in your travels, they’ll make you feel part of an adventuresome community.
Although Twitter may at first confuse and certainly can be used frivolously, clearly you can find incredible savings and save a lot of time by using this vast database and marketing tool as your own concise search engine- and one most cell phones can follow. Whether you want to plan well ahead or navigate a city phone in hand like a latter-day James Bond, a few minutes on Twitter can help you plan vacation memories that will last a lifetime.
