Decoding a Travel Brochure

Feb 20

If you rely on brochures for booking hotels and exploring never-been-to cities, nearly everything sounds favorably for you. Phrases like “a couple of minutes away from the heart of the city,” “just within the area,” “conveniently located,” “sea side view,” etc. are like magnets for establishments, attracting as many travelers as possible. But how do you really make sure that you don’t fall into the trap of these notorious advertisement lines? Do they really mean convenience for tourists and travelers alike?

In the hopes to help every traveler out there, here are some insider tips on going through the clutter of travel brochures and how you should be reading them to avoid misconceptions.

  1. Be Skeptical

When reading travel brochures, do not immediately believe what’s written in it. Keep in mind that they are designed in a way to encourage people spend their money on a certain company. They are paid advertisement for an establishment.

  • Look for Straight-Forward Prices

While straight-forward prices often show higher figures, you know that everything is already included and that you won’t have to worry about last-minute surprises. Higher upfront process is much better than having a company prying money out of you over the course of your tour.

  • Be Careful with the Word “Area”

If the brochure says, “the hotel is located within the area,” treat this as a warning sign. Most of the time, travel advertisements downplay distances, especially when it’s about promoting accommodation facility, like hotels and inns. A hotel could be located in the outskirts of town, but still being within the area of the city.

Other terms to look out for:

Near the airport. This fact is usually true, but do you really want to stay in such facility near the airport? The short travel time from your hotel to the airport doesn’t compensate for the constant noise you have to endure every time you’re trying to take a nap.

Central Location. If you don’t mind the honking of car horns and the noise of the busy streets, then you’ll like a location that’s within the heart of the city—most likely in a marketplace, at a busy road or at a much frequented riverwalk.

Possibility to Swim. As the phrase implies, it is only a possibility to swim. In most cases, this could mean that the nearest beach is a few minutes’ drive away, could be government owned or an independent facility and does not belong to the hotel.

For the young travelers. This could be a simple accommodation without much comfort. A pub nearby, which could be fun but also very loud every single night.

Travel brochures are always handy to have, and it is smart to carry one around every time you visit a place you’ve never been to before. However, learn to filter the information you read to ensure a fun and money-smart adventure.

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