Using Twitter for Travel Advice & Tips
If you travel overseas a lot then having a Twitter account may be of interest to you. Twitter is not only a great travel resource but also a great place to engage with industry experts, including international insurance agents. If you’re not on Twitter you could be missing out on valuable travel tips, information, and resources, as well as a network of fellow international travelers just like you.
Twitter is also useful for avid travelers for the following reasons:
Have Your Questions Answered by a Professional
Twitter is the perfect social network to engage with insurance agents and companies and ask them questions regarding the type of international insurance you should have for any given trip overseas. If they cannot answer directly, they will probably respond with a useful link or direct email address of someone who can help.
Broaden Your Travel Knowledge
Every day there are Twitter Chats that take place on Twitter regarding international travel. To participate you simply follow/click on a hashtag (e.g., #ttot) and you will see an entire thread of tweets regarding that specific topic. To find more about travel-related Twitter Chats follow travel bloggers and other travel industry experts and read their tweets.
Travel bloggers have vast knowledge about everything you need to know about international travel. Many share their information daily through live tweets and regular Twitter Chats. You can find some great travel bloggers simply by searching the hashtag #travelblogger.
Meet New People
Following, replying to and engaging with other Twitter accounts will not only provide you with travel information and countless travel resources, but will also increase your personal network and, if you’re lucky, create lifelong friendships!
The more you engage with people, the larger your network will become. The larger your network is the more access you will have to people, resources and information globally!
Emergency Information at Your Fingertips
You can create lists within Twitter and these lists will come in handy when traveling should you need the contact information for the local U.S. Embassy, the U.S. Department of State or the information for your international insurance agency.
You can create a list specifically for “emergency accounts” and instead of Googling the email address you may have everything you need to know within the accounts on your Twitter list.
Countless Insurance Resources
A good social media account will also post articles and third party links that are of interest to their followers. In the case of the insurance industry, this would be topics related to travel insurance, medical insurance coverage, the benefits of having insurance, what to look for when purchasing travel insurance, etc.
With Twitter you can save these tweets, with the links to the articles, at the click of the “like” button (the heart icon available on every tweet). These articles are then saved to your favorites section and are available for reference whenever you need them.
At @IntInsurance, we tweet articles, links and tips that are useful to anyone looking for an international health insurance plan or planning an overseas trip. If you’re on Twitter, we invite you to follow us.
Recommended to Follow
- @TravelGov tweets travel alerts, travel warnings, and important messages from U.S. embassies and consulates.
- @AskTSA is the customer-service channel for the Transportation Security Administration.
- @IntCitizens shares insight and advice for expats, global nomads and world travelers.
- @LonelyPlanet tweets and retweets all the best in travel.
- @MrScottEddy is a social media influencer for #travel and a global nomad.
Top Twitter Feeds for Travel Safety Tips and Advice
One of the best ways to stay up-to-date with current safety and travel happenings in your local area is via Twitter. Even if you don’t want to tweet yourself, you can create an account to solely follow relevant people, feeds, and hashtags to get instant news on weather, safety, and even suggestions for your travel destination. If you want to take it a step further, interacting and sharing a concern can help a fellow traveler with your to-the-minute knowledge. Below is the compilation of our top ten Twitter feeds to follow for travel safety.
- FEMA During times of crisis, this Twitter feed is active in sharing critical information via Twitter alerts. If you’re only going to follow one from this list, FEMA is a good choice to make with recommendations on how to survive winter travel and much more. Peruse their feed to find regional FEMA accounts relevant to your location.
- CDC Travel Health When traveling internationally, it’s key to follow CDC Travel Health for illness and injury prevention. From Ebola updates to holiday travel tips via their podcast, CDC Travel Health provides accurate, current information on critical health trends from around the world.
- HuffPost Travel All things related to travel, from suggestions on how to keep your lips from getting chapped to top airports to avoid in the winter, HuffPost travel encompasses all aspects of travel safety (and beyond).
- AAATravel The same company that helps you with a flat tire alongside the road also runs the gamut with #TravelForecasts, staying safe while traveling by boat, and even hiking precautions.They additionally share their AAA verified hotels, leaving you with vouched options and less headaches.
- Peter S. Greenberg As travel editor for CBS News, Peter brings in tips on expediting your passport, what you should know when traveling with a cold, and how to avoid traveling with a blocked credit card. Want to know airport security wait times before you head to the airport? Give him a follow for all his insider tips.
- Sully Sullenberger Former captain for US Airways, Sully knows the open skies and the open road better than most–so much that he’s now a Safety Consultant and an Aviation and Safety Expert for CBS News. Follow him to read a basic explanation on turbulence and how fatigue threatens travel.
- Breaking News Travel More focused on mass transportation updates, Breaking News Travel keeps you current on large scale airport and train issues that could impact your journey.
- NBC News Travel Covering the woes and wonders of all things related to travel, NBC News Travel is a knowledgeable source on issues in the sky and on the ground. Giving them a follow will show you how you to stay safe in all aspects of travel.
- Department of State Frequent international traveler? Keep up-to-date on related travel and safety warnings around the globe by following the U.S. Department of State.
- etravelsafety Security measures, travel precautions on international locations, and airport safety tips encompass some of the many different pieces of advice etravelsafety offers to its followers.
And one additional suggestion: @Joe_Cronin_Jr an expert in international health insurance (as well as our CEO, Joe Cronin) Our team is building a better resource for world nomads to buy insurance (InternationalInsurance.com / @IntInsurance) . Our mission is to educate consumers on the value of travel insurance and provide a resource for them to research, compare and purchase plans for their international trip.
Travel Influencers, Nomads, and Journalists on Twitter
We are always working to find great ways for you to enjoy a safe journey. One of the best ways to learn about the latest trends in travel is to take to Twitter. Some of the most fascinating travel journalists in the world are active on this fast-paced social media site, and you can get “up to the minute” information on your favorite destinations. Let’s look at some of the Twitter travel feeds that we recommend.
Our Staff Favorites
- TheTravelCamel – Shane Dallas is TheTravelCamel, whose feed is dedicated to dangerous destinations for seasoned travelers. Based in the United Arab Emirates, Dallas brings decades of experience as a speaker and adventurer to his feed.
- frugaltraveler An established travel writer with the New York Times, The Frugal Traveler is known for roaming the world in search of the best deals on the most sought-after places to visit. He just completed a 17-day journey to the World Cup!
- luxury__travel Welcome to the official Twitter feed of “A Luxury Travel Blog.” Based in the United Kingdom, “ALTB” is one of the foremost names in reviewing the most memorable and exquisite luxury travel locations in the world.
- @paul_steele Paul Steele is known far and wide as the “Bald Hiker” and the “Bald Traveler.” He enjoys nature photography and exploring the best hiking trails as he blazes a path all his own across plains, mountains, and “hard to reach” places.
- JohnnyJet Johnny Jet visits more than a dozen countries a year and tells us all about it through his Twitter feed and website. Travelers who are looking for tips on budget deals will find him, especially to their liking.
- aforkinlondon Based in the beautiful city of London, A Fork in London brings travelers into the United Kingdom and all around the world. If you’re planning a London visit, it’s the perfect way to learn about dining, accommodations, and more.
- Travel_boomer Paul Marshman is “The Travel Boomer,” a world traveler based in Toronto who represents the growing passion of the Baby Boomer generation for seeing faraway places. He provides tips for travel photography, value travel, and a slew of other topics.
- markenroute Mark Sullivan is the travel editor for the world-renowned Fodor’s Travel. You can get a peek at some of the best Fodor’s content by following his feed, which is entirely hand-selected and written by him. He also posts on NYC travel and pop culture!
- CharlesMcCool Charles McCool is one of the most successful and widely-known independent travel bloggers in the industry. He provides great tips for all kinds of travel, including family travel and info for first-time visitors to various popular countries.
- PathlessTravels PathlessTravels is an independent blogger who focuses on independent budget travel with a truly local flair. Spending time with locals, enjoying “dangerous” destinations, and taking amazing travel photos are all part of his unique style.
- Joe_Cronin_Jr Joe Cronin, our CEO, is building a better resource for world travelers to buy insurance (InternationalInsurance.com / @IntInsurance). Our mission is to educate consumers on the value of global health insurance and provide a resource for them to research, compare and purchase plans for their international life.
Of Course, Please Follow our Social Networks
- Connect with us on Twitter: @IntInsurance
- Follow us on FaceBook: FB.com/InternationalInsurance
More Social Media Resources for travelers and expats: InternationalInsurance.com/forums/