Ensure you are covered
How travel insurance can protect you against unforeseen events

Many travellers still consider travel insurance an unnecessary expense to the cost of travelling. Some also assume they have comprehensive coverage through their employee and credit card plans or that they don’t need coverage for trips within Canada. Unfortunately, those travellers may only learn the value of travel insurance the hard way - when it’s too late.

As tourism industries around the world are affected by unforeseen events, Canadians need to understand the value of travel insurance and how it can protect their travel investment. And with 30 per cent of travellers purchasing out-of-country medical insurance from a travel agent, according to a 2009 survey conducted by the Conference Board of Canada, it’s no surprise that many travellers depend on their travel agent to explain the value of travel insurance. 

With trip cancellation and interruption insurance, travellers can protect themselves in three important ways against a wide range of situations:

• Before Departure Insurance covers the non-refundable portion (such as deposits or cancellation charges) of your prepaid travel arrangements. It also allows you to recoup any cancellation penalties that a transportation carrier or tour operator may charge you.

• After Departure Insurance covers the costs you would incur if you had to return home earlier or later than you had originally planned. It also reimburses you for any non-refundable portions of unused, prepaid travel arrangements.

• Subsistence Allowance Insurance reimburses you for extra expenses that result from one of the specified situations occurring. Such expenses can include your commercial accommodations and meals, essential telephone calls, internet usage fees and taxi fares (or rental car in lieu of taxi fares) up to the specified maximum for your policy.

It is always strongly recommended that travellers purchase this insurance at the time they pay their initial travel deposit.  

To find out more about RBC Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance, please contact your UNIGLOBE Travel agency.

 

ENROUTE MAGAZINE DIGITAL MARKETING AND NEW MEDIA EXPERT MITCH JOEL WEIGHS IN ON APPLE'S LATEST

The iPad  is now here and Apple is letting us Canadians play (for real) with it's new touch-tablet.  I've already had the good fortune to spend some time with the iPad. But here's the big question: can the iPad replace laptops and all the wire that go with them? And is this the ultimate business tool for those on the go? Well, the answer is ...

Almost. 

Or, as Maxwell Smart used to say: missed it by that much! Here's a run-through of the best and the worst about the iPad.  The great? iPad is: 

Super thin: It's going to be hard to find a form more favourable than this for the business traveller going forward. 

Brilliantly crisp.The screen is amazing. The glare is almost  non-existent and everything looks very fresh and new.
 
Great for books, movies, TV and pictures. Considering that you can't always hooked up to an Internet connection, it's good to know that any type of media resident on this device plays, reads, looks and sounds great. 

Full of amazing app potential. You can rest assured that  the recent gold rush we've seen for iPhone apps will pale in comparison to  what is being developed for the iPad. Apps like Trip-It, Flight Tracker, Kayak and more make this an indispensable tool for the ultraportable road warrior. 

A completely re-invented way of dealing with email. The ease of flicking through email does make going  through a lot of mail fairly painless and much more visually appealing. 

You can almost do everything with it – but it's not a smartphone or a laptop, so you're going to have to curb your apprehensions and think of it as a device that is between the two. It will take some getting used to, but after a few minutes, it will be obvious that this type of device will become the business traveller's standard going forward. 

Think about sitting next to a client in an office or hotel lobby and how great it will be to demo products, review videos or even go through presentations. This is going to be perfect for on-the-go sales reps, realtors, artists, and for anybody who does small group presentations.

The not-so-great? Ipad is: 

Not as light as you may think. Granted, it's not as heavy as your standard laptop, but there's just too much goodness in the iPad for it not to be a little on the heavy side. 

It needs a cover. Or a slip or something. No one wants to scratch up a screen that beautiful. If someone releases a cover that can also triple as a stand  and can be angled better for typing, that will change many people's current  complaints about what the iPad doesn't do so well. 

Difficult to type with for those on the go.  The iPad lies flat, and it's not easy to type while hunched over an airline food tray, or while sitting at the gate. If someone can create the ultimate slip cover from the last point, we've got a winner, winner, chicken dinner! 

Lacking a camera and phone. For the road warrior, having the ability to use Skype would be a huge bonus.  

Not seamless with wi-fi technology. No one wants to be tethered to a connection, so the 3G with wi-fi version is the only way to go. The problem is that wireless and wi-fi technology hasn't been perfected yet. So, while it's a negative, this is more of an indictment on our current state of connectivity. 

Lacking Flash. Flash has become a standard technology to view websites, so while Apple battles it out with Flash's owners, some websites will be a challenge.

Overall, it's important to remember that this is only the first generation of the iPad, so it hasn't found its legs. That being said, it is an awesome piece of technology that will have your flight mates leaning over your shoulder for a look. Expect all of the bad listed above to be fixed in upcoming iterations (which won't take too long). The iPad is going to change mobile computing, and it is going to become an integral part of the road warrior's arsenal. And, remember, if you can't wait for the next generation iPad, it's not an iPhone or a laptop… it's an iPad, so keep your expectations in check.

TRAVELLING TO BERMUDA

As of May 1/10, Canadians will be required to present a valid passport when travelling to Bermuda.

Different people react differently to jetlag

Air Canada has been ranked "Best Airline North America"

Save up to 40% on Executive Class on your next vacation

This summer, fly in style to Vegas, Hawaii or Florida with Air Canada Vacations Executive Class® summer sale.

Book an Air & Hotel package with UNIGLOBE Travel  by September 30, 2010 to Las Vegas, Hawaii or Florida and save up to 40% on your upgrade to Executive Class®

Enjoy:

• Priority airport check-in
• Priority baggage handling and delivery
• Access to Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounges®
• Meal options for lunch and dinner
• Free premium-brand domestic and imported drinks
• Free advance seat selection
• Guaranteed window or aisle seat
• Larger seats with adjustable head and footrest, lumbar support, leg rest extension, and
  up to a 39° pitch and 130° recline
• Large, comfy pillows and blankets
• Exclusive restrooms with Fruits & Passion “Globe Spa” amenities

Valid for travel from April 15, 2010 and completed by October 31, 2010.
Executive Class® service is also available on other flights; prices may vary.

Choose Executive Class® service on your next vacation with UNIGLOBE TRAVEL AND AIR CANADA VACATIONS