Planning a trip this Easter? You’re not alone.

Australians regularly spend billions of dollars on travel at this time of year, as we take advantage of public holidays and a break from school to explore, either domestically or overseas.

As a new holiday approaches, many of us will be opening our wallets, logging onto accommodation platforms, scoping out airline tickets, signing up for tours and searching for travel advice on social media as we gear up for some time away.

Unfortunately, scammers are aware of this and have been known to exploit our dealings with all of these services in attempts to secure themselves a tidy Easter bonus.

We’re breaking down the most common travel cons to look out for, with tips to follow so you can score a scam-free break.

On this page:

• 1. Phony prizes
• 2. Fake listings
• 3. Hacked hotel profiles
• 4. Fake airline accounts
• 5. Road toll rip offs
• 6. Fake travel documents
• 7. Scams to watch out for once you arrive overseas

1. Phony prizes

Even just knowing that many of us are thinking about time away is enough for some scammers to try their luck.

State and national consumer regulators say they’ve seen a rise in cases of consumers receiving suspicious scratch cards in the mail promising travel giveaways or discount holidays.

Scrape away the covered sections of these cards and you can expect to be told you’ve won, sometimes as much as $240,000.

Directions on the card will tell you to contact the providers by phone, email or social media to claim your prize.

But there lies the catch – you’ll be told you’ll have to pay a fee, sometimes thousands of dollars, in order to receive your winnings. 

You may even be asked to provide sensitive personal documents in order to gain eligibility for these holiday schemes.

Don’t try to redeem these so-called “prizes” and definitely don’t provide money or personal details to the organisations distributing them.

They’re likely criminals who won’t provide any of the goodies they’ve promised and may use any details you do hand over to steal your identity.

How to spot a fake travel prize

• Be sceptical of unexpected holiday offers you receive in the mail or are sent online. Don’t respond to these or click on any links in emails or text messages you receive accompanying these promotions.
• Don’t share any money or personal or financial details with anyone contacting you about these offers or claiming to be associated with a competition you didn’t enter.

2. Fake listings

Sites like Booking.com and Airbnb have revolutionised the travel industry by allowing regular people to turn their properties into accommodation businesses.

But scammers are also trying to get in on the action and have been known to create fake listings on these sites in an attempt to steal travellers’ deposits.

We’ve heard from travellers who were left stranded and out of pocket after booking holiday homes that didn’t exist through major booking platforms.

The global scope of these companies means this isn’t a uniquely Australian problem – our UK sister organisation Which? has reported on .

Tourists aren’t the only ones being preyed upon by phony listers. Real estate bodies and fair trade agencies have warned of the same trick being pulled on people searching for rental homes.

Airbnb and Booking.com have previously told ����Vlog that false listings are rare on their platforms and that they work hard to verify properties registered with their services, but it’s still worth being vigilant.

How to spot a fake accommodation listing

Scammers pushing phony properties will try to lure you in with offers many of us might find irresistible – a holiday home in a popular location going for a fraction of the usual price, for example.

So don’t rush into booking deals that seem too good to be true, and perform the following checks before locking in your stay:

• Check the most recent reviews: Fake listings are often accompanied by a flurry of negative feedback from fellow travellers or no reviews at all. Make sure you’re looking at the latest reviews to get up-to-date feedback.
• See how long the property has been listed for: Booking platforms work to take down fake listings but scammers themselves can remove and replace their advertisements quickly. Beware of suspicious listings that have only been active for a short time.
• Stay on the platform: Be sceptical if the accommodation host tries to direct you off the platform (onto private messaging apps, for example), especially when it comes to payment.

3. Hacked hotel profiles

Another scam appearing on popular booking platforms involves criminals hijacking the accounts of hotels and other accommodation providers.

These compromised profiles reportedly then send guests messages or links to impersonation websites designed to steal sensitive information.

The con often begins with accommodation operators accidentally downloading malware or handing over login details for the platforms where they list their property.

Booking.com has been a popular target of this scam. Last year, Microsoft warned of a flurry of emails impersonating the platform being sent to accommodation businesses who use it to list properties.

These messages were believed to be carrying malware designed to steal an accommodation provider’s login credentials.

Once they’ve gained access to a business profile on a site like Booking.com, hackers send messages to the hotel’s guests, urging them to update or verify their card details in order to re-confirm or secure their booking.

Victims in Australia have reportedly lost money and sensitive personal information after clicking on the links included in these messages.

Booking.com has previously told ����Vlog it’s working to limit the impacts of phishing attacks on its accommodation partners, advising hotels on how to ensure emails appearing to come from Booking.com are actually being sent by the company.

How to spot a hacked account

• Beware of suspicious messages: Watch out for unusual messages appearing to come from accommodation you’ve booked. Requests to provide card details or other sensitive information via direct message or risk losing your booking are major red flags.
• Don’t click on unexpected links: Beware of unsolicited links included in messages appearing to come from your accommodation. Check URLs carefully for indicators of deception, such as misspelt or additional, unnecessary words e.g. info.businessname.gateway.payment.com.
• Follow up outside the platform: If you receive a suspicious message or link, contact your accommodation provider via details you’ve found yourself (not those listed on its booking site profile) to check if the messages are legitimate.

4. Fake airline accounts

Delayed or cancelled flights are perennial causes of holiday frustration and complaining on social media can feel like the easiest option when travel plans are derailed.

But doing so can make you a juicy target for scammers, some of whom use bot technology to prowl popular platforms for complaints mentioning major carriers.

Once they’ve acquired a target, these scammers will reply to your gripe using an account that looks like it belongs to your airline. 

Such accounts have been most prevalent on X, where we’ve seen multiple profiles posing as Australian airlines and targeting customers in distress.

Victims have been directed to private messaging services and then to phishing sites designed to steal sensitive information.

Anyone signed up to an airline’s loyalty scheme should also beware of emails urging them to log in via a link to address purported “fraudulent activity” on their accounts.

Cyber security company Mailguard recently warned of a trend of these scams targeting Qantas Frequent Flyers.

How to spot fake airline communications

• Make sure a carrier’s social media account is legitimate: Look at how many followers it has and when it was created – scam profiles will have very few followers and are often only around for months at most.

• See where emails are coming from and where they lead to: Recent fake airline emails have come from Gmail addresses (e.g. someone@gmail.com) rather than official email addresses using the business domain name (e.g. info@qantas.com). Hover your mouse over any links and the URL of the page it leads to should appear. Make sure this matches the airline’s official website URL.

5. Road toll rip offs

Easter road trips often take us into cities we’re not familiar with, meaning new road systems and potentially toll operators who’ll be hitting us up for payment.

These companies are a regular target for impersonation by text and email scammers pushing links to fake websites.

Linkt, a major toll service in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, is a favourite among criminal impersonators and was the target of a recent email scam designed to steal drivers’ bank card details.

How to spot fake road toll messages

• Don’t trust surface level names: Scammers can make it look like they’re sending texts from an official company account when they’re not. Check where an email is from – scam messages often come from generic accounts that don’t use the name of the company they claim to represent.

• Don’t click on links: Toll operators like Linkt shouldn’t ask you to provide payment details via links in text messages or emails. Address outstanding payments by logging into your toll account via an official app or website. For more info, see .

Scams to watch out for when heading overseas

Due to the ubiquity of major booking sites and social media platforms, you could just as easily find yourself the target of the above-mentioned scams while travelling overseas as in Australia.

But certain scams will only emerge in the course of venturing beyond our shores.

6. Fake travel documents

Cyber support service IDCARE expects visa scams to become more prevalent this year, after the number of people contacting it after being sold fake or non-existent visas jumped by 76% in 2025.

Criminals often set up fake websites promising to provide visas and other vital travel documents for different countries and can pay for these pages to appear at the top of search engine results.

Once they’ve got your bank card details, these operators may not provide any visa in return or may supply a fake document – something that will cause you serious issues if you try to use it to enter a country.

In a similar vein, scammers have also been known to run schemes claiming to sell international driving permits (IDP). Some of these sites do provide these materials (at an inflated rate), but others will send you fake documents.

How to avoid fake travel documents

• Be wary of sponsored results: Legitimate companies and scammers alike can pay for their websites to appear at the top of search engine results. Scroll down past sponsored results before clicking on any links.

• Stick to official sources: DFAT’s website tells you which countries require a visa or other permit (assuming you’re travelling on an Australian passport) and directs you to the legitimate sources for obtaining these materials. If you’re looking for an IDP, .

7. Scams to watch out for once you arrive overseas

Depending on your destination, there are various scams you might only encounter once you’re on the ground in other countries.

For info on all the most common cons, including ticket, taxi, vehicle hire and card-skimming scams, and what to do if you run into trouble overseas, see .

The post Travel scams to avoid this Easter appeared first on ����Vlog.

When Maaz Sayed recently booked a flight through Flight Centre for a family trip to Mumbai, the transaction took a turn he wasn’t expecting.

Without his consent, the business tacked on both $932 worth of travel insurance to the quote they emailed him, and something called the “Captain’s Pack”, which cost $236 and included extras such as lost baggage tracking and a tree planted through a Brisbane-based organisation called ReForest to offset the carbon miles.

Maaz paid the quote without knowing these extras had been added.

“At no point during my phone consultation was insurance discussed or offered as an optional product,” Maaz says.

After he complained, Flight Centre told Maaz that it was up to him to notice the additions and let Flight Centre know if he didn’t want them.

Citing chapter and verse of the Australian Consumer Law (ACL), Maaz informed Flight Centre in no uncertain terms that he was not happy about this approach to doing business.

It’s a sales trick we’ve seen all too often in our continuing campaign against unfair business practices, or unfair trading. Automatically adding unwanted extras would be classified as a ‘dark pattern’ when it happens online, or a design element on a digital page that pushes you into making choices you didn’t intend to make.

The federal government has vowed to legislate a ban on unfair trading tactics, starting with subscription traps and drip pricing. Whether adding extras without consent will be outlawed remains to be seen.

Non-transparent disclosure

The explanation to Maaz from the Flight Centre complaints team suggests that adding expensive options without explicitly informing the customer was nothing new for the business.

“The quote sent through included a price for insurance. At this stage, it was simply a quote and as the consumer you are under no obligation to proceed with the purchase of the product if it did not meet your requirements,” a customer service agent told him in an email exchange.

The agent made the point that the insurance price was itemised and listed separately throughout the quote, saying “if you did not wish to proceed with this product you did not have to proceed with payment”.

They added that he should have called and spoken to FlightCentre about this before completing payment.

The original Flight Centre agent Maaz booked the flight through also stressed these points, saying “I include both travel insurance and the Captain’s Pack in all initial quotes to provide a complete travel package for review. These items are entirely optional, and you were under no obligation to proceed with them.”

The self-exoneration didn’t sit well with Maaz.

“Your message repeatedly implies that as a consumer I should detect undisclosed add-ons myself and contact your agent before payment,” he told the Flight Centre rep.

“That is the opposite of informed consent and inconsistent with your duties when offering financial products and add-ons.”

“Pre-loading optional products and then suggesting the consumer should later detect them contradicts the requirement for transparent disclosure of optional extras and constitutes an unfair sales practice,” he added.

We asked Flight Centre whether it automatically added options to bookings and left it up to customers to notice this and ask that they be removed but didn’t receive a response.

ACCC says adding extras is not illegal

An Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) spokesperson tells us that adding in extra options for customers is not a violation of the ACL as long as the extra cost is included in the topline price shown by the business.

“If a business accurately represents upfront the total single price of a good or service, inclusive of pre-selected extra fees, they will not be in breach of the ACL unless they have otherwise misled or deceived consumers,” the spokesperson says, adding that whether a business has misled or deceived consumers “will depend on the individual circumstances in each case”.

It’s not the first time Flight Centre has been called out for questionable tactics. In 2018, the company copped a $12.5 million fine in a case brought by the ACCC for trying to induce Singapore Airlines, Emirates, and Malaysia Airlines to enter into price fixing arrangements.

In 2019, ����Vlog published the results of our COVID travel cancellation survey, revealing Flight Centre to be one of the worst offenders when it came to processing refunds.

Following Maaz Sayed’s complaint, the insurance policy was cancelled and he was refunded for the extras he never asked for.

But he feels he has a duty to let other Flight Centre customers know to check their quotes before paying.

As Maaz explained to Flight Centre, “adding the highest-priced product without discussion is inconsistent with obligations to ensure consumers are not misled or sold unsuitable products”.

The post Flight Centre adding pricey extras without customer consent appeared first on ����Vlog.

On this page:

• 1. Getting insurance wrong
• 2. Travelling with the wrong bag
• 3. Not knowing your flight rights
• 4. Failing to prepare for your road trip
• 5. Getting the tech wrong

While that’s certainly the ideal, it isn’t hard to find examples of holidays that are anything but the relaxing getaway planned.

Whether it’s damaged luggage, travel insurance problems, road trip ordeals or flight cancellations, there are no shortage of problems that can turn a dreamy escape into a hellish ordeal.

While you can’t plan for every eventuality, our expert advice can help you avoid some of the most common causes of travel stress.

1. Getting insurance wrong

If you’re heading overseas, travel insurance is almost as essential as a passport.

While unforeseen medical expenses are the number one reason to get insurance, it can also help if other things go wrong, such as trip cancellations, delays, lost luggage or even natural disasters.

As is often the case with insurance, the different inclusions, exclusions and conditions of each policy can make it difficult to choose the best option for you.

“If you hire a moped in Thailand but your travel insurance doesn’t cover mopeds, it could cost you tens of thousands in medical bills if you have an accident,” says ����Vlog travel insurance expert Jodi Bird.

“If you’re sick on a cruise to Japan, but it’s due to an existing medical condition that your policy doesn’t cover, the cost could run into hundreds of thousands in medical bills.”

Before purchasing a policy you’ll need to consider things like pre-existing medical conditions, whether or not you’re travelling with valuable items and the kinds of activities you’ll be taking part in while you’re away.

Most people purchase travel insurance to cover them in case medical care is needed while overseas.

This is a no-brainer for destinations where Australians have no health care entitlements, but it’s worth being aware that even if the country you’re visiting has a reciprocal health care agreement with Australia you will still need insurance.

In these situations, you might only be covered for urgent care that can’t wait until you get home.��

Travel insurance might also come in handy if you become very ill and need a medical escort to accompany you home to Australia.

Also, you may still have to pay fees for treatment and medication even when a reciprocal agreement exists. For example, in New Zealand reciprocal health care doesn’t cover you for care by a general practitioner or ambulance.

Insurance for domestic travel

If you’re already covered by Medicare, you won’t need to take out travel insurance to cover medical expenses when you’re travelling within Australia.��

Still, there are a few reasons why you may want to consider travel insurance for domestic trips.����

• If you’ve spent a lot on your holiday and want coverage in case you need to cancel.��
• If you’re going to be taking valuables and you want coverage in case of theft, loss or damage.��
• If you want coverage for collision damage excess when you’re hiring a car.��

“You probably don’t need travel insurance for a quick driving holiday (with your own car) to a caravan park,” says Jodi.

“But if you’ve splashed out on a fancy hotel and business class flights, domestic travel insurance may be worth it.

“Or if you’re hiring a car, domestic travel insurance is often a cheap substitute for the insurance pushed by the rental car agency.”�� ��

Check your home insurance before you travel

Your bags are packed, travel insurance is sorted, and your itinerary has been planned in meticulous detail.��

On the home front, the fridge has been emptied, you’ve stopped your mail and arranged for your neighbours to put your bins out.��

All sorted, right? Maybe not.��

If you’re heading away for more than a few weeks you should find out if your absence will affect your home and contents insurance coverage.

If it’s just a brief trip it’s unlikely to be an issue. However, your insurer might cut your cover if you leave your home unoccupied for more than 60 days without telling them.��

Most insurers will also impose an additional excess on unoccupied homes and even if you have a house-sitter or Airbnb guests, you may still need to tell your insurer.

“Almost all home insurers require you to inform them if your home will be unoccupied, typically, for 60 or more days,” says ����Vlog home insurance expert Daniel Graham.��

“Insurers handle unoccupied homes in one of three ways. Most will impose an additional excess on events that occur while your home isn’t occupied.

“Some will make you pay an extra premium instead, or they might only cover you for a limited set of weather events, instead of the full range of insured events covered by the policy.”

2. Travelling with the wrong bag

If you’ve struggled through a holiday with an unwieldy bag that is simply too big or small, too heavy, or just doesn’t stand up to the rigours of travel, you’ll know how much difference the right bag can make to your enjoyment of a trip.

Luggage comes in a bewildering array of sizes, styles and materials. More confusing still is the range of prices you’ll find when you start comparing the options.

The carry-on suitcases in our most recent luggage test cost as little as $20 and as much as $625. Larger suitcases ranged in price from $55 up to $1200.

The good news is that, as we often find in our expert ����Vlog testing, price is not necessarily an indicator of performance. We found recommended models at lower prices, and none of the bags in our most recent test earned less than 72%.

In our ����Vlog labs, experts put dozens of pieces of luggage through some rigorous testing to separate the good from the bad.

Our luggage tests involve lifting and dropping bags onto a concrete floor 300 times, dropping a heavy, pointed cylinder onto the suitcase to see what damage occurs, seeing how they stand up to a 10-minute downpour in our custom-built shower rig and testing their stability to find out how easily they tip over.

We also assess how easy they are to use by taking them for a stroll through the ����Vlog building and around the local streets and parks, so you can be confident our recommended models will serve you well on your travels.

Choosing a bag that rated well in our review, and reading our guide to buying the right suitcase before you hit the shops can help ensure you’ve got the right bag for your holiday.

3. Not knowing your flight rights

In December 2023 ����Vlog research revealed that two out of five of the 9000 airline customers we surveyed had experienced a flight delay or cancellation in the previous year.

It’s a situation that can create huge stress and usually results in passengers being left to figure out for themselves exactly what their rights are in the face of complicated terms and conditions.

“Airlines have taken advantage of the lack of effective complaint avenues to leave customers out of pocket thousands of dollars for the flights they cancelled,” says senior policy and campaigns advisor Bea Sherwood.

“That’s why ����Vlog has advocated for a proper ombudsman for over ten years, and now we’re finally getting one.”

In August 2024 the federal government committed to the establishment of a new charter of aviation rights for Australian travellers, including the introduction of an aviation industry ombudsman to help resolve disputes between airlines and their passengers. The scheme will come into effect in 2026.

In the meantime, understanding your rights should you be affected by a flight delay or cancellation will help you make your case with your airline. These will vary depending on where you are flying and which airline you’re travelling with.

Start by taking a look at the airline’s website where you will find comprehensive information about your entitlements to compensation and refunds in the case of delays, cancellations or overbooking.

Remember that regardless of what an airline says it will or won’t do in its terms and conditions, you have rights under the Competition and Consumer Act.

If you’re unhappy, start by submitting a complaint in writing and be prepared to push. We often find that people get a better response if they are vocal about their issues on the airline’s Twitter (X), Facebook, Threads or Instagram accounts.

If you still don’t get a reasonable response, you may need to lodge a formal complaint through your state’s department of Consumer Affairs or Fair Trading.

Warning: Scammers have been impersonating Australian airlines on X (formerly known as Twitter), posing as customer service representatives in order to steal sensitive personal information.��

Learn more: The fake customer service accounts targeting travellers.

4. Failing to prepare for your road trip

Ensuring your vehicle is in good working order is the first step to road trip success. Before any long drive you should top up fluids such as oil and coolant, check your wiper blades and fill your windscreen washer reservoir and make sure your tyres are in good condition.

But that’s by no means where your preparations should end.��

Do you know your route? If you’re planning on using a mobile phone app to navigate, be aware that coverage can be spotty outside of populated areas so it’s a good idea to get familiar with your route before you leave.��

Even better, a backup navigation system, whether that’s in-car navigation, a separate GPS device or an old-school paper map (provided it’s up to date) can come in handy.��

If you’re travelling with kids on a long trip, boredom-busters are a must.��

We asked the experts (aka, ����Vlog parents) how they prepare for road-tripping with their families. Here are their top tips:

• Have a bag of toys/activities that you can hand out as needed to stave off boredom. Dispersing them gradually throughout the duration of the trip keeps things fresh.
• Have snacks on hand for distraction as much as nourishment.��
• You don’t have to rely on tech to keep kids amused – drawing supplies, games of ‘spotto’ and the classic eye spy can be great ways to pass the time.
• When the non-tech distractions start to lose their appeal, audiobooks, children’s podcasts and music that both adults and kids enjoy can also help.��

5. Getting the tech wrong

Along with sunscreen, a towel and a swimsuit, a week at the beach usually requires one or two paperbacks to enjoy while relaxing on the sand. Unfortunately, traditional books are bulky and heavy, taking up valuable luggage space.��

The modern solution, an e-reader, allows you to load up hundreds of books. Some e-readers even let you borrow books from your public library.

While most e-readers hold charge for a decent length of time, they will all require charging at some point, as will any other tech you take with you. If you’re travelling overseas, find out what kind of adapter you’ll need to use the power points at your destination.

If you’re planning to spend a lot of time out and about, a power bank may be useful.��

Our power bank tests show approximate charge time, approximate portable battery recharge time, size and weight and reveal the usual capacity of each power bank, which can be quite different from the stated capacity.

The post 5 things that can ruin your summer holiday and how to avoid them���� appeared first on ����Vlog.

We’d love it if our holidays lasted forever, but it’d be even better if we could book a trip knowing the provider’s claims that it’s a time-limited deal were reliable.

����Vlog member Amy* was planning a family jaunt to Europe last month when she came across a tour of the continent being sold through Flight Centre.

She says a countdown timer accompanying the offer on the company’s website claiming the “deal” would end in four days grabbed her attention.

“I called them up immediately,” she says. “I was thinking, if there is a deal, because it’s quite a large amount of money, I would definitely lock it in’.”

Amy was about to spend tens of thousands of dollars on booking spots for four people on the tour until she discovered Flight Centre’s deal price was the same as that being offered by the tour operator, Trafalgar.

Several days spent discussing offers with both companies and shopping around further led her to make another discovery, this time about Flight Centre’s countdown.

“Their deal date just kept extending,” she says. “There was no expiry. It just went on to the next day and the next day… rolling on [and] making people believe there is some urgency to book.”

Never-ending promotions

It’s not the only Flight Centre deal we’ve seen with remarkably malleable “expiring soon” dates.

����Vlog found four international tours being sold through Flight Centre that had their countdowns extended, sometimes for multiple days in a row.��

These countdowns told consumers they only had a certain number of days, hours and minutes to book and warned the offers would “expire very soon”.��

Most countdowns claimed the tour offers would close in a few days’ time, but when we visited the same page the following day, their end dates had been extended by up to three days.

The tours are to popular destinations such as Europe and the United States and cost thousands of dollars per person. They’re supplied to Flight Centre by third-party companies including Trafalgar, Costsaver and On The Go Tours, but we didn’t see any timers when we viewed these tours, or similar ones on those companies’ websites.

While the Flight Centre countdowns were only visible when visiting the pages on a desktop computer, customers using a mobile device were still told deals would “expire soon” and wouldn’t be available after a certain date.

Tour marketing frustrating consumers

Amy thinks Flight Centre’s countdown tactic could push people to spend quickly without thinking.

“It’s just disingenuous,” she says. “It’s not good for consumers like myself. I’m expecting I’ve got to act.”

She’s also unhappy with Flight Centre’s description of the tours as deals, when in her experience the price was the same with the original tour provider.

Flight Centre tells ����Vlog their use of the word “deal” refers to “a product or package that represents good value for money”.

‘Potentially misleading’

����Vlog deputy director of campaigns and communications Andy Kelly agrees with Amy that the countdowns could deter aspiring travellers from shopping around.

“It’s disappointing to find Flight Centre hosting a number of potentially misleading countdown timers that reset when they approach zero on its website,” he says.

“Time-limited offers place pressure on consumers to purchase now, but when that pressure is artificial, consumers might miss out on better deals and lose trust in making purchases online.”��

Our discovery comes less than a year after the ACCC launched legal action against bedding company Emma Sleep for allegedly making false and misleading representations while adopting similar tactics.

The consumer regulator alleges the retailer put misleading countdown timers on its website that instilled an “artificial sense of urgency” in shoppers.

For its part, Flight Centre told ����Vlog that the tour suppliers were the ones setting and extending the deadlines displayed on its website.

But when we followed-up with these businesses, Trafalgar and Costsaver referred us back to Flight Centre. On The Go Tours didn’t respond to our questions.

Flight Centre says expiry dates are included to guarantee an advertised price or inclusions, and countdowns are given to these dates to show consumers how long they have to book. It denies it’s putting artificial pressure on customers.

_{*Last name withheld}

The post The tricky tour tactics Flight Centre uses to make you book appeared first on ����Vlog.

On this page:

• Can you get your money back from your travel agent?
• Getting your money back from third-party booking sites
• Can travel agents keep your deposit?
• Can travel agents charge cancellation fees?
• Can travel agents keep your money as a credit voucher?
• Can travel agents change their terms and conditions to deny a refund?
• How to enforce your rights
• What to do if your travel agent goes broke

Plans are made to be broken, and unfortunately, your travel plans are no exception to this rule. You may have to cancel your trip because of illness, the airline might cancel the flight on you, or something outside of everyone’s control, like a pandemic, can change everyone’s plans.

Travel agents and third-party booking sites like Booking.com, Expedia and Airbnb all have their own terms and conditions that are the first port of call to determine whether you’re eligible for a refund or credit. But the fine print is still subject to Australian Consumer Law.

So what are your rights and how can you get your money back?

Can you get your money back from your travel agent?

Whether you can get your money back from a travel agent or booking site for changed or cancelled travel plans usually boils down to if it’s you or the travel provider making the changes.

• You’re more likely (but not always) eligible for a refund or credit if a travel provider, such as an airline, cruise line or hotel, has cancelled the service you were due to receive.
• If you cancel the trip or change your plans, it may be deemed a ‘change of mind’ and your options for a refund or credit may be reduced.

If you think your trip won’t proceed, or you’re worried about travelling due to illness or , speak to your travel agent about your options.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) says it expects refunds to be provided where:

• the terms and conditions at the time of purchase specify you are entitled to a refund
• you bought a ticket that was promoted as refundable
• you were told you would receive a refund, even if the business later changed its mind
• you have a right to a refund under state or territory legislation or common law.

Travel refunds for travel bans and bushfires

Most of us have (hopefully) moved on from the trauma of travel bans, and the 2019–20 bushfires that prevented many people from getting to their holiday accommodation.��

Should you find yourself in a similar situation again though, scan the terms and conditions of your contract for a ‘force majeure’ clause. This outlines what happens when the services can’t be delivered due to an event outside everyone’s control.

The����advise travel restrictions may also trigger a ‘frustration of contract’ under general law, which could entitle you to a refund or credit voucher for any payments you’ve made, less the travel agent’s ‘reasonable expenses’ incurred before the cancellation.��

Frustrated contracts law differs per state. South Australia, Victoria, and New South Wales have specific legislation, while in other states, common law may apply, so check with��your state consumer affairs body��about how it could affect your situation.

Getting your money back from third-party booking sites

Travel agents conjure up images of people sitting in offices with pictures of the Greek islands on their walls. But these days you’re more likely to interact with online travel agents via booking sites like Booking.com, Expedia and Airbnb.

This guidance is equally applicable to online booking sites as it is to bricks-and-mortar agencies. Sites like Airbnb sometimes have extenuating circumstances for situations such as bushfires and travel bans but otherwise you’ll need to refer to the booking site’s terms and conditions (note that Airbnb’s COVID-19 extenuating circumstances policy is no longer in place).

If you booked via a third-party booking site, persist with the cancellation via that site, even if they try to refer you to the supplier. The terms and conditions of the supplier, such as the accommodation provider or airline, usually determine whether you’re entitled to a credit or refund but whoever you paid your money to is generally who you need to get your money back from.

Can travel agents keep your deposit?

“We have paid a deposit for a two cities tour of Russia. Our travel agent said that if we do not pay the balance, they will cancel and we will forfeit our deposit of approximately $1300. We cannot possibly pay at this time because we may not be able to travel at all.” – Kerry O’Leary, ����Vlog member

This depends on the terms and conditions of the contract with the travel agent and whether a frustration of contract would apply.

If it does apply, deposits should also be refundable in cash or other means, such as a credit voucher.

In addition, the ACCC advises deposits should not be more than 10%, unless the travel agent can justify a higher amount due to potential loss or inconvenience.

A higher amount may be deemed a prepayment, and prepayments are refundable, less any reasonable cancellation fees.

Can travel agents charge cancellation fees?

Travel agents can charge a cancellation fee that reflects the reasonable costs of making the booking to start with and then cancelling it.

What constitutes a reasonable fee is a grey area. The fee should be specified in the travel agent’s terms and conditions and should reflect expenses like office costs and the leg work involved in contacting suppliers to process refunds or credit vouchers.

“Flight Centre are charging a $300 per person cancellation fee, which could equate to $1200 per couple for cancelling land and air components. Flight Centre’s explanation for the charge is the recouping of the costs of arranging the travel and that it is sanctioned by the ACCC.” – Vic Reynolds, ����Vlog member

Flight Centre’s cancellation policy during the COVID-19 travel bans stipulated an international cancellation fee of $300 per person per booking, in addition to supplier fees.��

So, like Vic said, if a couple booked flights and accommodation through Flight Centre, that fee could quickly multiply. Flight Centre has since capped the $300 fee per person at $600 per booking.

While Flight Centre did stipulate the original fee in their terms and conditions, the application of a fixed fee regardless of the circumstance, combined with the multiplication of the fee per customer and booking, may have meant the fee exceeded the reasonable costs of cancelling the trip in many circumstances.��

After pressure from the ACCC, Flight Centre amended its cancellation fees. The ACCC said it would’ve enacted court action if Flight Centre didn’t change its position.

This is worth noting if your travel agent is applying a fee in a similar matter.��If you have travel insurance, your policy may cover your travel agent’s cancellation fees, so check with your insurer.

Can travel agents keep your money as a credit voucher?

Travel agents may offer rebooking or a credit voucher with the agent. The����is that businesses may offer remedies such as a credit note or voucher under the agent’s terms and conditions.

But where a provider, for example the airline, has refunded money to the travel agent, it’s expected those funds will be returned to you as soon as possible.��

So if the travel provider advises the agent they’ll issue a credit but won’t return your money, then yes, the agent could retain the money as a credit voucher. However, if the travel provider returns the money to the travel agent, then they should pass the money onto you as soon as they can.

Credit voucher expirations

You may rightly be concerned if you can use your credit vouchers before they expire. The regulators advise:

• the expiry date should allow a reasonable amount of time to use the credit
• if a travel ban applies, making the amount of time to use the voucher no longer reasonable, then the credit expiry date should also be extended
• if the original travel service is no longer available, you should be able to redeem the voucher on alternative services.

Can travel agents change their terms and conditions to deny a refund?

You’re bound by the contract you entered into when you booked your holiday, so if those terms and conditions gave you the right to a refund, the travel agent can’t change it to deny you that refund.

If they change the terms of the contract without allowing you as the consumer to do the same, that may be considered an unfair contract term.

How to enforce your rights

If you think you’re being charged an unreasonable cancellation fee or treated unfairly, complain to the business and direct them to the . Advise that if you don’t get a satisfactory remedy, you will escalate your complaint to the consumer affairs body in your state.

If your travel agent is a member of the , you can also complain to ATAS, who will investigate if the agent has breached the industry’s code of conduct.

What to do if your travel agent goes broke

If your travel agent already paid money to the airline, accommodation or other travel service provider before going broke, your service should still be valid.��

However, if the travel agent did not transfer the money to the provider, your booking may be affected. Check with the provider to see if they will still honour your booking.

Some travel agents provide their own form of insolvency protection. If your agent had a ring-fenced client trust account, you may be able to claim money back from there.

have a Customer Fund that is designed to protect its customers from insolvency of an airline or other travel provider that TravelManagers uses. If you can’t get a refund from your travel insurance or bank, you can claim from the fund.��

The fund is a ring-fenced independent legal entity, which TravelManagers makes regular payments into – a kind of self-insurance pool for its customers.

If you can’t get your money back from the travel agent, and the supplier won’t honour your booking, then refer to our advice on how to get your money back via a credit card chargeback.

If you’re unable to process a credit card chargeback, you’ll need to register with the travel agent’s external administrator as an unsecured creditor. This places you in a queue to get your money back, behind secured creditors, such as staff and shareholders.

Be careful with cancelled bookings that were arranged by a travel agent that subsequently went broke. Following the collapse of online travel agent Fly365 in 2020, ����Vlog saw an example where a person requested a refund, only to lose their money when that refund was transferred back to Fly365.

Rebooking or asking if the airline can hold your credit voucher may be a better option in this case.

Will travel insurance cover you?

It’s unlikely your travel insurance will cover your losses if your travel agent goes bust, but always check with your travel insurer rather than presume you won’t be covered.

In our travel insurance comparison, we were unable to find any insurers that would cover insolvency of a travel agent and unfortunately we’re not aware of any insurer that does. If you’re aware of an insurer that does cover travel agent insolvency, let us know in .

If a travel provider, such as an airline, hotel or cruise line goes broke, your insurance might cover it. Read our advice on��travel insurance and insolvency��for more information.

The post Can you get your money back from travel booking sites or travel agents? appeared first on ����Vlog.

Often your medicines may not be available in other countries, they could be very expensive, or they might be illegal. Depending on local laws and customs, you may even have trouble getting contraceptives.

It’s a good idea to take all the medicines you may need for your trip, and a bit extra in case of unforeseen circumstances – things like flight delays could mean you’re away from home for longer than planned. It’s also best to carry all medications (even vitamins) in their original packaging, along with the original prescription.

See your doctor

Get a health check-up and plan your travel vaccinations well in advance. If you have extras health insurance, check your policy details because many policies��will cover vaccines required for travelling.

When it comes to taking medication overseas, get a letter from your doctor stating:

• what the medications are (using generic names)
• what they’re for
• that they’re for personal use
• dosage instructions.

Make sure you get travel insurance and that you’re covered for pre-existing conditions. Unfortunately, most travel insurers won’t cover your prescription medicines.

Is your medication legal at your destination?

If you’re taking medication, check whether there are any restrictions or if it’s even illegal in the countries you’re travelling to or transiting through. Take special care with:

• amphetamines, such as ADHD medications
• anti-anxiety and antidepressant medications
• medication containing pseudoephedrine, such as cold and flu tablets
• medical marijuana/cannabis
• opioid-based painkillers, such as codeine
• sleeping pills.

Restrictions may also apply to complementary medicines, such as vitamins and traditional medicines or even chewing gum.��

Check with the ��to make sure your medication is not a restricted drug. You may need to apply for customs clearance for some medicines before entering some countries, and you’re usually not allowed to bring more than a three-month supply.��

If you carry illegal medication, you could be fined or jailed even if you have a prescription from an Australian doctor.

are a great resource for up-to-date information about your travel destination.

Restrictions at popular travel destinations

Restrictions vary by country and apply to some of the most popular travel destinations for Australians. For example:

• If you’re heading to Bali, some ADHD medicines and medical cannabis are illegal in Indonesia, so check with the .
• Some ADHD medicines and some cold and flu tablets are illegal in Japan, as per the��.
• If you want to bring codeine and other medicines into Singapore, you need to apply for a permit at least two weeks in advance. Check with the��.��
• Some Australian medications may be illegal in the USA, particularly if they’re not approved by the . Check with .
• Thailand has very strict drug laws and a number of medications available in Australia are illegal under Thai law. If you’re in any doubt, check with the .
• Medications that are legal in Australia may be restricted in some European countries. For example, codeine is considered a narcotic in Greece. Check with the embassy of the country (or countries) you’re travelling to to make sure.

Medical devices and disabilities

Your airline or cruise ship may have restrictions on any medical devices or equipment you carry, and there��may be special rules for assistance animals, battery-operated devices and sharps such as syringes.

If you’re using a wheelchair, most airlines will require you to check it in, and many will offer support for getting to the gate, transiting and boarding. Also, make sure you can get any assistance you need to access toilets and other facilities.

If you have a disability, you need to declare it when taking out travel insurance even if you can’t get cover for it. It’s worth checking whether your medical devices will be covered if they get lost or damaged.��

The post Can you take medications overseas? appeared first on ����Vlog.

On this page:

• Lost or stolen passport
• How to apply for a new passport
• How quickly can you get a new passport?
• How to get a new passport if you're overseas
• Damaged passport
• Replacing vs renewing your passport
• Passport fees

Your Australian passport is one of the most valuable items you’ll ever own. Aside from being your gateway to international travel, it’s still one of the most trusted and secure forms of ID.

So, do you know where your passport is right now? And are you sure it hasn’t expired?��

We break down what you should do if your passport has gone astray or is damaged, and how you can get a new one.

In a nutshell:

• If your passport is lost or stolen, you’ll need to apply for a new one.
• If your passport is damaged (or out of pages), you’ll apply for a replacement.
• If your passport is expired, you will apply for a renewal.

Lost or stolen passport

If you’ve lost your passport or believe it’s been stolen, you must report it to the Australian Passport Office as soon as you can. There are penalties under the Australian Passports Act if you don’t report it as soon as possible. This is to protect people against identity theft. (Note: there’s no need to report a lost passport that you know had expired.)

In Australia: Call the Australian Passport Office Contact Centre (APOCC) on 131 232.

Overseas: Contact your nearest in the country of application.

Should you report a lost or stolen passport to police?

If your passport is stolen, it’s recommended you report it to the police, as you’ll need a police report to claim travel insurance and renew your passport. Procedures will vary depending on which country you’re in. If you’re in a non-English speaking country, try to find an interpreter to help explain your situation to the police.

How to apply for a new passport

If your passport is lost or stolen, you’ll need to apply for a new one.

Go to and start the application process there, if an embassy or consulate hasn’t already started it for you.

You’ll need:

• Two colour photographs that are 35–40mm wide and 45–50mm high. The size of the face from chin to crown can be up to a maximum of 36mm and a minimum of 32mm (check the��).��
• Documents that prove your Australian citizenship and your identity.
• A referee or guarantor.

Referee vs guarantor

If you’re applying for your passport online, you’ll need to nominate a referee who’s willing to confirm your identity if they’re contacted.��

Otherwise you’ll need a guarantor to sign your application form and endorse and sign the back of one passport photo.��

A referee or guarantor must be an adult Australian citizen who has known you for at least 12 months. They can’t be related to you, married to you, in a de facto relationship with you, or share your home address. You’ll need to give their full name, phone number and either their current Australian passport details or the address at which they’ve been on the electoral roll for the past 12 months.

These requirements may vary for overseas applicants. Contact the in your country of application for further details.��

Proof of identity

You’ll need an Australian birth certificate or Australian citizenship certificate, documents that prove any change of name or change of gender, and other that show your photo and your current residential address.��

The documents you will require will vary slightly depending on whether you were born before or after 20 August 1986, so check the to ensure you have the correct identification.

How to lodge your application

If you’re in Australia, you’ll need to lodge your application in person at an Australia Post outlet.��

If you’re overseas, you can lodge in person at an Australian diplomatic or consular mission or, in some cases, send your application through the mail.��

For Australian diplomatic or consular missions, country-specific COVID restrictions may limit your ability to attend face-to-face appointments for a new passport. in the country where you are for further details.

How quickly can you get a new passport?

As travel undergoes a post lock-down renaissance, the turnaround time for a passport application in Australia can vary. At the time of publishing it’s at least six weeks, but check the for up-to-date processing times. If you’re overseas, you’ll need to factor in delivery time as well – the wait could be a few weeks longer, depending on your location and ongoing postal delays resulting from the pandemic.

If you need your passport sooner, the Australian Passport Office has a ��that can produce your passport in two working days.

If you’re already booked on a flight…

Delay your travel arrangements until you have the necessary documents, and don’t risk booking new travel arrangements without a valid passport. If you can’t get a new passport or emergency passport in time, you won’t be able to check in to a flight or cross international borders by land or sea.��

Check with your travel insurer – depending on the circumstances, most policies should cover at least some of the cost of your altered travel plans, extra accommodation and passport application fees. Situations like these are one of the��reasons you need travel insurance.

How to get a new passport if you’re overseas

If you need to travel soon (generally in the next 10 days), it’s likely you’ll be issued an , which is enough to get you on a plane home or on to your next destination.��

But an emergency passport will be valid only for a short time (up to 12 months) and because it won’t include the biometric information of a standard passport, you may face entry restrictions in certain countries.

Currently, foreign countries have varying restrictions in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which may limit your ability to apply in person at an Australian embassy or consulate. Please contact the in the country where you are for further details.

The wait time for an emergency passport will depend on where you are, but in most cases it can be produced locally in a couple of days by the diplomatic or consular mission you’re dealing with.

What to do if you don’t have the right ID with you

We don’t tend to travel the world with our birth certificates or our latest utility bills in our suitcases, so proving your identity can be tricky – especially if your passport was stolen, along with your other forms of identification.��

The Australian diplomatic mission to the country you’re in will advise you on exactly what’s required, but in most cases you’ll need your birth certificate or citizenship certificate as primary ID, and several more items (with your photo and current address) as secondary ID.

����Vlog tip: Rather than have your birth or citizenship certificate mailed to you, it may be possible to have a friend or family member take the document to a Passport Office in Australia and have it ‘sighted’, scanned and faxed to the mission you’re dealing with.

What happens to the visa in your passport?

The Australian government can’t replace any foreign visas for you when it renews your passport.��

If you had a visa in your lost or stolen passport, you’ll need to contact the nearest embassy or consulate of the country in question to ask whether you should apply for a replacement.

Tips for keeping your passport safe

Your passport is an extremely valuable document – not just to you, but to identity thieves too.��

• Keep your passport in a secure place when at home.
• When you’re travelling, store it in a hotel safe if there is one – don’t leave it lying around your hotel room.
• Some countries require foreigners to have their passports with them at all times. If so, keep it on your person, not in your bag (which could easily be snatched).
• Use a money belt to carry your passport, cash, credit cards and other small essentials, and keep your passport in a ziplock bag to protect it from water damage.

What to do if your passport details were stolen by a hacker

Been caught up in a data breach? Here’s what you need to know or do if you think a hacker may have your passport number.

• As long as your physical passport hasn’t been lost or stolen, you’re still good to travel.��
• Your passport details alone can’t be used by someone else for international travel, and the baddies can’t use your personal details to issue a new passport. The passport office uses facial recognition technology to protect your passport, so hackers would need your face too (which isn’t possible unless you’re Nicolas Cage or John Travolta in Face/Off).
• Unless you’ve been advised otherwise, you can still use your physical passport to identify yourself to government authorities, banks or other financial organisations (as long as you haven’t already cancelled it).
• Whether or not you need a new passport is up to you and your individual situation. If you’re concerned, you can get a new passport at any time.��
• For more information on passport data breaches visit , or if you’re concerned about identity theft in general, visit .

Be prepared for passport loss

No matter how careful you are, sometimes you’re just unlucky. Being prepared with the necessary information and documents could mean jumping through fewer hoops, and getting back to enjoying your holiday much sooner.

1. Know your passport number

It’s the first thing you’ll be asked when you report your passport missing. If you don’t have a good memory for numbers, write it down or email it to yourself.

2. Email yourself important contact information

This might include the phone number of the Australian embassy in the country/countries you’re travelling to, the number of the Australian Consular Emergency Centre (+61 2 6261 3305 from overseas or 1300 555 135 within Australia), as well as your travel insurance details. Keep a paper copy of this information with you at all times, too.

3. Take extra identification with you and keep it safe

For example, your driver’s licence, credit cards, Medicare card and/or an item of mail with your current address. Just don’t keep it all in the same bag. Taking your birth or citizenship certificate with you isn’t a good idea, but make sure a friend or family member back home can get a hold of it, if necessary.

4. Pack two recent Australian passport-sized photos

This will save you having to hunt down a photographer or photo booth overseas. Passport photo standards vary from country to country, too. For example, a photo taken in a photo booth in the UK or the USA will not meet the requirements for an Australian passport application.

You’ve found your lost passport – now what?

So your ‘lost’ passport was actually just hiding in the lining of your suitcase or tucked safely in a forgotten pocket. Don’t celebrate yet – if you’ve already reported it missing, your passport is cancelled forever.��

This means you can’t use it to travel and will still have to wait for a replacement. If you try to use a cancelled passport to cross borders, it will be kept at the airport and you won’t be permitted to travel.

If you find someone else’s passport, you should return it to the nearest or so it can be cancelled immediately.

Damaged passport

Loss and theft aren’t the only bad things that can happen to a passport. Plenty of travellers have to apply for a new passport because of damage.��

According to a spokesperson from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), the most common ways that passports meet an untimely end are by fluid damage (spilled drinks, ink stains, perspiration, a spin in the washing machine) and dogs treating them as chew toys.

If your passport is damaged, you can apply for a replacement passport, rather than have to apply for a new passport.

Replacing vs renewing your passport

There’s a significant difference between ‘replacing’ your Australian passport and ‘renewing’ it.��

Replacement

A passport replacement is only for Australians whose passport has run out of pages or is damaged, or who have changed their name or gender, or are updating their passport photographs. This service is free in some circumstances and comes with a reduced fee in others. The replacement passport is valid only as long as the passport it’s replacing (i.e. it’s not a renewal).

Passport replacement is not an option for Australians who have lost or had their passport stolen. The only option in these cases is to apply for a new passport.

Renewal

Eligible Australians may be able to apply for streamlined renewal of their passport. All you’ll need is your application checklist or form, two passport photos and your most recent passport.��

To qualify, you must be an adult with your most recent Australian passport issued on or after 1 January 2006. The passport must also have:

• been issued when you were aged 16 or older
• had at least two years of validity when it was issued
• been issued with your current name, date of birth, place of birth and sex
• never been reported stolen, lost or cancelled.

If you’re not eligible for express renewal you’ll need to follow a similar process to applying for a new passport, including providing original supporting documents that prove your identity and citizenship, and nominating a referee or guarantor.

Some countries don’t let visitors enter on a passport that expires in less than six months, so it’s best to renew your passport long before its expiry date – and be sure to allow enough time for processing and postage on top of the six months.

It’s best to . If you can’t, call 131 232 or contact an�� and they’ll send you a pre-filled form by post or email.

Passport fees

Renewal passport, valid for 10 years:��$325 (adult); $164 (child aged five years and under, or adult aged 75 years and over)

Replacement passport: $204��

Emergency passport overseas: $204��

Priority service: $237 (additional fee)

Overseas surcharge:��$146 (adult); $71 (child)

Details are correct as of January 2023. Check�� for the latest fees and rules.��

����Vlog tip: Your travel insurance may help cover the fees for lost or stolen passports.

The post What to do if your passport is lost, stolen or damaged appeared first on ����Vlog.

It’s been a tough couple of years for would-be travellers, many of whom have discovered that businesses seem to make up their own rules when travel plans get cancelled.

Since March 2020, almost half (47%) of Australians have had to cancel travel plans due to COVID-19 risks, border closures or lockdowns.

In July last year,��we reported that fewer than one in five of the 4060 people we surveyed got a full refund after their trips were scuttled in 2020 due to the pandemic.

Since then we’ve heard from many others who’ve also been left empty-handed and uncertain about their rights.

Ts and Cs leave customers guessing��

The terms and conditions that have enabled travel providers to keep people’s money were often self-serving and complicated, leaving customers both confused and out of pocket.

In lieu of refunds, many have received travel credits that came with their own restrictions, including expiry dates that were set too soon.

As a follow-up to our investigations, we made a number of recommendations to governments to improve customer experiences in the travel industry.

One of them, a mandatory information standard, is now under consideration in NSW.

Clear disclosure

In a recent submission to the inquiry, we argue that travel customers should know the terms of the deal when they book and not be caught unawares by tricky conditions.

“The NSW government has proposed an Australian-first information standard to make travel bookings clearer and fairer for consumers,” says ����Vlog director of campaigns Erin Turner. “We hope NSW is the first of many states to introduce this much needed reform.”

What ����Vlog is calling for

The mandatory information standard we’re pushing for calls for a number of improvements. One of them is that all travel providers (including cruise-ship operators, car-hire companies, tour operators and online booking platforms of all kinds) should provide the following at the time of booking:

• Clear disclosure of how much money will be returned to customers in the event of a cancellation, and an itemised list of any money that will be kept by the travel provider
• A clear explanation of how customers can seek refunds and other remedies, how long they will take, and how they can lodge a complaint if they’re not satisfied
• Clear disclosure by travel intermediaries such as travel agents and online booking sites about the remedies available to customers in the event of travel cancellations and any fees that they may retain
• A standard disclosure form used by all travel providers that has simple and consistent language.

Raising standards

We’re also calling for reforms that will make it easier to get refunds, make travel credits and vouchers fairer, and raise the standards of customer service in the travel and tourism industry.

“Making travel providers disclose key terms at the time of booking will give Australians more confidence to book travel in uncertain times,” says Turner. “We need to know what will happen if a booking has to be cancelled and any fees that will apply.��

“Too many people have lost money from bad practices and unclear terms in the last two years – this NSW travel information standard is an excellent start to addressing this issue.”

We’ll soon be reporting on the experiences of customers who’ve received travel credits or vouchers.

The post ����Vlog calls for clearer terms and conditions for travellers�� appeared first on ����Vlog.

What to do before you travel

• Passport: Is your passport travel ready? Many countries require you to have more than six months’ validity on your passport, so if yours expires in less than six months, now’s a good time to .
  
• Research your destination: Australians are allowed to travel internationally again but many countries now impose new visa, quarantine and vaccination restrictions. .
• Vaccinations: Many countries may require you to show an upon entry. In addition to a COVID-19 vaccination, now’s a good time to check if all your routine vaccinations are up to date.
• Travel insurance: The best time to buy travel insurance is when you’ve forked out the money for your trip, but it’s better late than never. Note that some destination countries will require you to have a minimum level of medical cover for COVID-19, but not all travel insurance covers COVID-19.
• Safety: Have you checked the latest safety advice on the region you’re travelling to? to receive SMS or email notifications of major incidents in the area/s you’re travelling to.
• Money: Have you told your bank you’re going overseas? If your bank doesn’t know you’re travelling and it detects transactions in Australia one day, and Indonesia the next day, it might put a stop on your card to prevent fraud.�� Also check what your bank charges for international card transactions and ATM cash withdrawals, and ask them if there’s a cheaper option.
• Accommodation booking: Even if you’re backpacking on a budget, if you book accommodation for at least the first night, it can save you some hassle. The last thing you want after a long, tiring flight is to scour the town for accommodation, or spend the night in the airport when you discover the town is booked out. And many countries will require you to provide an address for where you’re staying before they let you in.
• Getting there and away: What airport will you fly into and how will you get to and from the airport to your accommodation? Pre-planning your trip from the airport to your accommodation can help you bypass the airport hotel touts when you’re tired and your defences are down.
• Getting around: Do you know how you’ll get around, and do you need to pre-book any tickets?
• Driving: If you’re planning on hiring a car, do you need an international driver’s licence and are you familiar with the road rules?
• Phone: Can you use your mobile phone overseas? Have you switched off data roaming and voicemail? If you’re planning to use a local or travel SIM, is your phone unlocked?
• Electrical plugs: Do you have an electrical adaptor that will work in the countries you’re travelling to? Have you checked that your Australian appliances will be compatible with the voltage in that country? How many devices will you need to charge at once? Maybe it’ll help to take an Australian power board in addition to your socket adaptor.
• Travel apps: Have you downloaded offline maps and travel apps onto your mobile so you’re not stuck looking for free Wi-Fi when you land?
• Medication: Is it legal to take your regular and prescription medication into your destination country? Do you need to complete or bring any documentation with you? In some countries some common cold and flu treatments are restricted, among other things.

What to print out before you travel

Mobile phones make for convenient travel, but some international airport customs officials may require paper printouts. It’s also handy to have back-ups of essential documents in case your phone goes missing or the battery goes flat on your flight. These are the main items you’ll need.

• Tickets: In addition to getting you onto a plane, you’ll often need to show customs officials proof of your return or ongoing flight to obtain entry to the country.
• Passport and visas: A scanned copy stored securely on your phone and/or photocopies of your passport can help you out of a sticky situation if you lose your passport or tour operators or authorities require a copy.
• International Vaccination Certificate: Your COVID-19 vaccination certificate will be as essential as your passport to getting around in a post-lockdown world. It’s also handy to carry a record of any other travel vaccinations you’ve received.��
• Travel insurance: Your travel insurance policy number is the equivalent of a Medicare card or health fund card for travel. Keep it handy alongside the international contact details for your travel insurer so you can call at any time for assistance.

The post Your COVID-19 international travel checklist appeared first on ����Vlog.

On this page:

• Cheaper roaming with your Australian SIM
• Using your phone in the USA
• Using your phone in the UK and Ireland
• Using your phone in Europe
• Using your phone in New Zealand
• Using your phone in Fiji
• Using your phone in Bali and Indonesia
• Using your phone in Singapore
• Using your phone in Malaysia
• Using your phone in Thailand
• Using your phone in Vietnam
• Using your phone in Japan
• Using your phone in China

There are pros and cons for each, and a lot will come down to how long you’re planning to stay, which destinations you’re visiting, and what you want to be able to use your phone for while you’re there.

Your Australian phone will work in most countries when on holidays, but you may need to check with your telco (and with your phone manufacturer if necessary) for some countries, such as the USA.

Cheaper roaming with your Australian SIM

Many Australian phone service providers offer travel packages with a set daily rate for global roaming on top of your existing account while overseas. They’re not particularly cheap – for instance, Vodafone offers a $5 per day roaming charge in addition to your regular bill, which will add up if you’re away for an extended period of time – but they’ll save you from any nasty bill surprises and can be a good option if you’re only travelling for a few days or weeks and you want to keep your existing phone number.��

Be sure to look up any international roaming charges before you leave for your trip.

����Vlog tip: Switch off data roaming on your phone before you leave Australia and rely on Wi-Fi. Likewise, switch off your voicemail and ask friends and family to text you rather than calling – you’ll be charged if you answer any incoming calls.

Travel SIMs

Prepaid travel SIMs can be bought from some Australian travel stores, phone stores and post offices, or ordered online before you leave Australia.��Rates won’t be as good as buying a local SIM, but they can be a smart option if you’re travelling to multiple countries and don’t want to buy a local SIM every time.��Your phone will need to be unlocked to accept a SIM from another network (check with your phone service provider if you’re not sure).

Mobile data overseas

If you want internet access on the go, consider a prepaid SIM with a good amount of data, or a data-only SIM if you don’t need to make phone calls.��

In lieu of Wi-Fi, laptop users can tether to their phone or tablet to get online while travelling. Compare prices for phone and data, or data only, depending on what you need.

Save a Google map onto your mobile device for offline use

• Enter the place you want a map for into the search bar.
• Click the title of the place at the bottom of the screen.
• Click menu (the three dots on the top right).
• Select ‘Download offline map’.

Using your phone in the USA

Australian mobile phones that support 4G or 5G should work on US networks, but you may need to check with your phone manufacturer to be sure.��

Older Australian 2G and 3G handsets operate on a GSM standard, whereas the US 2G and 3G networks operate on GSM and CDMA. This means your coverage may be patchy as your phone will only work in areas serviced by GSM networks. Also bear in mind that the major US networks are in the process of shutting down 2G and 3G networks (with Telstra set to shut down its 3G services in Australia by 2024).

Using a local SIM in the USA

Using a US SIM is a cheaper option, but remember your phone will need to be unlocked in order to do this.

Providers like AT&T and T-Mobile offer SIM cards with short-term prepaid plans for tourists, and while not the same as prepaid with voucher top-up, they may fit the bill with a variety of options available for calls, text and data both locally and internationally.

If you can’t get a local SIM online before you leave, you may need to track down a provider’s store in the US. SIMs aren’t commonly sold at the airport like in other countries.

Disposable phones in the USA

Disposable phones can be very cheap to buy from US stores such as Walmart, K-Mart, Target or Best Buy. They come preloaded with credit and are ready to go, but will do little more than make and take phone calls.

����Vlog tip: US mobile users pay for incoming calls and texts, as well as outgoing ones.

Using Wi-Fi in the USA

Wi-Fi should be easy to find in cafes, hotels, libraries and even some parks. McDonald’s, Dunkin’ Donuts and Starbucks all offer free Wi-Fi, but you can also try searching Wi-Fi finder apps on the Apple or Google Play stores for more options.

Using your phone in the UK and Ireland

Australian mobile phones are compatible with Britain and Ireland’s GSM networks, so they’ll work by pairing up with local carriers.

Local SIMs in the UK and Ireland

Buying a local SIM is a better option if you’re planning to use your phone for more than just the odd text message.��Prepaid SIMs (called ‘pay-as-you-go’) can be purchased in phone shops or at airports, or even online before you leave Australia, but just remember that your phone will need to be unlocked in order to accept a different SIM (check with your phone service provider if you’re not sure).

You won’t be charged roaming costs in the UK and the Republic of Ireland, but if you’re travelling to other European nations, you may incur roaming charges.

Internet access in the UK and Ireland

Wi-Fi should be easy to find in cafes, hotels, airports and even on some public transport. If you need a more reliable connection, consider a portable Wi-Fi dongle (for your laptop) or a prepaid data SIM (for your phone or tablet).

Using your phone in Europe

Your Australian phone will usually pick up on compatible European GSM networks. Phone coverage varies throughout Europe, but you should be able to stay connected in most places – unless you’re climbing the French Alps or camping in rural Romania, for example.

Buying a local SIM in Europe

If you’re planning to spend more than a few weeks in Europe, or if you just want cheaper rates and don’t mind having a different phone number while you’re on holidays, consider buying a local prepaid SIM once you arrive in Europe. Companies, rates and set-up will depend on which country you’re in, and you may be required to show ID to register, so the easiest way is to find an (English-speaking) phone store employee who can help you. Or better yet, most major airports will have shops or booths ready to help you get set up.

Roam Like at Home in Europe

Surcharge-free roaming is available throughout the European Union (EU) for residents of the EU. This exemption was introduced in 2017 and is referred to as ‘Roam Like at Home’.

Although the exemption technically only applies to EU citizens, if an Australian tourist is using a SIM that was bought in an EU country, it’s likely that local operators aren’t going to distinguish between residents and travellers. But before you rely on this free EU-wide roaming, check with the provider.

Wi-Fi in Europe

Free Wi-Fi is plentiful in some areas of Europe and unheard of in others. Sometimes you’ll be expected to pay, and in rural areas it often simply won’t be available. Generally in the cities you’ll find free Wi-Fi in all hotels and most franchises such as Starbucks and McDonald’s.

����Vlog tip: Wi-Fi is pronounced “wee-fee” or “vee-fee” in much of non English-speaking Europe. In Germany it’s called W-LAN (pronounced “vay-lahn”).

Mobile data in Europe

If you really want to stay connected, consider buying a local phone SIM with generous data, or a data-only SIM.

If you’re travelling with a laptop, you could consider a USB Wi-Fi dongle, or you could tether your laptop to your mobile phone’s data.

The best place to find what you need is at the airport when you first arrive in Europe. Phone and tech shops at airports will have the best options for travellers who don’t want to sign up to a long-term plan.

Using your phone in New Zealand

Everyone knows New Zealand is not another state of Australia, but many Aussies forget when it comes to using their phones. Plenty of visitors have been stuck with enormous global roaming charges after using their phones the way they normally would at home.

Local SIMs in New Zealand

If you’re planning to spend more than a few weeks in New Zealand, or if you just want cheaper rates and don’t mind having a different phone number while you’re on holidays, a local prepaid SIM is easy enough to buy and set up, as long as your handset is unlocked.

New Zealand’s main phone operators are��Spark, Vodafone and 2degrees, and there are discount operators as well:��

• Skinny Mobile (via Spark network)
• Compass (via Spark network)
• Slingshot (via Spark network)
• Warehouse Mobile (via 2degrees network).

Can you use your Vodafone phone in New Zealand?

Vodafone Australia customers shouldn’t expect local rates in New Zealand just because Vodafone also operates there. The networks aren’t connected so you’ll still cop global roaming fees.

����Vlog tip: Skinny Mobile has been named a ‘Consumer Trusted’ business by ����Vlog’s sister organisation��.

Wi-Fi in New Zealand

Free Wi-Fi isn’t as common in New Zealand as it is in Australia, but it can be found in some cafes, hotels, libraries and in franchises like McDonald’s and Starbucks. You’ll also find free hotspots in the city centres of Auckland, Rotorua, Wellington and Dunedin. In rural and remote areas, internet access is harder to come by.

����Vlog tip: The mobile phone company Spark provides free Wi-Fi hotspots for its customers in various locations throughout the country.

Using your phone in Fiji

Australian phones that operate on a 900Mhz frequency will work on Fiji’s GSM network, but coverage is likely to be patchy in remote areas and on outlying islands. The Mamanuca Islands, however, have quite extensive coverage thanks to Steven Spielberg, who paid for mobile towers to be installed while he was there filming the movie Cast Away.

Local SIMs in Fiji

A prepaid Fijian SIM is a cheaper option if you’re planning to use your phone often. You’ll find phone shops at the airports and in the towns and you can buy a SIM preloaded with credit. Credit can be topped up online or bought at phone shops and convenience stores.

Vodafone and Digicel are on the GSM network, so they’ll be compatible with Australian phones.

����Vlog tip: The Vodafone store at Nadi Airport sells SIM card starter packs which they’ll set up and register for you.

Can you use your Vodafone phone in Fiji?

Vodafone is one of the major telcos in Fiji, but you’ll still pay international rates if you use your Australian Vodafone SIM there. Likewise, phones locked to the Vodafone Australia network won’t accept Vodafone SIMs in Fiji.

Wi-Fi in Fiji

Most hotels offer internet access, either free or paid, and with varying degrees of speed and signal strength. Internet cafes and Wi-Fi hotspots can be found in the major cities and some towns, but the further off the beaten track you go, the harder it will be to find.

Using your phone in Bali and Indonesia

Australian mobile phones should work in cities and towns using Indonesia’s GSM networks.

Local SIMs in Bali and Indonesia

Local SIMs are a much cheaper option if you can’t live without a phone and you don’t mind having a different number while you’re overseas. Indonesia’s main GSM carriers are Telkomsel (Simpati), Indosat and XL.��

You can buy a SIM preloaded with credit from a convenience store or kiosk – look for the word ‘pulsa’ (credit) on shop signs. Set-up is simple and doesn’t require ID or creating an account – simply pop the SIM into your phone and you’re good to go as long as your phone is unlocked. To top up your credit, look for that pulsa sign again, pay the vendor and give them your mobile number – they’ll send the credit to your phone.

Wi-Fi in Bali and Indonesia

An internet connection is fairly easy to find in tourist areas. Many coffee shops and hotels in Bali and Jakarta offer free Wi-Fi, although connection speeds may be slow. In rural areas, however, you’ll be lucky to get a phone signal, let alone access to the internet.

Using your phone in Singapore

Singapore has great mobile phone coverage and your Australian mobile phone should work well on the country’s extensive GSM network.

Local SIMs in Singapore

The country has three main telcos: Singtel, M1 and StarHub, all of which operate on the GSM network and will be compatible with your Australian handset as long as it’s unlocked. Using a prepaid Singaporean SIM card will save you money on calls and data, and you can buy one from Singaporean phone stores, post offices or convenience stores.

At Singapore Changi Airport you can purchase prepaid SIM cards from the Changi Recommends counters in all four of the arrival halls or from one of the local telco’s own stores located within the airport, as well as from the currency exchange counters. You’ll need to register your SIM using your passport as ID. You can then top up your credit online, through an ATM, or with vouchers from convenience or phone stores.

Wi-Fi in Singapore

You’ll find free Wi-Fi almost everywhere in Singapore through the Wireless@SG program run by the government and the country’s three telcos. It’s easiest to access it using a Singaporean phone number. You’ll need to log in via the Wireless@SG App that you can download via your phone’s app store. Almost all hotels offer free or paid Wi-Fi, and some cafes, restaurants and shopping malls also serve as Wi-Fi hotspots.

Caution

• Always ask permission before connecting to a network. Under��, helping yourself to Wi-Fi is considered computer hacking.
• The Singaporean government restricts access to some online content, including pornographic and media pirating sites.

Using your phone in Malaysia

Malaysia operates on a GSM network, so Australian mobile phones should work anywhere there’s a signal. Rural areas and islands won’t always get great coverage, but the cities will.

Local SIMs in Malaysia

A prepaid Malaysian SIM card is a much cheaper option than paying global roaming rates on your Australian SIM, provided your handset is unlocked. The main telcos are Maxis, DiGi, Celcom, and U Mobile – all websites are in English, so you can compare prepaid deals for calls and data. There are phone stores at Kuala Lumpur Airport, or you can buy your SIM from a convenience store or online before you leave. Ask the person who sells you the SIM to help you set it up. You may need to show your passport as ID.

Wi-Fi in Malaysia

You’ll find free Wi-Fi hotspots in many hotels, cafes and shopping malls. If you need to do more than just check your emails every now and then, consider buying a local data SIM or renting a USB modem or portable ‘pocket hotspot’. Internet connections may be sketchy or non-existent in remote areas.

Using your phone in Thailand

Australian mobile phones will work by connecting with local GSM networks in Thailand.

Local Thai SIMs

You can save money by using a Thai SIM card rather than your Australian account. The three main Thai telcos are AIS, dtac and Truemove.

SIMs and phone credit can be bought at Thai airports, convenience stores and phone shops.

The major airports have booths selling SIMs aimed at tourists – these are preloaded with phone and data credit for set periods of a few days or weeks. You’ll need to show your passport as ID and the assistant will likely set your phone up for you.

Internet access in Thailand

Wi-Fi is available in most hotels and some cafes and bars, particularly in tourist areas. Speeds may be slow and you may have to pay. Popular tourist islands like Koh Phi Phi and Koh Samui have plentiful Wi-Fi, but if you’re going to somewhere more remote you may have trouble getting online.��

Mobile data is cheap in Thailand. To stay online (almost) all the time, just grab a prepaid SIM card for your phone or tablet.��

Using your phone in Vietnam

You should be able to get phone coverage in most areas of Vietnam using your Australian mobile phone, with the exception of remote and mountainous areas.

Local SIMs in Vietnam

Using a Vietnamese prepaid SIM card will get you local phone and data rates while you’re in the country, and it’s easy to set up as long as your phone is unlocked. Technically, all Vietnamese SIMs should be registered using a passport or ID, but you can buy pre-registered SIMs almost anywhere. Look for the sign ‘Bán SIM – Thẻ’ (‘Selling SIM card – mobile’) at kiosks, phone shops and at the airport, choose what kind of SIM you need – look at the amount of credit, the type of credit (phone calls/data) and the expiry date, and ask the shopkeeper to set it up on your phone for you. If you need more credit, buy a recharge card from any shop with the ‘Bán SIM’ sign.

MobiFone, Vinaphone and Viettel are the three main GSM phone companies in Vietnam, and they should all be compatible with Australian handsets.

Wi-Fi in Vietnam

Plenty of cafes and hotels offer free Wi-Fi in the cities and tourist areas. Hotspots include KFC, Lotteria, Jollibee, Pizza Hut and Gloria Jean’s, as well as local businesses. Wi-Fi will usually be locked, but if you’re a customer just ask staff for the password. Internet speeds and service can be patchy in some places, and at times the entire country experiences dropouts (which can happen providing internet to Vietnam!).

����Vlog tip: The Vietnamese government monitors online activity and restricts access to pornographic and political content as well as to social media sites, including Facebook. If you have trouble accessing social media sites, you can��. We don’t recommend you try to scale the firewall to access any more serious censored sites, though.

Using your phone in Japan

You should be able to use your Australian phone in Japan, although coverage might be patchy if you’re in remote areas, like skiing the mountains. You should also bear in mind phone etiquette in Japan: it’s best not to use or answer the phone in public places like trains and restaurants.

Local SIMs in Japan

It can be difficult to get a phone/voice SIM in Japan but there are no restrictions on buying prepaid data SIMs, so they’re a good workaround if you mainly just need access to the internet and you don’t mind making phone calls through VoIP apps (like Facebook Messenger, Skype, Whatsapp, Signal and more). You can buy prepaid SIMs at all the major airports.

Wi-Fi in Japan

Internet speeds are excellent in Japan (although not as good as some other Asian countries such as South Korea), but access doesn’t always come free.��

Your hotel should be able to give you Wi-Fi access (possibly at a price) and many hotels still offer free wired in-room internet, which can be handy if you have a laptop (BYO Ethernet cable).

Free public Wi-Fi isn’t as common as it might be in other countries, but it’s more prolific than it used to be. It can be found in airports, train stations, tourist information centres and certain convenience stores and coffee shops.

and apps can also help you track down free Wi-Fi.

If staying connected is very important to you, consider a USB modem or a portable Wi-Fi device. The best place to find one of these gadgets is on arrival at the airport. You can book online in advance and pick it up at the airport, or even have it delivered to your hotel if you’re arriving at a time when the airport store is closed.

Using your phone in China

Your Australian phone should get good coverage in most populated areas thanks to China’s extensive network.��

Local SIMs in China

A prepaid Chinese SIM card is a much cheaper option than paying global roaming rates on your Australian SIM.

There are three major telcos in China:

• China Telecom – but their SIMs don’t work with Australian phones as it uses the CDMA standard.
• China Mobile – has the widest coverage.
• China Unicom – the coverage is almost as good, and is reportedly compatible with most foreign phones.

You can buy SIM cards at Chinese airports, phone stores, or convenience stores. Ask the person selling you the SIM to help you set it up, as phone prompts may not be in English. Technically you should show your passport as ID, but they might not ask for it. Avoid buying SIM cards on the street as you may have trouble setting them up on your own or they may even be expired or invalid.

How to buy phone credit

You can top up your credit via the telco’s website (although they may not play well with some foreign credit cards), using vouchers from convenience or phone stores, or via WeChat or Alipay (again, these reportedly don’t play well with foreign cards).

Make sure you have plenty of credit. Not only can it be difficult to top up, but if you run out you may be blocked from receiving calls and your text messages could be deleted if they aren’t saved on your phone. Credit is relatively cheap so you may as well stock up with more than you need.

Most Chinese telcos will SMS you advertisements, most of which are in Chinese and are easily deleted. You may also get the occasional one-ring call from an unknown number. Don’t ring back – you’ll be charged an extremely high call rate.

Global roaming rates in Taiwan and Hong Kong

Your mainland Chinese SIM will charge global roaming rates if you use it in Taiwan or Hong Kong.

In the past, Chinese SIMs were regional and would charge roaming rates even if you travelled between provinces, but since 2017 charges have been brought into line – at least for mainland China.

China Mobile Hong Kong has which will work in both China and Hong Kong. The rates will be higher than a Chinese mainland SIM, but their website and phone service is in English.

Wi-Fi in China

You’ll find free Wi-Fi in most hotels and many western-style cafes across China, and always at Starbucks. In rural areas internet access may be harder to come by. Some Wi-Fi hotspots might ask for a Chinese phone number in order to register and activate.

Can you access Facebook and Gmail in China?

The Chinese government blocks or limits access to a huge array of online content, including pornography and political information, and some major sites such as Google (including Gmail), Wikipedia, Twitter and Facebook.

WeChat is the country’s main social media network, and since it does a lot more than just social media – news, money transfers, hailing taxis, restaurant bookings, takeaway orders and much more – it’s well worth downloading it to use while you’re there.

Just be aware that messages sent via WeChat (and other messaging platforms including text messages) may be monitored by the Chinese government. Don’t worry: you’d have to say something very inflammatory to attract their attention.

VPNs in China

Many people use virtual proxy servers (VPNs) to circumnavigate the ‘Great Firewall of China’. The Chinese government technically banned these in 2018, ordering internet service providers to block them, but plenty are still in use.

Most VPNs can’t be downloaded while in China so if you’re planning to use one, download it before you go. And do your research to make sure it will work once you’re there.

Are VPNs illegal in China?

Technically, yes. Plenty of westerners use them without falling foul of the law (the Chinese government is far more concerned about what its own citizens are doing), but if the thought of breaking the law makes you nervous, you’ll just have to live without your Gmail, Facebook and Twitter while in China.

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