Free travel brochures from National Tourist Offices
Mar 20 '00
So, you are ready to hit Europe. I envy you already. Most people I know buy travel books to get useful information about the places they are going to visit. Fodor’s, Frommer’s, Eyewitness Guides, Let’s Go, my personal favorite--Lonely Planet, and many others are all excellent sources that cater to different kinds of travelers. One thing is common--they all cost money. If you are traveling to Europe or anywhere, you should invest in a travel guide. It’s worth it. However, there is another source of up-to-date information, which is worth looking into. And this source is FREE.
Though I haven’t checked EVERY European country, I’m confident that the vast majority has National Tourist Offices that offer free brochures with up-to-date information. And these free brochures are either a phone call or an Internet click away. While doing some research for this review, I came up with 3 examples--two most popular European destinations, and the third...well, not as popular but still worth visiting. Here we go...
1) Great Britain
By typing www.visitbritain.com you will get to the Official Home of the British Tourist Authority. The first question is: “Where are you traveling from?” When you check “USA,” you are directed to the USA Gateway to Great Britain page, specifically designed for American traveler. Here you’ll find all kinds of information, which you probably have in your travel book. Just order the free brochure. There are four kinds: Britain Vacation Planner 2000, Mature Travel, Student Travel, and Gay & Lesbian Travel. You can pick one or all four. You can either fill out the form online or call 1-800-462-2748. If you live in New York or Chicago, you can just stop by the office and pick one up. What I like about these free brochures is that they tell you the most updated information, with dates and times, on upcoming festivals, fairs, shows, etc. Also, when I ordered my Britain brochure before visiting London in 1998, I asked the office representative if she could throw in a map of the city along with other stuff. No problem. Once you get your package in the mail, you can sort out what to take with you and what you can read and leave at home. One thing you don’t want to do is to take several pounds worth of tourist information on your trip.
2) France.
Ah, the French. The website for the Official French Government Tourist Office in the U.S. is www.francetourism.com There are three offices--NY, LA, Chicago. I couldn’t find the phone number to call on the website, so I believe online ordering is the way to go. The brochure(s) encompasses a variety of interests, from entertainment to ballooning. Oh yeah, one thing that cracked me up--an advertisement from Auto Europe--“Save 30% on Mercedes Rentals”
3) Hungary
www.hungarytourism.hu--Hungarian Tourist Office. I like this site. The opening webpage features a field of red tulips. WELCOME TO HUNGARY. Last year before visiting Budapest I got a lot of useful stuff from this website, including a free map of Budapest. The only office in the United States is in New York. Order online or call (212) 355-0240. There are 7 different brochures currently available--Your Key to Hungary, The Danube Bend, Hungary-Balaton-Budapest map, Your Key to Budapest, etc.
So, I hope this gives you an idea of what kind of information you can get by ordering free brochures from tourist offices. Have a great trip!
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AlexG
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Alex has a voracious appetite for travel. Travel hasn't satisfied an appetite. It's created one.
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