TRAVELSTART NIGERIA AND UBER NIGERIA ANNOUNCE FLIGHT PARTNERSHIP WITH ‘UBERESCAPE’



Travelstart, Africa's leading Online Travel Agency has announced the launch of ‘UberEscape,' a collaboration between Travelstart and Uber to allow customers book flights through the Uber app. This announcement was made on the 24th of August 2018.

From September 10 – September 12, 2018, customers will be able to book their flights by simply opening their Uber app and clicking on ’UberEscape.' Customers will then be directed to the secure ’UberEscape' website where they can access exclusive flight deals to some of their favourite destinations. These flight deals are powered by Travelstart. The company is known for their Cheap flights to Dubai, London, New York, Johannesburg and more.

The journey to 'UberEscape' will kick off on August 27 with an exciting competition on social media titled "Snap & Share." During the competition, Uber riders will be asked “Where To?” Participants can pick from any flight route, snap a selfie and share it with Travelstart, UBER and their social media followers to win a trip to their dream travel destination. One lucky Uber rider will win two FREE Economy return flights tickets! The competition will end September 2, 2018.

Here is how it works:
From August 27th, select Uber cars will contain fill-in-the-blank “Where To?” signs.
Use the wipeable marker to fill in your dream destination in the “Where to?” section of the board
Snap a selfie with it and post on twitter or instagram using the hashtags #UberEscape #PoweredbyTravelstart
Make sure you tag @travelstartng, @ubernigeria and the person you will fly with
At the end of the week, 1 lucky winner will be randomly selected to receive TWO return flight tickets to their destination.



Speaking about the partnership, Commercial Manager, Travelstart Nigeria, Bukky Akomolafe said “We are excited to partner with Uber to make flight bookings even more accessible. With this partnership, customers will be able to book their flights as seamlessly as ordering their next ride via the Uber app.” This reinforces Travelstart’s promise of making flight bookings even simpler for Nigerians.

“We are constantly looking for new ways to excite and create value for our burgeoning customers, and we are thrilled to be collaborating with Travelstart through the launch of ‘UberEscape,’” says Margaret Banasko, Country Marketing Lead, Sub-Saharan Africa, Uber. ‘UberEscape’ allows Uber riders to book a flight to their next destination with just a click of a button.  “We are happy to be enabling even more options for their urban mobility needs” she added.



The terms and conditions for this competition are as follows:

Terms and Conditions:

1. Travelstart is responsible for the cost of the return flight tickets up to a value of ₦700,000. All other expenses (hotel, visa, transportation) are not included in the prize.
2. Travelstart reserves the right to select the airline to the winner’s selected destination.
3. This competition is promoted by Travelstart & Uber and is open to Nigerian residents, aged 18 and above that live in Lagos.
4. Employees or agencies of Travelstart Web Logistics Ltd ("Travelstart", "We"), Uber or their family members, or anyone else connected with the Competition may not enter.
5. The winner will be contacted via social media handle, mobile and/or email used to enter the Competition.
6. The winner must respond to the email within 24 hours to claim the prize.
7. Winner agrees to supply a photograph for publicity purposes.
8. Travelstart will attempt to contact the winners at least 3 (three) times, but if Travelstart is unable to contact the winners within 2 (two) days, such winner will forfeit his/her prize and Travelstart reserve the right to re-draw the prize.
9. The winner agrees to share photos/stories of their travel experience with Travelstart & Uber
10. Failure to comply will disqualify the entrant from winning, and a new winner will be picked. Entries close on 7 September 2018. The winner will be announced by 14 September 2018.
11. The winner may be announced in Travelstart & Uber’s newsletter, social media, print media etc.
12. By participating in this competition, you agree to all the Competition Rules set out above, without exception. Entry into the Competition is acceptance of these Terms and Conditions.
13. In the event of unforeseen circumstances or causes beyond our reasonable control, Travelstart & Uber reserves the right to cancel this Competition, or to change the rules at our discretion, or to change the number or nature of any of the prizes at any time without notice to you.

The Competition Prize Includes:

• Two free Economy class return tickets to the destination of the winner. 

• Booking dates are from 15 September – 20 November 2018 and 01 February – 15 June 2019.
• Booking must be made 3 months from the date of announcement.
• Once selected the destination and airline cannot be changed.
• Tickets are issued by Travelstart Office in Lagos, Nigeria.
• Tickets cannot be reimbursed, exchanged for monetary gains, transferred, renewed or extended
• Blackout dates, change fee, no-show fee, cancellation charges apply.
• Tickets are subject to the selected airline's terms and conditions.

For more information on ‘UberEscape’, please visit www.travelstart.com.ng/uber.





About Travelstart
Travelstart is Africa’s largest online travel agency, with headquarters in Cape Town and a local office in Lagos. Founded in Sweden, Travelstart opened its doors in 1999, as the brainchild of travel visionary Stephan Ekbergh. Nearly two decades, plenty of learning, growth and one African immigration later, today Travelstart proudly employs a team of more than 200 staff with offices in Nigeria, Egypt, Kenya, Tanzania, Turkey and other countries. Nigeria opened in 2012 and has grown to close to 50 staff. The company provides access to more than 500 airlines flying to more than 11,000 destinations. Travelstart Nigeria is the 2017 winner of the Best Blog at the Nigerian Tourism and Travel Awards. Book affordable  and Cheap flights now on www.travelstart.com.ng .

About UBER
Uber’s mission is to help people get a ride at the push of a button - everywhere and for everyone. We started in 2009 to solve a simple problem - how do you get a ride at the touch of a button? Eight years and over five billion trips later, we’ve started tackling an even greater challenge: reducing congestion and pollution in our cities by getting more people into fewer cars.

Uber is available in thirteen cities in Sub-Saharan Africa (Cape Town, Durban, Joburg, Pretoria, Port Elizabeth, Nairobi, Mombasa, Lagos, Abuja, Kampala, Accra, Kumasi and Dar es Salaam). Overall, the Uber network is available in over 600 cities in over 75 countries including spanning 6 continents. To request a ride, users must download the free application for Android, iPhone, Blackberry 7, or register for Uber at www.uber.com/go. For questions visit www.uber.com

Traveling is usually fun especially if one is visiting a new place or revisiting a favorite spot. Traveling can also be difficult with no planning or bad planning. So, before you take that trip, be sure to have adequately planned for it.

Firstly, one has to do a bit of research about the country of destination and also search for places of interest.

Secondly, you have to consider the expenses the trip would cost and make sure your budget has it covered.

Thirdly, one has to secure Cheap flights particularly if one is traveling outside the country. Therefore if you’re travelling to New York from Lagos, it would be in your best interest if you look out specifically for Cheap flights from Lagos to New York .
Assuming you’re traveling within the country and for a short period of time, it is highly advisable that you pack light.

Packing could be one of the most difficult activities prior to traveling and if not done properly could become a major problem.
This article is here to guide on minimal packing, packing wrongly could constitute a traveling hazards.  Below are some tips on how to pack light for traveling:

CHOOSE THE RIGHT TRAVELLING BAG
Choosing the right luggage is the first step. Remember you’re packing light and don’t want the extra baggage. I’d strongly recommend you use your Laptop backpack . Your laptop backpack can also act as a travelling bag. This is because it has several compartments and it can be easily carried around. It also helps you pack only the essentials. You can get affordable strong backpacks in Nigeria .I’d strongly recommend backpacks from Jansport; their products are affordable, strong and have lots of compartments that can contain several items. They also come in different sizes, colors and styles, so you can pick which backpack suits you best.
This is also very important especially as you’re packing light and can’t carry your wardrobe along. You have to choose clothes that you can comfortable walk around in and you can also convert into evening wears, this means that whatever you pick should be suitable for both day and night outings.
It should also be appropriate for cold or warm weather (Your research should include the weather condition of the place). You should also consider packing more clothes that doesn’t show stains, so you don’t look absolutely filthy before the end of your tour. Consciously choose clothes that folds up small, that is, you have to avoid clothes that are too bulky and may take up too much space in your backpack. Watch the video below on how to roll up your clothing efficiently to allow for more space.


PACK ONLY THE ESSENTIALS
The essence of packing light is to avoid carrying extra weight than is necessary. I highly recommend that you bring along only what is absolutely needed. If you’re staying at a hotel, there are basic things you’d be provided with and shouldn’t carry along on your journey. Things like towels, toothbrush, shower gel, shampoo and conditioners etc. you should instead focus on things you can’t absolutely do without, like your underwear, nightwear, body lotion etc.
Footwear is also very important but carry along only what is needed. Whatever you carry along should also be appropriate.


These are the basics of minimalist packing and I hope you find the tips I have compiled useful. If there is any essential tip I skipped or didn’t include, please do mention them in the comment section, I always love to hear your opinions and feedback. If you have more questions about travelling or travel blogging, don’t forget to send me a mail at olivia.sose@gmail.com and I’d definitely reply. Please do share this article with your friends.

Olivia Sose.

 Children are important members of the family and the society at large. Therefore it is no surprise that parents invests their time, resources and life to ensure that these little ones are brought up right and that they enjoy everything which can be comfortably provided within the means of their care takers.
The festive seasons are behind us but there are still more holidays to enjoy. There are several ways to make the holidays pleasurable for children and travelling tops the list.
These are numerous advantages of travelling with your kids, a few includes:

• Traveling exposes the child to new knowledge. What better way for a child to learn than to experience?  There’s always something new to learn on a trip, especially in areas like culture, religion, education etc. Travelling broadens the child perspective of the world.
• Traveling acts as a catalyst to unleashing a child’s adventurous spirit. Children are curious beings by nature, they always want to know and it is duty of the parents to teach rightly. The child when exposed to new information is instantly interested and yearns to know all; this is a chief form of learning which should be encouraged. It teaches the child to be bold, adventurous and fearless; which are all good attributes when channeled wisely.
• Traveling acts as a great form of relaxation for kids. Children also need to rest and unwind after an academic session, relaxing isn’t exclusive for adults. This also ensures that the child is adequately ready for the next academic session.

Having stated some reasons why travelling is more than a fun experience for kids, I’ve also compiled the best traveling advice for parents.
A lot of parents have complained about traveling with their kids, they consider it work and not fun but that shouldn’t be the case, both parents any their kids should have maximum fun when on a vacation. It shouldn’t be a bitter and tiring experience for either group.
Below is a compilation of the best advice when traveling with kids:

1. Do your homework

Carrying out a background research on your vacation spot is the foremost action any parent/guardian should take especially if it is a first visit. This ensures that important information is discovered and there’s no unpleasant surprise to uncover at arrival. It would be most helpful if the place makes special provisions or entertainment for children, as this makes the vacation fun for everyone. You should search for any reviews about the place, reading the feedback of others who have visited gives you an upper hand, as it helps you adequately prepare for your journey.

2. Be suitcase ready

Your suitcase is a crucial part of your travel. Packing the wrong outfits could ruin your entire vacation experience especially as you’d be travelling with your kids. This is why a background research of the place is important. You have to be armed with such information especially as pertaining to the weather condition or dress custom of the place. This helps you pack only the appropriate outfits to maintain maximum comfort and fun.
Although kids tend to smear their outfits more easily than adults, you can’t pack their whole wardrobes on a vacation; the key is moderation, pack just enough for the duration of time going to be spent, and carry only essentials along.

3. Be travel ready

It is always advisable to book your transportation tickets ahead of time. It doesn’t matter what medium of transportation is being used, if the option of reserving your tickets ahead of the day designated for your travel is available, then do that. This reduces the hassle of long ticket queues on the day of your travel. You can book your  Cheap flights or  Cheap flights to U. S. A

4. Be entertainment ready

During the long hours of travels and even during vacation, children can become restless and crave for attention; this could lead to self negligence as you wouldn’t enjoy your vacation as much as you want. This is why parents are advised to travel with some toys, books or provide some sort of entertainment for their kids. Every child is unique and so is what entertains them, some children can be left alone with their favorite show on a carton network and they wouldn’t budge from their seats; for other kids it could be an illustration book or a motion game. It is up to the parent to provide entertainment according to what catches and sustains the child’s attention.
It is also advisable, that if possible parents can bring their nanny or help along; as they could watch over the children while parents have an alone time. This way everyone’s vacation experience is fun.

5. Be health ready
It is vital that during any vacation, caretakers consciously take care of the health of their wards. Areas like their snack/food choice should be closely watched. Most children love sweets but too much snacking on sugar could cause running stomach and lead to diarrhea. Guardians should instead substitute these artificial sweets and chocolates with fruits and natural drinks/smoothies.
It is also important that any pill taken for a prior illness be carried along; don’t forget inhalers or any important medication presently been administered to the child.
Do not forget that a rest interval is necessary amidst all the activities lined of for the vacation. It is essential that children do not exhaust themselves by involvement in excessive playing and gaming. Regular napping should be included in the lineup of activities.

For more tips, watch this YouTube Video  from Travel Start Nigeria on how best to enjoy  travel with kids.

Have a happy vacation.
Olivia Sose.