When Jules Verne went around the world in 80 days it was perceived as an astonishing feat. Nowadays you could get round the world three times in 80 hours; days aren’t even in the question. The world is a much smaller place, and there are holiday destinations now that most people hadn’t even heard of a decade ago.

At any rate, two forces have driven this change in holiday locations, behaviour and pricing. It’s no longer a case of travel agents who have magical links with the other side of the world and can whisk you away for a fairly sizeable chunk of cash. Holidaying is now down to the individual, every aspect is open to individual choice.

The first of these forces is the budget airlines. You can get just about anywhere in Europe – or anywhere that would be considered short-haul – for less money than it costs to get a train from London to Edinburgh. That means that an entire continent lies at the fingertips of anyone who wants to book a flight and then get out there and see what it’s like. People can pick where they want to go and the list is really limitless.

Second of these forces, and by far the more powerful one, is the Internet. The world-wide web has changed the world, and its impact can be felt as keenly in tourism as it can be felt anywhere else. Firstly, when it comes down to picking flights you can compare budget airlines for value and then choose where you want to go – a swift search for flights to Australia might for instance lead you to cheapflights.com, where you be able to effortlessly survey a selection of the most affordable flights on the market. From there it’s just a few quick mouse clicks to booking a flight to the other side of the world.

After this you have those small details like accommodation and what you’re going to do when you get there. Every country has a tourist board and most cities have dedicated tourist websites detailing things that you can do, as well as the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites and there’s always the wonder of Wikipedia. Taken even further the vast majority of hotels have their own websites, and a fair number of hostels and other types of accommodation too.

Travel insurance is a small but necessary element of your holiday and certainly the type of thing that you will certainly miss if you don’t have it. With the Internet you can get a base figure for what you should be expecting, or even get your policy there and then, though it is recommended that you actually talk to a person and make sure that you have been filled in on all the little technicalities and terms and conditions that come with the policy.

From a weekend in Paris, or a fortnight in Macedonia, the world is literally at the fingertips of anyone with an Internet connection: the possibilities are endless.

If you are planning on Holiday travel this year, using the advice provided by this website could make travel more enjoyable and affordable. Have you always wanted to have a Tropical Christmas, or celebrate on the snow covered mountains of some far off range? With all the good advice contained in “The Twin Holiday Gods” you can plan the perfect holiday for your family. Just don’t forget the Santa costumes, presents and a few decorations to make the Holiday complete!