Bon Voyage

I remember once waiting at the baggage counter in Bangkok airport at five in the morning, my apprehension increasing with every passing second. After an interminable wait, the realisation slowly dawned that my luggage had somehow gone missing. For much of the following days, till the airline managed to retrieve the luggage and deliver it to me, I was calculating losses. My emotions ranged from despondency, rage and a feeling of utter helplessness in a strange country. All wasted emotions, it seems in retrospect. If I had spent about Rs 1,000 on travel insurance, I could have saved myself considerable heartburn.

My case in fact was one of the less alarming situations a traveller can be faced with. Imagine losing your passport (a traveller's worst nightmare) or meeting with an accident and being hospitalised in an alien land. You would then truly be in a soup and that is where travel insurance comes in.

Whilst many countries, especially in Europe and America, have made travel insurance compulsory, it is a wise thing for every traveller to consider it even if he is going to a place where it is not mandatory. In our cover story this issue we look at the maturing of this concept in India, especially with the advent of private players, leaving one not at the mercy of government monopolies and with considerably more options. We tell you about the various players in the field and importantly what you, as a traveller, should consider before opting for a particular policy.

Among other features in this issue, we take you on a shopping tour of Paris in the GlobeTrot section while in the Spotlight section, there is a comprehensive lowdown on websites which make your travel smooth for just a click of the mouse. Plus there are the other usuals. Happy reading…

Madhavankutty Pillai
Chief Sub Editor,
feBusiness Traveller