Todays youth are tomorrow’s future. This fact is greatly realized by the corporate world and they seek to capitalize on it. We see various companies in all sectors offering special deals for students, from food, entertainment to student travel deals.
Students are able to get discounts for almost anything, from electrical items to fashion to financing; these discounts are more popular in the UK, as the NUS (national union of students) card is widely accepted throughout the country. The most popular and prevalent student discount is on student travel deals. These discounts are being offered by road, rail and air transport providers.
One reason for providing such discounts is that students commute more often and more regularly than ordinary individuals and are also on a limited budget. The government has a role to play in introducing such discounts to students. As the cost of living due to these discounts decreases, the prospect of education becomes more attractive and as the population becomes more educated, the country prospers in terms of economic growth and competitiveness.
Student travel should be encouraged is because travelling increases exposure, which increases experience and knowledge, all of which are important in self development. Travel should be encouraged since in a new place, individuals remember and absorb information faster and longer by experiencing it themselves; hence a cheaper travel deal encourages student travel tours. Travelling to other parts of the country or the world provides students the opportunity to explore different cultures, and increases cultural tolerance, which is greatly required in today’s stereotype driven world. Exploring different countries enables students to meet new people, to witness things they have never seen before and to explore their future opportunities. By gaining more knowledge of what is going on around the world, students would be able to find out what area they are interested in and build their life around that.
Why do companies willingly offer student travel discounts? Airlines, bus companies and most transit Companies offer students discounts because they are assured that the increased demand will more than offset the cost of offering the discount.
There are many companies that are dedicated specifically to student travellers and claim to offer new travel discounts suited to their needs. However, many companies do not openly advertise student travel deals and only provide information about it when prompted. It is always a good idea to ask any transport company if they offer any student discounts to avail and great offers that may be available. Apart from discounts on ticket prices, students are also eligible for travel discounts in items such as hotel rental fee, hostel rental fee and in restaurants.
Students should be wary when dealing with companies that offer student travel deals since just because a travel company offers a student travel deal, it doesn’t mean the deal is contains the lowest prices. It is important to explore ones options before opting for a deal because sometimes the offerings are good to look at and light on the pocket but horrific to experience. In addition to that, the prices quoted often do not include tax and the final ticket price is exceptionally high.
