For Budget Travel's 10th-anniversary issue back in 2008, we polled our readers about their picks for the 10 Best Travel Innovations of the past decade (give or take). Surprisingly, the roller bag emerged as the winner.
As this decade wraps up, it only seems fitting for me to share my own Top 5 picks.
5. The roller bag -- it's hard to believe that the wheelie only became popular in the last decade or so. Companies like Samsonite, Eagle Creek, and Timbuk2 are constantly improving their lines: the latest lightweight options are easier to handle, and the Rollerblade-like wheels glide silently.
4. Google -- From Google Maps to Street View, you can suss out the neighborhood where your hotel or vacation rental is located before committing.
3. User-generated reviews -- TripAdvisor heralded an era where every opinion counts, if you don't mind wading through every gripe and every superlative: is it really the best? You be the judge, and then tell everyone about it.
2. Digital cameras -- I once only shot film; those days are over. Now you can pick up an entry-level digital SLR like the Nikon D3000 for about $600, which is the same that I paid for the Nikon Coolpix S4 point-and-shoot back in 2006.
1. Cell phones/smartphones -- Remember the days of buying prepaid calling cards, or being punctual? If you said you'd meet someone outside the Louvre at 2 p.m., you had to be there. Now you can call or text if you're running behind, which frees you up to embrace spontaneity just a little more: "I know we said the Louvre, but I just stumbled on the cutest cafe. Meet me here instead?" The iPhone alone has revolutionized the way we travel. As long as I can connect to GPS and Yelp reviews, I can show up in a new city with very little advance planning. And then I can tell everyone about my discoveries along the way.
Here's to another decade of innovation!
Photo: Nikon
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