Westerners will be chasing the sun abroad and hitting the highways and skyways for Christmas this festive season.
New research from the Association of British Travel Agents shows that almost a third of Britons will be travelling beyond the UK’s borders to warmer climates this year, while nearly 30% of Americans will travel over the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, according to a newly released study by travel website The Vacationer.
However, as much as Northern Hemisphere holidaymakers will be jetting off to exotic locales or road-tripping this winter, they will be cautious about spending. As PwC’s 2024 Holiday Outlook points out, while inflation has cooled this year, the “cumulative effect of price increases over recent years continues to influence spending patterns”.
The PwC report says many travellers are using reward redemptions for hotel and guesthouse bookings or choosing to stay with friends and family as costs are now at the forefront of their minds.
This need for smart spending has prompted global eSIM service provider KnowRoaming to launch its best-ever Global Unlimited eSIM plans for travellers who want high-speed data on demand.
Globetrotters can now choose a 3-Day Plan ($7.99), 5-Day Plan ($11.99), 10-Day Plan ($22.99) or 15-Day Plan ($34,99)to suit their itinerary. Each plan, which carries a massive 80% discount, includes 2GB of high-speed data daily and reduced speeds after reaching the daily limit.
eSIM technology has revolutionised connectivity by embedding a programmable SIM directly into devices, eliminating the need for physical SIM cards. Research by global data specialist Statista shows that almost 600 million eSIM smartphone connections worldwide were made in 2024—more than three times the number reported in 2022.
Once the global eSIM is downloaded, a traveller is set for life, as it can be activated and topped up at any time. KnowRoaming’s Global Unlimited eSIM plans offer seamless coverage, with multiple networks accessible in more than 140 destinations worldwide.
The plans, available on www.KnowRoaming.com and iOS and Android, can be purchased by downloading the app, selecting the plan that best suits the traveller’s trip length, and activating the technology at no extra cost.
Travel blogger and photographer Jodie Dewberry has been based in Portugal, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Australia, and Morocco this year alone. She has found that using eSIMS guarantee data coverage for her work.
“eSIMS are much more convenient than physical SIM cards. You can organise and download the app before you travel, so there’s no need to waste time on arrival. It also means you have instant access to data when you land at a new destination, which is sometimes when you need it the most,” Dewberry says.
Inma Gregorio, another travel blogger and content creator who has lived in Canada, the US, Germany, Portugal, France, Morocco and Hungary, says eSIMS are a “no-brainer” for anyone who relies on connectivity to work on the go. “They’ve been fantastic, especially in Europe. I can avoid the hassle of hunting down physical SIM cards in every new place, and there is zero downtime waiting for connectivity.”
