If you are a senior, check with different groups such as AARP, 601 E St. NW, Washington, DC 20049 (tel. 888/687-2277; www.aarp.org), to see if you can get any discounts on hotels, airfares, and car rentals. AARP offers members a wide range of benefits, including AARP: The Magazine and a monthly newsletter, but the travel industry has changed many of the perks it once offered, so you may not find as many savings as in the past, but it is worth checking. They may be domestic offers only. Anyone over 50 can join for $12 a year.
Many reliable agencies and organizations target the 50-plus market. Elderhostel has become less of a bargain over the years, but they still maintain a good reputation (tel. 800/454-5768; www.elderhostel.org). It arranges study programs for those age 55 and over (and a spouse or companion of any age) in the U.S. and in more than 80 countries around the world. Most courses last 5 to 7 days in the U.S. (2-4 weeks abroad), and many include airfare, accommodations in university dormitories or modest inns, meals, and tuition. ElderTreks (tel. 800/741-7956 or tel. 0808-234-1714 from the United Kingdom; www.eldertreks.com) offers small-group tours to off-the-beaten-path or adventure-travel locations, restricted to travelers 50 and older. INTRAV (tel. 800/456-8100; www.intrav.com) is a high-end tour operator that caters to the mature, discerning traveler (not specifically seniors), with trips around the world that include trips down the Nile, polar expeditions, private-jet adventures, and excursion tours to South Africa, relieving you of having to make too many decisions, but if you are free-spirited, they may not be for you as they also curb your free time.
There are some recommended publications specifically targeting the needs of the older traveler. One such magazine with five issues a year for $14 is Travel 50 & Beyond (www.travel50andbeyond.com). Books about the travel industry need to be as current as possible to be of value, since change happens fast. Look at Travel Unlimited: Uncommon Adventures for the Mature Traveler (Avalon, 2000) for any possible tips, but since it is from 2000, it may be out of date; and Unbelievably Good Deals and Great Adventures That You Absolutely Can't Get Unless You're Over 50, 2007-2008. (McGraw-Hill), by Joann Rattner Heilman. There are older editions, so make sure you get this one in particular.
Seniors in Hungary do not usually qualify for a discount. When you see it on signs, it is usually reserved for Hungarians or if extended further to EU citizens. However, I always recommend asking. Some workers will not bother asking your country of origin and let you have the discount.
