Latest news with #AlfieWatts
Daily Mirror
16-07-2025
- Daily Mirror
Brits are turning to clever travel hacks to maximise their holidays
A study of 2,000 adults found that on average they are utilising three hacks on a typical holiday - with two thirds getting tips from friends and family Nearly half of Brits fancy themselves as 'travel hackers', employing savvy strategies to get the most out of their holidays, according to a study commissioned by Virgin Red. The company joined forces with Race Across The World champion, Alfie Watts, to dish out some expert travel advice. The survey revealed that among the top tactics used by holidaymakers are booking flights on weekdays, bundling hotel and transport costs, and using loyalty points for upgrades. Other popular hacks include leveraging credit card loyalty programmes to accumulate points, timing purchases for optimal deals, and browsing for flights in incognito mode to keep prices low. Once the getaway is secured, travellers have more tricks up their sleeves, such as rolling clothes to maximise suitcase space, packing snacks to sidestep airport price hikes, and always having a portable charger at hand. Alfie Watts himself embarked on an epic journey across three continents in just 72 hours, all thanks to Virgin Red reward points. He said: "Travel doesn't have to break the bank, especially if you are using travel hacks and this trip proves it." Covering a staggering 9,000 miles, he secured accommodation using points that can be racked up through daily activities like shopping and commuting. These points can also be snagged when booking holidays, a trick nearly half of those surveyed regret not using on past trips. "It's not just about the flights – it's the little hacks that make a big difference," Alfie added. "I normally pack light to avoid pricey hold luggage fees and I also use an eSIM to stay connected without needing to switch out my physical SIM. "I learned from previous experience that sometimes a long-haul flight pays off when the cost of living at your destination is super low, which helps to balance out costs." He also mentioned that renting a car and seeking advice from locals provides him with the flexibility to venture beyond typical tourist hotspots. According to the study holidaymakers use an average of three money-saving tricks per trip, with two thirds receiving suggestions from relatives and mates. A quarter of those surveyed admitted that certain tricks had swayed their choice of destination. These included uncovering cheaper alternatives, spotting hidden gems and selecting places with simpler visa processes. Vicki Simpson from Virgin Red commented: "The research has shown that travellers are always keen to utilise hacks where possible. "Alfie's trip shows how far loyalty points can get you. Reward points give travellers the chance to fast track their travels while slowing their spending. "Whether it's a short weekend away or a once-in-a-lifetime adventure, these smarter ways to travel can undoubtedly make a difference."
Daily Mail
04-07-2025
- Daily Mail
Race Against the World winner reveals paradise destination tourists 'don't know about' - and it's only 50 minutes from a major destination
A former winner of BBC One's Race across the World has shared his latest adventure - to a paradise island that is still off the tourist map. Alfie Watts, who won the 2024 series of the hit travel show with his St Albans pal Owen Wood, posted shots of azure blue ocean and swaying palms from his latest adventure. He captioned one of the dreamy holiday images with the line: 'I cannot believe more people don't know about this place'. Watts, who ended his triumphant reality show run by reaching Lombok in Indonesia, was back in the South East Asian country that helped shoot him to fame this week. However, this time he was on an island that gets just 10,000 British visitors a year - small fry if you consider 17.8 million UK tourists make it to Spain. He'd landed on Bindan Island, which has been dubbed ' Asia 's best kept secret' by those who've discovered its charms. Sharing snaps of himself in traditional dress and jet-skiing around the island's coastline, Alfie gushed about his latest pitstop. The backpacker said: 'From sea turtle conservation to some of the cheapest jet skiing in the world, I genuinely cannot believe more people don't know about this incredible place!' He added that the island, which is just a 50-minute boat ride from international travel hub Singapore, 'should ABSOLUTELY be on your travel bucket list!' Although more than three times larger in size than Singapore, around 5.4 million fewer people reside on this island, with most of its 340,000 population centred around the capital, Tanjung Pinang. Over the last few years, Indonesia has been promoting Bintan as its next big tourist destination after Bali. The island has beautiful beaches for bathing and lush rainforests for trekking and its capital city is a lively metropolis to explore. Other attractions included the mangrove forests of the Sebung River, hiking in Gunung Bintan, where you can spot rare breeds such as silvered leaf monkeys. There's also the option to take a boat to Senggarang, a Chinese fishing village with houses on stilts, which is home to a 200-year-old Banyan tree (a popular pilgrimage site for Buddhists). Meanwhile Penyengat has old Dutch forts and palaces, and the Sultan of Riau's Grand Mosque. One of Alfie's photos showed him spending time at a desert themed glamping resort close to Lagoi on the island Tourists can swap Bali for Bintan, pictured, which has beautiful beaches for bathing and lush rainforests for trekking Back in April, Alfie revealed his two favourite countries to MailOnline - Jordan and Malaysia. The travel content creator said: 'I took my Nan to Petra because she'd wanted to see it for her whole life, so that was really nice, and the whole feeling around the trip was just really positive. 'The people in Jordan are just so friendly as well. And Malaysia is also a favourite, because it's just a cheap paradise. 'But my single favourite place in the world has to be Angel Falls in Venezuela. 'They're the tallest waterfall in the world, but they're completely off grid, and a nightmare to get to.' When it comes to his least favourite country, Alfie finds it hard to single one out, but he admits Cambodia was the country he 'disliked the most', having stopped there during Race Across the World. 'I just didn't get along with it at all,' he says. 'I found the people quite unfriendly, and Cambodia is in southeast Asia, which obviously means that it's surrounded by Thailand and Malaysia, which are so top that I just don't think it comes close. 'But a lot of people disagree, and love Cambodia, so I think I'm objectively wrong with this opinion!' Another place many people love, but Alfie found to be overrated is Sydney. He says: 'Yeah, it looks all right, but it's very expensive, and I just didn't catch the hype. I was really looking forward to it, and it was just a bit average. 'Everywhere felt like it was trying too hard, and the whole hipster thing was just coming across a bit too much. 'I do need to go back and explore more of Australia though, because Sydney is the only place I've been.'
Daily Mirror
21-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
'I won Race Across The World - one country surprised me because it was so cheap'
Alfie Watts, who won the BBC show, has shared his top travel tips for those looking to jet off to a new destination - and the country that he believes is the cheapest in the world As holidaymakers gear up for a sun-drenched getaway, the quest for budget-friendly escapes is heating up. With costs only increasing around the world, Brits have recently been making an effort to book holidays without breaking the bank. To lend a helping hand, globe-trotter Alfie Watts – famed as the youngest victor on Race Across the World in 2024 – has divulged his top tips for thrifty travel, along with revealing the country that blew his mind with its value for money. Chatting with eSIM travel specialists Airalo, Alfie pinpointed Uzbekistan as the most wallet-friendly destination he's discovered, admitting: "I was absolutely shocked by the affordability of Uzbekistan when I went there in March." His list of economical destinations didn't stop there, adding: "I also found Brazil and, of course, South East Asia extremely cheap from a cost of living perspective." For those wanting to explore without straying too far, Alfie suggested that Prague is currently Europe's best bet for a bargain, although he warned that prices are on the upswing. The seasoned traveller noted: "Prague is renowned for being cheap, but Europe is catching on to the tourism hype, as travellers are coming across Europe's hidden gems," reports the Express. "It can be difficult to find cheap places in Europe, as prices are rising due to tourism, so in some cases, it can be cheaper to travel to places further afield." Alfie suggests a daily budget of at least £40 to ensure you can "survive in any country" and still enjoy good food and vibes. If you're considering a package holiday, he recommends waiting until the last minute to book for the best deals, particularly if you're flexible about your destination. His final words of wisdom are to "never eat in city centres in big chain restaurants, never eat at the airport and never say yes to the first taxi that grabs you outside the terminal, as they're likely to take advantage of you and charge a higher fee."
The Irish Sun
07-05-2025
- The Irish Sun
Two bucket list trips cheaper than a holiday to Majorca, reveals winner of Race Across The World
RACE Across the World contestant Alfie Watts has advice for any keen travellers heading across the globe. The 22-year-old has been on the move since winning last year - and reveals that you can get to Brazil for less than going to Advertisement 4 Alfie Watts (left) won Race Across the World last year Credit: BBC 4 Alfie says if you weigh them up, Brazil can be cheaper than Majorca Credit: Alamy Alfie Watts won the 2024 series of Since winning the series and the £20,000 prize pot that comes with it, Alfie has backpacked to 78 of the 195 countries. And along the way, he's picked up some handy travel tips. Talking to Advertisement Read More on TV Travel He said: "You'll find that sometimes going long haul is actually better. Sure, flights to Thailand are £600-700, while Spain can sometimes be around £300. "But if you look at the price of accommodation in Thailand, it can be £20 a night for luxury, and you can get meals for £2. Owen and I spent less on a week in Brazil, all-in, than a week in Majorca - even though our flights were 750 quid." The cheapest month to fly from the UK to Brazil is usually in March. But you can get other good deals in February, November and October. Those months are also the best times to visit Brazil as it's summer where temperatures sit between 27C and 33C. Advertisement Most read in News Travel Breaking Another tip that Alfie has is not relying on a debit or credit card. He said to always exchange money at home and carry cash. ATMs abroad sometimes come with a fee to use a foreign card. Race Across the World Experience Comes to London 4 Depending on costing, South America can be cheaper than Spain Credit: Alamy During his series of Race Across the World, Alfie ventured from Japan to Indonesia. Advertisement Now that he gets to travel wherever he likes, Alfie is hoping to visit as many countries as possible. Two of his favourites are Alfie said: "I took my Nan to Petra because she'd wanted to see it for her whole life, so that was really nice, and the whole feeling around the trip was just really positive. The people in Jordan are just so friendly as well." He added that Malaysia is a "cheap paradise" but that his favourite place in the world is Angel Falls in Venezuela which are "completely off grid, and a nightmare to get to." Advertisement Fans of the show can now immerse themselves in a It has come to London this spring with tricky puzzles and no phones allowed. The game is a foot race across London where players will navigate around city landmarks to reach the checkpoints. Just like in the show, you'll have to find your bearings without modern technology - which means no mobile phones or maps. Advertisement There's no public transport allowed either and the adventure stretches across 3.1 miles. Here's And one 4 Alfie Watts says look at the overall holiday price because it can work out cheaper Credit: Studio Lambert Advertisement
The Sun
07-05-2025
- The Sun
Two bucket list trips cheaper than a holiday to Majorca, reveals winner of Race Across The World
RACE Across the World contestant Alfie Watts has advice for any keen travellers heading across the globe. The 22-year-old has been on the move since winning last year - and reveals that you can get to Brazil for less than going to Majorca. 4 Alfie Watts won the 2024 series of Race Across the World with his friend Owen Wood. Since winning the series and the £20,000 prize pot that comes with it, Alfie has backpacked to 78 of the 195 countries. And along the way, he's picked up some handy travel tips. Talking to MailOnline, Alfie advised travellers to compare the total price of holidays against each other, rather than just the price of flights and accommodation. He said: "You'll find that sometimes going long haul is actually better. Sure, flights to Thailand are £600-700, while Spain can sometimes be around £300. "But if you look at the price of accommodation in Thailand, it can be £20 a night for luxury, and you can get meals for £2. Owen and I spent less on a week in Brazil, all-in, than a week in Majorca - even though our flights were 750 quid." The cheapest month to fly from the UK to Brazil is usually in March. But you can get other good deals in February, November and October. Those months are also the best times to visit Brazil as it's summer where temperatures sit between 27C and 33C. Another tip that Alfie has is not relying on a debit or credit card. He said to always exchange money at home and carry cash. ATMs abroad sometimes come with a fee to use a foreign card. Race Across the World Experience Comes to London 4 During his series of Race Across the World, Alfie ventured from Japan to Indonesia. Now that he gets to travel wherever he likes, Alfie is hoping to visit as many countries as possible. Two of his favourites are Jordan and Malaysia. Alfie said: "I took my Nan to Petra because she'd wanted to see it for her whole life, so that was really nice, and the whole feeling around the trip was just really positive. The people in Jordan are just so friendly as well." He added that Malaysia is a "cheap paradise" but that his favourite place in the world is Angel Falls in Venezuela which are "completely off grid, and a nightmare to get to." Fans of the show can now immerse themselves in a Race Across the World experience. It has come to London this spring with tricky puzzles and no phones allowed. The game is a foot race across London where players will navigate around city landmarks to reach the checkpoints. Just like in the show, you'll have to find your bearings without modern technology - which means no mobile phones or maps. There's no public transport allowed either and the adventure stretches across 3.1 miles. Here's everything you need to know about the Race Across the World experience and how to play. And one Sun Travel writer went to Rio de Janeiro and found it to be one of the friendliest cities. 4
