Package Deals

The whole idea of booking a package deal is to get the best value for money. But how can you be sure that you are actually saving money on your package, over just purchasing each of the holiday items separately?

It can be a daunting prospect – calculating each separate item and comparing the deal. How do you know you’ve not missed something out?

Package Deals – Real Deals Or No Deal?

The first question you should ask your self is ‘Are package holidays really a better deal or not?’

The answer to this question will always be yes, and no. It really does depend on the deal itself, the type of holiday and who is offering the deal.

You see, so many times the deal is there in order to bring you, dear traveler, to the conclusion that you are saving money simply by spending your money with a particular travel agent.

That isn’t always the case. It could well be that the deal provider is banking on you not doing your homework. Very often, we don’t do just that because there are so many variables to take into account.

Last Minute Deals

Deals booked at the last minute are often where the price saving is had.

Package holiday deals are usually bought by travel companies well in advance. This gives them ample time to sell the packages to their clients.

The closer to the departure date you get, the higher the pressure the travel agency is under to get the deal sold.

You can make some serious savings if you are willing to book at the last minute and perhaps take a chance on a holiday destination that you hadn’t planned on visiting.

Talk To A Real Person

One of the main drawbacks with booking anything on the internet these days is that you have no negotiating power. The price you see is the price you get.

And have you noticed how your fight price always goes up when you return to you computer later to purchase it? Check out this Guardian UK article discussing just that.

Talking to a real person can open up many more possibilities.

It’s always best to pick up the phone or go to your travel agent directly and speak to them. You’ll have more leverage and access to much better deals.

Always Shop Around

Never take the first quote you get. Its always best to draw up a list of at least three options to choose from.

It may be difficult to compare like with like, as most deals won’t have all the same options.

You should at least get an idea of the range of prices that you can expect to pay.

When you’ve done this, go back to the offer that you like the most and ask if they can do anything about the price, or add some of the extras you found on other packages to sweeten the deal.

It’s always worth asking.

Double Check Your Deal

Once you’ve found a deal that you like, then you can do some simple checks yourself.

Make sure the flights are competitive.

Ring the accommodation directly and ask about their prices. Make sure that the quote you have on your deal really does save you money. Check the extras as well. What about the pool, meals, and other sundries?

If your package includes tickets to any attractions then look those up too.

Check on the social media sites for all of the above, as often great deals are only made available on there.

And Finally

Enjoy your holiday safe in the knowledge that you did your homework and got a great deal.