Posts Tagged ‘Package Holiday’

There is no question that the internet has revolutionised the way we purchase items in our everyday lives. Whether its gifts, clothes, the weekly food shop or even our flights and holidays, access to sites which help us compare prices, view items in 3D, or read reviews from other purchasers of the same item, really makes us wonder what we did before this virtual, ‘we-can’t-live-without’ mechanic.

With all this information available at the click of a button, it is no surprise that more than half of all active internet users are booking holidays through the internet. In fact, 55 per cent of internet users are booking holidays online, while 7 per cent still book on the high street with travel agents. Meanwhile, what was once the prime source of cheap and immediate holidays – Teletext – sees only 1 per cent of people actually utilise this service now.

So is this the death of the travel agent? Well, in this world there are still those who like to dabble in the internet, and making purchases online is still not their preferred method of shopping.

Most internet users search for accommodation online, purely due to the huge amount of choice available, and take that information back to the travel agent to book via a ‘human’. These people sum up the surfers who are still not quite into making large purchasers online but will freely use it for information. Although this works in reverse also, as some users will take the recommendation from brochures in store, but find a cheaper price on-line, and then book through the internet.

Whichever method you choose to book, there are guides on the internet to help you purchase a flight, or package holiday online. There are top tips for travelling, holiday guides by previous travellers, and even specific advice for travellers going abroad with children and babies, or for those in wheelchairs. The internet can tell you what vaccinations you require for specific holiday destinations, and when you need them. Some sites can even send you email reminders to make sure you don‘t forget!

Without the ‘human’ travel agent to ask an exhaustive list of questions about booking currency in advance, or arranging travel insurance, these are some of the things, and more to consider yourself and make sure they are booked and arranged.

So, to book on-line, all you need is a notepad and pen, some recommended sites from family and friends, a little patience and your credit card; because once you’ve booked your first holiday on-line, you’ll never go back to the high street again.

Package holidays make booking a holiday easier as the different parts of the holiday are packaged together so you pay just one price to one company. The flight and accommodation will be organised by the tour operator and sometimes includes additional services such activities and car hire.

The package holiday business has certainly matured into a very competitive market with the big tour operators competing to get consumers money, the main sector being family package holidays.

There is an array of package holidays to choose from in addition to family holidays like skiing, safaris or cruise package holidays which vary depending on the options and standard that you want. Tour operators offer the same destinations for package holidays, popular destinations include Spain, Greece and Cyprus for family holidays, as flight or accommodation only holidays, the hassle of paying different companies and making the arrangements is avoided.

There are a number of outlets to find package holidays. The traditional method would be to go to your local high street holiday travel agent. However more and more people are using the internet to find their summer holidays. The obvious benefit to searching on the web is you can research your holiday, the destinations and read reviews of other holidaymakers in your own time.

Always look out for the Air Travel Organisers’ Licensing (ATOL) protected sign before booking your holiday. This means should something happen to the provider then ATOL will offer financial protection so you have peace of mind that your are booking with a reputable company.

Once you have decided where you want to go there are many comparison sites that will search the package holiday market to find you the best deal. Many even have the option to let you book travel insurance through them, letting you tick another item off your list.

Package holidays take all the hassle out of making the arrangements for your holiday as well as offering additional services so you can make the most of your holiday like excursions so you can experience the local cultures and traditions. This means you can concentrate on enjoying your holiday. All you’ll need to do is make sure you have your passports and pack your bags – remember the sun cream!

Anybody who has booked a big holiday will know how stressful the process can be. From arranging time off work alongside finding flights and a hotel that are available during the period you are off work, the entire process can last for hours and prove to be a hair-pulling experience.

This is just one of the reasons that so many people choose all inclusive holidays. With just one booking to be made, your flights, hotel, transfers and often food, drink and recreation will all be arranged for you. However, many people still shy away from all inclusive holidays because they believe that these packages are more expensive than making your own arrangements. This is not the case.

Although it’s true that, for many, the amount quoted for an all-inclusive package holiday is steep, if you take a moment to do the sums you could be in for a surprise. The packages you look at will detail exactly what they include and, often, this is fantastic value when compared to what you would be getting if you made arrangements for yourself. It’s easy to forget how much the cost of food and drink adds up to while we’re on holiday – not to mention the irresistible temptation to go all out on expensive meals and bars because of the well-known notion that anything we spend on holiday doesn’t count!

What’s more, many all inclusive holidays include trips and activities as part of the deal, which in many cases is another massive saving as the travel company makes the most of group discounts and pass these offers onto its customers.

So not only do you get your flights and hotel sorted out, but you won’t have to worry about paying for food or drink or organising activities – meaning your holiday will be focussed on relaxation and nothing else. You’ll also find all inclusive package holidays catered to certain tastes – like African adventure holidays, Peruvian mountain treks or Costa Rican beach getaways – so you’ll always be able to find one to suit exactly what you’re looking for.

Booking holidays is a stressful experience when you’ve got to do everything by yourself, and even the trip away itself can cause anxiety when money is an issue that we constantly worry about. That’s why all inclusive holidays are such a good idea for many people looking for a stress-free, inexpensive trip away. Just one booking takes care of it all – a welcomed stress-free alternative to the normal holiday booking rituals.

The recession has hit the travel industry hard. This has been seen with the large amount of job losses in the sector, and even with the collapse of several airlines. The pattern has been repeated across Europe and there have been fears among industry analysts that the economic downturn will put people off their holidays altogether.

Fortunately it appears that, despite the straitened circumstances, UK citizens are not prepared to forgo their holidays. A significant amount of research and industry feedback has indicated that British travellers are altering their holiday habits, rather than cancel the holidays themselves.

At the close of 2009, leading travel companies Thomson and First Choice revealed that online polling had found that a massive 80 per cent of people were committed to their holidays and were planning to book their break – or breaks – as normal during 2010. The same number of respondents said that they were refusing to let the economic downturn alter their holiday plans.

The encouraging results were part of the 2009 Thomson and First Choice annual trends report, which also revealed that nearly half of all respondents would not be cutting the budgets for their holidays and 24 per cent said that they planned to spend more. Nevertheless, the recession was not without impact, as the survey revealed that many people are changing the way that they view their holidays.

Thomson and First Choice found that 6 per cent of respondents who had changed their holiday plans last year had booked a package holiday to ensure that they were covered by ATOL’s provisions in the event of their company going bust. At least they would get flown home, went the logic. This concern has remained, with 13 per cent admitting to making the same arrangement for their holidays this year.

Another way that UK holiday habits have changed in the face of the recession – alongside the growth of internet technology – is that the way in which many people book their holidays has changed. There has been a substantial increase in the number of holidays which are booked on the Internet using price comparison websites and the sites of smaller, independent holiday companies.

Holidaymakers don’t only do this to save money. The growth of tailor-made holidays booked at home is also in part due to the increased confidence that consumers feel about taking matters into their own hands and getting onto the Internet.