Cheap Holiday Package

Log on to the Internet and you will find numerous offers for holiday packages, be it small weekend getaways, luxurious holidays or budget holiday packages. Find out how to locate a cheap holiday package. Pick up tips on looking for holiday packages that can promise you a wonderful holiday, sans the bother of reservations, bookings, transportation et al.

Holiday package

Tour operators offer package tours that include transport and lodging. Apart from these, additional facilities such as car rentals, sight seeing and other activities may be included at an extra cost. The package tour is organized by a tour operator and sold by a travel agent to the consumers. The first ever package holiday was introduced by Vladimir Raitz of Horizon holiday group, in the year 1950 between Gatwick airport and Corsica.

Benefits of package holidays

Savings: The key to a holiday package is the saving for the consumer. Tour operators make use of bulk bookings from hotels, and are able to get good deals for food, sight seeing tours, transportation and any other services. They pass on a part of the saving to the consumer thus giving the consumer the benefit of a cheaper travel itinerary.

Tension free holiday: Choosing a tour operator to do most of the planning for the holiday saves you time and hassle. You might be traveling to the holiday spot for the first time and have no idea of the place.

Peak season travel no hassle: If you choose to travel during the peak season, there are little chances of securing accommodation and travel tickets. Opting for a holiday package would make it easier to travel in such a situation.

Budget planning in advance: If you choose a holiday package through tour operator, you can plan your budget for the trip. In fact you can choose your holiday package based on your budget.

Advice on the right things to do: A tour operator offering the holiday package can give better information and suggestions. He can give you a wide variety of options to choose from depending on the type of holiday you have in mind.

What to look for in holiday package?

Tours offered: Tours usually comprise a group of people traveling together to the chosen destination on a pre-planned itinerary. Accommodation and transportation of any form, sightseeing and meals are usually covered in the package itself. A guide or a qualified tour administrator will accompany the group. Often there is a choice for individuals to travel by themselves and choose the required services for themselves as per their budget.

Type of accommodation: The accommodation offered in the holiday package must be the kind you have decided. For e.g. if it is a holiday package to a beach, the traveler can choose from ocean facing or inland facing rooms.

Flight details: The cost of air travel and the point from where the package begins and terminates has to be clear. The traveler has to be advised on the baggage allowance too.

Local transportation: Details on the mode of travel at the tour destination and transportation that is part of the package has to be given to the traveler.

Meals: The holiday package tour operator has to brief the traveler on how many meals are offered in the package. Type of food and any special preferences need to be specified and may cost extra.

Documents for the traveler: Ensure that the tour operator gives all related vouchers for sightseeing, accommodation and other services he has promised for. By exchanging these vouchers you will be permitted to use promised services by the tour operator.

Services: Check for all the services that will be provided at the tour destination from sight seeing guides to local host to drivers to porterage has to be clearly mentioned by the package tour operator.

Insurance: Ask for trip cancellation insurance and tour protection insurance from your package tour operator. The former assures you of the refund you are eligible for, for the payment you have made in advance for the tour if you cancel the trip. The latter makes certain you get your money back in case the tour operator goes bankrupt.

Tips to choose the right holiday package

• The first and foremost step to choosing a right holiday package is to select the right travel agent, who can offer the best holiday package for you. The tour operator must be well equipped to handle all the details from visa and transportation to travel insurance and hotel bookings. Beware of any hidden costs.
  
  
• Before you reach the package tour office, decide on the type of vacation you are looking for and what exactly you need from your holiday. For e.g. skiing holiday, beach holidays, luxury holiday.
  
  
• Communicate all your plans to the holiday package operator and ensure that everything he promises to provide you for your holiday is put in writing. Check on his service backup. In case you encounter a problem while on the holiday package, he should be there to help you out.
  
  
• When you choose a tour operator/travel agent for your holiday package, ensure his credibility and expertise to organize such tours. Verify his credentials and success at packages to holiday destinations. Check on the hotels and airlines and transport companies he has tied up with.
  
  
• Be sure that your holiday package agent is flexible enough and adds value to every penny you are spending.