Travel in Budget

David Chandler asked:


When traveling on a budget, one of the most often asked questions is whether it is best to travel independently, reserving your own airfare, hotel stay and sightseeing reservations, or choose a package tour where everything is set up for you in advance.

Unfortunately, there is no easy answer to this question. It is largely dependent on the location you have selected and dates of travel. For instance, travel to European destinations are often less costly to book on your own, especially when the airlines are running specials of European airfares in the off-season.

On the other hand, travel to many exotic locations, like Egypt, Morocco, Kenya, South Africa, Thailand, and India, are often much less expensive when booked through a vacation package company or travel agent. That is because these tour operators often have special deals with the national airlines of these companies, and with very nice resort hotels, to provide considerable discounts in exchange for a steady flow of business.

For instance, with a little bit of shopping, you can book a vacation package from New York to Egypt for a grand total of $1,100, including airfare, an excellent hotel, daily breakfast, airport transfers, and daily sightseeing tours, including guided tours of the pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx. This is far less than you would have paid if you had booked this trip independently.

Similar deals exist for other locations, notably India, China, and Taiwan. So be sure to check on the availability of these package deals when shopping for a budget travel deal.

Of course, some great deals can be had on your own as well, and this is often a great way to go, especially if you are a solo traveler. Solo travelers often have difficulty getting those great deals on package deals, since the required single supplement can often ruin the deal.

It is also important to find out exactly what is, and what is not included, in any package you are considering. Many package deals have optional excursions built in, and these extras can add considerable cost. Be sure to ask for a detailed daily itinerary to determine if you will be left on your own if you fail to take these optional. Also ask for a detailed list of these optional excursions, including full descriptions and prices, and then carefully compare the total price to what you could find on your own.

If you are traveling on your own, be sure to start shopping early, especially if you are traveling by air. The important thing to remember is that airlines allocate only so many seats for those advertised low fares, and if you fail to act quickly, you may be out of luck. It is important to book the airfare, and the hotel, as early as possible to ensure the lowest possible prices.

Ultimately, the decision of whether to choose a vacation package deal or independent travel is up to each individual traveler. It is important to carefully compare package prices with those for independent travel to the same location. It is also important to consider your own personal travel style. Some people are more comfortable with a packaged tour, particularly to an unfamiliar location, while others relish the freedom from schedules that independent travel provides.



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Stuart S. Travel asked:


 

The Internet gives you easy access to so much information that you can become overloaded. When traveling this is definitely the case. Friends and fellow travelers tell you to book your trip on line yourself – you’ll save hundreds of dollars. But is that really the case? Will you be able to access the best and lowest deals? Isn’t it quicker and cheaper to do it all yourself? Maybe – maybe not.

 

Beware the discount web site. Don’t book on the first deal you see. It may claim to be the lowest fare, but you won’t know until you look around and surfing the web for the best price may take quite a while and time is money.

 

Research of web sites stating they will give you best deal shows up many times as an incorrect claim. Many big travel web sites pay homage to their sponsors and advertisers, by showing their ‘deals’ only. In the airline industry, a number of small carriers are ignored and they may well offer the best deal for you, but you won’t know if their information isn’t displayed.

 

Prices of air flights differ wildly on the Internet. Try it and see. Go to a number of travel sites and look for fares to Sydney, Australia. See what you get. And this is what you need to do when booking your travel through the web. It might then be worthwhile to see what a travel agent can get for you. Yes they do have a booking fee imposed on your tickets but, did you know that many of the best budget deals are not available on the web? Specific web sites are only accessible to travel agents.  UNTIL NOW!  STUART S. TRAVEL is a full service on-line travel agency.

 

Remember that air fare prices change many, many times a day. It is going to be impossible to find the best deal. You need to be smart and organized and willing to spend a bit of time researching the best deal for you. Once you think you’ve found a great travel deal, remember to read the details to see if there are any restrictions. Will you be able to change your flight details? If so will it cost you? And how much? Those kinds of details. Things can change and your travel plans sometimes need to be flexible so make sure you know what it‘s going to cost you if you have to alter anything.

 

So if you are going to book your travel through the Internet remember these points: shop around and compare prices; be prepared to be flexible; ask questions; don’t believe everything you read on the websites; read the fine print; give yourself plenty of time to find the best deal and; if in doubt, don’t book it. 

 

If it all seems too confusing (which many web sites aim to be), go to your local on-line travel agent and see what deals they can do for you.

 

This article was provided by:

Stuart S. Travel / Your All World Travel Guru

http://www.stuartstravel.com sherry.hardsey@aol.com



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Paul Hata asked:


Many budget minded travelers like the safety, security and convenience that comes with booking a packaged or escorted tours.

These tours can be particularly useful for those traveling to an unfamiliar or exotic location, as well as for those who want to cover a lot of ground in a short period of time.

There are tour packages to every conceivable destination, and for every possible budget.

There are package tours that specialize in budget accommodations, and there are those that use only the finest hotels and the best restaurants. When looking for a suitable tour, it is important to take your own tastes and budgets into account.

There are several types of package tours available, and it is important to understand the difference, and to choose the type that best suits your interests, travel style and of course your budget as well.

Fully escorted tours

Fully escorted tours are generally the most all inclusive. In most cases, everything is included, from airfare and lodging to sightseeing and meals. In most fully escorted tours, the entire tour is tightly structured, and a full, highly detailed, itinerary is provided.

Many people like the structured and all inclusive nature of this kind of package tour, but they are not for everyone. Many independent minded travelers do not care for the rigid structure, or the fact that there is often not time to explore a particular destination more in depth. Many of these more independent minded travelers prefer the next category, the partially escorted tour.

Partially escorted tours

As the name implies, partially escorted tours are not as all inclusive as fully escorted ones.

These tours generally take care of transportation from one destination to another and lodging once you get there. Unlike fully escorted tours, however, these partially escorted tours generally provide more free time to explore on your own.

With most partially escorted tours, meals, other than maybe a few, are not included.

The tour often stops at a particular restaurant or eatery, but the meals are generally at the expense of the traveler.

Many travelers prefer the greater freedom this affords, while others prefer the all inclusive nature of the fully escorted tour. It is a choice each traveler must make for him or herself.

Many partially escorted tours also include optional excursions, and these excursions are also at the traveler’s expense.

It is important for anyone considering such a tour to get a list of optional excursions, including the price, and to review the itinerary for less costly alternatives that may be available.

Lodging and airfare tours

A package tour that includes only lodging and airfare is the least inclusive, least structured, and generally the least expensive, type of package tour available.

This type of package deal generally includes the airfare to your destination, transfer to the hotel, lodging for the length of the stay, and transfer back to the airport upon departure. In some cases a rental car may be included as well.

While these types of packages can be an excellent deal for the adventurous traveler, it is important to take into account the cost of meals, sightseeing tours, etc., and to compare that cost with the cost of a more inclusive package.

It is also important to pay close attention to the location of the hotel, and its proximity to the sights you plan to see. Many tour companies keep the costs of their packages low by using out of the way or unpopular hotels, so it is important to consult a map of your destination and find your hotel before booking the trip.

If you end up in a hotel that is far from the city center, you may end up spending lots of money on taxi far or rental cars. It is often better to upgrade to a hotel that is closer to town, even if that causes the cost of the package to rise.



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