“Savvy” Aussies find new ways to afford their summer holiday.
With people concerned about the current credit crunch, rising fuel costs, increases in the costs of food, housing and transport, the weakening Aussie Dollar has led to holidaymakers becoming more ‘savvy’ when booking this year’s summer holiday, according to travel planning company Julie Warner Travel Plans Founder, Julie Warner.
With Aussies reluctant to give up their annual summer break, holidaymakers have been forced into finding new ways to stretch their dollars further. Due to the Global Financial Crisis, there has been a reported surge in requests for all inclusive deals, with shrewd travellers recognising the value of not having to pay over the odds for food and drink once in their resort.
“People have become savvy with regards to their holiday spending and are looking to control their budget more carefully. We’ve seen people looking to squeeze the value out of their holidays by looking at all inclusive deals and a wider range of destinations, such as Eastern Europe and South East Asia, South Pacific, domestic destinations and with larger numbers also planning independent itineraries Warner said.
Travellers these days have so many options available when planing and booking their getaways and this all adds up to tons of ways that money can be saved. For the really savvy traveller, if you have the time to invest in researching your destination and ways to get there and travel around after you have arrived then there are money saving opportunities everywhere.
How to cut the cost of your holiday in a few easy steps:
– Research on-line and at travel agencies, the prices do vary greatly and on-line is not always the most economical.
– Ask questions, think of all the ways your itinerary can be constructed, sometimes by changing the order of your itinerary this can result in a lower cost fare.
– Book off-peak and mid-week if possible. Generally Friday, Saturday and Sunday attract additional supplements. Try and travel outside the holiday and peak periods, even a few days either side of these can vary the price significantly.
– Transfers – now this is where you can really save some dollars. Instead of booking transfers through your travel agent, research other independent options available.
– Shop around for currency deals. If you are using traditional currency or travellers checks, it is important to look for the best rates. To find the best deal you should look for two things – the exchange rate on offer and the commission charged.
– Research your travel insurance! Firstly, shop around! A quick search on the internet will throw up several insurance comparison sites. Here, you can look for the cheapest deal that is just right for you. Get quotes from your existing insurers as they offer discounts for multiple policies.
Don’t buy your holiday essentials at the last minute! Make a list well in advance of all items you will require for your destinations. Purchase these products as they are on sale in the months leading up to your departure and place them all in the one place ready for your trip.
Pre purchase attraction tickets and travel passes. Research available tickets and passes to attractions you want to visit whilst on your trip. A quick search on the internet will show a number of sites that will offer these at discounted prices if bought in advance.
Travelling is seen as a luxury item when we are going through hard times financially and as something that the average person feels they can’t afford. It really doesn’t have to be such a big expense, there are many ways that a holiday can be constructed to be cost effective and family friendly, yes – even to international destinations!
For more information on ways to afford that important break away, contact: Julie at Julie Warner Travel Plans, Ph: 02 8850 4908 or go to www.juliewarnertravelplans.com
