your Holiday
A D V E R T I S I N G
F E A T U R E
Last-minute booking
Need a holiday but left it until the last minute? It’s not too late – here are our top tips for finding the best deals
Be open-minded
Even if your heart is set on one specific destination, don’t book until you have weighed up all your options. The more open-minded you are about destinations, the better chance you have of finding a cheaper holiday deal. Use a price comparison site like Skyscanner (www. skyscanner.ie) to see where the cheapest places to fly are at the moment. Or, visit the ITAA website (www.itaa.ie/offers), which is updated weekly with the best holiday offers. Make a list, do background research online on some destinations and see which one ticks the right boxes for you – even if it’s not the place you initially wanted to visit, you can still end up having the holiday of a lifetime!
Use a travel agent
Travel agents have access to charter flights and the ability to bulk buy accommodation,
which means they are likely to have great value packages, when direct options are sold out. This is particularly useful if you have children and have to book during peak time. Ann Davies, Abbey Travel (www.abbeytravel. ie), says: “Your travel agent can provide you with an overview of both the destination and accommodation before you book, so you know that you are booking the right holiday for you and your family. It’s also a secure way of booking – if your flight is cancelled or there’s some other unforeseen circumstance, we’ll always help out.”
Be flexible
Last year, British consumer group Which? highlighted the benefits of travel date flexibility. It found that families could save over €900 on a summer holiday by moving the day of departure away from a Saturday. For
example, the cost of a holiday in Mallorca for a family of four in August was €2,706 if they travelled on a Saturday morning. The same holiday leaving on a Thursday evening cost €1,716, meaning a saving of €990. Travelling midweek generally tends to be less expensive than at weekends.
Compare and consider
Many package holidays include transfers and checked baggage, which can save you a lot of money overall, particularly if your accommodation is a long distance from the airport. All-inclusive holidays may appear more expensive, but when you consider the food and drink included, it may be worth paying the extra money before you travel, as you will be paying for food anyway. If you see a cheap holiday deal, ask yourself what is included and compare the price with a package holiday
to the same destination.
Cater for yourself
Real savings can be made by renting holiday properties directly from the owners – you will get better value for money and a quirky place to stay too. Check out Airbnb.com for an impressive array of rentals. It has properties in 19,000 cities across 190 countries. Although nobody wants to spend a holiday washing pots and pans, having access to a kitchen can save you a fortune when you’re away. Simple breakfasts and lunches save you eating out and mean you can then treat yourself to evening meals. For great holiday offers, see
www.itaa.ie/offers