Creating Your Own Budget Holiday Package

October 5, 2007 By

A lot of Brits enjoy a foreign holiday once a year. If it’s not just to escape the workplace and enjoy a bit of foreign culture, then we’re off to sunnier shores to work on our suntans or just to kick back and relax. It used to be the case that you’d get a travel agent to organise your foreign holidays for you, but now it’s becoming increasingly common to see travellers book from a wide range of options by using the internet. In fact, market research suggests that independent book it yourself holidays will see an increase of some 45 per cent in the next five years, while the traditional package holiday buying will see a continuing decrease of popularity. The primary reason for this change is because it’s ultimately cheaper to create your own package. You cut out the middle man of travel agent and thus lower your costs. Take a read of this article to see how to save by creating your own holiday package.

Bargain Flights

Before you think about anything else regarding your foreign holiday, then finding the right flights is a vital first step. There’s a wide range of companies on the internet that can provide you with cheap flights. For instance, the aptly named Cheap Flights provides comparison tables on the best deals available online. Sites like this mean searching for the best value products is much easier, because of comparison tables, but there other ways to dig up a bargain. Take a look at Travelzoo, and you’ll find a website dedicated to finding the best holiday deals and cheap flights from across the internet and pooling them in one place. Sometimes you can find especially amazing bargains if you’re prepared to take a gamble and book at the last minute through their weekly top 20 email. However, if steadfast planning is something that is essential to your holiday, then it’s probably best to stick to the latter option.

Cheap Accommodation

Once you’ve actually organised how to get to your destination, then you’ll need to consider where you’re going to stay. Just like for organising your flights, you should really take your time to surf around a few websites in order to find the best deal. Hotels.com is an obvious choice to begin with, as it is one of the most comprehensive hotel directories on the web, with lowest price guaranteed on over 30,000 hotels worldwide. However, it’s worth writing ‘hotels’ into Google and searching down, using the booking forms available on the various websites, and comparing prices. If you’re looking for more of a budget adventure, or perhaps a budget holiday package, then Hostelbookers.com is a recommended website for hostels. It’s got plenty of user generated feedback and reviews on its products, and it’s often important to know about other user’s experiences about accommodation that is slightly off the beaten track.

Useful Extras

You can just go away with your flights and accommodation booked, but it’s not exactly advisable. Firstly, it is highly recommended that you take out proper travel insurance out before you go away. A company like AA Travel can provide with cheap travel insurance, but it’s also important to shop around for the best deal. Take a look at a comparison site like Travel Supermarket, but there are plenty of other sites to provide you with extras. For instance, Holiday Extras is the biggest supplier of airport parking in the UK, while they supply plenty of other useful products. If you want to get car hire during your holiday, then Holiday Autos comes as recommended.

After you’ve booked some of these more vital things, it’s also worth taking a look at a website of the resort or city where you’re intending to stay. It must be mentioned, however, that not all resorts have their own website, and many of them are written by independent travellers. Lonely Planet is an excellent source for backpackers, otherwise just write the name into Google and see what comes up – you’re sure to get something out of it!

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