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.
For more information about budget travel and cheap vacation
packages, visit
http://www.budgettravelinfo.com and
http://www.cheapvacationpackagesinfo.com
About the author:
David Chandler For your FREE Stock Market Trading Mini Course:
"What The Wall Street Hot Shots Won't Tell You!" go to:
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