CD Traveller » First Choice

The best holiday money saving tips for the year ahead

Editor — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:00:53 +0000

As we battle Britain’s big freeze,it’s inevitable that our thoughts will turn to booking that dream summer holiday. However, with most of us still paying the bills from the festive period it’s important to be savvy with your holiday budget.

In fact recent research by First Choice, conducted with the Centre of Economic and Business Research (CEBR), shows that more than half of holidaymakers overspent on holiday last year, costing consumers £403m in total.

So to help you make the most of your hard-earned cash here, are 25 top holiday moneysaving tips for before you go, when you’re there and when you get back home. Happy saving!

Before you go

1. The early bird
For families who want to book in advance make sure you’re browsing up to 11 months ahead of when you want to go. This is when flights are typically first released by airlines so there will be plenty of cheaper seats available.

2. Time on your side
If you can avoid flying on Fridays or Saturdays as these tend to be the busiest and most expensive times. If you fly on a weekday you can save a lot of money, so make sure you shop around before booking.

3. Sign up for special offers by email or Twitter
Almost every company in the travel industry will have some special offers that they email or tweet out to subscribers. Sign up to a few providers that you know and like and keep checking what they’ve got on offer.

4. Book airport car parking in advance
If you require parking at airports such as Heathrow then it pays to look online, check the best deals and book in advance. You could save up to 60% on parking charges this way. It also means that you’ll have less to worry about on the day you travel and you won’t be stung by exorbitant parking fees at the airport.

5. Learn to haggle for your hotel
Don’t just accept the first price you’re quoted. Check online for availability and then check again a week or two later. If they still have availability then chances are they’ll want to get rid of those spare rooms and will be more open to you haggling the price. Make sure you have a few options in case they sell out!

6. Check the latest exchange rates
If you’re flexible as to where you travel then it’s definitely worth keeping an eye on the value of the pound. It fluctuates constantly and, with some clever research, you could end up in a country where your money stretches much further.

7. Plan ahead and shop around for travel money
If you leave holiday money until the last minute then you’ll be exchanging into foreign currency at the airport bureau which will always cost more so make sure you shop around. Whether you go to your bank, the post office or a bureau de change be wary of ‘commission free’ offers because the money will be recouped somewhere along the line. Generally in you being offered a worse exchange rate!

8. Check baggage allowances
Make sure you don’t miss hidden baggage charges. You may think you’re getting a great deal by opting for the cheapest flight but once all the extra charges add up it might not be such a great deal after all. If you are going on a golf or ski holiday, for example, and are taking your own equipment then airline charges will differ. Check these golf and ski baggage allowances as an example of how you could save money.

9. What insurance do you really need?
If you book your holiday by credit card then make sure you check if your card provider will cover you abroad automatically for doing so. You don’t want to spend unnecessary money on insurance if you’re already covered! If you’re not already covered then you might want to look into joint travel insurance if you’re in a couple. It tends to work out cheaper in much the same way as it does for two named drivers on a car insurance policy. If you’re travelling in Europe then you’ll want to get a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) which can be used to cover any necessary medical treatment due to accident or illness within the European Economic Area (EEA).

10. Check your passport
Many people get caught out by not checking their passport well in advance. If it’s expired then you’ll need to pay far more to rush your renewal application through at the last minute. Currently a normal renewal costs £77.50 but the one-day premium service is £129.50 – a £52 price hike that’s easily avoided.

11. Take your own lunch
If you’re flying with a low-cost airline where food isn’t included with the price of your ticket then you’ll have to pay inflated fees for a pretty basic sandwich and a drink onboard. It’s worth remembering that while liquid can’t go through security food can, so why not take your own? You’ll make something far nicer and start your holiday with a great saving.

12. Check your mobile phone use
Call and text charges abroad, both sending and receiving, can be monstrously high abroad. Many phone companies offer bundles that you can purchase before you go away or you could keep your phone purely for emergencies. You are on holiday after all!

13. Play your cards right
Do you know how much your card provider charges for using it abroad? It can be quite a significant amount per transaction so make sure you’re aware of what you’ll be paying for each transaction and try not to make too many withdrawals.

When you’re there

14. Set a budget for each day
None of us want to be penny pinching when we’re on holiday but setting a budget for each day is simple common sense and will ensure that costs don’t escalate out of control. Make it realistic and not only will you avoid overspending but the treats you enjoy will be all the better for it!

15. When in Rome
The big tourist areas in any given town or city are easy to find and so we often flock there in great numbers. However, restaurants and bars in the area raise their prices to capitalise. Why not seek out the places the locals go? They’ll be cheaper and generally better quality plus you’ll experience what your destination is really like.

16. Perfect the art of haggling
In Britain we struggle to haggle as it’s just not in our DNA. However, in some countries it’s rude not to and can make a holiday purchase much more fun. Make sure you do you research on where and when it’s appropriate though as you don’t want to cause offence or pay over the odds.

17. Carry a bottle of drink around with you
Especially if you’re in a hot country it’s important to keep yourself hydrated. Avoid spending more than you need to on drinks from cafes and bars by buying a bottle of water at the start of the day and sipping from it regularly as you see the sites. Investing in a good water bottle carrier will ensure that this doesn’t weigh you down.

18. Look for special discount tickets
Many towns and cities have special deals on public transport where you can buy a discounted book of tickets for the underground in advance rather than one at a time. If you know you’re going to use public transport a lot this can be really useful. Also keep an eye in your hotel lobby or ask your tour operator for any discounted tickets for the main attractions.

19. The best laid plans
Not everyone will want to plan out their day in its entirety but if you want to save money it’s easy to save on travel if you know where you want to go in advance. It will mean you don’t have to spend money on buses, cabs or petrol constantly backtracking to your hotel or things you’ve missed along the way.

Back home
20. Ditch the car
Not possible for everyone of course but if you can walk or cycle to work when you get back from holiday rather than drive or take the bus you’ll save money and burn off some of those holiday calories!

21. Embrace the potluck dinner
Hopefully you’ve had a great holiday and your friends will be longing to hear your traveller’s tales. Instead of going out on the town invite them round for a ‘pot luck’ dinner where each person brings a different dish for everyone else to try.

22. What’s down the back of the sofa?
Ok, don’t literally look down the back of your sofa (unless you really want to) but do check your wallet for any unused gift vouchers, or any loyalty cards you have for unused loyalty points that could shave welcome pennies off your shopping bill when you need it most.

23. Cut the coffee
This will be a challenge as you may well feel the urge for caffeine to help you get back into the swing of things but try to avoid popping out for a cappuccino or latte if you can. An average coffee will work out at about £3, if you have 5 of those a week then you’ll spend £15 which is £60 a month! A pretty significant (and relatively easy) saving to make when you’re back home.

24. I’ve lost interest
You’ve paid for your dream holiday on the credit card and you don’t want to think about it when you get back. We’ve all been there. However the sooner you pay it off the less you’ll pay in interest charges so work out how much you can realistically pay back each month as soon as you get back and stick to it.

25. Supply and demand
Every destination has its own unique trinkets or goods that can be bought cheaper than back home. You could exploit this to your advantage by bringing some back with you to sell when you get home via eBay for example or you could use them as unique birthday or Christmas gifts. Of course this depends on the space in your suitcase!

For more information please contact Stephen Baker at stephen@propellernet.co.uk or on 01273 760 988

Catching a bargain

adrian — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 10:51:25 +0000

No, not on clothes or beds or sofas. I’m talking about the holiday sales. There are now sales on flights by British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and American Airlines. And there is the Ryanair £9.99 sale that seems always to be on!
TUI (owners of Thomson and First Choice) also has a sale which guarantees a 10% discount when you book Thomson online and £200 on Thomson summer holidays departing from London. First Choice has a similar sale to Thomson but also has deals on remaining winter holidays with up to £300 off. Its upmarket brand, Hayes & Jarvis has discounts of up to £1,500 per couple
Disneyland Paris is offering 30% discounts and Thomas Cook is saying it has 25% off cruises and up to £400 off summer holidays. The same applies to the Airtours and Direct Holidays brands of Thomas Cook as well. Trailfinders also have a cruise sale as does P&O which is promoting its 175th anniversary sale.
Virgin Holidays says that it is offering £200 off holidays booked to Florida in the school holidays and says on others you can save up to 40%. Onthebeach.com has deals with up to 50% off if you book by the end of the year and Cosmos is saying it will give free room upgrades.
Jet2 Holidays is offering an extra £100 off per booking whilst Balkan Holidays has deals of up to £320 per couple for the summer. Travel Republic has discounts of up to 35% and The Co-operative Travel is also majoring on a £400 discount. Shearings has an early booking offer whilst James Villa Holidays is only giving free travel insurance and car hire. Butlins are offering a third off in school holidays and Warner Hotels have a sale until the end of January.
You could almost say who isn’t having one. This is a crucial time for the industry and instead of the free child offers and upgrades that used to be the mainstay of the post-Christmas booking frenzy, tour operators and travel agents are working harder than ever to persuade you to book and buy now. A sure sign of how successful they have been will be how long the sales last. And how big the discounts grow!

Summer 2012 holidays to cost more

Editor — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 09:51:09 +0000

First Choice and Thomson holidaymakers are to pay more for their vacations next year, owing to the rising costs of fuel and accommodation.

“We anticipate that in the UK, cost inflation will be just over five percent for summer 2012 and our prices are designed to recover these input costs in this competitive market” said the statement.

Given that the five percent increase is way ahead of rises in incomes, coupled with the fact that we’re all facing big increases in public transport fares in addition to everyday essential bills and the message is this: many of us face being priced out of a foreign holiday next year.

Our advice? Best make the most of the extraordinary weather this weekend – a welcome compensation, in light of the gloomy news, and following what has been a damp squib of a summer.

All-Inclusive Holidays

Editor — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 07:05:41 +0000

All inclusive holidays

The announcement by the TUI group that, from next year, its First Choice brand would only sell all-inclusive holidays tells us a lot about the way overseas holidays are being seen by us, the holidaymaker. Why has TUI taken this decision? They say that, over the last 5 years, the demand for all-inclusive holidays has jumped by a third and that about two thirds of all holidays sold under the First Choice name will be all-inclusive holidays.

In many ways it is easy to understand why we are so fond of these types of holidays. Because we know how much we are paying there are no nasty surprises awaiting the budget conscious planner. All drinks, meals, flights and accommodation and sometimes excursions are included. Any money we take with us can be spent on souvenirs and extras. If we don’t want to spend it, we needn’t. So in these days of extra taxation and an uncertain job future, it makes sense to plan and budget as much as possible.

TUI has a number of other brands including the market leader Thomson. But First Choice is their second largest one. For TUI to switch a successful big brand to only selling one type of holiday is a brave move. Will others follow? What it probably means for us is that there will be many more of these holidays available for purchase. Previously, if you wanted an all-inclusive you sometimes had to move quickly before they all went.

Holiday Prices Rise

adrian — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 15:23:23 +0000

After yesterday’s fuel surcharge announcement by Thomas Cook comes a similar announcement from TUI, owners of Thomson and First Choice Holidays. I suppose it was only to be expected. The airlines have been increasing their surcharges and it was probably only a matter of time before those tour operators with their own airlines would soon follow.
So how much might this cost you?
Fly within the UK or short haul and you’ll pay another £15 per passenger. Fly further afield and you’ll have to find £25 and for those long haul journeys to the US, South American, Africa the Far East and Australia you’ll be asked for another £40 per passenger. And surprise, surprise. TUI’s fuel surcharges are the same as Thomas Cook’s. The only difference is that the surcharges from Thomas Cook start immediately and those from TUI start in two days time on the 4th March.
If you were thinking of flying to Florida for a nice Disneyland trip, this will cost an extra £160 for a family of four. Even a weekend break in Paris is going to cost the same family an extra £60. At least you have an alternative way of getting to Paris. For Florida, what are going to do? Swim?
Is this likely to be short-lived or are we back to an era of high surcharges again? It is largely due to the instability in the Middle East. Speculators are driving the oil price up. There is no real shortage of the black stuff as opposed to what was available before the instability started. Saudi Arabia has said that they will find any shortfall due to the reduction in output from Libya. The markets seem more concerned with what happens if the crisis spreads. In the meantime, we are left digging deeper into our pockets. Or having a staycation.

Easter Holidays

Editor — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 15:28:39 +0000

I was quite surprised to find yesterday that the first local school had just broken up for Easter. In my mind it was still weeks away but in fact Good Friday is only 2 weeks tomorrow.
After the winter we have had it wouldn’t surprise any of us if bookings to the Spanish resorts and warmer areas was the main appeal but personal finances being what they are, some of us will think of taking no breaks at all. And for those that do go, there could be quite a few handicaps to going away. First there are the railways. The RMT union is considering scheduling a nationwide strike because of what it says are safety issues that may occur when Network Rail lays off staff. . You probably need to be an expert to know if safety was an issue. Needless to say, Network Rail says there is no problem and you have to wonder whether if safety was the issue, the union wouldn’t have called the strike as soon as it legally could. By striking at Easter, the cynical amongst us begin to wonder.
So avoid rail and drive.
This means the motorway network and the main A roads will get even more clogged than usual at Easter. So we’ll go abroad but here we are beset by more strike issues. The next British Airways strike which starts on Saturday will be finished by Tuesday but there will probably be some planes in the wrong position so, as happened this week, there will be some disruption for another day or two afterwards. But Lufthansa and Germanwings pilots are planning a four day strike from April 13, TAP Portugal pilots were due to walk out on March 31 but have now said the strike won’t go ahead. Alitalia had a four hour strike and Air France narrowly averted one earlier this week. It seems almost everywhere you look, other than the no-frills airlines, disruption to the traveller is possible. And those not on strike making the most of it. The prices on some airlines have been very pricey during the BA strike.
Away from this misery and to where to go for Easter. Staycations still look to be very popular according to Visit England, a research company called BDRC and Skyscanner with London proving to be popular. Talking to two people who specialise in staving off bankruptcy amongst hotels, they say that London is managing to put hotel prices up but elsewhere there are bargains to be had as hotels struggle to fill rooms. On Skyscanners’ list, Spanish locations take 3 of the top 10 spots with Dublin, Amsterdam and Rome being popular. The number of enquiries about Spain is down on 2009 and, in February, visits by Britons were down by 7.7% compared to last year. Given that we were in the depths of the recession then, there has been little bounceback hence the launch of their big marketing campaign. On the other hand the big holiday group TUI (owners of Thomson and First Choice) and Thomas Cook are happy about Easter and Summer bookings.
What it all seems to mean is that there will still be bargains because the recession is still hurting some suppliers.

What’s hot

Editor — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 13:30:25 +0000

What’s hot
Whether you’re staycation-ing or vacationing, CD Traveller tells you what’s hot and what’s not in the travel world

Hot
Up in the Air
Juno’s Jason Reitman directs the big screen adaptation of the 2001 novel Up in the Air. Already showered with Golden Globe nominations, the film stars (and we mean stars) George Clooney as Ryan Bing – a corporate downsizing expert, drafted in by companies to fire their staff. He travels across America, living out of a suitcase and loving every minute of it. But when he falls for fellow traveller Alex (Vera Farmiga) and finds his job under threat, Ryan is forced to face up to what it might be like to live a ‘grounded’ life. If you see one Clooney film this year, make it this one.

Thumbs up to Thomson and First Choice
Why? Because these two tour operators are offering free redundancy cover for any summer 2010 holidays booked in Thomson and First Choice shops, around the UK. The redundancy protection cover is valid for departures between May 1 2010 and April 30 2011 but breaks must be booked by February 28 2010.

Keeping up with the Jones
Is there no stopping Nick Jones? The man behind some of the coolest clubs in the country (Soho House, Babington House et al), is back with a new venture: Dean Street Townhouse – a bar and restaurant with bedrooms that has already played host to Gywneth and Chris. The man with the Midas touch will be opening Soho House Berlin, Soho House West Hollywood and Soho Beach Miami later this year. See www.sohohouse.com for more.

Soho House's Nick Jones

Make way for the mancation
Sod the staycation. Thanks to the hit Hollywood film The Hangover, 2010 is all about the man-cation. More and more hotels and resorts are offering all male bonding holiday packages while man-friendly destinations like Las Vegas, Amsterdam and Riga have also reported a surge in popularity.

Flying high
Air New Zealand certainly are having been named airline of the Year for 2010 by Air Transport World – the leading monthly magazine covering the global airline industry. The Auckland based airline won praise for its superb commitment to safety and operational , its groundbreaking customer service and environmental record.

Take a trip to Troncones –
To ensure full holiday bragging rights book a break to Troncones, Mexico pronto. Why? Because according to TripAdvisor’s TravelCast – which identifies up and coming destinations based on site data – Troncones is the top destination for 2010. Nairn in Scotland, El Chalten in Patagonia, Patara in Turkey and Rothenburg ob der Tauber in Germany round up the top five.

Troncones - this season's hot shot?

Devon’s delights
Planning a mini break in Devon? Visit Devon has launched a new guide to the region’s attractions and events. To view the hotlist – which amongst other suggestions includes a private beach hut with its own hot tub and Europe’s first surfing museum – check out www.visitdevon.co.uk.

Not
Trinidad and Tobago
The Caribbean islands have been hailed as “one of the most dangerous places on the planet” according to researchers studying global gun crime. There were 502 murders in Trinidad and Tobago in 2009 – akin to one killing every 18 hours. The Foreign Office is urging visitors to “be aware that there are high levels of violent crime, especially shootings and kidnappings. British nationals have been victims of violent attacks, particularly in Tobago where law enforcement is weak.”

Blackpool
Blackpool Pleasure Beach – one of Britain’s best loved seaside attractions – has been seriously hit by the recession, recording a £3.9 million loss in 2009 compared with a £4 million profit in 2008. The amusement park – famed for its rollercoaster rides Avalanched and Infusion – said 2009 had been “the worst summer for many years.”

Snow-lidays
The unexpected ‘snow-lidays’ were fun at first but now we’re all thoroughly fed up of the big freeze. White skies, crisp twigs that snap underfoot and air so cold you can see your breath might sound terribly romantic but the reality – travel hell, extra heating costs etc – is otherwise. Roll on spring.

Customer Satisfaction Among Tour Operators

adrian — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 08:59:34 +0000

Looking out of the window at the large dollop of snow that has fallen overnight, it is easy to think of warmer parts of the world and getting away from the cold and bleak view I see. Where to go is one issue but who I go with is another.

You could be forgiven for thinking, after seeing the Which? Holiday report on tour operators that you should avoid the big companies like Thomson, First Choice, Thomas Cook, Cosmos and Virgin because they haven’t done very well in the report.

You would be wrong.

This is not to say that the survey is wrong. The Consumers Association, (CA), publishers of the different Which? Reports has strict and solid research techniques and knowledge. No the problem is the sample. It is drawn from members of the CA which is largely upmarket, middle class. These are not the sort of people who tend to book package holidays with the large tour operators so the number of people surveyed who have holidayed with those I mentioned earlier is proportionately much lower. Low response means a few positive or negative responses can affect results.

The whole survey is only 4,507 responders so the people responding per tour operator could be low. A minimum of only 30 have to reply for each tour operator to be included. Thirdly, smaller tour operators like VFB, which came top (and congratulations to them), move comparatively small numbers of people compared to the millions moved by the big companies. It is always easier to get better customer satisfaction ratings from smaller companies than larger ones and that applies to whichever industry you survey. And to be fair, Rochelle Turner, head of research at the CA said that it might be harder to provide the attention to detail in big companies. Finally it should be said that the tour operators interview people during their holiday. The CA interviewed people after they had returned home and, in some cases, holidays could have been quite a long time ago. Answers may vary as time elapses.

I should make an admission. I have worked with most of the big tour operators over the years on their customer satisfaction programmes so I know how much time effort and money goes in to it and the responses they make to problems.

The big tour operators try as hard as the little ones to make your holidays as enjoyable as they can. And if there is a problem, they will try, by and large, to resolve it. I cannot remember, over the last 10 or so years, of any of the biggest tour operators ever being voted number 1. And I wouldn’t expect them to in any survey of CA members

How Long Will Your Holiday Be?

Editor — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 09:33:03 +0000

This is the time of the year when the new holiday brochures are being prepared to be sent out to shops so, that come the days after Christmas, we can pick and choose where we want to go. In truth that has changed quite a bit and some destinations and tour operators were taken aback by how late some of us booked this year. In some cases panic was almost about to set in at some places because they thought they would never be able to sell these holidays. Next year, they are assuming that a lot of us will book as late as we did this year.

Another feature that seems to have come out of holidays this year is that we are holidaying for shorter periods. Traditionally, the main summer holiday has been 7 or 14 days. Then shortbreaks or long weekends came in with people going away from anything from 2-4 days. When cruises started to become popular, the length was 5, 7 or 10 days. The bulk of us still took 7 or 14 days but that maybe about to change.

Thomson and First Choice Holidays are forecasting that the interest in 14 day holiday will decline and the 10 or 11 day holiday will become more popular. This year demand for this length of holiday was up by 64% but to be fair that was from fairly small number. But if the biggest holiday in Britain says this is looking to be a trend then they ought to know.

The other trend that they think will grow will be the demand for all inclusive holidays. At present just over 40% of the holidays that they sell are this type. It’s not hard to see why. You know what your costs will be so it is easier to be able to budget and not have too many nasty surprises at the end of the holidays.

Did You Vote for the Winners?

adrian — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:07:21 +0000

Last night the winners were announced of the British Travel Awards. CD-Traveller is one of the sponsors because these are the only awards where you, the traveller and holidaymaker, can vote. So it’s not just the travel industry patting itself on the back. And over 100,000 of you voted so our thanks, and those of the organisers, for taking the time to vote.

By voting you could also win but those prizes will be announced a bit later.

So for now, these are some of the winners.

You chose First Choice as the best short haul tour operator and Virgin Holidays as the best long haul one. Your best airport in the UK was Manchester Airport and overseas, Singapore. The best UK destination was Cornwall and your favourite country to visit was the USA. Your favourite citybreak destination was Barcelona and you thought that Dubai was the best tourist board. American Airlines was voted the best airline and Easyjet, the best no-frills airline. The best cruise company was Cunard and the best ferry operator, P & O. Shearings were voted the best tour operator for escorted tours and Thomson was voted the best in a number of categories including all-inclusive, best to the Middle East and the Med.

For the full list go to www.britishtravelawards.com/tip_awbf.php

Just a reminder. The survey about your future travel thoughts is open until November 30^th. We’ll send you a reminder a little closer to the time as well but you if you haven’t filled it in you can do so by going to www.britishtravelawards.com/tip_rp.php.

And thanks once again for voting. As soon as the winners amongst the voters is known, we’ll let you know.