package holidays or DIY?

adsimm · 31 May 2006 at 3:54PM

This is from a recent article about the benefits of DIY holidays: "as a rough rule of thumb, package holidays are cheapest for a week or two in the sun or on the piste, in a traditional holiday destination".

I'm afraid my first posting is going to be a controversial one! Whilst abiding by the rules of the site and not posting for personal gain, I believe I CAN say that, as a result of price comparisons between the tour operators (which now include easyJet and Ryanair as their sites offer accommodation and car hire too), you can save a great deal of money by booking a holiday in Spain using LOCAL car hire companies, getting PRIVATE accommodation of much better quality and greater variety than offered by the operators and with a much wider range of resorts! I have just started a company based entirely on this premise.

MrSmartprice · 31 May 2006 at 4:04PM

I absolutely agree with you, adsimm. We used to get cheap late packages and got great value, but some of the places we stayed (areas rather than specific places) were less than wonderful, as late deakls tend to be "blind dates" in the industry.

We did Greek Island hopping independently using Easyjet, ferries and public transport, along with village rooms, and loved it. So we decided to go independently on our other trips too. We now don't need to pay for plane meals, transfers, pushy reps, and all the other nonsense. The money we save is used for car hire (Carjet rather than some overpriced in-resort cowboy outfit) and finding better accommodation via the internet.

A package would now have to be VERY cheap to offer better value than the DIY packages we do for ourselves. And even then it usually ends up being the leftovers of the accommodation pool!

budgetflyer · 31 May 2006 at 4:31PM

adsimm wrote:

This is from a recent article about the benefits of DIY holidays: "as a rough rule of thumb, package holidays are cheapest for a week or two in the sun or on the piste, in a traditional holiday destination".

I'm afraid my first posting is going to be a controversial one! Whilst abiding by the rules of the site and not posting for personal gain, I believe I CAN say that, as a result of price comparisons between the tour operators (which now include easyJet and Ryanair as their sites offer accommodation and car hire too), you can save a great deal of money by booking a holiday in Spain using LOCAL car hire companies, getting PRIVATE accommodation of much better quality and greater variety than offered by the operators and with a much wider range of resorts! I have just started a company based entirely on this premise.

Hi adsimm.
Not controversial at all.
My website "half price holidays forever" has been punting this concept for a couple of years now.
Not to say "self packaging" is always cheaper.The tour opps can still produce good deals when they want to.Saveapenny and Sloppychops regularly post good packages for the benifit of forum members.
Normally I self package my own holidays, I also get the benefit of commission with my affiliate account with tradedoubler but this year for my main holiday I got such a good price on a package with a tour opp that I booked it.

barron_2 · 31 May 2006 at 11:35PM

adsimm wrote:

This is from a recent article about the benefits of DIY holidays: "as a rough rule of thumb, package holidays are cheapest for a week or two in the sun or on the piste, in a traditional holiday destination".

I'm afraid my first posting is going to be a controversial one! Whilst abiding by the rules of the site and not posting for personal gain, I believe I CAN say that, as a result of price comparisons between the tour operators (which now include easyJet and Ryanair as their sites offer accommodation and car hire too), you can save a great deal of money by booking a holiday in Spain using LOCAL car hire companies, getting PRIVATE accommodation of much better quality and greater variety than offered by the operators and with a much wider range of resorts! I have just started a company based entirely on this premise.

Go for it!
But i just hope you have the right insurances and bondings together,otherwise you could come unstuck.
I am all for people saving money,most of us indies WIll get you the same deal,as you can yourselves,its nothing new,its been going on for a few years.
Most of the holidays we sell are "tailormade" from the same suppliers,with some exceptions(trade only)that you can use.
Differance is in saving you time ,therefore money,we get commissions.
Out of which is paid our ATOL ,Trust Fund Fees (same as ABTA),Liability Insuance's etc etc.
For instance take a well known accom supplier,you book through them,cost say £500 to you,cost to me the same,except they pay me 15% comm.
"Why dont you offer it cheaper" I here you ask,sometimes we do.
There are big risks,all the people last year,stuck when EU Jet folded,if they had booked Flight and Accommadation through an agent(indie)who was bonded.
They would have either got home,had their holiday,or got their money back.
And for how much?,probably a few pennies more than they paid "diying".
I wont run on,I have posted other rantings on this subject,as have,Chris,savea and sloppy as well as many others.
It's about time MARTIN and others pointed out the pitfalls and slagged off the TUI's of this world,instead of the guys that are genuine with Holiday Hunters.At least we try to advertise FULLY Inclusive Prices.(except when we have to sell the Big 4's products).
Anyway GODD LUCK in your venture,hope it go's well.DONT forget the Insurances.
Happy Hols
And by the way,the lowcost op's are not bonded,even though they offer Accom etc,so if their supplier fails,you have NO come back.

nearlyrich · 1 June 2006 at 12:28AM

We have done the independent travel thing for years, we usually just book flights and sometimes a car and then just go where we fancy. I know it's not bonded if you book it yourself but to be honest we have probably saved enough over many years to pay to get home by private jet from almost anywhere in the world.

barron_2 · 1 June 2006 at 11:44AM

Totally Agree,
I was trying to highlight the pitfalls to adsimm,.
If he/she were to run it as a business and something went wrong,he/she could lose their house over it.
Also with the advanced search facilities that agents have,they will probably find cheaper components to your holiday than you will and quicker.

TRAVELMAN_2 · 1 June 2006 at 12:22PM

Barron,

Yup-agree completely. At least if an ATOL Agent does it its completely covered & bonded. Sava/sloppy get some brill prices but they are not protected ATOL packages as there are 2 components.

Sometimes it might cost the punter £10/£15 pp more than a 'diy'-but what price peace of mind? What would you do if you were 'bumped' (ie overbooked-& in Spain/greece Hotels are ROUTINELY overbooked by 10%!) at 2 in the morning-with 2 hot & fed up kids-& no rep/emergency contact number & either NO accommodation or moved somewhere inferior??

Sometimes I think the 'monesaving' message just blinds people to the pitfalls-as you said-what about EU jet....a prime example.

deano72_2 · 1 June 2006 at 12:40PM

i got a quote for holiday off one of the high st branches.any way,she gave me the name of the airline & hotel & was curious to see if i could do it cheaper .so jumped on the net,looked it up & did get it cheaper , £65 cheaper for 2.

TRAVELMAN_2 · 1 June 2006 at 1:30PM

Deano-well done....BUT what you've booked is NOT a package. You've booked 2 different things separately-flights & accom. You are not covered by ATOL. Is £35pp really worth the risk? I know many people DIY but it is so important that people realsie the risks/lack of bonding.

richardw · 1 June 2006 at 1:50PM

You just don't pick stupid flight times where you arrive at 2am, Travelman. Check in times are usually about 3pm, pick flights and transfers so you arrive about that time.

TRAVELMAN_2 · 1 June 2006 at 1:54PM

Who mentioned flight times??? I didn't....

package holidays or DIY?

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