Insider Info

pattycake

I have booked a holiday on-line with Eclipse, part of the First Choice Group.

I knew exactly what I wanted as it is a repeat of the trip I took last year, also booked with Eclipse.

Can't remember actual figures as this was some months ago, but First Choice on the net were several hundred pounds MORE than Eclipse for exactly the same holiday. Go figure.

Nobby_Nomates

I think the problem with using any of the high street travel agent, are the more people that look at the same holiday the system registers a high level of interest on the particular holiday and the price goes up? I could be wrong but it’s happened to me on several occasions.

A number of times the high street travel agents have quoted me more for the holiday than in the brochure, because of their fluid pricing policy! as its called call it.

Rip off more like. :mad:

Its the reason I haven’t booked with the high street tour operators for over five years.

I tend to search the internet for the lowest price possible, then ring a number of specialist companies, to see if they can beat the price.
When I have got the lowest price possible with them, I phone a company called Travel councillors in Bolton and tell them I have got my credit card in my hand, but they need to beat my lowest price, and up to now they have never failed me. Sometime only by a few pound, but its better in my pocket than somebody else’s

My best deal with them was in 2002. Two weeks in Mexico 5 star all inclusive. Brochure price £1429 each, lowest price with the specialist companies £965 each
Travel councillors £751 each. Almost half price!! And that was with the same airline (Airtours) same hotel, and same flight time.

I would like to say, I have no association with travel councillors whatsoever.

I’m just a cheapskate!!

peejay67

Nobby_Nomates wrote:

I think the problem with using any of the high street travel agent, are the more people that look at the same holiday the system registers a high level of interest on the particular holiday and the price goes up? I could be wrong but it’s happened to me on several occasions.

A number of times the high street travel agents have quoted me more for the holiday than in the brochure, because of their fluid pricing policy! as its called call it.

I can tell you there is no such system in place that the price goes up due to the level of interest shown.
Remember Travel Agents are quoting what the Tour Operator is charging them. If you think the Travel agent is lumping on hidden supplements it would show up clearly in the Tour OPerators invoice to you the customer.

It is often the case that holidays through Tour Operators increase in price. Believe me I am as angry about it as you are. They try to blame having to buy extra seats on planes at higher prices, fuel increases etc etc.

But please dont think on a Tour Operators holiday that it is the Travel Agent increasing the price. At least not in my shop.

I do think this thread is gradually merging into the travel agents immorality thread.

PJ

TRAVELMAN_2

Some evidence below as to how cheap an ATOL diy can be through an Agent compared to a Tour Operator price. Bear in mind on the ATOL package its a private return minibus direct to the propert-no extras to pay.. Prices are based on 2 adults & 1 child-1 week. CROATIA/SLOVENIA Beach areas are really popular-I'll certainly be putting these on Teletext but thought I'd show you guys first...

Searched 9/5-16/5 all airports for best prices-results below!

Tour Operator-THOMSON 10/5 Bristol Airport, 3* allocated on arrival, £725 total, half-board.

ATOL Diy-11/5, London Airport, 3* Veredela Apartments, Pula, 1 x self-catering studio-£350 (NO-NOT an error)

(Same date/flights) Plavi Hotel, Porec, 3* half-board-£578 total.

I hope this shows those DIY'ers that independent agents can offer fab DIY prices with full protection.

I prepare to be bombarded with MSE'RS saying they can get the same for all 3 pax for £99 total (!! Only joking!).

CHEAP OR WHAT!

Chris

leosayer39

Hi all,

Hi Nobby_Nomates

Could you post a few more details about travel councillors in order that they can be contacted.

Cheers

Leo

sellingmysoul666

Hi

Are these the correct people?

http://www.travelcounsellors.com/index.aspx

helen

SallyD

WOW! What a great deal. Very tempted to try Croatia this year.

Nobby_Nomates

sellingmysoul666 wrote:

Hi

Are these the correct people?

http://www.travelcounsellors.com/index.aspx

helen

https://www.travelcounsellors.com/

Telephone: 0800 316 3600 Freephone

Nice people to deal with, I even get a chrismas card off them every year.

TRAVELMAN_2

My word.....myself & Pee-Jay get accused of 'touting for business' or advertising??! What's this all about? I'd think the moderators will have something to say on this.

Chris

Nobby_Nomates

Hello Chris,

I could be wrong, but for me the primary reason this forum exists is about saving money. I feel if any person has found a way to save a few quid; shouldn’t we have the right to post them? Providing it stays within the rules of this forum.

Let’s face facts; there are thousands of links on here. If we were unable to post them, we wouldn’t have much to look at.

Since I first found this site, my saving’s on my purchases are running in the hundreds, and hopefully by the end of the year, it will be thousands.

Let’s take the LX Direct codes for instance; the original poster pointed me in the direction of the LX Direct website. So could the person who posted original thread, be accused of promoting this business?
I have used a number of these codes posted on this forum, and saved £96.73 in the last week alone.

As your comments on being accused of touting for business on this forum is a matter of conjecture.

If you’re primary motivation is to find cheaper holidays for users of this forum then I personally cannot see anything wrong with that.

Looking back through your recent posts, you seem to offer substantial saving over the high street travel agents.
And there seem to be a large number of happy people on here that have made substantial saving on their holidays.

I have recently had my website removed from my signature, by one of the MSE site controllers, as it contravenes the rules of promoting any business that I have a financial interest in. So I don’t know if this will affects you.

Regards,

Russ