Thomas Cook Added Resort Fee

SW17

melanzana wrote: »

I often wonder why they don't just add it to the room price and get on with it. Maybe it's a tax thing for the State/County or summat and has to be separately accounted for. I dunno. But it IS called a RESORT fee. So go figure.

It's separate for various reasons, unrelated to how the county/state accounts for tax.

It's partly a form of "drip pricing" whereby the full price of a product is not displayed up front. A less charitable way to describe it would be getting customers to pay extra for items that used to be included, e.g. Pool, gym, in the same way that airlines started charging for seats, food etc. Over time it's difficult to know how overall prices have changed.

For the hotels, it is also a way of avoiding paying commission to the online travel agencies, whose commission is based on the room rate and amounts paid directly to the hotel avoid this. Related to that, it guarantees income per room when prices are fluctuating greatly due to supply/demand. It also makes them look more competitive on price comparison sites.

melanzana

SW17 wrote: »

It's separate for various reasons, unrelated to how the county/state accounts for tax.

It's partly a form of "drip pricing" whereby the full price of a product is not displayed up front. A less charitable way to describe it would be getting customers to pay extra for items that used to be included, e.g. Pool, gym, in the same way that airlines started charging for seats, food etc. Over time it's difficult to know how overall prices have changed.

For the hotels, it is also a way of avoiding paying commission to the online travel agencies, whose commission is based on the room rate and amounts paid directly to the hotel avoid this. Related to that, it guarantees income per room when prices are fluctuating greatly due to supply/demand. It also makes them look more competitive on price comparison sites.

A bit of a swizz so, like the pre sales taxes prices in places like NY.

Thanks for the info, appreciated.

shaun_from_Africa

melanzana wrote: »

A bit of a swizz so, like the pre sales taxes prices in places like NY.

It's not only New York that does this.
There are only 4 or 5 states that don't have sales tax and of those that do, most, if not all of them show tax exclusive prices on the items or on the shelf and the tax gets added on when you pay.

jackieblack

melanzana wrote: »

A bit of a swizz so, like the pre sales taxes prices in places like NY.

:doh:
Not understanding how something works doesn't make it 'a swizz'. :wall:
You should do some basic research before travelling to another country.

Westin

callum9999 wrote: »

Ah I missed that. When did you get the brochure? Maybe they corrected it?

Morning!
Thomas Cook USA 2016 edition.
Covers period 01 May 2016 to 30 April 2017.
Brochure edition: December 2016.
Information regarding the resort fee is on the hotel page 124

blindman

Sara666 wrote: »

I recently received an email from Thomas Cook stating:


There were no fees stated at the time of booking. Is there anything I can do?

Book trips to Las Vegas\USA independently and save $$$$


Seen this Las Vegas Thread??

Westin

blindman wrote: »

Book trips to Las Vegas\USA independently and save $$$$


Seen this Las Vegas Thread??

You would still pay the resort fee.

blindman

Westin wrote: »

You would still pay the resort fee.

Yes but ast least you would know about it and also not pay the TA fee for what is a simple DIY holiday.

jonesMUFCforever

OP can I also remind you that the price you see on the peg as it where, is not the price you pay at the tills, as shops have sales tax (which varies by state) added.
I suspect this information will not be available in the TC brochure either.

callum9999

jonesMUFCforever wrote: »

OP can I also remind you that the price you see on the peg as it where, is not the price you pay at the tills, as shops have sales tax (which varies by state) added.
I suspect this information will not be available in the TC brochure either.

What a snotty comment. I wouldn't expect a brochure selling hotels to advise you of the sales tax in local shops. I would (and it turns out it does) expect the brochure to detail the compulsory charges you will have to pay should you book the hotel.