Christmas Gift Card from holiday company

finishfirst

Hello there,


Just wanted some opinion/advise on travel agents that have gift cards available. Looking at putting £1200 on one for my parents but wasn't sure if it would be better to do that or give them a cheque and say to use it for a holiday. Worried I may be limited if I chose someone like Thomas cook or Thomson. Are travel agents over priced compared to what you could book flights and accommodation online for? I have never personally booked a holiday through an travel agent but the parents have.
Thoughts?
Thanks

richardw

The money saving option is £125 in Ryanair vouchers, which is enough for 2 adults return off peak.

peachyprice

I would give them the money or sit down with them and book it all and pay. Travel agents are rarely the best option and they will be restricted to only the destinations they serve.

missbiggles1

My parents won a voucher like this and gave it to us. We were very limited in the travel arrangements we could buy with it and the price of our eventual holiday ended up far higher than if we'd had the money to book things for ourselves.

leylandsunaddict

A travel agent can book you to anywhere in the world. Often the independents are better than the vertically integrated ones, but buying a Thomson or Thomas Cook gift card wouldn't limit your choice.

missbiggles1

leylandsunaddict wrote: »

A travel agent can book you to anywhere in the world. Often the independents are better than the vertically integrated ones, but buying a Thomson or Thomas Cook gift card wouldn't limit your choice.

Try booking Continental rail travel with most high street agents!

leylandsunaddict

missbiggles1 wrote: »

My parents won a voucher like this and gave it to us. We were very limited in the travel arrangements we could buy with it and the price of our eventual holiday ended up far higher than if we'd had the money to book things for ourselves.

That's different to buying a gift card from an agent, which can be used against most products they sell. I don't use an agent but plenty of people do because they want the flexibility of a dynamic package, and the benefit of the package regs.

PasturesNew

Especially for such a high value item, either give them a cheque or be there to pay when they book something, or promise to refund them X amount.

Never put such a fortune into the hands of a company that might go under, or that might not have something your parents want to book.

leylandsunaddict

missbiggles1 wrote: »

Try booking Continental rail travel with most high street agents!

Maybe you're trying the wrong agents. If they don't know tell them to ask on TG

Archergirl

Make a nice voucher yourself and give it to them maybe with a brochure , then help them to choose what they would like to do.
We once gave my husbands Mum and Dad £1000 to do what they wanted with,( thought maybe they would use it for things they wanted) she booked a cruise 'cos that's what all her friends were doing, she hated water and they didn't enjoy the cruise.........go figure that lol!!!

missbiggles1

leylandsunaddict wrote: »

That's different to buying a gift card from an agent, which can be used against most products they sell. I don't use an agent but plenty of people do because they want the flexibility of a dynamic package, and the benefit of the package regs.

Actually, I'm pretty sure they are the same thing - you just put the voucher in a gift card, rather like book tokens (if they still exist). We could have used it on any of their products, I just found that limiting and expensive.