More flexibility in package holidays needed
By Darren Cronian on Wednesday, January 7th, 2009

Tonight I had a wander around the internet to see what package holidays were going down, and it is the same old same old. The main reason why consumers book their own holidays is because they want flexibility and I am afraid package holidays just do not cut the mustard.

More flexibility in package holidays needed

Flexibility is the key

It is okay blurting on about booking with an ATOL bonded travel agency for the best financial protection, that is true, but, what if I want to go on holiday for 10 nights, or 4 nights, instead of the compulsory options of 7 or 14 nights.

What if I want to go to the resort or hotel in the holiday brochure but I do not want to fly from that airport or with that airline. Until tour operators offer more flexible packaged holidays then millions of consumers will continue to book their own holiday.

Consumers more adventurous

This year I would like to go on a multi-centre package holiday, you know where you go to a few destinations. I cannot find any high street travel agencies where I live who will take the time to sit down and help me plan my holiday.

There are a growing number of consumers, like me, who want to travel around, do not like staying next to the pool or laying on the beach for two weeks. Come on tour operators, its 2009; let’s see some exciting package holidays.

I would be interested to hear what you look for in a holiday.


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3 responses to “More flexibility in package holidays needed”

Nick | 8 January, 2009 at 11:37 am

Darren

Main reason packages are the same as in your post is they are on once a week charter. But you want a scheduled package (remember flight + Hotel is package) the problem is the internet does not display these very well, but even at peek sales charter packages only made 50% of the market.

That’s why you need a travel agent ;)

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Darren Cronian | 8 January, 2009 at 12:35 pm

@ Nick

I’m confused, whats the difference between a “scheduled package” and a “Charter package” holiday?

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AnnaE | 8 January, 2009 at 2:56 pm

I think what Nic meant by a “scheduled package” is a vacation package when you can pick your flight and hotel and it’s bundled together by a travel agent. You travel on a normal commercial airline on a normally scheduled flight. A “charter package” is a once-weekly flight to wherever operated by a vacation charter company + hotel. There’s only one departure time and that’s it. You can choose your hotel though.

I’ve been on a charter package before simply because it was cheap. Even with the hotel included, it was still cheaper than a normally scheduled flight to the same destination. We simply left our stuff in the hotel and went exploring the country.

I’ve also used only the flight portion of a charter package and it was also a very good deal – the company screwed up and we ended up flying back on a commercial airline.

Next week I am going on a package trip again (yes, I know, the world is coming to an end). But since I have something important to do in Antigua anyway, and Virgin Holidays had a good price on a flight+hotel bundle, then why not? It worked out cheaper than arranging everything separately. And the hotel turned out to be an all-inclusive. And they even upgraded us to a better room (at least it says so on the booking thingie that came in the mail) because their stupid system wouldn’t allow me to book and pay on the internet, as I don’t live in the UK.

LOL! This will be fun.

And you are right, it’s 2009. Then why do Virgin Holidays still send out PAPER booking info/tix by post? huh?

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