There are a few big mistakes you can make when booking accommodation, hotels and other travel arrangements online. Remember, these websites are in the business of marketing, while delivering the least amount of service. The better accommodation sites, for example, will allow you to consult them and negotiate price. Here is a look at some of the biggest traps when making your own travel arrangements online, and how to avoid them.
Online Travel Arrangement Booking Traps – How to Avoid
I make my accommodation, flights and travel insurance arrangements online. It is very easy to get fooled by the marketing and claims we are promised when booking online. After many years of experience, I can confidently say I have got it down to an art form. There are a few mistakes that can easily be made, and they will really cost you or restrict your movements on your holiday. Here are some of the traps that you can easily fall into when booking online. I expose them, and give suggestions on how to avoid.
- Not Negotiating Accommodation. The cost of accommodation will change greatly depending on the season. Do some research on your destination’s tourist season. If you are booking out of season, you know you are in a position to bargain. Look for sites that have a consult or contact button so you can negotiate. If you don’t negotiate your hotel, hostel, serviced apartment or any other paid accommodation when it is not tourist high season, you will always pay too much. They will only put promotional prices on the promotional pages, and the room prices will rarely go below normal rates on a per-night basis. When occupancy rates are low, you can be sure to get a huge discount or other offers.
- Buying Non-flexible Flights. This is a very tricky issue. Many of the bigger sites, like Expedia, are very cheap. However, when it comes to you having a problem, it is very hard to get someone to pick up their phone. Very cheap flights cannot be changed in any way without you paying through the nose. I always use booking websites where a human is involved. I need to make sure in normal terms, what can be done with that flight. If you have ever read the ticket conditions, you will know that a normal human cannot understand the implications. Cheap flights are available, just make sure you can change them to another available flight. There are only small fees needed to do this, and you should get this confirmed with a human operator.
- Travel Insurance. If you have a look at the details of travel insurance online, you will see that most of it actually comes from the same companies, and in most cases, the underwriters are actually the same. It is the underwriters who actually decide your claim. Cheap travel insurance is cheap because you are buying it direct. If you are buying from your bank, or a travel website, the difference in price is their commission. Travel insurance is easy to understand, and if you read the policy carefully, you cannot go wrong. You can look forward to insurance that is at least 40% cheaper if you buy direct. Once you have made your travel arrangements, check at least 5 online insurance suppliers and you will find that why I am saying here is right. You will find, in most cases, it is actually the same insurance that you are buying. Don’t be fooled by any marketing on travel websites. Buy direct and save.
