During the 1980’s, package holidays were all the rage, with glossy brochures promoting weeks away in sunny beach locations such as Spain and Portugal. Over the years, package holidays began to decline in popularity with many holiday goers seeking city breaks and ‘DIY’ holidays over the internet.
With the shock collapse of various seemingly established online holiday websites, waves of wary consumers are now putting their trust back in the package holiday. From millennials to baby boomers, booking a package is now in vogue once again, and here’s why you might want consider a package holiday for your next trip abroad…
There are no hidden costs
With a package holiday, what you see is what you get. There are no nasty surprises or hidden charges along the way. Often, with low-budget airlines it may seem like you’re getting a great deal but after you’ve also paid for a seat reservation, luggage allowance and an in-flight meal, you’ve hardly saved any money at all. While you may assume package, holidays are more expensive overall, many tour operators actually bulk buy plane seats and hotel rooms in order to pass on a discount to their customers.
They’re stress free
Holidays are a time to relax, unwind and forget about the day job. As soon as additional admin comes into the picture, they can become stressful and the opposite of relaxing. With package holidays, all of the stress is taken away from you and your tour company of choice will manage your booking from start to finish. You won’t have to worry about separate emails, confirmations and essential information. Everything will be in one place and you can look forward to putting on that ‘out of office’ and kicking back on the sun lounger with a cocktail in hand.
They offer protection
One of the big reasons why package holidays are making a comeback is due to the protection you’re offered. Package holidays are ATOL and ABTA protected meaning your holiday will be covered in case of any disruption. In the unfortunate event your travel provider goes bust, you will be covered and won’t have to worry about losing both your holiday and your hard-earned cash. If you decide to book your hotel and flights independently you are not entitled to either of these protections and it could cause you a costly mistake!
You can enjoy all-inclusive
Not only are package holidays generally cheaper, you can also save a lot of extra cash by going all-inclusive. Many tour operators offer all-inclusive and half-board packages where your food, drink and in some cases, activities are all included under the initial cost of your holiday. If you head away to simply relax, eat, and drink then this is a fantastic option and will offer excellent value for money, especially for families with children. It’s a great way to minimise the amount of spending money you need to take with you.
They include transfers
Travel days are always exhausting and usually consist of an early wake-up call, followed by a journey to the airport with plenty of queuing. When you finally land in your destination, the last thing you want to be doing is queueing again for a taxi and trying to figure out the best plan of action for travelling to your hotel, especially with tired children in tow. With a package holiday your transfers are included, and you will be greeted with either a chauffeur or coach awaiting your arrival.
