Don't get fooled! Be a smart traveler.
Let’s think about Maldives. Bright blue skies, all-year sunshine and fantastic diving and snorkeling in lagoons the temperature of bath water.
But how many of us know that daylight lasts only for 12 hours? It’s not much comparing to Polish summer with 17 hours. What’s more Maldives’ sunrise starts at 6 am. Can you imagine waking up so early when you’re on holiday? Also when it does go dark, it is pretty quick so you end up 7 o’clock with no sunlight.
or
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You buy your perfect holiday in Tunisia. You’ve got 4 stars hotel located on the beach. You get there and…it is 4 stars hotel but on the rocky shore and next to dumping ground or power plant.
How to not get fooled by travel agents? How to get the best value for money. Below you will find some useful tips when buying perfect holiday deal.
Read the offer carefully and ask questions.
Just Google it.
If you know the name of your hotel – Google it. Check hotel reviews and localization on the map. Check weather conditions and health precautions.
Know local traditions and religions
If you raveling to Muslim country during their Holly Month – Ramadan you should be sensitive to the fast. Muslims can’t eat, drink, smoke or even chew gum during daylight hours. Some restaurants will close or operate amended opening hours during Ramadan. In some Muslim countries it’s actually illegal to eat and drink in daylight during Ramadan.
Taking photos in sensitive area
You should also be aware of cultural sensitivities when photographing churches and other religious sites. If in doubt, ask prior permission.
Clear your cookies
When checking out holiday deals, remember to remove the cookies you’re your Internet browser’s history. Cookies may detect whether you've been to the website before and raise the price of the ticket.
Your ticket is NOT non-refundable
When cancelling your ticket or making changes most airlines will charge you a small fee. Remember that all tickets are refundable. When booking your holidays with Travel Agent remember to ask for cancellation fee.
Mark, Australian-based travel agents, said: “I made close to $3000 commission recently on a romantic trip for two to Tahiti, (after) they cancelled due to family problems. We charged them $3500 in cancellation fees – what they didn’t know was the actual cancellation fees were just $365 for the two airfares and the hotels were cancelled free of charge.”
Travel Agent will always overcharge you on your travel insurance
Travel Agent will always overcharge you on your travel insurance
Travel Agents paid 40 per cent commission on policies they sell. Be especially careful if buying a ‘package’ that includes travel insurance as part of the total price. Almost certainly the agent will have added in the most expensive cover. It’s better to purchase insurance from your bank or on-line.
New employees will give you a better deal
More experiences agents know a lot of tricks how to get any money out of you. Less experienced agents are more likely to give you the best value for money because they don’t have so much confidence.
More experiences agents know a lot of tricks how to get any money out of you. Less experienced agents are more likely to give you the best value for money because they don’t have so much confidence.
Don’t be too loyal or we’ll take advantage
Brian, from Australian travel agency, advises: “Shop around. If you don’t it’s at your own peril. If you have your favorite agent that you always use, chances are you pay too much, even when you think they are looking after you.”
Tours and day trips
Brian, from Australian travel agency, advises: “Shop around. If you don’t it’s at your own peril. If you have your favorite agent that you always use, chances are you pay too much, even when you think they are looking after you.”
Tours and day trips
It’s always cheaper to purchase day trips from local agency at your destination. They don’t have to pay commissions. Just remember to check if local guide speaks in your language! Otherwise you will save money but you won’t understand a word.
What is your experience with travel agency? Have you ever been fooled by travel agent or ripped off?
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I don’t have much experiences with travel agencies. I always try to travel on my own. That gives me more satisfaction and certainty about organization. Of course, some people don’t like to organize holidays on their own. They are lazy or the don’t know how to do it. But I, generally, have no problems with it. When I travel on my own I save money, I do and see what I want and I can have some interesting adventures, which are not possible wit travel agency.
ReplyDeleteI'm not experienced with travel agencies, neither in good way, nor in a bad one. Usually while traveling I find accommodation, transport and all activities by myself on the net or by my friends. It makes my journey more interesting and satisfying. However, there are some people I know, who where fooled by travel agency. Their holidays became a disaster instead of being a time for rest and relax.
ReplyDeleteI always check the place where i am planning to go. The review of the hotel, what people think about the city and the country where I'm going. And it is effective because I have never been fooled by the travel agency or hotel. And I must also say that I very seldom go with travel by travel agency. I prefer to plan it on my own because it is better and more interesting way to spend vacation than travelling with agencies.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteI do not go for holidays with travel agents. I don't like this "luxury" 4,5 stars hotels with my polish brother around. I prefer budget accommodation in small hotels, Bed & Breakfasts or private apartments. It is nice to now haw people really leave. I like this page https://www.airbnb.com/ for looking an accommodation especially in Europe.
Nowadays it is so easy to find hotel and fly. It is nice to make own decision. I prefer to know where I am going, so I am goggling all information about localization, haw to get there from airport and what to visit. When I'm traveling by my own I am looking for place to sleep just on way. I love camping in the forest in mountains or seaside. I like adventures and journey into the unknown.
I think that the only way to recognize country is to get as close to it's villages and towns as it's possible, so i don't like any packed holidays. There's one thing that you can use to have epic and true holidays - couchsurfing. It stands about changing flats. For egsample you want to go to Spain but you don't want to live in hotel, feel like you're not close to real nature of this country. What to do? Make notice on one of couchsurfing sites and take a flat in Spain wheh it's owner will live in your flat - in Poland. Also i would like to go abroad hitchhiking - in my opinion it's great adventure.
ReplyDeleteI've never gone on holidays with travel agency. I prefer going on my own. Of course it must be comfortable when you have everything organised for you, so the only thing you have to do is to pay and show up at the airport. But still I think that planning trip by your own is much funnier.
ReplyDeleteI have travelled with travel agency several times when I wah going to school. I'm very happy because we weren't problems with agency. Great hotels, fantastic new bus and unforgettable time.
ReplyDeleteMy experience with traver agegcy isn't bad. They have not ripped me off. Maybe because I've travelled with travel agency only few times. In my opinion it is useful only for the first time you visist a foreign country. For example I've been several times in Spain, but only fisrt time with travel agency. In the next years I've travelled there on my own, because I was already adapted a little to this country, knew some places. So, travel agency is a convenient way to travel, you don't have to think a lot, everything is set for you, but you pay for that. Next time I redommend to travel without agency. It is cheaper ;)
ReplyDeleteI planned my holidays with travel agency only twice. And it was many years ago. First trip was to Egypt and second to Sicily. After spending quite a lot of money I was generally satisfied but as well I made decision that next time I'll go on my own. That being said next trips, to China and Peru, I have planned with my friends and we went on our own. I think it would cost twice if planned and executed by travel agency.
ReplyDeleteThanks, this presentation gave me a lot of information about travelling. I didn't know that travel agents do that kind of stuff. I did use travel agency's services couple of times and maybe if I had known what I know now I wouldn't overpay for them. Although I've never felt fooled and the price wasn't too high, I'm always trying to pick the best option - the place, the price and the services.
ReplyDeleteLike most of you I do not use aid of any agencies to realize my dreams. There are several reasons. First of all I like my money and I want to know what exactly my money buys. Second - no travel agency has on their standard list anything I could be really interested in. I am definitely vagabond. Several kilos and 3 children ago I have seen all interesting places in Europe hitchhiking (I mean all places on my not that short "list of interesting places I must see" I made before). Later I visited New Zealand, Australia, Japan, USA, Mexico, Canada, and some other places here and there. There are many other places I still want to see - and unfortunately most of them I will probably not have a chance to visit in next few years. Why? Because I have grown to fat and there are no bulletproof vest in my size...I am joking... One can have them in all sizes this days. It's children. Most of those countries I dream of, like Papua New Guinea, Birma, India or Colombia, are far too dangerous for me, at least until my children achieve financial independence. And it is not only about political instability and rebel groups you can meet there, it is first of all tropical diseases. I really feel respect for those things I cannot see that could kill me in few days.
ReplyDeleteBut my friends would tell you it is me who they regard as their travel agency. I never considered myself perfect planner, but my friends and especially their wives are going to travel blind with me almost anywhere. I always have all the maps, I know where to look for places to sleep, I have some alternatives prepared for almost all worst case scenarios. And I like to read much about places and people I visit, not only "where to eat" part of the guide but also about history and culture. So I can easily find common ground with total strangers in few seconds. Usually at least.
Another one would boast of all of that.. and me ...I am just telling.
I travel only once with travel agency. I can't grumble on it because everything was good and consistent with describe. I travel to Turkey with that agency. I think i could recommended that agency then. Now I don't know how thinks goings, but everything i hear from TV and people, makes me skeptical to travel agency.
ReplyDeleteI haven't been on the trip who conducted by travel agency. So I can't say much in this topic, but I heard something abot this kind of traveling from my friends.
ReplyDeleteWhat about scams? When we watch TV we hear the same bad things about travel agencies. Various weaknesses in the functioning of the office: the price is incompatible with the terms, little interesting, traveled is inconsistent with assurances etc.
But when I talked with my friends I didn't heard anythink about that. They have had only good memories.
But how does reality look? Last, largest travel agencies fallen. Economics does not like emptiness. Are we going to use their services? Who is not burned, definitely should try it.
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