Package Deals Or Independant Travel
There is unfortunately no easy answer to this question, as it is largely dependent on the location and the specific deals that are available. For instance, travel to European destinations are often less costly to book on your own, especially when the airlines are running specials of European airfares in the off season.
On the other hand, travel to many exotic locations, like Egypt, Morocco, Kenya, South Africa, Thailand and India, are often much less costly when booked through a package company or travel agent. That is because these tour operators often have special deals with the national airlines of these companies, and with very nice resort hotels, to provide considerable discounts in exchange for a steady flow of business.
For instance, last year I traveled solo to Egypt from New York for a grand total of $1,100, including airfare, an excellent hotel, daily breakfast, airport transfers, and daily sightseeing tours, including guided tours of the pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx. This is far less than I could have booked on my own, since airfare alone would have run me over $700. The key to this great deal was the relationship of the tour operator with Egyptair and the hotel at which we stayed.
You can get deals like this for other great places like China and India so it is advised to check out these package deals when you are planning a vacation. Such deals are not always available but you might stumble upon one that coincides with your travel schedule.
Of course, some great deals can be had on your own as well, and this is often a great way to go, especially if you are a solo traveler. Solo travelers often have difficulty getting those great deals on package deals, since the required single supplement can often ruin the deal.
It is also important to find out exactly what is, and what is not included, in any package you are considering. Many package deals have optional excursions built in, and these extras can add considerable cost. Be sure to ask for a detailed daily itinerary to determine if you will be left on your own if you fail to take these optionals. Also ask for a detailed list of these optional excursions, including full descriptions and prices, then carefully compare the total price to what you could find on your own.
If you are planning a trip on your own, your best bet to save money is to make your reservations early. This is particularly true with air travel. Airlines only allocate a few seats for the low fares you see advertised so you want to make sure you book your flight before all those seats are gone. It is important to book the airfare, and the hotel, as early as possible to ensure the lowest possible prices.
When deciding between a package deal and individual travel, you need to consider each trip separately. Do your due diligence and compare each package carefully to be sure that you are comparing like trips that have the same things included. In addition, you want to think about the way you like to travel. Some people are more independent and don't care for a package tour while others welcome the schedules and tour guides especially when traveling to a new place.
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