| Isn't it great? | | | | have seen for a long time). |
| If you are a family looking for a well-earned holiday - | | | | If you are looking to take the risk, here's some of |
| and you have some spare cash to pay for it - the | | | | the steps you can take to reduce the risk of ending |
| deals on offer lately have been unbelievable. | | | | up out of pocket: |
| From airlines to cruise lines, hotels to theme parks, | | | | - buy travel insurance straight after you have paid |
| everyone seems to be offering a deal. And until | | | | for your holiday. It's no use trying to buy it once the |
| tourist numbers pick up substantially, it seems the | | | | tour operator has gone bust! |
| deals are here for a while yet. | | | | - check the background of the company you are |
| Cruise lines are regularly offering 50% or more off | | | | giving your money to. Are they financially stable? If |
| their scheduled prices. Some airlines are offering their | | | | they are listed on the stock exchange, check online |
| seats for free, as long as you pay the taxes and | | | | to see how the analysts rate them. |
| fees, so they're obviously hoping to make some | | | | - don't book too far ahead. If you are paying now |
| money out of selling you stuff during the flight! Many | | | | for a trip in a year's time, that's an awful long time in |
| hotels are offering the "buy two nights, get one night | | | | which the operator might buckle under the financial |
| free" type of deal, which can be very attractive for | | | | strain. |
| family travel. | | | | - pay with your credit card. You may have some |
| One note of caution though - if the tourist operator | | | | recourse through the card company if things go bad. |
| is offering such a cheap deal, will they still be in | | | | - pay as little up-front as possible. For example, you |
| business when I come to take the trip I paid for | | | | can take advantage of those cheap air fares for 6 |
| today? | | | | months hence, but leave it until much closer to the |
| That's a valid question, particularly when for example | | | | time of travel to book and pay for your hotels etc |
| record numbers of airlines have gone bust worldwide | | | | - shop around - there are amazing last-minute deals |
| in the last 12 months. And that's where the | | | | going. |
| well-known business trade-off comes in - you have | | | | Following these simple rules can save you money and |
| to measure the risk (of the airline or hotel going | | | | stress, so that you don't come home from your |
| under) against the return (the cheapest deals we | | | | family vacation feeling like you need a vacation! |