Vacation Packages and Tours Can Save Travelers 30%



    NEW YORK, July 29 /EMWNews/ -- You may be overpaying 20-30% by

planning your vacation independently, says the U.S. Tour Operators

Association, whose members provide vacations for 11 million travelers

yearly. According to an informal member survey, travelers can save an

average 30% on land or cruise vacations, and 20% on air-inclusive packages.

Travel in low season saves an additional 20%, and up to 40% for areas like

Mexico and the Caribbean.



    Depending on destination and trip complexity, overall savings on land

packages and tours, based on a one week, high-season at rack rates, can

range anywhere from 5%-50%, and from 10%-35% on air-inclusive trips.



    USTOA reports overall savings have remained fairly constant since its

last similar survey in 2005, although savings on air-inclusive packages and

tours are slightly less because of increased fuel prices. The survey also

revealed that for travelers with limited time, booking a one-week

air-inclusive, escorted tour saves an average 9 hours of planning time and

an average 16 transactions.



    Tour Operators Fight to Maintain Savings



    "Despite rising costs, tour operators have fought to maintain savings

for travelers," says Bob Whitley, USTOA president. Tour operators hedge the

dollar by contracting for rooms and other services in bulk, and by buying

currency futures. Through longstanding relationships with hotels and other

suppliers, tour operators can negotiate group or net rates and bulk air

fares, or even bundle individual bookings into groups to block rooms at

better prices. Many companies price and lock in their trips a year in

advance, buying Euro and other currency futures, so that passengers are

protected against currency surcharges. So a passenger traveling in 2008 is

actually paying 2007 prices," says Whitley.



    To navigate through the dollar dilemma, USTOA suggests travelers look

for:



    -- Price guarantees -- meaning the tour operator won't raise prices.



    -- Value-added offers -- additional free nights, and other free

attractions such as meals or sightseeing.



    -- Discounts -- loyalty plans and discounts for repeat customers,

frequent travelers and groups of friends or family. Early booking and

buying a second tour sometimes garners a discount.



    -- Specials, two-for-the-price-of-one, and hotel and air fare

promotions.



    The USTOA survey was based on a sampling of 12 companies representing a

range of tours and packages worldwide.



    For more information, visit http://www.ustoa.com.








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Bob Whitley

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