Now that a chill is in the air, and we’ve started to think about cozy sweaters, boots, and scarves, summer can feel like a distant memory. For sun worshippers craving a hit of warmer weather and also for bargain hunters looking to score a deal on travel out of peak season, winter sun holidays offer a great alternative. Here’s a look at how to get the best deals on your break and all your travel necessities as well!
Plan early
Getting your holiday booked in early means you can take advantage of some great deals at a time of year that’s traditionally quieter for tour companies and travel agencies. If you time your booking after the summer rush but before people start booking winter sports and Christmas vacations, you can take advantage of lower pricing, either to reduce the overall cost of your trip or to score upgrades on rooms and suites that may be lying empty. Use the power of the internet and store retailers combined – shop around online for the best deals, then take them into a store and use them to negotiate a further discount.
Pick your destination carefully.
The luxury travel sector has expanded massively in certain countries in recent years – there’s been an explosion in hotel building, and the visitor economy can’t keep up! That means that in certain resorts, supply of up-market hotel rooms and apartments is far exceeding demand – giving you the consumer power to save big. Destinations in the Indian Ocean, Caribbean and the Middle East are key places to look for cut price deals. Remember, while airlines can drop or reduce the number of flights on a route if demand slackens, hotels can’t. They must operate at capacity or very close to it in order to turn a profit. They have to fill rooms however they can which is leading to a race to the bottom on pricing or offers on length of stay.
Take a DIY trip
Often the best savings can be found outside of a package deal. Use online comparison sites to get the best deals on travel, car rental, apartment hire or hotels and any excursions you may want to do once you reach your destination. Small savings on each of these elements can quickly add up to a more significant discount. But remember – the later you leave booking, the more expensive it will get, so make sure you plan ahead unless you want to completely freestyle it and score deals by buying up canceled seats for air travel.
Save on your toiletries and beauty.
Going on a vacation is sometimes an excuse to buy travel toiletries and beauty items. Save wasted money by doing a little research on the most recommended waterproof mascaras, mattifying primers, and long-lasting lip colors. You can find some budget-friendly items – for instance, NYC Show Time Volumizing Waterproof Mascara scores highly (source: soundbodylife.com/best-waterproof-makeup) and is well under $10.
Short breaks and vacations are one area where it does pay to shop around. You’ll be sunning yourself somewhere exotic before you know it!