TRAVEL SPECIAL................... Bag the best travel deals

Bag the best travel deals





Here are the various ways you can snag the lowest rates and maximise your savings while booking flights and hotels for your vacation this summer.

For work-worn parents and schoolweary kids trundling towards a sweltering summer, all it takes is three syllables--vacation--to put the sizzle back into their lives. After all, snazzy resorts, snowy peaks and slumberous beaches offer the right blend to soup up their dreams. Indeed, 53% Indians are set to increase their travel budget this year, according to the recent TripBarometer study, one of the world's largest travel surveys conducted on behalf of TripAdvisor.

However, the tedium of juggling destinations, budgets and expectations can bog one down. Add to this the obsession to squeeze the best value for money, and you have a situation. Pragmatic ways to optimise your savings. As Rahul Sood, a Gurgaon-based entrepreneur and avid traveller, says, “At the end of the day, money is money and you need to save it.“ So, whether you are planning a tour in India or abroad, we shall tell you how to get the best deals while booking flights and hotels, how to slash sightseeing costs, and other areas where you can cut down expenses.

There are broadly four ways to plan your vacation. You could pick a package from an online aggregator, approach a tour operator, have a travel agent do your bidding, or create your own itinerary. The dilemma faced by most vacationers is whether to pick readymade options or customise trips. Delhi based Geetanjai Kumar  is not wracked by any such confusion. “I enjoy special treatment and comfort, which is ensured by my agent. He also guarantees safety when I'm travelling alone and gets me the best deals. What more could I want?“ she asks.

This is indeed a good arrangement, but not many can or want to avail of it. You could, instead, pick a structured package from a tour operator or an online aggregator. These offer many advantages, especially for first-time travellers, senior citizens, those with infants, or those who want to avoid the rigmarole of online hunting.

However, if you are planning your own trip, you can easily maximise savings with help from online travel aggregators (OTAs) and mobile apps. “Apps are emerging as the biggest trend this year and changing the mode of travel planning,“ says Mohit Gupta, Head, Online Business, MakeMyTrip (MMT). “Our app downloads have grown three times from 1.5 million in 2013 to nearly 5 million in 2014,“ he adds. Sharat Dhall, President, Yatra, agrees. “Our mobile bookings have grown from a single-digit figure last year to nearly 25% of all bookings this year,“ he says. Even as you adopt this mode of tour planning, there are other ways to get the biggest bang for your buck.

FLIGHT BOOKING

Given the spate of recent air fare discounts by airlines like GoAir, AirAsia and SpiceJet, it would seem a no-brainer to grab these. Do so by all means if the limitations on booking, travel periods and sectors covered fit into your plans. If not, follow the strategy listed below that works for most people.

Advance booking vs last-minute deals

While most business travellers vouch for last minute deals, “both these strategies may or may not work depending on various factors“, says Hari Nair, CEO, HolidayIQ, a popular travel portal that lets you compare prices and read reviews. “Last-minute bookings will not work in peak seasons or for secondary legs to smaller cities, say, for Kolkata to Guwahati,“ he says. “On the other hand, you may end up with better last-minute deals during the off-season in metros,“ he adds.

So, if you are travelling abroad, especially in peak season and with kids, it's best to book at least 3-4 months in advance because that's when you get the lowest prices. For domestic travel, book at least 30-45 days in advance because prices will increase as you approach the due date. For instance, if you book an online one-way flight from Delhi to New York for 18 June, you will pay `33,501, but the same trip will cost you `38,604 if you book an 18 April flight.

Online aggregators vs airlines

OTAs are the best place to compare and zero in on the cheapest quotes because the latest airline discounts also figure here. In fact, it's the starting point for most travellers these days instead of contacting tour operators or travel agents. “I first go to aggregator sites like Cleartrip.com or Makemytrip.com, then check and compare with airlines, and only then do the bookings,“ says Ashish Khosla, director with a consulting firm, who is very meticulous about his planning. “It's a good strategy because checking each airline for the best price is a hassle,“ says Dhall.

However, remember that scouring the OTAs may not work when it comes to internal travel in foreign countries or smaller, low-cost airlines in non-metros. “This is because these options are not always listed on aggregator sites and may only be offered by individual airlines,“ says Nair. So go directly to airlines for best deals in such cases.

There are other advantages to booking with airlines, such as earning and redeeming frequent flyer miles, especially with Star Alliance member airlines. You can also avail of discounts with co-branded credit cards. However, such benefits may also be available with OTAs now. “You not only get promotion offers from aggregators, wherein you can use a coupon code to avail of discounts, but also credit card offers,“ says MMT's Gupta.“With the new American Express MakeMyTrip credit card, you get five payback points for every `100 spent, `2,000 vouchers for an annual spend of `1.25 lakh and 5% cashback on MMT bookings,“ he adds.

Bundled (flight+hotel) deal vs flight

The combo deals on flights and hotels or packaged tours are invariably cheaper than individual flight bookings though most people do not opt for these. “These form less than 10% of our total flight or hotel bookings,“ says Dhall. “However, these offer great value for money and you can save 5-35% because many flights and hotels are unwilling to give standalone deals, and secret offers are available only in bundled deals,“ says Gupta. For instance, if you book a combo deal from Delhi to Leh for 25-31 May with a 3-star hotel, the cost comes to `39,521, but for individual bookings you will have to shell out `48,734.

Tricks of the trade

You can deploy other strategies to save more while booking your flight. Travel during odd hours, such as extremely early mornings or late nights, will fetch you a better price, as will specific days of the week like Mondays and Wednesdays. “Besides, if you change your travel dates simply by a day or two, you can land a big differential in cost,“ says Khosla. So, if you book a Delhi-New York flight for 18 April on MakeMyTrip, you'll have to pay `38,604, but shifting it to 20 April can bring down the price to `36,374.

ACCOMMODATION

After booking flights, the next logical step is arranging for stay. While it goes without saying that the best deals are snagged during off or shoulder season, here's how you can hike your savings in regular season. Once you have decided the destination, pick a central location, even at extra cost. This is because you will save on commuting costs and also have access to basic facilities, which is critical if you have kids.

Aggregator vs hotel:

If you are not partial to or are a member of a specific hotel chain, you should start your search with OTAs because you can land fantastic deals that are not advertised by hotels. “Last year, I ran into an offer that got me a stay at the fabulous Laxmi Niwas Palace, Bikaner, at half price,“ says Khosla, who mostly checks Expedia.co.in and Agoda.com for deals. “I, too, go through Expedia because it is very transparent in its transactions,“ says Gurgaon-based Devna Mehra. “The reason you get good deals with OTAs is that they pre-book rooms in bulk and manage to give discounted rates,“ says Nair.“However, in case of bigger chains, price parity is at work, which won't allow third parties to price rooms below the hotel rate. So the discount may be small,“ he adds.

It is also important to check directly with the hotel because you can get an extra discount. “In foreign locales, hotels typically have a seven-day cancellation policy, and if you check in the area 8-10 days in advance, you might end up with a better deal. Don't hesitate to change hotels at the last minute,“ says Khosla.

However, getting hotel information and reading up on reviews is a crucial exercise to ensure you are not taken for a ride and get value for money. “For foreign trips, I check with Fodor's,“ says Mehra. Nair agrees: “People's reviews, especially those of other Indians, are important because price is just one part of the value equation in case of hotels.“

Rentals & homestays

These are emerging as the hot new trend not just internationally but also in India. While Airbnb.com is a popular scouring site abroad, HomeStays.in and HomeAway.co.in are among the various Indian portals that are catering to the domestic clientele. “Currently, these comprise about 10% of the accommodation market,“ says Dhall. The main reason for their popularity is that they are cheaper and offer good facilities.“They do offer better deals in peak season for a family since an apartment would be less expensive than two hotel rooms,“ he adds. “However, they may not always be cheaper as their price ranges from `5,000-25,000. Villas, vacation homes and serviced apartments might make for better options,“ says Gupta.

SIGHTSEEING

If you have opted for a package deal from an online aggregator, you don't need to plan sightseeing separately since it is included. “It's structured and cheaper and you can cross all the boxes when it comes to visiting tourist hot spots,“ says Nair. Remember, however, that onsite tickets or fees are not usually part of the package. If, on the other hand, you have built your own itinerary, start by conducting online searches.

Book in advance

In India, transportation is the biggest cost, followed by accommodation, and then sightseeing. In foreign countries, what you do forms the biggest chunk of your cost. So don't underestimate sightseeing expenses and book in advance. “In fact, you can save up to 50% by booking certain events like broadway performances or amusement parks and fun trips for kids, and can easily avoid long queues at the site,“ says 44-year-old Sood. Besides, some venues may be sold out, and if you are in the city only for a day, you are likely to miss it.

“Some popular tourist destinations are fairly crowded and you won't get last-minute bookings. Besides, there are secret itineraries, say, for some of Venetian palaces, that are only available online, not directly,“ says Mehra.

Passes for multiple attractions

This is another good way to save as most popular destinations offer discounted passes. “We provide Swiss Passes or Singapore's iVen ture Attractions Card, which have inbuilt savings on transport and sightseeing,“ says Jatinder Paul Singh, Senior Vice-President & Head, Sales & Distribution, Leisure Travel (Outbound), Thomas Cook India.

However, the passes don't work for everybody. “We never pre-book or buy passes because we don't want to see all the listed attractions. We visit what we want to without the rigid itinerary,“ says Khosla. 

TRAVEL, FOOD & COMMUNICATION

There are other areas where you can cut your expenses substantially.

Meals:

Unless you have taken a package deal where meals are included, you can slash your costs by avoiding eating at the hotel or opting for room service. In fact, take only room packs or deals that include free breakfast. For lunch and dinner, experiment with local restaurants and eateries. If overseas, it will also allow you to savour the local cuisine. However, make sure you don't eat in top tourist areas, where prices will be higher.

Another option is to pick up stuff from convenience stores and make your own meals at the hotel. If you're travelling with kids, buy water and milk from the 24x7 eateries or supermarket and stock up the mini-bar. You can also carry snacks and ready-to-eat meals from home and heat them up by dipping them in hot water. Savvy travellers also carry their own water bottles, refilling them from time to time.

“A good move is to request to be upgraded to executive floors in hotels by paying a small amount since they typically throw in free water, juices, tea and snacks, which are very expensive abroad,“ says Khosla.

Transport:

If you choose a centrally located hotel, you can save on travel costs. Besides, you can walk around the market for meals as well as for shopping. Of course, public transport, like metros or buses, is the cheapest, but if tourist sites are not close by, renting cabs for the day can be less expensive as you end up seeing much more. In India, taxis are certainly the best option. You can also hire bicycles or bikes, along with a good map and GPS system. “The mode of transport also depends on the city. If you are in London or New York, cabs are the best, but in Cape Town, go only for hotel taxis for safety reasons,“ says Sood.

Phones:

In a foreign country roaming costs will be exorbitant, so the best and cheapest option is to pick a local SIM in the country you visit. You could also opt for a prepaid card, which allows you to call from any mobile, landline or payphone abroad by dialling a specified number. Alternatively, you could pick a prepaid and post-paid international SIM card, which can be used across various countries.

Another good option just introduced by Vodafone is the international roaming pack for its prepaid and post-paid customers. It can be used in 53 countries, offers free incoming calls and big discounts on data usage and outgoing local and international calls.

ET30MAR15