Why you should be wary of Cheap Travel Specials
Scrolling through my Facebook page I often come across amazing travel deals. A few months ago there was a special for R6000 to Zanzibar for 4 nights! The deal, which was beautifully displayed next to a picturesque photo of a beach resort in Zanzibar had been shared hundreds of times and several people had tagged their potential travel partners in the deal. After all, who wouldn’t want to go to Zanzibar for R6000 per person sharing?!
I don’t want to sound like a wet rag or spoil your dreams of lounging on the beach while sipping
an ice cold “Kili” but as the old saying goes: if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Now I am not suggesting that these prices do not exist, or that all special deals are a bad thing –
as I too often take full advantage of specials at times – I am however advising you to do some
research first before booking.
As a travel expert, if one of my clients enquires about travelling to Zanzibar in April and May I
would normally advise them against travelling there at that time of year. Although Zanzibar
experiences ideal holiday weather for most of the year, April and May are seasonally subject to
long rains. In fact, some resorts have in the past closed over this time period. There is an
average number of 19 days of rain in the month of April and 16 days of rain in the month of
May.
This particular special deal for Zanzibar was for travel from 30 Apr 19 to 25 May 19. The price is R6000 because it is not an ideal time to go and you may end up spending the majority of your time indoors – how disappointing would that be?
In my opinion this type of marketing does not do the travel industry any favors. It creates an
unrealistic expectation of prices to certain destinations. I pay particular emphasis upon destinations where the main draw card would be based on the weather such as a beach or snow holiday.
Phuket is another example. Many people expect to travel to Phuket for R10 000 per person all
year round because that is what is often advertised. However, hotels only offer these amazing
deals during their low season to generate business. The low season is generally not the best time to travel to Phuket unless your main aim is to go shopping.
I don’t know about you, but I can get carried away – frenzied, even – when there is a sale on
(especially the Woolies end of season sale) and I am swept up in the craziness of it all, which
often leaves me with buyer’s remorse wondering why I bought three pairs of shorts which I don’t need
at the end of summer.
Most special deals have a very short window period for booking pushing you to make a decision
without perhaps having time to do any research.
Here are some tips on how to avoid having holiday buyer’s remorse:
-Research the destination. When is the best time to travel and are you happy to take the risk of
bad weather in order to travel at that price?
-Find out the rules. Many special deals, especially airfare deals are non-refundable and
non-changeable no matter the reason. Ensure you have all the facts so that you can make an
informed decision.
-Hotels will advertise entry level room types or seat in coach transfers. Check if there are
upgradeable options. I mean, if you are going to spend a week in Zanzibar in the rain – you may
as well be in a suite, am I right?
Lastly, if you are ever in doubt, contact an experienced travel agent and ask them for their advice.
