| Everybody knows someone who has been on one | | | | for the accommodation. The days of the internet are |
| and an awful lot of people have been on one | | | | upon us and even flight companies are offering cheap |
| themselves. Yes we are talking about the age old | | | | flights to their customers. An average price of a flight |
| Package holiday. The safest, most common holiday. | | | | to the Costa Blanca is about £59 so the total |
| Package holidays have been around for years and I | | | | price of the holiday booked direct with the villa |
| am sure everyone will know someone that has went | | | | owner is £196.50 now the total cost of the |
| to a travel agent and booked a holiday through them. | | | | holiday for 4 people is £786 saving you |
| Is the tide turning though? Have people found a | | | | £414 that is over £100 per person. |
| better way to enjoy their holidays costing them a | | | | Now I hear you cry but you have no guarentees! If |
| fraction of travel agent prices? | | | | you follow a few simple steps you can have the |
| Villa Holidays is now becoming the main way to book | | | | guarentees in writing. We spoke with Peter Hartley |
| a holiday. For the first time since villa holidays came | | | | the Managing Director of Last Minute Villa Holiday |
| on the scene more holidaymakers are booking their | | | | who said " Villa Holidays are a boom at the moment, |
| holiday direct with the owner or through a website | | | | people are wanting to go on holiday and have more |
| that offer villa holidays than with a Travel Agent. | | | | money to spend when they are on holiday. You can |
| Let us have a look at the Pros and Cons of both | | | | save a lot of money by booking a villa or apartment |
| types of holidays. Firstly the Package Holiday. Most | | | | rather than booking with a travel agent but I would |
| people know this as the safest way to book a | | | | advise on following these simple guidelines to make |
| holiday because travel agents are ABTA approved | | | | sure you have the guarentees you are looking for. |
| and feel more secure booking holidays through a | | | | Firstly always speak to the villa owner by telephone,it |
| travel agent. You do have the added gusrentee that | | | | is better than just talking by email, Before you phone |
| if anything is wrong with the holiday you have some | | | | make sure you have a list of questions written down |
| governing body to complain to and for that peace of | | | | that you want answered. If you do not feel |
| mind you pay a premium for this. Travel Agents | | | | comfortable with the answers then you do not book |
| charge customers per person for their holidays. On | | | | the villa or apartment. Always make sure you get |
| the other hand if you were to book a villa holiday | | | | emailed confirmation of the reservation of the villa or |
| then you don't have the guarentee of the governing | | | | apartment before you send a deposit or the full |
| body, you deal directly with the person that owns | | | | payment. If you are still feeling unsure about booking |
| the property therefore you cut out the middle man. | | | | with a certain villa owner contact the website you |
| Instead of paying a per person price for your holiday | | | | found it on and speak to them directly. Our Company |
| you pay for the villa or apartment as a whole no | | | | LastMinuteVillaHoliday.co.uk always ensure that our |
| matter how many people are travelling. Let's say for | | | | customers are happy before they book the |
| example you were wanting to go on holiday to Spain. | | | | accommodation. We can put them in touch with the |
| A travel agent could easily charge about £300 | | | | villa owner directly or if they would rather deal with a |
| per person for an apartment in Cosat Blanca, if 4 | | | | company we would make the booking for them. In |
| people are going on that holiday that would cost | | | | Summary if they follow these simple rules then they |
| £1200 and that is including flights. Okay now | | | | are assured a great holiday." |
| lets look at the pricing for a similar apartment in | | | | So is it a Villa Holiday or a Package Holiday this year. I |
| Costa Blanca. 2 weeks at the height of the season in | | | | would always go for the one that saved me the |
| July or August would cost £550 but that is for | | | | most money and allowed me more money to spend |
| the apartment, that is £137.5 per person, just | | | | on Holiday. |