Benefits of early booking tours. What is early booking tours

At the moment, early booking of tours is becoming very popular among tourists planning their trip. What is it? The answer to this question will sound in this article.

Early booking of tours is the booking of a travel package at least 21 days before departure on vacation. Most often, the early booking promotion for summer resorts starts in March and ends in April. Some excursion tours you can book a ticket even a year before departure. But the exact date of these proposals must be checked with.

Benefits of booking a tour in advance

The most important advantage of buying tours early is money savings. These offers from the tour operator can help you save from 10% to 40% of the cost of the tour... Closer to the tourist season, hotel prices and fuel surcharges increase, but those who bought the tour in advance will not be affected.

Another advantage of early booking is that you can choose any hotel you like and the room will probably not be occupied there. But when buying a ticket in the midst of the season, you can only choose from the remaining rooms, but they are likely to be much worse.

Disadvantages of early booking

Such actions also have their drawbacks. The most significant of these is the risk of inability to depart. After all, it is impossible to predict how your life will turn out in these few months. Circumstances may arise that on the dates of rest prescribed in the voucher you will not be able to fly anywhere. In this case, You can lose 90%, or even 100% of the tour cost... Cancellation insurance for early tours most often only applies to cases of hospitalization, death of a close relative, summons to a court hearing, or military conscription.

Another disadvantage is that if you want to change your last name or departure dates, the operator will most likely recalculate the cost of the voucher, and you will have to pay a larger amount than was agreed in advance. In addition, many foreign hotels, when making any changes to an already purchased ticket, require paying a fine.

What is more profitable - early booking or last minute deals?

They represent a promotion of travel agencies for vouchers a few days before departure. Such tours, as a rule, have a low cost. So which is more profitable?

The only clear advantage of last minute tours is their price. But, it is worth noting that sometimes it can be even higher than the cost of early booking. With early booking, you can choose the hotel in which you will live during your vacation, but this cannot be done in hot vouchers. Also, in a short time you may not have time to get a visa, and your last minute ticket may disappear.

Based on all this, we can conclude that early booking a tour is more profitable than buying last-minute tours.

Important information

1. Many people think that when booking a tour in advance, you need to immediately pay only part of the tour cost. But in reality this is not at all the case. Buying a tour in advance, you must pay the entire cost of the tour within three days after booking. Therefore, when looking for such a tour, be prepared to immediately pay the full price.
2. In addition, if you cancel early booking vouchers, you may face penalties. Therefore, if you are not sure that you can definitely go on vacation, it is better to take out travel cancellation insurance. It will give you the opportunity to get your money back if you run into unforeseen circumstances. The list of circumstances for which the insurance will be valid must be clarified when drawing up the contract.

30 words about early booking:

If there is no time to read. Using a specific example. Early booking is when you buy a September one in February for 149,000 rubles, in May - 170,000, and in August - 195,000 rubles. Approximately in such proportions the price for the tour grows closer to the departure date.

And now in more detail about what early booking is, what subtleties a tourist needs to know, how to understand whether it is worth buying a tour in advance, or leaving a purchase for the last hour.

What is an early booking promotion?

Early booking promotions are seasonal offers from tour operators. This is when the same tours that can be bought in the summer, it makes sense to buy in advance, but (!) At a better price.

Who sets the prices and rules of the game? - Travel agency?

Tour operators themselves determine prices and time limits. For example, a special offer is valid from February to March, or from January to April. What the price will be for it is also decided by the tour operator.

The practice is as follows - such early booking promotions are held 2 times a year: in spring and autumn. In the spring you can buy a tour with an early booking promotion for the summer, and at the end of the summer, the winter offers begin.

Which countries are the most popular and what are the benefits of early booking promotions?

In terms of early booking promotions for the summer, the most popular are Spain, Turkey, as well as southern Europe, where tourists are accustomed to a good and comfortable annual vacation.

In our example, which we talked about at the beginning of the article, you can clearly see what the price of the Canary Islands was in the spring (according to the early booking promotion), and what it became towards the end of the summer.

This is the tangible benefit. You pay less, only in advance. Usually 20-30 percent. And 3-4 months before departure.

The same happens with New Year's tours.

Buy a tour for new Year in August, and you will see that in October-November (provided that they are not yet sold out by that time - yes!) it will cost at least 1.5 times more. Those. not 60,000, but 90,000 rubles (the numbers are given as an example). As we can see, there is a benefit of up to 20-30% when buying a tour with an early booking promotion!

• The favorable price of the tour on the early booking promotion is the first advantage

Let's talk about one more thing. It often happens that you are looking for a tour shortly before departure, but the necessary offers, hotels, rooms are no longer available. Happened? And what remains for the tourist? Choose from what is, what is left at the moment. And this choice is not always happy, do you agree? I wanted to 4-ku - you go to 3-ku. Dreamed of a sea view, got a view of the city. So, lo and behold! When buying a tour on the early booking promotion, you have an absolutely blank sheet in front of you - almost all hotels and dates are free. And the sooner you start booking, the more choice you have.

• A wide range of offers is the second advantage

So, the pluses are clear. Convenient, profitable, in advance, profit! Now about the cons. And they are. Welkam, now we will find out what subtleties a tourist needs to know when purchasing such a tour.

What does a tourist need to know about the features of early booking?

The most important feature of early booking (!) Is the order of payment for the tour. With some tour operators, it can be set even within 3 days after the tour is confirmed. For many offers, the payment deadline ends on the last date of the month. For example, April 30th. Those. it might look like this: a tour for September must be 100% paid by April 30th.

How to find out the payment procedure?

When you contact a travel agency, the travel agent picks up an early booking tour for you. Then he specifies the payment procedure for the special offer that you liked. Then he informs you of this payment procedure. And you already decide whether it is convenient for you to pay like this or not. Can you deposit 50% in a couple of days, and another 50% (let's say) in two weeks, or can't you?

• Payment procedure is important

Who sets the payment procedure?

The payment procedure, as we already know, is set by the tour operator. Each offer may have its own order, and you better check this question with a travel agency employee at the time of buying a tour. In this case, you can plan your payments and pay for the tour on time.

• You need to know the order of payment for the tour for the early booking promotion

What else is important? And this is not a plus ...

Be sure to remember it and write it down in your notebook, if you don’t remember ... It is not so easy to refuse a tour purchased under the early booking promotion. And it happens! I booked it, but I can't go. But what if you bought a tour and you can't go? If you cancel the tour (most likely), you will need to pay a fine that the tour operator will set for canceling the tour, or find other tourists (replacement) and change the data of tourists.

• Difficulties in canceling a tour purchased under an early booking promotion

These 2 features of buying a tour with early booking promotions that you just learned about are perhaps the most important. It is better to think about this in advance. You never know - the vacation will have to be canceled or unforeseen things will appear ...

Perhaps you would like to know about current promotions, countries, resorts and prices. Our staff will be happy to help you with this matter. All you need to do is just call our office or leave a request.

How popular are early booking promotions with tourists?

Popular. Quite. Those who know the exact dates of their vacation, who have planned the budget, who have calculated that it is convenient and profitable, buys in advance. The number of such people is growing. This means that favorable prices are not cheating. And people really felt and saw the real benefits of such a purchase. Unfortunately, not everyone can buy such a tour. Why then? First of all, this applies to those whose vacation (vacation dates) is determined shortly before departure.

• If you do not know the specific dates of your vacation, then it is unlikely that you will be able to buy an early booking tour

What's the bottom line?

• There are such early booking promotions, they are convenient for buying a tour
• There are pros and cons. Pros - price and choice, cons - payment and cancellation
• In winter we buy for summer, in summer for winter
• Buy or not buy - the choice is yours

To buy or not to buy - that is the question?

Whether or not to buy an early booking tour is your decision! Weigh the pros and cons. Evaluate the benefits of the offers. You can check with our staff right now to find out which early booking promotions are currently in effect. Just leave a request for a specific country, date, time period, and we will definitely find you a great offer at a bargain price.

• Find a great deal at a great price?

+ Free bonus for our clients: reference materials

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Date of publication:

Outside the window is bad weather and cold, and in our thoughts we are already in the coming summer, planning how and where we will spend our vacation. Down with dreams! It's time to move on, because WELL announces the start of the action " Early booking". Just now early booking for summer 2020 makes it possible to purchase a tour to one of the most popular destinations with the maximum benefit for you.

Early booking for summer 2020 is now open!

Stock " Early booking»Is held in conjunction with hotels offering discounts on condition that the tour is purchased in a limited period before the start of the summer season (late winter - early spring). Today, flexible payment terms and tempting low prices await tourists when early booking tours 2020 to Greece and Turkey, Austria, Andorra, Bulgaria, Dominican Republic, Indonesia, Italy, Cyprus, Cuba, Mauritius, Maldives, Mexico, UAE, Thailand, Vietnam!

Conditions of the "Early booking" promotion:

• Direct discounts from hotels up to 35%.
• 99.9% chance of confirming scarce hotels that are in high demand in high season.
• When booking, the cost of the entire package is fixed in advance, without additional overpayments.

It turns out that early booking is an opportunity to book a trip to popular hotels in advance at a bargain price. The cost of the tour on our website is indicated with the discount. The confirmed application cannot be changed. Full payment must be made prior to the end of the 2020 Early Booking Promotion at the hotel of your choice. Within the framework of the promotion, early booking of 2020 tours for groups of 15 people or more is not allowed.

If, after the end of the promotion early booking for the summer of 2020, changes are made to the tour, then its cost will be recalculated at the price that is current on the date of the changes.

What are the advantages of the Early Booking promotion?

The organization of a successful holiday has its own nuances. When planning a vacation, each of us thinks over every little thing, because even a trifle can derail the perfect trip. That is why we carefully study the reviews of tourists about tour operators, hotels and air carriers. We select only those who have earned a high rating and positive reviews from vacationers. And we treat the cultural and entertainment program while traveling with the same responsibility as collecting a suitcase, buying tanning products and medicines needed on the road. Each of us wants the rest to be at the highest level.

As part of the "RB" campaign, a tourist gets the opportunity to purchase a tour even before the start of the tourist season, several months before the planned trip. Why do tour operators and hotels go for it? Early booking 2020 allows them to protect themselves from unforeseen situations and economic unrest, to ensure loading even before the start of the season.

With a small discount, hotels gain the confidence that they won't have a shortage of guests during the season. And this is important in the tourism business. Not hoping for unexpected tourists who gathered on vacation spontaneously, the tour operator also reduces prices for the formed tours. Together - discounts of hotels and tour operators give from 5% to 50%. In this case, the final amount of the benefit depends on the time of booking, the chosen destination and the hotel.

Another plus of early booking tours 2020 - wide choose hotels. In winter, almost all of them are free. It's no secret that the best hotel rooms are booked and sold first. So the "Early Booking" promotion gives you the chance to relax in the best hotel of the resort at an affordable price during the high season. Without prejudice to the family budget, you can choose a higher level, star rating or hotel category, increase the duration of your stay.

The choice is yours:

Tour for 14 nights as part of the "Early Booking" promotion or tour for 10 nights, but no additional discounts. A hotel that you have heard about from friends, read in a magazine, seen in a movie, or a hotel offered to you just because there are vacant rooms in it ...

But early booking 2020 is not only about pleasant discounts and a wide range of hotels. Airlines are also making every effort to popularize this promotion. Thus, early booking of tours in 2020 allows tourists to choose a flight with their favorite air carrier, flights departing at a convenient time for them. It is an early departure for rest and a late return home that are available for booking as part of the "RB" promotion.

In addition, if you intend to cancel a charter flight, then 2020 early booking will allow you to choose tickets for a regular flight. Precisely "choose", and not agree to the remaining options available, as is the case when buying "hot tours".

"RB" is suitable for those who are serious about making decisions. The ability to plan your trip in advance gives you the chance to prepare for it comprehensively. So, early booking of tours in 2020 gives time to get to know tour operators and their offers, choose a hotel and draw up a cultural and entertainment program, get to know the country of rest and the routes of the proposed excursions.

The confidence that vacationers gain with Early Booking tours is especially relevant for those traveling with children. For those who cannot make a mistake in a hotel, airline or tour operator, for whom every day spent by the children by the sea is important, and every ruble saved for the family budget.

Early booking for summer 2020 frees you from the need to adjust the dates of your holidays and vacations, look around the clock "hot offers" in the hope of finding the most profitable offer.

Are you interested in early booking 2020 but your vacation is not in the summer months? Do not be upset and turn over this page. RB gives the opportunity to travel with discounts all the time. So, in February, early booking for summer 2020 is a vacation in the resorts of Turkey in July, and in August, early booking 2020 is an opportunity to see December Thailand or New Year's Andorra.

When does early booking start for Summer 2020?

Often in one form or another by phone, by mail, in person, tourists ask us similar questions:

1. when early booking starts;
2. when early booking starts for tours;
3. when does early booking start for summer 2020;

Or they ask managers at travel agencies and tour sales offices even so :)

• when does early booking of tours for summer 2020 start;
• early booking of tours for summer 2020 when it starts;
• when does early booking for summer tours start ?;
• early booking of tours for the summer when it starts;

As the saying goes: the options are endless. With pleasure, we will explain. Each of us strives to purchase goods or services not only of decent quality, but also at the most favorable price. In tourism, this can be done if you try to plan your vacation in advance and book a tour not in the last days and weeks before departure during the peak season, when there is a shortage of good rooms and a poor choice of options in hotels, and chip flights air carriers simply, in principle, have long been absent! Advance planning and RB tours for the SUMMER 2020 season will help you save up to 50% of your trip budget.

RB traditionally starts in November-December. You can save at least 35% of the tour cost! If you want to plan your vacation in advance to the smallest detail, including the beach, hotel and room with all amenities, then early booking tours for summer 2020 is a service that suits you perfectly.

Early booking for next summer starts in autumn

For example, in the travel agencies of our network, from November 01, 2019, the early booking season for the summer 2020 was opened. The earliest and most advantageous offers in your favorite hotels, to popular, famous, rare and exotic destinations in to the whole world! Tours for Summer 2020 can be booked profitably in advance with savings now! Hotels in the mainland resorts of Greece and on the islands of Rhodes, Zakynthos, Crete, Kos and Corfu, the best hotels 4 * and 5 * stars All Inclusive in Turkey, Antalya and Marmaris, Bodrum, Side and Alanya, as well as luxury Tunisian hotels in Hammamet, Djerba, Suss and Monastir are waiting for you!

The promotion "Early booking 2020" is open, start searching for tours, offers from all leading tour operators are presented on the site and are waiting for you ..

When early booking ends 2020

This question is also a big "headache" for most tourists. And we receive such questions in dozens of variations from clients every day:

1. when early booking ends
2. when does early booking of tours 2020 end
3. when does early booking of tours for 2020 end
4. early booking of tours for 2020 when ends

There is also a whole group of questions from tourists on this topic, where seasons are mentioned, for example, summer or hotels and tour operators:

• when does early booking end in 2020
• when early booking ends
• when does early booking for summer tours end
• when does early booking for summer 2020 tours end
• when the early booking promotion for tour operators ends

Here it is important to determine which RB the client is interested in. For example, there is RB in winter or autumn for the next summer season, the next summer. This early booking usually lasts until the end of March, depending on the tour operator. As a rule, it is necessary to pay 50% of the tour price immediately, and the rest - one month before the tour starts. The balance is recalculated at the exchange rate at the time of the additional payment. Detailed description You can find this promotion on the websites of the largest tour operators.

DISCOUNTS up to 50% are not a marketing gimmick, but a real opportunity to save substantial money when choosing from a wide variety of hotels and rooms in Spain, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Italy, Montenegro, Turkey, Greece.

The "Early Booking" promotion is an opportunity to choose any dates of your stay. With early booking, you also have access to the best hotels in those countries and resorts where to go on vacation in the summer months among Russians is not as accepted as in the above countries. But if you wish, in the summer of 2020 you can also visit the resorts of Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam by booking them in advance now, in the fall of 2019.

When organizing a vacation according to the 2020 early booking scheme, a flexible payment system is possible: an advance payment of 50% will be the initial cost, which must be paid within 5 days after the confirmation of the application and fifty percent is paid under the terms of the contract, 21 days before the departure on the tour.

Tell your friends, relatives and acquaintances about the benefits of the “Early booking from travel agencies of our network! Experienced tourists have long known about this regular promotion and appreciate the opportunity to choose a tour in advance on the most attractive conditions!

Even experienced travelers regularly ask the same questions. Buy a vacation voucher now or wait until it becomes "burning"? What if the tour I want is sold out for my dates? What if they don't buy it, and closer to the departure date it will be possible to buy it half the price? What if they buy up? (at this point the circle is closed). How to answer yourself to these questions - in our life hack.

Ellin Tolstov, co-founder and technical director of the online tour company Level.Travel, talks about the specifics of pricing.

Prices for tours by the start of the trip can either increase or decrease. It all depends on the availability of places on charter flight and the demand for a particular resort. “If the operator sees that the plane is filling up quickly and there are few seats left, the price may rise,” says Ellin Tolstov. “At the same time, if the flight is due in a few days, and the plane is still not full, so-called“ hot tours ”appear. ". They are often sold below cost just to ensure that the tour operator does not lose money spent on buying seats on the plane and hotel."

Risk factor

The decision at what point to buy a tour is influenced by many factors: the composition of tourists, and the country, and the time of year in which tourists plan to go on vacation. It is quite obvious that those traveling with children or a large company should not delay the choice of a tour with the intention of staying in a room for several people. Such tours are rarely cheaper closer to the date of the trip. On the contrary, there is a risk of not finding a decent offer at all. It makes sense to purchase tours in advance for those people who cannot shift the days of their vacation at the last moment.
"Employees of large companies, as a rule, have very strict vacation dates, and it is impossible to change them," says Ellin Tolstov. "In such cases, it is better not to take risks and book a trip in advance - and the sooner the better. In this case, the tour operator will have enough time to confirm seats and tickets, and tourists won't have any unwanted surprises. "
But couples who are ready to postpone their vacation for a few days at the very last moment have the opportunity to save a lot. Double rooms tend to drop in price the most. And there is a chance to buy out very cheap offers with departure literally every other day.

Comfort discount

Expensive hotels, oddly enough, do not lack guests. They are loaded even in the off-season. And this is understandable - otherwise they would have to reduce prices, and so - tourists are ready to pay for comfort and attentive service at any time of the year. Therefore, it is not worth hoping that an expensive hotel will lower prices at the last moment and will be able to relax in the "five stars" at the price of "three rubles". However, a discount can be obtained for a superior room in a mid-range hotel. Luxury offers in such hotels can wait for guests until the last moment, and then their price can drop, if not to the level of a double standard, then at least close to its cost.

Seasonal fluctuations

There are practically no last minute deals in high season. Therefore, it is better to buy tours for the summer months in advance. Prices may rise by the date of travel. "The cost of" package "offers changes in real time, - says Ellin Tolstov. - Someone bought a tour - and the price went up. Tours to European cities are least subject to changes. There is no seasonality, the cost of hotels is strictly regulated, and it is almost not changes throughout the year, but on beach destinations, price fluctuations can be significant.Hotels on the coasts, as a rule, operate on fixed dates and they have a price schedule - for low season, high and super high. Therefore, the cost of tours on the same beach resorts will always differ depending on the dates. "

At the same time, on such destinations, prices are always reduced after long holidays or children's vacations. Egypt is a classic example in this sense. The resorts of this country receive tourists all year round. Charters fly there constantly, and thanks to this, you can track that the cost of tours in the low season is guaranteed to sink there.

Force Majeure

The misconception that you can buy a tour at a bargain price to a resort where a natural disaster or tragic event has just happened, such as the flood in Sochi or the terrorist attack in Tunisia. The cost of the tour, if it will decrease, is very insignificant. At the same time, demand will grow in competitive directions - and, accordingly, prices. For example, now the interest of tourists in Montenegro, Bulgaria, Turkey and Egypt has increased, but Sochi and Tunisia are showing a decline. The exchange rate also affects the cost of the trip. For example, as soon as the ruble stabilized against the euro, tours to Europe began to be sold more actively. And their prices went up.

Longer rest - more economical

A significant part of the cost of any tour is the flight. For a tour operator, the cost of a seat in the charter is the same - the trip takes three days or two weeks. Therefore, the longer a tourist spends at the resort, the cheaper it costs him every day of stay. Thus, a three-day vacation at a resort based on the cost of one day will always be more expensive than a week's vacation. Sometimes the total price of three and seven days is comparable. At the same time, on some days the plane may be slightly full, and it is on these dates that tour operators form last minute offers to justify the cost of the flight. They usually appear at the very last moment.

Tourist preferences

According to statistics from Level.Travel, most tours are sold exactly one month before the expected date of travel. A little less of them are booked two weeks before departure and the same number - 11 days. At the same time, Russians continue to actively book trips almost until the day of departure.

In June, a significant part of decisions on vacation arrangements were made on the second and penultimate days of the working week - on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Least of all, tours were purchased on weekends.

"Save up to 50%! Early booking!", "Up to 45% discounts for early booking!" - such calls now and then appear in travel advertising. Is it really possible to save money by planning your vacation in advance? What are the pros and cons of early booking? The opinions of experts and seasoned travelers.

Early booking tours - what is it?

Tour operators (not to be confused with a travel agency: the first ones compose the entire tour package "tickets-transfer-hotel-insurance", and the agencies only sell the finished tourist product) call this term special offers, which are published 2 months or more before the start of the tour. But for some not very popular and not massive destinations, booking a trip 3 weeks in advance is also considered "early".

The range of discounts on offer is huge: the most modest offer 7%, and some companies lure customers by promising 50% price reductions.

In the tourist business, as in any market, prices depend on demand - if it exceeds supply, the tour operator raises prices. If, for some reason, the direction is poorly sold, the tour operator, in order not to incur losses, reduces prices. Where do the early booking discounts come from, if demand is not clear yet?

Typically after new year holidays the "low" season begins for travel agencies (except for ski resorts). In the popular resorts of the Mediterranean, for example, some of the hotels are closed, those that are open work practically at a loss. But everyone needs working capital: you need to pay salaries to hotel employees, pay utility bills and a lot of other expense items. And hotels, in order to raise funds, "wake up" the dormant market, are announcing discounts on accommodation. Some hoteliers offer their visitors unprecedented discounts up to 60%! It is clear that in the future they hope to "recapture" losses in the high season.

Accordingly, tour operators, buying nights from hotels at a reduced price, get the opportunity to sell a tour package with a significant discount.

But if you are determined to save money, you may be disappointed. As practice shows, the cost of the same hotel (read, tour) for the same dates when buying a "last minute" ticket on the eve of the trip may be cheaper. And this, of course, is a minus. As well as the fact that when planning and paying for our vacation, we, unfortunately, cannot foresee many reasons why this vacation can be canceled, postponed to an earlier or later date. And one more thing: no one is safe from the fact that in three or four months a tour operator, agency or air carrier will not go bankrupt. And the guarantees that the money will be returned in full are minimal.

Buy a tour in advance or wait?

If you are going on a trip with children, then, of course, you should not wait until the last. Nice rooms in decent family hotels at reasonable prices are quickly sold out. And when looking for a good hotel, you will most likely face the fact that everything is sold.

Experts advise you to take advantage of special offers for early booking in the following cases:

1. If your vacation is tied to a specific hotel infrastructure. For example, you are vacationing with small children and you need the hotel to meet the relevant requirements.
2. If you want to have a guaranteed good rest during the moments of peak demand: during school holidays, New Years or May holidays.
3. Early booking is also worth using if you prefer one specific hotel.
4. If you are going to relax in the high season at a popular resort where vouchers are always sold out well and there are no last-minute tours, earlier booking guarantees you a certain discount.
5. And finally, the undoubted advantage of buying such tour packages is the opportunity to choose a convenient flight and an airline that is more comfortable for the flight.

Early booking tours. What to look for?

If you are attracted by the low early booking rates, here are a few things we would advise you to look out for.

Hotels, of course, can reduce prices for accommodation, but letting guests in for free is unlikely. Airplane tickets are the most expensive part of the tour package, sometimes it makes up 70% of the ticket price. And fuel prices are growing - and tickets, despite regularly appearing discount airline promotions, are not at all cheap. If you are offered to relax in Cuba or in Dominican Republic for $ 600, think: an overseas tour cannot cost less than a flight.

Unfortunately, the experience of the last two years, when several large and medium-sized tour operators "disappeared" on the Russian tourist market, suggests that, already on the verge of collapse, the companies were selling tours in unrealistic low prices... They received the money, but did not pay for any tickets, transfers, hotels. Over the past year, 10 thousand tourists either lost money at all and could not rest, or ended up in a foreign country on the street, without return tickets.

Search for early booking. Experienced travelers experience

Natasha, 35 years old, two children - 2 years old and 6 years old: “My husband and I are avid travelers. Previously, we could go to the agency, buy a“ last minute ”ticket, and fly somewhere the next day. But with the advent of children, everything changed. No, we did not stop traveling. But we began to take a more serious approach to the choice country and hotel in which we want to relax. In addition, my husband got a more stable job, and is forced to plan his vacation in advance. At the beginning of the year we know when we can devote time to rest. While the eldest son was little, and we were not attached to school, then they preferred to have a rest in the off-season - and cheaper, and there are fewer people. But this year the son goes to the 1st grade - we decided that we need to have a good rest in the summer. Therefore, we are already looking at all offers of travel agencies for August. This is a high season, therefore we will book the hotel and the flight now. "

Sergey, 42 years old, son 13 years old: "I always plan my vacation in advance, especially since there is not much choice, I have to adapt to the child's vacation in order to have a rest together. For example, new year holiday on ski resort we have planned already in September. And well done! Our friends, who wanted to join us, at the beginning of November were faced with the fact that all tours to our hotel were sold out. Summer holidays we are already thinking it over. We haven’t decided on the country yet, but we already know that it will be Europe. In the near future I will go to our agent to book a tour. "

Marina, 27 years old, daughter 3 years old: "We have stopped using the services of our travel agencies altogether: we book everything perfectly via the Internet ourselves. Now there are a lot of sites where you can book a hotel with a decent discount. My daughter is an allergic person with a rather complicated diet, so we choose apart-hotels with a kitchenette, where you can cook on your own - and not all travel agencies offer such rooms. But in order to catch the best deal, we start tracking the websites of airlines and hotels in advance. Sometimes it turns out much cheaper than buying a tour from an agency. "

Some useful tips:

1. Do not be fooled by large discounts, most often this is a marketing ploy or a publicity stunt.
2. Consider the value for money reasonably. Remember that even with early booking, the average price of a 10-day tour per person to a decent hotel hovers around 1000 € to Europe and 1000 $ to Turkey, Israel, Egypt, Tunisia and other not very distant countries.
3. It is not worth buying even the most attractive tours from an unknown travel agency.
4. When buying a tour, be sure to ask which tour operator provides you with this service. Do not be too lazy to go to the Rostourism website - check if such an operator exists and for what amount it is insured.
5. Don't skimp on health insurance - especially if you are traveling with children.
6. Be sure to read the contract that you sign - carelessness can cost a pretty penny.
7. Keep the contract and all payment documents until the end of the trip. If you are checked into the wrong room or the wrong hotel (which is possible during high season), they will be very useful to you.