Chapter 1. The DIY Holiday
The DIY Holiday: A Do-It-Yourself Holiday is one in which you book the component parts of your holiday yourself. In practise this really means that all you have to do is book the travel (for example a return flight) and the accomodation (for example a self-catering apartment). You really don't need someone else to do this for you! Its easy and it could save you a lot of money.
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What is a Holiday?
Every holiday consists of four parts:
Getting there The travel part of the holiday. This can be a flight, train, bus, coach, car, boat, ferry, etc. Staying there The accommodation part of the holiday. This can be a hotel, self-catering apartment, tent, caravan, youth hostel, villa, cottage, etc Eating The food part of the holiday. This can be all-inclusive, bed-and-breakfast, part-board, self-catering, restaurant-based, or a combination of any of these. Being there What you do when you get there. This can be sun-bathing, walking, sight-seeing, shopping, sporting activities, nightlife, any combination of these, or, for some people, absolutely nothing!
What is a Package Holiday?
A Package Holiday is one in which someone (usually a Travel Agent) books a holiday for you usually through another company (the Tour Operator). The package will include getting there and staying there, it may include meals and activities and will usually include the services of a Holiday Rep while you are on holiday. You pay the money to the Travel Agent and everything is arranged for you. All you have to do is turn up on the day.
The problem with a Package Holiday is that there are a lot of people who have to get a cut from your money. These include the Travel Agent, the Tour Operator, the Travel Company (airline, ferry company, etc), the Holiday Rep, and the Hotel owner, to name but a few. They are, after all, entitled to earn a living. But wouldn't it be nice if you could cut out a few of the "middle-men"?
Another disadvantage with Package Holidays is a limitation of choice. Because the Tour Operators block-book airline seats and hotel rooms in advance at specific resorts, they are able to offer only a limited range of flights, days of travel, resorts, and accommodation. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to choose where to go, when to travel, and where to stay, without being restricted by the choices available in the Tour Operator's brochures?
In addition, Package Holidays are dogged with complicated price structures and hidden costs. By the time you have calculated your flight supplements, under-occupancy supplements, child deductions, surcharges, and prebookable holiday "extras", your holiday almost invariably works out more than you expected. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to calculate the cost of a holiday quickly and easily?
What is a DIY Holiday?
A Do-It-Yourself Holiday is one in which you book the component parts of your holiday yourself. In practise this really means that all you have to do is book the travel (for example a return flight) and the accomodation (for example a self-catering apartment). You really don't need someone else to do this for you! Its easy and it could save you a lot of money.
The benefits of a DIY Holiday are as follows:
Cheaper than a Package Holiday
More choice of destinations, dates, and accomodation
More fun
Easy and simple to organise
Who Is It For?
A DIY Holiday is for anyone:
Singles
Couples
Families
Groups
Young people
Old people
Middle aged people
Students
Retired people
Working people
Anyone who likes saving money
Who Is It Not For?
People who rely on the services of a Holiday Rep and like activities organised by the Tour Operator
People who like someone else to organise their holidays and just want to turn up on the day
Rich people who really don't mind paying more money than they need
How Do You Organise a DIY Holiday?
There are five simple steps:
Decide where you want to go
Research the travel options
Research the accomodation options
Book the travel
Book the accommodation
In the following chapters we will guide you through each of these stages. Full information is provided to enable you to book your own travel tickets and accommodation, together with comprehensive instructions on the best way to do it. The book is crammed with valuable advice and tips, and all the information you need to have a wonderful, low cost, DIY holiday.
What Do You Need?
This book
A telephone
Paper and a pen
A credit card (useful for paying for flights and accomodation over the phone, but not essential as you can pay by cheque, bankers draft, etc)
Internet access
A DIY Holiday Example
Last year the Patterson family (two adults and three children) booked a Package Holiday to Gran Canaria for a week during the Easter holidays. The holiday was booked with a leading Tour Operator through a local Travel Agent. The holiday consisted of a flight from their local airport to Gran Canaria, self-catering accommodation in a two bedroomed apartment, transfer from the airport to the accommodation (and back), the services of a Holiday Rep (which the Pattersons didn't use), and nothing else. The Travel Agent priced the holiday as follows:
Brochure price of a one week holiday for two adults £798 (£399 times two)
First child price £198
Second child price £228
Third child price £399 (the Tour Operator allows a maximum of two child prices so the Pattersons had to pay full adult price for the third child)
Under occupancy supplement (£4 per person per night) £140 (because the two bedroom apartment could theoretically sleep six adults and the Pattersons were only paying for three adults)
Flight supplement (£10 per person) £50
Holiday insurance (organised by the Travel Agent) £55
Total Cost £1868
The Pattersons loved Gran Canaria and had a wonderful holiday. While they were there the Pattersons became friendly with the proprietor of the apartment complex. During the course of conversation with the proprietor the Pattersons learned that the apartments were let on a weekly basis. The maximum price charged by the complex owner was £350 per apartment per week, irrespective of the number of occupants. Many of the apartments were pre-booked by various Tour Operators but the proprietor also let a significant number to individuals. In fact he was particularly happy to do so as he could charge the individuals the full £350 whereas the Tour Operators negotiated a significant discount for block-booking. The Pattersons made a note of the proprietor's name and phone number.
This year the Pattersons booked a flight from their local airport to Gran Canaria, booked a two bedroomed apartment in the same complex they had stayed in the previous year, found out the cost of a taxi from Gran Canaria airport to their apartment, and arranged their own insurance.
Return flights with Britannia (adult £190 each) times two £380
Return flights with Britannia (child £180 each) times three £540
Taxi transfers in Gran Canaria £40
Two bedroomed apartment for one week £350
Holiday insurance (found on the Web) £25
Flight supplements £0
Under-occupancy supplements £0
Surcharges, etc £0
Total Cost £1335
The Pattersons had a teriffic holiday, with the added benefit of a taxi direct from the airport to their apartment rather than a coach stopping at several other hotels along the way, and saved themselves £533.
What Do You Do Next?
Read this book
Decide where you want to go
Research the travel options (see Chapter 6)
Research the accomodation options (see Chapter 7)
Book the travel
Book the accommodation
Look forward to a great Holiday
Read More of Our FREE Book on DIY Holidays:
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