And I haven't traveled for a long time! .. If this thought caught you in the middle of active everyday life, whether in the office or at a manicure session, you DO NOT need:
- nervously waiting for the weekend;
- rush to the subway to get to my mother’s friend’s niece from her father’s side - a travel agent in the seventh generation.
Is the Internet at your fingertips? Obviously yes, if you are reading this article. Then open your browser, go to travelata.ru and watch-study-buy. Then you will send us greetings from the beach near the Andaman Sea, because you can buy a hot tour to Thailand, and even cheap, right now, without leaving your workplace! And here are 10 ways to save money when buying a tour.
Well, and if you dissuade yourself "yes, we are somehow the old fashioned way, more reliable ..", pay attention to the following weighty arguments in favor of buying a tour on the Internet.
Why is it worth making the selection and booking of tours online?
- No extra charge
Comparing the cost of a ticket from an online service and a travel agency, we will see a tangible difference in rubles. This is explained by the fact that offices include in the price of renting premises, salaries of employees, etc. Of course, sites also work for their own benefit, but with an order of magnitude less mark-up. Do you want to buy a cheap tour for example to Spain? All roads lead exclusively to the Internet!
- Calm environment
What could be better than planning your upcoming holiday in Greece with a cup of coffee in your favorite chair? You are free to consider any dates, ask the price of hotels of all categories, annoying managers do not bother you. And if you add a little patience and ingenuity, then you will discover the last minute all-inclusive packages for two at tempting prices.
Our trip to Israel (Dead Sea, December 2016)
Nobody will impose options that are "just a godsend!" or "there is nowhere more profitable", which is what travel agents like to do, thereby promoting large sums. And the phone will not be torn from ten calls a day, if you take a break for reflection. Tour operators give different markups, so the travel agency will most likely recommend you to buy tours from specific companies!
- Documents at hand
You don't have to go to the travel agency a couple of times to get documents and get nervous if the employees are slow to issue them. All confirmations, insurances, tickets will be sent to the post office. Well, printing them is a matter of five minutes.
- Affordable consultation
In case of any difficulties, you can leave a request for a call back, and the specialist will not keep you waiting long. 24/7 customer support is ready to answer all your questions and clarify any misunderstandings. What is not a traditional conversation with a manager, only at a distance. You can also ask a question - what needs to be done to buy a hot tour from Moscow for two cheaply - though it is much better to figure it out yourself first 😉
- Potential savings
A nice bonus of online search for tours is the likelihood of reducing the total cost by another couple of thousand rubles. Yes, the aforementioned margin can be reduced to zero. But first things first! Are you convinced? Now let's move on to the next vital issue.
Where is it better to do the selection and booking of a tour online?
Having decided on an independent selection of a voucher, special services come to the rescue that search for tours for all tour operators. But as soon as you go online, you will be whirling in a whirlwind of numerous sites, forums and other resources of a certain degree of competence.
Our trip to Italy (Milan, July 2016)
First of all, it is necessary to pay attention to the presence of the widest possible base of tour operators. Agree, the higher the competition, the lower the prices. In no case, do not start your online research from the official websites of travel companies: here you will not find vouchers at a low price, because they will be bought anyway. But among the many tours for all tour operators collected on one portal, the winner will be the one who offers the best (i.e. acceptable in quality and cost) option.
To facilitate the task, we have compiled for you TOP 5 sites where you can select a tour yourself, bypassing persistent managers:
- Travelata
- Level.travel
- Onlinetours
We recommend using the time-tested and reviewed services Travelata and Onlinetours. Here you can not only find great deals in all holiday destinations, but also catch the cheapest last minute deals. Among the presented options from 120 tour operators in Russia, you will definitely find your ticket to the world of travel, and the user-friendly interface of the sites and the customer-oriented support service will help you in this exciting business.
Some instructions and examples of how to find an inexpensive tour on the Internet
In the process of searching for a tour online, be sure to consider several factors that will allow you to greatly reduce the price.
First, there is flexibility in dates. The more days you define as the optimal time to start your vacation, the better your chances of finding a less costly route. A good example from the Travelata low prices calendar: we want to buy a tour to Cyprus at the beginning of March, enter the initial data and make sure that the departure on March 7 and 8 will save a decent amount, compared to the 6 or 9.
Secondly, remember that often the length of the rest will also make adjustments. Look, Level.Travel also confirms that a ticket to India for two for 7 nights may cost 2-3 thousand rubles less than for 11 nights! Who will choose 7 nights?
Third, consider buying a tour from Moscow. Of course, the services find offers with departures from any major cities in Russia. But, taking into account the development of air transportation in the capital, buy a tour from Kazan, Ufa, Yekaterinburg, etc. - an expensive undertaking.
Well, last-minute tours to Spain from Moscow in 2019 in comparison with a flight from Kazan with Onlinetours prove this injustice:
It seems that the cheapest option is to buy a tour from Moscow, and spend the difference on Spanish entertainment, especially in PortAventura Park.
Fourthly, carefully study the last-minute tours tab from all tour operators. Yes, “hot” rest is a risky business, but in most cases it is worth it. Prices for previously biting vouchers with accommodation in a 5 * hotel, and not only, can be reduced by up to 90%.
Now the most important thing!
How to buy a cheap tour and make it even cheaper? Online only!
The cheapest tours are, of course, last minute tours. They are taken without looking, and subsequently enjoy a wonderful vacation and no less wonderful saved money.
But above all, keep your cool. Do you want to score more points (rubles) in your favor in an unequal battle with the most loyal opponent - an online service? Then:
- use bank cards with cashback for payment (that is, with the return of part of the money spent back). For example, if you are planning to buy an inexpensive tour to Crimea online, the Tinkoff Black card will return 1% of the total amount at the end of the month. No, do not grin that there is so little, see the next paragraph.
- look for special offers from banks. From personal experience, we can say that the same Tinkoff agreed with the Travelata website and added an additional 4% to the cashback (for a limited period of time).
In total, we have a last-minute discounted tour from Travelata, which we "finish off" with a 5% refund to the card, and plus karma for resourcefulness.
Well, if the topic of last minute tours is touched upon ...
Which is better: search for last minute deals and tours or early booking?
Do you now know where to buy the cheapest tours? And if you prefer to "overdo it", the cost of the rest is completely satisfied, and the determination is supported by the golden rule - the more days before the date, the lower the amount - then book without hesitation.
If there is no certainty in the dates of the cherished vacation or unsatisfactory price tags on the tourism market, keep track of the prices for last minute cheap tours. And as soon as there is a hint of free days, open your browser, go to the Travelata or Onlinetours website and choose the cheapest tour for the next month or week!
Oh yes, and do not forget, after you buy a tour to Phuket, leave a review and help others to buy a tour online, saving you time and money. Good luck to you!
