A phrase that is mandatory on the website of any travel agency. A kind of password-enticement for a tourist who "googles" and "Yandex" the expanses of the domestic net in search of a cheap trip to the south. You can work with one or another direction or not, but last-minute tours are a must-have, without which a business is not a business, but so-so, a frivolous activity for your own pleasure.
What is there to hide, the human consciousness is so arranged that when identifying an opportunity to save money, it immediately gives a signal: stop! You can pay less and still get the same thing for which others gave a lot of money. The arguments of logic about a possibly low-quality product and reminders of reason that a miser pays twice, alas, often recede into the background - and we skip rushing to give our hard-earned money for all sorts of "just today" and "don't miss it."
Well, then, as a rule, comes the hour of reckoning for greed: products and services turn out to be second-rate, and what we so willingly took for profit turns out to be just a brilliant tinsel on the filthy essence of the object.
And with last minute tours, everything does not always turn out as beautifully as advertising slogans promise. And placement on the spot will be far from ideal, and half a kilometer to the beach in the heat, and the beach itself will not be too different in cleanliness from the coast of the capital's reservoir ... However, we will not deny if your goal is inexpensive vacation without special requirements for the hotel and other amenities, and in addition, you are ready to jump off your seat overnight and rush to "abroad", last minute deals are what you need. In a word, as in any enterprise, there are pluses and minuses, undercurrents and sharp stones, strategy and tactics of behavior. But first things first.
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What it is
Generally speaking, a last minute tour is a tourist trip, which, due to the approaching departure dates, risks being left unsold and thereby causing a loss to the tour operator. Like most market goods, tour packages have their own index "good until ...", and they are good just before the start date of the trip. Accordingly, by reducing the price as much as possible on the eve of "burnout", you can attract customers looking for opportunities to save money, and thus not lose money invested in the tour (redemption of a hotel room, charter chairs, etc.)
In this case, it is hardly necessary to talk about profit, but at least “recouping” the costs or, in extreme cases, going into a small minus is quite realistic.
As you know, the main price components of a tour package are the cost of living plus the cost of the flight. Little things, such as the cost of transfer and wages of accompanying personnel, we will not count here. Therefore, the “burning” factor is almost guaranteed to fall into one of two things: either there are a lot of unsold places on the charter, or the hotel rooms are not sold. The first can happen if the forecasts for the tourist flow in this direction were too optimistic, there were too many charters, after which the harsh reality put everything in its place. “Well, they don’t love you, they don’t believe you” - as the classic wrote. As a result, "Boeings" and "Airbuses" fly empty, while, as we understand, they consume the same amount of fuel - and therefore, costing the flight consolidator at the same price - whether at least 300 or 80 people are on board.
The second also falls into the realm of unfulfilled dreams, in line with unsubstantiated optimism about charters. If a charter Boeing throws southern lands half the number of tourists, which means that this very half will be accommodated in the hotel. The rest of the rooms will be empty, or rather - bought out by the tour operator, but not populated with "live goods".
There is only one way out of both situations: to lure a potential buyer walking on the Internet or running past the window of a travel agency in big letters: LAST MINUTE TOUR, departure tomorrow / the day after tomorrow / on Saturday, etc. As they say, give what you want, just buy.
Another reason for the "burnout" of the tour, this time depending not on the domestic clientele, but on overseas hoteliers - a large number of free places in the hotel. Since the hotel is designed not only for tourists from Russia, the degree of its occupancy is subject to fluctuations in the tourist market in other countries. And here, as you know, you can't predict anything in advance: where in Europe the next crisis will break out, and where the volcano will start spitting. In a word, the Spanish or English tourist community is sitting at home, the rooms intended for them are not filled, and hoteliers are trying to fill empty rooms with tourists from more fortunate countries: they set attractive prices and "ask" to send at least someone. Usually these are mid-range hotels and hotels designed for mass tourism - luxury establishments are less hysterical in matters of occupancy, since their clients are more unsinkable in everyday storms.
When they are
Despite the fact that many raspberry-travel agencies persuade us year-round about the availability of burning tours in almost all directions, these birds of the tourist market have their own migration season, after which everything that is offered under the tag "burning" is nothing more than the desire of a travel agent to attract a buyer who is greedy for tempting benefits. In other words, there is no need to look for a really hot tour in the segment of high demand offers at this time of the year. For example, in the midst of the "winter heat" season, you should not count on a burning "super special offer" to Thailand or the UAE - these countries already do not know the end of tourists who want to have a quality rest on an exotic beach in the middle of the Russian winter. A completely different matter - the same Emirates at the end of September: the start of the season, the summer heat has not yet completely lost its positions, hotel rooms have already been bought out, and the supply may turn out to be greater than demand ...
Another example: April (and often June) Tunisia. Flight program starts at the end of March, while several airlines fly into the air at once - at least four flights a week are provided. Resort hotels are also far from full: the sea is not yet warm, and only fans of Epiphany bathing and stalwart men dare to go there. There are all the prerequisites for "burning" - and in April a week burning holiday in Sousse or Hammamet can cost as little as 200 USD per person. In addition, many hoteliers issue special offers such as "thalassotherapy included in accommodation" or "children under 2 years old for free" - thus, a trip on a last minute ticket can be doubly profitable: it will be cheaper and for Additional services no need to pay.
Another, so to speak, symmetric, period of distribution of burning tours is the end of the season in this direction. The number of boards per week decreases not as rapidly as the demand, and the hotels are no longer packed to capacity due to the “whisper of the weather”: the cooling of the sea or the approach of the rainy season. The result is a drop in prices for upcoming flights and a great opportunity to pay less for your vacation (unless, of course, other factors scare you).
The sea is affordable
When they never happen
In addition to the high and low seasons in tourist destinations, there are times during the year when the very notion of a last minute tour is absurd. We are talking about national holidays (of which we have a lot, but New Year and May holidays are especially popular in terms of tourism) and the traditional holiday season in July-August. It is clear that at this time almost the entire population, if not our immense, then its major cities precisely storms the offices of travel agencies and "lays down" the servers of Internet sites in search of tickets "to the south." In this period, blessed from the point of view of the players of the tourism industry, everything is sold: both expensive "fives" with their own helipads, and penny "kopeck pieces" with a view of the wasteland. The question in this case is "how to fly away?", And not "how to fly away cheaply?" Accordingly, 99% of special offers with the tag "burning" will be another piece of cheese in a mousetrap: the tourist will either be moved to another hotel, or under the guise of "crazy discounts" they will sell the tour at the general market price, no lower than that of competitors, or, in the worst case , will appropriate money for themselves in a one-day firm and will not send it anywhere at all. In isolated cases, tours can burn in high season, if, say, a trip is canceled - a single or a whole conference - then they will try to sell such a tour package through word of mouth - partner agencies, social networks, online stores of last minute vouchers.
Pros...
What's good about last minute tours, it is clear without explanation - the opportunity to relax for less (and sometimes just for ridiculous) money with the same amenities and the same set of services as compatriots who live in your hotel, but purchased a ticket in advance. The difference between the initial and “burned out” cost of the tour is from 30 to 50%, sometimes discounts reach 70%. Of course, the principle "who does not take risks, he does not drink champagne" has not yet been canceled: by purposefully catching a burning ticket, you can not wait for that - everything will be sorted out before you.
Another, less obvious, but for many the most "juicy" plus is the adventurism of the enterprise. Agree, there is something alluring-free and spy-pirate in this: like this, without getting ready and without even having time to tell your friends, leave your things in a suitcase and lie on the beach somewhere in the banana republic tomorrow.
... and cons
The disadvantages of burning tours are the carriage and the small cart. First: lack of confidence in the success of the enterprise. If, contrary to your forecasts, tours to, say, Antalya in April will be in high demand, there is a risk, waiting for prices to fall, to stay "on the beans", not to fly away at all and thoroughly spoil your vacation. Second: there are no guarantees that you will get to you. desired hotel: If the hotel is popular with tourists, it is likely that it will not be available. In addition, there is a risk that you will have to check in at an unknown hotel: the tour operator may not have time to confirm the one declared on the tour so little time before departure, and in some cases, unscrupulous travel agencies even moreover check into another hotel. "And what did you want - a hot tour, and they moved you to a hotel of the same category!" - there will be a standard answer, which is legally impossible to find fault with. Another nuance is associated with last-minute tours to visa countries. It makes sense to focus on them if you have a valid visa to this country - otherwise you may not have time to settle visa formalities before the departure date. Finally, we will mention the travel cancellation insurance, which can be issued no later than 10 days before the start of the trip. In the absence of such and if the tour does not take place for one reason or another, the tourist can lose almost the full cost of the trip - so in this case it is not difficult to get lost in the wilds of benefits and risks and outwit oneself.
Behavior strategy
Finally, a few tips for those daredevils who, disdaining risk and danger, want to go on vacation without fail on a burning ticket. First, if you are in any way dependent on your work schedule and not every 365 day of the year is ideal for starting your trip, do not wait until the last day. Yes, it is possible that prices will really drop incredibly and the rest will cost mere pennies, but it is wiser to strike a balance between the cheapness of the enterprise and the reality of its implementation.
In other words, it is better to overpay 200 USD and leave than not to overpay and not leave.
Secondly, you should not scrupulously look for a tour at a mega-low price among a dozen similar offers, and even offered by an unknown office " Cheap vacation"- the likelihood of fraud is high. They will take money away from you, this is indisputable, only they will not issue travel documents, and if personal visit in the office of the travel agency there is a risk of stumbling upon a sign "closed". Thirdly, when going on a hot tour vacation, keep your packed suitcase ready - it is quite possible that you will have to take off tomorrow, and being late for the airport because of a swimsuit that did not want to be in is a sad ending for such a lucrative offer.
And finally, the last thing - stock up on optimism and aim for a good mood, no matter what. Whether you have to enjoy the sizzle of jacuzzi bubbles in a five-star hotel room for the price of a three-ruble note, or fight the air conditioning system in a more than modest hotel in a 40-degree heat - one fortune knows. And if so, then boldly look at her face, fate loves the brave! And "but passaran"!
Pss, do you need a tour? Take a look - here we will tell you how to get it as painlessly as possible for the budget. How to find a hot tour and where is it cheaper to buy a regular one?
VK groups and telegram channels are, of course, good, but too fleeting and momentary. How to find the cheapest tours not only for today-tomorrow, but also for a week-month-year in advance?
Here are our instructions from 8 tour trips, which included Thailand for 60,000, Greece for 26,000, and Spain for 35,000! Everything - for two and in 2017-2018, and not when the dollar was thirty 🙂
The ways
Buying a tour online
If you are used to visiting travel agency offices, it's time to try an alternative - a tour aggregator. If you haven’t looked at the nearest “Pilgrim-Travel” yet, is it necessary?
Buying a tour online is easy, convenient and modern. Everyone has been independently booking hotels on Booking and flights on Skyscanner for a long time, it's time for ready-made travel!
Where to look for cheap tours?
Their idea is extremely simple: services analyze the bases of tour operators, compare prices and show available tour options, ranking them by cost or rating.
Advantages:
- Search tours for all tour operators, moreover, reliable. With such a scale, no budget tour goes unnoticed.
- Prices directly from tour operators... No additional payments for office rent, employee benefits, tea with cookies.
- Really inexpensive packages that even the cheapest travel agencies won't offer. The search engines will point you to Turkey for 30,000 for two, well, because they are programmed that way, but travel agents are programmed for profit. Which increases with the amount deposited by the client.
- Your own choice... And do not be afraid of this phrase! Calmly study the hotel reviews and be guided by the prices - then the worm will definitely not gulp down "what if there was something more profitable / closer to the sea?"
- All conditions for the hunt for the burning: saw + immediately bought = in time 🙂
Additional pluses:
Documents - directly to email
+ 24-hour support service and offices in major cities
+ Safe card payment
+ Installment plan / the ability to split the payment into two stages
What is the best search engine for tours - not to say, all three are worth seeing. We noticed that, for example, the list of departure cities is wider, but you can book a tour with a discount using a promotional code, but it always displays the final price with a fuel surcharge (if any).
Ranking of cheap countries by seasons
It is useful to know where the cheapest vouchers are sold. For each season, there are several mass destinations that differ in budget. Here is a short rating of cheap countries and minimum cost tour in 2019 (7 nights, 2 people):
The price is indicated for one person when buying a tour for two
Smart search for tours across all tour operators
Where to look for tours - we have determined, now the question is - how? First, use the smart search for tours: online aggregators allow you to set parameters that will filter out uninteresting offers.
Let's say you intend to buy the most cheap tour, that's just to get out abroad. It is logical that a 5 * hotel on all inclusive is not included in your plans, so put the corresponding checkbox in front of the filters "Star rating / Hotel class" and "Food". You can also play with the distance to the sea, beach type, rating, etc.
Low price calendar and flexible dates
So, in order to choose a voucher optimally, flexibility in travel dates is desirable, at least a day or two.
Departure from Moscow or neighboring cities
It's a shame, but true: inexpensive tour packages for regions, especially distant ones, are quite rare. But cheap tours from Moscow are quite natural, because the development of air traffic is decisive.
If it is not difficult for you to reach / fly to the capital, then you can think about it. We often take a voucher with a flight from Moscow and get there by train (and the amount is still an order of magnitude lower than from Kazan).
Well, and if none of the Russian Railways, Victory does not help, look for where the tours are cheaper, in the nearest large cities (St. Petersburg, Samara, Novosibirsk). But do not forget to evaluate whether this way is worth saving your comfort (especially with a child)?
Flexibility in directions
Conservativeness is good, but sometimes it can be expensive. And if you once again decided to buy a ticket to Turkey, but the price hinted that something was wrong, we advise you to change your priorities.
- Look for "spare" options among traditionally budget directions (list above)
- When choosing a resort, study the prices for each (the site itself will suggest the name)
For example, cheap tours to Greece in 2019 are much more common than in previous years; and for the cost of an average Turkish hotel 5 stars you can take an excellent Greek "five". Yes, it will not be all inclusive, but breakfast + dinner, but do you feel the difference in the level? In addition, it is very simple to issue a Schengen area; and if it is open, then there are no obstacles at all 🙂
In general, shuffle countries and places on the search engines. Fortunately, there is much to fly from Russia (and even without a visa - as many as 88 countries).
Our hotel in Greece according to the fortune system (a tour for 11 nights cost us 27,000 rubles)
Low season for holidays
From our experience, the most effective life hack of how to buy a cheap tour is to choose low season... More precisely, the off-season is when the weather is already or is still ok, but there are no crowds on the beaches / streets, and prices are not inflated.
- It is cheaper to travel to European sea countries and Turkey in May and the second half of September-October. Works for beach holiday, and for excursion
- It is more economical to fly to Thailand, the Dominican Republic, Cuba and even the Maldives in May-June and September-October (except for the Maldives)
We somehow leafed through the whole forum, finding out if it is normal in Tae at the end of May. Everyone, as one, frightened by showers, but somehow unconvincingly, in words. Well, and a cheap tour (Phuket, 10 days, 3 * with breakfast, 60,000 for two), in the end, did its job. The off-season May island - without tourists and, surprisingly, without rains - we liked much more than the January one (when a similar voucher costs 90,000 rubles).
Photo from our trip to Krabi province in Thailand
Early booking
The cheapest tours are last minute. Tour operators "throw them away" a few days before departure in order to somehow recoup the cost. Let's tell right away where to look: at and. Correct the input data and choose (of course, if any)!
If you didn’t rush to the online distance, where to buy hot tours, if you’re lucky, you can do it once or twice, know: this is still a lottery. First, hotels are usually not sold out for a specific reason (guess what?). And secondly, last-minute tours appear not so often, and it is better to count on them for a spontaneous trip, but definitely not for a planned one.
Promo codes
Everything is clear and understandable here: from time to time, search engines delight with promotional codes. On this moment, this is a site for cheap tours that makes them - tours - a little more profitable.
- UAF300howtrip - a coupon for 300 rubles for any tours from 20,000
- UAF500howtrip - a coupon for 500 rubles for any tours from 40,000
- UAF1000howtrip - 1000 rubles coupon for any tours from 60 000
Tours on the system "fortune"
Fortune is for adventurous and picky optimists. Well, or for superchip trips. It is found, as well as, not always and not everywhere.
In a nutshell, a tour fortune is when you only know the resort, the duration, the stardom of the hotel and the type of food. For example, 7 nights in Kemer in a 4 * hotel, all inclusive. The hotel itself will become known upon arrival in the country. Read more about Fortune on the example of Turkey.
What's the point? In exchange for such mysteriousness, you get the cheapest tour - vouchers to all "certain" hotels cost 3+ thousand more.
How to find fortune?
- Come on, or
- Drive in direction (ideally a resort)
- Rank by price
- Select the required stardom with a tick - fortune, if available, should be displayed in the first positions
Before choosing and buying a tour, take a look at the available hotel options from a tour operator offering Fortune. Some of them will be settled! Plus, there is an opportunity to shoot down already low price one of the promo codes above 🙂
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- If you travel abroad more often than once a year: think about bank cards for travel, which return up to 7% of the purchase price of the tour / tickets / hotels (we have AirMiles B&N bank)
- Some tour operators can sell both a traditional tour (flight + accommodation + insurance), and "land" - only accommodation. Don't worry, you won't stumble upon this by chance; it is necessary to select a separate column "only hotel" in the window of a particular hotel. Sometimes land is cheaper than booking on Booking
- An important reminder: the cheapest tours abroad do not always = quality. Still, you have to pay with something: comfort, food, uncomfortable flight
- There are no cheap tour operators, there are economy offers in different directions. Therefore, when searching for a voucher, online aggregators that process all tour operators and all resorts win
Well, will you try to find a tour yourself? 🙂 Share in the comments how budgetary you are and where you are!
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Travel Tips
The active development of tourism has led to the emergence of hundreds of tours in all directions. Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia - a lot of states are waiting for travelers and offer various options for recreation all year round. But for many tourists, the only real opportunity to discover the globe are last minute tours, those that will help to spend a minimum of money on the trip. How to buy a hot tour and how much you can save on it - these are the main questions of interest to vacationers.
Last minute deals are a great way to see the world!
How do last minute deals appear?
Before the start tourist season tour operators predict demand for the resort and redeem charter flights and hotel rooms, focusing on the quantitative indicators of past years. But changes in the economic and political environment can dramatically change the priorities of vacationers. For example, this happened with the once busy Turkey, which lost almost 70% of Russian tourists in recent years.
To increase demand, the host side is forced to reduce the cost of recreation: hotels discount up to 80% on accommodation without compromising the quality of service.
Newcomer countries in the tourism market follow a similar path: states interested in increasing the flow of foreign tourists are doing everything possible to reduce prices.
The second reason for the appearance of "hot" tours is insufficient seasonal demand. Tour operators are forced to redeem the entire charter, but at the beginning or at the end of the season, the destination is less popular than during peak tourist activity, which is why the planes take off half empty. In order to somehow stimulate the interest of vacationers and not work at a loss, agencies are selling the remaining seats at prices 10-30% lower than usual. How can I find similar offers? They usually appear a few days before the departure date, when the tour operator finally said goodbye to the hope of selling the tour at full price.
If profitable proposition appeared during the high season, then most likely someone turned down the tour at the last minute and now the agency is trying to resell the tour.
Such options are rare, but still, even in the high season, do not forget to monitor the hot tours, as luck may be on your side.
How is the cost of a hot tour formed?
Understand how to find relevant and inexpensive voucher, it is easier if you know the specifics of pricing in various directions. The cost consists of two components: flight and accommodation prices. But there is no single scheme for displaying prices on the websites of travel agencies.
Carefully study the services included in the last minute tour so that after purchasing it you do not have to spend additional funds
Some companies write the price per person, others - for the rent of the entire room, usually a double. And there are always additional nuances: for example, only carry-on baggage, and you will have to pay extra for luggage, and a fuel surcharge may also be paid. It is also important to pay attention to whether meals are included in the tour price. That's why experienced travelers do not rejoice at a favorable price for a ticket and do not think about how to book last-minute tours until they have studied all the features of the formed offer. Be careful, otherwise, at first glance, a profitable offer will turn into big expenses.
How and when to look for last minute deals to warm countries or for the New Year?
Last minute offers have two drawbacks: they suddenly appear and are sold out very quickly. Therefore, the traveler interested in purchasing profitable tour, is forced to constantly monitor offers from the tour operator or subscribe to the newsletter. In the second case, there is no need for regular monitoring of prices and departure dates.
If the vacationer is busy searching on his own, we offer a short guide on when it is easier to find “hot” offers in your favorite destinations:
You can "catch" a last minute ticket to a tropical country at the beginning and end of the season
For example, for this is October and May. In addition to the low prices for flights and accommodation, relatively deserted beaches and the absence of crowds in temples, parks and other key attractions will be an additional plus.
It is correct to buy last-minute tours outside the tourist season
For warm countries- in winter, for ski resorts- in spring and autumn. You can fly away at ultra-low rates. But there are also limitations. Vacationers are faced with a reduced level of service even in proven hotels: many hotels release some of the staff before the onset of a new resort peak, and a number of cultural and leisure facilities are closed.
The answer for those who are wondering when to buy last minute tours for the New Year is disappointing:
Christmas and New Year- a popular tourist time in most states. You can have a good rest on holidays only by showing perseverance. To purchase a ticket to new year holidays, it is necessary to constantly monitor offers - all the hope is that someone will refuse a previously purchased tour.
Otherwise, you can pick up the last-minute options for any time of the year. For example, if your vacation is early spring, a trip to, to, or to is a good adventure. With the beginning of autumn, prices for and, which were previously overflowing, are falling. Late autumn attracts travelers with inexpensive beaches Indian Ocean, and with the onset of winter, it does everything to lure a Russian tourist to its coasts.
How to find, choose and buy your last minute tour correctly
How to find attractive vacation options without spending a lot of time on it ?. The website is searched for offers from 36 tour operators. Thus, the traveler will save himself the trouble of manually going through hundreds of offers from each company registered on the market.
Step two is to select the desired search parameters. For example, indicate which countries are of interest and which departure dates are being considered. Then comes the turn of nuances: the number of days of rest, the "star rating" of the hotel, food programs (breakfasts, breakfasts + lunches, all inclusive, and so on). The fewer requests, the easier it is to find a hot tour.
Remember that it is not worth delaying the booking of especially profitable last minute offers - there are many who wish
Most travel agencies are ready to generate automatic notifications about the appearance of last-minute offers that match the entered search parameters. This is convenient for people with flexible working hours who are ready to grab a suitcase and go to the airport at any moment.
One more important advice on how to choose a suitable tour: look for trips to those countries that you do not need a visa to visit. If you managed to find a burning tour, let's say, to one of the EU countries, but the departure is in two days, and you do not have a valid “Schengen”, then you will most likely have to forget about the trip, because you simply will not have time to get the coveted sticker in passport.
If you do not have any visas, it is better to immediately set up the search for offers in visa-free countries.
After the last minute ticket is selected, it remains only to pay for it (the entire amount is deposited at once) and to collect suitcases. An exciting vacation awaits!
Spring, April, and summer holidays are on the horizon. Relaxing in comfort and saving on travel is the goal of any traveler. What is the best way to do it - buy a tour in advance or at the last moment? Let's try to understand the pros and cons of both options.
In the last couple of years, it has become popular among avid travelers to book a summer tour immediately after New Years holidays... The fact is that with early booking, the travel agency provides a discount - from 5 to 50%. From half a year to 2 months before the departure date - standard terms early booking... The minimum period for unpopular and non-mass destinations is 21 days.
The main advantage of early booking is the ability to choose. The most comfortable airline, the hotel you like, additional options offered by the tour operator. This is especially convenient if you are going on a trip with children. You can choose in advance a decent hotel with a set of entertainment for the younger generation. And the cost will be adequate.
Another reason to take advantage of early booking is your desire to fly away on vacation during the greatest excitement - on holidays or days school holidays... Planning to relax on popular resorts in July or August? Travel industry experts recommend booking tours in advance for this "hot" time. And even sometimes in September. Moreover, the more popular your chosen destination will be, the more profitable early booking will be. The best hotels in Turkey, Cyprus, Greece and Spain are being dismantled in the spring.
Plus, early booking is a way to get a guaranteed discount. The most modest companies offer 5%, while others promise to cut prices in half. For a traveler, the discount system is simple - the earlier you buy a tour, the cheaper it can be.
Last minute tour
Another way to save money on your trip is to visit the last minute store. But for many, a synonym for the phrase "hot tour" is a cheap tour. That is, a low level of service and not best hotel, But actually it is not. Tours are burning for several reasons. Firstly, the tourist services market is extremely unstable. The proposals that were in demand a month ago suddenly become useless to anyone. Another option: Travelers who bought this tour in advance suddenly gave up.
The most important plus of buying a hot tour is savings. On average, from 30 to 60%. But these are not all the benefits. Often, travelers who go on a vacation with a rush benefit from travel company also nice bonuses ( free excursion, local museum ticket, spa treatment certificate).
The opposite is also possible. The tour operator, in order to save money on you, will try to cut back on any excursion, a visit to a hamam or a water park.
This is the first but not the last risk of buying a tour this way. Everything is possible: absence entertainment program at the hotel, uncomfortable transfer, view from the room to the concrete wall. Also, you probably will not get travel cancellation insurance, since such a service is issued at least 7 days before departure. And if you yourself suddenly decide to abandon the tour, then most likely the money will not be returned to you. Cancellation penalty is 100%.
And one more disadvantage - you will have to go on a trip without carefully preparing and packing things, but, perhaps, the next day in a hurry.
If the desire to save money outweighs the cons, then buy last minute deals! However, in order to "guess" when buying such a tour, you still have to work hard in advance.
It must be remembered: if a travel company offers you a cheap tour a month before the intended trip, then this is not a last minute tour! Most likely, the price has been reduced for another reason: because of the long distance from the hotel to the sea, construction projects outside the window, or other factors that interfere with comfort. Better to look for something else. Inexpensive last-minute deals from all tour operators to visa-free countries may appear no earlier than a week before departure, and if a trip to the country requires a visa, then they appear 10-14 days before. At the same time, in most cases, the rule works - the closer the arrival date, the lower the price.
Almost at any time you can "catch" a burning tour to Turkey or Egypt. For the last 10 years, these countries have been receiving the maximum number of tourists from the CIS countries. As a result, there are many last minute tours in these areas.
But don't grab the first ticket you come across! Before buying, it is advisable to visit the last-minute voucher store (the official website for the tour search), there to look for information about popular and unpopular destinations and resorts this season, compare prices.
One more detail when choosing a tour. The last minute tour includes tickets for chartered flight and hotel accommodation. A travel agency may not sell before the required date either plane tickets, or hotel reservations, or both.
As in the case of early booking, you need to pay attention to the travel agency where you buy the ticket. And carefully read the contract so that it does not turn out that the agency saves on you. You should always check the level of the hotel, room and food. By choosing the last minute deals for the sun, you can be sure that you will not be deceived!
It is worth noting that the chance to buy a high-quality last minute tour increases significantly in the off-season. The demand for rest at this time is falling and travel agencies are ready to do a lot to fill planes and hotels. April is the most “off-season” month. Most warm countries still cannot boast of a sufficiently warm sea. However, in Tunisia, Turkey, Morocco, Jordan and even Bulgaria, you can walk along the coast and sunbathe, and if you're lucky, even swim. There are also last minute deals to Thailand at this time - in spring you can get there in rainy weather, but precipitation will be short. There is still a chance to ride alpine skiing discounted in the harsh Austria, Sweden and Switzerland.
Hot tours - a good choice for people who want to save money, while being dynamic and not too demanding of service. Early booking is also a way to reduce spending on vacation, but it is more suitable for tourists who clearly plan their vacation, prefer comfort and are not ready for surprises. Which way to buy a tour to choose? You decide.
Instructions on how to find and where to buy cheap tours abroad. 8 secrets of the correct online tour purchase, which will allow you to relax on the tour cheap.
- How to buy a last minute ticket?
- Where to look for tours for all tour operators for free?
- How to choose and buy a tour online yourself?
- What tricks to use to find cheap packages?
Detailed answers to these questions are in our material!
1. Buy tours online
It is cheaper to search and buy tickets online than in travel agencies on the street. In travel agencies, the price can be 10-20% higher.
Why is it more expensive in a travel agency?
Firstly, agencies add their own mark-up to the tour operator's price. They need to rent an office, pay employees' salaries, and incur other overhead costs. For companies operating over the Internet, these costs are much lower.
Secondly, the managers in the agency are not interested in selling you the cheapest tour - the lower the price of the tour, the lower their commission. Therefore, you will be unobtrusively offered more expensive options, focusing on their advantages and belittling disadvantages. Buying a voucher online, you yourself find a suitable option and decide for yourself whether the price and conditions are right for you.
Where to look for cheap tours?
There are three reliable services -, and. All three have proven themselves well and have sent more than tens of thousands of tourists on vacation. See which one you personally like best.
These search engines compare tour prices among 130 tour operators, allowing you to find the best deals.
Photo: © Hrvoje Grubisic / unsplash.com
How does the purchase take place?
The process of self-purchase tours online looks like this:
- You choose a suitable tour on the website.
- If you are satisfied with the price and conditions - book; if you have any questions, you can call the manager for free and consult.
- Fill in contact information and tourist data.
- You pay for the tour either online (from a bank card) or in cash at the company's office. You can buy a voucher in installments directly on the site.
- Immediately after payment everything Required documents(vouchers, tickets, insurance, etc.) come to your email. They have the same legal effect as if they were issued in the office.
Tour search sites across all tour operators make it easy to find cheap packages thanks to thoughtful filters. You can set the number of stars at the hotel, rating according to tourist reviews, type of food, price range, tour operator and other parameters - the service will only show results that match the specified criteria.
An alternative option is to use the ready-made filters "rest with children", "close to the beach", "suitable for couples".
Why buy tours online
2. Use promo codes and promotions
A great way to save money on buying a tour abroad is to use promotional codes and promotions.
Promo codes allow you to get a discount up to 1500-3000 rubles. Enter them in the special field on the tour payment page - and it will become cheaper by the declared amount.
How do I find promotional codes?
- Travelata - you can see the current promotional codes
- Level.travel - sometimes they give promotional codes in certain directions (see)
How do I get a discount? We regularly collect all the relevant offers on the page Promo codes for tours - before buying a ticket, be sure to see what discounts are active now.
Sometimes companies are happy with special stock- for example, increased accrual of miles, discounts on tours, bonuses for installing the application or sending links to friends, contests with a paid tour as a prize.
3. Choose the right season
When choosing a tour, take into account the tourist season in the country where you want to go.
How does the season affect the cost of vouchers?
- In the low season, vouchers are cheaper. For winter destinations (Thailand, Vietnam, etc.) prices are lower from May to October, for summer destinations (Cyprus, Turkey, Montenegro, European countries) vouchers cost less from October to April.
- The cheapest tours in summer are at the beginning and end of the tourist season. At this time, prices for tours are lower, there are fewer tourists in the resorts, and the weather is milder. For example, it is better to buy a tour to Turkey in May-June or September-October.
Remember that the low season is called so for a reason - on summer destinations you won't be able to swim and sunbathe, and on winter destinations it can be cloudy and rainy.
The velvet season has no drawbacks - traveling on summer destinations in June or September is both cheap and more profitable in terms of weather (no extreme heat as in July and August).
Photo: territory resort hotel© Josh G / Unsplash.com 4. Fly from major cities
As a rule, the larger the departure city, the lower the prices for tours from it. A tour from Yekaterinburg or Novosibirsk is usually cheaper than from Omsk. And the cheapest trips abroad are from Moscow.
When searching for tours online, compare prices from your city and from neighboring cities - perhaps the difference in the cost of the tour will more than cover the cost of the trip to big city... Do not forget that it is not only about money, but also about the time spent on the road.
How to get to another city inexpensively
- Search for cheap flights via Skyscanner and Aviasales
- train tickets - on the Russian Railways website
- buses - through the service
- travel companions by car - Blablacar
Fresh example. A tour for two people to Cyprus from Voronezh costs 115,000 rubles. A voucher with the same conditions from Moscow - 79,000 rubles. Cheaper by 36,000 rubles.
How much does it cost to get from Voronezh to Moscow and back for two:
- by plane: 22,000 rubles
- by train: from 3700 (reserved seat) to 5200 (compartment)
- by bus: 3200 rubles
Saving when buying a tour from Moscow - from 14,000 to 32,800 rubles.
Of course, not everyone wants to travel to another city for several hours, but the benefits can be tangible. You decide.
Image: the difference between the cheapest tour from Moscow and from Voronezh 5. Experiment with your search terms
To find cheap trips abroad, try different conditions when searching for a tour - resort, duration of the tour, date of departure.
Resort... Tours to two resorts of the same country can cost differently. Search for trips to different cities or enter the whole country in the search field - the system will select the cheapest options automatically.
Tour duration... Look for packages with different lengths of rest. In some destinations, tours for 7-12 days may cost less than vouchers for 3-6 days. For example, tours to Thailand for 3-4 days are rare and expensive; for the same price you can rest for 7-10 days.
See an example of the price difference when different duration rest in the widget below.
departure date... The price for tours with the same conditions, but different departure dates can be strikingly different. If you were planning to fly on Saturday, check also the prices for Friday and Sunday, and better - for other days. The difference can be up to 5000-10000 rubles.
6. Buy at the right time
You can find the cheapest tours either 4-6 months before departure (early booking), or at the last moment (hot tours). What to choose?
Early booking allows you to purchase a ticket with a discount, albeit not the biggest one. You will have time to choose a country, carefully study photos and hotel reviews, and plan your vacation. In addition, the price of early booking is practically not affected by anything other than the exchange rate.
Last Minute Tours- the cheapest tours, the discount on them is maximum. But there are also a number of disadvantages:
- No guarantee. Last minute deals in the desired direction may not appear closer to the dates of your vacation. Then you will have to buy a tour more expensive than early booking.
- The best hotels are already taken. Usually, good hotels are filled in advance, and the remaining options are offered for last minute tours. Decent options can also be found, but usually the level of hotels is an order of magnitude lower.
- There is no time to search for information. Last minute vouchers are sold out very quickly. If you are in a hurry to buy a tour before someone else sees it, you do not have time to study information about the resort, hotel, etc.
Where and how to look for hot deals on your own? Each service has separate pages for the selection of last minute deals:
Remember how to buy a tour cheaper
- Buy online - it's safe and convenient
- Use promo codes, follow promotions
- Choose the velvet season for relaxation
- Check prices for tours from neighboring cities
- Try different dates and times
- Book in advance or catch hot tours
- Subscribe to price changes
- Pay for your trip with a cashback card
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