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If you’re already sick of chipping ice off the windshield, and dreaming of a low-cost beach vacation, now is the time to go.
Prices plunge for package deals to resorts in Cuba, Mexico, and The Dominican Republic in the last weeks of January. A week at an all-inclusive resort can cost as little as half of what you’d pay in late February or during March break. Some of the higher-end resorts may not be on sale, but lots of other attractive four and five-star properties are.
There’s always a lull in travel down south at this time of year. Right after the Christmas holidays, many people have just had a break and might be short on cash. “Anyone with children has probably just taken off over Christmas,” says Allison Wallace, spokeswoman for Flight Centre, which has 200 travel agencies across Canada. Families with children might be reluctant to pull them out of school before March break. And the winter may not seem unbearable yet.
But airlines still have flights and rooms booked, and when demand goes down prices do too.
Luxury resorts less likely to go on sale
The trend doesn’t apply to the luxurious Club Med and the Beaches chains, which don’t reduce their prices in January, says Alex Robinson, travel consultant at Let’s Take the Kids Travel on Billings Avenue, which for 27 years has specialized in family vacations. “They sell out regularly. You can’t really wait until the last minute. You need to book in advance, or you won’t get anything at all, or the price will be higher.”
Those chains rely on clients who are looking for a specific product, and willing to pay for it. “It’s a good product and they don’t want to reduce the value of their product.”
The January price dip
But many package vacations from operators such as Sunwing, Sunquest, Transat, Air Canada, Westjet, and Signature are discounted in January. The deals can be significant for travellers who are flexible about when they leave and where they go.
For instance, a week at all-inclusive four and five-star resorts in the popular Mayan Riviera leaving in the next week can be found online for as low as $650 a person, plus taxes. During March break, that could easily double, says Wallace. (At all-inclusive resorts, the cost includes the airfare, hotel, meals, drinks and usually some activities such as water sports.)
Price fluctuations for package vacations south are hard to predict. “We scratch our heads here as well,” says Robinson. “Something is one price one week and another price next week.” But the January dip is reliable. It can be a great time for singles, couples or people who don’t mind pulling the kids out of school to snag a deal, says Wallace.
Last-minute isn’t always the cheapest
However, travellers should not assume that booking at the last minute always guarantees the best price, travel agents caution.
For package vacations, if only a few seats remain as the travel date approaches, the price may rise. If there is a large block of unsold seats near the travel date, though, they may be discounted at the last minute.
That’s hard to predict. Wallace suggests watching the prices over a few days or a week: if they steadily climb, you are unlikely to get a deal at the last minute, because the inventory is dwindling.
She’s also an advocate of booking in advance. Many package tour companies offer discounts for signing up by the end of October. Others have “price match” guarantees that mean travellers will be refunded in cash or vouchers if the price of their trip goes down within a week or so of departure.
Bad weather boosts demand
Not surprisingly, weather can play a role in pricing. “A big snowstorm, no end in sight?” says Wallace. Enquiries and bookings tend to spike.
“How badly do they want to get out of Ottawa?” laughs Brenda Jovanovic, owner of Destination Anywhere travel agency on Baxter Road. “When the temperature hits minus 33, the prices go up.” Some of her clients were so fed up with last year’s brutally long, cold winter that they went south twice, she says.
And if you were wondering whether lower gas prices have driven down the cost of package vacations, there’s no sign that has happened.
Prices are often negotiated well in advance, and it’s difficult to isolate any one factor as affecting prices. The declining value of the Canadian dollar might also counterbalance any savings.
The rush to Cuba
Several agents said they’ve had more inquiries and booking for vacations in Cuba, which is already a popular destination.
Some travellers anticipate big changes on the island in the next few years as the U.S. government eases its decades-long embargo against the communist country.
The U.S. plans to open an embassy in Cuba and loosen trade, travel and financial restrictions. Negotiations have just begun, and American-owned hotels won’t be springing up on Cuba’s famous beaches immediately.
But some travellers fear that prices will skyrocket if that happens, says Jovanovic. Their thinking is “Let’s get in before the Americans get there, and we won’t be able to afford Cuba anymore.”
March Break is peak
Families looking to book a vacation during the March school break invariably pay a premium. It might be difficult to find a resort, never mind a deal. “I hope they’ve already booked,” jokes Wallace. “It’s a real peak time.”
Robinson said tour operators have no reason to drop prices during March break because demand is so high.
He suggests the budget-conscious look for packages leaving during the week, which means missing a day or two of school. Or try flying out of Montreal, which is less convenient, but Quebec school breaks are often during different weeks.
A week-long trip to an all-inclusive resort in Mexico leaving in the next week can be had for as little as $650 a person plus taxes.
A sample of prices for one-week vacations at 4 and 5-star all-inclusive resorts, found online Thursday morning:
Destination: Mexico, Mayan Riviera
Resort: Grand Bahia Principe Coba
Leaving: Jan. 17
Tour company: Air Canada Vacations
Price: $652 a person, double occupancy, plus $401 in taxes. Grand total for two people: $2,107
Destination: Mexico, Mayan Riviera
Resort: Oasis Tulum
Leaving: Jan. 24
Tour company: Sunwing
Price: $785 a person, plus $387 in taxes. Grand total for two people: $2,344
Destination: Cuba, Varadero
Resort: Sol Sirenas Coral
Leaving: Jan. 17
Tour company: Air Canada Vacations
Price: $458 a person, double occupancy, plus $307 in taxes. Grand total for two people: $1,531
Destination: Dominican Republic, Punta Cana
Resort: Sirenis Cocotal Beach Resort Casino Aquagames
Leaving: Jan. 24
Tour company: Nolitours
Price: $849 a person, double occupancy, plus $421 in taxes. Grand total for two people: $2,541
Source: itravel2000.com
Travel websites that sell packages south from various tour operators:
redtag.ca
selloffvacations.com
itravel2000.com
exitnow.ca
escapes.ca
Check the websites of the various tour operators for details about resorts, and last-minute deals:
sunwing.ca
signaturevacations.com
sunquest.ca
transatholidays.com
westjet.com
aircanada.com
查看原文...
Prices plunge for package deals to resorts in Cuba, Mexico, and The Dominican Republic in the last weeks of January. A week at an all-inclusive resort can cost as little as half of what you’d pay in late February or during March break. Some of the higher-end resorts may not be on sale, but lots of other attractive four and five-star properties are.
There’s always a lull in travel down south at this time of year. Right after the Christmas holidays, many people have just had a break and might be short on cash. “Anyone with children has probably just taken off over Christmas,” says Allison Wallace, spokeswoman for Flight Centre, which has 200 travel agencies across Canada. Families with children might be reluctant to pull them out of school before March break. And the winter may not seem unbearable yet.
But airlines still have flights and rooms booked, and when demand goes down prices do too.
Luxury resorts less likely to go on sale
The trend doesn’t apply to the luxurious Club Med and the Beaches chains, which don’t reduce their prices in January, says Alex Robinson, travel consultant at Let’s Take the Kids Travel on Billings Avenue, which for 27 years has specialized in family vacations. “They sell out regularly. You can’t really wait until the last minute. You need to book in advance, or you won’t get anything at all, or the price will be higher.”
Those chains rely on clients who are looking for a specific product, and willing to pay for it. “It’s a good product and they don’t want to reduce the value of their product.”
The January price dip
But many package vacations from operators such as Sunwing, Sunquest, Transat, Air Canada, Westjet, and Signature are discounted in January. The deals can be significant for travellers who are flexible about when they leave and where they go.
For instance, a week at all-inclusive four and five-star resorts in the popular Mayan Riviera leaving in the next week can be found online for as low as $650 a person, plus taxes. During March break, that could easily double, says Wallace. (At all-inclusive resorts, the cost includes the airfare, hotel, meals, drinks and usually some activities such as water sports.)
Price fluctuations for package vacations south are hard to predict. “We scratch our heads here as well,” says Robinson. “Something is one price one week and another price next week.” But the January dip is reliable. It can be a great time for singles, couples or people who don’t mind pulling the kids out of school to snag a deal, says Wallace.
Last-minute isn’t always the cheapest
However, travellers should not assume that booking at the last minute always guarantees the best price, travel agents caution.
For package vacations, if only a few seats remain as the travel date approaches, the price may rise. If there is a large block of unsold seats near the travel date, though, they may be discounted at the last minute.
That’s hard to predict. Wallace suggests watching the prices over a few days or a week: if they steadily climb, you are unlikely to get a deal at the last minute, because the inventory is dwindling.
She’s also an advocate of booking in advance. Many package tour companies offer discounts for signing up by the end of October. Others have “price match” guarantees that mean travellers will be refunded in cash or vouchers if the price of their trip goes down within a week or so of departure.
Bad weather boosts demand
Not surprisingly, weather can play a role in pricing. “A big snowstorm, no end in sight?” says Wallace. Enquiries and bookings tend to spike.
“How badly do they want to get out of Ottawa?” laughs Brenda Jovanovic, owner of Destination Anywhere travel agency on Baxter Road. “When the temperature hits minus 33, the prices go up.” Some of her clients were so fed up with last year’s brutally long, cold winter that they went south twice, she says.
And if you were wondering whether lower gas prices have driven down the cost of package vacations, there’s no sign that has happened.
Prices are often negotiated well in advance, and it’s difficult to isolate any one factor as affecting prices. The declining value of the Canadian dollar might also counterbalance any savings.
The rush to Cuba
Several agents said they’ve had more inquiries and booking for vacations in Cuba, which is already a popular destination.
Some travellers anticipate big changes on the island in the next few years as the U.S. government eases its decades-long embargo against the communist country.
The U.S. plans to open an embassy in Cuba and loosen trade, travel and financial restrictions. Negotiations have just begun, and American-owned hotels won’t be springing up on Cuba’s famous beaches immediately.
But some travellers fear that prices will skyrocket if that happens, says Jovanovic. Their thinking is “Let’s get in before the Americans get there, and we won’t be able to afford Cuba anymore.”
March Break is peak
Families looking to book a vacation during the March school break invariably pay a premium. It might be difficult to find a resort, never mind a deal. “I hope they’ve already booked,” jokes Wallace. “It’s a real peak time.”
Robinson said tour operators have no reason to drop prices during March break because demand is so high.
He suggests the budget-conscious look for packages leaving during the week, which means missing a day or two of school. Or try flying out of Montreal, which is less convenient, but Quebec school breaks are often during different weeks.
A week-long trip to an all-inclusive resort in Mexico leaving in the next week can be had for as little as $650 a person plus taxes.
A sample of prices for one-week vacations at 4 and 5-star all-inclusive resorts, found online Thursday morning:
Destination: Mexico, Mayan Riviera
Resort: Grand Bahia Principe Coba
Leaving: Jan. 17
Tour company: Air Canada Vacations
Price: $652 a person, double occupancy, plus $401 in taxes. Grand total for two people: $2,107
Destination: Mexico, Mayan Riviera
Resort: Oasis Tulum
Leaving: Jan. 24
Tour company: Sunwing
Price: $785 a person, plus $387 in taxes. Grand total for two people: $2,344
Destination: Cuba, Varadero
Resort: Sol Sirenas Coral
Leaving: Jan. 17
Tour company: Air Canada Vacations
Price: $458 a person, double occupancy, plus $307 in taxes. Grand total for two people: $1,531
Destination: Dominican Republic, Punta Cana
Resort: Sirenis Cocotal Beach Resort Casino Aquagames
Leaving: Jan. 24
Tour company: Nolitours
Price: $849 a person, double occupancy, plus $421 in taxes. Grand total for two people: $2,541
Source: itravel2000.com
Travel websites that sell packages south from various tour operators:
redtag.ca
selloffvacations.com
itravel2000.com
exitnow.ca
escapes.ca
Check the websites of the various tour operators for details about resorts, and last-minute deals:
sunwing.ca
signaturevacations.com
sunquest.ca
transatholidays.com
westjet.com
aircanada.com
查看原文...
