Tips on Playing it safe booking your cheap holidays this summer

Copyright (c) 2009 Casper da silva

I am almost certain we have all been asked at sometime, what we do for a living, whether it's down the pub after a few beers with your mates, or basically anytime you meet someone new, it has to be in the all time top three questions on the all time top ten list of questions to ask someone you havent met before. Of course if I had a pound for every time the gleeful 'got any cheap holidays' response to my 'I am a Travel Agent' answer to the top three question of all time, from the last 22 years, I would probably have my own island next to Richard's Bransons with a cocktail in one hand and a fat Cuban cigar in the other! Of course all this is in hindsight and here I am 22 years on still answering gratis the infernal cheap holiday question, with the usual of course I can - despite the fact I am still waiting for someone to ask me for a price for the most expensive holiday in the world.

This year, cheap holidays under the current reccession, depression or what ever you want to call it, have become a buzz word for those seeking to chase a bit of guaranteed sunshine away from these cloudy shores, because lets be frank, it doesnt matter if its 120 degrees in the shade this summer here on old blighty, who wants to stay here and frolic in Margate's mirky waters, when you can frolic in the azure seas of the mediterranean and beyond for 7 days for probably less as a weekend on any of the British coasts? To be honest, a cheap holiday is easy to find if you know where to go what to look for. Make sure you do your homework and research on the subject, its all very well saying i am going to Lloret del Mar for a hundred quid 'cos it a Cheap Holiday! but have you thought how much it would set you back once you reach your destination , I mean is it comparable to you forking out a little bit more to go to a Euro-less zone like Egypt or Turkey where once you get there your holiday money is a third less? What i am saying is there is much more to the cheap holiday question that meets the eye, for sure cheap holidays should be about the total holiday cost, dont be taken in by gimicks such as free child, places, at the end of the day just make sure there are no hidden extras. It's so easy to build your own package with cheap flights and cheap accommodation but you need to make sure you are properly covered in the event that any part of your booked elements are changed, this is easily done with the launch of the Supplier Failure Insurance. And despite the Euro not been the best it's been against the pound, there are still some great destinations within the Euro Zone that can still be cost effective even once on the ground, the Greek islands are still a firm favourite with British travellers, with lovely little apartments and B&B's, eating is still relatively cheap and nutritious with a gyro (this is a delicious wrap with slices of meat and tzatziki and salad) costing about €1.80 that will definitely fill up any hunger pangs you may have during the day and in the evening a pork or lamb shish kebab with a nice Greek salad will be no more than €4.00 per person, and as for the beer and wine as long as you stay on the local brews it will always be cheap, and going out on the tiles at night doesnt need to cost the earth. Same goes for Turkey and Egypt, these two countries are still some of the best cheap holiday destinations this summer.


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Casper da silva is a travel writer for HolidayClick with over 20 years experience in researching holiday destinations. Holidayclick are specialists in Cheap Holidays