Are Hotel Packages Right For You?

Hotel packages are complete vacations, as in an entire hotel stay plus airfare plus other amenities. Rather than pay for all of these items individually, vacationers and accommodation companies find that packaging saves money for consumers even while it encourages more sales, thus making more money in the end. Besides family airfare and a hotel stay, other amenities might include a rental car, entertainment and shows, holiday activities and other club benefits. Package deals are sometimes offered by hotels or major corporations, but are most often featured by travel agencies who order these packages from a tour operator.

The first recorded hotel and travel package happened in 1841, when Thomas Cook offered his customers a return trip between Leicester and Loughborough for one convenient price. Cook then expanded onto package tours of Europe and then worldwide tours to an elite group. It wasn’t until the 20th century that these package tours really started to be marketed towards the mainstream. Vladimir Raitz of the Horizon Holiday Group organized flights between Gatwick and Corsica in the year 1950. More holiday packaging followed in subsequent years.

The bundle vacation lost a bit of popularity in the 1970s though they rose again in the following decades. In the 2000 decade and in age of economic recession (especially in the U.K.) many of the tour packages you see are offered by the same companies, whereas smaller agencies tend to stick to individual bookings. However, in a report by Telegraph UK Magazine, in the year 2009 holiday package bookings actually increased substantially.

Should you opt for a package deal or go for individual booking? If you enjoy doing your own research and finding a great, unadvertised deal, then booking your own vacation may be the best choice. However, if you don’t have time to research multiple websites, and just want to find a low price for a small to medium size vacation, then the package deal is best for you. It is very convenient to pay one flat rate and then enjoy a worry free vacation with all of your major bills paid. You can book your hotel stay, airline flight, and perhaps enjoy a meal or car rental for a very low price. That leaves you more money to gamble and buy souvenirs!