I recently witnessed an online travel deal case where a customer complained that the discount given was not genuine, lamenting that the price offered by the online deal company is relatively comparable if she books through individual vendors, ie. airline, hotel, by herself.
As a Free & Easy (F&E) supporter for the ASEAN region, I believe everyone wants to get travel rates at its lowest. However, we should be aware that F&E packages sold by travel agencies are normally a little pricey as they include administrative fees. Of course, you will benefit because it saves you the trouble of going through the hassle of researching umpteen times just to ensure that you’ve secured the best deal. (Psss: Sometimes, package prices offered by travel agencies are a steal!)
Moreover, with the rising features of online travel deals these days, who can resist clicking the “BUY” button especially when it’s cheap and affordable by the general public? BUT PAUSE. Have you read their fine prints? Let’s see, you happily head down to redeem your voucher then realize that you need to purchase 2 deals to be eligible for redemption as it is a min 2-to-go deal or you realize that there are additional hidden cost not mentioned. BANG! There goes your vacation plans.
Fret not. Here’s sharing a few pointers to ensure authenticity of online travel deals:
Ultimately, it depends on how comfortable you are booking through a travel agency or by yourself through the individual sites. Here are tips on how to efficiently purchase a F&E travel package:
You may be surprised by how cheap some online travel deals can be, just because they excluded all these clauses! PLEASE READ THE FINE PRINTS!
In any case, I believe the contact details of a genuine deal will be featured on the webpage so if you have doubts, do not hesitate to call for clarifications. Better to play safe than regret later!
Once you have completed your purchase online, remember to redeem your vouchers. You would not want to realise later that you have missed the deadline causing you to incur unnecessary cost!
Lastly, check that your passport is valid for at least 6 months after your trip.
All’s checked and you’re ready for your dream vacation! Woohoo!
Ok, I know it seems like a chore but trust me, it won’t take you longer than 5mins to run through the fine prints! And yes, with all the natural catastrophes happening globally, you might be thinking where else would be “safe” enough for you to travel. Well, there is no place entirely safe but what you can do before you depart, is to register with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) your holiday destination and period so that in case of an emergency, they can get in contact with you.
Once done, cast your worries aside and enjoy your break! Happy holidays!