5 things to avoid when booking vacations online
By Françoise Rhodes, Editor Americans spend a significant portion of their income on summer vacations. A recent study shows the average vacation expense per person in the United States is $1,145, or $4,580 for a family of four. Forty-three percent of all trav-
el in the United States is now booked online, with leisure travelers frequently booking their own travel, however what they don’t know about booking online can cost them money. Savvy Traveler Tips: 1. Relying Upon Low Price Guarantees. Shoppers should scru-
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tinize the wording of the guarantee. In most cases, the online travel agency (OTA) guarantees only that the traveler is getting the lowest advertised price. However, many of the best prices for hotel rooms and flights are secured by private agreements, with the stipulation that these discounts cannot be advertised to the public.
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2. Assuming OTA Sites are Competitors. Users of online travel agencies have a great many travel sites to choose from, yet most seem to have the same rooms and flights at similar prices.
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