Stay in a serviced apartment in Bangkok for a percentage of its true value!
2012 has so far been consistent with previous years’ economic straits. Regular holidaymakers have become quite disillusioned by the lack of affordable foreign accommodation to suit their recently changed means. Many feel pressure to backpedal on traditional holiday plans as they feel unable to afford extravagant hotel stays anymore. Fortunately this age of thrift, while bringing with it tight pockets, has also seen the rise in demand of affordable digs that equate to quality experienced. This different kind of accommodation is not only much cheaper but often results in a more exciting adventure than initially expected.
The idea of creative solutions for tourists on a budget is not an entirely new one. These have ranged from the uncomfortable, for example couch surfing or camping, to riskier pursuits such makeshift hostels in an overly friendly locals’ spare room! Some brave travellers found success (by success I mean they lived!) with these gutsy ventures. But for us not so brave holiday-starved folk a safe, affordable and unconventional opportunity has arisen.
It is now possible to find and book a diverse range of luxury and alternative accommodation in cities all over the world through one secure online base. Whether you are looking for contemporary apartments for a short trip to Barcelona, serviced apartments in Bangkok or a charming bed and breakfast in Prague, new website Wimdu has made connecting with locals and finding a bargain easier than ever. It also brings peace of mind to nervous holidaymakers, by keeping safe a record of data concerning the transfer of money and other transactions.
Accommodation on Wimdu has ranged from hay-stuffed stables to spare bedrooms on boats and even entire apartments, often in well sought after, central locations especially in cities; Wimdu allows you to see all offers in Dublin here. One Sussex woman advertised her donkey’s usual dwelling to weary travellers seeking the authentic Christmas experience! More typically, accommodation consists of a spare room in the host’s own home, meaning there are plenty of opportunities to glean an inside perspective on the real town and learn about the must-do activities that never make it into mainstream tourist guides.
So if you need to tighten your purse strings but also want to have a memorable adventure it is now possible to find this in one up to date database.
Brits Seek Cheaper Holiday Accommodation And Destinations
For the travel industry, the first two months of the year are usually key, with a large number of people booking their summer holidays. Things appear to be changing this year though, as UK holidaymakers look for ways to save money on their breaks.
Research conducted by Sainsbury’s Travel Insurance has shown that almost 29 million UK residents are planning on going on holiday this year; with a collective spend of £22 billion between them. This means the average amount people are willing to spend is £765.
Whether looking for B&B accommodations in Rome or all-inclusive beach resort deals, with the pound not stretching as far as it used to, almost 80 percent of those questioned admitted they were looking for ways to save money when booking a holiday this year and were likely to spend less money than they had when booking holidays in previous years. Almost 16 percent of Brits have booked their summer break already, although figures show that the numbers planning to book by the end of February are significantly lower than they have been in the past.
45 percent of respondents said they were planning foreign holiday, with 17 percent of them staying in a hotel, 13 percent staying with friends or family, 12 percent opting for a self-catering break and a mere 10 percent looking to stay at an all-inclusive resort. Sites offering private rentals direct from the property owner seem to be faring well during this time, Wimdu offers in Amsterdam, for example, have steadily increased over the last few months as people around the world look for new sources of income.
Sainsbury’s Travel Insurance Manager David Barrett said: “It appears that more people will delay booking their holiday this year, presumably hoping to secure a better deal. We would also encourage holidaymakers to carefully consider their travel money and travel insurance and shop around for the best value for money without forfeiting quality.”
He continued: “Good quality travel insurance will give you peace of mind that your possessions, holiday costs and healthcare needs are covered in the event of unexpected mishaps. Also, organising your travel money before you go means that you have one less thing to worry about, and are fully prepared when you reach your destination.”
Almost half of those questioned (43 percent) said they were planning to holiday in the UK this year, a fact that could give the economy a much needed boost.
Is it Easy to Make Travel Savings in 2012?
With the economy on a back footing, many European holidaymakers are faced with the grim prospect of backpedaling on plans as they feel unable to afford extravagant hotel stays. But this age of thrift has also seen the rise of a different kind of accommodation, something generally much cheaper – and often more exciting – than the customary nights in clinical hotels.
For many years, it has been possible for the intrepid traveller to find cheaper ways to spend the night in an unfamiliar city. These have ranged from the improbable, for example using the CouchSurfing service, to the downright dangerous, such as looking out for entrepreneurial locals at train stations wielding adverts for spare beds. Although some travellers found success, most were left with few alternatives to seeking a cheap hostel and hoping the night would not be
disastrous.
Now, it is possible to find and book a diverse range of budget (or even luxury) accommodation in cities all over the world through one secure central database. Whether you are looking for contemporary apartments for a short trip to Barcelona, a sofa in Seville or a charming bed and breakfast in Prague, new website Wimdu has made connecting with locals and finding a bargain easier than ever. The website brings peace of mind to thrifty holidaymakers, who know there are records of any bookings made through the service.
Accommodation on Wimdu ranges from hay-stuffed stables (one Sussex woman advertised her donkey’s usual dwelling to weary travellers seeking the authentic Christmas experience), through to spare bedrooms and even entire apartments, some rather luxurious looking!. More typically, accommodation consists of a spare room in the host’s own home, meaning there are plenty of opportunities to glean an inside perspective on the town and learn about the must-do activities that never make it into mainstream tourist guides.
Confidence In Thomas Cook Will Be Revealed During New Year Booking Season
While announcing healthy trading figures for the year up to September, Peter Long, the head of Europe’s largest tour operator Tui, took time to express his belief that the next three months are going to be key in determining the confidence customers have in Thomas Cook.
When asked if he thought Thomas Cook’s recent financial troubles would have an effect on how the brand is viewed by the public, Mr Long said: “I think that’s the $50,000 question. In terms of the publicity […] is it short-term damage or is it long-term damage? I think there is no way to measure that. It will become apparent as we go into our peak booking period which is January and February.”
As the first two months of the year constitute the peak time for summer package holiday bookings, bankers and market analysts will be watching over the coming months to see if customer confidence has returned and Thomas Cook receive a strong amount of reservations.
Following the announcement last week that Thomas Cook had, for the second time, asked the banks lending them money to ease the conditions of the loans they currently receive, Long admitted that Tui had seen a slight increase in bookings. However, the company has been criticised this week for an online ad campaign that capitalised on Thomas Cook’s debt problems.
One advert stated: “No worries about your holiday company and no worries about what you’re spending, unlike a certain holiday company we could mention, you don’t need to worry about the way we run our business.”
In response to this, Thomas Cook has filed a complaint with Abta, the travel industry trade body, claiming that by mentioning the company’s financial issues, the advertising campaign breaches a code of conduct. When questioned about this, Long back the decision to run the adverts, claiming that customers were seeking clarification over whether Tui’s Thomson brand was affected by Thomas Cook’s problems.
It is arguable that companies offering private apartment letting, such as Wimdu.co.uk stand to benefit from this period of uncertainty, with those looking for short stay holidays, like weekend trips in Berlin or breaks in Nice apartments, possibly choosing the private route to ease fears of their tour operator being forced to file for bankruptcy when they are away, leaving them stranded.
Until the beginning of March, though, it is going to be a nervy time for Thomas Cook and the holiday industry.