It’s at this time of year that the shops are full of New Year sales and special offers… Shops up and down the high street tempt us with massive reductions in price, all aimed at ensuring we spend to the max and grab that unbelievable deal!
The travel sector is no different. Just as lucrative offers are available for those prepared to book their holiday now. So, how do you secure these great deals? Here are some of our top tips for securing those elusive discounts on your next holiday to Italy….
First thing…. ask for them!! You’d be surprised how many people simply don’t ask for a discount. Just by asking, you can be almost sure to get something knocked off the price. There’s not always the flexibility to be able to give big discounts on every single property, but if someone asks, we’ll always try and provide a special offer of some kind. Even if it’s just 50 euros off the price, that’s still enough to pay for for an evening meal for 4 over in Italy.
Secondly, be prepared to be flexible. The more flexible you can be on your travel dates, or the more flexible you can be on your preferred choice of accommodation, the more likely you’ll be able to secure bigger discounts on your stay. For a number of reasons, accommodation providers may have flexibility to offer discounts on certain properties but only for certain weeks so if you’re not restricted to travelling on specific dates, it’ll open up a lot more options for you.
Thirdly, consider staying for longer. If you have the time and finances to do so, staying longer often means a lower price per night. Even for a 2 week stay, it’s often possible to secure a nightly discount versus a 7 night stay.
And, if finances are tight, as well as asking about special offers, also ask about lower deposit levels too. It may be possible to spread payments over a longer period, or to lower the initial deposit payment, both things that can be of enormous help to those working to a budget.
And finally, look at a variety of places to spot those special offers. Special offers are usually clearly highlighted on websites, but take the time to look at Italian holiday facebook pages too. Exclusive special offers may be posted here. Or sign up to newsletters as well. Again, these can often include exclusive offers for their readership not readily available elsewhere.
Of course, don’t despair if you’re unable to commit to a holiday early. There will also be last minute offers nearer the time for those unable to commit now, whether this is due to finances, or the inability to confirm time off work. However, if you want the widest amount of choice to be available to you, it’s always best to try and secure that early booking discount instead. Flights will almost always be cheaper the further out you book. Likewise, car hire more often than not goes up in price nearer the time of your stay, and very rarely gets cheaper. So any last minute savings in accommodation costs will inevitably be offset by higher travel costs.
For more details about the special offers on holidays to Italy from Bookings For You, please contact them direct.