The Hindu Business Line : If it's Tuesday, it must be Belgium

WITH summer vacation just round the corner, it is time again to plan for that memorable holiday with family and friends. And the unbelievably low airline fares and tempting offers from tour operators may have quite a few of you thinking of a trip to Europe or the US.

Such vacations are no longer just for the rich and famous, as there are also plenty of holiday loan packages to ease the burden on your wallet.

If you have not travelled abroad before, this may be a great time to get that stamp on your passport and journey to Europe, Egypt, New Zealand and other exotic locations.

Travelling abroad, exciting as it may be, requires planning and an investment of time and effort, besides, of course, money — if you are planning your trip on your own, that is.

If, however, you choose to go for a package tour, through tour operators (TOs) such as SOTC or Cox and Kings, your job is made simpler.

The TOs take care of your entire trip, right from booking your tickets and passport/visa formalities, to arranging food and accommodation and showing you the must-see sights.

When crowd is company

A first-time traveller would, admittedly, prefer to travel in a group. In the case of group tours, the itinerary is, however, relatively inflexible. The departure dates are fixed. And during the tour, you would have to remain with the group and stick to the schedule.

But if you are visiting a country for the first time, sticking to a group can enhance your feeling of comfort and security, especially if you have no friends or relatives to take you sight seeing or give you the home-cooked meal.

The TOs normally arrange for Indian food, which make it easier, especially for vegetarians as well as for those not inclined to experimenting with new cuisines.

Packages such as SOTC's Grand Tour of Europe or Cox and Kings' European Discovery are good options for first-time travellers who want to get a glimpse of several places; you can subsequently decide to explore one or a few of them at leisure.

FITS is fit for...

More important, travelling in a group can be an economical proposition for the obvious reason of bulk booking. As large operators have contracts with airlines and hotels, they get substantial discounts on airfares and room rates.

Some of you may be inclined to searching the Internet for better deals, but seldom would you be able to find rates that match the discounts the TOs get from bulk booking.

A few operators allow you the option of booking your airline tickets and joining the tour at the starting point abroad. So if you have frequent-flier miles, for instance, and all you have to bear is, say, the airport tax, you can book your own tickets and reduce your costs further.

You would, however, have to be prepared for a disciplined and often hectic schedule when travelling in a group. If you are a more seasoned traveller and do not wish to follow a rigid itinerary, or would like to explore a destination completely and at your leisure, you could opt for free individual traveller (FIT) packages that are offered by the TOs.

Cox and Kings' Flexihols, for instance, is designed to cater to the needs of affluent individuals, honeymooners or groups of four-five people. All you have to do is to zero in on your destination and provide information such as your travel dates and budget and the operator takes care of the arrangements.

A few TOs also suggest itineraries. You can opt for such packages if your destinations are in the Far East, where car rentals are cheap and travelling independently is easier.

An advantage in choosing these plans is that you can travel any time of the year as against group tours, which operate mainly during peak seasons. FIT packages, however, tend to be 15-20 per cent more expensive than a group tour as you do not get the benefit of bulk booking.

Choosing a package

If you do decide to opt for a packaged tour:

Start planning early as processing of passport and visa applications take time.

Choose a reputed tour operator with several years of experience in the business. These operators would be better placed to get good deals with airlines and hotels and would also be well linked in various tourist destinations. Going through a well-known operator would also be in your favour at the time of applying for your tourist visa.

The authorities are likely to be more convinced of the authenticity of your reason for travel when a big name backs your application for a tourist visa.

Check up the tour cost includes and what it does not. Costs such as passport and visa charges, overseas mediclaim, airport taxes or tips are usually not included in the tour prices.

So, while comparing packages offered by various tour operators, do not just go by the tour cost alone, as the TOs may differ in what they include or exclude from their package.

Do not always opt for the package that appears, at first glance, to be relatively less expensive. The pricing of the packages differs on the basis of number of days, choice of hotels, number of meals, optional tours as well as sightseeing in terms of the number of places covered.

Because of these differences, comparing the costs of, say, two tours to Europe and opting for the less expensive one may not be the right way to zero in on the package that is suited for you.

More is not always better

A package could promise to take you to a dozen destinations in 15 days and, therefore, may appear to be a valuable offer. But this could be tiring. You may also feel cheated out of a really good experience as you scurry to cover more tourist spots in less time.

Choose a package that allows you to soak in the experience of staying in your favourite tourist spot. For instance, if you are particularly fond of Switzerland, choose a package that has a three-to-five-day stay in Switzerland.

Pay special attention to sights that are listed as `optional' in your package. If a venue is listed as `optional' you would generally be required to pay an extra fee if you decide to visit that destination.

If a sight that you particularly want to see, say, the Colosseum in Rome or the Louvre Museum in Paris, is listed as an optional, you could choose to pay that extra, as you may not visit the same country again, or may not get to visit it often. But when comparing packages, you could make it a point to choose a package that has these as a part of the itinerary and not an `optional'. If you would like to find out the must-see sights in a country, visit Web sites such as www.lonelyplanet.com.

Always be on the lookout for promotional offers that are announced by tour operators in the months preceding summer holidays. You are bound to find irresistible limited-period offers; for instance, you could take your wife and child free to Europe, with all their expenses paid for. Grab a great offer, take your family on a trip, and create great memories. And do not forget to capture the Kodak moments on camera.

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