Choosing Your Travel Season

Planning is the key to success when it comes to getting a budget holiday. There are many things that you can influence such as when you book, how you travel, whether you go package or build your own agenda. All of these things can have a significant impact on the price you pay. Above all, each of these things are within your control!

Most people know exactly when they are intending to take a vacation. This can be used to your advantage when it comes to planning. Deciding on when to book is a bit of a gamble. Whilst many tour operators will offer cheaper prices and early booking discounts, you may find that last minute deals are also available which will prove better financially.

There are many factors that you should take into account when deciding on when to book for maximum financial gain:Are you flexible in terms of dates that you are prepared to travel?

• Are you flexible in terms of destinations that you are prepared to travel to?
• Will you be buying a package deal or will you be building your own package?
• Are you considering a popular destination where many tour operators or flight companies
  travel?

Firstly, if you are flexible in terms of dates then you will almost certainly benefit from waiting until the last minute to book your holiday. Last minute deals are, of course, something that you cannot rely upon and if you are set on going to a certain destination at a certain date then last minute is far too risky.

One thing that is very important to realize is that low seasons are low for a reason. A classic example of this is hurricane season in the Caribbean and Florida. Other low seasons to be wary of are the extremely hot areas such as Egypt during the summer months, when the heat can be so oppressive that it makes the holiday less enjoyable.

Off-Peak/Shoulder season is the perfect time to be trying to travel for those who want to find a happy medium between low and peak seasons. Identifying where is in shoulder season when you want to travel or when your favorite destination is in shoulder season can save you literally hundreds of dollars. The time in between peak and low seasons are, is, by definition, the shoulder season. Examples of shoulder seasons are Europe in the fall and the Caribbean during late spring.

• Winter - Winter is an interesting time of year to travel. Before Christmas, most individuals are trying to
  make last minute shopping trips. After Christmas, people are dealing with their credit card bills. As such, holidays on far off beaches are often incredibly cheap during the winter period. A wonderful destination for the winter months is Asia. Flights are losing popularity, however, availability is still good, meaning that there are plenty of discounts on offer. Weather is variable in Asia during the winter which could mean that you are surrounded by snow one minute and then basking in glorious sunshine. This lack of dependability is something that puts a lot of visitors off and can mean that there are some excellent bargains for those prepared to take the risk!
• Spring - If you are looking to travel to Europe, this is the time to do it! Flights are a lot cheaper during the
  spring months when temperatures are still relatively low. Mexican beaches and the Caribbean islands start to see their prices drop from mid April as the weather becomes hotter. However, during the spring months, the water and air temperatures are still pleasant and the resorts less crowded. During later spring, for example May, the traditionally hot and dry countries are not in their peak seasons but have not yet become intolerably hot. So if you want to visit Morocco, Jordan or Egypt, plan a spring vacation.

• Summer - Finding a bargain in summer is tricky. Americans, Japanese and Europeans are all on the move
  and this is also the time of year that most weddings take place, so honeymoon destinations are in
  a great deal of demand. During the early part of summer, through June and July, Caribbean destinations are still good to get a deal, provided you try to book before the Europeans start to flood in during their school holidays at the end of July. Safari holidays are a good option between June and September. High season ends in May, but the weather is still relatively dry. Flights and hotels are still quite reasonable in Southeast Asia during the summer months, but temperatures can be quite hot, so if you can’t stand the heat, avoid this destination during the summer months.
• Fall - This is the time to head to Europe. Flights to most major European destinations will be cheaper from October onwards, mainly because the schools are no longer on holiday and families are not traveling as much. Temperatures are normally perfectly pleasant until mid November, so grab yourself a fall bargain in Europe.