By Georgia Muir
MSN NZ Travel writer
Gone are the days of tangible glossy travel brochures and a lengthy consultation with your local travel agent. The Internet is rapidly replacing traditional methods of booking travel. It is making it easier, quicker and, most importantly, cheaper for the consumer to research and tailor a niche holiday to suit their particular needs.
And with deal aggregator websites such as House of Travel and Hotel Club you can compare prices across the Internet in one simple quick search.
How does a deal aggregator work?
An online aggregator trawls the Internet for the most competitive flight and hotel deals and serves them on one website for the consumer. This means you get a one-stop shop instead of having to visit dozens of independent websites. The deals are presented in a clear and concise way, usually sorted by price or popularity.
In addition to this easy method of searching for a bargain, travellers can create their own holidays as dynamic packaging.
What is dynamic packaging?
The consumer can now tailor a package holiday to suit their needs by choosing a flight, accommodation and car rental from various vendors. For example, you can team up an Air New Zealand flight with an Avis car rental and a boutique hotel instead of purchasing a pre-determined package. Dynamic packaging is becoming increasingly popular as consumers become more online savvy.
Be the first to find out about hot deals
Signing up to travel newsletters means you are the first to find out about red-hot travel deals. Travel companies will always alert their member database before the sale is communicated to the wider public.
Seek a second opinion
Finding out what your fellow travellers think about a hotel, its location, service and hygiene is a good way to get an impartial point of view and help you make your decision. Sites such as Trip Advisor provide thousands of user reviews with no underlying commercial interest.
Tips for booking online
1. Do your research by looking at different websites and finding out the best deals before you book anything
2. Check your dates and times are correct — twice — before booking. It's easy to make a mistake and if you change a booking you'll probably incur a transfer cost. So it's best to double check and ensure your booking is correct the first time around.
3. If you want flexibility, ensure your tickets are transferable.
4. Print out your receipt and have it on hand when travelling. Having your booking number and receipts means automatic check-in at airports, faster check-in at hotels and more efficient service when picking up a rental car.
Deals for New Zealand
House of Travel
On the House of Travel website you can compare and book cheap flights from 25 airlines, accommodation, cheap package holidays deals and cruises.
Deals for the world
HotelClub
HotelClub offers fast access to the world's best hotels. It offers readers more than 40,000 hotels in 122 countries, plus group bookings, last-minute specials, car hire, sightseeing tips and travel insurance.
Easyjet and Ryan Air
Easyjet and Ryan Air are cheap budget airlines that service most cities in the United Kingdom and Europe. You can pick up flights for as little as $5 (before taxes) and can book flights up to six months in advance on Easyjet and a year prior on Ryan Air.
Quick links:
> Travel deals
> NZ accommodation search
> Compare and book flights
> Book global hotels
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