Don’t leave it to last minute
THE summer holidays will arrive sooner than you think, so time is running out to put all your plans in place.
If you have not booked your holiday, do not leave it any longer as all the best deals could soon be snapped up.
Even if you have your booking sorted there is plenty more you need to do, such as taking out travel insurance or ordering your hire car. Time will fly, but this checklist should help.
Book It Now
Bob Atkinson, travel expert at TravelSupermarket.com, says: “This is not the year to leave it until the last minute for a summer holiday as many of the top destinations have been heavily booked.”
The terror threat and migrant crisis has triggered a collapse in bookings to Tunisia, Turkey and Egypt while Cyprus, Bulgaria and Greece have also been hit, he says. “British holidaymakers are sticking to safer European destinations such as Spain, Portugal, France and Italy, or long-haul places such as the US, Caribbean and Far East.”
Atkinson says that if you have not booked yet you need to be as flexible as possible on dates. “Travelling midweek can be significantly cheaper than at the weekend, while you have got a better chance of bagging a bargain if you can avoid the peak school summer holiday period.”
Atkinson says this might be a good year to go long-haul, with destinations such as Thailand, Cancun, the Dominican Republic and Dubai costing the same as Tenerife. “You should also consider ferry trips to France where you can find good value campsites with all mod cons.”
Travel Supermarket currently has deals including 14 nights in a self-catering apartment in Fuengirola, Spain, for a family of four for £759 per person, flying from Gatwick with easyJet.
Order Your EHIC
If travelling to Europe, now is the time to order your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).
This allows you to get state healthcare while in the EU at a reduced cost or sometimes free. You can order online for free at Ehic.org.uk (avoid unofficial websites charging a fee).
However, the EHIC is not an alternative to travel insurance as it will not cover the cost of all treatments or repatriation in a medical emergency. Insurance will also cover your possessions, including money if lost or stolen, up to specified limits.
Get Covered
Too many Britons take a big risk by heading overseas without buying travel insurance first.
More than one in four football fans travelling to the European Championships in France this summer have no plans to take out insurance, according to new research from the Association Of British Insurers (ABI).
ABI general insurance manager Mark Shepherd says travelling without insurance could prove expensive: “The cost of medical treatment abroad and emergency medical repatriation can total thousands of pounds.”
This is particularly important in countries such as the US, where medical bills can spiral.
Read your policy before you go to understand what is covered. Shepherd adds: “Be aware of any limits on the value of possessions covered and any alcohol-related exclusions. Take your insurer’s emergency contact details.”
Whether travelling as part of a package or independently, travel insurance is a must.