Advice Directory - Price £££ vs Value!

Let's admit it; we all look at the price, but do we get good value? If we define Value as the amount of enjoyment we get from a holiday compared to each £ we spend, then we see a lot of people who get very poor value out of their holidays. Cheapest price seldom equates with Best Value. The emphasis on the price of a holiday has been increased by the major companies emphasising price (often not the total price you will pay) in their brochures. All of us want the maximum enjoyment from our holidays and this doesn't mean we have to pay a fortune for the privilege. Most of us start with a budget figure for a holiday and then try to find a destination which meets our needs.

Where most people go wrong is in assuming that the price we pay is going to be the total cost. Few people include the cost of a good Guide Book in their budget. We have to admit to a self-interest here because we believe that for many people buying a "Walk!" Guidebook will dramatically increase the enjoyment they get from their holiday; not to mention the sheer joy of owning a Tour & Trail Super-Durable Map. Although most of our travel to holiday destinations is work for researching new guides we apply the same guidelines as if we were going on holiday;

• Don't choose the cheapest accommodation in a resort. If you can only afford the most basic package you would be better looking at a cheaper resort. We saw several examples of this mistake while living in the Seychelles where people took up the off-season offer of three weeks for the price of two. The third week was self-catering. Combined with the high prices of restaurants, drinks, and prices in shops, it was not unknown for budget tourists to fast/starve during the third week!

• Be prepared to spend money on items which will add to your enjoyment. Too many people think of the price they have paid to the holiday company as the total cost of their holiday. Sometimes spending a 'few bob' on a taxi can transform your day. Many people enjoy their holidays without spending much money, but if you are always watching the pennies you are unlikely to be enjoying yourself. Those who believe in the old saying "Look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves" are likely to be "Penny wise, pound foolish" and end up with a few thousand pounds of timeshare or 'holiday club' membership.

• Do take enough spending money with you, or credit/cash cards, so that you can pay for the things you want (see above). You don't want to end up like the young boy in our BookSwop who asked his parents for the price of a book; "You spent all your money on the flight, and you won't get any more till we get home."! Taking a lot of money on holiday with you doesn't mean that you have to spend it all, although this probably doesn't apply to 'shopaholics' or the 'must spend up' groups of our society.

• 'All Inclusive' holidays have been enjoying a boom due to people liking to know how much the total holiday will cost in advance. All Inclusive is particularly suited to 'nervous' holidaymakers worried about being 'ripped off' in the resort shops/bars/restaurants etc. Club Med pioneered the concept of 'All Inclusive' but the definition has been stretched in recent years to mean 'accommodation + food + drinks' which can mean that you all have the same choice. Suits plenty of people but not for us.

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