Flight Centre’s GM Marketing, Colin Bowman says that consumers need to be more aware of travel booking seasons to get the best deals, adding that airlines and travel agents worked in cycles and being aware of these cycles could save the traveller thousands of dollars.
He said, “One of the most common questions clients ask our agents is when the best time to book for a particular destination would be because the booking season for each region is something that just isn’t widely known.”
The traditional European booking season has begun and runs until mid-December, with all the major airlines offering competing early bird specials and touring companies offering big discounts for travel in 2007 and to capitalise on this, Flight Centre Limited’s retail network including Flight Centre, Escape Travel and Student Flights is again holding its annual Discover Europe Travel Shows throughout the country.
Mr Bowman added that it isn’t just Europe that “goes on sale”, with domestic, South Pacific and New Zealand deals traditionally released from the annual Boxing Day Sales, Canada and Alaska earlybirds in September, and Flight Centre has the world on sale in February.
He added that airlines also have a high and low season, with booking in June and July attracting premiums, but bookings in October and November some of the cheapest all year.
Mr Bowman said there would always be exceptions and one off “rock bottom” sales, but increased awareness would still be of benefit to the Australian travelling public.
He added, “The message is simple, book early and at the appropriate time of the year, and you are far more likely to get a great deal.”
Report by The Mole
