A travel package is when an individual or group of people go ahead and book travel services offered by a certain trader, in most instances- a travel agency or tour operator for different types of travel.

For package travel, the traveler would buy a combo of more than two different travel services for one trip or holiday destination. The combination may vary from transportation, accommodation, hiring of external cars, destination activities, dining, sightseeing, and any other service the tourist may specifically arrange prior to the trip.

To Start: Why Would One Book A Travel Package?

The whole process of planning a trip requires a lot of thinking which in most cases is exactly what tourists are trying to get away from as they want a stress-free environment.

This is where travel agencies with travel packages come in, organizing for the tourist so they do not have to stress about most details of the trip. All the traveler has to do is pick up their phone, write an email or visit the branch to let the agency know exactly the kind of trip they would expect, and then the agency will ‘try’ to get them the best package.

Now notice the word ‘try’ to get the traveler the best package, that is because not all the time is the best package available because it might not exist. Let’s dive into the pros and cons of using a travel package deal.

Pros Of Using A Travel Package Deal

No Planning Needed From The Traveller

Planning the travel is the most stressful part of traveling, more especially so in booking accommodations, transport, and activities in a place one has never been to. Booking flights and sometimes not finding the right one for a particular day may be a daunting task to the traveler. Travel agencies have a variety of packages for different individuals that come with things like booking to suit the needs of the traveler before they leave for their destination.

Meals Are Usually Included

Eating is an important necessity but can be costly when travelers are away on vacation. So, travel packages normally include 3 meals per day so travelers can have the basic meals of the day. It’s important for travelers to ensure they choose an all-inclusive package for their meals to be catered for as not all packages include this.

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The Practicality Of It All

As mentioned above, it is way easier to book a travel package and not worry about anything because the agency has planned it all for the traveler, all they have to do is show up and enjoy themselves which saves a lot of time and stress for busy individuals.

No Airport Hassles For The Traveller

Travel packages will most likely include the transport costs including visas if required. The traveler does not have to stress about running back and forth trying to fix that before the day of departure as the agency sorts all that out for them, so in the end, they realize they spent less time worrying about the cheapest taxi o get them from one point to the other but rather just focus on relaxing and enjoying their time there.

Support Is Always Available

Should the traveler arrive at their destination and not feel comfortable with anything, they can always refer back to the agency, express how their needs were not met, and possibly receive consideration compensation. Many things could go wrong in an unfamiliar place, so it’s advised to have someone close by who knows the place and can quickly solve a problem. And a travel agency is just that! They will not only help as that is a part of their job but because they want to continue receiving positive feedback for future travelers.

Meeting New People

With travel packages, there is most often plenty of travelers tagging along at the same time. This is a great way to make new travel buddies or even socialize with other people especially if the tourist is traveling on their own with no relatives or friends they can be sure to make a friend along the way. Most of the time the travelers with the same travel package will be together throughout the entire trip so it’s pretty easy to make a friend or two and share their thoughts with like-minded people.

Some individuals are explorers by heart that want to visit the destination’s obscure corners while others are shy and would like to play it safe. Travel agencies obviously go with the option preferred by most travelers and in that case, it is experiencing everything iconic there is to see. For travelers that have a bucket list of things they want to do or see in their tours, a travel package is a great way to start.

Works For Busy People

As expected, most people are working individuals with responsibilities, therefore, have no time to waste. Travel packages are based on a tightly-followed schedule, so all the traveler has to do is come to their site and check for the dates which are a great fit for their time frame. There are several tours one can choose from ranging dates and times so they know exactly where they will be at a certain time and when they expect to be back home in time for their tasks and responsibilities.

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Cons Of Using A Travel Package Deal

The Overall Cost Of The Package

Travel packages are ridiculously overpriced compared to when the trip is arranged by self. A tourist would notice that even if they booked the exact same things as what is in the travel package there is a huge difference in the cost that is presented by the agency. This is reasonable for the agencies of course because they need to make the extra cost for themselves, that’s how they get paid, but it does not make sense for the traveler who actually pays for the whole thing. Again one would notice that the travel package doesn’t necessarily pick the cheapest option in anything be it flight, a hostel, or even dinners, which affects the whole package price.

There Is No Choosing For The Traveller

Since most travel packages are done in groups, the traveler is often unable to choose where they want to visit or how long they want to stay. Since everything is already planned, insisting on individualized scheduling could mean skyrocketing fees for them to rearrange it. This is not an ideal way to travel if the tourist has a different agenda for their trip than the package includes because it might end up costing them double.

No Freedom To Change Plans

Once the traveler has finalized the contract and paid for everything, there is little to almost to chance of changing their choice especially once they have reached the destination. They may be able to change minor details but plans are generally rarely changed. For example, a tourist in the travel package is not allowed to go somewhere that’s unplanned for, which can be discouraging for people looking to venture outside of their groups.

Limited Choices

It is always awesome if the traveler gets to stay in a populated place that has several attractions and eateries but this is not true if they are maybe placed in a small town with only one restaurant to choose from. If they maybe wanted to go out of town to try a different restaurant they would have to pay a lot more extra charges.

Traveling anywhere requires visitors to make an informed decision on the pros and cons of their travels, especially when a packaged deal is involved.

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