Planning to take a well-earned break but can't finalise your dream destination? Well, it may be time to visit your travel agent.
Charting out a well laid out holiday plan is not easy and many find themselves in a fix to do so. The first thing that one must consider is how many days one is willing to afford for the trip. All kinds of time packages are available with most popular being three nights and four days.
"Duration of the trip is the first thing to keep in mind followed by the budget. Then comes the choice of the destination and package," says Manoj Saraf, managing director of Kolkata-based Gainwell Travels.
While some people are ready to take up the standard packages on offer that typically includes transfer to and from airport and railway station to hotels, food, room rent and local sight seeing, more and more discerning travellers demand tailor made plan.
"People are not afraid to pay extra bit to get a itinerary of their choice. Intertwined with that comes choosing the location. One must keep in mind that bargain hunting is possible if one is travelling in off-season. For instance, Kerala during the rainy season could be a nice sojourn and it would not cost much," Saraf added.
While we rely on travel agents to decide on the tour plan and arrangements thereof, blanket dependence is not advisable at all. One must go to an established company and check whether the agent has some recognition from the government or if he is a member of some well-known organisation like Travel Agents Association of India.
"When you are flying abroad or to any domestic location, or travelling by rail, insist on proper documents that show tickets are confirmed. Many a times it has travellers got off at the last minute as ticket were not confirmed," Balbir Mallyal, president of TAAI, says.
While making advance, do not shell out more than 10 per cent. Demand official receipt of every pie you pay, Mallyal advises.
According to Saraf, it is always important to get the exact break up of the bill so that there is no hidden cost. "One must know what a package entitles for the traveller and what not. Try to get a written commitment for all the service your agent has agreed to render so that in case there is any deviation, you can take it up later," he cautions.
Asgar Ali, managing director of Universal Express Travel & Tours, tells all travellers to pick up insurance. "It does not cost much but gives so much peace of mind. Never forget it." So which are the best value for money destinations in India according to agents?
Old favourites like Kerala, Rajasthan-Agra, Uttaranchal, Himachal Pradesh still offer the best value for money within the country is their refrain. Puri and Goa are two beach destinations for the middle class.
Nepal used to attract lot of people from India but this has lost sheen of late.
According to agents, Khajuraho and other places in Madhya Pradesh is drawing large crowds these days. Ooty, Coonoor and Coorg are rated absolutely worthy in Tamil Nadu.
"The beauty is that all these places have accommodation and services to suit every pocket. Thus it is a subjective decision as far as choice of the place is concerned," Mallyal explains.
One can have decent tour in Kerala with budget of Rs 5,000-7,000 per person for four days and five nights. For Puri, Rs 3,000 per passenger is enough for that same duration.
With a package of Rs 7,000-10,000 per person all the places mentioned above can be toured easily. One can up the value chain or down depending upon the budget, the agents say.
"A number of places, like Rajasthan, Uttaranchal, Goa and Kerala offer great value for money deals during off seasons. Rajasthan in summer, Uttaranchal in winter, Goa and Kerala during the rains can help one save up to 40 per cent vis-a-vis the peak season," Ali points out.
