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last minute holidays slashed

Holidaymakers can benefit from discounted holiday prices up to a third cheaper than this time last year thanks to last minute price cuts by many of the big package holiday companies.  Last minute holidays can currently be bought for destinations such as Cyprus, Greece and Turkey with great savings on price.

The last minute price cuts have been cited as a result of the various factors affecting a drop in holiday sales so far this year with strikes in Greece, the ash cloud, earthquakes and the World Cup all affecting holidaymakers travelling plans.  As a result holiday companies need to sell more holidays and so have started to slash prices.

The travel agents advertising on holidayholiday.co.uk are all able to sell these cut-price holidays and pass the savings on to you, backed by the benefit of ABTA and ATOL protection.

Pay less for your last minute holidays and search now! Visit holidayholiday.co.uk or follow us on twitter or facebook for daily deals.

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What to do if you are affected:

Tour operator Goldtrail, who specialised in cheap holidays to Turkey and Greece, went bust on Friday leaving thousands of holidaymakers stranded abroad and others with cancelled holiday plans.

It is the second victim this week in the travel industry with well known travel agent Monster travel going bust just a couple of days before.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has assured holidaymakers affected by the collapse of Goldtrail that their holidays will be covered by the ATOL protection fund. Those who haven’t travelled yet may be able to claim a refund from the ATOL emergency scheme but should contact their travel agent in the first instance. There is also a claim form available on the CAA website – www.caa.co.uk and a helpline for those with forward bookings whose enquiry is urgent: 0844 856 2585

For holidaymakers already abroad:
A helpline has been set up by the CAA for any holidaymakers stranded overseas which is 0044 203 441 0846.

It is estimated that approx 50,000 people had booked to travel with Goldtrail over the coming Summer months. Travel companies, including holidayholiday.co.uk are currently helping holidaymakers re-book their Greece and Turkey Holidays.

All agents advertising on Holidayholiday.co.uk must be ATOL and ABTA bonded to be allowed to advertise. Read more about financial protection.

Have any of you been affected by Goldtrail’s collapse?

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Looking for that essential Summer Holiday? This month, our Marketing Director, Emma Healey, helps you to reduce costs and helps with your search for cheap holidays by sharing some quick tips below:

1) Find a bargain

That the travel industry has been suffering for the last few months is an understatement; the ash cloud, riots in Greece, BA strikes and the World Cup have all had an impact on the likelihood of people booking a holiday not to mention the general economic situation and the value of the pound. 

So, in response to the falling numbers of holidaymakers, in the past few months hotels in many of the traditionally popular UK tourist destinations such as Greece, Majorca, Turkey, Spain and Egypt have started cutting prices. 

If you are looking for last minute holidays and are prepared to jump on a plane at short notice it is particularly easy to get a bargain right now, as holiday companies reduce their prices to clear last minute stock.  Compare prices between different agents (holidayholiday.co.uk is ideal for this!) and you’ll find some great last minute savings!

2) Avoid those extra charges

Avoid paying more than you need to on ‘hidden’ or ancillary services such as in flight meals, baggage charges, charges for printing out your boarding pass and travel insurance.

Weigh your luggage before you leave to make sure it’s not over the weight limit and wear your heaviest clothes to board the airplane, they can always be taken off once aboard.

You may also be able to save money by checking in online. And here’s a tip if you want extra legroom – check out seating plans of the aircraft you are flying on by using sites such as seatguru and then pick the best seat possible during your online check in.

3) Pre-order your holiday money

Don’t buy your money at the airport, you will usually get much less for your hard earned cash.  Instead pre-order online for collection at the airport or, if you have time, ask for it to be delivered to your home.  Check delivery charges, fees and also bank fees before you buy and use the best method of purchasing currency.

I recently bought currency for a holiday but withdrew cash from the ATM to pay for it, if I’d used my debit card to buy the currency directly my bank would have charged me an extra £10 on top of the payment! 

Try to budget ahead and take the right amount of currency with you as withdrawing money abroad is often very expensive, unless you use a pre-paid currency card.

4) Book an all-inclusive package

Haven’t booked all inclusive before? Why not give it a try? All-inclusive holidays have seen a surge in popularity over the last 6 months or so as they allow holidaymakers to budget for their holiday upfront. 

If you’re on a small budget, going all inclusive can help you to stick to it, so you don’t need to worry about spending more than you planned once you get there. If you haven’t booked as all inclusive, but you find your hotel offers it once you arrive, then why not upgrade whilst there?  This may even work out more cost effective, depending on exchange rates and whether the hotel discounts the upgrade offer directly.

5) Look after your holiday finances

Make sure you are financially protected. The collapse of various holiday companies, the ash cloud and other factors during the past couple of years has led holidaymakers to question how and who they should book their holiday with to avoid being stranded if something goes wrong. 

To reduce the financial risk and emotional stress these issues can bring ensure you book with a reputable holiday company from a trusted holiday site.  Making sure the agent you book with is ATOL bonded or booking a package holiday will help to give you financial peace of mind.  Double check what you are covered for when you book.  Paying part or all of the holiday by credit card can also help financially secure your holiday purchase.

At HolidayHoliday.co.uk we pride ourselves on only advertising deals from ATOL bonded agents, to help you ensure that your holiday is protected.

Search Millions of cheap holidays live on the HolidayHoliday.co.uk website now!

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If the nice weather in the UK is making you dream of relaxing on a beach, dream no more.  Get your suitcase packed and jump on the plane!  We’ve found 4 bargain last minute holidays leaving in the next week – so what are you waiting for?!!

Leaving Tomorrow!:

£277pp – Majorca All Inclusive Family of 4, 7 nights at the 3*Hotel club MAC Alcudia (pictured)
Call 0844 892 3294 or click for more details>

Leaving on Monday (After the World Cup finishes!!):

£399pp - 5* Egypt, Half Board 2 Adult Share, 7 nights at the Taba Heights Marriot Beach Resort in Taba, Egypt. Ideal for a quiet relaxing week away, situated on  private sandy beach. 
Call 0844 892 3246 or click for more details>

Leaving in 4 days time:

£164pp - Cheap Last minute Greece deal to Crete – 7 nights Self Catering Studio in Crete near Hersonissos, sleeps 2 Adults.
Call 0844 892 3294 or click for more details>

Leaving next weekend:

you could be here!!

 £1170pp – You’ve got a week to pack so why not spoil yourself?! 7 nights All Inclusive Sea View at the Grand Pineapple Beach hotel in Antigua.  SAVE 39% off the usual price!!
Call 0844 892 3272 or click for more details>

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About Marmaris: 

Marmaris is a lively resort in Turkey and popular with UK holidaymakers.  Warm to hot temperatures can be expected all year round due to its mediterranean climate. Situated in a huge bay, Marmaris is busy and bustling.  A mixture of old and new, you can experience some of the best nightlife, volcanic beaches,  hotels,  restaurants, boat trips to nearby islands, shopping, watersports and not forgetting a 16th century Castle!

When to holiday in Marmaris:

The best times for a holiday are in the spring and autumn if you want a nice average heat (30°C between May and October), as in the summer it can climb to 40° quite regularly. If you come in July and August remember to pack plenty of cover ups for the sun and to keep well hydrated, as they are the hottest months of the year. Between May and October it is practically guaranteed to be sunny and warm every day; heavy rain storms can sometimes occur in the winter, but generally Marmaris is good for winter sun too, as the waters stay warm and you will be able to walk around in a T-shirt comfortably.

Things to do:

Marmaris has beautiful beaches and several marinas for you to explore. A very picturesque sea front, you can spend a day wandering along it looking at the boats and soaking up the sun.  You could also partake in activities such as watersports, aquaparks, crazy golf, excursions, shopping, or even mud baths.  The nearest and most popular mud bath nearby is in Dalyan.  There are also trips to local historical sites such as Pammukale and Ephesus.

Where to stay:

Holiday Holiday advertises holiday offers for a number of hotels in Marmaris such as:

Litera Marmaris Beach Resort: 5* hotel in Marmaris, situated on the seafront against a backdrop of pine clad hills and 5km from the centre of Marmaris.  Not suitable for those with walking difficulties due to steep hills. Click for offers for the Litera Marmaris Beach Resort

Aloe Hotel: 3* hotel in a quieter area of Marmaris, recent independent reviews on the web for the Aloe Hotel state it as “basic, comfortable, clean and well-kept”.  About 500m from the beach.  Good for a cheap holiday to Marmaris.  Click for offers to the Aloe Hotel.

Royal Garden Hotel: 4* modern hotel, 1.5km from the beach and outside of the main Marmaris centre.  Ample facilities here in the form of swimming pools and a jacuzzi plus other activities.  88% of travellers recommend it on tripadvisor for a holiday.  Click for offers to the Royal Garden Hotel.

These are three of many hotels available in Marmaris, Turkey.  There are many reasons to holiday in Marmaris, with an abundance of things to do, beautiful beaches and coastline, nearby archeological sites to visit and the mixture of new and old. 

For more information on hotels, places to stay, things to do and special offers click on one of the links below:

Holiday Holiday Dalaman Region Travel Guide >

Turkey Travel Blog >

Latest Turkey Holiday Offers >

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With the World Cup upon us, Holiday Holiday has been busy in the last week with holidaymakers booking last minute holidays abroad, either to escape the football for to watch it from the comfort of a bar on holiday!

With the previous ban on air travel lifted, many holidaymakers have now resumed searching for deals on last minute holidays , hoping to get a cheap deal for June and Summer. Holiday searches are increasing for typical Summer holiday destinations including Greece, Turkey, the Canary Islands, Spain and the Balearic Islands as holidaymakers look to save money on their holiday. 

So where’s cheap and hot now? The Holiday Holiday team have searched the holiday holiday site and spoken to a number of holiday holiday travel agents advertising and have come up with a list of the best places to look for a last minute holiday in the sun right now.

Turkey

Very popular again this year, mainly due to cheap prices and some great last minute offers with hundreds of pounds worth of savings available on some holidays if you get in there quick!  Ideal to visit for a Summer holiday, temperatures are at their best between April and October when the main holiday season starts here.  UK holidaymakers might choose from popular resorts such as Alanya, Bodrum, Gumbet, Marmaris, Olu Deniz and Fethiye.  Read our Turkey Holidays guide for inspiration on where to stay and for recommended hotels in each resort.

Greece

Greece didn’t compare so well on price for last minute holidays last year, especially with lots of hot deals available elsewhere.  But this seems as though it may be set to change with the financial difficulties in Greece meaning tour operators here are predicting major discounts on Greece holidays this year, with hoteliers slashing prices.  This coupled with recent reports that the cost of holidays in Eurozone countries is reportedly going down may help you decide to visit Greece again this year. 

Egypt

There’s still deals to be found for Egypt holidays with popular resorts such as Sharm El Sheikh still offering discounts on holidays.  Our Egypt holidays travel guide can help you decide where to stay and what to do in this amazing country.

Balearic Islands

Most families opt for firm favourite Majorca, with guaranteed sunshine and a short flight journey from UK airports.  But Mernorca and Ibiza are great for holiday deals too and share the good weather and relaxing atmosphere of Majorca (unless you plan to go clubbing in San Antonio that is!). 

Spain

Last minute holidays can always be found in Spain especially in popular resorts such as Benidorm and the Costa Del Sol area.   Many holiday makers are budgeting for their holidays ahead and booking all inclusive holidays this year in Spain and other destinations to help keep a limit on the budget spent on their 2010 Summer holidays. 

Top tip: Be sure to make sure you’re protected against any problems (e.g. volcanic ash clouds, companies going bust, strikes) by booking with a holiday holiday travel agent.  All of the agents advertising on the holiday holiday site are ABTA and ATOL bonded to give you as much protection as possible when booking your holiday.

Happy Holiday Hunting – let us know where you decide to go!!

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