Traveling independently is not always cheaper, but much more interesting
The emergence on the market, and especially on the Internet, of various hotel booking systems has led to tourists becoming more independent in organizing their trips. The recent bankruptcies of federal tour operators «Kapital-Tour», «Lanta-Tour Voyage», as well as regional ones, have led to the fact that hotel booking sites are attracting increasing interest from former «package tourists». The fear of independent travel is giving way to the need to get rid of the long chain of intermediaries consisting of travel agents, tour operators, charter carriers, and receiving parties.
What does an independent tourist have to deal with?
The first and most important thing in any trip abroad is the visa. If you are going to a country that requires a visa, you should check the visa issuance conditions on the website of the consulate of that country. If you are traveling independently for the first time, it is better to start with visa-free countries.
A visa or stamp is issued at the border free of charge or for a small fee, and it is important to ensure that your passport's validity expires beyond the required period. Usually it is from 3 to 6 months.
Next, you need to book a flight ticket. The price of the ticket increases as the departure date approaches, so you need to take care of the flight in advance.
Suppose you chose Thailand: a visa-free country with many flights to Bangkok, and booked a flight ticket. Usually the reservation lasts from several hours to a day, so you need to pay for the ticket almost immediately.
All that's left is to choose a resort and book a hotel in Thailand. The resorts of Thailand and hotels in Pattaya, Phuket, Samui, and hotels in Bangkok are very clearly presented in the hotel booking system. Here, by going to the hotel search, you can not only check prices, but also read reviews, see photos and the location of the hotel.
If you are not sure whether the trip will take place, we advise you to read the fare conditions when choosing a flight ticket. The cheapest tickets usually come with the highest cancellation penalties. The same goes for hotels. When booking, pay attention to the note «Free cancellation». If you are unsure about the dates of your trip but do not want to lose a lot of money upon cancellation, try to book a flight and hotel with minimal cancellation fees.
Independent travel does not always save money – after all, in most cases you buy a ticket for a regular flight. But at the same time it provides greater reliability – because in this case you are your own tour operator, travel agent, and visa agency.
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