When you want to leave, and money is tight, save a burning permit. The main thing — in the rush and euphoria of the upcoming holidays, not to lose vigilance and not to fall for the tricks of unscrupulous tour operators. We decided to find out what the burning permit. In this article you will learn what you do not tell the travel Agency when buying it and what do you think about last minute travel industry experts.
Why vouchers “burn”
In Soviet times, good workers received from the unions at the sanatorium. And when the workaholic, for some reason, refused trips, and even at the last moment, saying that it “burns”. The expression “burning permit” was fixed and moved into the modern tourist industry.
Burning now called vouchers, which are sold for a few days before departure and at very competitive prices. Especially a lot of proposals during the low season. For beach tours is early spring and late autumn, and for skiing — summer.
Benjamin Bondarev
CEO search engine tours RuSPO.ru
Because of the reduction in Charter traffic now not so much burning stages. Tour operators are trying to make commitments in line with projected demand. The hottest deals are at the beginning of the season when demand is lower, and Charter operations have already begun. As a rule, Charter traffic does not change throughout the season as demand fluctuates.
Where are last minute
The tour operators before the start of the tourist season, advance purchase or book tickets and rooms in hotels. Formed implement tours travel Agency. But to accurately predict how many vouchers will be sold, impossible. Always remain unclaimed vouchers that are about to “burn” for departure dates and check-in.
In order not to lose the money spent on your booking, the tour operators and travel agencies have to reduce prices and sell tours almost at cost. Yes, they will not get a planned dividend, but will remain in the red.
Ilya Otical
Head of online service for the Assembly of tours Tourex.me
When we speak about last minute, imply, as a rule, the permit, which is very close to departure date. In this regard, it should be sold urgently. The price is reduced because it is necessary to fill the remaining seat on the plane and the hotel and at least earn something. In fact, the difference from the usual tour is low price. But to buy a ticket you need right now, or at least today. For tourists this option is advantageous, if he is willing to risk and wait until the last for lowest prices or, for example, if the free time for a visit appeared suddenly.
According to Ilya, Otical, in the law there is no concept of “hot tour”, as largely a “burning permit” is just a marketing ploy, so a tourist could select a proposal whose price is below market. At the same time, selling cheap tours, travel agencies get satisfied loyal customers.
Another reason that becomes a burning permit, is to refuse already bought tours. For example, people planning the vacation in advance booked a ticket, but just a week before the flight got sick and refused to travel. To place in the plane and the hotel room was not empty, firms reduce the price and try to resell it quickly.
Finally, sometimes the tours appear on the market due to force majeure events in the host country. If the state of political tension or natural disaster had occurred, the demand for tours in this country falls sharply. To attract tourists only a significant reduction of prices to the desire to save money prevailed over security concerns.
Features burning permits
- The ticket to a visa-free country becomes a burning usually for 2-5 days prior to departure and in the country, to travel to which you want to apply for a visa, for 7-10 days. This means that time at all to spare. Just a couple of days you should manage to pay for a tour, to execute all necessary documents and collect things.
- You need to be prepared to “nizkozatratnomu” service. On the one hand, will be around a few tourists, which for many is a plus. But with other entertainment and attention from the staff is also less. Don’t be surprised if many shops and restaurants will be closed, but the hotel guide will offer a couple of excursions.
- Travel agencies do not book last minute without full payment of the client. If you purchase a regular tour, you will first pay a part amount and the remaining money is given later, get a ticket and the voucher, in the case of a burning permit will need to pay immediately and in full. This money is not refundable.
Thus, a burning permit is a great solution for a person, easy-going, but limited in means. This tour is for you if you unprincipled where to go (if only it was the sea, mountains…), and you can adjust the trip according to the trip (and not Vice versa).
But we should not settle for the first “hot” offer. Not every tour, called burning, is not.
How to know the real last minute
When the heart and soul require rest, it is difficult to stay indifferent at the sight of sentences beginning with the words “super offer!” or “lowest prices of the season”.
Tempting but the price tag does not guarantee that before you do a burning permit. Perhaps the price did not fall, but just became normal. Firms sometimes deliberately overestimate the cost of tours, then to attract customers with discounts. In order not to become a victim of the “attraction of unprecedented generosity”, study prices on the market and find out how much we offer you a package of services in other companies without any discounts.
Ilya Otical
Head of online service for the Assembly of tours Tourex.me
Many agencies in order to stimulate sales, can give regular tours for burning. Just take tours with the lowest price and present them as burning. In General, manipulation with the word “burning” is frequent. There is even a network of travel agencies with that word in the title. And still sometimes write “hot”. The consumer may not notice the difference.
Also under last minute sometimes mask the most common tours with very cheap hotels. For example, it can only be opened and not yet earned the reputation of a hotel or a hotel situated far from the sea.
Be sure to take a look at TopHotels.ru or TripАdvisor.ru and find out what kind of hotel you offer.
Perhaps you are not satisfied with the level of comfort, even if the permit is generally free.
To recognize pseudogeraden tours possible on other circumstantial evidence.
- Prices for accommodation in expensive hotels owned by any large network is usually stable and is not reduced depending on the tourist season. If you are offered a cheap ticket and check into a hotel, a high probability that the travel Agency somewhere cut a package tour under masks and burning.
- During national holidays, during vacations and holidays lastminute offers very little. If you manage to catch a ticket, but refused it, you are in luck. If the travel Agency offers a wide range of hot tours during the peak season, be careful.
- To visit some foreign large-scale event, such as a cool music festival or a sports tournament at the last minute is almost impossible. Tickets and hotels for these dates booked up many months in advance. And you should be very careful if the travel Agency suddenly makes a “tasty” offer.
Benjamin Bondarev
CEO search engine tours RuSPO.ru
Do you offer this tour if:
— before the departure-less than two weeks (the closer the departure, the lower the price);
— is a Charter transportation;
— offers not in a city hotel, and the popular beach hotel where the tour operators book blocks of seats.
What to look for when buying burning permits
Package
This burning permit does not differ from the booked in advance. Flights, transfers, food, accommodation, insurance, excursions — all as in a normal round in this country at this time. If you are offered a stripped-down package, then most likely a trip trying to disguise a burning.
Ilya Otical
Head of online service for the Assembly of tours Tourex.me
We must understand that last minute maybe because burning, its just that no one bought in advance. The hotel can be useless, the flight uncomfortable, the food is unsatisfactory. Therefore, carefully study the contract and the offer and, of course, see feedback on the proposed hotel.
Be sure to ask about the reason for the decline in the cost of the tour. And do not hesitate to ask the travel agent questions — time is short, and it is better to clarify all the obscure points.
Tip: carefully read the contract. Pay attention to the legal details of the tour operator and travel Agency, information about licenses for tourism activities, dates of flights, check in / out. Read the conditions for amendment and termination of the agreement, as well as the order of claims.
Reputation of travel Agency
Almost all travel companies offer last minute trips. After all, they have contracts with the major operators and the use of their data. But not all agencies conscientiously perform their duties, and some sometimes frankly cheat.
Benjamin Bondarev
CEO search engine tours RuSPO.ru
In order to know if the price is reduced, it is possible to compare the tours for the next date with the help of online search engines tours.
To buy cheap tour, not just a cheap round with the disgusting conditions, refer to the audited company, long operating in the market. It is best to choose an Agency whose services you have used yourself or your friends. Also worth looking for reviews on travel forums.
Tip: if you have doubts, check tour operator in the Unified Federal register of tour operators and a travel Agency on the registry of travel agencies.
Visa
Tours is, as a rule, tours to visa-free countries are popular tourist destinations. All because the status burning permit receives for 7-10 days before departure. To do during this time, the visa difficult.
Yes, travel agencies working with the consulates usually already debugged. But the complexity of the documents can be always: not the certificate, complete the form properly, and so on. And then the client will refuse the visa, he isn’t going anywhere and his money will burn.
Tip: to fly to Europe last minute, apply for a Schengen visa in advance of your own.
Summary
Good rest in last minute you can. But if you are a novice traveler, waited a year for vacation and saved money, it is better to plan a vacation in advance. Lifehacker there is a detailed guide how to do it right.
Write in the comments, have you bought ever last minute? What were your impressions?
