Travel agents make a commission from the travel providers they recommend to their customers. Tour operators make money from the holidays they sell too.  And, gone are the days when package holidays were automatically cheaper than the DIY alternatives.  Therefore, if you don’t mind doing a bit of internet research then you can save hundreds of pounds on the holiday of your dreams and build your own itinerary, just by being your own travel agent. But where do you start? Well you can simply cut out the travel agent and go straight to the tour operator or you can go the whole hog and arrange everything yourself. The choice you make will depend on how much you want to save and how much time you have on your hands to do the research.

Using a Tour Operator
Tour operators advertise widely, either on their own websites or on a number of independent sites, so it isn’t difficult to find them. Once you’ve decided on the style of holiday you want, sea and sand or snow and mountains for instance, you can start tracking down the most suitable operators and the holiday offers that interest you most. Don’t forget to ask for quotes from a number of competing operators and don’t be afraid to ask for a discount.  After all, the operator would be saving the cost of the travel agent’s commission if you booked direct.  Some operators already reduce their internet prices in recognition of the fact that they are saving money each time they take a direct booking online.  Either way, you can save you a good chunk of money which can be put to better use while on holiday.

Do It Yourself Holidays
If you fancy a bit of a challenge you can have a go at arranging the entire holiday experience yourself through ‘dynamic packaging’ web sites like BUYability.co.uk,  Expedia.co.uk and opodo.co.uk. Here you can book flights and hotels, arrange car hire, book cruises and day trips during your holiday… or any combination of these. There are plenty of deals on flights available and, if you can also find a hotel in the place you want to visit with empty rooms, you can arrange a great holiday and have the satisfaction of knowing that you did it all yourself.

In addition, if you choose to arrange your own holiday you can have the exact itinerary that you want. Most tour operator holidays include facilities, services or trips that you might not be interested in but in order to get your money’s worth end up using. By arranging your own holiday you can go where you want when you want, pay only for the services you need and you can even end up with a holiday that is totally unique. Once again, make sure you ask for a discount each time you book any service and look out for the special offers, promotions and seasonal discounts.

Why Not?
It only takes a few hours of research to organise the type of holiday you’re looking for and most travel sites are laid out so they are easy to use. Doing it yourself can give you great satisfaction, you’ll get the exact holiday you want and there are big savings to be made… so why not have a go and be your own travel agent from now on.