Last minute holiday? More like last minute blunder!

— Posted Thursday 22nd July 2010 by Leanne Gosford under Stuff worth knowing

This year I trawled the internet for a late deal and found myself ditching the well known tour operators in favour of the cheap and cheerful nobodies. We finally settled on a bargain getaway to Rhodes with Goldtrail, but our desertion of big brands came at a much greater cost.

Our week passed by relatively hassle free; we had the odd grumble about the accommodation but on the whole our package had delivered.  It was not until our penultimate day we noticed a stir amongst the other guests.

I had just finished slapping on the factor 10 and was about to clamber onto my lilo when I became aware of a small congregation gathering around the pool bar.  As I drew closer I heard one sunburnt holidaymaker mention that he might be stranded in Greece while another expressed concern about those whose holidays had been cancelled.  I approached the ring leader with dread and asked him about all the commotion only to discover that Goldtrail had collapsed.

With this new found knowledge I frantically rang the helpline to enquire about the validity of our flight tickets and after being put on hold for five minutes I was assured by the Civil Aviation Authority that we would still be able to fly the next day, since I'd thankfully booked an ATOL bonded package.  Needless to say, we still had to contend with a four-hour delay but it seemed like we had got off lightly compared to other Brits abroad. 

It begs the question whether a cheap holiday comes at a sacrifice? During a time when we have no choice but to tighten our purse strings it would seem that one of the biggest concerns for British holidaymakers is getting good value for money.  Some opt to cut out the middle man by booking online or over the phone, some book up to a year in advance when there are plenty of cheap rooms and flights available and others choose to throw caution to the wind and book a holiday last minute.

Those who chance booking up to a week before will have noticed that many tour operators have slashed their prices in order to entice people back to Europe.  Drawn in by a bargain, it seems some of us disregard the name of the tour operator we are booking with. It's a strange thing to do – after all, holidays are an expensive purchase – would we do the same with a new telly, mobile phone or car?

It has been reported that some agencies had predicted the downfall of Goldtrail up to nine months earlier.  And Goldtrail has hit back at those who have complained by pointing out that budget travellers should have lower expectations. 

I know for sure that from now on I will be investing my money in a big name tour operator to ensure that my next holiday doesn't end in misfortune.