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Work Electives Recruitment Agencies NGOs My Health Links Members Area |
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When you need a break: how to find cheap holidays Travelling to work abroad brings unique and rewarding challenges that may nonetheless leave you in need of some more stress-free time away. One of the few benefits of the current economic downturn is the increased opportunities for cheap holidays. A slump in demand for foreign holidays has meant that many tour operators like Thomas Cook are being forced to offer more cheap holidays to try and attract business. Here are a few tips for securing a bargain. The location of your intended holiday destination, and the time of year you wish to travel are crucial when it comes to determining the price of your holiday. If you are travelling to an established holiday destination, for a regular length of break – this is seven, ten or fourteen days – then you will almost always find that there are plentiful package deals on offer. This competition means that you’ll struggle to find a cheaper alternative by booking separate flights and accommodation. Cheap holidays are either booked very early; or for the best of deals, at the last minute. Last minute bookings allow the tour operator to fill places on planes and in hotels that will otherwise earn no money at all if not taken. This is because tour operators get the best prices for block bookings well in advance, and this means committing to charter planes and accommodation. This is the reason that early bookings are rewarded with good prices, as these bookings help the tour operator match supply to demand. Last minute bookings get ever cheaper as the departure date approaches, in an effort to attract your business and at least gain some revenue from the surplus; but usually, you need to be pretty flexible about where you want to end up. Most people are aware that prices go up during peak season, and peak season is determined largely by the school summer holidays. If you are able to travel outside of peak season, or are aiming for a destination that is not established for family holidays, you will definitely save money. For those more far flung locations, you can save a mint by focussing your attention on countries that have a currency as weak as the sterling. Given the recent upheaval, Thailand may not be an option for the near future, but in general the country can offer some of the most affordable of cheap holidays. Likewise, destinations that were formerly popular, but then suffered a fall from grace will often have tourist capacity built up that is simply not being used, and so again you will find bargains to entice you out to locations that have perhaps had a foreign office travel warning a few years ago. |
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For more information on the hospitals/organisations
above check out The Medic's Guide to Work and Electives Around the World
Medics Travel
is for doctors, nurses, medical/nursing
students and other health professionals wanting to plan work and electives with hospitals,
NGOs and charities overseas. It also lists government and
recruitment agencies and has updates for the ultimate guide - The
Medics Guide to Work and Electives Around the World - good luck in
your travels...and please update this site when you come back!!! |
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