It was a big chunk of change, but worth it in the end.Įvery hotel I've stayed at from a deal site has been clean and comfortable. For an extra fee ($500 each), we were able to get separate rooms. When my friend and I went to Paris and Rome, we decided we were too old to share a room. That said, many tour operators who supply vacations to deal sites will work with you to customize or upgrade a trip. Even if you're not using a deal website, travel agents can help you work within a budget.Īre you someone who, metaphorically, never lets the food touch?ĭo you like to know detail about every hotel? Do you insist on picking your airline seat? Is it really important to be in the heart of the action versus a residential neighborhood?ĭeal packages often list a hotel that you'll probably be staying at, but it could be one of a similar size and rating. And Richter points out that there's nothing like a human being with expertise.
Groupon uses a mix of agencies, Stevens said. "Our travel agents are getting creative in how they market and sell themselves and everyone has their own way of doing it." "It's good for people to connect with businesses they may not be familiar with," said Erika Richter, communications director for the American Society of Travel Agents. Mind changed! For a big, complicated trip with lots of stops, flights, shuttles and changes, I'll never go back. I could go online and book my own plane tickets, thank you. They seemed out of reach, perhaps old-fashioned or haughty. Just as guests are looking for quality accommodations, hotels and attractions are looking for quality guests.īefore buying the Groupon to Paris and Rome, I had never used a travel agency. They also have reservations, Stevens said, but it's about clientele. Suppliers pay Groupon a cut to use the service. There is risk inherent in buying any trip online, or really, any trip at all. nice?" Reading between the lines, they want to know if they are going to be housed in Rome's finest Leatherface shed. Travel is a little bit different of a creature."ī) There's usually some awkward question, like, "Is it. "A lot of people are familiar with the nail salons and food and other things that we're selling pretty consistently. "Our biggest problem with Getaways is the awareness," said Chris Stevens, who runs the North American travel branch at Groupon. Wonderment, followed by skepticism, followed by questions. When I tell people I regularly travel using Groupon Getaways or LivingSocial Escapes, I get the same reaction. Yes, Groupon and LivingSocial, the websites where you get your discount hot stone massages and city Segway tours. I had already come to embrace discount vouchers as my primary mode of travel. At the time, it was the biggest Groupon I had ever purchased, but I knew it would be fine.
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