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by Julaluk

Going, Going, Gone – Flights Being Auctioned Off

December 25, 2008 in Aviation Airplanes by Julaluk

Going, Going, Gone – Flights Being Auctioned Off

By Andy Adams

The big news in the holiday’s market at the moment is that due to rising fuel costs and other charges, our ten year or so grace period of cheap flights going here there and everywhere is coming to a sad end.

Many new flight companies started over the past few years all competing against one another for the cheapest flights and holidays on offer, companies like EasyJet and RyanAir have managed to capitalise on this trend and have seen millions of pounds worth of business in recent years.

The trouble is, with all the fuel prices rising and holidaymakers simply not being able to afford to travel as much with other aspects of home life costing more, many flights companies have gone under, unable to cope with the rising costs of the industry. Industry heavyweights like RyanAir have admitted that business is slowing and should they have been a smaller business then they surely would have struggled to stay out of the red themselves.

One possible solution for one flights company is to auction off their flights. The company JetBlue Airways Corp is offering over 300 roundtrip flights in the USA as well as four “mystery vacation” packages as a part of the auction spree. The bidding starts at 5 or 10 cents and is expected to be a big hit with holiday makers.

Many marketing executives have commented how it’s a great way to get some “word of mouth” publicity for the budget airline. The locations on offer range from the Bahamas and Las Vegas and the taxes and fees are to be added on to the total unfortunately but it is expected that frugal holiday makers can bag one of these flight deals for ninety five percent of the original price so there are plenty of bargains to be had, all you need to do is make sure you have a PayPal account ready.

If you are interested in cheap flights to your dream destination then now is the perfect time. There are some cheap flights available depending on where you look so when looking for flights make sure you shop around.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andy_Adams

by Julaluk

Airline Says No To 2007 Malta Flights

December 24, 2008 in Airline Travel by Julaluk

Airline Says No To 2007 Malta Flights

By : Roger Munns

This year has started well for the Malta holidays and hotel industry, with an increase in visitors for the first few months compared to 2006 – a good indication that if the off peak season is doing well the rest of the year could also see good gains in holiday tourists to the Mediterranean island.

The measurable increase for the first months of 2007 has come just a couple of months since Ryanair started low cost flights to Malta from London’s Luton Airport to the island, and later months could be boosted further after Ryanair started flying from Dublin to Malta as well.

Overall some predictions estimate that Malta will benefit in the 2007 holiday season by an extra 80,000 tourists, reversing the decline of recent years.

The airline had to wait some time for the Maltese authorities to finally relent and give the green light for the flights to start, with concern at one stage that if the low cost airlines walked away from the negotiating table that the island would slip from a mainstream holiday destination to one catering for specialist groups of travellers.

But hopes that popular low cost airline easyJet would provide further impetus for the Malta holiday trade seems to have been dashed with reports in the island’s press that talks have stalled, and a proposed London Gatwick route has been shelved.

A new low cost London Gatwick route would have provided competition for the island’s national airline, Air Malta, and possibly have reduced the cost of flying to Malta further.

Malta Flights

Gatwick is located on the borders of Surrey and West Sussex and close to South and West London that would provide Malta with the possibility of extra affluent holiday makers.

In response to the arrival of Ryanair though, Air Malta has been offering reduced fares of its own, and has tried to defend her market share of the UK travelling public by starting a new route from Liverpool’s John Lennon Airport in the North-West of England.

The suggested reason for Malta turning down the possibility of a new low cost route from the UK is that London Gatwick does have tour operators offering their own flights, either as part of a package, or on a seat only sale.

With the arrival of more holidaymakers, the possibility of increased property sales to overseas buyers becomes more of a reality as well, so the real estate sector as well as the holiday market is keeping a keen eye on arrival figures for the months ahead.

Some UK overseas property agencies who deal with property in Malta think that property prices could rise in 2007.

‘With lower fares, Malta becomes a destination viable for 3 and 4 days trips a few times a year from the UK, and that will attract buyers to look at Malta in the same way they do France and Spain when considering where to buy a holiday home abroad. The weather in Malta and low fares could be a magnet for buyers’, commented one recently,

There is a warning however from some that property prices on the island might not necessarily escalate in the same way that regions of France have seen when low cost airlines have started flying to their region.

Article Source : http://www.123article.org

by Julaluk

Low Cost Flight Pioneer Plans Extra Malta Routes

December 19, 2008 in Airline Travel by Julaluk

Low Cost Flight Pioneer Plans Extra Malta Routes

By : Roger Munns

The pioneering airline that first brought low cost airlines to Malta has done well enough to start new routes to the island.

Ryanair, the Irish based low cost airline, were the first airline to win the right to fly to Malta from the island’s main markets for tourism of Ireland and the UK.

The first route launched has been running between London’s Luton Airport since November, while the Dublin route had its inaugural flight in March. Both routes have attracted good seat occupancy levels, with tourist numbers in Malta rising.

The new route will run between Bremen in Germany to Malta and will be a welcome addition for Malta’s attempt to attract more German tourists to the island.

Operating three times a week, it is hoped that the first flights will begin in September.

Before the new flights began last November, estimates suggested that the low cost airline could add an extra 80,000 tourists to the island in 2007, but this figure has been radically upgraded to double that.

Malta’s slow pace of life might have contributed to the late introduction of low cost flights compared to her competitors, or it could have been politicians and the tourist authorities more interested in protecting the island’s national airline with attitudes that the rest of Europe began to shrug off in the 80’s, but whatever the reason, now that Malta has allowed the low cost airlines, they can’t get enough of them.

The number of visitors to Malta is up nearly ten per cent this year, thanks mainly to the extra arrivals being delivered by the low cost airlines. And the extra holiday makers couldn’t have come at a better time as the island has seen steadily decreasing tourists numbers in recent years – the ultimate factor in the decision to allow the flights in.

With tourism numbers up, tourism chiefs have seen the magic bullet that has driven the statistics, and embraced the concept of low air fares whole heartedly.

While Malta has previously received most of their visitors from the UK, the idea of diversification has become possible as low cost airlines operate from most European countries, and the island is already receiving flights from Germany and Spain.

The country has let it be known that they will welcome applications for flights from Scandanavia and other areas of Europe.

The u-turn is now complete, from a backward looking slow to respond tourist office, to one that sees a quick fix to Malta’s previous declining popularity as a holiday destination.

Helping Malta’s image in the UK, Germany and other countries have been reports placing Malta at the top of tourist safety tables.

An American journalist last year placed the small Mediterranean island of Malta as one of the five safest travel destinations in the world, and a new report from the US this year confirms Malta as one of the safest vacation spots in the world.

This year’s report bears more official weight than the previous one by a travel writer, as it was compiled by the US State Department.

Commenting on Malta, the report praises the island for the non existence of organised crime, especially surprising perhaps given her proximity to mainland Italy – and closer still to Sicily.

A surprise for many who have driven in Malta is that the report considers the island’s roads to be safe. But this is backed up by official EU figures showing Malta has the lowest road related fatalities of all the EU States.

Article Source : http://www.123article.org

by Julaluk

Malta Does The Loop For New Airlines

December 19, 2008 in Airline Travel by Julaluk

Malta Does The Loop For New Airlines

By : Roger Munns

The slow pace of life on Malta might have contributed to the late introduction of low cost flights compared to her competitors, or it could have been politicians and the tourist authorities more interested in protecting the island’s national airline with attitudes that the rest of Europe began to shrug off in the 80’s, but whatever the reason, now that Malta has allowed the low cost airlines, they can’t get enough of them.

The number of visitors to Malta is up nearly ten per cent this year, thanks mainly to the extra arrivals being delivered by the low cost airlines. And the extra holiday makers couldn’t have come at a better time as the island has seen steadily decreasing tourists numbers in recent years – the ultimate factor in the decision to allow the flights in.

With tourism numbers up, tourism chiefs have seen the magic bullet that has driven the statistics, and embraced the concept of low air fares whole heartedly. While Malta has previously received most of their visitors from the UK, the idea of diversification has become possible as low cost airlines operate from most European countries, and the island is already receiving flights from Germany and Spain.

The country has let it be known that they will welcome applications for flights from Scandanavia and other areas of Europe. The u-turn is now complete, from a backward looking slow to respond tourist office, to one that sees a quick fix to Malta’s previous declining popularity as a holiday destination.

German tourists make up an important part of the European holiday market, along with the British. A low cost airline in Germany, Germanwings, started flights from Germany to Malta in late March, and with good bookings is looking to increase the number of flights to the island.

Commenting on the expansion plans, the airline said recently that it was very happy with its Malta route, and that the peak summer months were looking particularly good.

At the moment the flights to Malta are from Stuttgart and Cologne, and they would like to start flying from Hamburg in the autumn. Whether this will be allowed to happen though is problematic as Air Malta already serves the Hamburg route.

If flying from Hamburg to Malta doesn’t prove possible, the airline hopes that it will be able to increase the frequency of the routes it already has.As well as boosting the Malta holidays and hotel market, the arrival of increased numbers of tourists from Germany could also impact the Malta property market.

Property inflation in Malta has been high in recent years, with joining the EU a factor, and joining the Euro currency another.

The majority of sales in the past to overseas property buyers have been to the UK and Irish markets. But if German tourism rises it’s possible that this will add presuure to property prices again if the German tourists decide they like Malta enough to invest in a villa or holiday property.

Article Source : http://www.123article.org

by Julaluk

Malta Reaches For The Sky

December 19, 2008 in Airline Travel by Julaluk

Malta Reaches For The Sky

By : Roger Munns

Malta’s slow pace of life might have contributed to the late introduction of low cost flights compared to her competitors, or it could have been politicians and the tourist authorities more interested in protecting the island’s national airline with attitudes that the rest of Europe began to shrug off in the 80’s, but whatever the reason, now that Malta has allowed the low cost airlines, they can’t get enough of them.

The number of visitors to Malta is up nearly ten per cent this year, thanks mainly to the extra arrivals being delivered by the low cost airlines. And the extra holiday makers couldn’t have come at a better time as the island has seen steadily decreasing tourists numbers in recent years – the ultimate factor in the decision to allow the flights in.

With tourism numbers up, tourism chiefs have seen the magic bullet that has driven the statistics, and embraced the concept of low air fares whole heartedly.

While Malta has previously received most of their visitors from the UK, the idea of diversification has become possible as low cost airlines operate from most European countries, and the island is already receiving flights from Germany and Spain.

The country has let it be known that they will welcome applications for flights from Scandanavia and other areas of Europe.

The u-turn is now complete, from a backward looking slow to respond tourist office, to one that sees a quick fix to Malta’s previous declining popularity as a holiday destination.

German tourists make up an important part of the European holiday market, along with the British.

A low cost airline in Germany, Germanwings, started flights from Germany to Malta in late March, and with good bookings is looking to increase the number of flights to the island.

Commenting on the expansion plans, the airline said recently that it was very happy with its Malta route, and that the peak summer months were looking particularly good.

At the moment the flights to Malta are from Stuttgart and Cologne, and they would like to start flying from Hamburg in the autumn. Whether this will be allowed to happen though is problematic as Air Malta already serves the Hamburg route.

If flying from Hamburg to Malta doesn’t prove possible, the airline hopes that it will be able to increase the frequency of the routes it already has.

As well as boosting the Malta holidays and hotel market, the arrival of increased numbers of tourists from Germany could also impact the Malta property market.

Property inflation in Malta has been high in recent years, with joining the EU a factor, and joining the Euro currency another.

The majority of sales in the past to overseas property buyers have been to the UK and Irish markets. But if German tourism rises it’s possible that this will add presuure to property prices again if the German tourists decide they like Malta enough to invest in a villa or holiday apartment.

Article Source : http://www.123article.org

by Julaluk

Buying Home in Spain? Not Just A Home But A Lifestyle

December 18, 2008 in Airline Travel by Julaluk

Buying Home in Spain? Not Just A Home But A Lifestyle

Air Travel article brought to you by Scott James

If you crave for endless amounts of sunshine, unlimited beautiful beaches , excellent food , an abundant choice of entertainment , and a wide choice of homes at affordable prices , then you will find Spain almost too good to turn down. Although the vast majority of holiday makers (and residents) come to Spain to recline on a beach , there’s much more to the country than the Costas and its islands .

Spain offers infinite variety with something for everyone , including terrific beaches for sun seekers and unbelievable scenery with tremendous views and wonderful mountain walks. For those who are comfortable living in cities, there are bustling sophisticated metropolises . For food lovers, you will find some of the best food to be found anywhere and wine to match.

To buy a home in Spain is not just to buy a dwelling but your chance to buy a lifestyle, and as a place for your holiday, second or retirement home, Spain is unrivalled, particularly if you’re seeking year-round sunshine.

Why would you want to purchase a home in Spain?

There are a number of extremely good reasons why you would want to buy a home in Spain, although it’s important not to fool yourself or try and manufacture something that isn’t there with regards to what you can expect. To get a firm handle on what you expect , ask yourself exactly why you want to buy a home in Spain? For example, are you seeking a holiday or a retirement home?

The Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol has the highest percentage of retired persons in the world, when both Spaniards and foreigners are included. If you’re seeking a second home, will it be mainly used for long weekends or for lengthier stays? Do you plan to rent all or a portion of it to offset mortgage and operations costs? If so, how important is the property income? Is the decision to buy purely based on investment criteria? Is part of the plan to open up a business and work from Spain? Fairly basic questions I’ll admit but they do need addressed, but especially in Spain because of the variety of choices Spain has to offer.

Quite often potential buyers have a number of reasons for purchasing property in Spain. For example, many people buy a holiday home with an idea of living there permanently or semi-permanently after they retire. In a lot of cases the motivation is to start by purchasing a holiday home with the intention of retiring there later on. If this is indeed the case then there a whole number of factors that need to be taken into consideration at the outset than you would need to consider if the motivation was to occupy somewhere just for say a few weeks every year. If, on the other hand, you plan to work or start a business in Spain, you will be faced with a whole different set of criteria. You may be thinking of buying a home in Spain and commuting to another European country to work. Many people are doing just that because Spain has a lot to offer.

Whatever the reasons, living and working within or from modern day Spain is such an attractive proposition nowadays that it is a very hard to not consider.

This Air Travel article is provided by Articleteller – The Free Article Directory http://www.articleteller.com

by Julaluk

Reasons to Buy Property in Spain

December 13, 2008 in Airline Travel by Julaluk

Reasons to Buy Property in Spain

Air Travel article brought to you by Scott James

If you are after unlimited sunshine, unlimited beautiful beaches, truly wonderful food, a wide choice of entertainment, and a wide choice of homes at affordable prices, then you will find Spain hard to resist. Although the vast majority of holiday makers (and residents) come to Spain to laze about on the beach, there’s much more to the country than the Costas and its islands .

Spain offers infinite variety with something for everyone, including terrific beaches for sun seekers and unbelievable scenery with tremendous views and wonderful mountain walks. For those who wish a more urban based life there are some of the most sophisticated cities to be found anywhere. For food lovers, you will find some of the best food to be found anywhere and wine to match.

To buy a home in Spain is not just to buy a dwelling but your chance to buy a lifestyle, and as a place for your holiday, second or retirement home, Spain is unrivalled, particularly if you’re seeking year-round sunshine.

So, why buy in Spain?

You can come up with a number of reasons why you would want to buy a home in Spain , although it’s important not to fool yourself or try and manufacture something that isn’t there with regards to what you can expect. Be consistent and realistic about what you can expect, ask fundamental question about what it is exactly that you want from a home in Spain? For example, is it a second home, holiday home or retirement dwelling that you wish to buy?

The south eastern Mediterranean coast of Spain has the highest percentage of retired persons in the world, when both Spaniards and foreigners are included. If you’re seeking a second home, what exactly will you want to use it for and how long will you wish to stay there? Do you plan to rent all or a portion of it to offset mortgage and operations costs? If that is the case, how essential to the overall plan is the property rental income? Is the decision to buy purely based on investment criteria? Do you plan to work or start a business in Spain? These are questions that need answers no matter where you purchase , but especially in Spain because of the variety of choices Spain has to offer.

Quite often potential buyers have a number of reasons for purchasing property in Spain. For example, many people buy a holiday home with an idea of living there permanently or semi-permanently after they retire. In a lot of cases the motivation is to start by purchasing a holiday home with the intention of retiring there later on. If this is the case, there are many more factors to take into account than if you were simply buying a holiday home that you will occupy for just a few weeks a year. If, on the other hand, you plan to work or start a business in Spain, you will be faced with a whole different set of criteria. You may be thinking of buying a home in Spain and commuting to another European country to work. More and more people are now doing that as they find that Spain has much more to offer nowadays.

Whatever the reasons for buying a home within Spain whether purely for residential or investment purposes, life in modern day Spain makes it such a difficult option to refuse.

This Air Travel article is provided by Articleteller – The Free Article Directory http://www.articleteller.com

by Julaluk

Ski Holidays In Andorra Fly With New Airport

December 13, 2008 in Airline Travel by Julaluk

Ski Holidays In Andorra Fly With New Airport

Air Travel article brought to you by Andorra

Opening an airport close to an established tourist destination will normally mean a boost in tourism – but when the established airport is nearly three hours away and the new one fifteen minutes it’s almost bound to see a higher than normal increase in holiday makers.

And that’s exactly what is happening to Andorra, the tiny tax haven set in the European Pyrenees, and home to some of the best ski runs in Europe.

Up to now a drawback that Andorra has had is the distance from a major airport, two and a half hours drive to Barcelona in Spain or Toulouse in France, with some ski holidays starting with a night in one of the Barcelona hotels before setting off for Andorra.

But that is set to change with agreement for an aiport to be built just fifteen minutes drive from the Spanish / Andorra border.

As well as the extra ski tourists the new airport will impact Andorra as a tax haven. Andorra and the more famous Monaco are Europe’s leading tax havens, with residents enjoying the benefit of no income tax. Property prices in Andorra are less than a third of the price of Monaco’s.

Commenting on the new airport, one Andorra estate agent who specialises in Andorra property for sale thinks that the prices of Andorra properties will rise.

‘At the moment Monaco has the advantage of being ten minutes away from an international airport by helicopter, while Andorra is over two hours. With that advantage gone we anticipate more people considering a tax haven will consider Andorra, with a resulting appreciation in property prices.’

Property in Andorra has risen an average of ten per cent a year in recent years, with three streams of buyers – the local market, buyers for ski holiday homes who are often on a Crystal Ski holiday and like Andorra enough to buy a holiday home, plus those looking for a tax haven.

The airport is to be located in Seu d’Urgell, and the first flights are anticipated to be in 2010 or 2011, with a runway of 4,500 feet – not long enough for some medium range aircraft, and it is likely that most commercial airlines using the airport will be 60 to 80 seaters, plus private jets much favoured by the wealthy who might now consider Andorra as a viable tax haven.

As well as being welcomed by the property business in Andorra, a new airport has been greeted enthusiastically by the skiing industry.

The country has upgraded facilities in recent years, and often competes as a top ski destination in Europe, with well known ski companies like Crystal Ski operating holidays for the British market.

In recent years the number of tourists for the Andorra ski holiday season has topped ten million visitors, and the ski industry is an important part of the country’s economy, with the government investing in new infrastructure to help tempt visitors back for skiing for repeat visits.

But last year was the worst season for decades as the snow, which normally falls from end October, didn’t arrive until mid March, and the first drop in the number of ski holidays in Andorra being sold by British and other European travel agents dropped from the previous ski season for some years.

The new airport cutting travelling time from the UK, one of the Andorra ski holiday’s main markets, could boost the occupancy levels of hotels in Andorra significantly.

‘When people are considering a ski holiday in Andorra’, comment one travel guide, ‘At the moment to reach Soldeu, one of Andorra top ski villages, it’s two and a half hours from Barcelona to the capital la Vella, and then another twenty minutes on top of that – nearly a three hour trip after a flight. Cutting down resort arrival time from three to one hour will be enough to influence some people’s decision on where to visit.’

Recent investment by the government has reached several million Euros designed to keep the country in line with other European winter destinations, and intended to make Andorra a natural choice for the ski and snowboard fraternity, the addition of an airport close to her border could help ensure that.

2010 can’t come soon enough for Andorra and her ski industry.

This Air Travel article is provided by Articleteller – The Free Article Directory http://www.articleteller.com

by Julaluk

Paphos Property the Ideal Holiday Retreat

December 8, 2008 in Vacation Homes by Julaluk

Paphos Property the Ideal Holiday Retreat

By Kevinor Moore

There really has never been a better time to buy Paphos property whether you are looking for a luxury beach front apartment or even an exclusive villa with it’s own swimming pool. Situated on the west coast of Cyprus a short drive from the boarder with Northern half of the Island Paphos is ideally placed for easy access to the rest of the countries many places of interest and all the commercial centers too including the capital Nicosia. Unlike many of the nearby Greek Islands Cyprus has a modern motorway network that links up all the main resorts and towns making driving there a pleasure rather than a chore. Another great benefit of owning Paphos property is the towns growing reputation as an all year resort. In fact the Cyprus tourist board has recently embarked upon a major advertising campaign emphasizing the Islands status as a year round holiday resort. This is great news for Paphos property owners looking to make a rental return on their property investments in the area whilst they are not using their house or apartment themselves.

The bustling holiday resort and town has more than enough to keep holiday makers or residents alike occupied throughout the year which may go some way towards explaining why so many people purchase a permanent home there. Then again, it could perhaps have something to do with the wide variety of properties and diverse locations that the Paphos area has to offer. As you would expect there are plenty of new build luxury villas and apartments on offer right on the resort itself which makes them ideal for holiday homes or even rental investments. But there is a lot more to Paphos property than just sea front condo’s and exclusive luxury villas with private pools if you are prepared to look a little deeper. Paphos is basically two towns in one the old and the new or Paphos and Kato Paphos as they are also known. The newer part is mostly around the resort area whilst the old town is built on the hill overlooking the sea. Property buyers can find some real gems tucked away on the older suburban streets just away from the hustle and bustle but still within walking distance of all the action.

The Paphos area also encompasses a large number of rural villages and small townships that have on the whole so far escaped the building bonanza that has gripped the rest of Cyprus in recent years. It’s one area of the Island that is virtually littered with little villages that nestle at the base of the Troodas mountains and surrounding countryside almost forgotten. Life in these sun drenched corners of this Mediterranean paradise goes on much the same as it has done for many generations with land and farms being passed down from Farther to Son in the traditional Cypriot way. As the properties along the coast have become more expensive many buyers seeking that perfect Paphos property are turning their attention further inland and Cyprus property developers are rising to the challenge. So for buyers who want the benefits of village life with the luxury of all mod cons one of the many small new developments springing up in the area could be the answer. The Cypriot people are amongst the friendliest you could ever be fortunate enough to meet anywhere in the world and their warm welcome is a genuine one not just something they put on for money spending tourist. So the chances are that anyone buying a Paphos property in one of these outlying areas would be made most welcome by the locals.

It is highly likely that the cost of Paphos property will continue to rise in line with the rest of Cyprus so potential buyers will need to act soon if they want to save a substantial amount of money. The upside of course is that rental prices will probably rise also making that holiday home or investment property all the more worthwhile in the long term for buyers who act sooner rather than later. With so much to offer both holiday makers and residents few would argue that Paphos is probably one of the best locations in Southern Cyprus to take a holiday or even to live. Imagine all those long warm summer days when you will be able to take a leisurely stroll down to the pretty Medieval harbour and sit at one of the many cafe restaurants as the sun sets. Chatting with both the locals and the holidaymakers whilst taking in the view across the beautiful crystal clear waters of the warm Mediterranean Ocean or watching the setting sun as it drops behind the Troodas mountains. However you decide to spend your time in Cyprus your would do well to check out the potential of owning your very own Paphos property.

Kevin Moore owns and operates the Information Cyprus web site and spends most of the year at his home on the Island writing regular articles about this beautiful Mediterranean paradise. You can read more about Paphos Property Here

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kevinor_Moore

by Julaluk

Perils of Booking a Villa Direct

December 8, 2008 in Vacation Homes by Julaluk

Perils of Booking a Villa Direct

By Michael Reilly

The rise in direct booking websites has seen a boom in owners advertising their own properties, and as a result holiday makers are seeing a similar rise in villa holiday nightmares.

With the huge amount of concrete gone into building villas in Europe in the last 10 years competition is fierce for holiday rental income and owners have decided to take matters into their own hands to get bookings.

Very often booking direct with owners means your villa may be available for a slightly cheaper weekly rental than similar properties with professional management companies or letting agencies. The disadvantage to booking direct however is you have no guarantees of the standard on arrival or indeed how professional the owner maybe.

We are hearing more and more horror stories of people being let down by owners as their holidays draw closer. Only last week I spoke with a lady who was due to travel to Quinta do Lago in the Algarve within the next 3 weeks – she had contacted the owner to confirm her booking and lo and behold – he’d only gone and sold it!!

So she had flights booked, deposits paid and no accommodation. Fortunately the villa owner was honest enough to return her deposit but she was still left with no accommodation and the peak season about to begin and availability limited.

We have heard of people arriving at villas to find the gas and electricity cut off as the owner had not paid the bills to the management company. Not to mention the villas still under construction, while someone who has booked a week can often be gazumped when a villa owner has the option of a two or three week booking over the same time period.

One of the more unusual stories I heard last year was the villa with pool in Spain – everything about the villa was fine, the pool was perfect – except for one minor detail – the lack of water in the swimming pool!

Booking direct is a useful way to save some of the cost but it does carry risk. A professional rentals agency will reduce that risk by ensuring that properties are professionally managed and cleaned, both on arrival and during your stay.

A client arriving a 7pm on a Saturday evening who suddenly realises that the keys have not been made available on arrival will have to chase the owner for a resolution, not easy when the owner is at the theatre watching the latest Andrew Lloyd Webber. A lettings agency will have people available or at least checking messages hourly to resolve your issues as soon as possible, they will also have management companies available on the ground to come to your aid.

The another advantage of the lettings agency is if problems occur a professional lettings agency will be able to help put things right – for example if the person in the neighbouring villa decides on the Monday after your arrival that he wants to install a swimming pool a professional agency should be able to get you alternative accommodation.

A professional letting agency should also know the resort they are selling so will be able to assist you with any questions you might have while on holiday – such as which are the best restaurants, most popular golf etc.

Booking direct can be a money saver, but as more and more people are finding out, it can sometimes be a false economy. Arriving on a long awaited holiday, exhausted from the flights and with cranky children (or husband or wife!), the last thing you need is to be having major issues with your villa. Using a reputable lettings agency is not the solution to all holiday problems but is does give you more confidence that things will work out as planned.

Michael Reilly is Marketing Manager of Select Resorts, a lettings agency who offer a range of Quinta do Lago Villas and La Manga Club Villas

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Reilly