Latest posts for the topic "Squeezing The Pips-Brochure Pricing"

Squeezing The Pips-Brochure Pricing

Sat, 12 Jun 2010 14:36:58 GMT

Today I browsed a copy of a large UK Tour Op's brochure for next winter's skiing. It's a company that has been running in the UK for many years, but is foreign owned. Looked at the prices for Switzerland 2011.

Interesting to note that for a sample property in Zermatt, the prices for UK half term school holidays (Feb) are double the prices for the period during the Swiss peak holiday period (Carnaval) which is in March next year.

Are the pips being squeezed until they squeak?

Re:Squeezing The Pips-Brochure Pricing

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 08:47:14 GMT

Isn't this just because the (European) world and his dog have their half-terms in the same two weeks of February, and March is a quiet time on the slopes (even in Switzerland)?

Re:Squeezing The Pips-Brochure Pricing

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 13:25:16 GMT

Admin wrote:Isn't this just because the (European) world and his dog have their half-terms in the same two weeks of February, and March is a quiet time on the slopes (even in Switzerland)?

Super Peak weeks for the Swiss are Carnaval, which is in March next year. All our March availability for 2011 went a while ago.

The hotel I looked at is priced up on the Zermatt Tourist Office website at 115 Sfr pppn for Feb 2011, dropping to 105 Sfr pppn in mid March. The price differential is quite close, so where does the UK Tour Op get the justification for doubling the price in their brochure )

Re:Squeezing The Pips-Brochure Pricing

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 15:44:27 GMT

I guess they price at level the market will stand! Peak season is a battle for limited flights & accomodation so tour operators get away with higher profit margins. Off peak the situation is reversed when it can be a case of minimising the losses by selling holidays at a loss.

Rip-Off Britain is far from dead. That said some of the tour operators have ceased trading so it's no as simple these days.

If you are prepared to drive and make your own arrangements then half term can be a lot cheaper than if you opt for a package.
Half term prices don't seem to jump so much for North America.

Re:Squeezing The Pips-Brochure Pricing

Tue, 29 Jun 2010 07:42:30 GMT

Book independently ...... you know it makes sense :wink:

Re:Squeezing The Pips-Brochure Pricing

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 22:34:32 GMT

For my first forage of the winter, Wickers is correct. Our wee village group wants to go straight after Christmas, from Edinburgh, and be there over New Year. All the TOs offered Tuesday~Tuesday, (our teacher friend has to be back by Monday). Even then, by going Easyjet/traintaxi/direct HB booking, we were ulti-percento below the TO.
And we get to stay in a really interesting place.

Re:Squeezing The Pips-Brochure Pricing

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 08:01:18 GMT

I think sometimes you can get a good deal with the TO's, especially if you have kids. In the past we have had several holidays where my younger daughter got her holiday totally for free - flight, half-board in a hotel, and all her ski-ing.

At the moment, for example, I notice that Thomson are offering 5 nights self-catering in Les Deux Alpes, complete with flights and transfers, from Monday 3rd Jan to Sat 10th Jan, for 2 adults and one child for GBP640, which works out at only GBP213 per person. And, as well as that, they're currently offering 2 lift passes for the price of one for Jan and March. I'm not sure I could beat that price, if I was booking it myself.

But I can definitely get a Feb half-term holiday cheaper by booking it all myself than going with the TO's, although the train/plane prices do increase massively for that week, as well as the accommodation (in France anyway, where I've been looking).

I think one of the problems of going DIY and flying out, is that if the plane is diverted to another aiport you don't have any transfers arranged. When we went to Borovets in Bulgaria, for example, the plane was diverted from Sofia to Plovdiv, but because we were with a TO they sorted it and the coach went there to pick us up.

Ally

Re:Squeezing The Pips-Brochure Pricing

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 08:11:51 GMT

AllyG wrote:I think sometimes you can get a good deal with the TO's, especially if you have kids. In the past we have had several holidays where my younger daughter got her holiday totally for free - flight, half-board in a hotel, and all her ski-ing.

At the moment, for example, I notice that Thomson are offering 5 nights self-catering in Les Deux Alpes, complete with flights and transfers, from Monday 3rd Jan to Sat 10th Jan, for 2 adults and one child for GBP640, which works out at only GBP213 per person. And, as well as that, they're currently offering 2 lift passes for the price of one for Jan and March. I'm not sure I could beat that price, if I was booking it myself.

But I can definitely get a Feb half-term holiday cheaper by booking it all myself than going with the TO's, although the train/plane prices do increase massively for that week, as well as the accommodation (in France anyway, where I've been looking).

I think one of the problems of going DIY and flying out, is that if the plane is diverted to another aiport you don't have any transfers arranged. When we went to Borovets in Bulgaria, for example, the plane was diverted from Sofia to Plovdiv, but because we were with a TO they sorted it and the coach went there to pick us up.

Ally

I think the only plus for booking with the TO's is the 2-4-1 lift pass offers, I have never experienced a flight diversion so I really don't worry about what might or might not happen, this year I'll be experiencing my first full board chalet holiday, it has been booked independently and not through a TO.
So I'll be reporting a warts and all report on the pro's and cons...... watch this space. :lol:
Anyone in Morillon from the 16th Jan ?????

Re:Squeezing The Pips-Brochure Pricing

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 13:33:28 GMT

Ian,
Are you staying in Morillon village or Morillon 1100? And are you going there because it's prettier and quieter than Flaine - or what? Does the chalet do the transfers as well? I will be very interested to read your report, when you get back.

Transfers do worry me, when I'm going DIY. Last year the Feb half-term ski train was an hour late getting to Moutiers and the bus (which I'd booked and paid for) had gone. So, we had to get a taxi, which luckily wasn't too expensive because Moutiers is only 15 miles from Courchevel and we joined up with some people we'd met in the train. But I suppose I lost about GBP30 in pre-paid bus tickets.

At least the train wasn't diverted!

But suppose I'd got a plane and I was meant to land at Chambery and I'd got transfers booked and the plane was diverted to Geneva, and the buses had all gone. A taxi from there to Courchevel would have been astronomical. I would guess quite a few people end up staying in a hotel in Geneva or wherever due to late or diverted planes. I reckon you must have been pretty lucky so far, never to have been on a diverted plane :D

Ally

Re:Squeezing The Pips-Brochure Pricing

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 18:01:39 GMT

AllyG wrote:Ian,
Are you staying in Morillon village or Morillon 1100? And are you going there because it's prettier and quieter than Flaine - or what? Does the chalet do the transfers as well? I will be very interested to read your report, when you get back.

Transfers do worry me, when I'm going DIY. Last year the Feb half-term ski train was an hour late getting to Moutiers and the bus (which I'd booked and paid for) had gone. So, we had to get a taxi, which luckily wasn't too expensive because Moutiers is only 15 miles from Courchevel and we joined up with some people we'd met in the train. But I suppose I lost about GBP30 in pre-paid bus tickets.

At least the train wasn't diverted!

But suppose I'd got a plane and I was meant to land at Chambery and I'd got transfers booked and the plane was diverted to Geneva, and the buses had all gone. A taxi from there to Courchevel would have been astronomical. I would guess quite a few people end up staying in a hotel in Geneva or wherever due to late or diverted planes. I reckon you must have been pretty lucky so far, never to have been on a diverted plane :D

Ally

I'm up at 1100, never really thought about Flaine.....I'll ski over and see what its like, I'll be collected by the chalet from Geneva so happy days, I might even find time to pop over and
spend the day with Snowb & Scap :wink: