How to Build Your Own Package Holiday Using Dynamic Packaging

Due to a demanding, ever expanding and confident travelling public, we now see the emergence of new trends and of more flexible methods in the way we 'search and book' for our travel and holiday needs. The services and systems that help travellers to 'custom design' and to 'self build' package holidays have been around for many years, but with the advent of new and reliable search technology, the increase in low cost budget airlines plus new user friendly 'multi website' hotel search systems, we now see a massive increase in the number of travellers who 'DIY Travel' and who prefer to 'build and book their own holiday', especially within the European short break and family package holiday markets.

Building your own holiday (known as Dynamic Packaging) involves the booking of separate travel components, including flights, accommodation, transfers and car hire. Dynamic package construction provides increased flexibility of travel dates, departure points, duration, and in many cases lower prices when compared with (the often restricted) traditional packaged holiday. Building your own holiday is now easier and safer than ever before, with flexibility, choice and price now playing an ever important roll in how holidaymakers control the booking process, which in turn helps to obtain the freedom to match travel plans and budget.

The majority of households now have fast broadband connections, combine this with the explosion of well-supported and sophisticated flight and hotel price comparison websites and an increase in independent online travel specialists, which makes it inevitable that we see further declines in choice, availability and in the number of 'Traditional Package Holidays' sold.

There is now an ever-increasing number of independent and reputable online travel suppliers, these suppliers specialise in providing user-friendly 'dynamic packaging' search tools, including tools that provide 'multi website' and 'multi provider' availability search and price comparison services. These services also provide access to live and secure booking systems, allowing you to 'pick and mix' from a wide range of airlines, accommodation suppliers, car rental and airport transfer providers, plus various add-on services and travel options.

The starting point for most dynamic packaging is the flight price and availability search. Airline choice and aircraft seat availability levels are now reaching new heights, with combined flight and airfare search's now including instant price comparison and availability on full schedule services, charter airlines, budget and no-frill carriers.

User options for dynamic packaging include individual online travel component searches, then linking direct to each travel component supplier to complete the booking process. Alternatively, travellers now have access to new online services that provide 'one stop dynamic packaging'. These services/companies provide individual travel searches, compared pricing and reservation options for transportation, then add-on components, discount hotels, villas or apartments, resort transfers and car hire, all within the one search facility, the one website and the one company. There are further advantages to using a 'one stop dynamic packaging supplier', many of these companies hold ATOL licences; The Air Travel Organisers' Licensing (ATOL) Scheme regulates UK tour operators and provides financial protection to consumers.

What are the Advantages of Dynamic Packaging: Flexibility is one of the key advantages to creating and building your own holiday. Traditional package holidays usually only offer set durations with restricted departure dates, there are no such restrictions when designing and building your own holiday. The same flexibility applies to your budget, by booking separate travel components (flights, accommodation, transfers, car hire and excursions) holidaymakers can decide to apportion their budgets accordingly, say between flights and accommodation. Whilst some travellers may prefer to pay more for good flight times and to fly with a (full-frills) schedule airline and are prepared to pay more for this convenience, others may prefer to fly with a low cost budget carrier and allocate more of their budget to a higher grade hotel or standard of accommodation.

What are the Disadvantages of Dynamic Packaging: You are likely to have less consumer protection should problems occur. If you book a package holiday through a UK ATOL and ABTA protected company, you're more than likely to be protected against company failure, cancellation or any other similar misfortune. This is because your package holiday contract is with the one ATOL protected tour operator, this means the company will be obliged to inform and arrange replacement travel should you suffer a cancellation. ATOL also protects you from losing your money and protects you from being stranded abroad should the company fail.

It is possible to do it yourself and build a 'dynamic package holiday' through an ATOL protected company and benefit from the ATOL protection scheme. If you build a complete holiday package and contract with an ATOL holder, you should be protected. Check for the holiday company's ATOL and make sure you get an ATOL Confirmation Invoice covering all the package elements and items you've booked and paid for. However, the majority of dynamic packages booked online are usually sourced using separate or non ATOL licensed suppliers, these suppliers may often be cheaper, and may well offer extended choice and flexibility. Take note! Booking the individual travel components of your dynamic package through separate travel companies/suppliers will result in no or limited protection should failure or cancellations occur.

Tips on how to protect your holiday: You can protect the money you pay should your supplier fold as long as you spend GBP100.00 (100 UK pounds sterling) or more on your Credit Card and in the one transaction. The Credit Card issuer becomes jointly liable for the failure of the company you have paid. Be aware however; should you not make it to your destination because your airline goes bust, you won't necessarily get all your money back on the rest of the components of your package, such as accommodation, car hire or transfers just because you are unable to make it to your destination.

Insurance against Airline Failure: You can purchase insurance against company failure. Most standard travel insurance policies do not cover any losses you may suffer relating to the financial collapse of a tour operator, airline or hotel. However, some insurance policies now cover the 'failure of scheduled airlines', so check the policy detail carefully before you buy. It's also worth checking if the terms of the policy include "consequential losses". Without consequential losses you may well receive cover for losses on your flight ticket's but won't be covered if an airline failure means you can't use a hotel room or other travel components paid for in advance.