Breakaway Destination Guides (International)

Adverts are designed to attract your interest while steering you toward a sale, but that doesn't mean that they are structured to provide you with all the information you need to make an informed decision. Headlines are written to draw attention, and advertisers use their best ammunition, price leaders, to appeal to your desire to get a good deal. The supply of a specific fare, seat or room can be severely limited, especially with the juggling that hotels and airlines can do with new and sophisticated computer technology these days.

The Department of Transportation permits the practice of citing a one-way fare in ad headlines as long as other parts of the ad indicate that the fare isn't really available on a one-way basis.

The DOT reasons that as long as all the pertinent facts are available in the ad, anyone can make a judgment and figure out the total cost. The non-existent fare, which can induce readers to look further into the ad, is often in giant bold face type while the rest of the material, is less prominent and might easily be overlooked.

Hotels present another example of questionable headline. When they advertise a price for a hotel room with an asterisk by the price, (if you read the rest of the ad, you'll discover that a $50 rate in the headline is $50 per person, double occupancy) This means that the rate is really $100. Here again a solo traveller would not be able to get the "$50" rate, but would probably have to pay an extra charge called the single supplement.

Another example are Travel Agencies. When they advertise a price for a holiday, return air fare, hotel etc. The holiday cost is per person. Hotel accommodation costs may include for a double room within the country you are travelling to, however you will be expected to pay double for the room. A sole-traveller would not be able to get the holiday at the advertised rate but would be expected to pay a single supplement.

It's always a prudent move to pay special attention to asterisks and other advisory signs (such as boldface). They indicate disclaimers and conditions often found in smaller, hard-to-read type near the bottom of ads. With flights, it is important to discover if the advertised flight is "non-stop" or "direct". To call a flight "direct" indicates that you do, in fact, make a stop.

Clarify conditions and restrictions applicable to any discount or promotional rate. Make sure you establish the date when a fare has to be fully paid and what the advance purchase requirements are. Similarly, be on the lookout for information on taxes that are listed separately but will affect the total cost.

One source of confusion comes from the specific number of days of a tour. Some ads describing the length of a tour as seven days, while others seven days, six nights, or just six nights. Check the real duration, time at the destination, by the number of nights, at a hotel or aboard ship. Many tours are arranged around airline schedules, which sometimes have early morning departures. Be it ever so small a part of your trip, it may still be counted as a day.

To avoid disappointments, read ads with great care and don't ignore the small print. Don't be afraid to question travel agents if you need to fill in blanks, or clarify any point. Pay special attention to such expressions as *subject to change* *subject to available space* or *other restrictions may apply*

Help Me Get it Right

  About the Author