Beach

A package tour or package holiday consists of accommodation and transport advertised, promoted and sold together by a vendor or an agency also known as the tour operator. A package holiday may also include other services such as rental car, outings or activities during the holiday. How did it really start?

The first package holiday started on the 5th of July 1841 when Thomas Cook hired a train to take a group of campaigners to Loughborough from Leicester. This was how the package holiday started. Thomas Cook grew to become one of

the most well known and largest travel agents in the England before it finally became nationalized in 1948.
However, because of the gradual decline of the number of visitors visiting the British seaside resorts after the World War II, Thomas Cook started promoting and offering foreign holidays in the early 50s particularly in Spain, Italy and Switzerland.

Thomas Cook was followed by Vladimir Raitz, one of the founders of the travel agent Horizon Holiday Group. This was the very first company that offered the first mass package tours and holidays overseas with charter flights between Corsica and Gatwick Airport in 1950. It also organized the first package holiday in Palma in 1952, in Lourdes in 1953 and Sardinia and Costa Brava in 1954.

Soon after, package holidays have become so popular that up until now, have been continuously patronized by many people who wish to have an affordable and all-in-one holiday.

Holiday expenses can sometimes rise to unexpected heights. Especially if the holiday goers have too much fun and end up spending too much on special trips and tours. As a result, people end paying for more than they intended to do.

Package Holidays are offers compiled by travel agents and resorts. These holidays usually include accommodation, meals and a few special tours and excursions. Package holidays are usually given at a discount price and it is a way for vacationers and tourists to curb spending costs. Most tourists who come home from vacations availed with holiday packages, come home with rave reviews. The most common comment is on how much fun they had and on how little they spent and how great they looked in their bikinis!

The benefits included in Package Holidays depend on the destination. Beach holidays, cruise holidays and vacations to the tropics often have package holiday deals that offer scuba diving or water skiing lessons. Hotels and travel agents may also offer trips to the locale surrounding the hotel. Package holidays usually include airfare and destination transportation.

The best thing about package holidays is the fact that a lot of them are customizable. If tourists want to upgrade to better rooms, they can arrange for that even before they leave. Package Holidays may also be customized to expand meal and bar privileges.