Large price differences - Book your vacation the right way: These are the best online travel agencies according to Stiftung Warentest
A classic package vacation may not sound like the greatest adventure at first, but it is still the first choice for most vacationers when it comes to their next trip. There are several reasons for this: if you book travel, accommodation and meals together on site, you not only rarely save money, but can also better plan what all the fun will cost. In addition, if the worst comes to the worst - for example in the event of sudden unrest at the destination or a volcanic eruption, as can currently be observed in Iceland - you are covered by the tour operator and can rely on them to take care of any necessary rebooking.
The boom can probably also be explained by the fact that booking a trip is easier than ever before thanks to online travel agencies. Around half of all package tours in Germany are now booked digitally - and the trend is rising. This is often, but not always, a good idea if you are looking for a good price-performance ratio as well as easy booking. This is the conclusion reached by Stiftung Warentest in a recent analysis. Using model trips, the experts compared the offers of a total of 15 platforms that offer package holidays from various tour operators - and found major differences in pricing and service.
Big differences in travel prices
The search included a hiking trip to Fuerteventura, a couple's vacation in Dubai, a family vacation in Majorca, a friends' trip to Turkey and a sing-along trip to New York. For all types of travel, there was at least a price difference of several hundred euros between the cheapest and the most expensive offer online, often even more than 1000 euros. It is therefore always worth comparing prices, regardless of your travel requirements, and not taking the first offer straight away.
According to the test, the best advice is to use Check24, HolidayCheck and lastminute.de. The online travel agencies impress with a good overview, inexpensive offers and a large selection. However, most of the providers (10) are only in the middle of the field, with deductions for accessibility, excessive prices and offers that cannot be found. If you want to travel particularly cheaply, Travelscout24 or Urlaub.de are a good choice.
You can read the entire paid test here.
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- If you're planning a trip to Germany during the travel season, it's wise to utilize reputable online travel agencies for your booking, such as Check24 or HolidayCheck, as recommended by Stiftung Warentest to ensure you get the best price-performance ratio.
- Surprisingly, even within Germany, there can be significant price differences for travel packages, with some tour operators offering deals significantly lower than others. For instance, according to Foundation Warentest, you could save over 1000 euros on a family vacation in Majorca by choosing the right travel agency.
- As travel booking becomes more convenient online, it's essential to prioritize research and comparison to secure the best deals, especially considering the considerable price differences between online travel agencies and tour operators in Germany as shown by the recent Stiftung Warentest foundation test.
Source: www.stern.de
