30 May 2013
Posted by Arwen Foley 
An AA Travel Insurance poll of over 9,500 people has found that 48% of people are unsure whether or not they can afford a holiday this year. In fact, 27.5% said they would definitely not be able to afford a trip. Less than 19% of those polled were certain that they could afford a holiday this year.
“The statistics are certainly staggering. During the boom times most people would have been able to afford at least one holiday a year. Some people would even have considered it a necessity but now it would seem that a holiday is more like an extravagance” says Conor Faughnan Director of Policy at AA Ireland.
Shopping around may be a key factor for those planning a holiday. More than 25% of those polled said they would consider holding off on purchasing a holiday in order to avail of last minute deals. Consumer-savvy holiday-makers are also searching for off-peak deals with more than 45% looking to purchase trips out of season. Making sure you get the best deal out of your travel agent is also very important. More than 15% of those polled said they would be willing to haggle with their travel agent to save money.
There are other options of course. A stay-cation is becoming more and more popular. You can save hundreds on the cost of travelling abroad by simply staying in the country. Whether you take your car or public transport there are many beautiful parts of Ireland worth visiting. Renting a house can be quite reasonable, especially if you are holidaying with a large group. There are also plenty of quality hotels and B&Bs scattered around the island of Ireland. It’s very easy to find AA approved hotels using their website aahotels.ie.
“Holidays can be possible for those on a budget. Travelling abroad may not be reasonable but there are fantastic trips to be had on our own Emerald Isle. I take my family to Enniscrone every year to visit my parents and I would encourage anyone to visit the area. It’s really beautiful and there are plenty of B&Bs around where you can stay for quite a reasonable price” says Faughnan.
Whether you’re holidaying in Ireland or abroad it is very important to have travel insurance. Flights are frequently cancelled or you could miss your connecting flight. That moment when you realise you’re your luggage is not travelling around the conveyer belt can be quite traumatic but it could be even more so if it never turns up. Unfortunately, belongings are often lost or stolen whilst people are on holiday. Valuables such as jewellery, cameras, phones, laptops or tablets can be quite costly to replace. Not so, for those who have travel insurance. Quite surprisingly though, in the AA Travel Insurance poll it was discovered that 10% of people don’t bother with travel insurance at all.
More than 16% of those polled by the AA said that they would only take out travel insurance for certain trips. For example a trip to the States where medical bills are high. A further 9% said they would only take out travel insurance if they were going on an expensive holiday. “Travelling without insurance leaves you extremely vulnerable whilst abroad” explains Conor. “Imagine returning to your hotel room after a day at the beach only to find you’ve been fleeced. No cash, cards or passports. Replacing everything that has been stolen can cost a fortune.”
For those who are holidaying this year travel insurance is a necessity, if not just for better peace of mind.
