The alarm sounds and you wake up in the dark. Daylight saving has long ended. In fact it dawns on you that you will be waking up in the dark for at least another four months. You realise you may not make it through if you cannot escape, if only for a few days. Before you put in your holiday leave and book the cat-sitter, you need to research where you want to go, where’s good this year and what a dose of sun and sanity will cost.
The Internet is your best resource, as more travellers are realising every year. According to the latest Nielsen Global Online Survey Stats, in the last three months of 2007, 44% of New Zealanders who took part said they bought airline tickets online, while 24% bought tours and hotel reservations online. In December, Air New Zealand and House of Travel were the two most popular travel-related Web sites visited by Kiwis. This time last year, the Nielsen Online New Zealand Retail Monitor survey of New Zealand’s online community - which was approximately 2.3 million at that time – showed the Internet was most used for flight bookings when it came to travel.
But where do you start?
Type ‘winter escapes’ into your preferred search engine and the world is instantly dumped at your virtual doorstep. It’s a lot to take in, so perhaps a good place to start is with your traditional expert, the travel agent. House of Travel’s Web site, www.houseoftravel.co.nz is totally geared toward Kiwis. As well as tons of travel deals and packages, a new travel network site and destination information, the airfare bookings engine scrapes the Web and compares prices for all flights leaving New Zealand. These fares include airline ticket taxes and surcharges, with the exception of the $25 New Zealand departure tax. If you book through the Web site, however, a House of Travel booking fee will apply.
Another local online operation is Air New Zealand, which has recently added a new feature on www.airnz.co.nz in the form of a budget calculator (go direct to promos.airnz.co.nz/howfar). Enter your airfare budget to see how far you can go. Airfares show taxes and surcharges and if you book online with the national carrier, you do not pay a service fee. As well as flights, you can find deals on holidays.
Other sites that enable you to book flights and holiday packages include Qantas
(www.qantas.co.nz , which redirects you to qantas.com.au, but conveniently starts you at New Zealand’s gateway, Auckland) and www.flightcentre.co.nz This has quicklinks for instant information, as well as the ability to browse through actual brochures, which is a good function but, as with other sites that offer this feature, can be slow to download. Fiji is a favourite with Kiwis and the islands’ airline Web site www.airpacific.com provides online booking and links to accommodation too. Low-cost carrier Pacific Blue’s fares and holiday deals can be found at www.flypacificblue.co.nz
Well-established international last-minute, all-round travel Web sites have created regional versions, including www.expedia.co.nz and lastminute.com.au On Expedia, there is a 'Destinations' tab with some well-researched and up-to-date travel guides. Sydney-based www.jetabroad.co.nz is yet another option providing NZ dollar airfares.
Find out more about your destination
You might like to book straight away, but travel agent and airfare Web sites ‘know’ a little about a lot, so you probably want to research further.
One of the best resources for the South Pacific is www.jasons.com The inventory includes information about destinations, from climate, activities and attractions to logistical details on inter-island travel and transportation. As part of its ongoing Web upgrade, it has recently added the ability to book online, order guides free of charge, a Save Favourites section, a hot deals search, and has improved its search filters.
Now you have an idea of what destinations are hot, tourism sites are a great source for accommodation, events and tours, as well as little details such as geography, language tips and weather patterns.
Listed here are the official tourism Web sites of Kiwi-popular Pacific destinations – in other words, the information here is true and usually very up to date. Many also have brochures available to download. In alphabetical order:
www.bulafiji.com has a map that pops up attractions and activities information when you click on a region. There is a quick search tool for activities, accommodation and events, as well as FAQs, an image gallery, news and a link to find out more about Fijian culture.
www.cookislands.travel has accommodation (detailed choices include budget and type), an events calendar, fact file and a section on romantic escapes.
To get more information about New Caledonia, New Zealand’s nearest Pacific neighbour, www.newcaledoniatourism-south.com covers tour operators, accommodation and destination information in an easy-to-navigate site.
www.tahiti-tourisme.co.nz will provide you with travel bargains straight away, on the top of the home page. There is also a list of Tahiti specialist travel agents, if you prefer to speak to someone.
On www.vanuatutourism.com , the accommodation tab is excellent, as it includes the contact details of each alphabetically listed property with a short description on the page, to save you from clicking further.
Samoa continues to rise in popularity. Under the ‘Getting There’ tab on www.visitsamoa.ws you’ll find deals for Kiwis. It also links to local airlines that fly to the islands.
For a comparison on how these destinations rate based on family, fun and romance criteria, click on www.pacific-travel-guides.com Although UK-based, the company has branches in Rarotonga and Nadi and is linked to numerous South Pacific information Web sites. A similar site, www.southpacific.org promotes its publications about the South Pacific if you want to flick through something more tangible than a virtual brochure.
www.WikiTravel.com , www.LonelyPlanet.com or www.roughguides.com are sites well-suited for reading and ordering guides about the rest of the world.
Get accommodating
After airfares, accommodation is a priority. This is trickier than booking airfares, as many resorts and hotels, especially in the South Pacific, are packaged with airfare deals through agents. If you know the name of the resort, you can of course search by property name. But cross your fingers, as many of the smaller properties do not have online booking facilities. Accommodation search engines might be a better resource. www.wotif.com , launched in Australia, offers deals for properties in more than 40 countries for the next 28 days, including in this region.
That window of time might be too small to plan for, so alternative sites such as www.hotelbookings.co.nz are better suited. Powered by a reputable worldwide reservation system called Hotelclub, you can book a year in advance here. You can also go straight to www.hotelclub.com , which will automatically start your search at Auckland.
Go Holidays, a New Zealand company, has an accommodation search engine for popular shorthaul destinations on its homepage, www.goholidays.co.nz (which utilises the international Hotels2GO booking engine). While the function is limited by various demands, such as flight information, it does offer suggestions on tours once you have picked a hotel. You can book your all-inclusive Club Med trips here too, and Go Holidays also packages deals for large sporting events.
Another local option, www.Ezibed.co.nz displays accommodation rates in seven countries, including Australia, Canada, Fiji, Vanuatu and the Cook Islands.
www.octopustravel.com has discounted hotels in 121 countries worldwide, as well as apartments, sightseeing tours, travel guides and other travel-related services. There is a New Zealand toll-free number and prices are in NZ dollars.
Worldhotel-link, or WHL, is the backbone to several destination Web sites offering online accommodation reservations. These include www.vanuatu-hotels.vu , www.samoa-hotels.ws , www.fiji-hotels.com.fj and in Australia, www.adelaidehotels.travel and www.sydneyhotel-link.com
You may be looking for something smaller and more boutique, or at the top end of the scale. There are a number of grading accommodation associations which publish books with their selection of properties. Some are now online, including Small Luxury Hotels of the World (www.slh.com) and Leading Hotels of the World (www.lhw.com).
Cruising along
Cruising is reported to be the fastest-growing holiday option of choice in the world. Generally cruises need to be booked a good few months in advance, however, as winter cruises are less frequent, and there are often last-minute deals, freebies and discounts being touted online. Auckland-based www.finecruising.co.nz has everything you want to know about any cruiseline and cruise itinerary, and can package itineraries with before- and-after accommodation. An 0800 toll-free number is provided. www.icruise.co.nz is another option for those last-minute deals.
Departing New Zealand (but often originating in Australia), P&O and its more luxurious sister company Princess Cruises, have itineraries through the South Pacific and Asia. Go to www.pocruises.co.nz or www.princess.com Fiji and Tahiti have their own cruise lines that sail through the islands year round.
And although www.cruisecritic.com is geared for the northern hemisphere traveller, this site has information and feedback on almost every cruiseline sailing the seas.
For the more adventurous type
Last year you lazed on a beach, but this year you are thinking of a more cultural or intrepid experience. Local company Adventure World (www.adventureworld.co.nz) has tours and trips that are out of the ordinary, from tramping in South America to cuisine tours in Thailand. It also lists responsible tourism operators and volunteer programmes on the ‘responsible tourism’ tab. Other adventurous tour operators with local representatives and NZ dollar deals online include www.intrepidtreval.com , www.kumuka.com and www.peregrineadventures.com
Innovative Travel, founded in Christchurch, is the local link to a number of northern hemisphere tours, accommodation and car hire inventory. Although they specialise in cultural tours of ancient and far flung countries, particularly in the Middle East, you can also review skiing trips in Canada or affordable accommodation in Italy, to name but two options. On the Web site (www.innovativetarvel.co.nz) you can read about tours, information on destinations, download brochures and follow the ‘Contact Us’ link to make a local phone booking.
For devout foodies, India, South East Asia and Europe are popular destinations for activities based around eating, cooking and learning about local cuisine. www.adventureworld.co.nz has a number of culinary experiences all around the world on its ‘Tour Type’ tab – culinary category. Auckland-based www.theactivegourmet.com combines cuisine with active ways of getting there, such as walking or cycling, while www.eurolynx.co.nz has cooking class trips throughout Europe. At www.traveladventures.co.nz/asia/india.htm you can look at options for India and book through the freephone number.
Made the right decision?
Before you make that final booking, check the weather, the travel warnings and what else you might need to know to ensure your dream holiday does not turn out to be a nightmare.
For travel warnings and information about a country, go to www.safetravel.org.nz Will you need vaccinations for that country? www.traveldoctor.co.nz will tell you if you do and locate your nearest clinic in New Zealand.
There are many weather forecasters, but Yahoo! does a good job at www.weather.yahoo.com Tourism Web sites are also a good source for weather information.
Before booking flights, www.seatguru.com will give you an assessment of how good or bad your seating arrangement is. In-flight amenities and airline information are also at hand. Or try www.airlinemeals.net , a consumer airline menu guide with a photo gallery of airline meals, uploaded by consumers.
Pre-departure logistical details
Days before departure, get your checklist out and ensure everything has been arranged. Have you set up your mobile for roaming, arranged medical and travel insurance and sorted out a lift to the airport?
You may need a visa or entry authority to enter or transit some countries. Enquire at that country’s embassy or high commission, the details of which you can find at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Web site (tinyurl.com/4jef57), where you can also register your travel plans. Passport information can be found at the Department of Internal Affairs (tinyurl.com/hzudo).
To ensure you get a reputable insurer, head to the icnz.org.nz/consumer/travel , the Insurance Council of New Zealand’s Web site, for a list of Insurance Council members and their sites (scroll to the bottom of the page).
If you’d rather not trouble a family member or friend to take you to the airport, an airport shuttle service is available. For Auckland airport, there’s the Airbus Express (www.airbus.co.nz/home). Although you cannot book tickets online there, you can get schedules and download coupons. Heading to all major airports in New Zealand, the Supershuttle (www.supershuttle.co.nz) does have a booking function.
Departing from Auckland? www.auckland-airport.co.nz has all the information you could need for an airport, including a super little parking calculator. Departures, arrivals and contact numbers for all airlines are quick to find and easy to follow, with no slow page downloads.
Another Auckland option is www.parknfly.co.nz, where you can book an off-airport spot 24/7. A shuttle will take you to the airport.
Don’t forget to sign up for Internet banking with your banker and to check currency rates, go to www.xe.com You can also find out where ATMs are located at the Visa weblink, visa.via.infonow.net/locator/global/jsp/SearchPage.jsp
Keep in touch
House of Travel’s new tripstar.houseoftravel.co.nz is a specific travel-related online community where you can share stories, blogs, photos, views and tips, as well as ask questions and start discussions about travel issues that interest you.
You may already be a member of social networks such as facebook.com and myspace.com , where you’ll be able to upload images, share information, and send and receive messages with other registered friends. Local networks, like www.sharemyNZ.com , allow you to post and read blogs as well as plug – or vote – for them, while www.sonet.co.nz allows you to share diaries and take part in groups and discussions, including about travel.
A well-known and much-used site to create your travel diary or blog is www.travelpod.com You can register and join for free, then create and personalise your profile before setting up your blog. Once done, friends accept an invitation to receive updated blog emails.
To store and share your photos and videos online, check out sites such as www.kodakgallery.com (kodakgallery.co.nz redirects you to the photo order page) and www.flickr.com At Flickr, you can assign identifying tags to images. These tags help other members find your images and vice versa.
When you sign up to www.Qik.com , you can stream your mobile phone videos to friends on networks such as Facebook, or just save your cell phone videos via the Qik site.
Zuji now travelocity
If you’ve been a fan of www.zuji.co.nz , the airfares and hotel bookings search engine, you may like to know that the site is now owned by Travelocity. As a result, there is no longer a myzuji function, but the site has added the ability to book cruising. www.travelocity.co.nz also offers search and booking options on activities, car hire and insurance. The Activities section is not only divided up into different types of activities; you can also input specific keywords to search and then save your favourite choices.
Let someone else grab you a seat
If you are tired of checking Air New Zealand’s ‘grabaseat’ site (flightbookings.airnewzealand.co.nz/vgrabview) every day, an independent Web site will check the site for you. Register at www.grabaseatquick.com and enter a list of flights you're interested in. The site will generate and send users an email when these flights become available.
Escape across the Tasman
Prepare to be wowed by the interactive, multimedia experience that is www.australia.com Possibly not the best place to book your holiday, the site is better set up for information about Australian experiences. You can, at a glance, view weather, natural attractions, size and distance via the map on the home page. But once you click on deals, you are invited to download Australian experiences, rather than dollar-for-dollar travel packages. If you click and zoom to specific regions, you will link to the regional tourism Web sites, such as www.queenslandholidays.com.au , a good resource for everything from resort package deals to self-drive routes through the state’s hinterland.
Sustainable tourism
Worldhotel-link (www.whl.travel) has sustainable tourism options, one of the few sites with a separate tab for this. The company encourages all WHL partners to proactively seek out, list and promote travel and tourism initiatives that support sustainable tourism objectives. Partners are destination booking sites owned and operated by locals as franchises.
If you want to know more about, or get involved with sustainable tourism, go to www.thetravelfoundation.org.uk This UK charity works with governments, conservation and campaign groups to try to find responsible tourism initiatives at popular destinations across the world.
Green travel
If you are concerned about how your holiday, including flights and driving, might increase your carbon footprint, online calculators such as www.carbonzero.co.nz calculate your emissions. It then provides an online payment facility to purchase carbon credits to offset your footprint.
Air New Zealand provides guilt-free airfares at tinyurl.com/3zyn5e by offering to invest funds in projects that save energy emissions or that absorb atmospheric CO2.
Save and share your work
Social bookmark sites allow you to store, organise, search and manage Web page URLs on the Internet – FURL.net and google.com for instance. This means you can bookmark or tag all the travel Web sites you want to your selected network and access these anywhere. This is handy when you want to pick up at work where you left off at home. www.stumbleupon.com helps you find sites based on your interests. Register and input your favourites to get access to interesting sites from around the world.
Driving on holiday
tinyurl.com/3u4vry – international driving permits.
Duty-free allowances
tinyurl.com/4xefhe
Mapping your options
Need a map of your destination? www.schmap.com provides downloadable maps and guide content, with reviews and photo slideshows of major world cities with real-time access. Google’s googlemaps.com is a basic graphic online map, while earth.google.com enables you to download actual satellite imagery, maps and terrain of the earth.