If you’re looking for an affordable, yet exotic vacation this year; whether you’re a backpacker or like to travel in style; travel with a group or independently, it’s time to consider New Zealand.
Your best opportunity to save money on your vacation is before your even leave home.
Travel off-peak
So you think New Zealand shines only as a summer destination? Travel before the masses in September/October or wait until after they depart and consider traveling outside of peak travel times (Jan/Feb). You’ll soon discover that the other seasons offer equally compelling reasons to visit:
Spring (Sep-Nov) in New Zealand offers warming temperatures and lengthening days, and hosts great festivals including the Spring Festival (Sep-Nov), the World of Wearable Arts Awards Show in Wellington, and the Ellerslie Flower Show (Auckland).
Autumn (Mar-May) showcases alluring golds and warm reds splashing the landscape. From the sub-tropical north to the expansive south, it’s time to enjoy orchard fruits, see vineyards being harvested, or to explore the outdoors.
In winter (Jun-Aug), New Zealand goes into overdrive rather than hibernation. Crisp blue skies, steaming geothermal pools and a vibrant après-ski atmosphere bring the country alive. June is also the month to welcome in the Maori New Year, with cultural celebrations throughout the country.
Be Flexible
Most travellers start in the north at Auckland (all international flights arrive into Auckland from North America) and travel south. This means there are great deals to be enjoyed by picking up a car or motorhome and travelling in the reverse direction. Since New Zealand is such a small country, connect to a domestic flight to New Zealand’s South Island and work your way back north. The added advantage is that you are often travelling against the traffic, rather than with it!
Auckland skyline
Stay a little longer
The main cost of a vacation is often the airfare, so the additional cost to stay another week or so will give you a more leisurely trip. There are also significant reductions on cars and motorhomes for rentals over 14 days. Extending your stay by several days can often dramatically reduce your cost per day.
Book Early
Often there are early booking savings. The other advantage of booking well in advance is to ensure that you are not disappointed and don’t miss out on specific accommodations or regions that you wish to visit. When accommodation and vehicles become tight on availability, you’ll soon discover the price increases unless you’ve secured your reservation in advance.
Prepay where possible
If you want to avoid extra charges while on vacation, consider a package that includes meals, activities, tips, and transportation. A motorcoach tour includes your accommodation, transfers, touring and meals, and often the touring is flexible and allows you to customize your tour by choosing from a variety of activities that suit your interests. By paying for as much as possible in advance, you don’t need to worry about charging money to your credit card, and only need to worry about incidentals, souvenirs and snacks! The other advantage of prepaying for an all-inclusive trip is that you take advantage of locking in a set exchange rate on your trip; and you’re not held hostage by the fluctuating exchange rates.
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