Paying extra to go on holiday 3 days later just because it is half term ..

[nappyaddict]

What do you think is a reasonable premium to pay per person for an all inclusive holiday abroad to go on 24th May (first day of half term), as opposed to 21st May.

To clarify, as I asked this on FB and got all sorts of answers, most of which didn't actually relate to what I had asked, what percentage mark up per person do you think is fair and reasonable?

It doesn't really matter what is 'fair and reasonable', it will be determined by market forces. School holiday mark-ups have nothing to do with reasonableness...

You could regard the out of holiday price as a discount instead?

It doesn't matter what you find reasonable. It's very basic micro economics. Higher demand, Higher price. It also helps businesses to survive as they can make up for little or no trade during other times of the year.

I understand that it makes business sense to have higher prices when there is more demand. But I do think there should be a limit to how much they can add on.

Why though? If you owned you own business would you cap how much profit you should make. Also profit is used for reinvestment, growth etc.

I think it's more that other times of the year are discounted rather than those times have a premium. I think it's fair enough.

What other goods or services do you think should have artificially limited prices?

agree with hell and trills. they can mark up what you as a holiday maker are prepared to pay. if they mark it up too much then no one will pay and their business will make a loss. I think it is absolutely bonkers to say they should be limited to X% above the day or week before. what other industry is limited to that then? this is about the stupid, stupid stupid Mr Gove and his restriction of taking kids out of school during term time. think of the economics. you run a holiday company and a significant number of your bookings just before/just after school holidays and in the summer come from parents with school age kids. you make say 40% of your profit at these times. Gove comes along and changes the rules so that now everyone has to holiday in the 12 weeks of school hols regardless. you lose bookings and income. this has to be made up somewhere. I have posted it before - this new rule will see holidays in school holiday time absolutely rocket as businesses try to make up lost financial ground. 100%, 200% yep that's about right to make up for that money lost earlier in the year. if you don't like it, sign the petition.

Prices aren't set by what people consider fair and reasonable, they are set by what the market will bear, which is determined by supply and demand.

Any commercial operation has a duty to its shareholders to maximise profits, which means charging whatever price customers will pay for the product or service. If customers feel the price is too high they are free not to purchase the product or service, and if not enough people buy at the proposed price, the price will go down.

mmummymeister- I was thinking about that last night (actually at 2am when I was feeding DD!)

If we are all 'forced' to take holidays in the actual school holidays then many businesses will struggle for the remainder of the season. With this I also mean the British tourism industry.

Gove is an idiot if he has not thought of this.

Holidays in the actual school holidays will be far too expensive, and no-one will be 'allowed' to go at any other time.

Its nonsense.

Wheres the petition?

Its HERE

Have already heard horror stories on MN from people looking at flights or AI holidays which are up 30/40 % on last year. As it gets to January/February and people start looking to book for the summer they will find firstly that most places are sold out because of the dash for places and second that prices are a lot higher. I have been doing some research and spoken to a few holiday places on the East and South coast. 30% more to cover the loss seems to be the average. or adding in hidden extras like charging for bedding, towels etc when they wouldn't normally. the worst of it is that the rule of no holidays isn't being applied equally across the country. Gove makes my blood boil!!

Have just started a thread up over in Chat. One reply so far and the identical holiday is up 24.5% on 2013. please have a look at what you paid last year. OP what increase actually is there from the 21st - 24th May?

one organisation does allow all its staff to be away at the same time. Parliament!

Ha ha specialsubject that cheered me up no end.

It's just the way it is.

Once the DC get to be 16 or 18 whatever then you can go back to taking hols in June or November - when prices are relatively bargainous.

If I owned a holiday company of course I would put up my prices in the school holidays.. For family type holidays.

"If we are all 'forced' to take holidays in the actual school holidays then many businesses will struggle for the remainder of the season. With this I also mean the British tourism industry. "

I'm not convinced that the percentage of families with school age children taking holidays outside of school holidays was that high in the first place.

Take them out of school for 3. Days then

ahh i missed this i just started a similar topic about school holidays

yes. I was being sarcastic