A new survey is exploding a bit of a myth.
An offer of free breakfast is more likely to influence Aussies to book a hotel accommodation deal than a free bottle of wine.
A free room upgrade takes second place with the vino coming a poor third.
This is just one of the amazing facts from Travelzoo, a global internet media company which reaches, they say, over 14 million “travel, enthusiasts'' in the US, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Spain, Taiwan and the UK.
In a nutshell, Travelzoo researches the best deals in the marketplace every week and emails their subscribers every Wednesday at 11am with the Top 20 best deals.
“These are based on the wow factor as well as price and value,’’ says their spokesperson Sandra Willett (who previously had an enviable job singing the praises of holidays in Ireland and convincing travel writers to visit the Emerald Isle!)
“Times are lean, to say the least, and we're all having to make savings which affects where we go on holiday or even whether we go at all.
“And when we make the decision to go, we need to know that we are getting the best deal.”
Travelzoo takes a lot of the hard work out of research.
Knowing what to look for is important. Travelzoo researchers report a high 79 per cent of of people believe that there are hidden costs in advertised travel deals. In many cases their fears are
well-founded.
A deal a couple of weeks ago for a return trip to Malaysia was published for $487. It said nothing about a booking fee and taxes of almost $700.
Travelzoo experts actually “test” the best deals available. Their efforts are thorough.
They suggest making a hit-list of ideal destinations then shop around; check out airfare and accommodation packages for overseas rather than buy them as separate components, and push for top value add-ons; look for cost-saving inclusions like breakfast, parking, vouchers, internet access, activities and transfers - they all mount up otherwise.
Hidden extras are a minefield - things like taxes and surcharges, minimum night stays and airport transfers.
They also advise being as flexible as possible on dates and travel times. Great deals are often available for mid-week stays.
Travelzoo's producers will do the work for you.
Recent “achievements'' included $20 domestic flights, five-star accommodation for $75 a night, a four-night Asia package, flights included, for $474; and return flights to Europe for two people at $1500 each, including taxes.
Travelzoo has four people in Australia who spend their week researching and testing the best deals available to Australians both at home and overseas.
Their Top 20 is a definitive list of the best travel deals on the web. It is published in Australia at 11am every Wednesday and sent in an email newsletter to 100,000 Australian subscribers.
Subscription to Travelzoo Top 20 is free.
Visit www.Travelzoo.com.au to subscribe. | 
