Airlines, travel agencies, hotels… Every year, most of the tourism players take part in Black Friday, a commercial event which is held on November 26 and which lasts until Monday November 29, the date of… Cyber Monday.
An opportunity to prepare for future trips while saving money.
As in previous editions, SNCF is halving the price of its reduction cards (€ 25 instead of € 49) until November 29.
On the airline side, expect discounted tickets or even particularly advantageous upgrade offers.
Four tips to make the most of this event and, more broadly, of business operations in the tourism sector.
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Subscribe to newsletters and do scouting
To waste the least amount of time researching, start by signing up for the newsletter of your favorite travel companies.
You will receive direct news from hotels, airlines or travel agencies.
“
With the newsletter, social networks are the best way to find out about offers in real time
,” underlines Marion Bertaux, editorial manager at VoyagesPirates, a site specializing in finding good travel plans.
“Black Friday” now tends to be held over a whole week and no longer just on Friday.
Hence the importance of scouting a few days before the official date by consulting websites, Facebook or Instagram accounts.
A company can advertise on its various media whether or not it is participating in the operation and if so with what terms (start and end time, number of seats, conditions, etc.).
Note that you can easily unsubscribe from newsletters by clicking on a link at the end of the email.
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"First come, first served", book now!
“
If you find a particularly interesting offer on the dates and for the destination you want, don't waste time: book now! Only a small number of promotional tickets are awarded per flight; the first to arrive are the first served,
”insists Michel-Yves Labbé, founder of Départ Demain, an online agency specializing in last minute stays. Suffice to say that it is better to do your research as soon as an operation is launched (or, in the case of "Black Friday", at the start of the day rather than in the evening).
In the event of a change of mind or wish to reverse an impulse purchase, most airlines (including low cost) usually allow the reservation to be changed or canceled free of charge within 24 hours.
In an uncertain health context, major carriers are offering the exchange and / or cancellation of all tickets free of charge (until June 30, 2022 at Air France, May 31 at Emirates and Qatar Airways, etc.).
What to book without taking any risk.
“
However, check that this flexibility also applies to tickets purchased on promotion,
” warns Marion Bertaux.
Read alsoHow to increase your chances of being upgraded by plane?
Dates, destinations: be flexible
What if the best way to do good business is to improvise? “
Focusing on a single destination and a single date risks missing out on a great deal. The best is to make your choice according to promotions, even if it means opting for a city or a country that you would not have thought of,
”advises Marion Bertaux. Being flexible about your departure dates is also beneficial. During busy periods, such as school holidays, hotel rooms and airplane seats are sold at high prices. "
In the airline industry as in the hotel industry, discounts are more likely to be offered during off-peak periods in order to optimize occupancy rates.
It is better to aim for the months of January and March and not to rely too much on the Christmas and winter holidays
, ”explains Michel-Yves Labbé for his part.
Read also The dates of the 2022 public holidays and how to take advantage of them
Accommodation: choose new hotels
Aside from promotional operations, a good way to save money on accommodation is to target recently opened hotels.
To make themselves known to travelers, these new establishments generally offer opening offers including, for example, a reduction on the night or free additional services (champagne, upgrade, dinner, etc.).
Tourist offices generally detail the latest hotel openings on their website.
Be on the lookout!