'Tis the season to seek out an off-peak holiday bargain

'Tis the season to seek out an off-peak holiday bargain

Over the past few years, more people in the 50-plus age group have become accustomed to taking five or six breaks abroad each year, a trend made possible by the expansion of low-cost airlines and the willingness of Britons to search for new horizons.

September and October is a particularly good time to go, says Hans Van Den Bout of Kuoni subsidiary Shoestring: 'It's the best time to travel to most parts of the globe at a reasonable price.' Not only do temperatures become more bearable in large parts of Asia, South America and Europe, but prices often come tumbling down. About 30 per cent of Saga holidays are taken in these two months.

However, Britons may find themselves paying more from now on for their out-of-season holidays, as the oil-price surge and worldwide inflation take their toll. So how can travellers keep costs down this autumn?

'Book early and be flexible,' says Frances Tuke of the Association of British Travel Agents (Abta). There are still some spectacular last-minute deals, but holiday companies are matching supply and demand much better these days, says Tuke. 'The earlier you book, the cheaper you tend to get things.'

Being flexible about where you are prepared to go can also drastically cut costs. Holiday company Thomson has been offering accommodation in Greek and Turkish resorts in.....continued below

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Choosing a location before everyone else decides to go there is another way to save money. China, for instance, is becoming a more expensive destination, not least because of the Olympics. However, local wages and other costs are rising fast and hotel owners need to get their money back on pre-Olympics building programmes. In the UK, hotel prices in Liverpool have risen more than 7 per cent in the past year, mainly because the dynamics of supply and demand changed when the city became the European Capital of Culture for 2008, according to PKF Hotel Consultants.

A similar effect will be seen in South Africa in the run-up to the 2010 World Cup, says Van Den Bout: 'South Africa is a bargain at the moment. It might cost you more to go there, but the cost of living is much lower. The exchange rate is also very good. But from 2010 it will definitely be more difficult.' Britons buying South African rand with sterling get 25 per cent more now than they did three years ago.

In some countries, bed-and-breakfast prices are being held down as hotel chains such as Ibis in France and Bewleys in Ireland offer clean, basic accommodation at competitive prices.

Once you are on holiday, you can keep costs low by avoiding tourist traps and bringing proof that you are a pensioner (entrance charges to museums and art galleries are routinely reduced for students and pensioners in many countries).