Not in my experience in the past 4 years.

I think the time for high-street travel agents is slowly coming to a close.

Not in my experience either - travelling as a family of 5 we get hammered for under occupancy supplements.

Tis

I always book via the internet sometimes booking direct but mostly using the large companies, I prefer to book in the comfort of my own home and not be pressured into buying something I do not want from the travel agent

Thanks for the replies. I think I'll take my internet prices along to the travel agent just to see what they say!
I'll let you all know.

internet all the time.its just gettimng those cheap flights at the right time

booked our may holiday in cala bona, travelling with Thomson on the internet. Got a saving of £106.00.Need I say more

It can work out different for other locations - but for Majorca definately DIY for me............as said before the under occupancy supplements are horrendous, especially as we used to be taking 4 children away!!!

Last year we booked flights for three of us return for £400 in August and our apartments (we stayed in both Can Pastilla and Cala Millor) cost about £500 for 10 days - £900 isint bad for three people for 10 days in the high season - I reckon we could have more than doubled it with a Travel Agent - plus we had hundreds of apartments to choose from and not just three or four in each resort like the Travel brochures.

Yeah i have gone Diy for about the last 5 years. These have included holidays to benidorm, lindos in rhodes, fuengirola and santa ponsa this year.

In all i beleive that we have save at least a £1000 if not more.

And as others have stated, i find there is much more choice and less pressure.

i book on the internet most years and have got great deals.i must say i end up with first choice every time . i spent 3 days this yr and finally got a deal to ibiza for 3 adults and 2 kids hb 983.00. not bad i thought.when you go to the other sites where you choose flight, then hotel they add loads of charges on top ,supplements for this and that and then transfers are about 200.00 on top. it is always cheaper on the net than travel agents though.

I think it all depends on where you are travelling to, if it's on the cheap flight routes then DIY every time, but it all depends on getting that all important flight at the right price.
I've just booked for 4 of us cheaper than it cost me 2 years ago via an agent (same hotel etc).
I can also add or subtract nights to my holiday and organise transport to and from the hotel when I want it.

I've never been brave enough to DIY but would normally book a package either over the phone or internet. I've been pricing up lots of hols over the last few days and one that was of interest to me was a package with Thomas Cook which offered a free child place and internet discount of around £150. When I was in town yesterday I thought I'd pop into the Thomas Cook shop to see if they could beat the web price. I hadn't stepped foot into a travel agents other than to pick up brochures for about 10 years. I have to say I was really impressed. They were helpful and very pleasant and what's better they could beat the internet price by around £60. I know it's not a lot but it all counts. Although I haven't decided whether to go ahead and book if I did then I would definately do it through them. I think with all the hassle I had earlier in the year with trying to get through to Direct Holidays on their premium rate lines it would be much better to have an agent who could do this for you, and if they can do it cheaper then that's even better!

Well having started this thread I have now booked my holiday. After a lot of research on the net ( flights, accom, transfers etc ) I finaly decided to book via my local (very friendly) travel agent. I told her the price I had added up on the internet, she told me to give her an hour or so and come back. When I did go back she said she would do the same holiday for £20 cheaper. As nic said in the last post, its not a lot but it all help and she done all the 'hassle' of booking for me!

I always look on the internet first,then phone the company direct for a quote but Travelcare,now Cooperative travel have always managed to beat these prices.Another tip I was told is to book after the 20th of the month because the agents may have met their targets and can offer better deals.