Summer vacation season is just around the corner, and many people already have their destinations in mind. Maybe you have been browsing travel websites for months. Or you may be tempted to check out a travel special from an email or mailer.
Whether you are dreaming of a relaxing few days at the beach or challenging adventure travel, finding the right accommodations, transportation and other vendors is key. There is nothing as disappointing as getting to your destination, only to find that your hotel or vacation rental is not as advertised or that it does not exist at all.
Before you click "reserve" on a travel website, make sure you have checked out vendors. BBB Business Reviews are available on thousands of hotels, resorts and travel companies. Reviews include a rating from A+ to F, a listing of any complaints and how they were resolved, as well as contact information for the business. Go to midmobbb.org or call 573-886-8965 to find BBB Business Reviews.
Browse the hotel's website for detailed information, and call the hotel to confirm the room exists before making a reservation through another site.
If you get an unsolicited call, text or email about a "free" trip or vacation, be skeptical. In some cases, the vendor charges fees that could cost you more than the trip would otherwise cost. In other cases, you may have to sit through a high-pressure sales presentation for a time share, travel club or other promotion. Travel clubs often charge high fees that could offset any savings and memberships may be difficult to cancel.
Be especially wary if a prize company asks for your credit card to "verify" your identity or your prize. A legitimate company will not ask you to pay for a prize, and divulging your personal identifiers or financial information could expose you to identity theft or fraud.
BBB's tips for travelers include:
Read customer reviews carefully. Beware of reviews that are too positive or too negative or that use vague information that could apply to any company. BBB Customer Reviews are checked to make sure the reviewer actually is a customer of the company being reviewed.
Read and understand cancellation and refund policies. Many resorts will keep your deposit or the amount for one night's stay if you do not cancel by a certain date. Others may be willing to apply your deposit toward a future trip or a different room.
Some hotels and resorts charge extra fees for services such as fitness centers or Internet access, and many of these are mandatory, meaning that you pay them whether or not you use them. Read any fine print or call the hotel and ask for the total price before you book a room.
Use a credit card, instead of a debit card, to pay for your vacation, because it will be easier to recover your money if there is a problem. Make sure a website is secure by looking for "https" at the beginning of the URL in your browser's address bar on the reservation page. You may be able to dispute charges with your credit card issuer if there's a mistake or fraud.
Sean Spence is the Mid-Missouri regional director for Better Business Bureau.