MORE travellers here are booking next year's holidays in advance to make the most of hefty early-bird discounts.
Bookings for popular seasons such as Chinese New Year and the March school holidays are already streaming in ahead of the Natas travel fair, said travel agents. And there are already bookings for travel as far ahead as June.
To encourage holidaymakers to book early, travel agents are offering discounts and freebies to those who sign up at the three-day event, which starts today at the Singapore Expo.
Five Stars Tours, for instance, has already had a booking for June next year for a company incentive trip to Turkey.
Deputy general manager Chris Tay said about 120 bookings have been made for next year, 10 per cent more compared to the same period last year.
Said Ms Tay: "We expect this figure will increase by 15 to 20 per cent as there are people waiting to book their 2009 holidays during Natas."
The agency will also extend discounts of between $100 and $500 per person for advance bookings in group departures.
Competitor SA Tours also said it has seen a 7 per cent rise in bookings for next year, compared to the same time last year. Said manager for marketing and communications Ruth Lim: "There were many reports that 2009 is filled with more long weekends, so that could be why people are confirming their bookings now.
"Seasoned travellers know the advantages of booking ahead of time. You can hedge the fuel prices to the current rates once you pay in full.
"The savings from booking early can be used for shopping."
