Steve Hart: Point and click to your next holiday

COMMENT

Going online to buy items such as books and videos is now pretty common. However, it was only last week that I made my first purchase over the internet. It was so simple and quick that I was suspicious. I needn't have been. After making my selection of a CD and typing in my details, I pressed send. Days later my package arrived.

If it hadn't, I would have got a refund, and bought the CD elsewhere. It wouldn't have been the end of the world.

But what about booking a holiday online - is it that simple and trouble-free?

There's still the perception of risk linked with buying on the internet. While many people are prepared for it - the risk of having holiday plans disappear into the ether is not one everyone is willing to take.

That's the finding of a survey of 300 people by Flight Centre. While two thirds of them had bought domestic travel over the net, 78 per cent wanted the personal touch when booking international holidays.

One reason for the reluctance to use the net is probably the sheer time involved and the diligence needed to get everything to fall into place. It can be a logistical problem - especially if there's a group making the trip that involves flights, connecting flights, hotels and excursions.

And what if something does go wrong, or you want to change plans - who are you supposed to call? Would you risk your honeymoon on it?

There have been stories of people hiring cars abroad over the net only to find there were no cars available on arrival. In fact, there was no rental car firm at all. Most will get their money back, but that doesn't compensate for not having a car.

Flight Centre's Shane Parlato says nothing can replace the personal service offered by professional consultants.

"Given that large numbers of travellers often change travel plans mid-trip, it is important that people are confident that there's some flexibility and ongoing support when booking," he said.

But isn't it cheaper on the net - there are all those late-breaking bargains, cut-price offers and internet-only specials. There are some good accommodation bargains out there - especially from websites such as wotif.com and lastminute.com.

But buying flights online, while sometimes cheaper, can lead to compromise on service and inflight niceties.

Perhaps a reluctance to buy holidays over the net is all down to peace of mind and confidence in online companies delivering what you think you've paid for. And, of course, time - searching out deals, making comparisons and going back to the first one you thought of can take its toll. Maybe a few dollars more on a package for the agent's time and expertise might be money well spent.

Where the net does come in handy is in researching deals that can then be discussed with an agent (always print out the web pages). A good agent will try to match or better the deal you have found or offer good alternatives.

Parlato says a good agent should offer customers a choice of airlines, and can pass on time and money-saving advice.

In my opinion a good agent is worth their weight in gold, but if you know where you want to go and where you want to stay, booking by internet (or even the good old telephone) is simple and safe.