“Insurance” in coping with last minute booking trend

At least one tour operator is responding to the trend of last minute bookings by offering incentives such as free travel insurance and protection coverage.

Said Dan Austin, co-founder and director of operations for Austin-Lehman Adventures:

“We’ve found ways to manage our trip offerings so that folks who perhaps procrastinated a bit too long or have waited to take advantage of last-minute airline deals can still book a trip with us this summer.”

Mr Austin, whose company specializes in luxury multi-sport tours, says last minute summer bookings have increased from 3% to 10% in the last three years.

Possible reasons: he speculates they may include an uncertain economy, international unrest, consumer conditioning to expect summer airfare wars and the complexity of planning a family vacations.

“We don’t see this consumer booking trend easing up anytime in the near future,” he said.

Report by David Wilkening