Price variance through the months.

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gatsby01

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Mar 7, 2007
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I'm a frequent flier to Cuba, and I'm very familiar with the pricing variances throughout the october and april months.

This year however a friend and I are going to be travelling to the Dominican, and we wanted to go to viva wyndham puerto plata. The cost a week ago for April 28th was 688 + taxes. this week it went up to 788, and now it's sold out. Prices for other places are now at 800 and up.

Now if I look at the end of march, the prices are averaging 680, and the same goes for April 21. So it appears as though last minute applies here as well. Now maybe I'm a bit of a conspiracy theorist, but I get the feeling the low price was to get you interested, and they increased it to get you to jump on board before it went too high, and then "sold out" so that you'd grab other pricey places before they sell out too.

But I also think that it'll show up again, at a low price, since in march, it's going for 680 and it's in a higher season time.

Does anyone know how they raise/decrease the prices, and do they typically come down last minute?
 
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gatsby01

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Mar 7, 2007
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Cool... So does anyone have any experience with following the price changes for all inclusives? Cuba resorts definitely drop the closer the current date gets to the departure date. Does this happen with DR prices?
 
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rubio_higuey

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Feb 7, 2007
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prices

From the position of the incoming tour operator:

1) Prices do not go down by last-minute
2) Prices vary by season(month)
3) Travel agents have prices locked based on period
4) The peak season is December-March, plus Easter
5) The lowest months are May-June, September-October
6) Summer (July, August), though hottest weather, is mid-high season, because of all the vacationers from North America and Europe
7) For peak season, booking on the last minute may result in a surprise called "everything sold out"
8) If you book through travel agent, prices for the period e.g. week of April XX to April YY should be the same regardless if you book now or in 2 weeks. However, if certain type of the rooms (e.g. standard) are sold out, next category (e.g. suite) would cost more, even through travel agent.
When booking on hotel sites directly, they set their pricing according to season demand and occupancy for the desired period.

So to sum up, You WON'T GET LOW PRICE FOR LAST MINUTE IN TOP SEASON. Why? Because it's top season so there is nothing left couple of weeks before the travel date (e.g. we are having limited resort offer/availability for end of March travel. For travel this weekend we have none availability, etc.)

Hope this helps
 
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snowman

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Jan 31, 2007
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In a nutshell, simple economics apply, supply and demand, March break is upon us .
 
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gatsby01

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Mar 7, 2007
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Thanks for the reply, I wasn't aware that mid - end april was a peak season time. And I guess part of the confusion was/is that right now, for next week that hotel is 680.

And looking at it now, april 21st is around 680 as well.

I did find out why april 28th is sold out. It's the DR public holiday, and dominicans book into those resorts as well, which would have made for a fun week.

Although your answers don't reflect what I've observed, I appreciate the response. I've managed to move my vacation date to the 21st, so I'll be able to get the low rate again :)

Thanks again
 
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laurapasinifan

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Sep 19, 2005
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you are turning your world upside down to save $100??????????

you really didnt want to go during easter anyway, believe me....

the resorts will be packed with dominicans

and your chances of getting the crappy room goes through the roof....

there is NO flexiblity to accomodate you if things go bad with the rooms, the service, the flights, ect ect ect

good luck

bob
 
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gatsby01

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Mar 7, 2007
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I'm going from the 21st to the 28th, dominican vacation starts the 28th does it not? so I'll be missing that. Also, isn't easter from the 6th to the 9th of april?
 
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planner

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Sep 23, 2002
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Tour Operators do vary their rates based on supply and demand!!! The hotels do as well.

So you will see "sales" posted and available. You do take a chance on things selling out if you wait too long.

Are you stuck on the VIVA? Their are other good hotels in the area that are not sold out.

Also check the sites of what I call clearing houses: They sometimes have inventory even when the hotel website says sold out!

Do a search using :

Cheap Caribbean
Unsupported Browser
Travel: Airfares, hotels, vacations, cruises, car rentals and more at Travelocity.com
www.Selloffvacations. com from canada
Welcome to itravel2000.com: Please Select Your Departure Gateway
Airline Tickets | Vacation Packages | Cruises & Last Minute Deals | Red Tag Vacations from Canada

You get the idea, I am not sure where you are travelling from but start with these.
 
Hillbilly

Hillbilly

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Jan 1, 2002
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There is no such thing as Dominican Vacation. Not in April or May.

Dominicans have vacation over the Christmas-New Years period and Easter Week. There are several long weekends during the year by law, when normal holidays fall on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday. Like this year's may Day, 1 May, which falls on a Tuesday and will be celebrated on Monday April 30.

Apart from that, there is no such thing as a Dominican Vacation...except maybe all year long??????

HB
 
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laurapasinifan

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Sep 19, 2005
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Hillbilly said:
There is no such thing as Dominican Vacation. Not in April or May.

Dominicans have vacation over the Christmas-New Years period and Easter Week. There are several long weekends during the year by law, when normal holidays fall on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday. Like this year's may Day, 1 May, which falls on a Tuesday and will be celebrated on Monday April 30.

Apart from that, there is no such thing as a Dominican Vacation...except maybe all year long??????

HB
Click to expand...

I would have thought the celebration of easter, and that MANY dominicans go to the beach or the resorts.....would be considered a "vacation"


since sooo many go someplace at that time.

bob
 
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planner

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Sep 23, 2002
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HB - you have me laughing out loud.

I think the reference is probably to the April 30th Monday being a holiday, the hotel will book up for the weekend before extending into Monday. That is all I could figure out.

The Viva hotel is notorious for filling up on long weekends and Semana Santa.
 
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rubio_higuey

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Feb 7, 2007
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planner said:
Tour Operators do vary their rates based on supply and demand!!! The hotels do as well.
Click to expand...

This is not entirely true. Say I have a contract with the hotels that says for example, Jan 1-March 30 Rate $X1, April 1- April 10, Rate $X2, April 11 - June 30 Rate $X3, July 1- August 31 Rate $X4, etc., you get the idea.

The hotel cannot raise their negotiated rates. That's why they are negotiated. They can, however, oversell, and get your booking in for some "kickback" in terms of price/surcharge.

Now from the agency viewpoint if I see a lot of demand for some period, I can raise prices, but most catalogue-based agencies (that have catalogues printed) do not. Some online agencies do. Some agencies offer you a different room type for a higher price, and compensate the demand that way.
 
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planner

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Sep 23, 2002
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Tour Operator negotiated rates with the hotels has little to do with Tour Operators blowing out excess inventory. It is done all the time.

I absolutely agree that they won't raise their rates if they see high demand - particularly so when their is a printed catalogue, but they do put them on sale all the time.

Higher rates are already built into the seasonal pricing, I agree with you.

He is an end consumer trying to buy online or direct with the hotel and looking for a decent deal. My opinion, he will see lower prices closer to the date but he takes his chance.
 
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