Brits save billions by haggling on holiday

Belt-tightening Brits are saving £1.7 billion each year by haggling on holiday, research by leading hotels website Hotels.com has found*. As the economy worsens, three quarters of Brits (76%) now admit that they brokered a bargain on their last break.

The leading hotels website calculates that with the average traveller saving themselves £32.20 per holiday, as a nation, we bargain savings of 1.7 billion every year**.

Haggling is no longer restricted to souvenir shopping in places like Morocco or Tunisia - Brits are prepared to bargain for the best deal wherever they go in the world. In fact, almost a quarter (23%) have haggled over prices at home in the UK, indicating that people are becoming increasingly brazen when it comes to demanding a discount.

British bargain hunters are in fact so confident of haggling down the asking price that they are not only seeking to save a few pounds on souvenirs, but are now bargaining for a wide range of goods and services, from clothes in shops (45%) to the price of taxis, trains and car hire (42%) and even meals in hotel restaurants (7%).

What do Brits haggle for?

Clothes and souvenirs from markets 82%
Clothes and souvenirs from shops 45%
Taxis, trains or car hire 42%
Activities (diving trips, camel treks etc) 37%
Hotel room upgrades 34%
Sun loungers 13%
Restaurants and bar bills 10%
Meals at hotel restaurants 7%

Britain: the haggling capital of Europe

Across Europe, Brits are the nation with the best nose for a bargain. Three quarters of us (76%) regularly haggle over prices whilst on holiday, compared to just 64% of people from France, 63% of Germans and 61% of those from Spain. The Irish come in at the bottom of the European haggling league, with just 56% prepared to haggle for a bargain. Only the Swedish come close to matching up to the British, with 73% willing to demand discounts on their travels.

% of those who regularly haggle across Europe

UK 76%
Sweden 73%
Norway 72%
Denmark 66%
France 64%
Germany 63%
Spain 61%
Ireland 56%

Alison Couper, Director of Communications at Hotels.com, says: “Haggling is fast becoming a buzz word for 2009. Whilst Brits have long been used to bartering for the occasional holiday souvenir, we are now seeing more people successfully wrangling over prices that previously would have seemed immovable - from hotel extras to designer dresses. Those who are willing to practise the art of haggling on their holiday are likely to find that their money will go even further.”

How to Haggle: A five step guide

1. Haggle face to face (or over the phone if this isn’t possible) rather than by e-mail. This allows you to think on your feet and respond to prompts and clues.
2. Spot opportunities: If deals are already on offer, they may be more likely to agree to a further discount.
3. Be patient. Make sure you ask plenty of questions before discussing the price.
4. Politely ask for a discount. Try not to express emotion or lose your cool.
5. Know when to stop haggling. If you are not offered a discount, it is not usually worth pushing further.

Tips on saving money on hotels

1. Take advantage of the sales – Hotels.com is currently offering up to 40% off in its January sale
2. Book with a price guarantee – if a customer can find the same deal for less on a prepaid hotel, Hotels.com will match it
3. Avoid peak season and large events such as football matches when prices will go up
4. Trade down a star rating – do you really need the business centre and gym? In Berlin you save £50 by trading down from a 5* hotel to a 4* hotel according to the latest Hotels.com Hotel Price Index
5. Stay a little further from the city centre: there are often great deals to be had if you are prepared to travel a little further to see the main sights.

* Research carried out in January 2009 amongst 1,100 European travellers
** Figure calculated using ONS data regarding the number of holidays taken by British travellers