Article by Prana Holidays
Airlines and Holiday Companies are Failing in the Economic Gloom. Is Your Yoga or Spa Holiday Protected?
With increasing stress in the work place and financial strains at home, more and more people are looking to yoga as a way of balancing the pressures of modern life. What better way to relieve these pressures than to take a yoga holiday?
Yoga practitioners’ are now able to take yoga based holidays abroad in some great locations. You can arrange your own flights; you are picked up from the airport and taken to your accommodation for the holiday. Relax and unwind, practice yoga in the sun with like minded people. For many, this is the ideal holiday. Unfortunately, it is also a ‘holiday nightmare’ just waiting to happen.
According to Aled Evans of Prana Holidays, “Many people are booking these holidays, expecting that they will receive the same financial protection as if they booked with a ‘mainstream’ holiday company. The reality is that the vast majority of these holidays offer no protection at all if the booking agent, yoga teacher or holiday venue were to go bust. If this was to happen then there is no way of getting your money back and in the worst case, you could be stranded abroad. This problem is only going to get worse as the effects of the credit crunch and the economic slow down begin to bite.”
“Since starting Prana Holidays, I have been amazed at the complete lack of protection on offer to clients on this type of holiday. Through Prana’s ATOL and total payment protection (topp) insurance, everyone travelling with Prana Holidays can rest assured that their money is safe” Evans said.
With the collapse of so many airlines already, including major carriers like XL and Zoom, this is an issue that should be at the forefront of anyone considering booking a yoga holiday. There are many small operators or agents on the web that do not have adequate cover if they have any cover at all and you only find out when it is too late. Even if you local teacher is taking a party out to Spain for a week, the clients have to have their money protected by law. The same risks apply to a yoga holiday as any other travel arrangement and so fall under the same regulations. Paying by credit card is no protection, as if you have already departed or started the holiday, they will not offer you a refund. Many small agents do not accept cards and so the protection is limited even further.
When arranging your holiday, whether it is a yoga holiday in India, a spa break in the Maldives or a weekend in France, make sure that the company or person you are making the booking with has adequate financial cover.
Prana Holidays is an ATOL holding yoga, Spa and Adventure Holiday operator. Based in Northumberland, they offer a wide range of holidays around the world, as well as being able to tailor-make trips. Full details are on the website, www.pranaholidays.com or they can be contacted on 01670 828521