Cheap Christmas holiday deals for the whole family

Want a bargain holiday this Christmas but fear you’ve left it too late? Don’t worry, here’s some sizzling deals for the whole family.

Dreaming of a North Queensland Christmas getaway?

Want a bargain holiday this Christmas but fear you’ve left it too late?

Don’t worry, industry experts reveal there are still plenty of great getaway deals for those on a budget.

From coastal resorts for less than $200 a night, to tropical getaways at 45 per cent off, those in the know say saving money is easy with a few tips.

“Christmas is a peak travel period, however, there are still ways to save and stretch the budget, especially if you plan ahead,” said Wotif Travel expert Rebecca Hurley.

Her top pick was to consider a Brisbane vacation or staycation, or head to North Queensland.

“There’s value in having a city staycation in a Brisbane hotel, which often offer strong rates over Christmas and summer given there is less business travel occurring,” she said, recommending booking a hotel with a pool and taking advantage of the Boxing Day sales at city retailers.

Summer is the time to visit Port Douglas if you want to help your wallet.

“Another savvy way to save money is to consider visiting tropical North Queensland over Christmas during its traditional off-season.

“Wotif data shows Cairns accommodation is up to 22 per cent cheaper over summer compared to the winter months, while Townsville accommodation is up to 26 per cent less.”

Other hot tips include choosing self-catered accommodation, where families can cook for themselves and save on eating out, as well as down-starring from a five to four-star property.

“Down-starring may mean you can upgrade to a better room type helping you find better value,” Ms Hurley said.

For those wanting to save on flights, flying on Christmas Day and New Year's Eve, or just a few days post the Christmas break or mid-week can also lead to savings.

Patricia O’Callaghan from Tourism and Events Queensland said value for money was high on the priority list for Aussies grappling with cost of living pressures and said travelling mid-week and to regional areas like Mission Beach, Hervey Bay, Bargara and Agnes Water could help bag a bargain.

“There’s certainly still great value holidays to be found – currently we have around 500 deals available on Queensland.com,” she said.

For those looking to holiday outside of the Sunshine State, Flight Centre’s Jason Hartley said offering top bang for your buck were cities like Melbourne and Sydney, which incurred a drop in regular business travel around the Christmas period leading to a drop in hotel prices, as well as the Northern Territory.

“The best value this time of year can be found in the top half of Australia in hotspots such as the Northern Territory, Cairns and Port Douglas,” Mr Hartley said, with a five-night stay in Palm Cove currently on sale for 45 per cent off.

“It’s the wet season so that means low season pricing and fewer crowds (plus) tour operators up north are also pretty flexible, meaning if you get rain on the day of your glass bottom boat ride, you can usually get it rescheduled for a day or two later.”

His top advice for scoring a deal was to look for packages including extras such as theme park entry, free breakfast or other bonuses, and to bundle all the elements of the trip together including flights, accommodation, tours and insurance.

“There are often huge savings to be had by doing this,” he said, also recommending to use a travel agent.

“There’s a misconception that using a travel agent may cost you more to book a holiday when in fact, the savings and industry deals they can secure will often save you money. They’ll act as your personal expert and will as be able to keep an eye on the best deals the moment they’re released for you so you can secure a great price for your holiday.”

Originally published as Cheap Christmas holiday deals for the whole family