A new report advising travel agents how to make money out of backpackers may serve as a warning to
cheap travel insurance holders.
The Travel Trade Gazette Online notes that the gap year industry is booming as more and more people look to stave off the recession by venturing abroad.
It suggests that agents and tour operators can capitalise on the burgeoning market by offering more than flight-only options.
Travellers heading to Australia are particularly vulnerable to these sales tactics as the website suggests: "Most clients will be dreading the long flight Down Under so it's always worth suggesting a stopover to break the journey in Asia, the Middle East, the US, South Africa or South America."
Having arrived in the country, travellers may also be pressured to book escorted tours.
OzXposure sales director Richard Hanson told the site that the route from Broome to Darwin in Western Australia is particularly profitable as it is "almost impossible to do effectively and affordably by yourself".
Meanwhile, a new government website is providing advice for Brits looking to protect themselves financially while on holiday.
The direct.gov.uk pages explain travellers' rights if airlines or tour companies go bust.
Check out Downunder's quote engine for
cheap travel insurance to Oz.
