Are you one of many people who work out how much you’re going to need for a holiday, think you’ve got everything covered - and then halfway through your trip realised your financial planning was out?

You’re not alone.

Many people have found the amount of money they thought they would need for a trip overseas hasn’t been enough. And with airlines and holiday companies adding extra on to a lot of items that used to come as standard it’s not a problem that’s going to go away.

In their defence it’s not surprising that airlines and holiday companies do this - the recession has hit the travel industry hard, and they need to increase the amount of revenue per passenger they are carrying on the airlines, and hotels for each guest they accommodate.

But putting the full price on advertised rates could affect their business, as it’s the headline price that catches many people’s attention - and with travel portals searching for the lowest price more popular than ever travel companies have to get around the low prices offered by making money elsewhere.

As an example we looked for a holiday to Ibiza for next summer, June 2011, to see what the holiday companies were offering, based on 2 adults with a reasonable hotel for 7 nights and Ibiza flights included.

Thomson Holidays, one of the UK’s leading tour operators, have available return flights and a choice of two different Ibiza hotels for 320 a person, and they also include getting to and from the airport to either of the Ibiza hotels.

Their main competitor, Thomas Cook, are doing even better with flights, hotel and breakfast from 285 a person for 7 nights. Their main competitor, Thomas Cook, are doing even better with flights, hotel and breakfast from 285 a person for 7 nights.

Great deals from Britain’s two leading holiday companies - but extras available include choosing a seat on the flight, a meal and travel insurance. The first two can be missed for the budget conscious, but travel insurance should never be cut out and can be taken either with the holiday company when booking, or independently.

In some ways the hidden costs that only become apparent when booking a trip, in the above example Ibiza holidays, aren’t surprising given that the cost is often the first feature considered, and many holidaymakers expecting to have 5 star flights, hotels and holidays at 2 star prices - the most reliable companies have to compete at the headline prices offered by others.

Away from the booking itself, once people are on their Ibiza holidays or elsewhere, the cost of mobile phone calls are the biggest cause of complaint, despite the EU having ordered charges to come down in recent years.

Other charges that holidaymakers deemed to be excessive included the cost of a taxi - most commonly used to get from the airport to the Ibiza hotels where most people would be staying.

To keep costs down it’s possible to book a taxi online with an agreed price and a driver waiting for you rather than taking pot luck upon arrival. Keeping luggage weights within the airlines allowance will ensure no surcharges, and some airlines offer half price luggage costs when it’s booked online instead of doing it at the airport.

For more details about 2011 Ibiza holidays with news and articles visit youribiza.net

The Daily Telegraph suggests that Cyprus is a good location for a spring holiday and comment:

Cyprus ticks virtually all the boxes for a no-nonsense family holiday if you’re looking for a spring break. There’s the climate (326 days of sunshine a year), obviously, plus a reasonable flying time, plenty of beaches or activity-based options, and numerous inexpensive package or self-catering deals from major tour operators. Here is my selection of the best:  Click here to read the rest of the article.

For flights to Cyprus visit yourcyprus.info - they also have a Cyprus weather forecast.

If you’re off on holiday to Cyprus this year, the good news is that Larnaca Airport is up and running.

MSN report:

The 100,000 square metre (1.1 million square foot) high-tech terminal is four times larger than its predecessor, just a couple of kilometres away on the island’s south coast.

The old terminal had originally been built as a makeshift facility in February 1975 after the island’s only airport, in the capital Nicosia, got caught up in no-man’s land following the Turkish invasion eight months earlier.

Larnaca airport now has double the capacity to handle passenger traffic of up to 7.5 million people annually with a provision to extend this to nearly 10 million when the need arises.

Key features include 67 check-in counters, 16 air bridges, departure and arrivals situated on different levels and parking for 2,650 vehicles.

It took three years to build at a cost 656 million euros (973 million dollars) in what is one the largest infrastructure projects ever undertaken in Cyprus.

Officials hope the new airport will also attract foreign investment to Cyprus.

Flight operations from the new airport will begin on Tuesday, with Cyprus Airways and easyjet flights only and become fully operational from November 17. To read the full article click here

For information about the island, including the Cyprus weather and flights to Cyprus visit http://www.yourcyprus.info