4 Vacation Costs That Sneak Up on Travelers Every Summer
Even the most carefully planned vacation can cost more than expected if you don’t plan ahead.
Travel experts say it’s the smaller charges, convenience spending and peak-season markups that are most likely to pile onto the final bill. While you might not be able to prevent these costs, you can work them into your budget.
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Here are four vacation costs that can sneak up on travelers in the summer.
Resort Fees and Tourist Taxes
Even travelers who carefully compare airfare and hotel prices can still get blindsided by fees that don’t appear in the advertised rate. Ally Gibson, travel expert at Ally Travels, said one of the biggest surprises travelers encounter is the “tourist tax” or “city tax” charged in many destinations: “A per-night, per-person fee that isn't included in your initial booking price,” she added.
During a two-week trip, those charges can easily add $100 or more to your total cost that you didn't see on the initial checkout screen, she explained.
Resorts also charge a fee, particularly in high-demand summer destinations like Las Vegas, Miami and Hawaii, according to Sarah Dandashy, travel expert and founder of Ask A Concierge.
While some of these fees may just be part of the experience, you may be able to negotiate some of them down but, at the least, factor them into what you're paying.
Food, Drinks and Convenience Purchases
Dandashy said travelers frequently underestimate food costs by at least 20% to 30%, especially in popular destinations where restaurants charge seasonal pricing.
“Look, you're on vacation, your guard is down and you're saying yes to the appetizer, the second bottle of wine, the gelato on the walk back,” she said.
Gibson also referred to the “convenience snack tax,” which is her term for repeated purchases of bottled water, snacks and forgotten essentials.
As often as possible, she recommended purchasing these items in advance at affordable prices so you’re not subject to tourist price hikes.
Transportation Costs
Some transportation costs add on to your prepaid airfare or the advertised rental car rate. Gibson said ride-share surge pricing often gets hiked during major events and peak summer travel. She also warned that travelers renting cars may underestimate parking costs, which can exceed $50 per night in busy city centers.
Rental cars themselves can become financial traps, Dandashy said, because travelers focus too heavily on the base rate while forgetting the extra charges attached to the reservation.
Last-Minute Bookings and 'FOMO' Spending
Peak travel seasons reward travelers who plan ahead. Gibson said last-minute purchases for train tickets, tours and museum admissions can cost double or triple during the summer rush. “Hotspots ... book up months in advance,” she said, noting that rising demand and over-tourism keeps jacking up costs.
There’s even a condition Dandashy called “FOMO spending” where people overspend on unplanned events, drinks or activities because they are pressured into them by either friends, social media or aggressive tourist sales.
Build a Buffer Into Every Vacation Budget
Both experts stressed that realistic travel budgeting for the summer means preparing for extra costs beyond the trip price itself and saying vigilant. Gibson recommended travelers automatically add a 20% cushion to their estimated spending before booking the trip.
“If you think the trip will cost $2,000, plan for at least $2,400,” she said.
Summer travel does not have to become a financial disaster, but travelers who fail to account for extra costs may find themselves shocked by the final cost once the vacation is over.
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This article was provided by MoneyLion.com for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal or tax advice.
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