´óÏó´«Ã½

He told us:

• I don't think that there's any holiday destinations that we need to avoid. There are some warnings about the centre of Bangkok and Kingston, Jamaica. But these destinations, once you get out of the capital city, are full of great people who really want to welcome you and make sure you have a terrific holiday.
  
• There's still a place for expertise. If you book a package holiday through a travel agent then you've got an individual and an organisation looking after you and that, when things go wrong, can be an extremely good position to be in. A package holiday is covered by .

So, you've booked your holiday and are looking forward to getting away from it all. But what if things don't go quite according to plan? Simon says:

• If you turn up at an airport and the flight has been cancelled you are entitled to your money back from the airline. However, you may not be able to recoup any car hire or hotel charges. But it's worth trying!
  
• If you've booked a package holiday and you turn up at the airport the travel company has to try to get you to your destination. If it can't, it will give you your money back, or possibly offer an alternative destination. And after 12 hours usually you have the right to cancel and get all your money back.

We asked Simon, what if you've booked your holiday in advance and are going somewhere like Thailand, what is your position if the situation of the country changes?

• The trip will go ahead unless the Foreign Office advises against all but essential travel to this destination. If it stops short of a blanket ban and the holiday company is prepared to deliver it the trip, you will lose your money if you choose not to go.
  
• Be aware of what your insurance does and doesn't cover. Many no-frills policies won't cover all eventualities. They also won't cover you for any events that you have prior knowledge of - for example, if you take out a policy after strikes have been announced.

So, if you're looking for a cheap and cheerful holiday deal this summer, what does Simon recommend?

• Don't write off the eurozone. Portugal and Greece are going to be very good value this summer and even the Balearic Islands are going to have some amazing deals on accommodation because they've lost so much business in the past couple of years. And don't write off Britain. Make the most of what's on your doorstep, and that way you can eliminate huge amounts of stress and sunburn!