Comparison sites expand further into tourism and travel market

We are all familiar with using comparison websites to find the best deal for car insurance, energy provision and maybe bank accounts, but using them to compare specific holiday options such as accommodation is a more recent development. Comparison sites aim to simplify consumers’ lives by removing the exhaustive research element – customers type in their preferred parameters and are then provided with easy-to-compare, sorted results. For more than 70% of consumers, price is the deciding factor when purchasing a holiday online, and these sites help make finding the required service at the best price much easier, faster and cheaper. Many of us now use such sites to book hotels, although the savviest travellers know to check prices elsewhere as well, as sometimes a better price for the same hotel can be found on the hotel’s own website or through another comparison site. This sector is just starting to open up to the group travel market as well, with a couple of sites popping up that compare accommodation specifically for groups.

One of the most recent websites to join the comparison sector is ‘apartum’, which also taps into the trend which sees tourists, including groups, choosing to stay in apartments rather than hotels. More common in some countries and cities than others, apartment bookings are seeing a surge, since not only do they offer greater flexibility and independence, but they are also normally much cheaper, especially when travelling with a group. Many apartment providers still offer many of the amenities available to hotel guests, such as daily cleaning and cooking if required. ‘Apartum’ compares apartments in all the world’s major tourist destinations and displays results from multiple holiday apartment agencies, functioning just as other comparison websites do. Comparison websites are likely to become more and more popular with trip bookers, since they are frequently the fastest way to get the best price available, while taking into account all the group’s needs.

Stoneglow – Give Back to Nature, ‘Basil’

£9.00

The ‘Give Back to Nature’ range from Stoneglow includes seeds of the plant or flower that the candle is scented after, so not only is the tin handy for travelling while using the candle, but the seeds can be sown in the tin afterwards. A travelling candle and plant all in one! Made from natural soy wax, these candles have scents that transport you straight into a heady summer garden.

www.stoneglowcandles.co.uk

True Grace – ‘Library’

From £14

These very English candles are made in Wiltshire from fine natural ingredients and are categorised into collections, including ‘Village’, ‘Manor’ and ‘Walled Garden’ – perfect for carrying a little bit of home with you on your travels. This ‘Library’ candle is heaven for anyone who holds nostalgia for libraries, as the cedar, sandalwood and moss scents in smoked glass perfectly evoke the inspiring smell of old books, polished dark wood and years of learning. True Grace candles come in both glasses and tins.

www.truegrace.co.uk

Best Kept Secrets – ‘Saffron Spice’

£8.50

With a huge range of scents and a burn time of fifty hours each, these candles are ideal for longer trips, especially as they are handily housed in tins.      Each candle has a different kind of ‘sprinkle’ on top, making them pleasing to the eye as well as to the nose. Scents such as ‘Coastal Breeze’ get you in the holiday mood and the range also includes the useful ‘Midge Away’, which combines the citrus and woody scents that will keep those pesky midges and mosquitoes at bay.

www.bestkeptsecrets.co.uk

Yankee Candles Travel Tins – ‘Midsummer’s Night’

£3.99

Not strictly a candle, but these travel tins come from the experts at Yankee Candles and are available in many of their famous candle scents. Ideal for travel, the tins are lightweight and smaller than a credit card. Just slide the tin open to release the fragrance, which will then last for several weeks. Available in scents just made for travel and holidays, such as ‘Sun and Sand’, ‘Coconut Bay’ and ‘Midsummer’s Night’, as here.

www.yankee.co.uk

Lafco Little Luxuries – ‘Chamomile Lavender’

£14.95

These travel candles have a cleverly designed tin which is double-walled, so that the outside stays cool even while the candle is burning. The scents are heavenly, matching the beautiful elegant design – these candles add a touch of class to any hotel room even before you light them up. Made from a soy wax blend, each candle has a burn time of about 30 hours, and the tin’s lid snaps securely in place for onward travel.

www.candles.co.uk/shop-by-brand/lafco