Not everyone has to book now, of course. Students, retired pensioners or anyone else who has a more flexible lifestyle are still better off going on holiday when the mood takes them – so unless you know you’ll only be able to get away in the summer months, you can still rely on last minute packages, late deals and cancelation offers for holidays 2010.

However, many people simply can’t arrange holidays for any other time. Booking now means that you’ll have to pay some money up front, but it’s usually only a small amount which is refundable if anything happens to the tour operator itself, so you’re generally covered in case of any emergencies. Depending on your deal you may have to pay insurance and extra charges at the same time you make your deposit, so check up on your deals online to make sure you know what you’ll need to hand over upfront.

The advantages from booking your holidays 2010 now include getting your desired resort and keeping your costs down. Knowing what your holiday will cost before you go will make it much easier to budget for it during the rest of the year. This is especially true if you get an all inclusive package so you don’t even need to worry about expenses at your destination. Just make sure to book at a time when you know you’ll be free – if your personal situation changes, it can be difficult to get that initial deposit back!