When planning a trip to Okinawa, do you ever wonder whether "package tours" or "individual reservations" are the best option?
I recently spoke with a travel agent and a resort hotel representative, and as a conclusion I put together myself.
Let's compare them in detail.
Table of Contents
- 1 Difference between individual and package reservations
- 2 Price comparison｜Is individual booking really cheaper?
- 3 Comparison of time efficiency (time performance)
- 4 Comparison of support｜Advantage in troubleshooting
- 5 Consider the cost difference between individual vs. package reservations.
- 6 Summary｜Which reservation method is best?
Difference between individual and package reservations
When planning a trip to Okinawa, the first thing to decide is whether to make "individual reservations" or "package reservations.
| (data) item | Individual Reservations | Package Reservations |
|---|---|---|
| How to make a reservation | Individual arrangements for airline tickets, hotels, and rental cars | All reservations can be made at once |
| Price | Possibly cheaper by taking advantage of sales. | Regular rates, but with special offers, it's a great value. |
| degree of freedom | Free choice of flights and hotels | Choose from a limited number of options |
| Reservation hassle | Need to go around to each site and make a reservation. | Completed in one procedure |
| In case of change or cancellation | All contact and procedures by yourself | batch support |
| Support | Basically none (depends on each reservation site) | Travel agency support available |
Which should we choose?
Price comparison｜Is individual booking really cheaper?
However, it does not includeAbility to continue to gather informationandAbility to fulfill appointmentsis required.
| Comparison items | Individual Reservations | Package Reservations |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Cheaper with the use of sales, but must be checked constantly. | Regular rates but great value for money if the plan includes special offers. |
| Reservation Difficulty | Need to find airfare, hotel, and car rental all separately. | Everything can be booked in one go. |
| Benefits | Basically none | Often comes with travel agency-specific perks. |
If you want to make a decision on price, you should consider not only the low price of individual bookings, but also the travel agent's special offers. It's great to get a discount on a sale, but don't try too hard.Choose a special offer from a travel agency and you can visit tourist attractions for free or enjoy a meal at a discount.Also. Not having to open your wallet more than once is a surprisingly big advantage.
Examples of Travel Agent Benefits
Shirokuma Tour's "12 major benefits worth a total of 10,000 yen" (including free tickets to tourist facilities)
You can get the plan with 12 major benefits for the number of people. This is a great benefit for those who visit tourist facilities. I wrote the details in the article.
Do you know "12 Special Coupons worth 10,000 yen in total" to enhance your trip to Okinawa? Okinawa Travel Plan with round-trip air ticket is on sale!
JTB's "How to Spend Your Trip" benefits (facility use tickets and preferential services)
JTB also offers Travel Spending or Travel Spending Plus on some of its plans, which are full of benefits that allow you to enjoy free sightseeing during your trip.
JTB How to spend your tripIn addition to the above, there is a free dinner for a minimum of three nights, and a room upgrade for reservations of more than 10 people!
Comparison of time efficiency (time performance)
| Comparison items | Individual Reservations | Package Reservations |
|---|---|---|
| Reservation hassle | Book flights, hotels, and rental cars separately | All in one appointment |
| Schedule Management | Must be confirmed at each reservation site. | Batch management at travel agency's My Page, etc. |
| In case of change or cancellation | Handle everything on your own | Agency handles the entire process |
| Clarity of fees | Calculation required for each reservation. | Total amount at a glance |
| Responding to sudden schedule changes | Need to contact each company | The agency will handle it on your behalf. |
If you don't want to go through the hassle of making reservations and want a smooth process, don't hesitate to make a package reservation.
Comparison of support｜Advantage in troubleshooting
Okinawa has many typhoons and there is a risk of flight cancellations or changes due to weather.
| Comparison items | Individual Reservations | Package Reservations |
|---|---|---|
| Flight Change | Procedures per airline | Agency handles the entire process |
| Hotel and car rental transfers | Each requires a separate procedure. | The agency will make arrangements on your behalf. |
| Inquiry response | Contact each reservation individually | Complete with one travel agent contact. |
| Cancellation procedures prior to travel | All need to be handled individually. | Complete with one agency contact |
What if I decide to cancel before the trip?
Individual reservations are tough with the shock of not being able to travel, as you have to go through the procedures for each booking destination, such as flight cancellation, hotel cancellation, and car rental cancellation. However, with package reservations, you only need to contact the agency once and everything is done. Especially in the case ofFor family or group travel, the procedures can be greatly reducedThe following is a list of the most common problems with the
Examples of support for Shirokuma tours
Transfer of airline tickets and accommodation arrangements in the event of bad weather conditions that make it difficult to return home.
For those who think "it's too much trouble to deal with everything on my own," package reservations are by far the best choice.
Consider the cost difference between individual vs. package reservations.
This is the case when we travel outside of Okinawa Prefecture. Even if you take advantage of Rakuten Travel and Jalan sales and coupons, you may not get as good a deal as you would if you actually compare it to a travel package from a travel agency. In particular, there have been many cases where we have tried our best to get the lowest price, but the price was only a few hundred yen less per person.
Depending on the number of people traveling, if the total difference is not more than 5,000-10,000 yen, we will choose a package because it is by far easier to choose a package trip when considering the hassle and risk of making individual reservations. It is also possible to get special offers. In the event of any problems, the level of support varies, so consider the overall cost performance.
Is it worth the time it would take to make it a little cheaper?"and choose the reservation method that is right for you.
Summary｜Which reservation method is best?
So I will tell you the same thing again.
Because of the risk of typhoons when traveling to Okinawa, it is also important to have good support in case something goes wrong.
Choose the reservation method that best suits your travel style and enjoy your trip to Okinawa!
PS
This article was entirely rewritten in February 2025. This is due to changes in the way we have been booking trips to Okinawa over the last year. The current thinking as of now is that the content of this article is the best we can do.
Contributor Profile
- Okinawa travel media "OKIBRA" has been happily operated since 2020 by Kazunari, a computer geek, and Son-chan, an anime & food lover! They love Okinawa so much that they have visited more than 50 hotels and 500 restaurants in the prefecture, and they share the charms of Okinawa on Instagram and on the web. We will bring you the charms of Okinawa that you can't find anywhere else, from the unique perspective of a husband and wife team!
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