Platinum Top Tourist Park Membership.

Duh · Guru

RE: Platinum Top Tourist Park Membership.

jimricho · Guru

Duh wrote:
One TT park I booked into in WA (only when I turned up, not in advance) charged me for using a debit card, I told them it was a debit card and they said it didn't matter whether it was a credit or debit card, they still charged for using a card. I was a TT member at the time and had a valid TT membership card.
When I contacted TT head office about this later I was told they can't control the way one of their member parks conduct their business.

It's quite legal to do this and is common practice in the wider tourism/travel industry. The best way to avoid the surcharge is to use EFTPOS instead. My debit Mastercard is also my EFTPOS card (cashcard, ATM card or whatever your particular bank calls them). Just advise your account type (cheque, savings etc) or press the appropriate button if using PIN instead of Sign, instead of "Credit". The charge then goes direct to your bank account bypassing Mastercard/Visa.

jimricho · Guru

I've just checked to see if I'm better off with my Platinum Membership and I already have in place enough bookings for this year's travel to more than cover the extra cost.

Whether these memberships are worthwhile or not very much depends on one's individual travel patterns. Those who mostly free camp or limit their stays to mainly budget parks would probably find them not worthwhile. I think the Platinum membership is only worth the extra fee if staying at TT parks for a week or more at a time.

If contemplating joining TT and/or B4 this can be done when checking in at the caravan park. Your discount will apply for that stay.

If making a booking at a TT or B4 park you only have to give your membership number and they can bring up all your details on their computer.

herbie · Guru

jimricho wrote:
Duh wrote:
One TT park I booked into in WA (only when I turned up, not in advance) charged me for using a debit card, I told them it was a debit card and they said it didn't matter whether it was a credit or debit card, they still charged for using a card. I was a TT member at the time and had a valid TT membership card.
When I contacted TT head office about this later I was told they can't control the way one of their member parks conduct their business.

It's quite legal to do this and is common practice in the wider tourism/travel industry. The best way to avoid the surcharge is to use EFTPOS instead. My debit Mastercard is also my EFTPOS card (cashcard, ATM card or whatever your particular bank calls them). Just advise your account type (cheque, savings etc) or press the appropriate button if using PIN instead of Sign, instead of "Credit". The charge then goes direct to your bank account bypassing Mastercard/Visa.
Some of these budget parks, in different places are or if not better run than some of these so called big chain franchise set ups. A lot of them do not go that extra mile ,as they hind behind the name of the organization they belong to and have to cut corners to pay the $$$$$$ to belong to these chains up front before they make one dollar. So for saying the budget parks are any less a park because of them not having the big chain out the front does not mean they are any less worthy of my business.As a matter of fact travelling over to QLD this time from WA i stayed in two parks that are not affiliated with any chain now,but three years ago when i sayed in them they both were with a chain, when i asked why they were not connected to the chain now ,,the answer was mate they just want more and more dollars out of you just to carry the chain name.So in staying tied up with them you have to keep putting the prices up to cover it....I rest my case on this .

jimricho · Guru

Whether or not a park is a TT or B4 rates well down on my priorities when selecting a park. It so happens that this winter I'll be staying at two parks that happen to be Top Tourists. One of these parks is is the most expensive one in the area but it's also in my opinion, having stayed there regularly, the nicest one in the area and in a magic location. I'm prepared to pay the extra to enjoy my holiday in nice surrounds.

The other one is an older one that's not as up-market but the price is comparable to any in that town, group member or not. It is the most convenient one for me and the standard is quite satisfactory. If neither of these parks were TT (or whatever) they would still be my first picks.

I have stayed at some excellent parks that were not members of any group so I don't suggest that being in a group automatically makes a park a better choice. It's the market that sets the price and, group member or not, if they overcharge they don't get the customers.

herbie · Guru

jimricho wrote:
Whether or not a park is a TT or B4 rates well down on my priorities when selecting a park. It so happens that this winter I'll be staying at two parks that happen to be Top Tourists. One of these parks is is the most expensive one in the area but it's also in my opinion, having stayed there regularly, the nicest one in the area and in a magic location. I'm prepared to pay the extra to enjoy my holiday in nice surrounds.

The other one is an older one that's not as up-market but the price is comparable to any in that town, group member or not. It is the most convenient one for me and the standard is quite satisfactory. If neither of these parks were TT (or whatever) they would still be my first picks.

I have stayed at some excellent parks that were not members of any group so I don't suggest that being in a group automatically makes a park a better choice. It's the market that sets the price and, group member or not, if they overcharge they don't get the customers.

I agree in what you are saying regarding all this, what i am saying is that if i wanted to stay in these two same parks as you will be staying in i could stay just like you will be doing ,but i won't have had to pay for this so called discount card to do so. And if i did not want to stay in either of these parks i could move down the road to another park, and not have felt i lost out due to having to pay for this card and not using it.