I’ve been travelling for 50 years – how to avoid six sneaky holiday scams

A MAN who has been to more than 170 countries has revealed some sneaky holiday scams tourists should be aware of.

Tony Wheeler first started travelling back in 1972 with his partner Maureen Wheeler.

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The duo then created the travel bible Lonely Planet, with just 1,500 copies - which has led to 150 million guidebooks since.

Despite selling the company back in 2011, Mr Wheeler and his wife still travel the world, going around the globe 50 times.

And during his travels, he's picked up some tricks along the way - and has set out some sneaky holiday scams holidaymakers should be cognizant of.

If you find yourself stopping off in Bangkok on your South East Asian adventure, steer well clear of gemstone merchants and carpet sellers - as many have a sticky reputation in Thailand.

"Those Thai gemstones are completely genuine, just not worth as much as you’re about to pay for them," Tony wrote in the Sydney Morning Herald.

"And Thailand is far from the only place where you can pay far too much, carpets are an equally good trap."

Sellers will also ask you to follow them to “my brother’s shop” or “my friend’s place” to make the sale sound a little more authentic.

Politely refuse their services, as all this means is you'll be forking out a bank-breaking price for the commission.

Tony also implores holidaymakers to pore over the country's rulebook before you're airborne.

He continues: "Rules change regularly as I discovered when I arrived in South Korea a few months ago.

"At the last moment I discovered I needed a K-ETA – a Korean Electronic Travel Authorisation, rather like the ESTA for travelling to the US.

Thailand is far from the only place where you can pay far too much

"It took a lot of online messing around and cost me $12.50, but then, K-ETA in hand and even closer to the last minute, the Koreans dropped the requirement. I did not get a refund."

Another motif for swindlers preys on the integrity and honesty of the traveller.

"I’m using an underpass to cross under a busy street and as I ascend the steps on the other side a well-dressed gentleman, clearly in a hurry, brushes past me and drops something on the steps," the expert recalled.

"What do you, the helpful visitor, do? You shout to him that he’s dropped something and reach down to pick it up for him, right?

"But just as my fingers are about to touch the dropped item I realise what it is – a wad of banknotes – my hand snaps back and I step right over it.

"If I’d fallen into the trap the next thing is the dropper would have turned back to me and his accomplice – oh there he is, lurking at the top of the steps – would soon be backing up his claim that I’d only returned half of the rouble stack.

"Things would soon have got sticky."

Lonely Planet's auteur tops off the list by urging motorists renting a car abroad to be vigilant when locals offer their services.

"We’re in a rent-a-car driving from Nairobi in Kenya," Tony begins.

"At a traffic light in a small town a young boy pops up at my window to report something has gone badly wrong with my car, there’s oil spilling out from the back wheel.

Things would soon have got sticky

"Oh dear, I’ve blown a wheel-bearing oil seal on the back axle.

"Fortunately there’s a garage just around the corner where we can leave the car, grab a coffee or some lunch and they’ll sort it out for us.

"Half an hour later we would have had a new oil seal fitted – only $100 – and all would be well.

"The reality? There’s no oil seal failure, the small boy’s accomplice has tossed a cup of oil on to the rear wheel.

"“Fixing” it is just a matter of washing the oil off."

It comes as travel experts revealed why holidaymakers should book their summer trips now if they want to grab a bargain.

If you are dreaming of booking a summer getaway, don't wait any longer as you can miss on huge deals.

People organising their summer escape sunny beaches and the blue sea are urged to act now.

Waiting until the last minute to book your flights an hotel can leave you out of pocket.

Instead, travel experts from money-saving website Which recommend to buy your tickets in January if you want to snag the best deals.