Travelers Can Still Stay on Budget This Summer with Tips on Where to Go, How to Save; Travelocity Data Shows Which Destinations
May 01 2006 - 6:00AM
Business Wire
As consumers scramble to book travel plans for what's predicted to
be one of the highest volume seasons in years, Travelocity industry
insiders show that there are still great opportunities to save this
summer if you're equipped with the right information. Whether by
honing in on more bargain-friendly destinations or slightly
altering the way travelers research, just a few tweaks to their
travel strategy could mean big bucks in savings. Travelocity has
taken the guesswork out of how and where to book this summer by
researching hard industry data to reveal which destinations are
showing price decreases or at least remaining steady over 2005.
"Despite the industry's focus on price this season, people are
still going to travel this summer. It's just a matter of how and
where they'll spend their money," said Amy Ziff, Travelocity
editor-at-large. "There are a number of ways to track down good
prices, but you have to know your stuff. Whether flying, driving or
cruising, the golden rule is to book early and choose your
destination wisely." Based on Travelocity data and insight from Amy
Ziff, the following are important booking and destination tips to
serve as this summer's guide to savings. AIRFARES: Following is a
list of the top booked domestic and international destinations for
the summer of 2006. Top Domestic Destinations for 2006 Summer
Season -- Orlando -- Las Vegas -- South Florida -- Seattle -- New
York City -- San Francisco Bay Area -- Los Angeles -- Honolulu --
Denver -- Chicago Top International Destinations for 2006 Summer
Season -- Cancun -- London -- Los Cabos -- Puerto Vallarta -- San
Juan, Puerto Rico -- Bahamas -- Jamaica -- Vancouver -- Rome --
Dominican Republic For travelers willing to be more flexible this
year, the following are domestic and international destinations
that are bucking the trend and actually showing that prices are
down or holding steady compared to last year. Domestic -- San
Antonio, Texas -- U.S. Virgin Islands -- Aspen, Colo. -- Monterey,
Calif. -- Montrose, Colo. International -- Cancun -- Los Cabos --
Puerto Vallarta -- Bahamas -- Jamaica Top summer 2006 destinations
broken down by region of origin: -- Far West Region: Kahului Maui,
Honolulu, Los Cabos, Seattle, Orlando -- Great Lakes Region:
Orlando, Las Vegas, South Florida, Los Angeles, San Francisco --
Mid-Atlantic Region: Orlando, South Florida, Las Vegas, Seattle,
Los Angeles -- Midwest Region: Orlando, Las Vegas, Seattle, Los
Angeles, South Florida -- Northeast Region: Orlando, Las Vegas,
South Florida, San Francisco, London -- Pacific Northwest: Las
Vegas, Washington DC, Orlando, Los Angeles, Anchorage -- Pacific
Ocean Region: Lihue Kauai, Kona, Kahului Maui, Honolulu, San
Francisco -- Rocky Mountain Region: Las Vegas, New York, Orlando,
Anchorage, Los Angeles -- Southeast Region: Las Vegas, New York,
Seattle, San Francisco, Denver -- Southwest Region: Orlando, New
York, Las Vegas, Chicago, Seattle HOTELS: Ziff says it's still very
possible to find a great deal on hotels this summer and the surest
route to good bargains is to: -- Search for hotels that have a low
price guarantee. -- Buy in a bundle. This saves on air, hotel,
rental car and activities by accessing rates you wouldn't have
access to if buying a la carte. -- Look for value deals (for
example, if you're booking three nights, you may get the fourth
free). -- Book early to popular destinations, as some hotels have
begun applying more sophisticated revenue management practices and
will raise rates during high-occupancy periods. -- Consider booking
off-peak destinations where rates are lower than other times of the
year and travelers may be able to get a better value for the dollar
by upgrading to a fancier hotel. International and domestic
destinations where hotel rates are steady or lower year over year
include some surprises: -- International: London, Paris, Jamaica,
Bahamas, Barcelona -- Domestic: Las Vegas, Reno, Atlanta,
Nashville, Monterey, Calif. RENTAL CARS: When consumers were asked
about gas prices in a 2006 Travelocity survey, the majority (60
percent) said prices would not impact their road trip plans for the
summer. However, 34 percent acknowledged that they would. Of those
who said their trips would be impacted (stats according to
Travelocity's annual forecast poll -- Jan 2006): -- 26 percent said
they would fly instead of drive -- 8 percent would drive shorter
distances -- 10 percent would take shorter road trips -- 33 percent
plan to reduce the number of trips slightly -- 10 percent will
drastically reduce the number of trips planned To ensure travelers
get the best rates on rental cars, Ziff says to lock in rentals as
early as possible. "Travelers should look for any lodging
promotions that may help them offset the price of gas," said Ziff.
CRUISE FOR SUMMER BARGAINS: Cruise prices have been on the rise the
past few years, but the market is beginning to soften with some
excellent prices. In fact, Ziff says that a cruise offers one of
the best value-vacations this summer, and they appeal to the whole
family. To get the best bang for their buck, travelers should: --
Choose less popular itineraries. Consider a cruise up the Eastern
Seaboard. See scenic sites such as Bar Harbor, Prince Edward
Island, Quebec and more. -- Utilize drive up ports. -- Look for
repositioning cruises, which is when cruise ships transition from
year-round warm destinations to other, more seasonal regions. These
often offer excellent pricing and one-of-a-kind itineraries. For
more information visit www.travelocity.com.atoz or write to
askamy@travelocity.com. About Travelocity Travelocity is committed
to being the traveler's champion -- before, during and after the
trip and guarantees everything about a customer's booking will be
right. If it's not, Travelocity will work with its partners to make
it right, right away. This customer-driven focus, backed by live
24/7 phone support, great prices and powerful shopping technology
has made Travelocity the fifth largest travel agency in the U.S. --
booking $7.4 billion in travel worldwide in 2005. Based in
Southlake, Texas, Travelocity also owns and operates Travelocity
Business(SM) and GetThere for corporate travelers, lastminute.com,
a leader in European online travel and ZUJI, a leader in
Asia-Pacific online travel. Travelocity is owned by Sabre Holdings
Corporation (NYSE:TSG), a world leader in travel commerce.
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