January is traditionally the least expensive travel month of the year (and the coldest!). My suggestion is to stop worrying about taking your holiday decorations down and just run away for a week in the warm sunshine - sip a Margarita or two and scrunch your toes in the sand. You'll find incredible deals for all-inclusive Caribbean resorts on sites like CheapCaribbean.com, AppleVacations.com and TravelZoo.com. On selected weeks this winter you can vacation for a week at an all inclusive resort in Mexico or the Dominican Republic for just over $1,000 per person including air!
January also brings "Wave Week" from the cruise industry. The lowest cruise prices of the year are traditionally offered during Wave Week promotions. Keep a keen eye of sites like VacationsToGo.com, TravelZoo.com and Cruise.com to snag some deeply discounted cruises this winter.
It will be very hard to find a destination cheaper than Las Vegas in 2010. The combination of new resorts just opening (City Center, Trump, and Hard Rock), coupled with a dramatic reduction in convention business means luxury resorts are discounting like never before. It's likely you'll be able to find deluxe Las Vegas rooms priced less than anywhere else in the country. Combine a cheap hotel room with all those low cost buffets and the spectacular stage shows, and you have the makings of a memorable vacation. Be sure to visit TravelZoo.com to find deeply discounted show tickets.
Where ever you travel, price resorts and services you've never been able to afford before - you might be pleasantly surprised at how much they've been discounted. Four and five star resorts are regularly offering 30-50% off when you stay additional nights. (Stay 2 nights get 1 free etc.) Sandals Resorts are continuing their 65% off sale into 2010. Resorts are throwing in the extras like complimentary breakfast; kids eat and stay free, spa services and even free rounds of golf. The airlines also have more room at the top. Business and First Class seats will see big promotions during 2010 as corporations set travel policies restricting travel to coach class. It will also be a great time to try to use your frequent flyer miles to obtain seating in Business or First Class as more seats will be open.
Watch for Europe to put out the welcome matt with gusto this spring. With passengers reluctant to take international journeys after the Christmas bomber incident, Europe will feel the pinch more than usual. Keep an eye out for sites like Gate1Travel.com, GoToday.com, and VacationsToGo.com to offer terrific pricing for trips to Europe. We'll also likely see fabulous prices on European cruises. They have a short season to fill their cabins and they'll be running great specials to get you on board.
There's a growing trend in vacation lodging that is expanding by the day - homes, villas, condos and apartments for lease by the day, week or month. Folks who have been unable to sell their vacation properties have listed them on 'For Rent By Owner' sites, and as the volume of choices increases, the deals and specials escalate as well. Check out the deals page at VacationRentals.com to begin your search.
For anyone with a free spirit who just wants a bed to sleep in, the internet has opened a whole new world of beds and couches for rent (and many times for free). The popular site CouchSurfing.com is a great place to begin - they have communities for everyone from college students to retired adventurers.
2010 is very likely to be a big year for road trips. Gas prices are expected to remain fairly stable and airline attitudes will dampen our desire to fly away. It will be a great year to tune in to regional bed and breakfast associations and watch for seasonal promotions. For New England, become a member of the "Inn Crowd" with deals on the NewEnglandInnsandResorts.com site. For the West Coast, you'll find gorgeous inns and lodges at UniqueInns.com/specials.
2010 will be filled with opportunities to venture out and meet new people and experience wonderful places. Save your pennies and add some adventure to your life!
No comments:
Post a Comment