Whether you plan to crisscross the country in a Winnebago, take to the skies on a trip to Austria, or set sail on a high seas adventure in the Caribbean, the following information might affect your travel plans.
WEAK DOLLAR
It’s no secret the weak dollar is affecting travel to Europe and other parts of the world. (Or, in the words of my brother who just returned from Canada: “The American dollar and Canadian dollar are equal for crying out loud.”) What’s more, according to a recent United States Tour Operators Association survey, 50% of its members have reported a drop-off in European bookings for 2008. Instead of Europe, it appears many people are opting to make 2008 the year they visit places such as Panama, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Peru, and Belize.
HIDDEN FEES
No matter where you travel be aware of the increasing number of hidden fees being added in all sectors of the travel industry. According to travel experts, in 2007 hotels charged $2 billion in hidden fees, up from $1.6 billion in 2006. Resorts around the country are hitting travelers with cancellation fees (hotels requiring notice up to a week or two weeks in advance, rather than the once-standard 24-hour notice) and add-on fees for room service, and even fees for delivering a package to a room, and for turndown service in the evening. And it doesn’t help that the average hotel price is up 5.6% over last year, according to AAA. Which brings me to a worthy travel tip: Look for alternative accommodations such as apartment rentals, home rentals, private B&B’s, even monasteries are going to charge less for a room than most standard hotels.
HIGH GAS PRICES
This collective thorn in travelers’ sides doesn’t appear to be letting up in 2008. If you can’t afford to drive across the country consider taking advantage of national parks close to your home. Yellowstone, Yosemite, and the Grand Canyon are wonderful attractions, but if you live in Wisconsin traveling to them might bust your family’s budget. I wouldn’t cut out a family trip all together, instead consider taking smaller drives and shorter vacations.