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What's Hot This Summer? Going to Places You Can Afford! By Amy Ziff, Editor at Large
May 2007
Speaking of affordability, everyone I talk to wants to know exactly that. Are there any places that are affordable these days? The answer is yes. But you may not know that by looking at the papers and hearing how travel costs are ever soaring.
It's true that a lot of places are more expensive than they were last year. Especially Europe, but not all.
Here is my summer list of places to go where prices for airfare is actually down year over year. In Asia travel is up 17% this summer, and probably not surprisingly there are good fares to increasingly popular spots such as China, India and Sri Lanka. Central America and South America are also both experiencing growth, 14% and 7% respectively. Consider Belize, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Peru, Chile or Uruguay for a more affordable summer holiday. Travel to the Caribbean is booming this summer, up 23% year over year. The islands of Barbados, Trinidad & Tobago and Antigua and Barbuda all look more affordable than ever.
Europe on the whole isn't a great buy this summer. Sure there are a few places like the Ukraine, Poland, Lilthuania, Denmark, Austria, Italy and Spain which are sporting some decent pricing this summer, but mostly it's expensive and thus we're seeing demand to Europe is softening. But if it's the European feeling you seek -- I have ideas on where you can find many of the charms of Europe much closer to home, and most certainly for less moeny. Try Quebec City (the old walled city) which feels like you're in a French Village. Napa Wine Country is much like you'd find in the Rhone Valley in France. Stumble upon fantastic restaurants, shops and inns along the winery way. Woodstock,Vermont lets you dine on local produce at many of the restaurants. Take a bike ride in the mountains, it will feel like you're in the English Countryside of the Cotswolds.
And if none of these places are calling you and you still haven't booked yet you may want to consider a cruise for the summer of 2007. Cruise prices are a bargain offering sailings at prices we haven't seen since 2003.
Wherever you go this summer, may it be a safe and happy summer travel season for you and your family.
For more travel tips and advice, check out Amy Ziff's blog: The Window Seat, at http://windowseat.com@travelocity.com. To suggest a topic for a future column or to tell about a travel experience of your own, please email Amy Ziff at ask.amy@travelocity.com.
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