May 22, 2008 5:35 pm US/Eastern
Cash-Strapped Families Seek Out Vacations Deals
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
Next week is the beginning of the summer travel season. With family budgets already feeling strained, many people will be looking for the best possible values.
Erin Randolph was hoping for a deal when she started shopping for an airfare overseas. She was shocked at the initial prices she found.
"When I was looking at the airline Web sites, they were pretty much $1,400," she said.
Anne Banas of Smartertravel.com in Charlestown says that's a pretty typical experience these days.
"Airfares keep going up. There are a lot of fees being tacked onto your base fare, so airfare is going to be very expensive in the coming months," she said.
Banas also said that although domestic fares are typically more affordable than going abroad, she's surprised at just how expensive Europe has become.
"I find that Europe has gone up astronomically. Where you used to see a route for $800 a couple of years ago, now it is up to $1,300 to $1,500," Banas said.
Throw in a bad exchange rate and more people are staying stateside. Bookings to France, for example, are down 15 percent this year.
"There are a lot of great deals right now. Oddly enough Las Vegas has been unseasonably cheap this year," Banas said. "There have just been tons of great hotel offers."
Despite the high price of gas, many people will be staying closer to home and driving this year. That means well known spots will fill up fast. Banas advised that vacationers "plan early if you want to stay locally, especially to popular destinations like Martha's Vineyard or Cape Cod. A lot of people are going to try to save money by staying at a vacation home.
One of the benefits of a vacation is to be able to cook your meals in.
Another option is to think outside the box. Look for a mountain getaway where it might be more popular in the winter. It is actually cheaper in the summer, so you can go to places like Killington and Stowe, Vermont and save a bundle. You can go hiking, kayaking, mountain biking, and they tend to have a lot of great things for the kids.
One idea for those who have their hearts set on going abroad is to head south. There are deals to be had in Mexico and South America.
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