Booking a trip is so much easier when you know what to expect, isn't it? Your friend went to Paris and recommended a B&B that was fantastique; your mother-in-law sung the praises of a hotel in Santa Fe. That’s why Travelocity’s non-biased Customer Reviews and IgoUgo reviews are so helpful. Not only can you use them to get the scoop on that great deal you’re considering---is it close to the center of town? Will it be suitable for kids? How much is the parking?--but you can add your own two cents when you come home from a trip, and make someone else’s life a little easier when they’re deciding where to stay.

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Posted in Industry Beat, Trip Tips
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Spring Break is here again. If spring break happens year after year after year -- why is this one different? Well for one, because it's the spring break that shouldn't be happening. We've all been hearing all about a possible recession. We're all feeling the pinch. Real estate, consumer confidence, spending it's all been looking rather bleak. And yet, for inexplicable reasons this spring break people are still traveling. In droves.

So lets stretch beyond these puzzling facts and just say – clearly Americans want their vacation time. Even if prices are high and they must scrimp elsewhere in order to take it. That means that this year with high prices continually on the rise, travelers booking further in advance than ever – it's increasingly helpful to know where to find the deals.

I took a look at pricing data and here's the skinny on where to find good pricing this spring break.

Picture from IgoUgo member btwood2

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Let’s face it--Americans have always been about bigger and better, from 10-gallon hats to Big 10 universities. And who can blame us? We’ve always been a country of hardworking go-getters. We deserve high quality. Travel should be no exception to the rule.

One problem with this approach, though, is that the usual desired effects of travel--mental health, bonding, fond memories--are not always easily quantifiable. What we end up remembering as our “best” travel experiences are often spontaneous, and even mundane. You can’t predestine everything.

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Posted in Budget Travel, Industry Beat, Offbeat, Road Trips
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