Voice of Travel

One of the best parts of the Travel Show that I attended last Saturday was getting to attend a seminar given by Arthur Frommer and his daughter Pauline Frommer. The title of their seminar was “The Top Travel Bargains for the Year Ahead”, and boy did they give some good suggestions! Plus, it’s Arthur Frommer! You can’t go to the travel section of any bookstore without seeing many of his books. Who wouldn’t love the chance to hear what he has to say?

I knew this was a seminar not to miss because last year I had gone to the same one (with very different bargains!) and it was a great hour. This year the suggestions were very different from last year’s, and I would love to share some of their suggestions. Maybe it will help you decide where to go on your next vacation!

• China – From now until the summer Olympics start, and then starting again the week after the Olympics end for another few months, China is going to be a great deal. The exchange rate is pretty good, and you can book an entire trip that is 1-2 weeks long (including airfare, hotel, etc..) for under $2,000 per person.
• Vietnam – This is becoming a more popular tourist destination, and prices are still very low to visit.
• Panama City – Pauline Frommer referred to Panama City as “Costa Rica without the crowds”. In other words, there are still some amazing things to do and see, but since it isn’t as popular or built up yet, it’s not only inexpensive, but less crowded. (I have to tell you, after leaving the seminar the first thing I did was go back to the vendors that had information on Panama! I look forward to reading them.)
• Costa Rica – As is widely known, Costa Rica is a great place to vacation, and prices are still pretty low to visit.
• Utila or Roatan (Both are part of the Bay Islands off of Honduras) – These are also very inexpensive, and are beautiful places to vacation. (I spent a day on Roatan as part of a cruise that I took a few years ago, and it was a fun day.)
• U.S. National Parks – With the dollar being so low, it’s expensive to travel to many countries! The U.S. National Parks are kept in good condition, it’s really cheap to get in, and can be a lot of fun!
• Kenya – If their new elections stick, Kenya will soon be a great place to visit. You will be able to go on an amazing African Safari, and it won’t be very expensive.

Arthur and Pauline Frommer also had some other suggestions on how to make your next trip less expensive. Next week I’ll share some of those suggestions! Tomorrow I’ll share a few deals to show you how good some of these destinations can be!