Dollars and Sense

• By COLETTE DEAN
• Special to The Advocate
• Published: Apr 26, 2009

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The downturn in the economy shouldn’t keep anyone from taking a vacation.

Local travel experts say as long as travelers are smart about planning a trip, staying home for vacation shouldn’t be the only option.

“I tell my clients they really do need to take a mental break, even more so when times are tough,” said Vicki S. Burkhardt, senior travel consultant with Malcolm Travel.

“They may not be able to stay as long, and they’ll have to stick to their budget, but they should still take a break,” she said.

Melanie Williams, travel consultant with Gulf South Travel, said booking trips early – as in months in advance – will save money. Carnival Cruise has an “Early Saver Program” that offers substantial discounts on five-day or shorter cruises, as long as they are booked months ahead of time.

Las Vegas has significant savings on hotel stays during the week rather than higher-priced weekends. Other economical destinations are San Antonio, Texas; Branson, Mo.; Gatlinburg, Tenn.; and family favorite Disney World in Orlando, Fla. Those are within driving distance, which helps keep costs down.

“If you book early enough, Disney has been offering special packages for families that include all meals,” said Williams.

Being flexible with travel dates always helps cut costs, the agents said.

“If you travel during the times while kids are in school, you can save a lot of money,” Williams said.

Cindy Chambers, manager at Pearson’s Travel World, offered a warning for travelers looking for a good deal: read the fine print, especially when booking online.

“The ads I’ve seen for cruises offering these incredible deals don’t mention the port taxes, government fees and may not include food costs,” Chambers said. “Once a customer books a trip, unfortunately, we can’t help them get a refund.”

Williams said using a travel agent saves money.

“The best thing about using a travel agent is we use reputable tour operators. Also, most of the time, the trip does not need to be paid for up front. We only ask for deposits when booking the trip, and you can make gradual payments prior to departure.”