Travelocity data shows cost for summer travel lower than many thought

August 19, 2008 | Online Travel

With all the media hype surrounding the high cost of everything travel related - from gas to airfare - Travelocity decided to take a closer look at how much more travelers actually paid for their summer vacations.

Using airfare and hotel data of trips actually consumed by customers in July 2008 compared to July 2007, Travelocity was able to identify 14 major U.S. cities where the price difference of a vacation that included a flight and five-night hotel stay was less than $50.

�There�s no arguing that the cost of air travel is up,� said Amy Ziff, Travelocity�s editor-at-large. �But the mistake many travelers make is ending their vacation search based on that alone. Hotel pricing in many cities has stayed relatively flat compared to 2007. The hotel stay is typically the most expensive part of any vacation, so steady, and in some cases, decreasing prices means that skipping the vacation this year may not be necessary.�

*Fourteen popular cities with less than a $50 price difference include:

Atlanta: $13.16 more

Austin: $14.32 more

Boston: $26.28 more

Charleston: $43.39 more

Chicago: -$39.08 less

Denver: $30.16 more

Las Vegas: $3.68 more

Los Angeles: $34.53 more

Orlando: $20.81 more

San Diego: $0.88 more

San Francisco: $43.05 more

Seattle: $6.55 more

South Florida: -$8.92 less

Washington, DC: $33.57 more

To be fair, certain cities did see a more significant increase in ADR (average daily rate) in July 2008 over the year prior. New York City was one popular destination that didn�t make the $50-or-less criteria set forth by Travelocity. Instead, it saw an increase of approximately $132. �The increase in hotel pricing in New York may be related to an influx of international tourists and a strong enough demand for hotel rooms that boosts the ADR,� said Ziff. According to NYC & Company, New York City�s official marketing, tourism and partnership organization, New York City is the number one U.S. destination for international visitors in terms of tourism spending.

While travelers may find comfort in the news that many cities may not be as expensive as they thought, $50 can still be a budget breaker for some � especially families. To offset any additional cost, Travelocity offers the following tips:

- Book a vacation package. Bundling your flight, hotel, and any extras like a rental car together will save $240 on average.

- Take advantage of every promotion. For example, $50 off any 3-night Hotel + Activity package in California. In Colorado, $75 off any 4-night Flight + Hotel vacation. These promotions do have some restrictions, as well as limited availability. See Travelocity.com for more detailed information.

- Book a GoodBuy Hotel: Pre-paying for specially negotiated, discounted hotel rooms guarantees you a low price � plus, for a limited time, you get $50 off many properties when you book a 3-night stay on your MasterCard.

- Look for freebies: Many hotels offer �free night� promotions with a certain length of stay; resorts in the Caribbean and Mexico offer �kids stay free� promotions.