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The deals out there in the travel marketplace are the best they've been in just about forever.

Hotels.com reports that hotel rates are down 17 percent year over year. That's a very large drop in price. Clark typically uses Priceline and Hotwire to book his hotels and he's found some very decent accommodations in the $30 range. Top tier four-star hotels, meanwhile, are going for $65-$75. The luxury end of the business is offering some of the best bargains in the form of packages. That means you'll get value-added services -- free meals, free spa treatments, etc. -- bundled in with the price of a room.

Airlines are also offering great deals. If you have tons of frequent flier miles, try cashing them in to fly international front of cabin.

Car rentals are the one segment of travel that has gone up in price. The car rental companies sensed the softening economy and refused to buy new fleet cars, thus driving down supply. Clark suggests booking your car rental when you book your flight. Then one week before your trip, re-shop your car rental. You may find a slightly better deal this way.

Finally, cruises are a deal too -- even though many companies are focusing on overseas markets instead of domestic cruising. But with the weakening dollar, Clark would prefer to do Europe by land rather than by sea.

What others are saying

Travel Deals (or it seems like lack of)
Since the recession took hold Clark has talked again and again about travel deals out there.I've been to Hotwire and Priceline to find pretty much what I was finding before the recession and not much else. I don't know where the deals are but it's been nowhere I've been going.
By Robert @ 10/07/09 02:36:57 AMreport abuse
Don't Get Excited
While 'airfares', room rates and rental car rates may have gone down, the out-of-pocket expenses has gone up. What good is a $287 airfare to Moscow when the out-of-pocket expense is $629 inclusive. Rental car abuse is just as bad or even worse. A rental car rate of $12 can easily double to $24 or more. What happened to 'truth in advertising'?? The consumer is hit with a plethora of taxes, fees, surcharges, paying for airport concessionaires, out-of-state stadiums, rental facilities, state, county, city taxes, and on and on.....
By J.J. @ 10/06/09 08:16:47 PMreport abuse
Cheap travel
The mistake the hotels made is they went after the business traveler end of the market and in doing so chased away the leasure traveler. To get the leasure traveler back will take sometime.
Airlines have foregotten how to do business. People don't have the extra funds to travel, they also don't like the attitueds of the PSA or the airline personnel or for that matter the fares that have risen because of the fees and taxes ect.
As for the car rentals that situation is the conclusion that applies to the other segments of travel and that is these businesses are thinking only of themselves and not the traveler. The traveler on the other hand is thinking of himself and says no thanks.
Someone will come along as they have in the past and they want to make a go of it and will do what it takes to earn the travelers business.
By Jim @ 10/05/09 04:59:30 PMreport abuse

Travel Deals (or it seems like lack of)

Since the recession took hold Clark has talked again and again about travel deals out there.I've been to Hotwire and Priceline to find pretty much what I was finding before the recession and not much else. I don't know where the deals are but it's been nowhere I've been going.

By Robert @ 10/07/09 02:36:57 AMreport abuse

Don't Get Excited

While 'airfares', room rates and rental car rates may have gone down, the out-of-pocket expenses has gone up. What good is a $287 airfare to Moscow when the out-of-pocket expense is $629 inclusive. Rental car abuse is just as bad or even worse. A rental car rate of $12 can easily double to $24 or more. What happened to 'truth in advertising'?? The consumer is hit with a plethora of taxes, fees, surcharges, paying for airport concessionaires, out-of-state stadiums, rental facilities, state, county, city taxes, and on and on.....

By J.J. @ 10/06/09 08:16:47 PMreport abuse

Cheap travel

The mistake the hotels made is they went after the business traveler end of the market and in doing so chased away the leasure traveler. To get the leasure traveler back will take sometime.
Airlines have foregotten how to do business. People don't have the extra funds to travel, they also don't like the attitueds of the PSA or the airline personnel or for that matter the fares that have risen because of the fees and taxes ect.
As for the car rentals that situation is the conclusion that applies to the other segments of travel and that is these businesses are thinking only of themselves and not the traveler. The traveler on the other hand is thinking of himself and says no thanks.
Someone will come along as they have in the past and they want to make a go of it and will do what it takes to earn the travelers business.

By Jim @ 10/05/09 04:59:30 PMreport abuse

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Oct 05, 2009 -- Save more on Clark Smart travel

What others are saying