With the recent trends in Caribbean travel, we wanted to share some tips that will help you save money this year:
1. Airlines - Secure your flights soon, the earlier the better. More seats are available than ever before. The more seats available at the time of purchase, the cheaper they will be. Airlines will continue to cut costs by unbundling services to generate more revenue. Many airlines are now charging for all checked baggage thus costing the traveler more. Watch for promotions and opportunities to upgrade for a fee at check-in. New routes have been announced recently by airlines such as AirTran and JetBlue, so look for promotions for these new routes as they try to build a customer base.
2. Hotels & Resorts - Go for the gusto! Bargain and mid-range hotels can only discount their rates so far. With so many travelers staying at these hotels, occupancy for upper tier properties is on the slide. This is an advantage for the budget traveler as these properties have been forced to deeply discount their rooms to increase occupancy. Look for promotions with free nights or upgrades and added values such as complimentary breakfast, golf or tours. Cruises are cheap which means the ships are running at capacity. Cruise lines are also unbundling services to increase revenue, so consider a land + air package at an all-inclusive resort. The all-inclusive resorts in the Caribbean are offering incredible pricing right now.
3. Travel Packages - Suppliers offering vacation packages will continue to offer better package deals than the traveler booking the components separately. Be sure to check auction sites as there has been a decrease in bidders, but an increase in offers. This can mean huge savings for savvy bidders.
4. Vacation Homes - You may want to consider checking vacation home prices for your destination. The downturn in the economy has freed up many villas throughout the Caribbean, forcing the properties to slash their rental prices. Imagine staying in a private home away from home for the same cost as a hotel room, or even lower!
These trends in Caribbean travel will continue this year. Save money and take advantage of all the deals that are out there!
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