There's never been a better time to travel

I'm writing this Editor's Note on the eve of my family's annual spring school vacation trip which this year is a four-day driving vacation to Washington, D. C. It's a bit shorter than our usual spring break trip, and not as lavish as some past vacations to Disney World, but it better fit our budget plans in the current economic climate. And, at least we're getting away! Who knew our vacation strategy a shorter trip to a place withing a comfortable one-day driving distance, with myriad free attractions (there's no charge to visit any of the monuments, the Capitol though you do need a reservation we've learned or the Smithsonian museums and zoo) and plenty of budget-friendly places to dine near our hotel was right on target with the American trend toward travel planning for 2009. Yes, we're still travelling despite all the economic gloom and doom on the cable news channels and in the newspapers. We're just being a bit more savvy about our itineraries and destinations. "People are looking for value, and the values are there if people are flexible," Don Anderson, owner of The Cruise Store told me when I interviewed him for this month's feature on travel trends. Anderson said a willingness to travel on off-peak times, such as before or after school breaks, or to destinations that might not be as popular at certain times of the year can result in some impressive savings. "People may think that because the economy is down let's do a drive trip but the pricing [for other destinations] is great," said Sandra Marsian, vice president of membership, marketing and public relations for AAA of the Pioneer Valley, whom we also spoke with for the story. "There are all-inclusive Caribbean trips for under $1,000/person for a week, including food, air, alcohol and accommodations and sometimes, transfers" Bottom line, what I learned is that if you've been thinking about taking a vacation,, there's never been a better time to look into booking that trip. "People who are not in hard times and have funds- they may be able to go now," Marsian said. "In a year [ the industry] might be busier and they may not be able to afford the trip. This year you're going to save money. They may never offer [deals]like this again." As for us, well, after working on this month's piece, we and our extended family are talking about exchanging the four days we planned for at the Cape for a cruise! Debbie Gardner PRIME Editor dgardner@reminderpublications.com