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What's Happening in the travel industry right now?
WOW!!! The economy is finally coming back up and people are beginning to book travel again.
The airlines are still charging outrageous prices on fares, they still charge for checked luggage unless you are traveling first class, and if you want something to eat, you still have to pay for it except on international flights. From Memphis, the best deals can be found with AirTran where you can upgrade to first class for up to $79. It is worth every penny, and I upgrade whenever possible. Outside of Memphis, try Southwest where everyone has the same chance at good seats.
Where cruises are concerned, there are some really great rates out there. If you are traveling out of New Orleans, Mobile, or Galveston and can drive to those ports, you will save a fortune in airfare. Carnival, RCCL, and NCL are all sailing out of these ports.
Don't forget to check out travel insurance. Here is my take on it. Do you drive your car or own your home with insurance? Do you have health insurance? If you are traveling outside the United State and you are if you go on any cruise, check with your health insurance carrier and get a copy of the page that says you are covered outside the continental USA. I'm willing to bet you aren't. If you aren't, then you need travel insurance. If you pay a little more and purchase the cancel for any reason, then you are going to get back 75% of what you paid for your trip and it doesn't matter why. Contact me at 662-288-9052, and I will send you the forms. You just cannot take the chance of not having coverage if you are on a trip and you aren't covered.
Don't forget that the best way to travel is to contact your professional travel consultant before you make your plans so that you can be aware of all of the changes that are coming your way. Our agents are constantly in training to keep up with the industry trends, so call us today.
Patricia Bannister, owner of Bannister Travel
Is Travel Slowing Down?
12/30/20085:19:20 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment
Is The Economy Slowing Down Travel?
The biggest question in the travel industry right now is whether travel is slowing down or if our clients are still traveling.
I can tell you that Bannister Travel's clients are still traveling. Just because money is tight doesn't mean we have to stop traveling. If you are used to flying somewhere on vacation, try going on a cruise out of a port that you can drive from. Not purchasing airfare can save you a lot of money and with the money you save, you can upgrade to a balcony from an interior stateroom and have money left over.
In our area, we have Mobile, Alabama and New Orleans, LA, and Gaveston, TX which are all within driving distance from the Mid-South area.
Our clients are taking 4, 5 and 7 day cruises out of these ports. We have 2 large group that is going out of New Orleans in January and another that is going out in February. Going in a group will help keep your costs down as well.
If you don't like cruising, you can drive to Nashville, St. Louis, Atlanta, Birmingham, Panama City, Branson, Gatlinburg, and any number of other places where you can have a great vacation and save that airfare money for something else.
Is the economy down? You bet it is. Does that have to change your vacation plans? Maybe a little, but at Bannister Travel, we are finding ways for our clients to have a great vacation with family and/or friends while staying within a budget that the clients set.
Call one of our agents today and let them help you plan a vacation. You can find them listed under "About Us" on our website.
Patricia Bannister, owner of Bannister Travel, 662-288-9052
