(Nexstar) – Some families may be eliminating travel this year to save money as Americans feel their wallets are growing thinner and thinner. But for those who still want to leave town, there is a deal to find.
Even though the tourism industry has been in a tough year, American travelers have been lucky to find good deals and crowded hotspots.
“It’s two,” said Becky Blaine, senior editor at Point Guy. “On the one hand, many destinations and hotels offer deals to attract visitors. On the other hand, there can be fewer overall visits. That means places like national parks may not be that crowded.”
“Look back at the first summer of 2020 with Covid,” she continued. “I personally took my family on a nine-day trip to the Western national park. We went through Utah, to Wyoming, to Yellowstone and the spectacular Tetons and Arch National Park.
We haven’t experienced any travel disruptions in 2020, but there are still major questions about how tourism is declining this year.
“We’re staring at uncertainty in many ways this summer,” Blaine said.
Towns near the national park are concerned that a decline in summer travel means a decline in tourist dollars.
Other places that rely heavily on international tourism have also had an impact. For example, the Las Vegas Tourism Report released last month shows that visits and hotel occupancy have declined year-over-year.
If you’re looking for a hotel deal, consider a “tear one” destination for Blaine.
“When you say ‘Tia One’, it’s usually the first place for new people coming to the US.
Places like New York, California and Florida are popular with international travelers, but they may now aim to attract domestic tourists, where prices are now lowered. The West of the United States and its impressive landscape are usually a major draw for European travelers as well. It may appear this year.
“Anexually, I was doing research for my own vacation the first week of June,” Blaine said in mid-May. “You can still book a cabin at Grand Teton National Park. You can book a camping spot at Grand Canyon National Park. That’s unprecedented.”
Those looking for cheap travel need to keep their eyes open and in a state due to sales and limited deals, Blaine said. She has had some hot sales in May for $449 (usually over $800), including a round-trip flight from New York to Hawaii. For bookings with points, American Airlines was worth a lot in Barcelona and Air France had traded with Athens, she said. Point Guy and other travel publications regularly post these types of transactions.
Flexibility is key to saving you a lot on your trip this year. If you are open in terms of timing and destination, read on about travel sales and picking from there. You can also explore Google Flights. This allows you to explore cheap flights anywhere in the world from your home airport.
“Explore that map, look at the US and start off like that, ‘Hey, I want to go somewhere. I’m flexible. Who has the cheap airfare?” And if you don’t have a particular place that has particular in mind, start like that. โ
School-age children-free people should consider taking summer vacation a little later in September or October when prices tend to drop across the board. Blaine advised that you can also save cash on holidays, like July 4th.