For the largest travel websites; Travel deals are generated when they buy airline tickets, hotels, and rental cars in bulk and then resell them to the general public at discounted rates.
The same goes for discount cruise deals and top vacation spots. He who has the cash flow to buy trips in bulk does very well in reselling.
However, there is another travel offer that is constantly being generated that is not generally known to the general public. These are the travel deals created by the smaller resorts and off the beaten path travel spots.
With any sight unseen purchase you run the risk that the vacation will NOT be what you expected. You can be pretty sure your accommodation will be as advertised when you shop on the big travel websites.
This brings us to why “travel review” sites are so popular. You can go to any of these sites and read what other travelers have written about the destination you are interested in visiting.
This brings us to another concern for the independent traveler; Unless he knows exactly where he wants to travel, he may never know about the exciting, wonderful, beautiful, and affordable travel deals around the world that have been totally safe for Americans in the past.
Getting small private resorts, travel agencies and travel providers to be consistent with their marketing efforts has not been successful. In the past, their ad campaigns have been hit or miss, from time to time. Unless a cash flow rich travel agency decides to promote one of these small and unique travel destinations in the San Francisco Chronicle or the New York Times; hidden travel locations may never be known to the general public.
Yes, this is a time when we need to be extremely aware of our surroundings, regardless of which county we are in; but we don’t have to leave the US to find really nice exotic places only on the east coast or the hidden islands and the coast off the southern states here in the US.
Travel agents receive press releases and flyers about remodeled, cheap, small, and out-of-the-way resorts through their fax lines all the time. It is one thing for them to receive this information and another to promote it. And why should they? Good entrepreneurs promote what will increase their income! And many of the travelers go to the bigger travel sites for vacation packages.
So for the independent traveler who wants more from their travel experience, research is key. He doesn’t have to leave the US to find new and exciting places to travel. However, you must take the time to find them.
