Book Summer Trips Now or Risk Missing out on Deals, Industry Leaders Alert Travelers at Summit

Americans are waving off 'staycations' in 2010 and hitting the roads and skies, according to leading travel executives from Best Western International, AAA and Airfarewatchdog.com who convened last week to discuss the leisure travel landscape.

With the increase in demand, hotel rooms are filling up fast. Dorothy Dowling, Best Western's senior vice president of sales and marketing, is tracking an increase in advance bookings from May through September as well as an increase in the average length of stay. Dowling says these trends will put greater pressure on demand at hotels and recommends booking travel now in order to secure the best deals.

"Demand is back, and rooms can be found for a great value," said Dowling. "Travelers have an advantage, but it won't last long. Those looking to vacation in a premium destination such as New York, Orlando or any national park need to research and make a commitment now to actually get a room."

Capacity cuts and mergers among airlines, along with continued surcharges, are keeping rates high. George Hobica, creator of Airfarewatchdog.com, said that, "fare deals will be few and far between" this summer.

"If you see something within your price range, grab it," advises Hobica. "Airfares to Europe are at an all-time high so a traveler's best bet is to stay domestic, though bargains will still be hard to come by. Train travel is another affordable option for travelers to consider."

There are many signs that the economy is improving and consumer confidence is growing, which are positive signs for the travel industry, according to Glen MacDonell, Director of AAA Travel Services. The association is hoping to see a large increase in the number of travelers when its Memorial Day holiday forecast is released later this month.

"Travel by automobile is expected to remain the most popular way to travel," said MacDonell. "AAA is committed to providing information to its members on the go and recently updated AAA Mobile Web to provide easy access on any web-enabled mobile phone to AAA TourBook information and locations of discount and AAA Approved Auto Repair. We also have three iPhone apps available to assist members in finding discounts, requesting roadside assistance, finding AAA Approved Rated Restaurants and Hotels and locating fuel stations."

Leisure travel expert and editor of OnTheGoWithAmy.com, Amy Graff, said that staycations and one-tank trips are a thing of the past, and that families are looking to book themed travel in 2010.

"People are looking to find unique vacation experiences for their families. Michelle Obama's 'Get Fit' campaign is inspiring active vacations, and more parents are looking into educational vacations that teach their kids in a fun way. Agritourism and culinary vacations will continue to grow in popularity."

For a complete recap of the roundtable discussion, a podcast is available here.

ABOUT BEST WESTERN INTERNATIONAL, INC.

Best Western International, Inc. is THE WORLD'S LARGEST HOTEL CHAIN(R), providing marketing, reservations and operational support to over 4,000* independently owned and operated member hotels in 80* countries and territories worldwide. An industry pioneer since 1946, Best Western has grown into an iconic brand that hosts 400,000* worldwide guests each night. Equally committed to the business and leisure traveler, Best Western recently embarked on a mission to lead the hotel industry in customer care. World Vision is the charity of choice for Best Western in building the world's largest family, with our hotels and staff sponsoring children in need around the globe. Our partnerships with AAA(R)/CAA(R), Michael Waltrip Racing(TM) and Harley-Davidson(R) help guests make the most of every trip. For the fastest way to a free night globally, join Best Western Rewards(R). For more information or to make a reservation, please visit www.bestwestern.com.

*Numbers are approximate and can fluctuate.

ABOUT AAA

As North America's largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides more than 51 million members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services. Since its founding in 1902, the not-for-profit, fully tax-paying AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers. AAA clubs can be visited on the Internet at AAA.com.

ABOUT AIREFAREWATCHDOG.COM

Airfarewatchdog.com is an airfare alert and advice site that notifies consumers when airfares are good buys. It is the only airfare alert site that includes fares on Southwest and Allegiant Airlines, and the only one that sends out alerts using airline promo codes. Rather than relying on computer programs, airfarewatchdog employs seasoned airfare analysts to hand pick only the best value bargains.