Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Holidays a Great Time for Air Travel Deals

 
Photo by Chen Mizrach on Unsplash


The travel itch gets stronger during the holiday seasons when the opportunity to bond with family and friends presents itself.  Everyone is free from work and the kids are out of school.  What better way to do it than to travel together to exciting and romantic places? 

Holidays are also a great time for air travel deals when airlines outdo one another to get the most number of flyers and travelers.  Consequently, holidays become a time for air travel discounts and special rates.  These are called holiday airfare deals by many airlines.
Supply-and-demand economics tells us that slower days are probably the best days for snagging bargains, not to mention the convenience of less crowded conditions. But air travel is not always predictable.  Sometimes, the very slow days are excluded from airfare deals and discounted hotel rates which are instead reserved for holidays.
The most popular routes and destinations during the holiday season can be booked solid for six months or more in advance. Many others are available in the golden days of autumn, but the standard rule here is if you find an acceptable rate, book it. Waiting for a last-minute deal on a specific route is usually a bad idea because rates often rise steadily in November for December travel.

Online air ticket booking makes it easier to find and book travel packages at great prices.  With the right travel website, you can save even more by booking your flight, hotel, and car rental together.  This is because some travel websites work closely with top travel brands to ensure that you get the best vacation deals possible.  

The more popular travel websites offer discount vacation packages to the most sought-after destinations around the globe.  You may go on an all-inclusive vacation to kid-friendly destinations, romantic and leisure travel.  Choosing the right vacation package has never been easier or more affordable.  Check out some suggestions in the "Deals by Destination" or "Deals by Interest" sections. Whichever selection you choose, you can be sure that you will get where you want to go at a price that’s easy on the pocketbook. 

So when you get the urge to travel, do it in time for the holidays.

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Where Christmas Travel is Fun and Enjoyable

 
The holiday season is on for travelers to fly to places where they can partake of Christmas fairs, buy traditional souvenirs, taste the national Christmas dishes of different countries, and listen to festive music that celebrates the birth of Christ.  In Europe and neighboring countries, the centers of holiday travel are Finland, the Czech Republic, London, Maldives, Hungary, and Germany.  Come New Year Brazil will be the focus of holiday celebrations.    

Finland tops the list of holiday travelers because this is where the real Santa Claus supposedly lives.   So visitors there will be treated at Santa’s house where they are taken for a ride on a reindeer-pulled carriage.  You can also go dog sledding, snowboarding, snowmobiling, and skiing.

Accommodation may be a cozy cottage in Lapland or a hotel in Helsinki.  Christmas in nearby Kemi features an ice festival, during which the enthusiasts build lifesize snow hotels in which tourists can spend the night. There are countless winter activities such as the “games of the first snow” and “Rally in the Hills,” Winter Games in Ounasvaara, “Polar Trails,” and “Arctic Golf Santa Claus.”

For visitors who prefer skiing, the ski resorts of the Czech Republic are an excellent choice.  This country is also noted for Carlsbad, where people bathe in outdoor thermal springs during winter.   From December 5 to 24, the capital Prague turns into a huge Christmas fair. 

The music-minded travelers usually head for London at this time of year when Christmas music festivals are held at the Royal Festival Hall. 

But for those who yearn for Gypsy music, Hungary is the place where a Hungarian music and wine festival is held in Budapest with the participation of the world-famous Gypsy Orchestra.  After the celebrations, everyone will be able to plunge into the hot mineral springs, which are so many throughout Hungary.

Daily shows also await Christmas travelers in Germany, specifically in Nuremberg where the Christmas market called Kriskindlesmarkt is held along with daily shows.  The Largest Christmas beer festival will present 75 beer brands for beer lovers in the Belgian city of Essen.  

Christmas celebrations are also worth experiencing in Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Vietnam, and Maldives.  For those who want a warmer Christmas, they may go to Brazil, where New Year’s Eve becomes a fiery carnival centering on the beaches of Copacabana.  The only thing to remember is that the organizers expect more than 2 million participants in the night festivities, which means that even a ticket to the beach on the subway should be bought in advance.