Summer Season Brings Great Travel Deals

(CBS)  Want to really get away?

"Now is probably the best season to travel," said Roger Dow, the president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association.

In big tourist destinations, hotels have resorted to slashing room rates. Stays in Las Vegas, New York and Honolulu dropped by at least 20 percent, according to Travelocity.com. Nationally, the average room will cost you $142 this summer, down from $165 last year. And that's not all.

"You find many hotels are offering free breakfast, some of the luxury hotels I've seen are offering $200 towards spa or golf," said Dow. "I've seen others that offer three nights for the price of two - so it's a good deal to shop."

Deals are good, because business is bad, reports CBS News correspondent Michelle Miller. Out of the 4.5 million hotel rooms nationwide, occupancy rates are expected to slip below 56 percent this year, down from 60 percent in 2008.

Beverly Banton has made up rooms at the Sheraton New York for 14 years and has never seen times so tough.

"We used to have like three room attendants on each floor, now we only have one," Banton said.

Her boss, Dan King, was forced to lay off or reduce hours for about 300 employees this year.

"Our business is down 25 percent," King said. "You have to think about the ripple effect. Not just our associates in this hotel, but look around - cab drivers and the theaters and the stores."

Seventeen million Americans make their living from the travel and tourism industry, which creates 2.4 million jobs every year. Since the recession started, some 400,000 jobs have been lost.

A third of tourism dollars comes from business travel, and corporations are scaling back, canceling small meetings to large conferences - anything that might be considered extravagant at a time when companies are laying off workers.

Fancy retreats are no longer in vogue in South Florida, where hotel reservations are down almost 12 percent from this time last year.

"The sunshine is free and it's fantastic, but I think people almost feel guilty about coming down and spending two free hours on the beach," said Jim Mauer, the general manager of Marriott's Harbor Beach Resort.

Those deals on the beach may not last beyond summer. The hotel industry is expecting modest rebound in bookings this fall.

[sinibaldi1]

Summer resort.

You live
in the youth
of a summer
resort, your
delicate voice
appears in
my mind like
a winged creature,
and even a
pleasure describes
in a moment
a bright sensibility.

Francesco Sinibaldi

[clancy49]

Okay President Obama and Congress. You signed a Credit Card Bill and told us to act responsibly. Now you say travel cause its cheap? What do you want us to do? This is Bush de ja vous. Be afraid of terrorists but you need to travel. Americans can no longer deal with these conflicting political statements. Last year I took a short four day vacation in State. It cost me. I can't afford a vacation. Well I could if I charged it. I'm acting responsibly and not taking any vacation. But I should travel? I can't afford it so I go without. What about the people that count on people taking vacations? I don't have the answer. Do you Mr. President and Congress. Stop talking out of the both sides of your mouths.

[SteelersWinAgain]

We did a work at home, home improvement vacation last year. This year, we'll go somewhere to escape the city but are waiting for prices to bottom out. Also, we are already acting as if gas prices are $4 again because we will not be pillaged by big oil. Not that we don't conserve what we can already, but I've cut my commute days from 4 to 3 for the summer. The money we do spend on vacation this year is already in the bank and consists of what we've been able to save using coupons and shopping sales for things we need. We have no wants and don't spend frivously anyway, so we feel entitled to at least get out of town. It may be only an hour or two away, but it will be a break from the daily routine.

[Trust_me_]

I am not going to spend a dime on anything that I dont need!

Maybe if enough of us did this, we could force the economy down so far we could then get a real president!

And not an acorn nut!

[debinok1]

Previous post: That has always been a family gathering time. Even last year with gas prices our group had anywhere between 80 to 100 people at any given time, starting on Memorial weekend and running through the summer. This year when the discussion came up, we all bowed out, all 200+ family members.

[debinok1]

What is doing well, in my area is home improvement. People are spending money that they'd usually spend on travel, on their homes instead.
Posted by gravyboat45

I know. I have family that even last year with gas prices through the roof loaded up the camper, the boat and the kids(or rented cabins and jetskis) and hotfooted it to the lake for Memorial day weekend and even over the summer. This year they are all staying home. Hot dogs and burgers on the grill and rented movies is how they are spending their Memorial day this year, and those are their plans for the summer. One group is getting together to pull the motor out of a pickup and rebuild it so they do not have to replace it.

[debinok1]

$142 is a utility bill or groceries for most people right now. I know they keep saying "expect more travel", I doubt it. Just because gas prices are not what they were last summer does not automatically mean people are going to travel more. They have other concerns, vacation is not one of them.

[realityzone]

I am, already took advantage of xlnt foreign exchange rates/deals.

[gravyboat45]

Staycation is the key word this summer. NOBODY I know is going anywhere.