Author: Byron Smith
Source: ezinearticles.com

If you are like many of us, the holidays are a time of visiting family and friends. However, a lot of us don’t live near those we want to visit the most. That means that the holidays are also a time of travel. And if you don’t want to stay in your grandma’s spare bedroom for Christmas, there is good news: Hotel rates are the lowest they have been in years, meaning that you can stay in comfort and privacy for much less than in years past!

According to a recent ABC news article by Miral Fahmy, right now could be one of the best times to travel during the holidays. In fact, according to the latest Hotel Price Index, or HPI, the average hotel room price fell 17 percent over the last six months! Nigel Pocklington, vice president of marketing for Hotels.com, said, “It’s a fantastic time for travelers. Hotel prices have pretty much collapsed, they’re down to the same levels as 2003. Exchange rate fluctuations have helped make a lot of destinations much cheaper. Demand for travel, especially business travel, has been hard hit by the economic crisis, and at the same time there’s a lot of hotel rooms on supply. This falling demand and rising supply can only mean one thing — price cutting.”* So right now is one of the best time in years to book a hotel for your holiday travel needs!

In addition to saving big on your hotel stay, there are a few other ways that you can save money on your holiday travel. For example, did you know that Tuesday and Wednesday are the best days to book airfare? If you book on these days, you are most likely to get the lowest price available. Plus, if you travel of a Monday instead of Sunday, you could save up to 10 percent! This means that if you are flexible in your travel dates, the more likely you are to save and avoid too much holiday traffic.

In addition to these ideas, it is a good idea to start planning your trip as soon as you can. The more time you allow yourself to shop for the best prices, the better deal you will end up with. We all know that if you wait until the last minute, you will have no choice but to pay the highest price. Start planning your holiday trip today!

* http://abcnews.go.com/Travel/wireStory?id=8587427

Byron Smith has authored an extensive collection of travel-related information for hundreds of cities around the world. You can find his articles as well as ways to find hotel deals on HotelDealSite.com.