Bargains of the year

Savvy travelers can find deals from Mexico to Iceland

Sunday, January 3, 2010 3:41 AM
By Steve Stephens

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

For many of us, resolving to travel this year will mean resolving to hunt down the places that really, really want us -- places that, because of the economy or other challenging circumstances, are going the extra mile to attract travelers.

Fortunately for travelers, plenty of wonderful destinations will be rolling out the red carpet and offering good travel values in 2010.

Jamaica
Some popular high-end Caribbean destinations have had no need to make concessions to lure travelers, said Richard Lewis of Richard Lewis Travel.

"If you've looked at seven days in Anguilla or St. Barts, you know they're not hurting for customers."

But many resort areas in the warm and balmy region, including those in Mexico and Jamaica, have been overbuilt, he said.

"There's traffic that will be generated to those locales -- at the right price," Lewis said. A good travel agent should steer you in the right direction.

Jamaica has beautiful beaches, a rich African-Caribbean heritage and dozens of vacation resort properties and hotels.

But Michele Olivier, a senior vice president with Sunset Resorts in Jamaica, said the island is rebounding from several setbacks, including cuts in flights by government-owned Air Jamaica.

"And we are not a drive-by destination," she said.

But other airlines, including budget carriers such as JetBlue and AirTran, have stepped in this year to fill the void, she said.

And resort properties on Jamaica are offering many deals and packages to lure all kinds of travelers, including honeymooners, adventure travelers and families.

"We've just tried to get very creative with what we offer," she said.

Olivier said improvements in infrastructure such as airports and roads in Jamaica have been "tremendous" during the past five years. And despite some highly publicized but isolated criminal activities on the island, "We're getting the word out that it's actually very safe.

"The Caribbean has gone through hurricanes, SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome), 9/11, but we've always bounced back," she said. "People want a warm place to visit, not too far from home. . . .

"Jamaica is a well-established, mature destination. There are no language issues, no currency issues.

"I've worked all over the Caribbean," Olivier said. "I came down after my graduate degree and never left."

Mexico
Warm, close by and surprisingly affordable -- what's not to like about our neighbor to the south?

How about H1N1 (swine flu) and drug violence?

Worries about those problems and others led to a 12.5 percent decline in air travel to Mexico by U.S. citizens for the first nine months of 2009 compared with 2008, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce.

But travel to popular vacation destinations in Mexico is quite safe, local travel agents said. And bad news, as well as a bad economy, has led to empty hotel rooms -- and bargains.

And Expedia.com reports that airfares originating in Columbus to popular Mexican tourist destinations such as Cancun and Puerto Vallarta have dropped by 30 percent or more.

A top 10 list for 2010 from Lonely Planet's U.S. staff declares that "H1N1 is so 2009" and puts Mexico as the No. 4 destination for the new year, adding that it's "still a good bargain, easy to get to for most Americans."

Apple Vacations will resume charter flights from Port Columbus to destinations such as Cancun in the next few months, noted Ike Reynolds of Reynolds Travel.

"And charter airfare is, on average, $100 to $150 cheaper than scheduled service," he said.

Many hotels where construction started before the economic downturn are now opening.

"In places like the Riviera Maya they keep building and building, and I wonder, how can they keep building?" said George Kun of George Kun Travel.

Mexico's Caribbean coastal destinations such as Riviera Maya and Cancun offer wonderful beaches and a well-developed infrastructure with shopping, a wide variety of restaurants and hotels in every price range.

Many spots along the coast are great for snorkeling or diving. And the massive Maya ruins at Chichen Itza are an easy day trip away.

"The resort destinations in Mexico are all looking for customers," Kun said. "I'd suggest looking for new places -- not a new destination, but a new property in a place like Cancun that might be offering some really good prices to launch themselves."

And don't forget Mexico's west coast, which offers a wide variety of scenery and geography as well as many resort destinations on the Pacific Ocean from Los Cabos to Acapulco.

"I think Pacific destinations in Mexico like Puerto Vallarta and Manzanillo, in comparison to five years ago, are a value," said Lewis.

And for the best bargains, consider a one-price, all-inclusive destination, he said. "The all-inclusive resort concept in this hemisphere, in the Caribbean and Mexico, is in growth mode," Lewis said.

Sure, some items, such as the "included" liquor, might not be top-shelf.

"But it's tequila in a chilled glass with salt on the rim," he said. "There's nothing wrong with that."

Iceland
Yeah, it's dark this time of year. But Iceland is not as icy as its name suggests. And a recent economic crisis means the island -- the closest bit of Europe to North America -- is a real bargain.

The American dollar will now buy about three times more Icelandic kronas than it did about 18 months ago.

"When you get here, you can really see the value," said Michael Rauscheisen, a spokesman for Icelandair.

"You get fine hotels, fine dining for about what you'd pay in Ohio."

Complete packages -- including two- to four-night hotel accommodations and airfare from New York or Boston -- can be had for about $500 a person.

Once travelers are there, they can sample the country's vast natural beauty, including glaciers and hot springs.

And, really -- it's not that cold, Rauscheisen insisted.

"I'm in Boston, and typically the temperatures in Iceland are warmer than here," he said.

"Don't get me wrong. If you're in the northern part of the country and sitting on a glacier, it'll be cold. But the (capital) city of Reykjavik is right on the Gulf Stream. It's a pretty temperate climate."

And though the nights are long, Reykjavik is famed for its night life, noted Rauscheisen.

"Not being Icelandic, I can say this without bias: Icelanders are a very friendly, warm bunch of people," he said.

"They come from Viking heritage. But there are many artists, poets, musicians -- an incredible side you wouldn't expect from Vikings.

"Iceland is definitely closer than people think (about five hours from Boston), warmer than people think, friendly and right now a lot more affordable that you'd probably imagine."

Las Vegas
Sin City can hardly be called an overlooked destination. But travelers who haven't looked lately might be surprised to find how affordable Vegas can be.

"It was a value destination in the old days," Kun said. "Then it seemed to double overnight. But then, in the last year, we've seen a major rollback in pricing."

As in some other destinations, construction that was started before the downturn is now being finished, adding hotel rooms and retail space at a very inopportune time -- unless you're a traveler looking for bargains.

"They've put in a new city center, a giant complex of hotels and shopping and you wonder if they are out of their minds," Kun said.

"They're challenged to fill that space, and that means some great values and that there's a lot that new to see, even if you've been there before."

Cruises
Huge new cruise ships such as Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas will be drawing thousands of travelers with amenities such as skating rinks, casinos, gardens and dozens of dining options.

But that also means thousands more cabins to fill.

"The cruise lines are adding a lot of additional inventory in a slow economy," Reynolds said.

Travelers who want to sample one of the new ships will face an initial price bump, said Kun, who rode the inaugural voyage of the Oasis.

"But you're still getting a great value for your buck."

"These new ships are becoming destinations in themselves," Reynolds said.

"They have all of the bells, buttons and whistles. They cater to all these different family needs, including wading pools, climbing walls, everything you can think of.

"And people like new ships," he said.

"That means if you've got a ship that's been around a bit, you've got to work a bit harder to sell it."

"In the long run, it will lower price points across the board," Kun said.

"They're not going to sink those other ships.

"It will make crusing even more affordable. Certainly, it's going to be good for those of us who love to travel."

Lewis suggested trying a smaller cruise line such as Regent Seven Seas Cruises. Regent, he noted, now offers all-inclusive fares exclusively.

He called the strategy "very intriguing."

"The moment you walk on Cunard, Celebrity, Royal Caribbean, it's spend, spend, spend. It's ridiculous.

"On Regent, short of you and your wife getting on the ship and wanting to buy something like a robe, you can't spend money."

sstephens@dispatch.com

"Iceland is definitely closer than people think, warmer than people think."

Michael Rauscheisen
Icelandair spokesman