As inflation continues to bite, more travelers are expected to hunt for bargains this year, and the industry is responding by offering deals across the travel landscape, from hotels to cruises and tours.
“Despite inflation and higher prices, we continue to see a strong preference for travel experiences,” said Brett Keller, CEO of online travel agency Priceline, which will hold one of its biggest sales this month, including 30 percent off select products. hotel stays and up to 50 percent off rental cars.
Given the strong demand, travel companies can usually maintain prices, but by offering seasonal deals, they can protect themselves against changes in the future.
“It’s beneficial for hoteliers to secure reservations further in advance so they can more accurately understand demand,” said Christine Guadenzi, director of sales and marketing at Family Coppola Hideaways, a group of small hotels that includes the coastal Turtle Inn. in Belize, which will offer a 20 percent discount on room rates booked from November 24 to December 15 (discounted rates start at $335 per night, compared to the regular price of $419).
Some of those deals may end up under the Christmas trees as the holidays become increasingly positioned as gift-giving.
“It’s still a treat-yourself vibe, but that may change this year as we’ve seen more of a push for experiences rather than material gifts,” said Julie Ramhold, a consumer analyst at DealNews.com, a website that tracks sales. Expect more promotions highlighting friend getaways and family trips.
There may be more deals, but the usual caveats apply: The best deals tend to be for off-season travel and midweek rates (unless it’s a popular business travel destination, like the Ameswell Hotel in California’s Silicon Valley , where most of the blackout dates on their offers are Monday through Wednesday). If a deal is “up to 40 percent off,” that 40 percent probably applies to off-peak dates and may drop to 10 percent during peak times.
Many travel companies take advantage of Black Friday sales to fill their books during slow periods, even for bargain options. For example, the Dagny Boston is offering 25 percent off rooms, which typically start at $119 per night, through Nov. 29 for winter stays through February.
Always read the terms carefully. Many deals are non-refundable and prepaid, including suites at the 18th-century village-turned-hotel Borgo San Vincenzo in Montepulciano, Italy, where a Nov. 23-27 deal offers 20 percent off regular rates, including complimentary breakfast for two. Loans for electric bikes and a credit of 100 euros, or about $107, for food and drinks (suites typically start at 300 euros).
Sometimes incentives come in calendar-related tiers. Through Nov. 30, tour company G Adventures will offer up to 30 percent off trips departing before April 20 and 10 to 15 percent off departures in May and June.
Be proactive. With travel sales growing, it’s worth checking out a hotel, travel company, airline or cruise line you’re interested in from November 24-28 to see what they’re offering.
The following sales represent the wide range of deals available this holiday shopping season.
Flash sales and bargains
In a new twist on blink-and-go deals, Topnotch Resort in Stowe, Vermont, and High Peaks Resort in Lake Placid, New York, are each offering one room per night through August 31 for $100. Pre-order them while they last on November 27th.
Between Nov. 24 and Nov. 28, Vintages Trailer Resort in Oregon’s Willamette Wine Valley will offer 40 percent off stays in its retro trailers for travel through March. Discounted nightly rates start at $59 (use code CYBER23).
Ski destinations rarely go on sale, but through Dec. 17, about a dozen hotels in Aspen, Colorado, will offer rooms starting at $150 a night, and the Aspen Snowmass ski resort will sell lift tickets for $88 ( normally $189) for travel starting after Thanksgiving. to December 22.
Among the airline sales, Scandinavian Airlines will price round-trip flights between the United States and Scandinavia from $375 between November 21 and 28 for travel from January 15 to April.
Portfolio sales
Plan any upcoming event, such as a wedding, business meeting or concert, through purchasing companies that put their entire hotel portfolio up for sale. The posh Viceroy Hotels & Resorts is running a sale through December 3 with rooms up to 35 percent off. Before discounts, nightly rates tend to range from $275 at the Viceroy Chicago to $850 at Sugar Beach, A Viceroy Resort.
CitizenM operates 33 hotels in cities in the United States, Europe and Asia. Until November 27, rooms will be discounted up to 30 percent for stays through March. Shoppers who sign up for the company’s loyalty program with a six-month free trial can take advantage of free perks like late checkout. Rates typically start between $200 and $230 at citizenM hotels in Chicago, San Francisco and Seattle.
AutoCamp, which offers glamping-style lodging, with accommodations in Airstream trailers in resort areas like Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and near national parks like Yosemite and Zion, is offering up to 40 percent off Nov. 24-27 for stays of two. nights or more through 2024 (pre-sale rates start at $138).
Bucket List Trips
Exotic and dream destinations will also be on sale in the coming weeks. EF Go Ahead Tours is discounting a list of “bucket list” destinations through November 22 with up to $600 off per person, including a 12-day trip to Bali and Java, Indonesia, starting at $3,039 before the sale. On Black Friday, the travel company will offer more sales, including trips to Greece, and take an extra $100 off all tours.
On the Spanish island of Mallorca, the new Zafiro Palace Andratx is offering up to 40 percent off rates (starting at $112 per night, after discount) for stays during the 2024 season (May to September) when booked between on November 20 and 28. (Minimum stay of three nights required).
A pair of luxury Marriott hotels near Machu Picchu in Peru will be on sale from Nov. 24 to Dec. 1 for three-night stays through March with more than 40 percent off. Located in a 500-year-old mansion in Cusco, Palacio del Inka will offer rooms from $236 per night after discount, including breakfast for two. In the nearby Sacred Valley, stays at Tambo del Inka will start at $355 per night with the promotion, including breakfast for two.
Learn to surf for less in Costa Rica at Surf Synergy, which is 25 percent off through December 15 on its seven-day surf camps, which typically start at $2,765 per person, including lodging, meals, airport transfers , surf. classes, massages and other activities.
It’s a good time to buy cruises. Celebrity Cruises will put most of its itineraries on sale from April 30 to December 5, with a 75 percent discount for a second guest sharing a cabin and up to $300 in onboard credits. An 11-night New Zealand trip in March starts at $683 before the sale.
It is also one of the few times where accommodation offers are found in and around popular national parks. Explorer Cabins just outside Yellowstone National Park will get 30 percent off rates between Black Friday and Cyber Monday (from $229 per night before the sale).
Splurges for sale
Even some luxury companies reduce their rates during the start of the holidays. From November 23 to 27, SB Winemaker’s House & Spa, a boutique property in Mendoza, Argentina, operated by winemaker Susana Balbo, will take 30 percent off its price of $4,235 for a five-night package in January, including a massage. , wine pairing dinner, ceramics workshop and other activities.
Consider salmon fishing in Alaska at Salmon Falls Resort near Ketchikan, which offers 30 percent off packages booked through December 1 for stays from May 1 to September 30. Discounted rates start at $945 per person and include meals, airport transfers, and daily activities like guided fishing and kayaking.
Miraval Resorts & Spa, in Arizona, Massachusetts and Texas, will offer a $300 per night resort credit for reservations made from November 27 to December 5 for stays through 2024. Rates at Miraval Berkshires start at $679 and include accommodations, meals and activities.
Make your way through southern Italy in May on a 12-day culinary tour of Naples, Calabria and Basilicata with My Bella Vita Travel. During its Nov. 23-27 sale, the Taste of the South tour saves nearly $1,000 on the trip that normally costs $6,650 per person. Other tours will also be reduced by 15 percent at that time.
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