According to a 2012 YouGov survey, 47% of Americans said that they had been on vacation in the past year and 21% said that they were able to partake in two to four different trips. However, 52% said that they did not go on vacation at all and 72% of that population said that cost was the reason for staying home. Unfortunately, traveling and going on vacation is a luxury, and not everyone has room in their budget to do so every year. However, there are lots of great resources, particularly online, that help make vacationing more affordable. There are several great travel sites that help people plan vacations without having to empty their wallets completely.
Some of the most helpful and cost saving travel sites help locate cheap plane tickets. Though the YouGov survey found that 82% of vacationers stayed in the United States, and only 5% went to Europe, the country is so vast that flying is still the best option quite often. There are lots of different ticket sites out there, but Airfare Watchdog might be the best for people who are flexible enough to leave right away, and WhichBudget.com is a great tool for overseas travel. Though there are dozens of other good sites, checking out these two is almost always a good option.
Of course, travel is not the only logistics nightmare that vacationers have to deal with. Sometimes, just finding a place to stay can be a real pain, especially with a strict budget in mind. TripAdvisor is a great resource because it is the most popular hotel review site online, and Priceline is a good way to save money even though users do not know the hotel they booked until after they pay. Those sites can be great tools for vacationers who are looking for nice lodging that is cheap enough to allow them to save some cash for fun activities.
Before arriving at a destination, many families or groups of friends will want to make an itinerary so that they can cram lots of fun into a limited time frame. In order to do that, they should consider checking out some travel blog sites. Blogs are helpful because they offer lots of insights about all kinds of destinations and can provide information about what to do and see. As a result, blogs are some of the most effective travel sites on the web.
Because everyone is unique, and will have different goals when it comes to vacation, there might not be one particular set of travel sites that is right for everyone. However, taking the time to hop online and do a bit of research is always a good idea for travelers who want to make sure they get the most out of their vacation on a budget.