Go Where Your Travel Dollar is Still Strong
The US dollar continues to hit record lows in Europe and Japan. American travelers can avoid sticker shock however, by picking the right destinations.
(PRWEB) December 7, 2004 -- Since the US election in November, the US dollar has plummeted against other major currencies: a record low against the Euro and a nearly five-year low against the yen. Europe and Japan, already expensive destinations for Americans, are now priced like luxury goods. In popular London, it now takes almost two US dollars to buy one British pound. The Euro is nudging $1.50 at exchange booths in Paris and Rome. The problem is spreading to unrelated areas of the globe. For American travelers, hotels and meals are much higher than they were just a few months ago in diverse places such as Australia, Canada, Morocco, and Fiji.
Its not all gloom and doom for tourists, however. Anyone planning to venture overseas can avoid declining purchasing power by picking a country where the dollar is holding steady. According to Tim Leffel, author of The Worlds Cheapest Destinations," there are still plenty of travel bargains out there.
Habla Espaņol?
Heres an easy rule of thumb for value travel: go to any country in Latin America where Spanish is the main language. The dollar is in trouble in Portuguese-speaking Brazil, but most other Latin American economies are tied closely to the dollar, either officially or in practice. Airfare specials to the region are plentiful right now, even though it is summer south of the equator. Hotel prices in most of Latin America have barely budged over the past few years. Once on the ground, US travelers will find their dollars going a long way, whether in Argentina, Peru, Costa Rica, or Mexico.
The Other Side of the World
As in Latin America, many currencies in Asia are closely linked to the dollar. The greenback has held steady in China, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, and others. Bali, in Indonesia, is still one of the best deals on the planet and Thailand has some of the finest hotels in the world, at rates that are a tremendous value. If vacation time is limited, a package deal can often be the best option for this part of the world since flights purchased separately can be high, especially from the Eastern US.
Caribbean Deals
The Caribbean is seldom described as a bargain, but with the US currency in decline in so many parts of the world, this region is looking better all the time. Throughout the area, local currencies have traditionally been tied to the US dollar and this trend is holding steady. Islands that have traditionally been a good deal, such as Jamaica and the Dominican Republic, are still solid values. Independent travelers may want to consider islands off the coast of Panama and Honduras. These laid-back destinations offer Caribbean waters with less crowds and lower prices.
Go Against the Grain
For those willing to open up their horizons, there are plenty of other options. Tourism numbers in Egypt and Jordan have fallen off a cliff in the past few years and its a buyers market for hotels and tours. Turkey is by far the best value in Europe right now for Americans. In Africa, meanwhile, the US dollar is in trouble in the nation of South Africa, but is holding up fine in the safari destinations of Kenya and Tanzania.
Staying Close to Home
In the US, of course, exchange rates are a non-issue. This might be a good time to postpone a trip to Europe and stay on home soil. In the past few years, airfares in the US have dropped for nearly every market. Package deals for Las Vegas, Florida, and Hawaii pop up almost every week. Travelers can sign up with a news alert from SmarterLiving.com that will provide weekly flight specials from a home airport. Travelocity.com provides alerts for user-chosen routes.
Tim Leffel is author of The Worlds Cheapest Destinations: 21 Countries Where Your Dollars are Worth a Fortune." For more information see http://www.WorldsCheapestDestinations.com
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