What travelers should expect in 2008

December 28th 2007

2007 was filled with "travel red-tape": Bottleneck traffic on highways, gridlock even at airports, increasingly rising fuel prices, costly lodging and on top of all that, the evil surcharge. Things will get worse for 2008. You can count on it.

First off, according to Runzheimer International, which publishes the most reliable and dependable forecast of travel prices believes that the cost of travel should go up an average of 4.5 percent. Let's look at a couple more fee hikes and see how you can avoid them altogether.

Not so convenient convenience fees always seem to get the best of you. I always feel dirty after paying for a convenience fee--dirty like buyer's remorse dirty. Most are absurd, all are just plain wrong--a $2 convenience fee for using your credit card to purchase a hotel room? Try negotiating your way out of these fees. Some have and have succeeded. Try it.

Car rental prices and fees will climb their way into your pockets in 2008 as well. Industry experts project rental costs to increase between 2 and 4 percent. Companies are always forcing the upsell on costumers, telling them how much they'll need a GPS system, or the meticulous fees after you've rented. Advice from me to you, find it in your heart to resist the upsell and get costs in writing.

Accommodation is always a sensitive topic for people, because well, you're on vacation and you want the best. Who wouldn't? However, since PricewaterhouseCoopers is predicting a 6% increase in average room rates and record-high occupancy, hotels are liable and will probably charge you whatever they want. So maybe opting for other forms of accommodation will suit you just fine, right? Look at renting a house, condo or apartment. Renting a house for a week is at most times cheaper than staying at a four star hotel for a couple nights.

Best of luck in your 2008 travel adventures. If you're well prepared and travel smart, you'll do just fine.