Looking for great travel deals is a popular pastime. It seems everyone has a different strategy for reaching the holy grail of travel — a great experience at a reasonable price.
That used to be pretty easy. Value-conscious travelers just booked a trip during the off-season. But now that everyone is traveling during the off-season, the off-season has become the on-season.
The real insiders, meantime, have shifted from a seasonal strategy to a contrarian strategy.
In essence, a contrarian traveler looks for circumstances or events that have lower demand for a particular travel service or destination. In a time of higher demand (and prices) it may be the only way to get a luxury trip at a low price. Here are five ways to go contrarian:
With airlines flying at capacity levels and luxury hotels experiencing higher occupancies, getting a luxury bargain at a discount is becoming increasingly difficult. The best solution is to have a contrarian mindset.
Follow this simple strategy of avoiding crowds, be a travel leader, not a follower, and you’ll experience great travel at discounted prices.
Joel Widzer is an expert on loyalty and frequent flier programs. He is the author of "The Penny Pincher's Passport to Luxury Travel," a guidebook on traveling in high style at budget-friendly prices. or . Want to sound off about one of his columns? Try visiting .
