SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Remember the days when winter vacation meant flying to NY to go ice skating in Central Park, heading on a guys' trip to Las Vegas, or taking the week off of work to relax on the beach in the Caribbean? In today's economy, wonderful trips like these seem far-fetched and a thing of the past. However, Barbara Messing of Travel-Ticker.com (http://www.travel-ticker.com), home to some of the best insider deals to the world's favorite destinations, has come up with five easy ways travelers can experience an amazing and affordable winter trip, as long as they are in the know about discounts and ways to save on travel.

"The silver lining of the economic downturn is that there has never been a better time to find a good travel deal," said Barbara Messing, vice president at Travel Ticker. "On Travel-Ticker.com, we have incredible discounts and deals that fit every consumer's wish -- whether you're looking for cheap airfare to spend a traditional holiday season visiting grandma, or long for a spontaneous escape to an exotic locale."

    This year's w-i-n-t-e-r tips include:

    1) W -- Win in Vegas with a 4-star Strip hotel for $55 per night
       Stay at the 4-star Luxor hotel on the Las Vegas Strip for $55 per
       night! Vegas experienced a boom over the last seven years as a
       Renaissance destination offering exquisite dining and a buzzing
       nightlife, but has been hit hard since the economic downturn. This is a
       good thing for travelers because in order to entice customers who may
       be skittish of vacationing in these economic times, hotels are betting
       on discounts and throwing in 'extras' of dining, gaming, spa and show.
       Travel Ticker has an exclusive: 4-star Palms Vegas resort for $79 a
       night that comes with a $50 dining credit. See our Las Vegas
       destination page: http://www.travel-ticker.com/Destination/Las_Vegas

    2) I -- Imagine Hawaii Flight/Hotel Packages under $700
       Yes you can! Hawaii is no longer out of reach. Since some airlines
       stopped flying to Hawaii, more hotel rooms have become available and
       are offering great opportunities for travelers. On Travel Ticker
       there's currently a 5-night hotel/flight package to Waikiki for only
       $682. Knowing that flights alone to Hawaii normally come to $600, these
       packages are a great bargain and allow you to stretch your vacation
       budget further. Knowing that all of your travel expenses are covered up
       front can allow you to enjoy your vacation even more. Right now,
       Travel Ticker has many all-inclusive package deals, especially at
       luxury resorts.
       See our PACKAGES page: http://www.travel-ticker.com/Type/Packages
       See our HAWAII page: http://www.travel-ticker.com/Destination/Hawaii

    3) N -- Never miss a great deal
       Three nights at the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas for $299 per person
       including a dolphin interaction ($105 value)? You need to be in the
       know to score great deals. Look to sites that provide relevant offers.
       For example, the Travel-Ticker.com homepage is geo-targeted and will
       display deals that specifically apply to a visitor's origin. You can
       also sign up for Travel Ticker's weekly newsletter that sources the
       best deals for your location, delivered to your email inbox each
       Wednesday, as well as through an RSS feed
       (http://www.travel-ticker.com/tt-rss-feed.jsp?actionType=1).

    4) T -- Taste the Big City life at 50% off
       If you don't want to get on a plane, go local! Big cities across the
       U.S. have festive holiday attractions for the whole family to enjoy.
       Money saved from your airfare can be spent on treating yourself! Enjoy
       50% off a customer favorite and top-ranked NYC Midtown hotel from $139
       per night and 50% off a AAA Four Diamond Chicago hotel at only $109 per
       night. Being able to visit many popular tourist attractions without the
       summer crowds make these cities even more fun during the winter season.
       See our Big City Getaways:
       http://www.travel-ticker.com/Theme/Big_City_Getaways

    5) E -- Elevate your senses in Europe on a dime
       Fancy a low fare across the pond? Virgin Atlantic's airfare sale to
       Europe starts at $198 each way. With the U.S. dollar strengthening
       against foreign currencies and oil prices dropping, travel to Europe is
       more affordable than it has been in years. Winter is the low season in
       Europe which makes meeting locals, enjoying top sites, and
       participating in many of the top cultural activities more accessible.
       We see great deals extending into 2009 from major airlines, hotels and
       packagers. See our INTERNATIONAL page:
       http://www.travel-ticker.com/Theme/International

    6) R -- Relax in Luxury at top resorts and spas
       Hit the spa at an all-inclusive resort in Cancun for $80 per night or
       get up to 50% off a Sedona golf resort at $89 per night. It may be cold
       outside, but the temperature is still hot in the steam room! Resorts
       and Spa rates drop once the peak summer demand season is gone and the
       winter "low season" begins. Many resorts offer many amenities for low
       or no charge during the winter, so you won't ever need to leave the
       comfort of the beautiful grounds.
       See our RESORTS AND SPA page:
       http://www.travel-ticker.com/Theme/Resorts_and_Spas
       See our LUXURY page: http://www.travel-ticker.com/Theme/Luxury

* Examples of deals recently available on site. Rates and fares subject to change and availability. See site for full details.

About Travel-Ticker.com

Travel Ticker(R) is an online travel website that is home to the best insider deals at many of the world's favorite destinations. Travel-Ticker.com(TM) provides users with a platform to browse for researched travel bargains, the latest travel trends, and editorial insight. Established in 2006 as a travel newsletter, Travel-Ticker.com now boasts over 11 million subscribers. Travel Ticker is an independent business unit of The Hotwire Group. For more information, visit us at http://www.travel-ticker.com/.

About Hotwire.com

Hotwire.com(R) is a leading discount travel site with low rates on airline tickets, hotel rooms, rental cars, cruises and vacation packages. Launched in 2000, Hotwire(R) negotiates deep discounts from its travel suppliers to help travelers book unsold airline seats, hotel rooms and rental cars. J.D. Power and Associates 2007 Independent Travel Web Site Satisfaction StudySM recognized Hotwire for ranking "Highest Customer Satisfaction For Independent Travel Web Sites, Two Years in a Row." Hotwire is an operating company of Expedia, Inc. (Nasdaq: EXPE). CST: 2053390-40. NST: 20003-0209. For more information, visit http://www.hotwire.com/.

Travel Ticker and Travel-Ticker.com are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Hotwire, Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. Other logos or product and company names mentioned herein may be the property of their respective owners. (C) 2000-2008 Hotwire, Inc. All rights reserved.

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SOURCE Travel-Ticker.com