The tragedies of 911 placed a short-term dampener on airfares. However, indirect costs to travelers have included restructuring of airlines by dramatically reducing capacity and decreasing availability of flights, the laying off of staff with a corresponding drop in customer service and morale, and attempts to tighten security with significant inconveniences. The travel experience has been made more arduous not only by airfares creeping up, but also by increases in penalties associated with nonrefundable tickets, by costly new rules for excess baggage, and by cutbacks in meal and other in flight service. An emerging variable to factor in to the travel planning Process is an inversion of the old paradigm, whereby the typical leisure Traveler purchased travel far in advance, while the business traveler sought Airline tickets and hotel accommodation at the last minute. Specifically, we is now seeing an increase in the leisure travelers planning trips at the last minute and business travelers purchasing tickets in advance. This adds another layer of complexity to how travel suppliers will price their product. Similarly, as hotel occupancy rates have edged up toward prior highs, hotel rates have moved in tandem. All of these changes challenge the patience and resilience of world travelers and road warriors alike. With this article, however, we promise to help you find your way through the maze that travel has become, confident that you know how to get the best service for your travel dollar.

According to American Express Travel Service's annual surveys of their business clients, travel and entertainment have been the second-largest controllable business expense after salaries. The Professional Sales Association indicates that entrepreneurs and sales professionals spend an average of fifty-seven nights away from home each year. Even Internet-focused companies acknowledge that truly understanding a client or closing a sale requires face-to-face communication. So how can we help you survive the challenges of travel post 911? Through trial and error-and sometimes paying too much-we have learned how to travel in luxury for (much, much) less. The more money you want to save, the more time you will need to invest, especially as you acquire basic skills. It's just like learning how to select mutual funds or deliver a performance review. The more time you put in especially when starting out-the more you will save. We acknowledge that there are points in your career when you have more time than money, and points when you have more money than time. Many of the ideas you will learn from this website apply to anybody with an interest in basic cost management-regardless of your financial situation.

It's like taking your vitamins and flossing your teeth. You may choose not to take advantage of all the skills you can learn, but just know that these powerful strategies are available to you. And we guarantee that as prudent world travelers and road warriors, each of you will find certain strategies in the following article that are perfect for your unique circumstances.