There is no argument over the fact that the horrible act of terrorism that occurred on the 11th of September, 2001, impacted many people's lives in untold ways. Many businesses and industries were affected. One of the industries that felt an immediate negative impact was the tourism industry, not only in the US but in many parts of the world.

As well, it seems that just as the tourism industry had begun to recover somewhat, war broke out as a consequence of the attack of 9-11. This turn again made people think twice before planning vacation time travel, especially abroad. In addition, there has been a shift in attitude toward Americans in many parts of the world, which has made travel and tourism to these locations less desirable.

In more recent months, the tourism industry has once again found itself battered with the onset of a recession and rising fuel costs. Since the majority of vacation travel slows down when people have less discretionary income to spend on leisure activities, there has naturally been an increase in people canceling their vacation plans.

Others are still determined to make the most of any vacation time that they have and are looking for discounted deals or are changing their plans, from taking more distant trips and staying closer to home instead. This means that many factions of the tourist industry are competing harder over fewer travel dollars and the many hotels, airlines, car rental agencies, and other companies that cater to travelers are forced to find ways to cut their costs so that they can compete and stay in business.

With many expenses on the rise, combined with the weakening of the dollar, many in the travel and tourist industry are struggling to find ways to reduce their overhead and cut their operating expenses so that they can offer people the cheap vacations that they are looking for these days. While this makes for difficult decisions, it seems that cuts will be necessary in order to stay in business in this economic environment and to attract the consumers who are demanding special deals.

Many are simply not able to fit travel costs into their budget, unless they are able to find deeply discounted vacation deals and downright cheap vacations. And, rather than have hotel rooms sitting empty and putting planes in the air with empty seats, many hotels and airlines are offering incredible discounts, especially for those who are traveling at the last minute.

In fact, in many cases, if you have some flexibility in when you can take your vacation, then waiting until the last minute might actually be the best way to save big bucks and get the absolute best vacation deals. Don't expect the travel and tourism industry to broadcast this information, but the bottom line is that they would rather get 30% of their standard rate than not sell the airline seat or book the hotel room at all.