Many people choose their travel destinations through a complicated equation featuring two key variables – where they would like to go and where they can afford to go. Travel search engine Cheapflights.ca is suggesting another approach – choosing destinations based on how much they need your money.
In a publication titled ‘Travelnomics Economic Stimulus Guide: A Report on the Destinations That Need Your Money the Most,’ Cheapflights used data compiled by Forbes and CNN to identify places that have been hard hit by the recession and face ongoing economic challenges. There are two separate lists, one for global tourism hotspots and another specifically for U.S. destinations.
With places like Ireland and Singapore on the list, it’s clearly not about the poorest places on earth, rather ones that have had a tough time in recession. The global list features four places you could pretty easily knock off in one trip – Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania and the Ukraine. Jamaica is on there too, despite the fact that its tourism industry has weathered the recession quite well. It’s not clear why Canada didn’t make the grade, despite the fact that American visitors are scarcer than hockey players’ teeth these days.
While the positioning is that these destinations will benefit most from your tourism dollars, the corollary is that travel to many of these places has become much less expensive due to their economic and currency struggles. A case in point is Iceland, where a pre-recession pint of beer cost a startling 7 Euros, and now averages just 2 Euros. The U.S. list features Las Vegas, though it’s hard for many to feel pity when the house finally loses for a change. Oregon, Arizona, Rhode Island and California are among other U.S. destinations in need of a little cash stimulus.
Let A Celebrity Chef Introduce You To The Flavours Of South Africa
You may have run into Chef Rob Rainford through his Food Network Canada show Licence To Grill. There, the affable culinary artist invites a group of friends over to his backyard and proceeds to dazzle them with barbecued delights. This year, through an association with Marlin Travel and Collette Vacations, Chef Rainford is inviting Canadians to join him on a tour of South Africa titled Spectacular South Africa: Culture & Nature In Harmony.
The two-week trip departs Toronto on November 10, escorted by a Marlin Travel representative and hosted by Rainford. Participants will fly into Johannesburg to begin the tour and out of Capetown at the end. During the trip, Rainford will host a group culinary event and exclusive cooking demos.
As well as the culinary aspects of the tour, participants will also enjoy many of South Africa’s highlights. Experiences will include visiting Soweto, birthplace of Nelson Mandela, with the opportunity to dine with locals at a shebeen (tavern). Open-air safari game drives will let travellers seek out the “Big Five”. Some of the world’s most spectacular scenery will be revealed through a drive on the lush Garden Route between the mountains and the balmy Indian Ocean. There are also four leisurely nights in Cape Town, one of the world’s most beautiful cities.
The price for the trip is $6,999 per person plus $210 in taxes and fees. That includes all transportation, accommodations, sightseeing and many meals.
Photo Credits: travelblog.org, marlin-travel.ca