Description:
If you buy tickets and other travel services on the Internet, you typically spend more per purchase on travel than on anything else that you buy online. That's just one reason to keep familiar with the travel sites. Ed Perkins, a syndicated travel columnist and Microsoft Expedia staff writer, shares his knowledge of online travel resources in Online Travel. You get the inside scoop on Expedia, as you'd expect, but you also find out the best independent sites for hotel bookings, temporary home swaps, and cruise arrangements. The book describes sound bidding strategies for auction sites, and explains how reverse-auctions like Priceline.com work (more specifically, how you can end up paying more than you have to). If there are any shortcomings, they'd be a lack of references to sites where you can do cultural and historical research into your destinations; also, the book overfocuses a bit on North American travel. A lot of the value in this book--and there's plenty of it--comes from information that has nothing at all to do with the Internet: for example, the differences in the ways that various airlines operate premium economy-class sections. Eva Air is touted as the best premium-economy deal in the world, and easy ways to get hotel discounts are revealed. That's the kind of information that only an experienced writer could share, and a perusal of this book is likely to make your next travel experience less costly and more comfortable. --David Wall Topics covered: A travel columnist with knowledge of how to get bargains reveals the resources that he uses on the Internet, including Expedia, Priceline.com, and other big and not-so-big travel sites. You'll find details on where discount travel services come from, and how you can save money by knowing where to look.
| 
