Tourism, The Economy, and Negotiating a Good Deal

CNN reported it as "Black Monday"; the worst stock crash since 9/11. It's unfortunate for every American financially (because I'll bet I've lost money in my 401k and any other investment I have out there). But I remain optimistic.

I'm very fortunate and thank god everyday. I have a stable job and work in a stable industry. I have a home that has not been ravaged by Hurricanes or any other natural disaster. And I even get to marry the girl of my dreams next July in Hawaii.

And so the topic of this post is to talk about living the good life... except without having to spend that money to do so. It sucks, we live in a shaky economy where daily necessities to luxury items are exorbitant. However, this is the optimal market for the buyer / consumer! Americans are forgetting a great freedom that's actually used by every other country worldwide, the freedom of NEGOTIATION!

I'd like to focus primarily on the Travel Industry. According to a recent New York Times article:

...Business in particular areas — like Maui in Hawaii, which is almost entirely dependent on air travel — has "already fallen off a cliff," said John Arabia, an analyst for Green Street Advisors, a real estate research and consulting firm in Newport Beach, Calif. Occupancy at the island's hotels has dropped to 63 percent from 85 percent last year, according to Hospitality Advisors, a research firm in Honolulu. One reason was the demise of two airlines serving Maui, Aloha and ATA, this spring.

In the next few months, I will be searching for the best deals for places to stay, plane tickets and travel arrangements for my family and I. This statistic is tragic for the travel industry, but great for us. I've recently received an email newsletter from Hawaiian Airlines offering round trip flights from the Mainland to Honolulu for $370! Yes, ROUND TRIP. That's spectacular.

Checkout the Autumn Offer Here:
http://www.hawaiianair.com/SpecialOffers/Pages/colors-of-hawaii-autumn.aspx

As I prepare arrangements, I'll keep updated on the blog of any special deals and any other negotiations I can come up with. And even though the economy really sucks right now, consumers have the ball in their court. Go out and negotiate today (William Shatner Priceline Commercial reference)!