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As the U.S. dollar has slipped against the world's major currencies in recent years, budget travel information has become vital for a growing number of travelers. It is for a good reason that Arthur Frommer discontinued the "Europe from XX $ a Day" guidebook series a few year's ago, because a book titled "Europe on $200 a Day" does not sound very attractive. With fuel costs rising, airfares are also on the rise, and according to TIA (Travel Industry Association of America), their Travel Price index shows an average travel cost increase of 2.9 % from a year ago. The Department of Transportation's Air Travel Price index showed an increase of 7.5% over last year, the highest increase in eleven years. All these factors make budget travel an attractive option for a growing number of travelers. The following selection of websites and resources is intended to help readers become more budget savvy, and provide vital resources and information for budget-conscious international travelers. The selected websites suggest practical ways to not only travel cheaper, but also how to have a more authentic travel experience by traveling the way the locals do.
—Travel and Living Abroad Contributing Editor Volker Poelzl
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About.com, www.about.com, has a section on Budget Travel, with useful articles, budget travel tips, and links, oriented mostly toward the mainstream traveler.
Backpackers.com, www.backpackers.com, provides information and news for independent and budget travelers, including blogs and discussion forums.
Backpacker.net, www.thebackpacker.net, is a budget travel guide with travelogues, travel stories, travel information and reviews of Budget Hotels and Hostels.
Backpack Europe on a Budget, www.backpackeurope.com. Backpacking and hostelling information, tips, and links for student and budget travel planning for a trip to Europe.
BootsnAll Travel, www.bootsnall.com, features travel stories from regional experts, advice for budget travel bargains, forums, and blogs for independent budget travelers.
Budget Travel Online, www.budgettravelonline.com, draws from Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel magazine; offering travel guides, travel tips, and advice on trip planning, restaurant recommendations, city guides, and popular destinations
BUG: the Backpackers' Ultimate Guide, www.bug.co.uk, features a host of budget travel tips, destination guides, and hostel reviews, with separate sections organized by continent.
EuroCheapo, www.eurocheapo.com. A free Internet guide for those traveling on a budget and who wish to sleep cheap in Europe. EuroCheapo investigators show up unannounced at inexpensive hotels all over Europe, check out the rooms, and get a feel for the place. If they like it, they write a review and list the hotel on their site. The site also offers many other budget travel recommendations for transportation.
Eurotrip, www.eurotrip.com, is a community-based site which features reviews of hostels by fellow travelers and many other forums for the independent traveler on a budget.
Frommers, www.frommers.com, is a huge companion site for the magazine and guidebook empire started by Arthur Frommer 45 years ago. The site contains much useful information for the budget and independent traveler - albeit with a commercial bent.
guideforeurope.com, www.guideforeurope.com, is a site where you may find everything from online hostel booking and travel supplies to message boards and a group photo gallery. There are tips on what to pack, youth hostel reviews, Europe guidebooks, a currency converter... everything needed for budget travel and backpacking in Europe.
Hostelworld.com, www.hostelworld.com, provides hostel bookings, forums, guides and travel help for destinations worldwide, with a growing number of informative travel features.
International Student Travel Confederation (ISTC), www.isic.org/sisp/index.htm, not only sells international students I.D. cards, but provides forums and tips for student travel on a budget. The ISIC, Youth Travel Card and Teacher Card offers holders over 28,000 discounts worldwide.
Let's Go, www.letsgo.com, a leading publisher of budget travel guidebooks for young travelers, offers a lot of budget travel tips, information, and forums on its website.
Rick Steves' Europe Through the Back Door, www.ricksteves.com, is perhaps the foremost expert on budget travel in the country, particularly within Europe. Author of over 30 books, and seemingly everywhere in the media promoting his responsible and practical form of budget travel, Rick was the first contributing editor to Transitions Abroad Magazine in his own Back Door Travel section.
Travel-Places.com, www.travel-places.com, is a very eclectic site with a stupendous amount of links and budget travel guides for every country worldwide.
TravelPUNK.com, is the site for backpackers, students, and budget travelers. Offers online reservations for thousands of hostels and hotels worldwide, Eurail passes and links, tips, message boards, advice, safety, cheap air fare links, and useful tools.
Travelbum Network, www.travelbum.net/europe. Budget Europe Travel Planner. This is a free online planner written especially for those thinking about a first trip to Europe. There are many useful tips and suggestions, as well as links to many budget travel resources.
Travelfish, www.travelfish.org, an independent travel guide to Thailand, Laos and Cambodia researched by travelers for travelers. The outstanding site now includes budget travel planning tips.
Travellerspoint Travel Community, www.travellerspoint.com, is an interactive budget travel and backpacker site, providing hotel and hostel bookings, as well as forums, blogs, and destination guides.
