25 Surefire strategies for saving money and traveling smarter in 2009

The troubled global economy has handed travelers a golden opportunity: an unprecedented era of deals. Many experts are comparing the spate of empty airline seats and hotel rooms—and the sales designed to fill them—to what we saw in the months after 9/11. but the effect of the current crisis on the travel industry is actually worse, says Scott D. Berman, principal and hotel analyst for consulting firm Pricewaterhouse-Coopers, which predicts that 2009 will see the lowest occupancy of U.S. hotels since 1971. The aftermath of 9/11 was "relatively isolated to the united states and particularly the northeast and the destinations favored by Northeasterners," he says. "This is much more widespread in its impact" because it's a global slump that has caused a downturn in the number of travelers from overseas at the same time that a flood of new hotels have been built to accommodate them.

That translates into bargains. The come-ons last fall were only the start, says Berman. "There's no question that there will be more deals this winter season than there have been historically"—especially in the window between New Year's and Presidents' Week, and again between Presidents' Week and Easter. "Moving into summer, it's very likely that the industry will be on sale on a global basis."

As widespread as the deals are, however, homing in on the best ones isn't as simple as it used to be. The economic crisis has forced hotel marketers to become much more innovative with their discounting, and the new brand of value-added deals they're promoting now—instead of lowering room rates, they promise free nights, free airfare, free resort credits, and other inducements—means new pitfalls for travelers who don't study the fine print. Adding to the confusion is the sheer number of travel Web sites flogging all manner of "exclusive" packages, not to mention technology that gives hotels the ability to withdraw promotions as soon as they've hit their occupancy targets, forcing consumers to act fast—perhaps before they've had a chance to suss out whether an advertised "deal" truly is one.

Maybe the biggest changes since 9/11, though, is that airlines and hotels have gotten much more tactical and targeted with their sales. Possibly taking a cue from president-elect Barack Obama's powerful campaign machine, which embraced technology to reach out to its most loyal supporters, travel companies are focusing on their very best customers, notifying them via email of special deals that aren't offered to the occasional traveler. The most savvy among you can take advantage of this new travel landscape by signing up with the right web sites, joining the right loyalty programs, and following the 25 resolutions on these pages for finding the best values in the new year.

1. REDRAW YOUR MENTAL MAP OF WHERE YOUR DOLLAR STRETCHES FURTHEST
Hawaii, for instance, was a very expensive destination until a few months ago. Today it's one of the biggest bargains out there, with airlines offering $420 fares from the East Coast and resorts touting third-night-free deals with free upgrades and free breakfast. "Hawaii will be on sale for a longer period than the mainland," notes Berman. As for foreign countries, some currencies have swung dramatically within the past few months—your dollar now buys you 20 to 40 percent more in Australia, Botswana, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Iceland, India, Mexico, New Zealand, and South Africa.