Plan, relax, enjoy, repeat
CHRISTINE HICKSUSTA Travel
The Canadian radio station I listen to in the morning (besides being hilarious) is beginning

its fall series of trip giveaways. This is not an ad for the station, or the vacation wholesaler sponsoring the ad campaign, but rather the annual fall reminder that it's time to put your winter travel plans into higher gear. The winter brochures are coming out, and control over your vacation purchase is at its peak. That said, this is a long way to say "Book now."

Tour operators match their marketing giveaway funds with "gimmes" from hotels, airlines and other vendors to tilt your purchase their way. This year, I've seen offers from car and MP3 player giveaways to $100's of dollars off bonuses for early booking. All-inclusive vacations are as popular as ever, and often participate in such "gimmes." There have been honeymoon-china place setting giveaways, and now I've even located one that will pay for the cost of your passport to travel to them. There are upgraded hotel room offers, and free night stays (after a minimum purchase, of course). There's food and beverage credits, gift cards, free picnics, free champagne, free local tours well, you get the idea. Promotions abound.

So, what's a good deal? Glad you asked. Well, maybe not, for perhaps you won't like my answer. A good deal is when you know exactly what you want, and you get more than that (things you would want) for less than you expected to pay. In other words, you decide what's your good deal not the hotel, tour operator, or anyone else.

Good deals can come along at any time before, during and after you book. Heck, they can even happen after you've left like getting an unexpected upgrade to first class, or an upgraded room at check-in. Still, the most control you can exert over a good deal is early research and booking.

If you must plan for your vacation, as most of us do, it pays to start earlier. Start at your beginning which may be your destination, or perhaps you need to find a destination. Plot a budget. It can be unreasonable; the great part about starting early is that you can come to terms with that later. Some people start with a budget and shop for a destination. budget and shop for a destination. I find that constraining. I advise against buying the deal. Buy what you want. Too often the hunt takes you to an end that no longer looks like the vacation you envisioned. Pull back in research and planning to refocus on your goal.

When do you strike the deal? When it feels right. Then, don't look back. Not anyone can ever claim they got the lowest price or the best deal, largely because no vacation is ever identical. Furthermore, who cares? It isn't about the best deal. There is no "winner" or "loser." It's about going where you wanted, when you wanted it, and enjoying it. Plan; relax; enjoy. Then, repeat.

(Christine Hicks-Usta has enjoyed more than 30 years of globetrotting as a member of the travel industry in various capacities. Direct questions to her at Bee Group Newspapers, P.O. Box 150, Buffalo, N.Y. 14231-0150.)