Travel Ticker Survey Reveals 38% of Americans are Unsure How to Plan Successful Trips with Significant Others

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 25, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Travel Ticker®, a leading inspirational travel website, today announced the results of a new user survey on couples travel, just in time for Valentine's Day.  Not surprisingly, the survey shows that 94 percent of respondents enjoy traveling with a significant other. However, 38 percent of them said they need tips on how to travel with their partner, specifically planning, budgeting and splitting costs. To help, Travel Ticker has compiled tips and hand-picked deals for couples to navigate the basics of traveling together and finding the best trips that won't break the bank this Valentine's Day, or any other day!

Whether you are just getting to know each other or have been in an established relationship that is in need of a new spark, Travel Ticker's dedicated team of travel experts has assembled the following top five tips to ensure that hitting the road together will be a great experience for all:

1. Agree on travel standards ahead of time. Do you prefer 3-star or 5-star stays? Public transportation or private car? Decide on accommodation and transport styles before setting off to help with expectations and travel styles.
2. Be ready to compromise. Take turns deciding on where to eat. Get together to write a list of specific things you would like to do and places you would like to see during your trip.
3. Get plenty of nourishment and sleep. Try to plan for around 8 hours of sleep each night, and don't skip meals. Also, don't forget to pack snacks when you go out each day. All of this will help eliminate bickering fueled by hunger and exhaustion.
4. Give yourself extra time and extra funds for "just in case." Skip the stress and tension of rushing or worrying about your budget's balance by building your itinerary with plenty of time and funds for spontaneity and travel time. Also, round up when planning expenses for your meals, transportation, hotel stays, and souvenir shopping.
5. Don't worry about splitting every penny. From daily meals to transportation and your accommodations – your mutual travel expenses will all add up pretty quickly, so try to split the expenses one by one in a general way so as to not cause tension. Alternate picking up costs, or just set up a final tab to be shared at the end of the trip. Splitting every bill or nit-picking every expense can be tiresome and frustrating.

The survey also identified the two most popular types of trips respondents would like to take with their significant others. Based on these findings, Travel Ticker has put together a Valentine's Day themed list of hand-picked deals that will help remove some of the stresses of budgeting while literally taking relationships to new places and beyond.

For the 26% of Americans who would like to take a beach vacation with their significant others, Travel Ticker has found some fantastically romantic destinations throughout Mexico and the Caribbean. In response to vacancies and consumers' shrinking budgets, travel providers in exotic locales from the Bahamas, St. Thomas, Puerto Vallarta, and Cancun are offering extraordinary deals for romance, including:

• 4.5-star one-bedroom villa at Cabo Azul Resort -- from $175: Experience a different kind of Cabo for 4 nights (Sunday check-in) at the 4.5-star Cabo Azul Resort for $175 per night. Or stay the weekend (Thursday check-in) for 3 nights at $233 per night. Valid now-April 30.
• Jamaica: 4-night all-inclusive trip with air + extras -- $599+: Get a flight from the U.S. to Jamaica and a 4-night stay at the all-inclusive Riu Montego Bay from just $599 per person. This includes a $20 spa credit and a complimentary catamaran cruise. Valid February 1-March 15.

For the 20% who would prefer a weekend getaway jaunt, Travel Ticker has pinpointed the most romantic big-city escapes for on-the-go couples. With the lover's holiday falling on a Monday this year, it's a great time to take a short trip with your significant other. Here are several cities that are offering great deals in time for Valentine's Day:

• 40% off stylish hotel in Los Angeles plus upgrade -- $59: The boutique Custom Hotel Los Angeles is just $59, any night of the week. Plus, you'll get upgraded to a queen room with a view at no extra charge (regularly $140). Valid now-April 30.
• Exclusive: Midtown NYC hotel including weekends -- from $87: The centrally located Radisson Lexington Hotel in Midtown is starting at just $87 for stays on select dates, now-March 13. Rates will vary, but you'll always receive 20% off the hotel's best available rate.
• San Francisco: 45% off boutique Union Square hotel -- $89: The Diva Hotel in San Francisco's Union Square just lowered rates exclusively for Travel Ticker. Stay now-March 30 for only $89 including weekends. You'll be steps from shopping, restaurants, and the theater.

For a complete list of Valentine's Day deals currently available on Travel Ticker, visit http://www.travel-ticker.com/Theme/Valentine_Vacations.  

Survey Methodology: The Travel Ticker Traveler Intentions Survey was conducted online with Travel Ticker users from November 17 to December 1, 2010, resulting in 1,779 completed responses. More information on the survey is available upon request.

About Travel-Ticker.com

Travel Ticker is an online inspirational travel website that is home to some of the best insider deals at many of the world's favorite destinations. With an ear to the ground and an eye for the unique, Travel Ticker's experts provide users with a platform to browse for researched travel bargains, the latest travel trends, and editorial insight. Established in 2006 as a travel newsletter and in 2008 as a standalone website, Travel Ticker boasts more than 11.5 million subscribers. Travel Ticker is an independent business unit of The Hotwire Group. For more information, visit us at http://www.travel-ticker.com/ and follow us on Twitter (@travel_ticker).

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