There's enough to worry about on family vacations. Now you can at least take some of the guesswork out of deciding where to stay. Parents Magazine evaluated 70 hotel chains for family-friendly aspects such as room layout, children's programs, baby-sitting services and recreational facilities. In the budget category ($99 to $149 per night), the top chains were Embassy Suites, SpringHill Suites by Marriott, Hyatt House, Residence Inn by Marriott and Holiday Inn. Complete listings at www.parents.com.
Travel Value Index maps U.S. bargains If you're curious about which U.S. destinations will give you the most bang for your vacation buck, Hotwire.com says it can help. The website's 2012 Travel Value Index looked at prices and discounts on airfare, rental cars and hotels, as well as entertainment affordability. The top five destinations were Orlando, Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston and Phoenix.
Discounts offered on Arctic itineraries Lindblad Expeditions and National Geographic are offering free international airfare and discounts on select 2012 Arctic itineraries. For example, on the 13-day Impressions of Northern Norway voyage, departing July 13, pay $9,490 per person double (down from $9,990), plus receive free round-trip air from New York to Oslo (normally about $1,210). Trips are on the 148-passenger National Geographic Explorer. Book by March 31. Info: 1-800-397-3348, www.expeditions.com.
Travel and tourism expected to rise World Travel & Tourism Council projects that travel and tourism will grow by 2.8 percent this year, trumping the predicted global economic growth rate of 2.5 percent. The industry is expected to contribute $2 trillion to the global economy and support more than 100 million jobs.
WASHINGTON POST
