Travelers think warm for New Year’s Eve

New York City and the ball dropping in Times Square come to mind for most when they think of New Year's Eve. But local travel agents said Manhattan is not a typical destination for Eastern Iowa travelers seeking to kick off the New Year far from home.

“I just helped a family plan - on short, four-week notice - to visit Disney World for New Year's Eve,” said Andrea Keiderling Fehl, a leisure-travel specialist who has worked for Travel and Transport Vacation in Cedar Rapids for 12 years. “Instead of loading up under the tree with gifts, families are taking trips and celebrating together.”

Holly Kelly, travel agency division manager and 27-year veteran at Cedar Valley World Travel in Cedar Rapids, said she's been seeing a trend toward family and multigenerational travel.

“At this time of year, we work with mainly families because if you are traveling with kids you need more advanced planning,” Kelly said. “We do work with couples, but it's easier for them to just hop in the car on a whim and travel more last minute.

“Our travelers want someplace where they can take the kids and don't have to worry about hiring a baby sitter. Indoor water park facilities are becoming really popular on New Year's Eve.

“They also don't want to have to worry about driving.”

“Our busy season starts in late fall, when people are getting their reservation in and are planning for some place warm,” Keiderling Fehl said. “We get really busy as soon as people start to think about it getting cold here.”

SOMEWHERE WARM

On average, Travel and Transport Vacations has about 100 clients traveling over the holidays - that's Christmas and New Year's Eve travel combined. Keiderling Fehl said destinations are scattered because it all depends on traveler interest, but that often involves some place warm.

“Rivera Maya Mexico is very strong, and our requests for Costa Rica are growing,” Keiderling Fehl said, noting that cruises are also very popular.

Kelly added that Arizona is another popular warm-weather spot.

Both Keiderling Fehl and Kelly said that Las Vegas also has become to be a popular New Year's Eve celebration destination.

“Vegas is just known as a party destination,” Kelly said. “Plus you have an adult/kid mix of entertainment options for those traveling with their family.”

Those seeking winter sporting activities at ski lodges in places such as Colorado aren't as common, Keiderling Fehl said.

“They are a special breed of traveler who enjoy the cold weather but need the mountains that we don't have here,” she said. “We definitely don't have as many of these travelers as we'd like to see.”

BLACKOUT DATES

Kelly said travel agents can be particularly helpful in booking New Year's Eve travel because there are often blackout dates and discounts and other restrictions travelers may not know.

“Vegas may quote you $99 a night, for example, but there's a $25 ‘resort fee' tacked on. And you also can't always just go for one night - they may have a minimum stay, or a mid-stay rate hike,” Kelly said.

“Cancellation policies are much stricter for New Year's Eve as well. Plus, you have to remember that on New Year's Eve you are going to pay a more premium price, but you are going to do that around here, too.”

While the new year almost already upon us, both travel agents said it's not too early to be thinking about Dec. 31, 2013, travel plans. And gone are the days, they said, when waiting to the last minute will garner you the best deals.

“The best prices are when the flights are available, so advanced purchase is very crucial,” Keiderling Fehl said. “Air schedules are released 11 months in advance.

“And here in Iowa we don't have as many flight options to choose from. Demand is high and supply is low.”

She added that last-minute travel is still possible, if not ideal.

“We do get a lot of last-minute travel requests, which can work out if you are flexible on your travel dates,” Keiderling Fehl. “But you definitely get better deals if you plan in advance. You'll have more choices.”