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Recession Chic
In the good old days, when the words credit crunch had yet to be invented, it was the done thing to aspire to the best method of travel possible and the best holidays.
It was de rigeur to be seen flaunting your wealth and this was especially evident when flying. Airlines made it very clear that for those enduring the 'walk of shame' through the sumptuous luxury of the business cabin into the cramped cattle pen conditions of economy, flying was about spending your hard earnt money on the best seats. Okay, all those on the bucket airlines didn't really care where they sat, even on the wing, as long as they did so at the least cost, but at least there are no other classes to show you up.
Also, travel destinations were all about being pampered; going to exotic locations, preferably as near to the sea as possible and having to hand international 18-hole golf courses for the men and with beauty salons for the women.
It was the time of the travel ego, when money was spent on giving yourself a treat and letting everyone else know that you were doing just that. It was the personification of hedonism and summed up the start of the 21st century.
Now, with world economies crashing with greater frequency than Eddie the Eagle, a new phrase has been coined by the travel industry: recession chic.
In the true sense of the ingenuity of the human race, people are trying to make the best from having to make their money go further.
Leading the way are the Americans and the trend for getting a better deal for holidays has been spotted at a New York travel show, where people are said to be on the hunt not only for bargains, but for a chance to show an heightened awareness of the new world order.
Those in the industry attending the travel show say their customers are not only considering how much their dwindling savings will buy them, but also how they can show that the important things in their lives, such as family, their health, or the environment, can in someway be accommodated when booking their holidays.
And for those holiday destinations that offer guilt-free pampering to those wiling to pay for it, they are worried that people will spurn their enticements and go for something more akin to the recession chic experience.
And to try and cope with this development, many of the more luxurious resorts are trying tone down their top end holidays with chances of doing good. Therefore, in certain destinations, such as Central America, Asia and the Far East, travellers are encouraged to participate in conservation and social projects.
In one such project holiday-makers are given the chance to purchase a book for a village that has no library. And not only purchase the book, but also deliver it in person and talk to the villagers themselves.
It's almost a case of social guilt offsetting. So you can not only now offset your carbon footprint, you can also now offset your conscience.
Another company has hit upon a novel idea of 'Laid Off, Take Off', possibly a pretty sad reflection of the hard times people face. Simply, when you get made redundant, take some time off. Whether that's a good use of their money remains to be seen, but, maybe it's a good an idea as any.
So, when booking your holiday, remember now that its cool to be cost conscious and maybe, as you walk down the plane to cattle class, you can hold your head up high with a new sense of superiority.
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