 SAVOR THE SUNSHINE STATE AT BARGAIN RATESWITH FLORIDA VACATION AUCTIONFORT MYERS, Fla. (March 11, 2009) – The economy may be stormy, but travelers need not let it rob them of their time in the Florida sun. It’s still possible to enjoy all the sunshine state has to offer with a bargain-priced trip from Florida Vacation Auction.
Get away to a chic art deco hotel on Miami’s trendy South Beach, a secluded gulf-front bungalow in the Panhandle, a cozy bed and breakfast in Gainesville or a fully equipped condo minutes from Walt Disney World. Frolic with the dolphins in Miami or saddle up at a Polk County dude ranch. Golf at a spectacular PGA course, spend a night at the theater or cruise down a scenic river. Florida Vacation Auction offers members all of these options and hundreds more at prices well below retail.
Customers have their choice of either bidding on an auction or buying direct, which takes them straight to the travel supplier’s Web site to book the Florida hotel, resort or attraction of their choice.
There are no fees to view listings, register or bid. Customers simply pay the buy direct price or the lower auction price if they win. New auctions and special offers appear on the site each Sunday at 10 p.m.
Auction winners can save upwards of 80 percent on the cost of premium hotels, cultural events, attractions and other hot spots around the state by bidding on packages posted on the Web site – www.floridavacationauction.com. So far in 2009, savings on auction packages are averaging 64 percent.
Buy direct prices, which permit members to purchase immediately, average 20 percent to 30 percent less than standard rates.
Willie Montiel of Hialeah has been a frequent customer of the site since it was launched in 2005. He’s won 22 auctions and estimates he’s saved between 40 percent and 60 percent on each one.
“We’re talking thousands of dollars altogether,” Montiel says of his savings. “I’ve been to Naples, Fort Myers Beach and the Keys. I’ve used the most in the Orlando area because I’m a pass holder to the theme parks and my family likes to spend weekends there. But I also use lots of offers near home, too. We’ve visited the Miami Children’s Museum, the Seaquarium, a Parrot Jungle deal and Vizcaya.”
Montiel’s extended family enjoys traveling as a group. Besides his 10-year-old son, he often vacations with eight or 10 other family members so he’s become a savvy and successful bargain hunter. He regularly checks the available auctions on the site, compares the prices to those offered by the travel suppliers and bids on the ones he thinks offer the best deals.
“If you do your homework, you’ll definitely save money,” Montiel says.
The site is easy to use, with new auctions and special offers appearing each week, on Sunday nights at 10 p.m., allowing prospective travelers to view them based on location, vacation experience (spa, golf, attractions) or price range.
Auction winners receive travel vouchers, which include all taxes, so a $200 winning bid costs $200. There are no add-on service or handling fees. Some advertisers, such as private homes, may have an additional cleaning fee, but any such charges are clearly identified in the auction listings.
Bidders who win an auction immediately receive their vouchers in Adobe PDF format via e-mail, with a hard copy sent through the U.S. Postal Service the next business day. Reservations are booked directly with the hotel or resort. Vouchers for attraction tickets are redeemed at the advertiser’s box office. Vouchers are for specified redemption periods and are nontransferable, although it is possible to give attraction tickets as gifts.
“Florida Vacation Auction is an easy, enjoyable and smart way to travel,” says Sal Dickinson, CHME, a travel industry veteran who founded the site. “Vacations are even more important when times are tough and our program allows people to plan first-rate getaways at affordable prices.”
Florida Vacation Auction is the only vacation auction partner of VISIT FLORIDA, the state of Florida’s official source for travel planning. It’s also a member of Florida Lodging Association and Florida Attractions Association.
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