Web Buzz: Need a break and a destination? Let ZapTravel be your guide
Get bratty! This website lets you search for exactly the trip you want — and then fine-tune it for added value.
Name: ZapTravel.com
What it does: Inspires travelers to think beyond the flight and hotel experience and consider new destinations based on events, activities and current deals.
What’s hot: The deal hound in me loves that you can browse prices on a geographic map. Scroll over a price tag and up pops a travel photo of the destination. This is terrific when you need to get away, know how much you can spend but don’t have a clue about where to go. I typed “I’d like to find family- friendly resorts in Central America in August for less than $1,000,” then modified the star rating until I found a hotel and price that suited me. If you don’t know what to ask for, the search prompts on the home page help by asking for more specifics. It led me to ask about travel based on events I could attend during the month I wanted to travel — cool! ZapTravel first launched in Europe, so the European options are strong.
What’s not: Other sites have tried to do something similar but didn’t really catch on. ZapTravel has a fighting chance because it focuses on saving you money and giving you choices you hadn’t thought of. Caution: It’s not yet up to speed for long-term travel planning. If you type in a date that’s far distant — March, for instance, it says, “We typically only search for trips up to 3-4 months out.”
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