Perry Como may claim there is no place like home for the holidays, but some University students beg to differ.With more than a month of winter vacation time, many students will take advantage of the break and venture to distant and exciting destinations.Lauren Berg, biology junior, and Claire Berg, accounting freshmen, will take a three-hour flight to Costa Rica during winter break with their family.The sisters will spend 11 days exploring the exotic country with guided excursions led by Tauck Tours. They will participate in canopy walks, zip-line riding, volcano explorations and take riverboat rides through the jungle.The Berg family departs for their trip Dec. 28.They said they didn’t mind being out of the country for New Year’s Eve, but they want to be home for their family’s Christmas celebration, Lauren Berg said.”There really is no place like home for the holidays,” said Tom Pollock, Regional Sales Manager for the AAA travel agency on Bluebonnet. “But technology has opened more venues for traveling and is allowing people separated by great distances to reconnect and create new experiences in new places.”Like the Bergs, many holiday travelers will journey to Mexico or other Caribbean hot spots. The warm climate appeals to vacationers who seek to escape the winter chill, Pollock said.Cancun, Mexico, is one of the most popular abroad winter vacation destinations, Pollock said. During the holiday season, hotels and resorts in the Caribbean compete with each other to provide travelers with the best deals for their money.All-inclusive cruises have also become a popular option for holiday travelers. Cruises provide entertainment for people of all ages, making them particularly appealing during the family-centered holiday season, said Judy Nicholson, senior travel consultant for Malcolm Travel & Cruise on Florida Boulevard.Walt Disney World is another popular vacation spot for Louisiana residents, Nicholson said. Overall, travel has dropped 60 percent since 2000, Pollock said.  This is mainly because of rising plane ticket prices and decreases in money allotted for travel in people’s personal budgets caused by the recession.”Economic conditions have really dictated how much people travel,” Pollock said. “Flights, cruises and tourism in general — numbers are down.”In addition, reduced capacity on airplane flights and additional baggage charges influenced the dropped rate of travel by air, Pollock said.The number of passengers flying in the United States has decreased 7.9 percent since 2008, and the number of airplane departures has decreased by 9.3 percent, according to the Research and Innovative Technology Administration’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics.Despite the overall drop, a 1.4 percent increase took place in automobile travel since 2008, Pollock said.”More people are beginning to travel domestically,” said Nicholson. “With airline ticket prices so high, long car rides are starting to look more appealing.”Total travel and tourism related spending decreased by 4.5 percent in 2009, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of Travel and Tourism Industries.To find the best travel deals, Pollock advised to thoroughly search online for competitive rates. Traveling on Christmas or New Year’s Day can also potentially decrease travel costs.If traveling by automobile, Pollock said people should make sure the vehicle is in good mechanical shape. Also, try to avoid traveling in icy weather, Pollock said, or choose a driver with experience in such conditions.If flying, travelers should acquire boarding passes at least the day before the flight and arrive at the airport two hours early to ensure all flight information is correct, Nicholson said.According to RITA, 3.26 percent of flights are canceled per year.Nicholson also advises people flying or cruising to purchase $30 travel insurance. There is a $150 minimum to reschedule a flight and a no-refund policy if a cruise is missed.”The holidays are an emotional time of year,” Pollock said. “So keep it simple. Don’t put yourself in a time constraint, and make sure to allow for time to really enjoy the holidays.”Student Government, Campus Transit and First Transit will provide transportation for students to the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport and the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday after finals week. Students will be picked up from the Agriculture Parking Lot by Parker Coliseum. Transportation costs $20 for the bus ride to the New Orleans Airport and $10 for the bus ride to Baton Rouge Airport.- – – -Contact Lindsay Nunez at [email protected]