Orbitz Reveals Best Bets for a Summer Beach Bargain

CHICAGO, June 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- As summer temperatures continue to rise, savvy travelers looking to cool off at the beach can find plenty of deals. To help vacationers plan an affordable beach getaway, Orbitz.com (http://www.orbitz.com), a leading online travel agency, offers travelers some insider advice with its latest Orbitz Insider Index.

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"Although high gas prices are driving airfares up, hotels are looking to lure travelers by offering big savings," said Heather Leisman, senior director of merchandising for Orbitz. "In fact, the hotel rates at some of our most popular beach destinations have actually dropped in price since last year."

Orbitz Insider Index -- Best Beach Deals

To help travelers locate the best summer beach deals, the Orbitz Insiders searched through the Orbitz BeachFinder (http://www.myidealbeach.com), an interactive tool designed to find beach destinations based on specific needs and interests. By comparing year-over-year average daily hotel rates at popular U.S., Caribbean and Mexico beaches, this Index highlights the Top 5 destinations each month with the best hotel deals, whether you're planning to vacation in June, July or August.

                                       June 2008
             Top 5 June          Average Daily Rate(1)      ADR Savings
             Beach Deals                  (ADR)       Compared to June 2007(2)

    1       Barbados                       $192                  24%
    2       Paradise Island, Bahamas       $287                  17%
    3       Riviera Maya, Mexico           $242                  11%
    4       Clearwater Beach, FL           $115                  11%
    5       Panama City, FL                $150                   9%




             Top 5 July                July 2008              ADR Savings
             Beach Deals           Average Daily Rate    Compared to July 2007

    1       Punta Cana,
            Dominican Republic             $208                  18%
    2       Ixtapa, Mexico                 $156                  17%
    3       Sarasota, FL                   $105                  15%
    4       Virginia Beach, VA             $120                  14%
    5       Kauai, HI                      $191                  14%



             Top 5 August              August 2008           ADR Savings
             Beach Deals           Average Daily Rate  Compared to August 2007

    1       Hilton Head, SC                $107                  37%
    2       Grand Cayman                   $194                  30%
    3       Kauai, HI                      $219                  21%
    4       Puerto Vallarta, Mexico        $180                  12%
    5       St. Petersburg, FL             $105                  10%

With sunny skies and temperate climates year-round, the summer months are a great time to visit the Caribbean and uncover excellent savings. This June, Barbados is seeing a 24 percent drop in average daily hotel rates compared to June 2007. Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic is also offering improved hotel discounts over last year, and its nearly 100 percent all-inclusive resort destinations give travelers a lot for their money. If travelers can wait until August to escape, Grand Cayman's lavish hotels are discounted up to 30 percent over August of last year.

Vacationers looking to stay closer to home this summer should consider domestic vacation spots such as Florida or Virginia Beach, as both feature very reasonable hotel rates and significant price drops from 2007. Four beach destinations in Florida are showing savings of nine percent or more, and Kauai -- a nearby getaway for West Coast dwellers -- offers big savings in July and August.

Hot Summer Hotel Deals

The Orbitz Insiders have picked some great deals at a few of season's top beach destinations. From swimming with the dolphins at Atlantis to relaxing in the sand at the Grand Oasis, getting away for a summer retreat is all the easier with deals like these.

Turtle Bay Resort, Oahu, HI -- Save 30% -- Additional $200 off 5+ night packages for bookings by July 15

Located on 880 oceanfront acres, Turtle Bay Resort is a full-service luxury resort on the island's legendary North Shore. Its natural, unspoiled beauty can be found at every turn, with five miles of pristine beaches and 12 miles of ocean trails. Book by July 15; travel by October 1. Use promotion code ORBHI200.

Grand Oasis, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic -- Save 30%

Ideal for families, friends and couples, the Grand Oasis Punta Cana provides a warm welcome to all and offers the very best in service, dining and entertainment. Spacious accommodations with lush gardens and superior amenities complement great entertainment, restaurants and a recently renovated spa. Valid for stays through September 12.

Atlantis Royal Towers, Paradise Island, Bahamas -- $200 off for 3+ night package for bookings by July 1

Atlantis is a unique resort in an elegant yet relaxed setting, featuring the world's largest open-air marine habitat, home to more than 50,000 sea animals living in 14 exhibit lagoons. Take in the exquisite water views from the Royal Towers' balconies, and enjoy the grand architecture, artwork and design reflective of mythical Atlantis. Book by July 1. Valid for stays through November 17.

Little Good Harbour, St. Lucy, Barbados -- 2 nights free

Located within a tranquil fishing community, Little Good Harbour offers luxury guest cottages and is one of the last family-run oceanfront hotels on Barbados' fashionable West Coast. Just minutes north of Port St. Charles, this charming cluster of luxury cottages epitomizes the best of Caribbean architecture, and the suites, set in lush, tropical gardens, are nestled around a central swimming pool. Valid for stays through August 31.

About Orbitz

Orbitz (http://www.orbitz.com) is a leading online travel company that enables travelers to search for and purchase a broad array of travel products, including airline tickets, hotel rooms, rental cars, cruises and vacation packages. Since launching its website http://www.orbitz.com to the general public in June 2001, Orbitz has become one of the largest online travel sites in the world based on gross travel bookings. On Orbitz, consumers can search more than 80,000 suppliers worldwide including airlines, hotels and car rental companies. Orbitz is a brand that is owned and operated by Orbitz Worldwide NYSE: OWW.

About Orbitz Worldwide

Orbitz Worldwide NYSE: OWW is a leading global online travel company that uses innovative technology to enable leisure and business travelers to research, plan and book a broad range of travel products. Orbitz Worldwide owns and operates a portfolio of consumer brands that includes Orbitz (http://www.orbitz.com/), CheapTickets (http://www.cheaptickets.com/), ebookers (http://www.ebookers.com/), HotelClub (http://www.hotelclub.com/), RatesToGo (http://www.ratestogo.com/), the Away Network (http://www.away.com/) and corporate travel brand Orbitz for Business (http://www.orbitzforbusiness.com/). For more information on how your company can partner with Orbitz Worldwide, visit http://corp.orbitz.com/.