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CNN Live Saturday

Interview with Erik Torkells

Aired October 11, 2003 - 12:47   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


RENAY SAN MIGUEL, CNN ANCHOR: Perhaps you're dreaming of being a well heeled traveler but you're on a shoestring budget. Travel Expert Erik Torkells may have the escape you're looking for or maybe one you haven't thought of yet. He's with one of the many Frommer's magazines. Eric is at our New York Bureau. He's actually an editor of the Arthur Frommer's Magazine, "Budget Travel." Thanks for being with us.
ERIK TORKELLS, "BUDGET TRAVEL": Thanks for having me.

SAN MIGUEL: I know it's off-season in many tourist designation. They're offering up specials you can count on every year. Are there economic considerations as well as like how the dollar is doing against other world currency?

TORKELLS: There are several considerations, it has been a terrible year in the travel industry. Between the war and SARS, and the economy, things are tough. Usually we see great deals reeling kicking in around January and February. This year, we're seeing them in October, November and December. So, that makes for a great situation. While the dollar is weak in some places, still strong in other places. So. if you go to South America you can live like a king.

SAN MIGUEL: We'll get to South America in just a second. Let's start off here with London. What kind of deals are you seeing in terms of both airfare and hotels and a lot package deals?

TORKELLS: The trips we are talking about are all package deals. Most people would be happy, thrilled to get a $350 airfare to London. This trip is a whole week in London, $350, plus hotels, plus continental breakfast. London is an expensive city by any standard. But this frees you up to spend your money in London and not feel bad because you're not blowing it all on a hotel.

SAN MIGUEL: And hasn't that's -- that's not recent type of development is it. I mean there's been some good deals for about a year now in England?

TORKELLS: You tend to see it in winter proper or even spring. Summer's stays strong. Although this again was really a terrible year and Europe took a beating.

SAN MIGUEL: What about Rio, and Buenos Aires? TORKELLS: Well, that's sort of a fantastic trip. It's eight nights, four in Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires for $899. You get a couple tours included -- that's hotels and airfare. That's a heck of a deal. And the great thing is there's no jet lag when you fly from North America to South America. It's a long flight but you don't end up all whacked out from it.

SAN MIGUEL: Yes, not travelling to many time zones there. Egypt, now I would think any place in the Middle East you are going to get security concerns on the part of travelers.

What is Egypt doing to get to try to get people to travel?

TORKELLS: Egypt's economy has always depended on terrorism to a great extent. So all the Middle East stuff effects and gets them very worried. We're seeing tremendous deals to Egypt, and we did not used to. $899 for a week in Cairo or you could actually spend it at a five star hotel, at the pyramids. This hotel is called the Mena House Oberoi. It's one of the worlds most famous hotels in the world. You sit by the pool with the pyramids behind you. That's a trip of a lifetime at a price of a lifetime

SAN MIGUEL: Back to North America, Vancouver, one of the coolest cities in North America and one that's got -- also got a great Chinatown.

TORKELLS: People don't think of -- People think of Canada as, you know, sort of white than white. But Vancouver is a deep international city. There is a connection with Hong Kong there. One of the tour operators is offering a package from San Francisco up to Vancouver, for three nights, $200. That includes airport transfers, airfare and hotel. A great weekend get away. In the fall, it's damp but not freezing.

SAN MIGUEL: OK, staying in the continent here Hawaii, kind of a standby, if you will, a lot of people say they've always wanted to go to Hawaii. Are there some good deals now that can actually make that possible?

TORKELLS: Airfare, a week at a hotel one block off Waikiki Beach, $450. If you have ever wanted to go you -- money can't be an excuse anymore. That's just a great deal. And you're right in the middle of the action.

SAN MIGUEL: OK, finally Cancun. This is kind of a honeymoon standby or spring break, regular here. But you can go off-season and really enjoy bargains here, can't you?

TORKELLS: Honestly, you'd be better not going in spring to Cancun, depending who you are. A beautiful place. You don't have to have spring break in spring, take your break any time you can. In the fall, you can go to Cancun for $350 out of Miami, a week at an ocean front hotel, a room facing a great view of the sea, that's you know...

SAN MIGUEL: You can't ask for better than that.

TORKELLS: Why are we here? Lets book our flights right now. Lets get on the road.

Erik Torkells is with Arthur Frommer's Magazines. Thanks so much for the advice, we appreciate your time.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired October 11, 2003 - 12:47   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RENAY SAN MIGUEL, CNN ANCHOR: Perhaps you're dreaming of being a well heeled traveler but you're on a shoestring budget. Travel Expert Erik Torkells may have the escape you're looking for or maybe one you haven't thought of yet. He's with one of the many Frommer's magazines. Eric is at our New York Bureau. He's actually an editor of the Arthur Frommer's Magazine, "Budget Travel." Thanks for being with us.
ERIK TORKELLS, "BUDGET TRAVEL": Thanks for having me.

SAN MIGUEL: I know it's off-season in many tourist designation. They're offering up specials you can count on every year. Are there economic considerations as well as like how the dollar is doing against other world currency?

TORKELLS: There are several considerations, it has been a terrible year in the travel industry. Between the war and SARS, and the economy, things are tough. Usually we see great deals reeling kicking in around January and February. This year, we're seeing them in October, November and December. So, that makes for a great situation. While the dollar is weak in some places, still strong in other places. So. if you go to South America you can live like a king.

SAN MIGUEL: We'll get to South America in just a second. Let's start off here with London. What kind of deals are you seeing in terms of both airfare and hotels and a lot package deals?

TORKELLS: The trips we are talking about are all package deals. Most people would be happy, thrilled to get a $350 airfare to London. This trip is a whole week in London, $350, plus hotels, plus continental breakfast. London is an expensive city by any standard. But this frees you up to spend your money in London and not feel bad because you're not blowing it all on a hotel.

SAN MIGUEL: And hasn't that's -- that's not recent type of development is it. I mean there's been some good deals for about a year now in England?

TORKELLS: You tend to see it in winter proper or even spring. Summer's stays strong. Although this again was really a terrible year and Europe took a beating.

SAN MIGUEL: What about Rio, and Buenos Aires? TORKELLS: Well, that's sort of a fantastic trip. It's eight nights, four in Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires for $899. You get a couple tours included -- that's hotels and airfare. That's a heck of a deal. And the great thing is there's no jet lag when you fly from North America to South America. It's a long flight but you don't end up all whacked out from it.

SAN MIGUEL: Yes, not travelling to many time zones there. Egypt, now I would think any place in the Middle East you are going to get security concerns on the part of travelers.

What is Egypt doing to get to try to get people to travel?

TORKELLS: Egypt's economy has always depended on terrorism to a great extent. So all the Middle East stuff effects and gets them very worried. We're seeing tremendous deals to Egypt, and we did not used to. $899 for a week in Cairo or you could actually spend it at a five star hotel, at the pyramids. This hotel is called the Mena House Oberoi. It's one of the worlds most famous hotels in the world. You sit by the pool with the pyramids behind you. That's a trip of a lifetime at a price of a lifetime

SAN MIGUEL: Back to North America, Vancouver, one of the coolest cities in North America and one that's got -- also got a great Chinatown.

TORKELLS: People don't think of -- People think of Canada as, you know, sort of white than white. But Vancouver is a deep international city. There is a connection with Hong Kong there. One of the tour operators is offering a package from San Francisco up to Vancouver, for three nights, $200. That includes airport transfers, airfare and hotel. A great weekend get away. In the fall, it's damp but not freezing.

SAN MIGUEL: OK, staying in the continent here Hawaii, kind of a standby, if you will, a lot of people say they've always wanted to go to Hawaii. Are there some good deals now that can actually make that possible?

TORKELLS: Airfare, a week at a hotel one block off Waikiki Beach, $450. If you have ever wanted to go you -- money can't be an excuse anymore. That's just a great deal. And you're right in the middle of the action.

SAN MIGUEL: OK, finally Cancun. This is kind of a honeymoon standby or spring break, regular here. But you can go off-season and really enjoy bargains here, can't you?

TORKELLS: Honestly, you'd be better not going in spring to Cancun, depending who you are. A beautiful place. You don't have to have spring break in spring, take your break any time you can. In the fall, you can go to Cancun for $350 out of Miami, a week at an ocean front hotel, a room facing a great view of the sea, that's you know...

SAN MIGUEL: You can't ask for better than that.

TORKELLS: Why are we here? Lets book our flights right now. Lets get on the road.

Erik Torkells is with Arthur Frommer's Magazines. Thanks so much for the advice, we appreciate your time.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com