Learn the secrets travel clubs and timeshare companies don’t want you to know. No longer will you have to pay full price (even compared to most Internet “deals”) for your next vacation.

One thing has always puzzled me whenever I traveled. No matter how hard I looked, most of the prices are identical (or at least very close) to other competitors. The first conclusion I drew to this situation was that the Internet drove most of the profit margin out of the business. However, for that to be true, then there would be no travel agents because the Internet competitors would have cut so much margin it would not be worth it for the owners to have a travel agency. Well, I know there are still many travel agents (not as many as 10 years ago) who have been in business for a lot of years and are very well respected. They can also get the same prices as the Internet guys. I suspect the travel industry may have some profit margin still left.

Next, while a little different target market, travel clubs offer discounts to members, usually in exchange for a membership fee which is usually at least $3,000. The discounts are substantial in travel clubs. “Ah ha!”, I thought. I see the model. Sell travel for basically cost and make your money on the membership. That is not a bad business model. However, I travel a couple times per year and I don’t consider myself an avid vacation traveler. That model doesn’t make much sense for me personally.

Then, I take a look at timeshares. Again, I don’t travel a lot, so not sure it is right for me. However, I like the investment aspect because it is real property that I own. I understand real estate so I am a little more comfortable with this model. I have an asset I can theoretically “put my hands on.” Now I look again at the financial piece as I try to justify why I am thinking I should finance a vacation I haven’t taken yet. I still don’t think this is right for me.

So, it appears I am back to paying retail like everyone else. Don’t get me wrong, travel clubs and timeshares are good tools and can pay off if you use them. However, I have to be realistic. With 4 small children, and a job that requires my full attention, I am doing good to get one week of vacation per year. Any other time off is usually reserved for other projects around the house or helping with other family projects. It just doesn’t make sense for me.

Because the other two options didn’t make sense to me, I knew I had to get involved with the Global Explorer software when I saw it. Basically, this is a new approach which is perfect for most travelers. Basically, for the USD$599.00 cost of the software, you get great travel information and the ability to book your own travel directly with the providers at a significant discount. While not true on every deal, the majority of properties I have reviewed would save you more than the cost of the software. For instance, there are deals on condos in the US for $375 per week. That is less than $54 per night. Can you stay in a comparable hotel room for anywhere near that price?

Look, this is not for everyone. I looked at 3 days in Chicago on the Internet and in Global Explorer to compare. Both were $239 per night with no restrictions. In Global Explorer, there was a special non-refundable offer for $209 per night in the same hotel. I am realistic and I have no desire to say you should spend $599 to save $90 on your three day trip. However, look at the introduction on the home page of this site. Those savings are real and they are very common in Global Explorer. If you are thinking of traveling for a week or more, you need to seriously consider the software.

Ok, so what’s the catch? After the first year, the cost is $179 per year for licensing the software going forward. Also, when you do this, the terms and conditions clearly state that the yearly fee will not go up until 2010, and IF it does, that increase is capped at 10%. I don’t like a “bait and switch” and I don’t think you do either. Click on the “Terms and Conditions” in the footer of this page if you want to read all the legal details yourself.

What next? Well if you have read this far, I am guessing you think this may be a good solution for you. If you are ready, click one of the versions on the right side to begin the purchase process. If you want to read more, browse around the site. We have tried to make everything available to you and answer your questions. If you need something that is not answered in the site, send an email to contact-us@bestsecretvacations.com. Also, if you would like us to look at pricing of a specific property, please post the information in the comments of this page. We can’t guarantee we will answer due to the sheer volume of requests, but we will do our best to get your request or something similar in our “Real Quotes” section on the website.

I look forward to having you as a customer.

Bob