Want to be a gazillionaire? Go on vacation, says Catharine Hamm, Travel Editor at the LA Times. In her article entitled Will 2017 will be the year of magical travel?, Hamm points out that the ideas for Instagram and Dropbox both came to the founders when they were on vacation. The article goes on to explain that at long last airline companies have turned a profit and when airlines benefit, so do the consumers with lower fares and the new basic-economy fare making travel more affordable.

In addition, gas prices are down from where they were a year ago, so road trips will reign in 2017. These, along with 15 other factors Hamm points out, align to make 2017 the year of travel. And,all this bodes well as we move into February, which we all know is for lovers. And we all know that staying at inns and B&Bs is a romantic experience. Make this the year for your romantic inn or B&B getaway. 

It pays to stay at some inns. Book your romantic getaway at one of the 12 Distinctive Inns of New England, located in the six New England states and when you check out you’ll receive something you’d never find at any hotel or resort. You’ll be presented with $50 in DINE Dollars to use for the next Distinctive Inns of New England getaway, just to allow you to try a new and different inn, and to add to your year of travel in 2017.

Next on the list of reasons to make 2017 the year of B&B travel are all the extras you’ll find at a inns and B&Bs. Forget the $25 breakfast each morning at the resort hotel. A locally-sourced, hearty, and individually prepared breakfast will be served each morning of your stay at your favorite inn or B&B. You’ll start the day with steaming coffee, juice, fresh fruit, hot entrée, and more. But the extras don’t stop there. And at most inns/B&Bs and you’ll be treated to tea for two at some, unlimited beverages and snacks at others, afternoon cookies or wine and cheese receptions. It may vary from inn to inn, but the added value is tremendous. In fact, BedandBreakfast.com does great job of showing the B&B savings in their infographic shown in this article. 

Remember that vacations inspire creativity, genius, and good health. Too many people leave vacation days unused. In fact, according to Bankrate, more than half of all American workers who receive paid vacation aren’t using all the time they’re entitled to.

 
Let 2017 be the year of B&B travel. Brainstorm your next invention, product, or career. Relax, rejuvenate, and add in a little romance. Travel is good for the mind, body, and soul.  The stars, airfare, and gas prices are all aligned to make 2017 the year of travel. Now it’s just up to you to start planning. What are you waiting for?

Marti Mayne has taken nearly 30 years of marketing experience and dedicated it to providing marketing and public relations services for the tourism, and bed and breakfast industry with her company Maynely Marketing. She has been the publicist for BedandBreakfast.com, offering information about the B&B industry to TV, radio, newspaper, magazines and Internet media and also helped to manage the Better Way to Stay campaign for the Professional Association of Innkeepers International and the B&Bs for Vets program for the Association of Independent. Marti has recently added travel writing to her repertoire, providing stories for the Birds Eye View, the inflight magazine for Cape Air, Geico Magazine, Classic Country Life Magazine, and NHtoDo Magazine and Inns Magazine. She was the B&B Examiner for Boston's Examiner.com guide and a contributor to many blogs, plus a regular contributor on family adventure to EasternSlopes.com.