Special June fares for multi-stop tickets on BootsnAll

I know we keep going on about how the economic downturn – while bad for lots of people – is great for travelers. And that’s still true. If you can afford to travel right now, you’ll find airfare and hotel deals pretty much everywhere, at prices you wouldn’t have imagined possible (especially when we’re heading into the peak season in places like Europe). But there’s another group who benefits from your ability to travel, too, and that’s the people who work in the tourism industry around the world.

As I write this, I’m sitting in a hotel room in Naples. I’ve had lovely chats today with three locals in particular, all of whom emphasized in one way or another how important my presence is to the local economy. And by “my presence” I don’t mean me in particular (that would be weird) – I mean me as a tourist. My cab driver said he hasn’t seen many Americans in Naples for months, and wishes they’d come back. A local tour guide I’m planning to meet up with tomorrow is eager to help me spread the word about this city she loves to encourage more people to visit. And the guy who’s running the front desk at my hotel tonight is incredibly friendly and welcoming – and obviously doesn’t have many guests to tend to.

The point I’m trying to make is that while it’s easy to focus on the selfish reasons for travel, and even easier to do so in a time when it’ll cost you less than it would have a year or two ago, by getting out and seeing the world you’re also doing something to support the economy wherever you’re visiting. And that’s nothing to sneeze at.

So, now that you’re all inspired to get out and see the world support local tourism industry workers, here are the deals on round-the-world tickets from BootsnAll for the month!

Here are the new special deals on multi-stop airline tickets available through BootsnAll – these deals are good through June 30, 2009:

• New York – Hong Kong – Dubai – London – New York, $US1399 plus taxes
• San Francisco – Hong Kong – Bangkok – Bombay / Mumbai – Bangalore – Singapore – San Francisco, US$1549 plus taxes
• Los Angeles – Papeete (Tahiti) – Auckland – Sydney – Saigon / Ho Chi Minh – Da Nang – Hanoi – Hong Kong – Los Angeles, US$2199 plus taxes

And if those aren’t the local economies you’d like to boost, then pop on over to the RTW trip planner at BootsnAll and create your own custom trip.