OHIO — Despite rising costs, the summer travel season is shaping up to be a big one. Travel industry booking data indicates pre-pandemic levels of demand.

“We’re seeing a lot of the usual suspects back on the top of the list,” said Travel Expert Jeanenne Tornatore. “Expedia data shows that it’s places like Florida, the Caribbean and Mexico that are seeing double-digit increases in lodging demand compared to pre-pandemic.”

Tornatore said the cruise sector is also making a comeback, with Carnival expected to have its full fleet in operation by May.

For less crowded getaways, Tornatore recommends visiting a national park, but advises many are still requiring reservations for entry.

“If you can’t get a reservation, you should look into these destination towns that are like outdoor meccas,” said Tornatore. “Fort Collins Colorado is a great example, they have more than 50 protected areas that are like mini-state parks right outside of town.”

With inflation impacting prices and saving money top of mind, Tornatore recommends using a buy now pay later service like Uplift to ease the financial burden.

“What this allows you to do is spread out your trip into bite-size monthly installments,” said Tornatore. “You get to choose how much you want to pay per month and there are no late fees involved.”

More travel tips and tricks can be found on Tornatore’s travel blog, Outside Insider.