Tempted by Travel Tuesday? Research carefully

Chain stores have Black Friday.

- CORA LEWIS

THE TRAVEL industry wants to cash in on the post-Thanksgiving buying push by consumers.

(RONALDO BOLANOS Los Angeles Times)

Online marketplaces have Cyber Monday. For local businesses, it’s Small Business Saturday.

In the last 20 years, more segments of the retail industry have vied for their own piece of the holiday shopping season. The travel trade has firmly joined the trend with another post-Thanksgiving sales push: Travel Tuesday.

On the same day as the nonprofit world’s Giving Tuesday, airlines, hotels, cruise ship companies, travel booking platforms and tour operators get in on the annual spirit to spend by promoting one-day deals. Consumer advocates say there are legitimate savings to be had but also chances to be misled by marketing that conveys a false sense of urgency.

“People see ‘40 percent off’ and assume it’s a once-in-a-lifetime steal, without recognizing that the underlying price may have been inflated or that the same itinerary was cheaper last month,” said Sally French, a travel expert at personal finance site NerdWallet.

She and other seasoned travelers advised consumers who want to see if they can save money by booking trips on Travel Tuesday to do research and to pay close attention to the fine print.

People hoping to score last-minute deals for Christmas or New Year’s should double-check for blackout dates or other restrictions, recommended Lindsay Schwimer, a consumer expert for the online travel site Hopper.