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Online Coupon Outlets: Getting Consumer Travel off the Ground

By: Beth Doriani | 09/22/2011

Hasta Luego Coupon Clipping, Hola Vacation

Attention: There is an epidemic sweeping the nation. Ladies and gentlemen, coupon collecting is back! For a limited time only, you can get $20 worth of food at Whole Foods for only $10! Admission for four to the Contemporary Art Museum is now 67 percent off full retail value. Hurry, this deal closes at 11:59 PST.

Web-based coupon outlets for local savings are aiding recession-weary citizens all over the country, but their impact goes far beyond a city's borders. Thanks to the introduction of travel sites such as Groupon Getaways, Living Social Escapes, Gilt Jetsetter and many more, the travel industry is receiving a much needed pick-me-up and subscribers everywhere are getting a daily dose of incentive to start packing their bags.

Each morning my inbox tantalizes me with new destinations at a fraction of the price. Immediately I start to strategize a weekend escape:

A 3-night stay at a Lake Tahoe Hotel & Spa for $179? I think I can make that work.

5 nights at an all-inclusive Bahamian resort, only $559 for two adults. Why, that sounds delightful!

Within two years, the recently coined term, "stay-cation," is nearly obsolete. Even during an economic crunch, this deal-of-the-day phenomenon takes travelers outside their own cities to Occident and Orient and everywhere in between. American workers are actually using their allotted vacation days.

This may be one small step for the American labor force, but it is a giant leap for the PR industry. Online coupon outlets did not just revamp the travel industry, they changed the way consumers thought about saving money. Coupon clipping is no longer kept secret, it is boast-worthy behavior. Back to my favorite topic, Neuroscience, studies prove that a daily email, each with new savings in store, triggers a chemical reaction in the brain. Opening the email or purchasing a deal releases dopamine and creates a temporary high that keeps followers coming back for more, and spending more money.

Coupons are certainly not the solution to an economic crisis. They do, however, play a small role in reigniting impulse spending, the beneficiaries of which are often the entertainment and hospitality industries. When budgets tighten, a spa package is the first thing to be crossed off the ‘To Buy' list. But what if that same package were available for 78 percent off? Now we're talking.

Are you a deal-of-the-day subscriber? Tell us what you think about the introduction of online coupon outlets and how they impact your traveling and spending habits.

Posted in Public Relations