With summer upon us, those who’ve put off making travel plans for 2009 out of economic fear, guilt or otherwise — may come out ahead as airlines, hotels and resorts continue to roll out screaming-good deals.

I posted a couple of deals at 4:00 pm today (June 15) and within 5 seconds I had requests for quotes. I worked for 3.5 hours on quotes for people with 3 commitments for travel. Not bad for one afternoon.

Travel industry insiders point out that now more than ever people are looking for travel packages that are surprise-free, the more all-inclusive the better. And given the state of the economy and industry, it’s as if the vacation stars have aligned in the consumer’s favor — especially if the shopper is willing to be flexible on dates.

It’s definitely a buyer’s market out there, and it is the right time to ask — if these add-ons aren’t already offered — for free breakfasts, room upgrades and, for example, free access to a property’s gym.

Resorts, too, should and are ponying up plenty of perks. Seek out those free spa treatments, meals and rounds of golf.

One hot spot for deal seekers is Mexico, which is struggling to reclaim its place on the tourism map. In the aftermath of the H1N1 flu virus scare, vacation destinations there “were just brutalized. As a result, resorts in places such as Cozumel and Cancun are slashing package prices by as much as 50 percent, CNN reported late last month.

Flights to Mexico and Caribbean destinations, which are generally more affordable this time of year anyway, are even more enticing because of even greater prices and because the airlines are waiving the need to buy tickets in advance in order to secure the best rates.

Navigating the deals and best steals can be overwhelming, which is why turning to a travel agent for help can make a difference. A travel agent, for example, can sift through all the options, often secure different packages and can help prospective travelers figure out what destination is best for them.

There are so many deals out there, consumers will tend to get confused. Add reviews in which are all over the place and they will “bang their heads on the wall” as one of my clients put it. Going to a professional who can tell you what the traditional prices are … and give you some good old-fashioned advice is best for consumers.

Just this week I heard a story of a client who booked with an online travel site in an effort to “save money”. The person only looked at the price and not the description. She purchased a “small” room with one queen bed for herself and a friend. She needed to book a room with two double beds. She is now waiting to see if her credit card company will help her out or if the travel company will let her have the room with two doubles for the same price as her one queen. Now a person who’s experienced in booking travel is attempting to “put the milk back in the carton”. That’s not an easy job to do. I made a post earlier that it costs no more to use a travel agent than it does to book online. Additionally, the agent knows how to find many value-added features that you cannot get online.

Money and savings aside, the importance of getting away from the daily grind, even for a couple days, doesn’t fade away during tough economic times. There are plenty of options available for “Staycations”. There’s also a surge of interest in weekend escapes. Likewise, the road trip is getting good play.

I have a client who’s going on a road trip this month and just needs hotel rooms. She booked two rooms online to save money. Then she thought to ask me about my rates. I got the exact same hotels for her at rates less than she was able to get. She saved $50 and was grateful!!

So because it’s already June does not mean you can’t get a decent vacation this summer. Let us help you with a memorable trip for 2009!