The recession has created a new word in the travel industry. “Staycation” is a term being used to describe those vacations that are being taken within one’s home country instead of traveling abroad. With worldwide concerns over finances, violence, and swine flu outbreaks many are choosing to stay close to home this year. This has led to an increase in domestic tourism in the United States, Europe and Japan.

In the United States popular “staycation” destinations are America’s national parks, particularly the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone National Park. Washington DC, and Niagara Falls are also near the top of the list. The United States Department of the Interior, under the guidance of Obama appointee Ken Salazar, has initiated a fee-free weekend campaign that has increased attendance this summer at the national parks. The next one is coming up next weekend on August 15 and 16.

Washington DC tours are seeing more participants during the recession. Many vacationers have chosen to take that trip they’ve been putting off and go see the seat of Western Democracy for the first time. Travel in and out of Washington DC is available by car, plane or train and tours are relatively inexpensive. Lodging is also easy to come by and will not break the bank even for a family vacation.

Niagara Falls, ever the favorite of young couples in love, has become a vacation hotspot for both families and young single people looking to check out the hot nightclub scene on both sides of the border. You can book a Niagara Tour package now for less than what you would have paid just a few short years ago and enjoy one of the true wonders of the natural world.

Europeans are also staycationing this year as are the Japanese, who have concerns about traveling with a worldwide flu epidemic still a threat. Numbers on European tours to all of the major cities are actually up in the recession due to natives traveling within their own borders. Paris, Rome, Amsterdam and London are all experiencing an influx of local tourism this summer.

Some of the concerns about international travel are justified and others can certainly be understood in today’s unstable climate, but keep in mind that the lack of international tourists in the US and in Europe has brought prices for those vacations way down. You can book a European Tour package or Grand Canyon tour today for a rate that’s never been seen before and may never be seen again. You can stick close to home and “staycation” or you can take advantage of low prices and high hotel vacancy rates and travel abroad.