travel

Although some of the trans-Atlantic airlines have eliminated their fuel surcharges (at least for the moment), and though our dollar has recovered a bit against the euro and more against the British pound, a European vacation remains a pricey thing for Americans of average income. In response to that concern, many of our smartest fellow citizens will opt for unusual low-cost accommodations when they visit the Old World this coming year.

Hostels, first: Single people traveling alone will, increasingly, be looking into the use of European hostels, whose numbers have exploded in recent years. Throughout the continent, entrepreneurs by the scores have taken over failing hotels and converted double rooms into mini dorms, supplying overnight lodgings that are rented to people of all ages for as little as $20 a night. Or, they convert industrial buildings into lodgings. A host of new Web sites -- Hostelbookers.com, Hostelworld.com, Hostels.com, Europeanhostels.com, Hostelz.com, Hostels.net and many others -- list and describe hundreds of these structures all over Europe.

Recently, a reader's letter confirmed the appeal that these European hostels have for people who are no longer considered ''youths'': ''I'm nearing retirement age,'' she wrote, ``and my retirement investments have lost a bundle. So, am I planning a European trip for next year? Sure, because I have frequent-flyer miles that I want to cash in ... I'll be staying in hostels and other low-cost accommodations.''

Home exchanges, next: American families are turning in growing numbers to the home exchange as a method of enjoying free accommodations, thus overcoming one of the chief expenses of travel. They join a home-exchange club, which enables them to propose a ''swap'' of their home or apartment with that of a European family during the time of each other's respective vacations.

One home-exchange club, Ed Kushin's HomeExchange.com, was lucky enough to be portrayed in a recent Hollywood film, The Holiday, about an exchange between characters played by actresses Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz. He asserts (in a recent interview on my travel radio program) that home exchanges in 2008 have ''gone through the roof.'' His 18-year-old club alone will handle some 50,000 exchanges this year.

But you might also try the services of the long-established Intervacus.com, homelink-usa.com, invented-city.com and many others. By offering your own home or apartment for an exchange, and incurring an $80 to $100 yearly fee for joining an exchange service, you eliminate the cost of housing -- and also make it possible to prepare several of your meals on vacation, exactly as you would at home.

Apartments in place of hotels: Finally, Americans of all ages and conditions are reducing their European costs by scheduling stays of at least a week in each of the cities they visit, and then proceeding to rent an apartment in place of a hotel. Because an apartment rental does not incur the heavy labor costs and other expenses of a hotel, they are almost always cheaper than equivalent hotel accommodations, in addition to providing far more space and comfort, including kitchen facilities.

A large industry has emerged of companies that make short-term apartments available to tourists in every major city: Homeaway.com, VRBO.com, Zonder.com, EVRentals.com, Rentalo.com and many others. All seem to be thriving, as cost-conscious Americans turn decisively to alternative accommodations for their holidays abroad.

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