If you're looking for a destination that's just a little bit special for the summer vacation then you might want to think about Jordan. And with visitor numbers down last year, caused in part by uncertainty over the civil war raging in northern neighbour Syria, 2013 in particular might be a good year to find a real value-for-money bargain. Who doesn't want that?

Jordan is more than the ruins at Petra. Jerash, north of Amman, is as impressive and more accessible as well.

Tripadvisor has released the results of their massive 2009 travel survey. Here are the trends for 2009

Eco-tourism became a buzzword about 20 years ago, and since then it's success can be measured by how the concept has spread globally. There are companies and organizations everywhere from Costa Rica and Panama, to Tibet and Gabon, that help travelers enjoy exploring the world in an ecological and sustainable way

Instead of Dubai, save your hard-earned dollars and visit neighboring Jordan for a cheaper and more down-to-Earth vacation spot.