Spectacular scenery, fabulous beaches, exotic cuisine and great service from welcoming local people. It was a marriage made in heaven and local economies in the East began to build their resources. New hotels were erected, new resort facilities carved out of the landscape. Western tourism was a key element in lifting many countries out of poverty. Coming into this century, everything was looking on track for continuing growth and then a double whammy. The global recession hit. People in the West suddenly found their credit drying up as banks ran into trouble. Unemployment began to rise, and foreclosures marked the end of the housing bubble. People no longer had the same amount of disposable income to spend on holidays. Add to this the political troubles. Demonstrations shut the main airport into Thailand for a week. Terrorists attacked Mumbai. The war in Sri Lanka flared into new violence. Put all these together and you have a recipe for a disaster.

There are between 300,000 and 400,000 jobs tied up in tourism in Asia. Travel to India and Sri Lanka is down 25%. Other troubled destinations are falling fast. Even the favorite destinations like Hong Kong are suffering. The governments in these states have too much invested in tourism to allow it to fail completely so they have released funds from their reserves to not only allow the trade to continue, but also to make discount offers. Wherever you look in this region, you will find what was previously sold at a premium price is now a middle-of-the-road price. What was previously an average price is now a give-away. The regional body tasked with promoting tourism in the Asia Pacific area is aiming to raise tourist numbers over the next three years. The plan is to maintain revenue through volume rather than higher prices.

So, if you have the time, take a look at the special offers. You will find cheap flight to virtually every destination in the Asia Pacific area. Then add in the promotional prices on rooms and you have a bargain bonanza making this a "once-in-a-lifetime" chance. Although it's hard. Although you're short of money. There never has been a better time to cheap flights to Asia. So check out the specialist online travel agencies. You're going to find both standard cheap tickets and packages. If you can, take advantage of these cheap flights. They may never be as cheap again.

Once again got in a flight delay? It's claimed that 48 minutes is the usual duration of domestic flight delay. It's good you have your laptop, and all the emotions gathered in your chest are just one click away from that gossip blog.

There is a significant increase in the use of different electronic devices, including laptops. And airports are now offering wireless connection to the Internet - Wi-Fi. It's clear, that in different airports are different Internet options. And you have to be prepared. Do you get Internet in airport for free, or does it charge for connection? For some tourists, that wish to log on, entering the special airline lounge seems to be the best alternative. But the Wi-Fi for others will definitely be more helpful. And what to do with this eternal problem of dying battery? Open your laptop and see, what airports have got lately with Wi-Fi.

Yes, you should know, that sometimes you would pay for using the web in airports, anyhow there are multiple spots that offer connection as a politeness. The biggest US airport providing free Wi-Fi is Las Vegas. Other free airports where Wi-Fi is offered include Charlotte, Fort Lauderdale and Denver.

But don't flatter yourself - free of charge doesn't always mean simple and free. The overall opinion seems to be, that free of charge services can be unstable. Some airports, that offer free WI-Fi also include the paid access. On a little more disputable moment, there is a couple of airports, with free Wi-Fi, that have some sites blocked that are considered to be offensive.

The question "Is there a Wi-Fi access?" has evolved into the question "Is there a free Wi-Fi access?" regardless of whether you have cheap tickets or business class flights, that travelers will ask most often. But wait a second! There are some places where you won't find any wireless capabilities. Going to Van Nuys, California? Or you got a stop in Molokai, Hawaii or Jackson, Mississippi? Then, you have to forget about your e-mail or reading through the RSS news feeds. Outside Honolulu, that has a paid Wi-Fi offer, the majority of airports in Hawaii don't have Wi-Fi at all.

Battery life is a frequent problem for people using electronic devices in the airport. Many airports, mostly those frequented by business travelers, did install charging stations where you can renew battery in your cell phone, laptop and many other devices. Also, don't forget to consider plug styles and voltages, if you're traveling to an international airport. Nice drinks, tasty snacks, comfortable seats, a clean bathroom and Internet access. That's the sector of the lounge, that elite business travelers and a few everyday tourists want to pay for the entrance privilege. Most airline lounges include Wi-Fi, and many feature the service in the cost. Which ones? American Airlines, Northwest and British Airways, to name some of them.

Many airport lounges also include data ports. There you can connect your computer to the Internet for free. Also, there, you can recharge your dying battery. So, if they want you to pay for Wi-Fi, don't lose heart, only remember to not forget your Internet cable.

Tour operators, hotels and airlines are bracing for a rocky 2009 as the global financial crisis hits long haul travel. Asia has been experiencing a travel boom with a massive range of geography from the snow-capped Himalayas to some of the best beaches in the world. But last year saw a drop in numbers. This year, negative growth is expected all round. Let's put this in context. The United Nation's World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) showed the loss of tourism business most strongly in the Asia-Pacific region as compared to the Americas, the Middle East, Europe and Africa. This is echoed by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) which is warning that global airlines are facing possible collapse as revenues fall. The consequence is that between 300,000-400,000 jobs are at risk in air transport, travel and tourism sectors.

Why is the fall so bad in Asia? The answer is this is not simply an economic problem. Tourism was doing well in India, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Macao until the news media began carrying stories of political and other problems. There was a major protest in Thailand that shut down Bangkok's airport for a week. As a result, more than a million tourists cancelled their bookings. In India, the terrorist attack in Mumbai was directed at the top hotels and the tourists, and the result has been a general drop in travel to all Indian destinations, even those pure tourism areas like Goa - bookings down 25%. Sri Lanka has become a war zone in the public's imagination and Macao's visitor numbers have been affected by a cutback in the number of visas issued by China. These destinations are now anxiously courting business through promotional prices. Even the best hotels in the most favored destinations are discounting. In places like Singapore and Hong Kong, room occupancy is down to around two-thirds and, to maintain their competitiveness, there are a whole range of incentives for those prepared to make longer journeys. In short, there has never been a better time to think of planning a holiday in Asia. Although there will be some security concerns - everyone wants to relax when they are on holiday - the region is once again calm and anxious to rebuild its tourist business.

With support from their governments, all the airlines carrying tourists to Asia are offering cheap air tickets. Because room occupancy rates across the region are way down, there are genuine bargains to be had for both short and long-stay holidays. If you are prepared to invest a little time in researching the market, you will be able to find amazing value. How do we know? Because the regional tourist boards are forecasting 3% growth in numbers over the next three years. The hotel and restaurant trade and the airlines are integral parts of the regional economy. Governments are dipping into their reserves to encourage more tourism. In real terms, there has never been a better chance of finding cheap air tickets than over the next six to eight months.