Rates for tours with elements priced in U.S. dollars are being reduced. (Comstock Complete)

A guy went into a bookstore the other day to buy greeting card. The price in Canadian dollars was higher than the one in U.S., so he asked, tongue-in-cheek, if he could pay in American. The clerk said no.

Prices for many goods don't reflect our loonie's flight to parity and beyond, but that's not the case in the travel business.

Rates for tours with elements priced in U.S. dollars are being reduced. Same goes for ones based on other other currencies whose value has dropped against our dollar.

One small specialty tour operator lowered the prices of all his winter trips. But his biggest cuts were to group tours to New Zealand, whose dollar has dropped by about 10 cents since last winter, and Australia, whose dollar is down about a nickel.

Toronto-based Goway is offering the US Goway-Qantas Aussie Airpass to Canadian residents instead of the much more expensive Canadian Airpass. The US Airpass, based on departures from Los Angeles or San Francisco, costs US$850. The Canadian Airpass, based on a Vancouver departure, is Cdn$1,199.

Don't look for serious savings in the sun destination market just yet. That's because Canadian tour operators contracted for hotel packages in places like Mexico long before our dollar reached current levels. But if the loonie remains at par or better, you should to see lower prices for the 2008-09 season.

This might be the perfect time to take that big-splurge vacation to the U.S., the Bahamas, or certain Caribbean islands where the American dollar rules.

Wherever you go, keep in mind the value of our dollar you read and hear about is a little more than you'll get.

Visa and MasterCard charge a one per cent fee on foreign purchases and the bank that issued the card adds another fee.

That's why the US$13.95 bottle of rye I bought at an Orlando airport duty-free was processed by Visa the same day at Cdn$14.05.

Shop around before buying large amounts of American money. A spot check of rates at two foreign currency exchanges and one bank showed a spread of 45 cents on purchasing US$100.

VIDEO - WHAT'S NEW

- The Netherlands has a new tourism web site, Holland.com, described as a fully web2.0 based website. Besides information about travel to Holland, it invites travellers to be part of an interactive Dutch travel community. Registered users can share first-hand information about past trips and contribute articles, videos and images.

- Israel's new English-language Canadian website, GoIsrael.ca, is fully interactive and available in several languages.

- Vancouver Island has been voted as Top North American Island for the eighth straight year by readers of Conde Nast Traveler, an upscale U.S. magazine.

MONEY SAVERS

SeaWorld Orlando and Busch Gardens Africa in Tampa are selling Canadian Access Passes. A single-park pass allows guests a return visit to the park within 13 days of the first visit. A two-park pass allows unlimited admission to both parks within seven days of the first visit. Under a special Loonie Savings Offer, passes bought through March 31 are $10 cheaper. Visit www.seaworld.ca or www.buschgardens.ca for details.