Themes dominating travel industry headlines in the first half of 2008 have definitely been less than rosy. The impact of oil’s soaring price on airlines, the U.S. dollar’s drop to historic lows, and the increased supply coming into the hotel market amid softening consumer demand are developments that could understandably dampen industry optimism. In these tough times, demand for discounted travel is building, and appropriately positioned online travel agencies are benefitting handsomely.