The TRAVELER'S JOURNAL: March nineteenth, with another savings tip for travelers.

Planning a trip to the Far East? The U.S. dollar is as strong in Asia as it is in Europe. In countries like Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, and even Australia and New Zealand, the dollar is going a long way, creating some spectacular savings situations for crafty travelers.

Whenever foreign exchange rates shift, most major hotels chains and rental car companies quickly adjust their dollar prices to reflect the new realities. International airlines, however, are more hesitant to change their rates. In the Far East, competitive pressures and subsidized national carriers make it hard for airlines to raise the local currency price of tickets to off-set foreign exchange shifts. Here's one way travelers can take advantage of that hesitance.

The price of most round trip international airline tickets is calculated in the currency of the country in which the journey begins. The difference in currency values can make the cost of a flight from one of these nations much less expensive than a ticket issued in dollars. Good travel agents can often issue each leg of most round trip tickets in the currency of the country where that flight originates. So instead of a regular round trip ticket from the U.S., travelers buy one ticket from here to there in dollars, and a second ticket for the return portion in the currency of the country they're visiting.

By splitting the ticket for the round trip journey, they're able to shave hundreds of dollars off the cost of their trip, even more if they're flying in business or first class. Sometimes the savings can be enough to cover all the hotel costs. Now that's a travel bargain.