Sales of the Century.(deals in travel industry)(Brief Article)

Would-be vacationers face a dilemma: just when they really need a relaxing getaway, traveling has become more stressful than staying home. Some worry about safety. Others are more concerned about splurging on a vacation during uncertain economic times. Though traffic is down everywhere (the International Air Transport Association reports a 17 percent drop), it's the skittish Americans who are most hesitant (flights are down 30 percent). But what's bad for the industry is a boon for the intrepid tourist. A guide to some of the deals:

EUROPE: You know things are bleak when Europeans actually miss American tourists. Travel to France, for example, has dropped by 20 percent since September 11, mainly because only half as many Americans are going. To lure new business, some European hotels are literally giving away rooms. Scotland's four-star Craigellachie Hotel, on the banks of the River Spey in the north, is offering free lodging for guests who eat breakfast and dinner at the hotel. That's not a sacrifice, considering the two meals cost about [pound]40 per person and the Craigellachie is acclaimed for its cuisine and vast collection of more than 400 malt whiskies.

If your wardrobe needs work, the New York-based Shop Around Tours offers an extravaganza that takes shoppers to every major outlet mall in Italy, including the famed Prada and Gucci outlets near Florence. It costs $800 per person, not including air fare, for six nights' accommodation in four-star hotels in Milan, Florence and Rome, plus about half the meals.

For those looking ahead to winter, European ski resorts are also offering discounts. Ryanair has [pound]20 air fares from London to European skiing destinations when flights are booked before Nov. 12. Travelers can fly for less than the price of a ski pass to Perpignan, Carcassonne, Trieste, St. Etienne, Salzburg or Turin any time before March 21, 2002. The Esprit group has big savings at some of its less crowded French and Austrian resorts; Puy St. Vincent will let two kids stay for free with two adults paying [pound]499 each.

MOROCCO AND THE MEDITERRANEAN: Travel agents in the Middle East say tourism has never been worse. "We had more than 52 groups booked," says Nir Shilo, a guide who specializes in tailor-made trips throughout Israel. "They all canceled." Those who buck the trend are in for bargains. For $450, not including air fare, Ann Hillel, a manager with the Jerusalem-based agency Travex, is offering an all-inclusive one- week tour, with a historic walk up Mount Masada; a daylong jeep drive in the Negev Desert; a stop in the rose- colored-stone city of Petra, Jordan; and a choice of swimming with dolphins in Eilat, snorkeling or scuba diving. Last year, she says, the trip would have cost twice as much.

To help weather a 50 percent drop in bookings, Club Mediterranee has discounted vacations at its North African resorts. For travelers who book a weeklong package at its Moroccan clubs at Agadir or Marrakesh, air fare will cost 1 euro round trip. The Club Med spa on Jerba, an island off Tunisia, is offering a daylong "Forme Tonique" treatment, including ...