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Two Michigan Cities Rank Top Budget Travel Destinations

New York (PRNewswire/ CBS Detroit)- Budget Travel announced the winners of the first annual "Budget Travel Awards." The experts curated a list of top travel destinations that deliver an excellent value for travelers.

Two top Michigan destinations include Detroit for Best Value Foodie City and Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore for Best Value Beach.

Travel Editor in Chief, Robert Firpo-Cappiello said, "The winners list includes some well-known brand juggernauts renowned for customer service, for instance, our Best Value Airline is Southwest for its fare transparency, free two-bag check, and exceptional customer experience from booking through the flight itself; our Best Value Car Rental Agency is Enterprise Rent-a-Car for its great rates and customer experience." Firpo-Cappiello also notes that the Budget Travel Awards include some surprises that U.S. travelers are sure to be buzzing about.

"In the category of Best Value Hotel Chain, for instance, the winner is not a hotel chain at all but the vacation rental brand Airbnb, acknowledging the industry paradigm shift that Airbnb's user experience and savings have helped to bring about. Other surprises include such unexpected gems as the YMCA of the Rockies in Estes Park, Colorado, in the category of Best Value Resort, and Detroit taking the prize for Best Value Foodie City."

Here are the 2018 Budget Travel 'Best Value in Travel' Award winners for 2018:

Best Value Budget Airline: Southwest Airlines

Best Value Tour Company: Contiki Tours

Best Value National Park: Arches National Park, Moab UT

Best Value Island Getaway: Puerto Rico

Best Value Foodie City: Detroit, MI

Best Value Theme Park: Dollywood, Pigeon Forge, TN

Best Value Volunteer Vacation: Bonnaroo Music Festival

Best Value Romantic Getaway: Door County, WI

Best Value Beach: Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, MI

Best Value Travel App: Lonely Planet Guides

Best Value Credit Card: Chase Sapphire Preferred

Best Value Rental Car Agency: Enterprise

Best Value Hotel Chain: Airbnb

Best Value Cruise Line: Avalon Waterways

Best Value State Park: Hocking Hills, OH

Best Value Historical Site: Independence Hall, Philadelphia, PA

Best Value Resort: YMCA of the Rockies, Estes Park, CO

About Budget Travel:

Budget Travel is a 21-year-old multi-platform travel media and services brand that empowers consumers to see more for less. Budget Travel-branded content reaches more than 2.4 million consumers annually via its website, more than 4 million consumers via social media, and more than 600,000 consumers via its weekly e-newsletters. As part of the Lonely Planet travel media company, the Budget Travel brand provides consumers with inspiration, how-to advice, and money-saving tips they won't find elsewhere.

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