On Thursday, the Wall Street Journal will open its own travel agency, WSJ Travel. Reportedly, the new venture will offer trips to about 50 destinations per year, coinciding with the topics of travel articles that will appear in the paper. Itʼs an effort to bring additional revenue into the newspaper.

There are questions yet to be answered, of course.

1. Is it possible for any newspaper to write objectively about something itʼs trying to persuade readers to buy?
2. Does a newspaper really have the behind-the-scenes expertise to be successful in a totally different retail business?
3. If it makes sense to sell travel today, then why not diamonds, power tools, or laptops tomorrow? What business is the company really in?

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With good timing, your beach can be this uncrowded.

Low prices can be a double-edged sword, though; the opposite side of the blade being that very low prices can attract customers from a different economic echelon (those who are not the usual customers of your favorite resort). That has the power to change the character of the place.

For instance, if your ideal Caribbean retreat has a low-key, piano-at-sunset atmosphere with a quiet beach catering to those over 50, this year you may find it filled with younger families, louder music, more horseplay, less refined dress for dinner, etc. Nothing wrong with any of this, of course … unless it makes you feel like a third wheel on someone else’s vacation.

Here are three ways to improve your 2010 travel:
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