Travel is the tonic for turbulent times

“When the going gets tough, the tough get traveling.”

No, that’s not my new motto now that I’ve been laid off. It’s the latest marketing effort from Australia-based outfitter Intrepid Travel, which is offering anyone who’s lost a job since last September a 15 percent discount on its tour packages.

“Take advantage of a bad situation if you can,” the website states, “and take off to Africa, Asia, Australia, the Middle East, Latin America or North America.”

Budget Travel’s blog, “This Just In,” reports that some folks have “optimistically referred to their layoffs as extra vacation time.” After losing her job as en electrician in December, one woman seized the opportunity to take a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Thailand. The tour will last four weeks–something that would not have been possible with the limited amount of vacation time Americans get each year.

Need more ideas to do with unplanned free time? Jaunted (the Pop Culture Travel Guide) has launched a new series on “where to go when you don’t have somewhere to go from 9 to 5.” Their first suggestion: “If you work in an unstable industry, try flying Flybe, where if you get canned, you can cancel your flight free free.”

There are other deals and discounts available for the unemployed, too. SkyRoll is offering a 50 percent discount off the price of its luggage for people who plan to be traveling to a job interview.

“We know the economy is rough and want to do our small part to help.”