Social travel site Tripping.com, which connects travelers with local people for tips or even homestays in over 175 countries, recently announced the launch of a new search engine that aggregates listings from the world’s top vacation and short-term rental sites.

Will the economy put a dent into your travel plans this year?
Despite continued economic instability, it is widely expected that travelers are planning trips — they are just looking and waiting for deals (see our recent post, 5 Big Value Destinations for 2010). Last year was awash with travel deals, but this year deals may be harder to come by. Many travel providers, such as airlines and resorts, have adjusted capacity or held off discounts, hoping the economy rebounds. This means travelers will have to be more creative to save …

We found seven online tools and websites aimed at organizing travel tips that are worth checking out.

It turns out that most of the travel booking websites are owned by one of four major companies, so you may not need to spend hours scouring the Net for the best deals.
In fact most of these companies use a system of sophisticated algorithms that control prices consisting of the high-low, the profit margins, and the supply — narrowing any price differences among the competing websites. Prices vary more based on the day, date, and supply rather than the booking site you use.
Here’s a glimpse of the major companies and …