Andy’s Travel Tid-Bits – May 12, 2010
Andy James
May 12, 2010
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MAY 18 & 19TH 2010
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My Recent Trip to Colombia
This past February I had the opportunity to travel to Colombia South America as a possible destination our company may want to promote and recommend. At first I considered why any American would want to travel to Colombia with its history of drug cartels and problems. I can tell that after I returned from Colombia, I would go back because the country is progressive and very welcoming. (Click here to read more)
British Airways Announces Three Week Crew Strike
The trade union that represents the British Airways cabin crew, announced that it intends to strike May 18- 22, May 24 – 28, May 30 – June 03 and June 05 – 09, 2010. All flights to and from Gatwick will continue to operate as normal as well as flight at London City. At Heathrow British Airways plans to operate a substantial number of there long haul schedules and daily fights to every destination across the network. British Airways may displace more than a million passengers caught up in the airlines strike. The first of four five-day walkouts is due to begin next Tuesday May 18 after the cabin crew rejected an offer from BA.
Travel Industry Trends & Overview:
According to Travel & Leisure surveys and tracking trends, last month the volcano and ash put a damper on the European travel and triggered the cancellation of about 100,000 flights and cost the airline aviation sector around 1.7 billion. The U.S. airlines were affected minimally compared to the European based carriers. Some interesting facts,
- International air travel worldwide was up 10% over last year and U.S.
- Hotels, airlines, and cruise-ship operators are reporting better demand, translating into increased bookings and higher revenue.
- Leisure travel spending in the U.S. is bouncing back in 2010 as U.S. consumer sentiment gradually recovers, according to travel agents.
- Luxury travel sales showed solid gains in the first quarter of 2010 (Vacation.com survey of luxury-focused travel agents).
- Americans are ready to start traveling again but are looking for value and are ready to haggle for the best deals (AOL Travel survey).
- Travel agents came to the aid of stranded travelers during the ash cloud crisis.
- U.S. states are launching a range of new, creative tourism campaigns.
- The political firestorm sparked by Arizona’s new state law is threatening to undermine the state’s tourism industry.
- The air space crisis caused by the volcanic ash cloud severely disrupted the flow of cruise ship traffic.
- Cruise ships were advised to reroute their approaches to New Orleans due to the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
Should I book my Summer Travel Vacation Now?
Within the past year, many summer vacation travelers waited until the last minute to book their summer vacation, hoping to find a “last minute” deal that has been discounted even futher than it was offered 1 or 2 months before. Last year it did pay to wait and buy your airline tickets close to your departure date as the airlines slashed prices to fill seats. But this year we are beginning to see a different trend, the airlines have reduced their cost by eliminating capacity because of the economy. As consumer confidence begins to rise, airline prices are going up. According to recent surveys from Travelociy and Expedia airfares are expected to rise 22% higher than last summer. From our unofficial observation and booking activity it’s all related to supply and demand. As seats are filled, prices go up based on demand. We have seen a steady demand and booking activity for travel into Europe this summer along with Mexico, Hawaii, Alaska and Cruises. These destinations are always popular summer destinations for families during this time of the year. The difference is a reduction in air capacity causing airline ticket prices to go up. Destinations that are not as popular for families and summer vacation are still available at great rates. As an example if your plans call for a vacation to Arizona this summer, we can accommodate your request with airfare and a great hotel or golf package. Frankly, I’ve traveled to Tucson during the middle of July and would do it again. The golf packages at some of the finest resort hotels are truly a great deal. The golf courses are in good shape, the green fee’s very reasonable and there is no waiting. Golfers can easily play 36-holes per day and relax at the pool. One of the best kept secrets I’ve found over the years. Give us a call, I can give you some ideas where to stay.
The good news is the hotel industry was not able to reduce there capacity like the airline industry so hotel room rates are still depressed and depending on the destination, great deals are still available.
United & Continental Airlines Merger – What does it mean to You.
United and Continental are on track to merge and become the world’s largest airline, so what does that mean to you as a consumer? It means less airline choices, a possibility of higher airfares and a frequent flyer program that is un-matched by it rivals. The merger between the airlines allows travelers a wider variety of destination to travel to under one brand. The deal is the first major U.S. airline merger since Delta Air Lines Inc’s 2008 purchase of Northwest. The large legacy carriers are carving out their markets to monopolizing their route structure and discourage competition from threading their territory. Do these mergers give the airline industry the sense of security that they are “To Big to fail”. Will the consumer have a better experience with service and price. Or will competition be stifled and consumers left with few to no options for flying out of there gateway departure airport. If the merger is approved, United/Continental will control about 19% of the domestic passenger, that puts about a third of all U.S. air travel in the hands of two carriers, United/Continental and Delta/Northwest.
This Weeks Travel Packages & Specials
Belize – Turtle Inn
Romantic Ireland – 7-Night Package
Autumn Amble Through New England – Fully Escorted Tour
Hawaii: Oahu and Waikiki
Hawaii: The Fairmont Orchid
For Travel into Central & South America Visit our Unique Travel Web Sites
Belize TravelPOINTS I Costa Rica TravelPOINTS I Barge TravelPOINTS I Peru TravelPOINTS I
Esorted Older Adult Tours – Click on our Centennial TravelPOINTS site to see what tours are scheduled for 2010 & 2011.
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Andy’s Travel Tid-Bits – March 26, 2010
World’s Most Expensive Hotel Just OpenedLooking for a new World Class resort destination to “tick-off” your bucket list? Consider visiting this brand new resort hotel that just opened up, the rich and famous are starting to flock there. An expansive 1.3 billion resort proudly promoting $20,000-a-night suites. The property is situated on 113-acre resort on an artificial island off the Persian Gulf Coast. The new hotel Atlantis, situated in Dubai is a recreation of it sister property in the Bahamas, an ocean themed family resort. The resort contains a giant open-air tank with 65,000 fish, stingrays and other sea going creatures, a dolphin aquarium with more than two dozen dolphins flown in from the Solomon Islands. The hotels top floor is aimed at the wealthy businessman or family. The three-bathroom suite complete with gold-leaf 18-seat dining table is available for around $20,000 per night.
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For the rest of us, the standard nightly rate is running around $450 per night
plus taxes. The resort is the featured landmark on Palm Jumeirah, the artificial man-made island. The resort features a unique marine habitat, pristine white beaches, world class cuisine, up-scale spa, boutique shopping and complimentary access to the water park. Each of the 1,373 spacious guest rooms and 166 suites is designed with subtle oceanic and Arabic influences and spectacular views available of the Arabian Gulf or Palm Jumeirah island. Palm Jumeirah Island is Dubai’s major tourist attraction, hoping to attract 10 million hotel visitors annually.
The Atlantis alone will increase the city’s hotel capacity by 3 percent and demand seems to be strong. The Middle East had the highest hotel occupancy rates in the world during the first half of 2009, with Dubai leading the region at 85% along with the highest room rates in the region. Projections are the 1,539 room Atlantis will continue to be full regardless of the uncertainty of the economies. The hotels prime clients are the world’s richest travelers from Europe, Russia, Asia and elsewhere in the Middle East. Great Weather Web Site A friend of mine recently sent me this link of a weather web site that is pretty good. For travelers, this weather website can be a valuable tool. If you roll your mouse over any airport, you will get the current weather conditions.
Click on the locations and get even more weather info. www.wrh.noaa.gov/zoa/mwmap3.php?map=usa
Continental Airlines will charge extra fees for exit row seats Continental
Airlines announced that it will charge more for passengers seeking extra leg
room in exit row seats beginning March 17. The fees will vary depending on the route and day of the week. Passengers can purchase the additional leg room exit row seats upon check in or on line. Continentals frequent flyers with miles over 25,000, can assign themselves exit row seats in economy class without charge. Spring Break Top Destinations For 2010, Are You Paying More Than Last Year? If you are wondering if you paid more for your Spring Break get-away than last year, you might be surprised. Airfares into popular beach resorts are up over 9% compared to last year with the average domestic roundtrip airfare around $351, while hotel prices are down approximately 3% or an average of $156 per night. The top 10 Spring Break destinations based on 2010 bookings from traveling Americans across the U.S. are, No. 1 Orlando, followed by other South Florida destinations, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Cancun, New York, Los Angeles, Tampa and Washington.
According to the survey, March 22 is the most expensive time to travel between the end of winter and early April, but Tuesday-to-Tuesday are cheaper than traveling on Fridays or weekends. For travelers heading to Cancun, the survey reported that the average airfare from the U.S. to Cancun is up 23% over last year, and if you are still considering Cancun, you might wait until mid-April and beyond to find some better priced deals. The trick is to find a way to get to these sunny destinations without breaking the bank. For travelers traveling out of the Denver market, we are still finding reasonable rates for travel into Mexico, give us a call. The average Cancun trip including airfare, accommodations for 7 nights for 2 people is up slightly to $2,600, this is an average. For other warm sunny tropical relaxing destination, travelers considering Hawaii will find that the average total trip cost for 7 nights including airfare and lodging for 2 is averaging around $3,500. Travel Industry Overview and Trends Travel & Leisure Magazine reported that travel trends are still tentative based on last year’s downslide, the industry is slowly showing signs of gains.
Total air traffic worldwide was up 5.3% in December and demand for international air travel rose 4.5%. Luxury cruise line companies such as Seabourn and Crystal Cruises are reporting record sales for both companies with the promotion of 2-for-1 sailings and other amenities. Rachel Gelfer Hornaday James TravelPOINTS Agent Profile Rachel began her travel career with James TravelPOINTS in 2003, working in our wholesale Belize & Costa Rica department. Prior to 2003, Rachel spent one month backpacking in Belize and Central America learning about the culture and area. Rachel has had the pleasure of visiting Costa Rica and Belize several times over the years visiting many of the luxury boutique properties and eco-lodges the countries have to offer. She specializes in customized vacations for groups and individuals and handles many requests for travel into Panama and Guatemala. She was selected in 2006, by Travel and Leisure Magazine as one of “Five to Watch” (A List of Agents).
She has also been selected and listed on American Express web site as “Feature Travel Specialist” to contact for travel into Costa Rica, Belize and Central America. If you are considering a trip to Central America, talk to us first. Our wholesale department contracts directly with the airlines, hotels, resorts, dive shops and tour providers in the Central America countries, allowing us to give you a fantastic experience at a fantastic price. Travel Agents from all over the U.S. call and book their clients with our team. So call our experts at 1-800-626-3483, Rachel at x248 or Turner at x 222. Visit our web sites at: www.belizetravelpoints.com or www.costaricatravelpoints.com Travel Deals Check-out our this weeks travel deals. BA Strike Up-date As you are probable aware, the flight attendant union “Unite” decided to go on strike earlier this past week during some of the busiest travel days in March. The airline says it plans to operate at around 55 per cent of short haul flights out of Heathrow and 70 percent of its long haul flights.
If a deal is not reach in the coming days, another 4-day strike will begin this Saturday. So what does that mean to you, if you are traveling on BA this coming week (March 27 – 30, 2010), monitor your options until the day prior to your departure. BA has been operating their non-stop flights from Denver to London without disruption. Other flights may be affected, if you have booked your flights with us, call us and we can give you an update.
Andy James James TRavelPOINTS American Express Rep Office 1750 14th Street Boulder, Co. 80302 PH: 303-442-2340
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Iberostar Grand Paraiso-Adults Only All-Inclusive Resort-Riviera Maya Mexico
Andy James, co- owner of James TravelPOINTS, an American Express Representative office established in 1957, recently visited the Iberostar Paraiso Grand All-Inclusive Adults Only Luxury Resort located south of Cancun Mexico along the Riviera Maya.
The Iberostar Grand Paraiso, is a unique contrast among its other branded peer properties situated on the same complex. As you enter the gates and drive past the other Iberostar resort properties (Paraiso Beach, Paraiso Del Mar, Paraiso Lindo, Paraiso Maya) you will notice this beautiful large complex. The Paraiso Beach & Del Mar are aimed for the budget minded all-inclusive guest. Both properties provide standard dining amenities.
The Lindo claims to be a 5 star property, but it’s my opinion to be more of a nice 3 ½ – 4 star family friendly hotel. It appears to be a party atmosphere with over sized pools and beautifully landscaped gardens. The main pool, the wave pool, the lazy river pool all connect to a large swim up bar. Music and entertainment is always “on-tap” with many activities available all day. The pools are large and great to swim in, but it can be noisy and alive.
The Mayan, a nice intimate property. I would consider this property to be a 4 star property. The Mayan has its own unique features and is very family friendly but seems to be quieter than the Lindo. Both the Lindo and Mayan have a good selection of restaurants and bars from buffets to ala-carte dining. The hotel staff is friendly, helpful and ready to serve you.
The Grand Paraiso, the “Parthenon” of the Iberostar complex, is a true 5 star adult’s only exclusive property, geared toward sophisticated quiet adult relaxation. Guests staying at the Grand have multiple dining options and privileges at the other four properties as well. Guests staying at any of the other three properties DO NOT have privileges at the Grand Paraiso it’s exclusive to Grand guest only.
The Grand Paraiso is luxurious. As you enter the lobby you will notice a large indoor terrarium in the center. Surrounding the terrarium, is a nice lobby lounge bar. This bar plays soft music during the evening hours, and is a nice quiet intimate evening get-away. Other guest amenities include a computer room, billiards/game room and a cigar bar. As you pass through the lobby you’ll experience modern spacious hallways en-route to your private room. Each floor has its own concierge, who is ready to set up your dining reservations, excursions or activities. The Grand Paraiso rooms are spacious and contemporary with a separate sitting room and outdoor patio. In your luxury room, you’ll find a comfortable bed with beautiful linens, a fully stocked mini bar with snacks which are included and stocked daily and a nice flat screen T.V. with all cable channels you need. To accommodate your clothing attire, there are 2 large separate closets and plenty of drawer space. The bathrooms are large with a walk in shower, large whirlpool tub, toilet and two separate vanity sinks.
The Grand Parasio has all the modern conveniences and exclusive privacy the resort touts. It’s luxury and it is quite. You’ll find a large Spa which includes a 20 meter indoor pool and exercise room. Other pools on the property include a large “quite pool” where lounge chairs and guests are spaced for intimate conversation and relaxations in a manicure landscaped setting. The largest pool approximately 100 meters in length is a “salt water” pool with a refreshing swim up bar. This pool has great views of the ocean with plenty of lounge chairs and umbrellas. The ocean is only a short walk away on a beautiful stretch of beach. From your lounge chair under a palapa, on the beach you’ll find staff members ready to take your drink or snack order. The ocean is a beautiful turquoise color and is a mild temperature. Swimming is a must and quite refreshing. The ocean surf is mild and the bottom is sandy. Snorkeling is not great in this area, you’ll need to go to Akumal for some this.
For all Iberostar guests who want more than sitting on the beach or lounging around sipping a tropical drink, there is a 18-hole golf course, 8 tennis courts, miles of walking paths and a shopping complex on site. Most guests are content spending their vacation absorbing the sun and relaxing.
The Grand Paraiso has 6 restaurants on the property and all are very good. The service is top notch and dining reservations are recommended. There are 5 ala carte restaurants and 1 international buffet. A nice house wine selection is included with the meals in all the restaurants.
How would I rate the Grand Paraiso.
It’s exceptional, a true 5 Star property with originality over conformity. This luxury all-inclusive resort has a refreshing array of character and ambience and it is big. The Grand Paraiso brings the highest standards without being standard. They have a nice variety of dining and guest service amenities which are unique and distinctive. This is the kind of hotel you can lavish and pamper yourself and guest with, if you can afford it.
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Andys – Travel Tid-bits – Jan. 26, 2010
Hotel “Bed Warmers” Available
Looking for a way to warm up those cold bed sheets in your hotel room? An English hotel has a new service called “Bed Warmers”. The hotel will enlist a staff member to do it for you. The Holiday Inn in Kensington London is offering a five-minute “human bed warming” service. So, who get’s “bed warming” duty and what is expected from the bed warmer? The hotel staff is instructed to dress from head-to-toe in a white, fleecy outfit that looks like a hazemat suit with footed pajama feet. They will jump into bed with you and move around generating the needed heat between those cold sheets for 5 minutes. Usually two staff members, a female and male are sandwiched between you to generate the bed warming experience. As an added bonus, you might get a little pillow talk at the same time.
Ryan Air’s new “Fee to Wee”
Cross your legs if you plan on flying on Ryan Air, they have plans to charge passenger to use its aircraft’s restrooms. The airline is planning on installing “coin-operated” restrooms as a “cost saving proposal” that would help reduce fares by at least 5%. Ryan Air is proposing to remove (2) toilets in the back of the plane to make room for 6 extra passenger seats, leaving only one restroom on board for passengers. The proposed “Toilet” charge would be 1 euro or 1 pound. The airline route being proposed is between Ireland and Britain. One industry expert predicts the aircraft remodel might require Boeing to re-certify its evacuation standards. The complexities of re-engineering each 737 may be cost prohibited for the removal of the restrooms and installation of extra seats. It may revert to just charging it’s passenger it’s “Fee for Wee” without the extra seats.
Andy’s Pick for Mexico – Riviera Maya Adults-Only All-Inclusive Resorts
Want a warm winter get-away without the kids in a really nice property? Check out my review of the Iberostar Grand All-Inclusive Adults Only Resort near Cancun Mexico. click here to read about it.
What you can expect to see this coming Year.
It’s been a busy beginning of the new year. During the previous year, the travel industry took a serious hit but it fared better than a lot of other industries. This is good news coming into 2010 because, as the economy improves, travel should recover faster than other industries or sectors. Travel is beginning to see a slight increase over 2009 and some predictions are “Book early for 2011 as 2010 demand is increasing and you may be “shut out” for peak travel destinations over peak periods.
In this review the trends for 2010 were taken from a surveys from Travel Age West publication. Find out which destination are on the “bucket list”, which all-inclusive resorts are in style, which cruises lines are competing to attract new cruisers, and why it will be a good year to travel.
Destinations Winners in 2010
So which destinations could be the big winners in 2010? A recent survey by Travel Age West reviewed that some of the travel industry’s top destination show a trend toward the exotic. Some of the top destinations which consumers were likely to visits in 2010 are, Colombia, Botswana, Nicaragua, Tanzania, Greece, Germany, Morocco, New Zealand, Portugal, Western Australia, Turkey, India and Chile. The survey concluded that American travelers continue to seek and visit places around the world that are unusual. Other exotic destinations include Vietnam, China, Thailand, Egypt, Peru and the Galapagos. Many of these destinations are growing for multigenerational travel and of course Europe continues to attract Americans for its unique ambiances. As for us in the travel industry, our challenge will be to help you find one-of-a-kind experiences in an exotic destination, all at a great price. James TravelPOINTS has preferred relationships with vendors all over the world will help to provide the experience and style you are accustoming to.
Hotels
The economy has not been kind to the hotel industry this past year. Surveys report that improvements in the hotel industry won’t really improve occupancy until 2011. Although numbers are down guest satisfaction survey found that visitors are impressed with what they are getting. Hoteliers know that providing extraordinary guest service in a consistent manner is good for continued success.
What we have noticed over the last year is survival of the fittest, the resorts and hotels that are continuing to provide additional service,amenities and guest satisfaction are still standing. On day to day basics we hear from our travelers which hotels and resorts are providing the service and ambiance that they advertise. Traveling Americans do not want to stay at an all-inclusive resort and find out they are the only guests at the property. Our agents are kept informed on a daily basis from our vendors to provide information to our clients which properties to stay while on vacation and which one’s to avoid.
During 2009, many of the luxury resorts were reluctant to reduce their pricing for fear that the traveling public would come to expect these rates. To off set lowing prices, many of the luxury properties began offering extra amenities i.e. food and beverage credits, rounds of golf or spa treatments to make their pricing more appealing. Over the course of the year, travelers came to expect and seek out added value amenities and rates.
One major all-inclusive resort that continues to excel and provide visitors with unforgettable vacation experiences is Sandals and Beaches. Sandals have invested to enhance its products and a new partnership with Martha Steward Living this year. It’s opening a new Sandal in Exuma Bahamas, featuring 190 oceanfront rooms ranging from beachfront villas to charming bay house settings. The 500 acre resort, formerly the Four Seasons Resort Great Exuma at Emerald Bay also comes with a championship Greg Norman-designed golf course.
Cruises in 2010 – “Hang On To Your Hat”
In 2010 there are many new cruise ships to debut. Royal Caribbean Cruises Lines just debuted it’s newest ship the Oasis of the Seas, a 5400 passenger mega ship with mega fun and entertainment. Norwegian Cruise Line in January will launch a 4,200 passenger cruise ship called the Norwegian Epic. Oceania Cruises will launch its first new vessel, the 1,258 passenger Marina. Silverseas Cruises will launch their new ship the Silver Spirit and Royal Caribbean Cruise Line will launch another new ship called the Allure of the Seas. Carnival Cruise lines is also ready to roll out it largest ship in its fleet, a 4,656 passenger ship called the Carnival Dream. In April Celebrity Cruises will launch the Eclipse and Costa Cruises will introduce the Deliziosa. Holland America Lines will debut its newest ship, the Nieuw Amsterdam scheduled to set sail July 04 with a 12-day Mediterranean cruises between Venice, Italy and Barcelona Spain. .
With all these new ships and existing ships in the market, what does 2010 look like for the consumer? It appears that dramatic values will continue to be offered through out the industry to stimulate travel.Some of the deals being offered to get consumers off the fence and into cruise berths are “2-for-1″ cruise fares, free airfare, and generous onboard credits.
One of the greatest advantages our staff has the constant update we receive on the travel offers on a daily basis. We know which offers are really good and ligament, which one’s sound good but have hidden fees and restrictions associated with them. At James TravelPOINTS we receive offers from cruise lines many have never heard of. Some of our clients traveling to obscure destination are looking for unique cruising experience, so we keep abreast of these unknown cruise lines that complement the clients experience and journey. These things we know and we share with our customers who travel all over the world.
The travel offers and savings are going to be abundant during this year. We are already seeing the public starting to travel again, but not at the same levels as previous years. Demand for travel has to increase to balance out the over abundant supply of inventory. I don’t see a decrease in inventory, especially when you have all these new cruise ships coming online in the next 2 years with new ships along with the new hotel resorts that have been built over the past 10 years to coop with the growing demand before the recession. If you are thinking of taking a vacation this year, call us and let us help you find the best fit, we have very competitive pricing suppliers that go “toe-toe” with the online agencies, and in most situations we are able to come out with a better pricing situation. Remember, a good DEAL does not always translate into a good vacation, there is a reason for “Really Good Deals”.
Agent Profile- Dennie Zabler
Dennie Zabler a knowledgeable, experienced professional Travel Consultant, has been with James TravelPOINTS for over 29 years. She is a dedicated Travel Agent that enjoys working with new and repeat clients. She has earned her C.T.C (Certified Travel Counselor) Certification in 1994. As a Kenya specialist, she has been recognized by American Express and has extensive experience working with clients traveling into Mexico, Hawaii, Caribbean, Cruises, Alaska, Europe and South Pacific. Dennie has traveled all over the world and brings a wealth of experience and advice to her new and past clients. She has also achieved the rank of Commodore status with Princess Cruise Lines. Destination specialties include: South Pacific, Caribbean, Mexico, Africa and Hawaii. You can contact Dennie at 303-442-2340 ext 230 or email at: denniez@travelpoints.com
Andy’s Pick for Mexico – Riviera Maya Adults-Only All-Inclusive Resorts
Review of the Iberostar Grand All-Inclusive Adults Only Resort Riviera Mexico, click here to read about it.
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