NEALTOWEY

Archive for May, 2011

Travel reward credit cards are only a great benefit if you travel frequently. While that may seem trite it needs to be said. You may think, “what a great idea – travel reward credit cards. I might want to take a vacation next year.”

You’re probably going to find that if you only travel once in awhile the benefit of the travel reward credit cards is offset by the higher APR (annual percentage rate) annual fee, or other charges clear or hidden.

Travel reward credit cards may be specific to airline travel, or even to one specific airline. They might also provide rewards for purchase of gas, for auto rental, for hotel stay, or even purchases at retail shops. It’s important, before you choose from the vast array of travel reward credit cards, that you assess what type of use you might make of travel reward credit cards. Then look for cards that offer the biggest savings on the types of use you’ll most often make of them.

Keep in mind, too, that the discount may be useful if you’re not the traveler. If you have family or friends that travel to you – or if you’re a recruiter who is flying job applicants in for interviews, for example – you might find the airline or car rental perks advantageous.

Travel reward credit cards can offer cash advances that can be very handy when you’re traveling. They can also offer travel insurance that includes worldwide emergencies such as medical evacuation, lost luggage and emergency expatriation. All of which are extremely difficult to resolve without
adequate pre-travel preparation and Read the rest of this entry »

The year 2008 has been a roller coaster ride, with endless ups and downs. It all began with the major financial crisis that took the United States by surprise, causing a massive ripple effect on other major economies as well. It is the biggest financial crisis that took place after the Great Depression and people are still recovering from the shock.

Focusing more on the Indian Hospitality Industry, the chain of bomb blasts that took place in major cities of India – New Delhi, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Hyderabad and Bangalore, have left the country unsafe and tourists have lost faith in the security measures of the country. The Mumbai terrorist attacks, on top of a global economic recession, have come as a double whammy for India’s tourism and hospitality industry. The massacre that occurred for 3 whole days inside the hotels Taj & Trident gave a terrible experience to those who wished to visit the country. The impact has been dreadful and tourism in India has badly suffered after the attacks.

A recent survey declared that the tourism growth had reduced from 14.54% to 8%, and the hospitality industry desperately needs to make an all out effort to recover from the dual setback of global crisis and the terror attacks.

Here are few tips on how you can get past the recession:

Offer flexible rates: We all know that there are some days of the week or periods of the year when business will be slower and less profitable. In such times it is most advantageous to flex your rates on your?online booking engine. You could offer better deals on rooms and reduce rates in order to attract customers to make bookings in your hotel.

Keep a tab on your competitors: In order to survive the crisis you first have to beat the competition. Keep a close watch on the rates and offers provided by your competitors, and strategize accordingly. Don’t let your competitors win over your prospective guests.

Spruce-up your website: Make your website look neat and attractive. The look of your website is the most important feature and works as a shop window to leisure customers. Concentrate on the layout and design of the website. This includes the color combination and the look and feel of your website. You could also upload images of the rooms, restaurants and surroundings. Your website should be completely updated with relevant information of its features and amenities.

Get a good booking engine: Having a comprehensive, multi-currency and multi-lingual booking engine for your hotel website can target travelers from around the world. This way there is a lesser possibility of losing out on customers, as they can conveniently make bookings on your website.

Make your website search engine friendly: Make your website more visible to web users and travelers! Optimise your website by providing useful content and relevant keywords. This will increase your chances of ranking higher on search engines like Google and Yahoo, which in turn will increase traffic to your site.

Get a good analytics package: How many people visit your site every day? Which features are most popular? What are visitors doing when they get there? To answer all these questions you need to get your website a good analytics package. Web analytics help you track your site’s statistics, allowing you to see who your users are, how many people are looking at which page, etc. This information can help you measure traffic and understand your visitors’ needs and behavior. Like for example, if your website is generating more traffic from Indian customers then you can adjust your rates, schemes and packages to target these customers. This tool will also help you calculate your cost and profit and tell you how much money your hotel campaigns have generated.

Adapt Quickly to Market Conditions: There are always ups and downs in the market and it is important for you to adapt to the market changes and quickly take decisions. If you know the market is poor, then you need to aggressively promote your hotel and continually build your presence in the minds of your customers, so that they always think of your hotel every time they want to make a reservation. This is called ‘Top of mind awareness’. Top of mind awareness is very desirable in target prospects who are likely to make reservations in your hotel, because it is when they are considering making a booking, you really want them to remember you.

E-Mail Marketing: One of the most cost effective methods to communicate with your customers is via email. Make sure you have a list of email addresses of the guests who have visited your hotel or take references from them, so that you can send emails to them promoting your hotel and intimating them about new rates and amenities offered by your hotel. This way you spend less and also actively promote your hotel.

Monitor Online Reviews: Keep a close tab on online reviews given to your hotel. Travelers are strongly influenced by the reviews they read about hotels and make their decisions accordingly. It is important that you continually monitor reviews posted on popular travel sites like Trip Advisor, MakeMyTrip, etc. Make sure your hotel gets a positive response from people and if not, then find out where you need to improve and quickly make the necessary changes.

The year 2009 is a testing time for the hospitality industry, and it is up to you to boldly take things in your stride and overcome the recession.

Not all travel destinations are packed full of tourists. In fact, not all of them are even on the map. I have had an interest in these “secret” places since I first discovered two little lakes high in the hills and cliffs north of Ishpeming, Michigan. No trails even lead to these, and there was a trout on the line ten seconds after the cast.

Other travel destinations are not so isolated, but they are still generally overlooked by most tourists. This was true of Yelapa, Mexico when I went there in 1981. The beaches were uncrowded, you could buy fresh fish for dinner from the fishermen in the afternoon, and a palapa (thatched-roof house) rented for about $100 per month. The surrounding jungle had waterfalls you could swim under. No roads lead there, but there was a daily boat from nearby Puerto Vallarta.

Yelapa, alas, has been discovered and overrun with tourists now. Often being one myself, I have nothing against tourists. But when the crowd gets too thick I prefer the more secret places. Here are some examples of a few of these travel destinations that are still undiscovered.

Storm Lake

Anaconda, Montana is a fun destination by itself. You can rent a room above the Harp and Thistle Pub for $140 for the week (as of August 2007) and be within walking distance of at least ten casinos with nickel slot machines, as well as a new brew pub and restaurant (Rocky Mountain Brewing). Two blocks away, the Washoe Theater, considered one of the most beautiful in the country by the Smithsonian Institute, charges just $4 for a movie, and 90 cents for a small popcorn. A Jack Nicholas-designed golf course (The Old Works Golf Course) is just at the edge of this small town.

If you really want to escape, though, drive 14 miles west on Highway 1. When you see the sign that says “Storm Lake,” turn there. It’s nine miles to the lake (stay left when the road splits), but you may need high clearance for the last mile (although we used to make it there in our Ford Escort). There will usually be a few locals at the lake, but you’ll always find a place to park.

The lake sits at about 8,000 feet, and is known locally for its cutthroat trout. Hike the trail along the right side and on the other side you’ll find the Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness Area. Less than hour up the trail you’ll reach Storm Lake Pass, at the tree line. From here you can continue into the tundra environment of Goat Meadows, or into a seemingly endless wilderness of mountains and lakes. You’ll rarely have any company other than bears, birds and mountain goats.

Alamogordo, New Mexico

This is not at the top of most tourists lists, which is good for those of us that like our travel destinations to be uncrowded. It is a great little town, however, and a great base from which to explore the surrounding area. It is also a nice place to escape the winter, since it rarely snows or gets too cold here.

You can check out the little zoo right in town for a relaxing afternoon. There is also an Imax Theater on the north side of town (watch for the signs), and you probably won’t have any long lines to wait in. On Saturdays from June to October you can visit the Farmers market at the county fairgrounds.

If you want to get up above the desert, drive the thirty minutes or so up to Cloudcroft in the nearby mountains, or go a little further the observatory at Sunspot, or to the Casino in Ruidoso. If you time it right, you can bask in the sun one day in Alamogordo and be skiing the next day at the Cloudcroft Ski Area.

For an unusual destination, you can visit the Trinity Test Site, where the first nuclear bomb was exploded. It is Read the rest of this entry »

The hotels of Mumbai are ranging from deluxe to budget category hotels. The luxury hotels of this most developed metropolis of India are example of legendary Indian hospitality. Located in and around the city Mumbai hotels cater the needs of the global travelers.

Both business and leisure tourists can choose a hotel in Mumbai city according to his choice and budget. Mumbai hotels are always in chaos as a good number of domestic and international tourists visit this commercial hub of India. Mumbai has a wide network of transportation from airways to roadways. The Mumbai International Airport is the main mean to reach Mumbai from overseas.

The airport hotels of Mumbai are sought after by international tourists in large numbers as they offer luxurious accommodations, business, recreation and fine dining facilities. The airport hotels of Mumbai are Hotel Grand Hyatt, Hotel Hyatt Regency, JW Mariott, Hotel Leela Kempinski, Le Royal Meridian, etc.

Five star deluxe hotels of Read the rest of this entry »

North India is an essential part of travel and tourism in India. There are several tourist circuits and travel destinations in the regions which can be visited and explored. Have a look at some prominent travel destinations which are located in northern India.

Delhi: Delhi, the capital city of India, is a prominent tourist destination and gateway for tourism in northern India. It is known for historical & heritage monuments and many other religious places and modern attractions. Major tourist attractions in the city include India Gate, Lotus Temple, Birla Temple, Akshardham Temple, Red Fort, Humayun’s Tomb, Qutub Minar, Rajghat, President House, Parliament House, National Museum, etc.

Jaipur: Lovingly known as the Pink City of India, Jaipur is the largest and capital city of royal Indian state of Rajasthan. Major attractions in the city include Jantar Mantar, Hawa Mahal, City Palace Complex, Govind Devji Temple, Birla Temple, Albert Hall Museum, Jal Mahal, Rambagh Palace, Amber Fort, Jaigarh Fort and Nahargarh Fort.

Agra: Agra is a historical and ancient city of India located on the banks of Yamuna River in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Agra is an internationally famous travel destination in northern India with its heritage attractions. Major tourist attractions in the city include Taj Mahal (one of Seven Wonders of the World), Agra Red Fort, Itmad-Ud-Daullah Tomb (the Baby Taj or Little Taj Mahal) and Fatehpur Sikri.

Kashmir: Also known as the Paradise on the Earth, Kashmir is a wonderful north India travel destination. It is renowned with extraordinary copious nature beauty. Srinagar, Gulmarg, Pahalgam, Mughal Gardens, Lakes, Dal Lake, Houseboats, etc are attractions in Kashmir.

Udaipur: Also known as the City of Lakes, Udaipur in Rajasthan is one of the most romantic and beautiful cities in India. It is widely acclaimed for its fairy-tale palaces, lovely lakes and beautiful gardens. Major attractions in the city include City Palace, Lake Palace, Jagmandir Palace, Monsoon Palace, Fateh Prakash Palace, Lake Pichola, Fateh Sagar Lake, Udai Sagar Lake, Saheliyon-Ki-Bari, Jagdish Temple, Eklingji Temple, Udaipur Solar Observatory, Bharatiya Lok Kala Mandal, etc.

Varanasi: Located on the banks of India’s most sacred River Ganga in Uttar Pradesh, Varanasi is one of Read the rest of this entry »

Traveling with the right luggage is very important. It can make or break your trip depending on what happens to it during the duration of your trip. It is important when you are shopping for a suitcase, or whatever other piece you are looking for that you get one that fits your needs and the type of traveling you are doing.

Luggage was designed to make traveling easy. Before airplanes, people generally got from one place to another on large steam liners that would cross the oceans. These trips were generally reserved for people of luxury and those hoping to start it over. Since you were going to be gone for literally months at a time, it was important to have large carrying cases; they started using huge trunks to transport their goods and clothing with them.

Today, luggage has morphed quite a bit. We have all different types of options from suitcases, duffel bags, carrying cases, to backpacks and other smaller options. If you are making a day trip, there is a piece for you. If you are traveling across the country and need to take a lot of items, there is a large suitcase for you. You’ll find one for every need.

The most popular types are generally your suitcase. These come in all different styles. Most people use their suitcase to fly from one place to another. Suitcases can be extremely large and have to be checked, or they can be very small and carried on. Generally, today, a suitcase has wheels to make getting it to the gate a lot easier than it used to be. It saves you having to lug a large case all around.

Some of these pieces can have a hard case to protect your gear. Since it generally is placed with a lot of Read the rest of this entry »

Would you like to get the best travel deals available? Then get ready to be open-minded and flexible. Consider going to any one of several destinations, and going at different times than you may have originally planned on, and even doing different things once you get there.

Flexibility Buys The Best Travel Deals

Almost any travel destination has “seasons” which are more crowded and therefore more expensive. Also, airfare varies widely in price from month to month and even according to the day of the week or time of day. Finally, there many activities which may be marginally more entertaining yet cost much more.

Suppose you go on trips to several destinations over the years, using the usual strategy of “I want to go here now and do these things.” On some of these trips you’ll be at the height of the season, meaning it will be expensive for hotels. Airfare will cost a lot if you happen to choose the expensive days and times. With a fixed idea about your activities, you’ll also likely pay more than you need to have a great time. You’ll miss out on some real fun that could be much cheaper.

On the other hand, what if you go somewhere during the off-season, go on the day that has the cheapest plane tickets, and start with the interesting activities that cost less? Perhaps you spend just half as much on average, even though over those years you go to all the same destinations. The savings could mean even more opportunities to travel because of the money saved.

Years ago I went to Ecuador because it was an inexpensive destination. The February departure was chosen because I found plane tickets for $258 round trip from Miami. And though I hadn’t considered taking a tour to Mount Cotopaxi, I discovered that I could do that day-long trip to walk on the glaciers of a volcano for just $15, so I went. You create your own best travel deals if you are flexible and open minded.

Best Travel Deals – The Formula

Try this simple formula for getting the best travel deals:

1. Watch a few travel programs, read some travel magazines, and make a list of six to ten places you might like to visit eventually.

2. Look for the best time to go to each. This means when it would be interesting for you and cheaper than other times – an “off-season” that is still a good time for you to visit.

3. Gather information online. How much will hotels and meals cost? What is there to do and how much you are likely to spend on each of these activities. Take notes, of course.

4. Do an online search for plane tickets before you are ready to start planning. Experiment with different days of the week for departure and return flights to find the cheapest possibilities. This can change, so you’ll be doing this again when you are ready to actually start specific planning. For now you just want an idea of the days that are likely the cheapest.

5. When it’s time to travel, pick from among your listed destinations that are off-season and search all the possible dates you might travel, to find the cheapest airfare. Actually it’s best to do this before you arrange for time off work, so you can take advantage of the best possible travel dates.

6. Purchase your tickets, do some more research, and start packing and planning.

Here’s another tip for getting the best travel deals: Book a hotel only for the day you arrive, and then find your hotels(s) once there. There are many nice, less expensive hotels that you won’t find online, and in our experience, even good package deals are never as cheap as finding your own hotels once you get there, as long as you are not coming there at a busy time. Doing this also allows you more freedom, so you can change your plans as you go, taking advantage of whatever great deals come up.

Sun basking days, beacon nights, adventure sports, water sports, colorful & sensuous beach wear, couples in exotic beach wear, flea market bonanza, elite church weddings, rocking nightlife, musical night parties, smashing carnival, inviting & elegant beaches, etc…No, I am not talking about Florida, Hawai, Mexico or Jamaica….it is Goa, a world famous beach destination in India.

There are very few places in the world like Goa which are known for their breathtakingly beautiful beaches. Florida, Hawai, Jamaica, Thailand, Philippines, Canary Islands, Fiji, Australia, Brazil, etc are some of the most visited beach destinations in the world. But Goa in India has its own charm and appeals tourists, vacationers, fun seekers, adventure enthusiasts, nature lovers and honeymooning couples.

Goa is a widely acclaimed beach destination in the country. It is the smallest but one of the most charming and captivating states in the country. It is predominantly famous for its breathtaking beaches which are favorite destinations for many. Palm fringed beaches of this beautiful state are much ahead of other beaches in the country in terms of popularity and facilities available. Beaches are ideal for adventure & sport activities and sparkled with many shacks. There are many beaches in this gorgeous state which are very popular among travelers, vacationers, honeymooning couples and adventure sport enthusiasts. Candolim Beach, Benaulim Beach, Baga Beach, Vagator Beach, Palolem Beach, Dona Paula Beach, Agonda Beach, Arambol Beach, etc are some of most popular beaches in the state. That’s why it is also considered to be the “Beach Capital of India”.

With pristine beaches and many other picturesque tourist places, Goa is truly a 100 % adventure destination. It attracts a large number of adventure enthusiasts and vacationers as well. If offers tourists big opportunity to dare the challenges of adventure sports & water sports. The surroundings of beaches are very ideal for group and fun activities. On Goa beach tours, tourists can explore and enjoy beach tourism and enjoy adventure, sport & water fun activities.

The gorgeous state is a paradise for adventure & sport lovers. Beaches, parties and nightlife of this state offer tourists a never-ending excitement of mesmeric vacation. The state is extremely famous for water sports on pristine beaches. Adventure enthusiasts from different parts of the world visit this state to indulge in adventure & water sport activities like surfing, windsurfing, para-sailing, speed boats, jet-skiing, water skiing, Catamaran Sailing, scuba diving, hiking, trekking, go-karting, fishing, angling, etc. Scuba diving is one of the most popular adventure sport activities available in the state. Equipments, Read the rest of this entry »

A lot of new trends are starting to surface in cruise travel industry as it becomes more and more popular.

One of the surfacing trends is that home- port cruising is becoming more in demand because of the many benefits. One of the benefits is that people do not need to spend for additional costs such as buying an airline ticket because they can just drive to the port.

Due to this the cruise travel industry is becoming popular every single day, cruise lines are going with the flow of improving their ships by making them bigger and adding more options for people to choose from. In addition, a lot of cruise lines are also trying to improve their ships because of the development of new ones just so their ships will not be taken out of the picture. This is also another tactic implemented by these cruise lines if they do not have enough budgets to produce new ones. The good thing about these improvements in ships is that different cruise lines are starting to use materials that are more environmental friendly.

People, mostly adults, are really enjoying the improvements done by some cruise lines because they are able to enjoy some alone time because of the development of areas such as spa treatment, bars and Jacuzzi. Aside from this, cruise ships are becoming more and more attractive by giving some of their areas a specific look and theme including basketball, music and even politics. This allows their passengers to hold on to their passions even when they are traveling in a cruise. This also allows people with the same interests to meet and mingle with each other while enjoying the relaxing benefits of Read the rest of this entry »

If you and your spouse or partner need to take a vacation from the kids, but can’t afford an exotic trip to some island paradise, then a B&B getaway could be right up your alley. If you don’t know what a Bed and Breakfast lodge is then you are in for a treat. Usually hosted in a large house, with many romantic bedrooms, you are able to get away from it all without breaking the bank.

When you arrive you are warmly greeted by your host, who gets you all settled down in your room. These rooms can be simple affairs to quite exotic themes, but one thing you won’t see in many of these is a television.

You are able to eat breakfast and even dinner while staying at a Bed and Breakfast, and some even have activities that are included. One in Denver even offers a mystery theater dinner, where you can dine on fine food while trying to solve a ‘real’ murder mystery. Napa Valley, California, probably one of the largest wine producing areas in North America, has many B&B’s that also offer wine tasting tours around the valley. In the Eastern part of the U.S., many offer a variety of adventures, including horse back riding, and even shopping for antiques.

Bed and Breakfast getaways are easy to find online, and offer a variety of different packages. You can book these for just overnight, or even a weekend or more, depending on your budget. There are even packages that include meals with your stay, and even if you don’t, they still offer home town cooking right on the premises.