The Official Travel Thread

[abomb]

Rocky Point starting Thursday until Sunday. 9 adults, 8 kids and 4 cars. I hope to have a party with 2 coeds and 1 A-Bomb.

A-Bomb

[D-Dogg]

Originally Posted by abomb

Rocky Point starting Thursday until Sunday. 9 adults, 8 kids and 4 cars. I hope to have a party with 2 coeds and 1 A-Bomb.

A-Bomb

Not in Rebecca and my bed! That's saved to have our kids crowding us.

A-Bomb

[abomb]

Originally Posted by D-Dogg

Not in Rebecca and my bed! That's saved to have our kids crowding us.

A-Bomb

I am hoping the girls have a hotel room.

Kobe Bryant

[NEZCardsfan]

Originally Posted by abomb

Rocky Point starting Thursday until Sunday. 9 adults, 8 kids and 4 cars. I hope to have a party with 2 coeds and 1 A-Bomb.

A-Bomb

Some graduating going on. There might be some sweet, sweet ASU honies there.

Hit the Pink Cadillac to take advantage of the drunkest ones.

[Linderbee]

Originally Posted by NEZCardsfan

Some graduating going on. There might be some sweet, sweet ASU honies there.

Hit the Pink Cadillac to take advantage of the drunkest ones.

Am I the only one that read "sweet ASU hornies"?

[jf-08]

Originally Posted by Linderbee

Am I the only one that read "sweet ASU hornies"?

yes, but I like yer thinking!

[Linderbee]

Originally Posted by jkf296

yes, but I like yer thinking!

Gotta get my mind out of the gutter, apparently.

[ChemTheThriller]

Well Prior to joining the Army I really didnt travel, of course as a young sprout I went on family vacations to places like Mount Rushmore, But between Indiana and Wisconsin I didnt travel to much...

Then I turned 19 and I decided I would join the army and acouple months later I was in Atlanta, which is quite over whelming if your from a smaller town, and Now I am in Germany, Lets see I flew into Frankfurt, then I stayed the weekend in Hanau and now Im in Darmstadt, the downtown area is "neat" imo if you are in the darmstadt area on travel go down to Loiusenplatz or something close to that spelling lol...

Since I am already in Europe I plan to go to my motherland of Ireland around christmas time check out Dublin and what not...

[DeAnna]

TRAVEL ADVANCE (R)
Volume XVI, Number 94
Monday, May 15, 2006

MISS. CASINOS FLUSH WITH CASH. Mississippi's post-Hurricane Katrina decision to allow casinos to rebuild on beachfront is bringing back the gambling business stronger than expected. The August hurricane destroyed all 12 floating casinos on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Wagering at the three casinos that have reopened was running about $20 million a month on average at the start of this year, about double the pre-hurricane rate. Seven more casinos are scheduled to reopen in the next six months. Two closed permanently. Hard Rock Cafe, which was preparing to launch when the hurricane hit, hasn't said when it will open. (Page 1B, USA Today)

HAUTE CUISINE REPLACING THE CHEESESTEAK IN ATLANTIC CITY. A cheesesteak used to qualify as haute cuisine in Atlantic City, but no more. Next month, Bobby Flay will open a surf-and-turf restaurant in the same building where Wolfgang Puck plans one of his California grills and Michael Mina woos gamblers with his seafood specialties. Call it a feeding frenzy. Lured by casinos eager to one-up their rivals, celebrity chefs have turned their sights on Atlantic City, turning what was once a culinary backwater into the new place to eat--and be seen eating. After years of feeding gamblers $6.99 buffets and all-night cafeteria food, casinos are signing big-name gastronomes in a bid for prestige--and profits. The trend, which mirrors one that swept Las Vegas in the 1990s, began in A.C. in earnest when the Borgata Hotel & Casino opened its doors three years ago. (AP; Fort Worth Star-Telegram.com/ Business)

LAS VEGAS SEEKING MORE BRITISH BUSINESS. British vacationers have for years crossed the Atlantic to trade London fog for a brief run of Las Vegas sun and fun. And now that England's leisure travel connection is thriving locally, Las Vegas leaders hope the buttoned-down lot of British businessmen and businesswomen will soon chart a similar course. The Las Vegas Convention and Visitor Authority hosted a weekend gathering of the Guild of Travel Management Companies, a British trade group whose members specialize in business traveler needs. Guild members gathered at The Venetian alongside suppliers that included British Airways, Virgin Atlantic Airways, American Express Travel, Carlson Wagonlit Travel and Avis Rent A Car. Though the guild includes only 32 agencies, its companies' combined market share is approximately 80% of England's business travel booked through an agency. (Las Vegas Review-Journal.com/Business,

5/13)
FLORIDA'S SPACE COAST WEATHERS BRUSH FIRES. Tourism officials at the Florida Space Coast Office of Tourism said the region fared well during the recent brush fires in Central Florida. Officials said the more than 7,500 hotel rooms and all of the area's attractions were not affected by the fires and are open for visitors. The fires forced a stretch of Interstate 95 to close last week. "The smoke has been cleared from the highways and the roads leading to and from the Space Coast are easily travelers," said Rob Varley, executive director of the Space Coast Office of Tourism. "We are fully operational and inviting visitors to come and enjoy the sunny summer months on Florida's Space Coast." Brush fire information is available at 877-57-BEACH. (PR Newswire)

CROWDS SHRINK AT UNIVERSAL ORLANDO. Universal Orlando suffered another big drop in attendance and lost $25.7 million during the first three months of 2006, but the company insists it is doing much better than official reports indicate when April--which included the Easter vacation season--is factored in. Arguing that it turned things around, Universal took the unusual step Friday of releasing some April information--just hours after it filed its first-quarter financial report for January, February and March with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. "We're seeing upward momentum from where we were for much of last year--and we're seeing reasons for encouragement," said Universal President Bob Gault in a written statement. The first-quarter report, filed by Universal's parent company, Universal City Development Partners, noted combined paid attendance for Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure was 22.2 million in the quarter, down 15%. Total operating revenue was $181.6 million, compared with $209.5 million last year. The net loss was $25.7 million, compared with a loss of $9.2 million a year ago. (Orlando Sentinel.com/Business, 5/13)

GAS PRICES RATTLE CONSUMER CONFIDENCE. Several months of rising gasoline prices appear to be deflating some of the enthusiasm American consumers exhibited at the start of the year. Warmer weather, higher wages and brisk hiring bolstered spirits and spending through the first few months of the year, but that upbeat mood appears to have been clouded lately by a combination of rising gasoline prices, a cooling of the housing market and higher interest rates, economic reports out late last week suggested. Consumers are finding creative ways to cope with higher gasoline costs. The latest New York Times/CBS News poll showed that 63% of respondents had cut back on their driving because of the gas price increase, and 56% had cut back on other household spending. Nearly half said they expected to change their summer vacation plans as a result. (Pages A1, B1, New York Times, 5/13)

LARGEST CRUISE SHIP CHRISTENED IN NEW YORK HARBOR. Wielding scissors, a woman who helped raise more than 400 foster children over 27 years snipped a ribbon to christen the world's largest cruise ship Friday while it docked near the Statue of Liberty. "I name this ship 'Freedom of the Seas.' May God bless her, Royal Caribbean and all who sail upon her," 56-year-old Katherine Louise Calder said in the ceremony televised live on NBC's "Today." Viewers of "Today" voted to select her as "godmother" of the Freedom of the Seas, and she is staying on the ship with family members. The ship, which arrived last week in New York Harbor from Southampton, England, is 237 feet tall and 1,112 feet long with 15 passenger decks. The ship can carry more than 4,000 passengers. Royal Caribbean';s newest liner will be docked in New York Harbor and Cape Liberty in Bayonne over the next few days before it leaves on May 18 for a trip to Boston. It won't have paying customers until it leaves for Miami on for the western Caribbean next month. (AP; CNN.com)
NCL AMERICA CANCELS MAY 17 CRUISE OF PRIDE OF ALOHA. NCL America canceled the May 17 trans-Pacific cruise of Pride of Aloha from San Francisco to Hawaii. The line said it advised travel agents and consumers of the move on Friday. NCL America said the ship sustained a damaged bearing in the starboard-side propeller shaft, which slowed the ship on is way to San Francisco for a scheduled drydock. The vessel was scheduled to enter drydock the morning of May 3 but did not arrive until the evening of May 4, resulting in the loss of two days of work to be carried out on top of the scheduled dry-dock work plan. The Pride of Aloha will resume its published schedule from Maui on May 26 and out of Honolulu on May 28. For guests booked on the May 17 cruise, NCL America is offering full refunds and coverage of "any reasonable" airline change fees along with several cruise options. The line will protect travel agent commissions. (ModernAgent.com)

*NCL America's Hawaiian Islands cruise operation is the subject of a cover story in the Miami Herald's "Business Monday" section. (Page 26, Miami Herald Business Monday)

ON SOME SW FLIGHTS, MILLIONAIRES SERVE THE DRINKS. In a page-one story this morning, The New York Times reports on rank-and-file employees of Southwest Airlines who have become multimillionaires by virtue of the carrier's profit-sharing program. At least 17 remaining active employees, including a number of flight attendants, helped start Southwest Airlines 35 years ago. Unlike other airlines, Southwest never had a pension plan, but rather started a profit-sharing plan, much of it paid in Southwest stock in the early years. Shares purchased for $10,000 in 1972 would be valued at about $12.6 million today. (Page A1, New York Times)

<<<<<< News and Trends from the Sunday Papers >>>>>>>
CHINA is, in a word, hot, says the Houston Chronicle. Almost 47 million foreign tourists spent at least one night in China in 2005, a 37% increase in two years. According to the World Tourism Organization, Mainland China has supplanted Italy for the fourth place in foreign visitation, behind France, Spain and the U.S. And when you factor in Hong Kong's 22 million foreign tourists, only France ranks ahead of China. China's sudden attractiveness stems from the reality that so many treasures were inaccessible, and infrastructure development, especially in cities, has been dazzling. (Houston Chronicle.com/Travel)

IT'S NO MYSTERY why the European capitals of Paris, London and Edinburgh are expecting a blockbuster summer for tourism--"The Da Vinci Code." The enormous popularity of Dan Brown's controversial best-seller and the buzz surrounding the film adaptation, opening Friday, has the tourism industry in a frenzy over the myriad marketing opportunities for travel tie-ins. While the book is fiction, the places are very real. Three national tourism agencies--VisitBritain, VisitScotland and Maison de France--have partnered with Sony Pictures and its global partner Eurostar, the high-speed rail service, to encourage visitors eager to follow in the footsteps of the book and film's characters. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution.com/Travel)


ALTHOUGH extended-stay hotels have been around for a while in most parts of the country, they have yet to really catch on in New York. A handful of independent hotels provide long-term lodging, but there are only two extended-stay hotels affiliated with national brands: Extended Stay America, and Residence Inn by Marriott. New York has its share of guests who say for weeks or months at a time, including business travelers; visitors from abroad who are in town for the opera season or other cultural amenities; and film crews on location. Why, then, aren't more hotels offering long-term lodging for them? There are significant challenges to developing extended-stay hotels in New York, including the high costs in developing such properties. (Sect. 3, Page 22, New York Times)

SPECIAL AIRFARES for children, seniors, the military and the bereaved are still available, but fewer in numbers and places than they were 20 or even five years ago. Such fares can save a traveler money--or not--but it may take a detective to find them. Holdovers from a kinder, gentler era of flying decades ago when airlines were trying to drum up business, many special fares must be researched and booked the old-fashion way, by telephone. Airline Websites often reveal little. Some low-cost carrier's walk-up fares in most markets may be cheaper than another airline's bereavement fare. But not always. And a "discounted" child fare may cost more than an airline's lowest adult fare. Travelers may save time by hiring a professional travel agent when trying to land a last-minute fare to attend a funeral of visit an ailing relative. (Los Angeles Times.com/Travel)

HURRICANE WILMA'S devastation of Cancun has given many of Cancun's popular resorts the chance for a major sprucing up. As a result, Cancun aims to raise its image and evolve as a bigger and classier destination. Cancun has a campaign under way to attract well-heeled tourists, with lavish all-inclusive and spa resorts. The resort city also is seeking conventioneers from the Middle East, Asia and South America. Before Wilma, about 3 million visitors annually came to Cancun, mostly from the U.S., Canada and Europe. An earlier proposal to create resorts and tourist attractions stretching more than 100 miles from Cancun to te Riviera Maya is now a real possibility, with a quarter of a million hotel rooms intended. Cancun has nearly 28,000 rooms, with about 18,000 reopened after Wilma, and another 3,450 are expected to reopen by the end of June. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution.com/Travel)

[DeAnna]

TRAVEL ADVANCE (R)
Volume XVI, Number 95
Tuesday, May 16, 2006

PRESIDENT BUSH CALLS FOR COMPROMISE ON IMMIGRATION. President Bush proposed a plan on Monday to place 6,000 National Guard troops along the border with Mexico for at least a year, but urged Congress to find a balanced solution to illegal immigration that enforces the law and maintains the nation's tradition of openness. Among the president's proposals: The borders should be open to trade and lawful immigration and shut to illegal immigrants; a temporary worker program should be created in which foreign workers and willing U.S. employers would be matched for jobs Americans are not doing; a new identification card would be created for every legal foreign worker to help employers account for their workers; and illegal immigrants who have roots in the U.S. and want to stay should have to pay a penalty for breaking the law, pay their taxes, learn English and work in a job for a number of years.
(Pages A1, New York Times; A1, A8, Washington Post; 1A, USA Today; AP)

TIA LAUNCHES "SEE AMERICA WEEK." In celebration of "See America Week," formerly known as National Tourism Week, the travel industry has created an e-mail campaign for industry insiders to share fast facts and information with policymakers, media and other contacts in their communities. "Most people think of travel as a vacation or a weekend getaway, but it's also one of the most important industries in America," said Roger Dow, president and CEO of the Travel Industry Association, which is spearheading the information initiative. The campaign calls for each of the more than 40 travel and tourism-related associations, as well as states and destinations, to send an informational e-mail to their members and others they regularly communicate with, asking those people to forward the e-mail to 50 personal contacts who may find the information useful or eye-opening. See America Week runs from May 13-21. Details at 202-408-2183. (Special to TA)

GAS PRICES HIT 8-MONTH HIGH. The average U.S. pump price for regular gasoline rose to its highest level in eight months, increasing 3.8 cents, to $2.947 a gallon, in the seven days ended Monday. The Energy Department, in a weekly survey of 800 service stations nationwide, said prices are 78.4 cents higher than a year ago. The last time pump prices were higher was the week ended Sept. 12, after Hurricane Katrina damaged production platforms and shut refineries along the Gulf of Mexico. (Page D2, Washington Post; Los Angeles Times.com)

RIVER PASSENGERS HIT WITH STOMACH FLU. The National Park Service says three river concessioners reported cases of gastrointestinal illness on three separate river trips on the Colorado River within Grand Canyon National Park on Monday. The illness is characterized by vomiting and/or diarrhea and is one of the most common illnesses in the U.S. with an estimated 23 million cases each year. One river concessioner reported gastrointestinal illness in five of its 28 passengers; a second concessioner report six to seven of its 16 passengers; and a third reported that six of its 16 passengers had the illness. The NPS and the Public Health Department are investigating the reports. (Special to TA)

PUERTO RICO TOURISM CO. LAUNCHES IMAGE CAMPAIGN. The Puerto Rico Tourism Co. has launched several new initiatives designed to reinforce the convenience and safety of the Puerto Rico leisure and business travel experience, in the wake of the financial crisis on the island. Despite Puerto Rico's tourism being unaffected by the government shutdown, the tourism agency has put into effect what it calls an aggressive marketing and promotion plan in the U.S., Canada, Latin America, the Caribbean and Europe to showcase Puerto Rico's tourism and to counteract the negative perception that the fiscal crisis has generated for the territory. During the fiscal crisis, tourism services operated normally, occupancy levels remained strong and the number of visitors to the San Juan metropolitan area was 8% higher than the same period last year. (PR Newswire)
TUESDAY BUSINESS TRAVEL REPORTS.

--Nearly 207 million passengers are expected to travel this summer, a about 2 million more than last season, according to the Air Transport Association. Planes were already packed in April, and passengers planning travel in the months ahead should brace for a season of long lines in the terminal, tight quarters on board, delayed flights and mishandled luggage. While a headache for travelers, crowded planes signal that airlines have made strides in reorganizing their operations and improving their bottom lines. (Page D1, Washington Post)

--Just two weeks before Memorial Day, airlines, airports and federal transportation officials are all grooming for the busiest summer travel season in five years. Yet security staffing is down at some big airports, creating fears of long lines at security checkpoints this summer. Despite the concerns, there will be some bright spots for travelers: Flight delays will likely be shorter and less frequent this summer. That is because airlines have cut the number of flights, easing congestion at airports. Also, the airline industry appears to have made progress fixing some of its operational problems: cancellations and mishandled baggage reports are down this year and complaints are lower as well. (Page D1, Wall Street Journal)

--The Registered Traveler program, which promises to help frequent flyers pass through airport security faster if they pay an annual membership fee and undergo a background check, has been pulled aside for a secondary inspection before its scheduled introduction next month. Many corporate travel managers--who will be approving the expenses of the travelers most likely to join the program--say they remain concerned about crucial issues. The program is expected to start expanding next month beyond Orlando, the only airport where it is currently operating, to as many as 20 other airports by the end of the year. (Page C12, New York Times)

--Customer satisfaction is rising to a record level at hotels but sinking among airline passengers to its lowest point since the September 2001 terrorist attacks. That's the mixed message for travelers in the latest American Customer Satisfaction index released today by the University of Michigan. The index, which rates numerous industries on a zero-to-100 scale, reflects consumers' overall level of satisfaction with the goods and services they buy. Hotels received a combined score of 75--the highest grade since the index began in 1994. The top hotel score was Hilton Hotels' 78. Ramada Franchise Systems received the lowest score, 70. Airlines had a combined score of 65. (Page 5B, USA Today)

A NEW BUSINESS VOYAGE FOR MAGIC JOHNSON. Basketball legend Earvin "Magic" Johnson, who has made a name for himself in the business arena since retiring from the NBA in 1991, will lead a joint venture that aims to bring more minorities into the rapidly growing business of selling travel from home. Miami-based Magic Johnson Travel Group will supply computer software and training to sell cruises from home, a once overlooked venue now expanding as traditional travel agents dwindle. Partners in the venture include big travel names such as Royal Caribbean Cruises and GOGO Worldwide vacations. The formation of the venture was announced Monday at a press conference on the new Royal Caribbean ship Freedom of the Seas. (Page 1D, Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel)
REGIONAL ROUNDUP.

--Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin, hoping to help the city catch up with the efforts of other major metro markets to play themselves up as tourist destinations, wants to pump $14 million in municipal funds over the next two years into branding Atlanta. In her amended budget request for fiscal 2007--which begins July 1--the mayor said Monday morning that she will ask the City Council to approve spending $6 million annually in car rental and $1 million in hotel/motel tax revenue to promote the city through Brand Atlanta Inc.. She plans to ask for the same amount in fiscal 2008. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution.com)

--Selling a vacation spot that the world thinks is under water is not easy no matter how many famous people lend their faces to your new ad campaign or how many free Cajun and Zydeco CDS you hand out, say Louisiana top tourism officials. Television footage of flood-submerged rooftops broadcast across the globe has left many international travelers wary of visiting New Orleans and its surrounding areas since Hurricanes Katrina and Rita wreaked havoc there nearly nine months ago. Louisiana tourism promoters were in Orlando last week stumping for business at the Travel Industry Association's International Pow Wow--hoping to spark the state's $9.4 billion tourism industry. (Orlando Sentinel.com/Business)

--Despite being hit or affected by eight hurricanes over the past two years, a record 85.8 million people visited Florida last year, generating $57 billion in economic activity and $3.4 billion for government coffers. That's 6 million more visitors than in 2004, a 7.6% increase. Visit Florida, the state's public/private tourism marketing arm, is predicting a 3.2% increase this year. Still, tourism officials are concerned about the spate of storms, which arrived just as some of the state's destinations had finally built themselves into year-round draws, and not just sunny spots for snow-weary northerners to spend a week each winter. Even the devastation Hurricane Katrina caused Louisiana and Mississippi is affecting how some potential visitors view Florida. (AP; CNN.com)

HOTEL CHECK-IN.
--Accor North America, owner-operator of the Red Roof Inn, Studio 6, Motel 6, Sofitel and Novotel hotel brands, recently organized a hurricane summit at its corporate headquarters in Carrollton. Texas, to prepare for the 2006 hurricane season. Seventy Accor representatives attended the day-long meeting to centralize resources for use by field personnel during the upcoming 2006 hurricane season, establish protocols and train corporate and field representatives. (HSMAI eConnect.org)

--The Hilton Family of Hotels has launched a travel agent information and booking portal, available at www.hiltontravelagents.com. The dedicated site offers easy access to the nearly 2,800 hotels worldwide within the Hilton Family, and provides hotel search and booking tools, hotel content and convenient access to agent services and resources and the Unlimited Budget travel agent incentive program. (ModernAgent.com)

--The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands will close from Aug. 15 to Nov. 1 for a $35 million renovation project. The 152-room hotel will add 24 luxury suites, six spa treatment rooms, a 20,000-square-foot lounge and a re-do of its three restaurants. (Travel Weekly.com, 5/12)
--Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts says it is the first luxury hotel company to offer a gift card that is redeemable at all of its hotels and resorts around the world. The Four Seasons Gift Card has no expiration date and no restrictions on how the value of the card is spent. The card is available in dollar amounts of $100, $250, $500, $1,000, $2,500 or $5,000. (PR Newswire)

<<<<<<< From the Weekly News Magazines >>>>>>>
LOVING LAS VEGAS. No offense to New York, but Vegas is truly the city that never sleeps, says Newsweek. The magazine offers its suggestions for the best ways to maximize one's time. One caution: cheap thrills are everywhere, but the bargains are hard to find unless you travel midweek. Newsweek has suggestions on where to shop, eat, visit, stay and what to see. (Newsweek.com, 5/22)

[krepitch]

Originally Posted by DeAnna

The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands will close from Aug. 15 to Nov. 1 for a $35 million renovation project.

[Ryanwb]

Originally Posted by krepitch

Dude, the Virgin Islands means something totally different. You're allowed to go other places until it happens

[DeAnna]

Were you planning on visiting DURING HURRICANE SEASON??

[DjaugheOld]

Originally Posted by Ryanwb

Dude, the Virgin Islands means something totally different. You're allowed to go other places until it happens

[NEZCardsfan]

Originally Posted by DeAnna

Were you planning on visiting DURING HURRICANE SEASON??

Obviously, he wants to be blown away by the experience.