7 Days, 7 Travel Stories

1. Avis car renters can now hire a chauffeur with their rental car in 10 major U.S. cities. While some industry insiders are applauding the move, others say it could set off a turf war with taxis, limousines and car-for-hire businesses. USA Today/ASTA

2. The International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) launched an alternative travel guide called 'Paradox Lost: How not to be a tourist in Tibet' which describes how China promotes tourism in Tibet and, at the same time, suppresses what makes Tibet unique. The free report is available at: http://www.savetibet.org/documents/document.php?id=229 newsBlaze.com

3. World Environment day has come and gone. It was on June 3 in case you missed it. The day brings to light that “Green” travel has arrived in a big way. Spurred by the weight of public opinion, more and more companies seem to be hopping on the bandwagon. Hotels started the green ball rolling years ago with the bright idea that sheets and towels didn't need changing every day. Then came turn off the lights, turn off the air conditioning, use environmentally friendly toiletries, and don't waste water.

A study in The Philippines found hotel guests used as much water in 18 days as a rural family did in a year, while in Egypt it was found a large hotel used as much electricity as 3600 families. Now offsetting carbon emissions is all the rage. It costs only about 38c (Aus) to offset the pollution caused by hiring a medium-sized car for a day. A return Sydney-London flight would cost $74.89 (Aus). And for an around-the-world trip, $260 (Aus).

Most of the environmental damage occurs when planes take off, so those in-the-know advise that short flights should be avoided. Carbon emissions from trains are one-third that of planes. Ships are better, if slower; kayaks, sailing boats, bikes, horses and walking, of course, are the green way to go. News.com (Aus)

4. The newest trend in alternative hotel accommodations comes by way of Austria where an art school graduate offers a place to sleep inside a drain pipe. Open May through October, each of the three pipes, located in a park next to the Danube River in Ottensheim, has a bed, window, electricity and is near public toilets, showers and a cafe. Visitors can book online at http://www.dasparkhotel.net/ and are given a code that opens the door. Meanwhile, on Vancouver Island, BC, you can stay in wooden spheres that dangle from three ropes tethered to three separate trees in a forest at Qualicum Bay. Pricing begins at $100 a night or two nights for $175. www.bothylodge.com

5. As the online travel market matures, companies with major Internet presences continue to alter strategies to differentiate themselves. Thus, Travelocity is going private while Orbitz goes public. In terms of total customer awareness, Prophis eResearch, a Toronto-based travel research firm, reports 97% awareness for Expedia and Travelocity, 96% for Orbitz, and 92% for Priceline, with no other company above 86%.

For 2007, Thomas Weisel analyst Jake Fuller estimates $18 billion to $19 billion in total U.S. business booked both domestically and abroad for Expedia, $12 billion for Orbitz, $11 billion for Sabre and $4 billion for Priceline. The figures include Fuller's prediction of an almost 25% bump for U.S. bookings growth to $47 billion for the year.

In Europe, the second-largest travel firm, Thomas Cook, recently merged with the third largest, MyTravel Group (MT.S.LN), while in the U.S., Sabre recently bought Site59 to combine with lastminute.com. In the past several years, Expedia has made international purchases, such as French online company Egencia and U.K. travel agency World Travel Management, as well as such domestic sites as Hotwire and hotels.com.

Now, Expedia has earmarked more than $300 million for capital expenditures over the next three years, with its target possibly set on any of its three largest competitors. Fuller noted, however, that Orbitz might be the most likely choice. Read more at http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/online-travel-industry-grows-changes/story.aspx?guid=%7BA8C8CFE3-CBB5-4867-9BD2-3D7F55591630%7D MarketWatch

6. Summer at last. Last year, the ubiquitous drink was the caipririnha, made from cachaca, a Brazilian rum. This year’s drink could very well be pisco, a Peruvian liquor that is often compared to cachca. Margarita drinkers are prime candidates for the pisco sour, which features a thick texture made from egg whites. Pisco first became popular in the US in the late 1800s during the Gold Rush when East Coasters and Europeans traveled to San Francisco by boat via South America. They learned of pisco when the boat stopped in the port city of Pisco. For years, Chile claimed the spirit as its own, but in 2005 the World Trade Organization recognized pisco as a beverage of Peruvian origin. Boston Globe


7. Green thumbing it...By 2010, tourism will eclipse oil as the largest industry on the planet, according to an official with the United Nations World Tourism Organization. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s list of damage caused by mass tourism: soil erosion, pollution of land and oceans, natural habitat loss, pressure on endangered species, heightened vulnerability to forest fires and increased strain on water resources.

Research by the UN Environment Program shows that about 80 percent of spending by vacationers on all-inclusive package tours goes to airlines, hotels and other international companies instead of local businesses or workers. Once a destination sells itself as a tourism product, the demand for souvenirs, arts, entertainment and other commodities often has a negative influence on the community.

Of concern—a diminished respect for sacred sites, rituals, and objects when they are perceived as goods to trade. In an effort to address these negative impacts, some tour operators have started including sustainable development standards in their contracts with service suppliers. They also provide training, advice and financial incentives, especially hotels. ETN

Extra Reading

Tourists from long long ago... New Zealand researchers have provided the first direct evidence that Polynesians sailed across thousands of miles of the Pacific Ocean to reach South America long before the arrival of the Spanish around AD 1500. Their proof? Chicken bones from a breed of Polynesian chickens that were recently found in Chile. Also, strengthening the theory that travel and food exchange existed among Pacific ocean residents and native Americans--sweet potatoes indigenous to the Americas were discovered in a number of Polynesian island archaeological sites.

At the airport....Since the new passport rules went into effect at the beginning of the year, processing delays have continued to mount despite the US government’s best efforts, causing many a traveler to cancel their trip.

The State Department says it will soon announce new initiatives to help deal with the issue. Meanwhile, the Department of Homeland Security is holding firm on its proposal to have airlines fingerprint passengers when they check in for international flights. The airlines have steadfastly opposed the plan, saying it makes more sense for the Transportation Security Administration to handle the task.

AirTran’s Chairman and CEO, Joe Leonard, says that the cost of fuel has been a main driver in airline industry losses. Five years ago fuel was 15 percent to 18 percent of our costs. Today it’s 35 percent. To save fuel, AirTrans pilots taxi in and out on one engine and run auxiliary power only when necessary. The airline also shifts a plane to ground power faster by laying power cords where the plane stops instead of dragging them across the ramp. It also has air-conditioning at the gates so it can keep the planes cool in summer instead of using the airplane’s systems. ASTA/NY Times

Rich’s Weekend Reader is published by AndTyler22 Communications. All rights reserved. Information from various sources and mostly rewritten.