7 Days; 7 Travel Stories
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1A. Sacred Cow Tippers

A federal jury ordered American Airlines to pay nine skycaps at Logan Airport a total of more than $325,000 for tips they lost when the airline began charging passengers $2 a bag for curbside check-in service in late 2006. The jury also found that the airline had made it harder for the skycaps to earn a living. Boston Globe

1B. Tipsters

So, what's the correct tip for any type of travel? In Australia and New Zealand, tipping is not widely expected, and may even cause offence to some. However, tipping in restaurants is becoming more common, and a 10% tip for good service will be appreciated by restaurant and bar staff. Taxi drivers and hairdressers do not expect a tip.

In Egypt, learn the word‘baksheesh' which means ‘spread the wealth'. Tipping is discretionary, but a couple of Egyptian pounds here and there goes a long way. Porters, tour guides and waiters all appreciate baksheesh, and whether it's for a meal or for someone carrying all those purchases you made in the souk back to the hotel, every penny counts.
Remember to carry round small change and ask for small denominations when changing your money. Small bills are a prized possession in Egypt because obviously, no one gives change for a tip. One exception is taxi drivers, who you don't have to tip.

In France, service is included by law and your bill may state 'service compris' to indicate this. In any case, it is polite to round up the bill to the nearest euro, or to add 10% for exceptional service. Taxi drivers and porters will always appreciate a couple of Euros for efficient service. However, watch for signs that say ‘Pourboire Interdit', which means that tipping is forbidden.

In Greece, although a service charge is automatically included in your bill when eating out, this does not necessarily mean that it will go to the waiters and waitresses. So, if you're satisfied with your meal, a tip of 8 - 10% is customary. Bear in mind that during the Christmas and Greek Easter holiday periods a service ‘bonus' of 18% will be added to your restaurant bill as a holiday extra for the waiters. When travelling around, rounding up your taxi fare to the nearest Euro is also the norm.

In Germany, although a service charge is included (appearing on your bill as ‘bedienung'), it is the norm to tip up to an extra 10% of the bill, especially in upmarket restaurants. Also, never say ‘danke' unless you are really appreciative of your meal, because more often than not, this will be interpreted by the staff as a signal to keep the change. In addition, hand your tips to the staff when paying the bill instead of placing it on the table as you leave.

A customary practice in the UK to save awkwardness perhaps, but this will cause offence in Germany. In taxis, add a Euro or two to the total to keep the cabbie smiling.

When in Italy, dining in restaurants your bill probably includes a 10 - 15% service charge (coperto your bill. If that is the case, don't feel obliged to add any more, and if not, a 10% gratuity is sufficient. In many Italian cafés, you will often pay more to sit down and enjoy your coffee or gelato ice cream rather than standing at the bar anyway. So, if you do sip your coffee or hot chocolate while sitting down, an extra €0.50 is a sufficient tip. (You won't find better hot chocolate than in Italy, but that's another story.) Smaller trattorias and pizzerias don't expect a gratuity, and tipping a small family-run business may even cause offence. Taxi drivers also do not expect a tip. Again, however, rounding up to the nearest Euro is fine, or if your cab driver helps carry your bags you may want to extend this to a couple of Euros.

The Japanese are pretty clear cut when it comes to tips. Any monies left are more likely to cause offence than gratitude. The number stated on the bill is what you should pay. Service charges are included in the food prices on the menu in Spain, and tipping is a matter of personal choice. Most people leave some small change if they're satisfied and 5% is usually plenty. It's common to leave small change at bar and café tables, or if you eat tapas or sandwiches at a bar - just enough to round the bill to the nearest Euro.

Tipping is serious business in the US. Many service staff get no more than minimum wage, and rely on tips to supplement their income. So, tip generously, and often. You should leave a 15% minimum tip in diners, restaurants and cafes, and if service is really good then 20% is more the norm. In bars, slipping the bartender around a dollar per drink will ensure that service will never be a problem. And finally, when out and about in the States, tipping an extra 15% to your taxi driver is the norm. http://www.fool.co.uk/

2. This and That

JetBlue now gives travelers the option of purchasing a seat with more leg room. The seats have a 38 inch pitch, four more than the airline’s standard seat, and cost $10 extra on flights under 600 miles, $15 up to $1,500 miles and $20 on long-haul flights. NY Times

A new U.S. fine-dining site that features video tours, chef interviews, and cooking instruction: http://www.travelintaste.com/.

http://www.tripology.com/ matches prospective travelers with travel retailers. Visitors to Tripology fill out a detailed trip request, which is matched to a selection of 6,500 specialized agents who best meet the traveler's requirements. Each matching specialist receives an e-mail with the trip request, and the first three agents to purchase the lead are then e-mailed the traveler's contact information. Travel Weekly

Fleet street…An aging fleet is catching up with domestic airlines. Many of the older planes require more maintenance, more safety inspections and more fuel to fly. The bottom line: the planes are more expensive to operate compared to newer ones.

At issue: domestic carriers have bought fewer new planes in recent years and their fleets have aged, hitting an average of 12.2 years at the end of 2006. Only two domestic carriers, Northwest and Continental, have ordered the new fuel-efficient Boeing 787, while dozens of overseas carriers have ordered the plane. NY Times

Cutbacks, aging equipment, and high fuel and maintenance costs are just some of the items on an airline’s list of woes. Add to that a shortage of pilots and their related salaries. FedEx pays among the highest wages; regional airlines like Pinnacle and Mesa play among the lowest. Starting annual pay for a first officer on a regional jet at Pinnacle is $21,000 compared to $122,000 for a widebody jet at Northwest and $164,000 at FedEx. First-year captains earn $55,000, $179,000 and $232,000, respectively. NY Times

3. Zoom, Zoom, Zoom

Retired Canadians are hanging up their Bermuda shorts and opting for more exotic adventures where they can explore exotic gems, immerse themselves in foreign cultures and learn something new about their destinations and themselves. To accommodate the changing travel desires of the 50-plus market, the travel industry is not only adapting the packaged trips it offers to the senior segment but altering its travel loyalty programs to attract the interest of travelers in this demographic.

According to one expert, 50-plus Canadians traveling within Canada accounts for 54 per cent of all trips taken, a figure exceeded only by the 55 per cent of foreign trips they take. The 50-plus traveler also represents the largest source of travelers to Mexico, Bermuda, Dominican Republic, the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Cuba. Calgary Herald

4. Prognosticators

The annual Travel Com Conference, produced by the Travel Industry Association of America (TIA), featured top-level executives from Forrester Research, consumer brands like Travelocity and Priceline, plus GDS companies and software providers.

Henry Harteveldt, vice president & principal analyst of Forrester Research, keynoted the conference with a presentation concluding that the confluence of a shaky economy and slowing online growth had online travel marketers stumbling for answers. The online travel industry has reached a point where 80% of travelers are online and growth for online bookings, which currently stands at $112 billion, has virtually stalled. Also, satisfaction with online bookings is decreasing as only 49% of online bookers feel it’s enjoyable to book a trip online, down from 53% last year.

Also, growth in online travel spending is expected to be greatest among the Generation X and Y generations, not the traditional boomer and senior populations that are prevalent in the group travel industry.Another major theme discussed was shared experiences and how technology is bringing this closer to reality for travelers. Through website blogs, community sites like MySpace, YouTube and Facebook, plus rapid advancements in mobile technologies, travelers can share recommendations, preferences and develop their own communities online.

Complete access to the Forrester Research that contributed to TIA's Travel Com event, visit: http://www.forrester.com/travelcom08

5. Romania, Romania, Romania

Greece, Turkey and Spain are the destinations that generate over 30% of travel agencies' bookings in this country. According to in-country travel experts, more than 300,000 Romanians will head for Greece to spend their summer holidays this year, while the number of Romanians choosing Bulgaria will stagnate at 250,000 people. The number of Romanians leaving for Turkey will revolve around 100,000, while Spain will attract around 35,000 Romanians, a level similar to the number of tourists choosing Tunisia.

6. Bookings Institute

Despite the economic downturn, U.S. travel agents and industry analysts report robust bookings for domestic, international and business travel. If there is any change, say the experts, people are opting for destinations where the dollar goes farther. They are also economizing by opting for hotel rates guaranteed in dollars, buying all-inclusive packages or cruises, or shortening their trips. NY Times

7. Pod Casting

From Amsterdam to New York, travelers seeking refuge from soaring hotel rates have an alternative: 84 square-foot pods with little space and, sometimes, no windows. In London, one pod hotel books rooms by the hour, has an entryway that looks like a spaceship and windows that open into an indoor hallway. In The Netherlands, the new Qbic hotel rents "cubis" the size of a walk-in closet. At the Pod Hotel in midtown Manhattan, a standard room with a bunk bed, two flat-panel TVs and a shared bathroom starts at $89 a night.

These pod hotels are following the lead of low-frills, low-cost airlines. Most don't have grand lobbies, gyms or meeting rooms, areas that can be considered dead space for generating revenue at a regular hotel. There is as few as one full-time employee for every 12 rooms at a pod hotel, compared with an employee for every two rooms at a typical budget hotel. WSJ

Rich’s Weekend Reader is published by AndTyler222 Communications. All rights reserved. Information from various sources and mostly rewritten. andtyler222@verizon.net http://www.itinarod.com/

7 Days; 7 Travel Stories

1. Online Squawk

"The influence of social networking and community services is growing significantly for online travel," says Douglas Quinby, senior director of research at PhoCusWright. "Seeking information and looking for perspective--like-minded experience and judgments--are currently trumping the straightforward hunt for the best price. Services that facilitate a purchasing decision by aggregating or filtering content make [online travel information] relevant to the user."

Online travel companies, including Travelocity and Expedia are now some of the oldest Internet brands. But they're buffing up how they serve vacationers by acquiring social networking sites that focus on travel. Travelocity's parent company, Sabre Holdings, acquired social travel site IgoUgo in 2005. The following year, IgoUgo--which hosts user-generated reviews of travel destinations and hotels, photos and maps--was folded into Travelocity.

Despite their efforts, some experts say online travel agencies have a long way to go. "The industry is sadly lacking in innovation to make the shopping experience better," says Forrester Research analyst Henry Harteveldt. "A big reason is the back-end that travel sellers rely on. It's going to take two to three years to make the necessary changes. It's a multimillion dollar capital expenditure, and it will take hours of planning and [software] coding." Forbes

Vacationing alone and want some company? These sites to the rescue: http://www.intrepidtravel.com/, http://www.absolutetravel.com/, www.fairmont.com/santamonica, http://www.adventurewomen.com/, http://www.countrywalkers.com/, http://www.cstn.org/ (Solo Travel Network), http://www.backroads.com/, http://www.tauck.com/, http://www.soloholidays.co.uk/, http://www.hfholidays.co.uk/. NY Times

Gluten free zone…Introducing http://www.glutenfreetravelsite.com/, the first website focused on helping people with Celiac – and others following gluten-free diets. Locate hotels, resorts, and restaurants around the world that accommodate their special diets. Celiac Disease is an autoimmune disorder that compromises the body’s ability to digest gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye and barley.

2. Flowers For Algernon

Travel + Leisure magazine’s list of the world's top 10 botanical gardens.
Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Brooklyn, New York. Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, Western Cape, South Africa. Kyoto, Japan (country estate on the outskirts of this city.Jardin Botanique de Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Reid's Palace, Madeira, Portugal.. Claude Monet Foundation at Giverny, Normandy, France. Seychelles National Botanical Gardens, Seychelles. Biltmore Estate, Asheville, North Carolina.Tohono Chul Park, Tucson, Arizona. Andromeda Botanical Gardens, St. Joseph, Barbados.

3. On the Wings of Butterflies

The monarch butterfly is famous for its annual migration to the mountains of central Mexico. But the creature's lifespan can be a matter of weeks, so the ones that fly south in the fall are not the ones that come back in the spring. So how do they know where to go? In 2002, Queen's University researcher Barrie Frost found that monarchs use an internal clock and the sun to tell them. Now, he and Jeremy McNeil, an entomologist at the University of Western Ontario, are investigating how they know when to stop. “They use the same sites, year after year,” says Dr. McNeil, an expert in the reproductive strategies of migrating insects, and they may smell their way. Butterflies eat milkweed, which contains noxious compounds and may give their waste a distinctive and long-lasting odor to guide the way, he explains. Globe and Mail

4. Rent Me’s

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) reported a record percentage of new second home buyers – 25 percent – have purchased vacation homes with the intent to rent them out to vacationers, nearly doubling the number from just two years ago (14 percent in 2005). Of those owners who intend to rent, 70 percent will rely on the Internet to advertise their vacation homes to travelers.

Earlier this month, travel expert Arthur Frommer called the growing trend of renting vacation homes and apartments “a giant movement,” citing affordability when compared to hotels as the reason. Industry analysts predict U.S. hotel prices will rise 5 to 8 percent this year. The study also revealed that more than half of the new vacation owners who did not plan to rent out their homes would consider doing so in the future. This is consistent with HomeAway research indicating homeowners begin to rent two to three years into owning because they don’t use their home as often as they had planned. http://www.homeaway.com/

5. The Schengen Zone

With the addition of Malta and eight other countries – Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, the Czech Republic – some 400 million people can now travel by plane passport-free within 24 European countries. Several eastern European cities such as Warsaw, Prague and Budapest used the opportunity to modernize their airports and build new terminals. Switzerland, which is not a member of the EU, will join the Zone by November pay about $11 million for the privilege. Bulgaria and Romania, which joined the EU on January 1st last year, are preparing to be included in the Schengen zone in 2011.

6. Top 5 Medical Tourism Destinations

The Medical tourism industry anticipates a great deal of growth in the coming years, from a 2004 estimate of $40 billion to $100 billion by 2012. Experts believe that medical tourism will have a positive impact on the economies of destination countries and benefit skilled and unskilled trades alike. Savings are typically 40 percent to 70 percent.
NuWire’s Top 5 Medical Tourism Destinations based on quality and affordability of care as well as receptiveness to foreign investment: Panama, Brazil, Malaysia, Costa Rica, India. ETN/nuwireinvestor.com

7. The Friendly Skies

The load factor (average seat occupancy) on the world’s airlines declined 0.6 percent in February from a year earlier to 73.3 percent. That’s the largest drop since a 0.9-point decrease in December of 2004.

Flybe, a low-fare European airline, paid 172 people to fly back and forth across England and the Irish Sea to help it meet a target for passenger numbers at Norwich airport. Flybe was narrowly falling short of a target to deliver at least 15,000 passengers on the Dublin-Norwich route in the 12 months ending on Monday, which meant it would have to forego a 280,000 pound ($550,000) rebate from the airport. After the airport rejected a request for a partial rebate for almost hitting the target, Flybe hired 172 temps for 30-40 pounds each, plus a free bar and in-flight entertainment. Reuters/Yahoo

British Airways canceled 50 flights at London Heathrow airport’s on the sith day of its opening. That figure represents 13 percent of BA flights at the airport. Cancellations caused by snags in the $8.5 billion terminal’s computerized baggage system total more than 300 since it opened on March 27. BA has called in FedEx to help reunite passengers with about 20,000 delayed bags. Bloomberg

Election Year Extra

Travel is a $740 billion industry and this is a presidential election year. So what’s to get your dandruff up? Record air travel delays and cancellations. Soaring fuel costs. Traffic congestion on roadways. New, confusing and expensive passport and transit rules. Declining value of the dollar. Amtrak funding. In a poll conducted ahead of the primaries in South Carolina and Florida -- two states where travel is critical to the economy -- nearly two-thirds of prospective voters said they don't believe the 2008 presidential candidates have adequately addressed a travel system that is increasingly viewed as "flawed and frustrating."

"There's still a long way to go, and we trust these issues will arise on their agenda," says Roger Dow, president of the Travel Industry Association. "Candidates have yet to realize what the public is demanding of them." Tribune Media Services

Rich’s Weekend Reader is published by AndTyler222 Communications. All rights reserved. Information from various sources and mostly rewritten. andtyler222@verizon.net http://www.itinarod.com/

7 Days; 7 Travel Stories

1. New Food Group

According to a recent survey released by the Travel Industry Association of America and the National Restaurant Association, food is central to deciding vacation destinations for at least 25% of leisure travelers. About 58% of American leisure travelers say they are somewhat or very interested in taking a trip to engage in culinary or wine-related activities. These gastro-tourists are not only driven by the new-found concern for the origin of food but they also want to learn the history and culture of their favorite cuisines. economictimes.indiatimes.com

2. Train Fetishes

All aboard. Askmen.com has come up with a list of the top train trips around the world, rating them on attributes like amenities, comfort, convenient routes, reasonable fares, and technology. Here goes:

TGV, France--The French sense of style extends to train travel and the TGV is an acronym for "train grande vitesse" - or high-speed train -- which can travel at 357 mph while the passenger runs hit 200 mph. Top route: Lorraine - Champagne-Ardenne

Japan Railways Group, Japan--Japan's original 130-mph bullet train of 1964 has inspired imitators, but the country's high-speed trains are still among the fastest and most technologically advanced and are reliable, safe and fast. Passengers aren't treated to the same 361-mph top speed achieved in testing, but 186 mph still isn't bad. Top route: Tokyo - Shin-Osaka

Eurostar, England--There are Eurostar lines throughout the continent and they're some of the best ways to get around. The 1,290-foot trains cruise up to 186 mph in certain areas. But one route stands apart -- it's the trip through the Channel Tunnel, with the journey beginning at London's historic St. Pancras International train station and ending in Paris. Top route: London – Paris

ICE/NachtZug, Germany--Deutsche Bahn keeps passengers moving by day with their efficient and popular InterCityExpress, better known as ICE. For overnight trips, there's the inviting NachtZug, or Night Train, which is a refreshing trip. Top route: ICE "Sprinter": Berlin - Frankfurt; NachtZug: Hagen – Prague

TAV, Italy--Many Italians like traveling by car or plane but trains are gaining popularity beyond intra-city use and considerable efforts are being made to emulate and connect with Europe's finest. Top route: Rome – Florence

Also on the list: Russian Railways, Russia--St. Petersburg – Moscow; KTX, South Korea--Seoul – Pusan; AVE, Spain--Madrid – Seville; Great Southern Rail Limited, Australia-- Sydney to Perth; VR, Finland—Just about anywhere from Helsinki

3. Clausets

Five of the worst clauses you'll find in a travel contract:

In a Celebrity Cruises contract: "No undertaking or warranty shall be given or shall be implied as to the seaworthiness, fitness or condition of the Vessel or any food or drink supplied on board."

What American Airlines won’t compensate you for in case these items are lost in transit: antiques, artifacts, artwork, books and documents, china, computers and other electronic equipment, computer software, fragile items.

In your hotel room on the policy sign on the backside of the entry door: "Hotel is not responsible for lost or stolen items."

At the rental car place: A few years ago Hertz quietly changed its contract language to say that if your rental was damaged in a natural disaster, you were liable for it. Avis says "We may repossess the car anytime it is found illegally parked, being used to violate the law or this Agreement, or appears to be abandoned…We may also repossess the car anytime we discover you made a misrepresentation to obtain the car. You agree that we needn't notify you in advance."

Frequent flier rule gem: the airline can change the rules whenever it wants to and that they can delete your miles for pretty much any reason. MSNBC.com

4. Going Green

In a move to become more environment-friendly, one of Europe’s largest hotel operators, Scandic, announced it is has decided to stop selling bottled water in its restaurants and during conferences. The hotel chain calculates that this move will cut fossil carbon dioxide emissions by 160 tons per year. It claims it currently sells around 1.2 million liters of water, equating to 3.6 million 33cl bottles, every year. Instead of bottled water, Scandic will now offer its guests chilled and filtered water, both still and carbonated, from taps.

The taps will ensure that valuable minerals and salts are retained while unwanted chemicals are removed. Scandic’s guests will still be able to have their water bottled – but filling the bottle at the hotel avoids unnecessary shipments of water impacting on the environment. According to the Stockholm Consumer Cooperative Society, bottled water generates 1,000 times the carbon dioxide emissions created by the same quantity of tap water.

Meanwhile, the government of Cambodia has given priority to the development of the country’s tourism industry, focusing on cultural and eco-tourism in order to promote the advancement of national economy and rapid poverty alleviation. One site under development is Prasat Preah Vihear, an eleventh century monument in Preah Vihear province, northern Cambodia, that is revered as one of the greatest Khmer temples.

Preah Vihear Temple is located in a pleasant environment with an attractive countryside slightly east of the mid section of the Dongrek Mountains. It is perched on the edge of a giant cliff, about 525 meters above sea level in Preah Vihear Province, Northern part of Cambodia. It is also situated close to the Cambodia-Thai border Sisaket province.
The Preah Vihear temple was built from year 900 to 1150. Preah Vihear, which means sacred monastery in Khmer, was built over a span of about 300 years, starting in the 9th century.

The Cambodian government has plans to develop the Preah Vihear temple into a cultural tourism destination in an effort to reach the goal of attracting 3 million tourists by 2010. The government has also proposed that the sacred Hindu Temple be listed as a World Heritage site because of its outstanding historical, cultural and universal value.

5. This and That

Beginning April 1, people in England age 60 and over will be able to travel on local bus services for free. The free travel applies during off peak hours, all weekend and for two full weeks over Christmas. Jaunted.com

http://www.attitudehotels.com/ announced a list of 27 gay and lesbian –friendly member hotels in 14 countries in Europe and the US.

On Sunday, the so-called open-skies agreement goes into effect, allowing airlines based in the US and Europe to fly across the Atlantic between any two airports in each region. The agreement is likely to spell more choices and cheaper fares for travelers.

Last year the airlines lost 7 bags per 1,000 passengers, up from 3.2 in 02, according to the US Department of Transportation. As a result, shipping bags ahead of flight through private carriers and the US postal service has increased dramatically. It costs between $48 and $149 to ship a 65-pound suitcase from NY to SF in five to seven business days. AP

All ears…A Finnish tourist was detained after allegedly stealing the right ear from one of the massive Moai statues on Easter Island. Some of the island’s 400 Moai are more than 70 feet tall. However, most have an average height of 20 feet and weigh about 22 tons. AP

6. Travel Tales

The Vatican's official travel agency, Romana Opera, will begin operating six weekly charter flights to Israel. Of late, the Israeli Tourism Ministry has gone to considerable lengths to attract Catholic pilgrims to the local holy sites. The net result: a 70% increase in tourism from Italy last February. The ministry's director-general estimated that the new endeavor will result in some 7,000 additional hotel reservations, particularly in Bethlehem. Some 500,000 pilgrims visited Israel in 2007, marking a 25% increase from the previous year. About 80,000 pilgrims visited the country in January and February of 2008, up 30% from the same time last year. Ynet.com

Slow Down You’re Traveling Too Fast…Ed Gillespie just returned home after 381 days on the road. Gillespie's voyage took him from his home in south London through Europe, Mongolia, Japan, Australia, French Polynesia, Mexico and Central America. And he didn’t take a plane to do so. Among his modes of transport: hump of a camel, bicycle and cargo ship. Gillespie said it took him 16 days to cross the Pacific Ocean. Find out more about Gillespie's trip, including his effort to move great distances with the smallest carbon footprint possible, at http://www.lowcarbontravel.com/

7. The Best Travel Web Sites

William J. McGee of Condé Nast Traveler likes these Web sites best courtesy of MSNBC:

Airline tickets: http://www.kayak.com/, http://www.itasoftware.com/
Knowing when to book: http://www.farecast.com/, http://www.farecompare.com/
Airline reviews: http://www.airlinequality.com/, http://www.seatguru.com/
Airport and flight information: http://www.faa.gov/, http://www.flightstats.com/ Security checkpoint wait times: www.Waittime.tsa.dhs.gov/index.html
DOT’s Aviation Consumer Protection Division: www.airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/reports/index.htm
Booking flights in Europe: http://www.wegolo.com/, http://www.opodo.com/
Booking flights in Asia: http://www.zuji.com/, http://www.vayama.com/
Booking hotels in the US: http://www.hotels.com/, http://www.orbitz.com/
Bidding on affordable luxury hotels: http://www.luxurylink.com/

[and then there is always http://www.itinarod.com/ for the best of everything travel related]

Rich’s Weekend Reader is published by AndTyler222 Communications. All rights reserved. Information from various sources and mostly rewritten. andtyler222@verizon.net http://www.itinarod.com/

7 Days; 7 Travel Stories

1.Six Intriguing UK Travel Sites

Directline-holidays.co.uk offers an email service that alerts users to holidays that match their preferences.

Green Escapes.co.uk is a new site that promotes non-flight holidays and places to stay that are run by people dedicated to caring for the environment.

TourismforAll.co.uk is a goldmine of information for travellers with reduced mobility.

HotelChatter.co.uk has a listing of the best geek hotels in the world.
CallUma.co.uk is a new translation/interpretation service that can offer assistance in 140 languages, 24 hours a day. Annual membership costs from £19.50 a year.

http://www.city.mobi/.co.uk offers a database of 600 free city guides that are designed to be browsed on a mobile phone. London Times.

2. Ten Quirky Adult Vacations

http://www.travelandleisure.com/ list of the top 10 quirkiest camps for adults.
Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy Camp - New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and London. Campers learn the ropes from their rock 'n roll idols including Joe Walsh, Slash, and Max Weinberg.

Gladiator Training Cavalieri Hilton, Rome. Over this three-hour course, participants learn ancient gladiator combat techniques and history while wearing the traditional costume and brandishing authentic gladiator-era replica wooden and iron weapons.

Elephant Mahout Training Four Seasons Tented Camp, Northern Thailand. For this half-day to three-day adventure, participants work side-by-side with local mahouts, who are expert trainers in the 2,000-year-old Thai tradition of elephant care.

Wine-Making Camp Sonoma and Napa, California. The Diageo Chateau & Estate Wines Crush Camp allows wine lovers to get out in the vineyard with winemakers for three days to harvest, crush and blend wine.

Space Camp Huntsville, Alabama. The three- to eight-day program simulates astronaut training and an actual shuttle mission in as realistic a setting as possible.

Ghost Hunter University Hotel Maison de Ville, New Orleans. Christopher Moon, licensed paranormal investigator and publisher of Haunted Times magazine, teaches the basics of ghost hunting.

Crossword Puzzle Creation, 7-day Eastern Caribbean Cruise on the Holland America ship, Statendam. Editor of Newsday's syndicated crossword puzzle and author of 125 books, Stan Newman teaches participants how to improve their crossword-solving skills, strengthen their vocabulary, and recognize the tricks over at least 10 hours of instruction.

African Vet Safaris South Africa. The four- to five-day Brothers Safaris program allows guests to work beside Dr. Peter Brothers, a passionate South African veterinarian who specializes in wildlife species.

Gondolier Training Hilton Molino Stucky, Venice. For three hours travelers can step into the shoes of a professional gondolier to learn the mechanics of rowing and maneuvering the vessel, the perfect stance to maintain balance, and the aesthetics of gondolier etiquette.

Poker Camp - Las Vegas, Atlantic City, Connecticut, and Biloxi, Mississippi.At the World Poker Tournament Boot Camp, poker lovers spend a fantasy weekend immersed in poker strategy with poker celebrities including T.J. Cloutier, Clonie Gowen and Mike Sexton. Reuters

3. Five Travel Myths

The Frommer’s share their Top 5 travel myths with ABC News.

Nowadays, there's no need to stock up on foreign currency in advance of departing, and no reason to assume that you'll get a better exchange rate in the United States than abroad.

Just two years ago it held true that you could get the best prices on travel by booking at the last minute. Thanks to record levels of travel, sold-out flights and better search engines, it's no longer the case.

Don't expect that someone at the destination can be relied upon to explain what you're looking at. Do your homework and bring a guidebook.

Just because a hotel charges five-star prices doesn't mean you can expect a five-star stay.

Cruise lines often want you to book shore excursions onboard or before your trip but typically a better deal can be found when you get off the ship.

4. Those Good Ole Days--NY Air Shuttles On The Wane?

Airline execs acknowledge that today’s air shuttle service between NY-Boston-Washington is a far cry from the service pioneered by Eastern Airlines in 1961, when passengers could waltz up to the gate without a reservation minutes before takeoff. Eastern also guaranteed a seat to anyone, even if it meant rolling out an extra plane. In the last few years, security lines, delays, and the end of the guaranteed seat policy have undermined the shuttles basic formula. Add to that, competition from Amtrak and a horde of bus lines. NY Times

5. Fertility Tourism

Medical experts revealed at least two couples every month are traveling from the UK to clinics in India where local women can earn up to 16 times their annual wage to have babies for comparatively wealthy foreigners. In some cases the pregnant surrogates live together in hostels attached to clinics.

The overall costs to the couple are similar, at around £10,000 in the UK and overseas. Susan Seenan, from the charity Infertility Network UK, said there were questions over the practice overseas that could lead to the exploitation of desperately poor women. But Dr Kaushal Kadam, from the Rotunda clinic in Mumbai, said: "Surrogates do it to give their children a better education, to buy a home, to start up a small business or a shop. This is as much money as they could earn in maybe three years. I really don't think that this is exploiting the women. I feel it is two people helping each other." scotsman.com

6. Does Size Really Matter?

Like many things in the secretive world of super yachts, it’s length is hard to pin down. The yacht in question is now being built in a shipyard in Germany. The Eclipse is said to be 531.5 feet long, nearly six and a half feet longer than the Dubai, an 11,600 ton behemoth that now holds the record as the world’s largest yacht. The Dubai is owned by that country’s ruler, Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum. The owner of the Eclipse is rumored to be Roman Abramovich, a Russian tycoon. NY TImes

7. Eco Echoes

A site that lists more than 2,800 eco-friendly hotels worldwide, http://www.environmentallyfriendlyhotels.com/.

Among the innovative ways hotels are making stays more eco-friendly. Apex City of Long Hotel has an environmental blog updaing customers on the hotel’s most recent green initiatives. Ibis Porte Clichy Centre in Paris features a photovoltaic façade that draws solar power. The Lenox in Boston is one of the first hotels to offer climate-neutral rooms and offset carbon emissions for electricity by 100 percent. The Old Bangkok Inn steers guests away from gas-guzzling taxis toward alternative forms of transport and the interior of each room is make of salvaged teak.

If you want to know how seriously a hotel is taking environmental issues to heart, here are six questions to ask.

Does it have any renewable energy sources, like small hydro, solar, wind or geothermal systems?

Does it avoid using harsh chemicals, such as scented laundry supplies, carpet cleaners and air fresheners?

Does it donate things to charities, like food scraps and old sheets and towels?

Does it practice energy conservation: long-life light bulbs, good insulation, energy-efficient appliances?

Does it support local causes and community conservation efforts?

Does it try to educate its guests about being green, either on its Web site or through material provided in the room? NY Times

Rich’s Weekend Reader is published by AndTyler222 Communications. All rights reserved. Information from various sources and mostly rewritten. andtyler222@verizon.net http://www.itinarod.com/

7 Days; 7 Travel Stories

1. At the Fair

Global warming's threat to the existence of the exotic resorts and beaches tourists crave has not dented holidaymakers' appetites for pollution-producing, long-haul trips, experts said at the Berlin's annual tourism fair, the world’s largest travel exhibition. Online travel agency Expedia said it has seen no decline in the number of people taking long-haul flights and that climate worries are a peripheral concern for travelers. Two of Germany's largest tourism groups, Thomas Cook and TUI said they will do more to promote carbon-offsetting schemes for customers booking flights. But interest in such voluntary schemes, where others are paid to cut emissions on the airlines' behalf, has so far been small. Another area that has failed to take off yet is eco-tourism in which people opt for train over air travel and make shorter journeys, said Klaus Liedtke, editor of National Geographic Deutschland magazine.

2. At the Money Exchange Booth

Studies conducted by the money exchange firm, Travelex, indicate that travelers are losing money because of poor planning. One recent survey revealed that 66 percent of US travelers do not exchange currency before leaving on a trip compared to 29 percent of Australians and 15 percent of UK travelers). Travelex offers the following advice to travelers to stretch trip dollars and avoid unnecessary fees: Exchange currency prior to leaving on a trip. Don’t assume that you can use US dollars at your destination, or that you’ll easily find a reputable, affordable currency vendor. Make a budget for your trip and exchange as much money as you can safely carry. Frequent exchanges or withdrawals mean numerous transaction fees and commissions. Purchase currency from a vendor that offers a guaranteed return rate for unused currency. Returning leftover cash can be the most expensive part of your transaction, because you’ll pay double without a special guarantee.

3. On the Bus

Greyhound plans to start offering its low-cost BoltBus service between Boston and New York City next month with Internet fares starting as low as $1. BoltBus is Greyhound’s latest salvo in its long-running rivalry with Fung Wah and Lucky Star bus lines. Greyhound hopes to attract young people, business travelers and tourist with the new service that is already running between NY and Washington D.C. The current lowest advertised price for a one-way ticket between NY and Boston on a regular Greyhound bus is $20. Fung Wah and Lucky Star’s fare is $15. Boston Globe

4. Empty Promises

There’s no credible evidence that the greening of travel is saving the Earth. But here’s what we do know. A recent Deloitte survey found that nearly half of all travelers try to be “environmentally friendly” when they’re traveling, and almost a quarter of them are willing to pay more for green hotels, resorts and rental cars. Another poll by Travelocity found that almost three-quarters of active travelers were prepared to pony up more cash for a greener getaway. Enter companies that sell green to make their travel product more attractive. It’s called greenwashing.

The latest stunt is Virgin Atlantic’s test flight of an aircraft burning a mixture of standard jet fuel and biofuel. But Michael Miller of the Orlando-based aviation consulting firm Green Skies, says a real alternative to jet fuel is a decade or more away. For an airline to be “green” today it needs to make a top-to-bottom commitment to saving the environment.

Hotels are figuratively falling all over themselves to out-green each other. Most of their efforts look sincere but have a negligible effect on the environment. Alex Pettitt, host of the TV show “Mainstream Green,” says some eco-resorts have really “missed the boat” when it comes to being green. “They lower their water consumption, but don’t have a sustainable design,” he says. “Or they’ll offer eco-trips, but the facility itself is an ecological wart.”

Not all unsustainable green efforts are so obvious, says Tim Gohmann, the senior vice president of travel and leisure at the market research firm TNS North America. For example, several car rental companies now offer the option of renting a hybrid vehicle. “But these offers are few and far between because the cost of maintenance for these hybrid cars are higher and the car company then loses the revenues made from traditional gas-powered cars,” he told me. “There is no immediate payoff for the car companies so they are more reluctant to put this practice into place, and it’s not widely offered.” MSNBC

5. Online

Priceline.com introduced a new suite of free, personalized airline ticketing features, called Inside Track, that is designed to comb through thousands of flights and fares, both now and in the future, to find customers the best possible deals for the trips they want to take. http://travela.priceline.com/insideTrack/flights/

6. Business Travel

Maintaining productivity is a top concern for Business travelers in choosing a hotel, according to a recent Hyatt Place survey. Among the conclusions: One third of business travelers will drive 10-30+ miles out of their way to ensure they stay in a hotel with free high-speed wireless internet access in guestrooms and public areas. More than 80 percent of travelers choose business hotels that have the technology they need to work efficiently. 81 percent of travelers say the guestrooms in their ideal business hotel are designed around the way people really live.

7. India Online

The latest buzzword in India’s online travel space is B2E or Business-to-Enterprise. To that end popular travel portals such as Makemytrip, Indiatimes, Yatra, Ezeego1, Travelguru, and Cleartrip have set their sites on corporate business. These portals are working on various models to offer services to business houses such as technology integration with a company’s intranet, an offline booking desk at the clients’ corporate office or giving login IDs and passwords to employees. Economic Times of India

Rich’s Weekend Reader is published by AndTyler222 Communications. All rights reserved. Information from various sources and mostly rewritten. andtyler222@verizon.net http://www.itinarod.com/

7 Days; 6 Travel Stories

1. Museum Hopping

TripAdvisor’s list of the world's top 10 museums based on site reader comments: Musee du Louvre, Paris, France. Vatican Museums, Vatican City, Rome, Italy.Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, New York. J. Paul Getty Center, Los Angeles, California. Musee d'Orsay, Paris, France. Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy.Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois. Tate Modern, London, England. Prado Museum, Madrid, Spain. National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. Reuters India

2. Merger Frenzy

Mergers and acquisitions in the travel industry are the buzzwords today. Senior management of many airlines view this trend as a stop-gap to rising fuel costs and global economic slowdown. One concern as airlines merge: the dismantling of a hub airport the way American Airlines did in St. Louis after purchasing TWA. Say the experts: As the income of the airports diminishes, the airports themselves are forced to increase fees to those airlines that remain flying. The Bottom line--costs rise, flying becomes more cumbersome, lines become longer and the consumer is left to wonder where the great benefit was touted by the acquiring airline.

Travel industry mergers that work: At the end of the 19th Century, William Waldorf opened a 13-story hotel in the heart of New York and humbly named it the Waldorf Hotel. Four years later his cousin, Jacob Astor, erected a 17-story hotel on the adjacent site, naming it the Astoria Hotel. The two cousins agreed to a corridor connecting their properties and with the added benefits of having private bathrooms and electricity, the hotels flourished. It took only 38 years but finally in 1931, having vacated their original space for the Empire State Building, the merged hotels became the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. At the time, this gleaming skyscraper on Park Avenue was the tallest hotel in the world. Jerusalem Post

Analysts say airline mergers could hurt online travel agencies in a variety of ways, possibly lowering demand for their services. "If there are less options, there's less need to go there," said one analyst. Another speculated that "for the online travel agencies, any situation that could potentially lead to higher prices might lead to lower demand, and because they get paid per ticket and not based on the price of the fare, it would hurt them."

Where to turn: One analyst said that the international travel market is "particularly attractive" because only about 25 percent of it is currently booked online. The agencies are also trying to sell more packages, which combine things like airfare, hotel rooms and other travel services such as event tickets. CNN

3. In The Air

It’s one of the most overwhelming emotional situations possible…someone dies while in flight. The macabre phenomenon has received renewed attention with the recent death of a woman on a flight from Haiti to New York. Her family complained that the airline did not do enough to respond. When a passenger is stricken aboard a plane, flight crews and travelers with medical training often pull out emergency medical supplies and rush to save the patient’s life in full view of other passengers. Most airlines also subscribe to a company such as MedAire, which has doctors available on the ground to advise flight crews in a medical emergency. MedAire provides coverage for about one-third of the world’s commercial flights.

Should a passenger die in flight, the crew often throws a blanket over the corpse or puts it in a body bag--an item routinely kept on some planes. The dead passenger is sometimes placed on the floor in a galley area, or kept buckled in his or her seat, since the corpse cannot be allowed to block certain emergency exists. Pilots may consider making an emergency landing, but often they keep going. Airlines are not required to track or report the medical incidents they handle, but Med Aire counted 89 deaths aboard the flights it serviced in 06. MedAire says a passenger has a 1 in 7.6 million chance of dying on board a plane in a medical incident. AP

4. Down Under

A recent Tourism Australia report on the future of domestic tourism to 2020 found that the tourism within the country industry would stay weak unless it offset the ill effects of high petrol prices, accommodation shortages and competition from cheap overseas holidays. The report said consumers were opting instead to spend their money on a widening array of goods and services, spurred by a desire to buy the newest and the best and a need for immediate gratification.

And as for Generation Z - those born after 1991 – the report found that they were likely to forgo travel as educational costs and living expenses left them with little money for discretionary spending. The report concluded that Generation Z had not developed the "habit of travel", due to a decline in the traditional family holiday and predicted that Generation Z would travel less than previous generations and, when they did, would favor overseas travel, prompted by cheap overseas package deals, a desire to see the world and an apathy about Australian sights.
The report also found the environment would become a bigger factor, through nature-based tourism and people possibly preferring to travel locally as concerns about aircraft carbon emissions rose. TheAge.com.au

5. Online

A new travel site entered the fray this week: http://www.insidetrip.com/. For each air search, the site provides both fares and flight evaluations focused on 12 points of contention to help users know what they are getting into. Among the 12 points: the amount of legroom in a cabin, how often the flight is on time, the aircraft type, how crowded a specific flight typically is, if you can walk to your connection, and how long it usually takes to get through the security checkpoint nearest the gate. Overall trip scores can range from 0 to 100 with 100 being the best. NY Times

6. US Losing Competitiveness in World Tourism Survey

The U.S. is the seventh most competitive country in the world in the travel and tourism market, down two slots from last year, according to a report from Booz Allen Hamilton. The McLean, Va. company started the annual Global Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report last year to rank 130 countries based on a country's appeal in developing travel and tourism. Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Australia, Spain and Great Britain were the top 6. The US ranked first for business environment and infrastructure and second for natural resources because of its protected wildlife and number of World Heritage sites, and cultural and natural sites maintained by the international World Heritage Programme.

However, the U.S. ranked 100th for environmental sustainability because "perception exists that the country is not sufficiently protecting the environment." Two other areas where the U.S. performed poorly: safety and security, for its citizens being open toward foreign visitors. Meanwhile, China is projected to move into second place in the next few years. Washington Business Journal


Rich’s Weekend Reader is published by AndTyler222 Communications. All rights reserved. Information from various sources and mostly rewritten. andtyler222@verizon.net http://www.itinarod.com/

7 Days; 7 Travel Stories
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1. The Economics of Flying

A view from Britain: In the twisted economics of air travel, economy tickets are usually losing the airline money. All the profits come from the passengers in business and first class, who pay on average five times more than economy passengers for the same flight. For example, a one-way economy class fare on a British Airways from Heathrow to New York JFK costs £518 compared to £2,713 for business class.

It should come as no surprise that leisure travelers are being tempted more than ever with premium economy. Qantas just launched its version on flights to Sydney, while BMI has hit on the solution of recycling its old business-class seats into the premium economy cabin. Virgin Atlantic, which pioneered the idea among UK airlines, reports strong demand on routes both from business travelers flying frugally and holidaymakers wanting a more relaxing start, and end, to their vacation.

Meanwhile, charter airlines have made much of their improved long-haul service, often offering more legroom than the scheduled carriers. While they carry few business travelers, their premium cabins are accruing frills. When the Boeing 787 starts flying for First Choice, Monarch and Thomsonfly, the airlines are promising to transform expectations about long-haul charter flights – though the soaring cost of fuel makes talk of non-stop flights to Hawaii or Bali look questionable. Even in "true" business class, lower fares are on the horizon – at least in UK to US flights. From the end of next month, "open skies" will see airlines crowding in to Heathrow.

This will disrupt the cozy quartet of American Airlines, British Airways, United and Virgin Atlantic – currently the only American and British carriers allowed to serve the US from Heathrow. Continental, Delta and Northwest are starting flights – as is Air France. The airline launches daily services from Heathrow to LA on 1 April. Only a fool would bet against lower business-class fares to southern California. So, a question that has seemed irrelevant to most of us, could soon start to have meaning for a wider audience: just how flat is that flat bed? The Independent (UK)

Sidebar: The International Air Transport Association has warned that a global aviation slowdown might have begun. Traffic statistics for January showed a sharp fall in growth from December, down to 4.3 per cent from 6.7. In Asia Pacific the news was not all bad, with falls in demand only marginal, down just 0.5 per cent from December to 5.7 per cent. But for Europe, which was weakest of all, growth slowed to just 0.3 per cent in January, down from 5.5 per cent in December. Sky News (AU)

2. Online

For those short on time or memory but not lacking the funds to live like a jet-setter, there are two more websites to consider when planning travel: www.Fabsearch.com and www.TravelsInTaste.com. Both save time by just giving you the details of only the most fabulously glamorous vacation spots. LA Times

Disney Family.com announced the launch of www.family.com/travel, a new travel website specifically designed with families and kids in mind. The site provides a unique combination of expert reviews, parent recommendations, age-appropriate points of interest and interactive multi-media experiences for family friendly destinations across the United States.

A gang of internet travel fraudsters have been prosecuted in connection with five fake holiday companies which, between July 2003 and August 2006, advertised travel bargains that lead customers to pay for holidays that did not exist. The gang tricked thousands of people into parting with millions of pounds of cash between 2004 and 2006 – most of which was paid back to customers by credit card companies, travel associations or sites that were conned into advertising the fake companies on their deals pages. Travelconnect.com (UK)

A new travel site just for Boomers: http://www.boomeropia.com/. Features more than 30 travel categories, from cruises to tours.

3. The Real Thing

"Authentic" may be the travel buzzword of 2008. For some, it means actually sampling some of the world's strangest street food--even when the local delicacy is a fried water beetle or a reindeer hot dog. For others, it’s a trip that involves an authentic connection with the people you meet. But there's an extra connection somehow made when two people don't share a language in common. That's because we're listening with complete concentration to both words and body language--the way we probably should always listen to someone. MLive.com

4. At The Beach

Scientists in Italy believe that up to 10 per cent of coral reefs are threatened by bleaching caused by chemicals in widely-used creams that are sold to protect users from the sun’s damaging UV rays. Between 4,000 and 6,000 tons of sunscreen wash off swimmers annually in oceans. Scientists have found that many brands of sunscreen contain ingredients that can stimulate viruses in the algae, known as zooxanthellae, which live within corals. Zooxanthellae plays an essential role in providing the vibrant color associated with corals by supplying food energy through photosynthesis. ETN

5. Conundrums

Compared to airline travel, Amtrak's post 9/11 security has been paltry at best so the announcement last week that armed teams are now randomly checking passenger bags and patrolling station platforms is a welcome, if not overdue, development. But here's the catch: At the same time the Bush administration is beefing up security, it also wants to reduce Amtrak spending by $525 million next year, or about 40 percent from the current $1.325 billion. Experts say the cuts would literally derail passenger service to much of the country. However, all is not lost. The US Senate approved legislation last year calling for an expanded passenger train network and stable, long-term funding for it. The House may soon follow suit. The Baltimore Sun

The Michelin Guide has been expanding to new markets in recent years to compensate for its declining influence in Europe, where it has lost readership to the Internet and the shifting demands of consumers who no longer want their tastes dictated to them. Michelin took its first step abroad two years ago with a New York guide, followed by versions for Las Vegas, LA, and San Francisco. Now, Michelin is looking for success in Tokyo. But many Tokyoites grumble that the guide gave high ratings to unremarkable restaurants, prompting wide speculation that the large number of stars was just a marketing ploy. One expert summed it up best: “Japanese food was created here and only Japanese know it. How can a bunch of foreigners show up and tell us what is good or bad? NY Times

6. As The World Turns

In a bid to clean up the country for tourists, Nigeria introduced a new type of public toilet that will be stationed at markets, public transport hubs and festivals. The toilets will replace what is known as the "the flying toilet," where people defecate in a bag and then throw it out of the window. Sanitation in Nigeria is giant problem, according to government officials. Due to the lack of public toilets and sewers, people are often forced to relieve themselves by the roadside. The new loos will cost 60,000 naira ($500) each. At 20 naira ($0.16) per visit, the Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation hopes to use the profits to create thousands of tourist-related jobs. bbc.co.uk/ETN

7. Destinations

Train Talk: Whether the idea ever gets off the drawing board depends on both Congress and the fate of a rival train project that appears to be picking up steam. The dueling plans are competing for a big piece of the tourism industry: Ten million Southern Californians make the 250-plus-mile drive to Las Vegas each year. The vast majority take an increasingly clogged Interstate 15 that can slow to a crawl and make the drive an ordeal of five hours or more.

The main plan in the works is a futuristic MagLev train that would zip riders between Vegas and Disneyland in under two hours across the wide-open desert at up to 300 mph. But a delay in federal funds needed for planning the public-private venture has suddenly given traction to a cheaper diesel-electric alternative dubbed DesertXpress. The privately funded DesertXpress would whisk riders to Las Vegas at 125 mph from the Mojave Desert town of Victorville, Calif., some 1 1/2 hours northeast of Los Angeles. Total travel time, including the drive to Victorville: three or four hours. USA Today

Florida: A report by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says ecotourism in the state doubled from $1.57 billion in 2001 to $3 billion in 2006. According to the report: Nearly a quarter of a million tourists with wildlife-watching plans travel to Florida each year, making Florida the No. 1 destination in the country for wildlife viewing.3.3 million Floridians viewed wildlife at or near their homes.

1.6 million Floridians and tourists traveled around Florida just to see wildlife, generating more than $3 billion in economic impact throughout Florida. Retail sales account for about $1.8 billion of the total. 4.2 million people participated in some form of wildlife viewing in Florida in 2006. The combined annual economic impact of recreational hunting, fishing and wildlife viewing in Florida tops $11 billion, according to the commission. FloridaToday.com

Rich’s Weekend Reader is published by AndTyler222 Communications. Information from various sources and mostly rewritten. andtyler222@verizon.net http://www.itinarod.com/