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Archive for the ‘Q&A’ Category

The Travel Habits of One of the World’s Top Ski Mountaineer’s

Friday, December 3rd, 2010

Kris Erickson has visited Nepal and Morocco among many other exciting places.

With the cold weather arriving and many people heading off to ski destinations and planning other exciting winter vacations, I thought it would be fun to do a Q&A with a renowned ski mountaineer who has climbed and photographed some of the world’s most breathtaking peaks!

For 10 years, Kris Erickson has brought his camera to the highest points, coldest reaches, and most untouched folds of the planet’s geography. What’s more, he is not merely a shutterbug who stands idle to the side of any expedition. Instead, he tackles the same challenging mountaineering projects as the world’s other top-flight climbers, often combining his abilities to ascend difficult mountains with a love and passion for true mountain-sliding descents.

1. How often do you travel?

I’m on the road 6 to 8 months per year, much of this time is for expeditions with The North Face that last between 4 and 8 weeks. Along with my family, I spend about 4 to 6 months per year in Morocco where we are in the midst of a multi-year historic preservation and education project. 

2. Do you have any favorite destinations?

We (my family) spend most of our time in the remote mountain regions of Nepal and Morocco. Despite their religious differences and geographical separation, we have found that the same things draw us to these countries; the honest and hospitable people, breathtaking landscapes with exceptional recreational opportunities, and a way of life that prioritizes family. We also enjoy exploring our home state of Montana and an occasional trip to Mexico for some beach time in Sayulita or Xcalak.

3.  Do you prefer to stay at a specific hotel?

In Kathmandu I always stay at Hotel Tibet and in Marrakesh I often stay at Hotel Assia. Both are affordable and clean hotels with great service.  

4. When given the option, would you rather stay at a hotel, motel, or bed & breakfast?

Most often, I stay in family-run guest houses or gites when in rural villages and this is generally the only option. When en route to or returning from a destination, I prefer a hotel for the privacy and ability to have a hot shower and recharge after a long flight or a long time in the mountains.

5. What’s your most memorable trip?

In 2006, my wife and I received a grant from The North Face to take a group of athletes to the Central High Atlas Mountains of Morocco for a climbing expedition and philanthropic project. The North Face team completed a new 700 meter rock route, restored dangerous sections of local trails, and put a new roof on the elementary school – all in three weeks. It was an amazingly successful trip that laid the foundation and local relationships needed for our current work in the country.

6. Any advice for people on the best ways to plan an outdoor-focused trip? 

Spend plenty of time preparing before you leave. Think about potential health risks and necessary vaccinations. If traveling to remote regions with small children, be prepared with oral rehydration solution in case of diarrhea. We always travel with acidopholous to replenish healthy intestinal bacteria. Also think about purchasing a rescue insurance such as Global Rescue, which is recommended by the American Alpine Club and used by The North Face for their athletes.

 

 

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Tips For Healthy Eating While Traveling

Thursday, November 18th, 2010

How healthy are you eating while traveling? (photo courtesy of thehealthage.com)

With Thanksgiving, holiday parties and all sorts of merriment right around the corner, I thought we could all use a few reminders on how NOT to gain 20 pounds this holiday season!

Whether traveling for business or pleasure, it’s important to realize that you can be away and still eat healthfully and mindfully.

I asked Elisa Zied, nationally recognized dietician and author of Nutrition At Your Fingertips, her best advice for healthy eating while traveling.  Here are her top two takeaways:

1. Don’t abandon all your healthful habits! If you do, you’re destined to come back from your getaway feeling worse—the number on the scale will be up, your clothes will feel more tight, and instead of being motivated to get back into a mindfully healthy routine, you may end up seeking comfort by eating more than usual.

2. Find time for fitness! Even 10 minute bursts of activity help you burn calories and help your mind and body feel strong and fit. Ms. Zied recommends:

  • Taking a few laps at the airport
  • Walking up and down escalators instead of taking the stairs
  • Scoping out walking/running trails or routes nearby your hotel
  • Doing some simple exercises in your room like lunges, squats, or push ups, jogging in place or dancing to music

How can we eat healthy when we travel?

It’s really critical to plan ahead in order to eat well when traveling. Having healthy snacks on hand will provide you with ammunition to help you think twice before grabbing a candy bar or some other vending machine treat to get your food fix. Consider homemade trail mix made with whole grain, crunchy cereal, dried fruit (with no sugar added), and your favorite nuts, preferably unsalted so that you’ll always have something on hand to give you energy and key nutrients to help you get through the day. It’s also a great idea to travel with a refillable water bottle (preferably one made of stainless steel) to stay adequately hydrated (pack it empty and refill when on an airplane or at the airport after you’ve gone through security).

What should we be looking for on restaurant menus?

When you read restaurant menus, it’s important to look first and foremost for calorie information if it’s available. For most people, 500 to 600 calories per meal is a good rule of thumb. Of course, we know that most restaurant entrees can have double or triple that amount!

At breakfast or lunch, having vegetables like mushrooms or onions as part of an omelet (made with one yolk and a few egg whites), and having fruit on the side or for dessert (berries, bananas, melons or citrus fruits like grapefruits or oranges) provides lots of water, fiber, and valuable vitamins and minerals; they’re also great sources of carbohydrate—the key fuel for your brain and body.

Planning ahead is particularly important before you go to a business dinner. Try to make it a rule to eat only half the appetizer and half your entrée. Look for a vegetable-based appetizer or order a colorful salad with dressing on the side (you can dip the fork into the dressing). These are great things to start with at dinner to provide key nutrients and fill you up.

For your main course, choose fish, skinless chicken breast, or some lean meat (like sirloin), but ask them to prepare with minimal amounts of oil, butter, and salt. If you choose to have bread from the bread basket, skip starchy vegetables like a baked potato, pasta, or rice. If you choose to have alcohol, stick to only one drink (for example, 5 ounces wine, 12 ounces of light beer, or one shot of hard liquor). Make sure to drink plenty of water – that can help fill you up and counteract some of the harms of too much sodium from your meal.

What can I eat to feel energized while traveling?

The best foods to eat for energy are those rich in simple or complex carbohydrates, and protein. For example, you can pre-make whole grain cracker sandwiches (each made with 2 whole grain crackers and some type of nut butter – like peanut , cashew or almond butter). If you’re traveling with a cooler, having small sandwiches, low fat yogurt, string cheese, and cut up fruit are other healthful, filling options. Making pre-portioned plastic baggies with 2 tablespoons each of cereal, dried fruit, and nuts is a great way to stay fueled and focused without overdoing calories when few options are available.

What should I eat if I need to sleep while traveling?

There’s no one food that will magically help you sleep. What can help is limiting alcohol, fried or fatty foods, and large portions or anything before you slumber. Limiting caffeine a few hours before you plan to sleep can also be helpful.

What do you find the most difficult thing about eating on vacation?

Not having our favorite breakfast cereals on hand certainly makes eating on vacation a bit of a challenge (sometimes I go as far as to bring a box or two with us)! We also don’t love having to go out for every meal, especially when the food available looks and smells so good. Sometimes we stay at hotels that have a mini kitchen, and that makes it easier for us to at least have healthful breakfast and snack foods and beverages (especially water) on hand. I try to be as consistent as possible in terms of my own eating and encourage my family to do the same when we’re on vacation.

Also, it’s critical to get plenty of physical activity. I know for my family that being active and doing fun things that we might not get a chance to do at home are often the highlights of our family vacations.

About Elisa Zied

Elisa Zied, MS, RD, CDN is a nationally recognized award-winning dietitian and the founder/president of Zied Health Communications, LLC, based in New York, New York. She is a regular contributor to msnbc.com and galtime.com. She’s the author of Nutition At Your Fingertips and co-author of Feed Your Family Right! and So What Can I Eat?!, both written by Ruth Winter. Visit her and sign up for her free e-newsletter The ZIED GUIDE at www.elisazied.com.

 

 

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The Web’s Newest and Most Useful Application for Travelers

Tuesday, November 2nd, 2010

Oscar Guido is offering Travel Smart Blog readers an exlusive opportunity to use the coolest, new travel application, Glass

Hey everybody! There is an outstanding new web application that the tech world is lauding as “humanizing the internet.”  In fact, it’s so new that they’ve created a special access code just for you, the readers of TravelSmartBlog.com! Just read below to get it. 

It’s called Write On Glass and it can make booking travel much easier and more enjoyable, especially when you are collaborating with friends or loved ones. I interviewed Oscar Guido, COO and Co-Founder of Border Stylo, the technology startup behind Glass, and wanted to share his thoughts with you on how this works.

1. What is Glass?

It’s an application that allows people to have private conversations on top of any webpage. For example, you can leave your thoughts about a hotel deal you found on hotels.com literally on top of that page, and the only people that will see that comment are those with whom you share it. Glass allows you to now point specifically to information online without having to leave the page. 

2. How does it work?

All you have to do is install an add-on to your web browser, which allows you to overlay a virtual layer of glass above the internet. This way, you can place your messages on top without having to copy a link, open a new tab, sign into your email, or create a new message. Glass saves you all of those steps. Why should you have to go somewhere else online to share stuff? This allows you to share ideas in the moment, on-the-fly, and in the context of what you are talking about. 

Here’s a short video of Glass in action.

3. How would Glass work for making travel plans?

I’ve used it to plan an entire vacation! Instead of copying links and listing them in a separate document, risking losing the context and photos of the place, I’ve used Glass. I simply leave my notes (or “slides” as they’re called) about destination hotels and resorts on top of the webpage. Glass makes it easy to retrieve those notes through a “feed” if you need to go back, and you can even bookmark special messages among the rest. 

For example, the last time my girlfriend and I traveled to Palm Springs it allowed us to compare different hotel room options. We would leave ’slides’ on the list of varying amenities, by the different room types. We could discuss what was most important to us (pool view vs. bed size) in the context of the hotel room pictures. Then, we could link to video reviews that we found from YouTube about the hotel and its different room sizes right on top of that same site. In essence, we made our decision about what room to book by looking at the options through a conversation. In fact, we even went as far as to plan our dinners for the weekend getaway by commenting on menu selections of the best Yelp’ed restaurant reviews near the hotel. 

4. How can we start using Glass?

Since Glass is in beta, sign-ups are limited. But we’ve created the invite code “travelsmart” (all together, no quotes) for the readers of this blog to join Glass. Once inside, users can invite as many contacts as they’d like. In order for your contacts to see your messages, they will also have to be using Glass. It currently works for both Firefox and Chrome web browsers.

5. Where are your favorite places to travel?

Personally, as the product may have already hinted, I prefer privacy above all =) so my favorite places are ones where I can get away with my lovely better-half and not be bothered. That means privacy can be in the form of anonymity (by not knowing anyone else in the city or place we are visiting). A shoreline and a good selection of brews also help!

6. What’s your biggest traveling pet peeve?

Long security lines. I know, not very original, but I cannot wrap my mind around why people take forever to put their stuff in a tray. I mean, we’ve all been waiting in line for the last 15 minutes with the same purpose, right?

 

 

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An Inside Look At How Social Media Impacts The Travel Industry And Its Customers

Thursday, September 23rd, 2010

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Fanscape CEO Larry Weintraub has 25 years of entertainment marketing experience.

As we continue to celebrate Social Media Week, I had the chance to interview Larry Weintraub, CEO and co-founder of Fanscape, a social media marketing agency. He was able to provide some great information about how the travel industry and its customers are being impacting by social media, which I’m happy to share with you here!

1. What is the best way for travel companies to measure ROI (Return On Investment) on their social media (SM) channels?

What works for one company does not always work for another. The real question is, what is important to you? If it is sales, then your ROI will be measured by how much revenue you generate from your social media channels. For example, if you are a hotel chain, you want to drive people to purchase rooms. But what you have to know is that if you simply push people to book rooms and you don’t engage them, you will be disappointed. You need to offer value. Value in the form of discounts, exclusives, inside information, special amenities, etc. Make it worth their while to come visit your social media channels. Do that, and you will see sales and your ROI will be properly measured as a result of your engagement and not by simply building a channel.

2. Are daily giveaways and incentives the only way for travel brands to attract new fans/followers?

No, not at all. The key is value. Daily giveaways and incentives are fun and do offer value. But let’s not forget about good communication. Your social media channels are an extension of you. If you are a travel professional, what makes you special? Usually it is because you have insight and knowledge that the average consumer doesn’t have themselves. You’ve been to all the places people want to go, you’ve stayed in all the hotels, taken cruises, rented cars. You know where to go, how to get there, and what to ask for.  People love to travel, but they are often confused by offers or worried about making a bad decision that isn’t realized until they reach their destination. If you communicate well with your customers and potential customers, answer their questions and provide them with your insight, that can be more valuable than a daily giveaway. This connection to your audience will result in people telling others. Word of mouth is the number one reason people buy something or try something, provide value and people will tell their friends.     

3. How can a hotel control the damage of an unhappy customer when his or her feedback is immediately published on a social media  site?

What you hope is that if a person has a problem, they come to you first. Even if it is in a public forum such as a travel blog or your Facebook page. If they voice their concern in that public forum, then you need to address it quickly and show that you care. For example, if someone complains about their hotel room or the service they received, you need to respond to that person, again, in public, on the social media site they utilized, and say that you are truly upset that they had that experience and you are looking into it immediately. Ask them then to respond to you directly via email or phone and offer to discuss the issue. Once you have resolved the issue, post again to let all those who read the chain know that you spoke with this person, you fixed any issues that related specifically to your hotel, and that this is an isolated experience. This is not a guaranteed fix. There are those who participate in social media that cannot be appeased. All you can do is do your best. If you participate regularly and actively in your social networks and you respond to discussions about your property in other social forums such as TripAdvisor, then the audience there will know that you do really care about your customers. Others will tend to discount the lone noisemaker if you are consistent with your participation and compassionate with your customers.

4. Will we ever get to a point where travel companies no longer need full blown websites because their customers would prefer to book directly through Facebook and Twitter applications?

The short answer is no. You will always need a website. That website will most likely continue to evolve and become more and more social in nature. Meaning, most if not all websites will continue to evolve and many of the features of popular social networks such as Facebook and Twitter will become integrated into your website. Features such as sharing, commenting, uploading photos and videos, and many more.  Facebook and Twitter are the current favorite places to socialize, but tomorrow there will be something else. This doesn’t mean that they are going away any time soon, it just means you will always have to update your profiles on many places, but the one consistent will be your website.

5. With so many exciting new networks popping up every day, what is the best way for companies to keep up and ultimately use all of these tools as new revenue drivers?

You only have so many hours in a day and your resources are not endless. You can’t chase every new thing that comes up. Sometimes you just have to wait a minute and see if something catches on. Not every company has to be a leader. In fact, most companies will choose not to lead and will watch to see if revenues are being generated by competitors or others in related fields. Identify a handful of companies that do similar things as you and a handful that you aspire to be, even if they are not directly in your industry. If you see them doing great things or you read about them making money as a result of new tools, then reach out to the makers of those new technologies and ask them how they can help you. If you then do decide to participate, try to make your offering better for your customers. This could be in the form of discounts, deals, or the sharing of really useful information. No one is going to criticize you for copying someone else. It’s just up to you to make it the best for your business and the people who utilize your service.

 

 

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How The Travel Industry Is Leveraging Social Media

Tuesday, September 21st, 2010

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Social Media Expert Deirdre Breakenridge Provides Insight Into How The Travel Industry Uses Social Media

With this being Social Media Week, I thought it would be fun to interview a few experts on how the travel industry is leveraging tools such as Twitter, online user reviews, and of course, blogs!

One of those experts is Deirdre Breakenridge (@dbreakenridge), who is President of a new marketing agency in New Jersey called Mango!. She is also the author of four books including, Putting the Public Back in Public Relations, PR 2.0: New Media, New Tools, New Audiences, The New PR Toolkit, and Cyber Branding. With this kind of background, I thought she’d be perfect for an interview. Hope you enjoy!

1. What are your favorite travel blogs and why?

As I began traveling more for business, I started to check out a few of the travel blogs, including Gadling, Peter Greenberg Worldwide and RatesToGo blog. The one that really kept my attention was Gadling. In my opinion, Gadling is one of the best travel blogs because it offers informational posts that are targeted to your destination. For example, before my recent trip to Boston, I was able to review posts that ranged from Boston on a Budget to the Boston’s Books and Brunch. I also find myself enjoying the 100-words or less tips on travel, hotels and packing, which are peer generated and offer useful information.  

Additionally, I never really searched for travel blogs in years past, having relied exclusively on Expedia and Hotels.com for my travel needs and information. I find the ratings and reviews tremendously helpful on Hotels.com. I remember reading in Groundswell by Charlene Li and Josh Bernoff that the Forrester’s Technographics Profile tool shows that business travelers are very active in reviews and are considered more active as Critics than the average US citizen. According to the authors, business travelers are also above average in terms of being social media Creators (those who publish web pages and create blogs, audio/video). 

2. How have user reviews changed the way people use travel sites?

I think user reviews can be very powerful. I’ll give you a personal example. I recently read about Kayak.com and asked a friend if it was better than Expedia.  As soon as he said that he used the site (Kayak) and just had an okay experience stating it was, “not too bad but nothing to write home about,” I didn’t have the desire to research any further. The trusted peer is today’s relied upon source. This comes with the rise of the citizen journalist, the lack of trust of the brands that just throw messages at the market, and the shift from mainstream media to democratized content. 

I also want to point out that it’s very important that a brand has ratings and reviews on its site and not everything has to be the highest positive rating. As long as the information is on topic and appropriate to the rating, then the brand should allow the comment, even if it’s less than stellar.If there are too many positive reviews, then it may look like the site is not sharing objective opinions from customers, and only sharing those opinions that may appear biased toward the brand.

3. If you were CEO of a company in the travel industry (hotel, airline, car rental), is there one specific social network you’d look to start a community in right away, or would you look to join several all at once?

This is an excellent question and actually applies to any CEO in any industry. You have to listen very closely to the conversation in the social landscape to understand where you need to be. I always point executives and their communications teams in the direction of the Conversation Prism. It’s important to understand that there is an entire universe of social networks with hundreds of platforms to choose from. For example, many brands rush to be on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, before ever knowing why they should be there, or if there is a reason for their participation.

4. How imperative is it to create incentives for consumers to visit corporate sites and Twitter handles? If not, how do you go entice people to keep coming back to hear your thoughts?

I think, even before incentives, we have to abide by the general rule of social communities and building social capital. You have to provide information that is valuable and void of spammy messages. The information can be aimed at helping people to make a decision, and/or providing them with great deals and promotions. I do believe we are an incentive or award driven society in the sense that we look for those great deals from our brands as a reward for being a loyal patron. We want to feel that we are a part of a community that offers something exclusive.  I know friends, family and peers who have expressed that being a part of a Facebook fan page is worth their while, when they receive incentives that they might not have obtained if they weren’t participating in the social community. 

This is also true for Twitter and active participation with the use of a Twitter handle. As people become comfortable with the brand on Twitter, or in any network, and they find interesting information that’s a lot easier and quicker to access, it makes them that more active with the company.  After all, if you are finding out about the promotion long before the coupon arrives in the mail or prior to seeing the ad in the magazine, then you can take advantage of it sooner than your peers. I also believe that travel brands benefit from the one-on-one conversations and the help that they are giving their customers through Twitter.  Great examples include Jet Blue and SouthWest Airlines. 

5. Is it easier for travel companies to maintain a social media presence given their audience is both consumers and business professionals, or does that present greater challenges? 

That’s an interesting question because in traditional marketing we look at B2B and B2C very differently. However, we have to remember that the social sphere is about transparency, humanness and being open with all stakeholders.Companies are figuring out how to talk to consumers and at the same time determine what type of participation exhibits thought leadership for their business partners. I’ve noticed that brands use different Twitter handles to address consumers vs. the information that they tweet for their business audiences. You can employ more than one handle to segment those you need to reach and offer appropriate information. This is similar to the way you can have different Facebook fan pages or a variety of groups on LinkedIn. If you listen first and then provide the communication that is needed by a particular group, then you will have the right people following your brand. 

 

 

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How To Choose The Right Travel Bag

Monday, August 9th, 2010

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Meaghan Mahoney Dusil, Founder and Editor of ThePurseBlog, shares her thoughts on how to choose the right travel bag

While preparing for a nice, long vacation to Panama, one of the most important things I had to do was to figure out what types of bags to bring with me. As such, I would be good to post an interview this week with Meaghan Mahoney Dusil, Founder and Editor of ThePurseBlog.

Whether you are traveling for business or for pleasure, not having an appropriate travel bag/suitcase can really slow you down. So I asked Meaghan for a few pointers in choosing the right travel bag.

1. Why is having the right travel bag important?

Having the right travel bag is very important. When you travel you want to pack all necessities while not having to lug around an extremely heavy bag. We all know about suitcases, but picking your carry on luggage and handbag are very important.

When it comes to carry-on luggage and your handbag, I advise to find something that is easy to carry, light weight, has tons of organizational pockets, and is easy to access. This way you can get to each item you need quickly.

2. I’m 5′2″, does it matter what size the traveler is when choosing a bag?

Yes! You don’t want to have an oversized bag that is awkward and uncomfortable. Pick a size that is spacious but not overly large. What matters most is what is comfortable on you. What works for one person may not work for someone else.

3. What features/styles should we be looking for in a travel bag?

Everyone has different travel essentials that they like to have accessible. I suggest picking a bag that can carry your essentials while being easy to carry and light in weight. And of course, a travel bag does not have to be plain in appearance. Pick a style that speaks to you while being usable as well! 

4. I’ve been reading about these new weight detector, and super light bags, are those a good choice?

The weight of your bag is important. If you find one of these bags that works for all of your needs, go for it! And if you are guilty of overpacking then a suitcase with a weight sensor might help keep you in check. 

5. What’s the biggest mistake people make when choosing a bag or packing a bag?

I am guilty of this as well, over-packing! It is easier said than done, but keep to your essentials, especially for your carry-on luggage and personal handbag. And while style matters, it is more important to find a functional bag.

 

 

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Q&A With StubHub On Traveling And Getting Tickets To Your Favorite Events

Tuesday, July 6th, 2010

StubHub spokesperson and super traveler, Joellen Ferrer, at the main gate at the Masters Golf Tournament in Augusta, Georgia

With the MLB All-Star Game coming up, I thought this would be a great time to speak with Joellen Ferrer, spokersperson and public relations manager at StubHub. Hope you enjoy!

Q. How many times have you traveled in the past few months? All by air? Train? Car?

A. Live event tickets are a constant commodity, and the last three months alone have been a cross-country journey. I’ve been to Pebble Beach for the US Open, Chicago and Philadelphia for the Stanley Cup Finals, Las Vegas for the Mayweather-Mosley bout, Augusta for the Masters, and Los Angeles for a ticket giveaway. Next up is the MLB All-Star Game in Anaheim. Big events like these help us spread the word that fans can still catch all the action in-person, even up until the very last minute. 

Q. Since you are often in and out cities so quickly on short stays, any advice for people on how to pack for a short trip?

A. Most of my trips are two-to-three day stints, so I never pack more than a carry-on. Pack light and pack layers; you never know when the weather will throw you a curveball. And leave extra room (or pack a duffel) because if you’re heading off to a big event and/or a new city, chances are you’ll probably be coming home with unexpected goodies. Somehow, I still manage to bring home a t-shirt from every event, even though they rarely see daylight.

Q. With the MLB All-Star Game coming up, how busy a time is it for StubHub compared to other big events?

A. The MLB All-Star Game is perennially one of the hottest events on StubHub, regardless of the host city. We’ve already seen that fans across the county have begun purchasing tickets to this year’s mid-season classic at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. This will be my fifth All-Star Game with StubHub, and I’m excited to see how this one will shake out; every year it just seems to get better.

Q. Any insider tips on how to get tickets for hot events?

A. If you think of a ticket like a stock, you’ll begin to notice that prices similarly fluctuate on StubHub. Supply and demand are key factors, but variables like cities and venue sizes also come into play; typically events in larger cities skew prices higher, as do events in smaller venues because there aren’t as many tickets floating around.

The life-cycle of a ticket often follows a pattern – demand is up during the week tickets first go on-sale (read: higher prices), dips several weeks later when the buzz subsides (lower prices), increases again when the event gets closer (higher prices), then falls again at the tail end since tickets are a perishable item (lower prices). But be warned that selection is always lower in down times, so determine if price or seating location is your priority. Then have fun rolling the dice in the ticket market!

Q. What are the cities you’ve visited that you’d recommend are best for sporting events, seeing concerts, good family getaways, etc. Any cities that you may not think about on the surface?

A. Big cities like New York, LA, and Chicago are always great spots, but I’ve also found that some of the smaller cities offer local charm, lower ticket prices, and an excuse to check out a new city. College towns are a great example and are filled with rabid fans; our two newest partners are Georgia and Virginia Tech and definitely fit the bill. And as a huge baseball fan, I try to sneak-in a game wherever I am, in the hopes of eventually crossing off all 30 parks (I’ve gotten to 16).

Concerts are another great destination event. Big acts usually have more than 30 tour stops, some within reasonable proximity of each other. For example, Lady Gaga has several shows in New York, but Philadelphia, Atlantic City, Hartford, DC, and Boston are all a quick drive or flight away and offer more attractive prices for comparable seats in the Big Apple.

Q. Best way to get tickets last minute?

A. Stubhub reinvented the ticket space ten years ago and created a safe means for tickets to change hands – “sold out” is a thing of the past. Tickets are guaranteed and often available up until game time, so fans shopping on a whim have viable last minute options; though selection will be lower, there is potential for a relative bargain. Also, if you have an iPhone or iPod Touch, you can easily score last minute tickets with our StubHub App.

 

 

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Summer Camp in Paradise: An Interview with the Atlantis Resort

Wednesday, June 30th, 2010

Hotels and resorts are so much more than a place to rest your weary head. In fact, many are going above and beyond to keep the whole family entertained. Atlantis, Paradise Island, Bahamas has introduced themed summer camps for children that are so much fun they may never want to leave. So if you’re looking for some amazing summer fun in paradise this summer, then checkout this conversation with my friend, Amanda Felts, Vice President of Guest Activities Programming at Atlantis!

 Q:Atlantis is such a fun destination resort to begin with, what made Atlantis decide to offer themed camps for kids? 


A: We have great partnerships with the Miss Universe Organization, LEGO Systems, Inc. and the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders and felt it was the perfect extension to these partnerships to offer a unique one of a kind experience that our guests have come to not only expect, but appreciate. Then we realized that we have wonderful assets right here on property that we could offer to our guests, who would like to have a more in depth look at our Marine, Culinary, Golf and Hotel operations.   
For kids, Atlantis is not just a resort or simply a “place” to play with mom and dad. There may be no resort in the world better suited to that zest for discovery and pleasure than Atlantis, with its incomparable ruins of ancient Atlantis populated by schools of sharks, rays and tropical fish, its waterslides, its white-sand beaches and swimming pools, to its remarkably diverse dining experiences. Kids typically go off to a summer camp but just imagine going to a summer camp where the whole family gets to enjoy their own “camp” experience. We are a destination with something for everyone – spa, casino, golf, water slides, and dolphins just to name a few – and the kids have their own unique camp experience.  This is a win-win situation for the entire family – kids get their camp experience by day and family time at night.


Q. Tell me, briefly, about the different camps? 
       

A: The four-night/five-day Atlantis Fantasy Camps provide an opportunity for guests between the ages of seven and 17 to pursue one of their dream goals or career with a variety of different edutainment camp programs suited to specific age groups and interests. Campers can learn to cheer with one of the world’s most famous cheering squads during Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Fantasy Camp. At the Kids Culinary Adventure Fantasy Camp, young foodies will cook up culinary creations and even design their own birthday cake. For young LEGO fanatics, the LEGO Fantasy Camp will offer kids the opportunity to work with LEGO Master Builders for tips on perfecting their building and construction skills.

Pricing for the four-night/five-day camps are $495 per camper (not inclusive of room cost), and includes activities such as dolphin interaction, admission to Atlantis Kids Adventures, select meals and more. The Fantasy Camp sessions will take place during various dates beginning June 28 through August 13, 2010. For a full list of Fantasy Camp session dates and prices.

Q. What if you already have a reservation at Atlantis this summer during the time of one of the camps, can you enroll on site? 
       

A: Yes, we will allow enrollment based on availability. For Atlantis reservations, click here.

Q. What do parents need to know about a vacation at Atlantis?

A: That we certainly have something for everyone – young and old alike. We offer the perfect combination of fun and learning for the whole family on one of the world’s most beautiful beaches.


Q. Any other events or new features that will be taking place this summer at Atlantis? 
       

A: Our Atlantis Live Concert Series continues this summer on July 17th with Katy Perry. 

 

 

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This One Is for the Dogs!

Thursday, June 3rd, 2010

I’m proud to announce that I’m adding a new feature to the blog: interviews! Each month, I’ll be interviewing the people and places that will help us to travel smart. 

After I recently read about a hotel in Napa Valley, CA that combines two of my favorite things, wine and dogs, I decided to reach out to them and connected with Dan Bock, Director of Sales and Marketing for the Westin Verasa.

NH: Many people hate to leave their dogs at home, so tell me what the Westin Verasa does to include our favorite four-legged friends?

DB: Being a dog owner myself I understand how difficult it is leaving man’s best friend behind when I go on vacation. My yellow lab, Kula, loves going on trips and working for a brand that embraces the dog friendly atmosphere, is great. Our property here in Napa has put together a fun itinerary that includes dog friendly wineries and places that locals take their dog. When a guest arrives at any Westin branded hotels they will have the Westin Heavenly Dog bed with duvets by Eloise Pet Accessories and doggie bowls for water and food. Some properties go the extra mile and have a welcome kit for the dogs that include treats and other fun items.   

 

NH: Why is it important for your hotel, and Westin (generally), to be pet-friendly?

DB: It is a strategy of the Westin brand to be pet-friendly. It appeals to many guests and makes for a fun atmosphere in the lobby on a busy weekend when you get several guest checking in with their dogs. The pet-friendly policy also attracts a dedicated following. According to a study of 400 dog owners commissioned by Westin’s parent company Starwood, 76 percent said they would be more loyal to a hotel chain that accepted dogs, even when they weren’t traveling with their pet.

 

NH: What is unique about your pet program?

DB:  Where else in the world can you wine taste with your four-legged friend?



NH: What should travelers know about bringing pets to Napa?

DB: Winters can be wet and summers can be warm so bring plenty of water for you and your dog. 



NH: Can you share an insider tip on traveling to Napa?

DB: Just found out that Alpha Omega winery on Hwy 29 (15 minutes from the Westin) is dog-friendly and they might even have a treat for your dog on your next trip to their winery.

The Westin is located just two blocks from Downtown Napa and next door to the Oxbow Public Market, with plenty of café patios from which to take in the scenery. To make trip planning easy for our four-legged friends they put together a list of favorite dog friendly wineries – dog friendly favorites. To plan your next trip to the Westin Verasa Napa, please visit hotels.com.

 

 

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