April 01, 2005
Business Travelers Prefer Booking Online
According to emarketer, Business travelers are keeping online travels sites busy and booking online.
"In 2003, 57% said they preferred to book online. Two years later, the figure has risen to 71%. Meanwhile, those who prefer using a travel agent, either on the phone or in person, has fallen from 39% to 24%."
Hey, all you Business travelers out there, you can book hotels in Miami Beach at Miami Beach 411, or call us at 1-800-573-6351.
Posted by Gus at 09:54 AM | Comments (0)
Dry Tortugas: A Magical Place
Following on the heals of our Cuban Refugees Land at Fort Jefferson post, today, there's a travel article at the New York Times about campaing in the Dry Tortugas.
We both agree that it's a magical place to visit.
Posted by Gus at 08:29 AM | Comments (0)
March 31, 2005
VIP for the KID
There's a travel article at MSNBC talking about how kids are getting VIP treatment at South Florida's 5-Star Hotels. The article addresses how hotels are trying to anticipate the wants and needs of young people. Michelle Payer, a Ritz-Carlton hotel spokeswoman says,
"kids are important to the Ritz. As the growth of family travel to luxury hotels continues to increase, we’ve expanded our signature service to deliver a special experience that even the kids will remember long after the vacation is over.”
When I was around 7-years old, my parrents took me on a vacation to Las Vegas. One night, they dropped me off at this kiddie casino - and it wasn't Circus Circus. It was like a 1970's version of a 24-hour Vegas day care center. The place was a awesome! They had movies, and games, and even saloon serving milkshakes.
30-years later, I can still remember so much detail about the event.
Go for it Ritz-Carlton, and all of you other 5-Star Hotels. It works.
Posted by Gus at 06:03 PM | Comments (0)
March 30, 2005
Links of the Weird
Something strange is happening in the travelsphere, as there are a bunch of really weird stories to share:
--An Air-India pilot slapped his co-pilot in the cockpit, while the aircraft was taxiing on the Dubai runway. The pilot was upset with the co-pilot, and lost his temper. The flight was delayed for three hours, till another pilot could arrive
--A Midwest Airlines employee was loading baggage into the cargo hold of a plane and somehow got locked in there as the flight took off for Philadelphia.
--A drunk passenger punched a Qantas pilot while the plane was still on the runway, after the pilot asked the man to settle down. The hostile passenger was dragged kicking and screaming from the plane.
--The British Airline Pilots' Association is complaining that polluted cabin air is making pilots sick. So, on your next flight if you smell something funny (besides your neighboring passenger) consider telling an attendant.
--As of April 14th, air travelers in the United States can no longer carry lighters on planes or in secure areas, but matches are still allowed.
--And finally... A Cubana IL-18 (that's a Russian commercial airliner) slid off the runway in Caracas yesterday, injuring 13 during the aborted takeoff. My question is, if an old Russian plane skids of a Venezuelan runway, does anyone show up to investigate?
If you've seen some strange behavior, please feel free to post a comment.
Posted by Gus at 08:03 AM | Comments (0)
March 29, 2005
Sailing Florida's Gulf Coast
MSNBC has published their "10 greatest U.S. adventure vacations". Adventure Sailing along Florida's Gulf Coast makes the list.
"Sail aboard 26-foot Commodores through the small islands off Fort Myers for seven days and nights in flotillas of up to six boats at a time. The crafts are designed for four adults, and qualified sailors can captain their own craft"
Posted by Gus at 07:33 AM | Comments (0)
March 28, 2005
Frenquent Flyer Specials
Our friends Michael and Lisa are getting married in Argentina, this September. Michelle and I are trying to rack up our Delta SkyMiles for a free trip. Here are two frequent flyer specials that I came across:
Delta Airlines
Delta SkyMiles American Express cardholders can earn double miles on all purchases between March 15 and April 15. You must register your card in order to earn miles. For more information or to register, visit American Express' website.
United Airlines College Plus Program
It being Sping Break, college students should know about United Airlines College Plus Program. Students who travel during academic breaks can not only earn miles toward a free trip, they can receive 10,000 miles for free upon graduation. For more details, go to United's College Plus site.
Posted by Gus at 09:47 AM | Comments (0)
March 27, 2005
Happy Easter!
For you chocolate lovers out there, I came across a press release at PR Web about a new city guide to Hershey, Pennsylvania, www.HersheysBest.com. I was excited to visit the site, but sadly disappointed.
If you want to see some chocolate, visit Hershey’s site.
Happy Easter!
Posted by Gus at 07:20 PM | Comments (0)
March 26, 2005
Kayaking in the Everglades
Last week, my friend Pancho (more about Pancho later) was asking me about kayak trips. By accident, I found a good article at WetDawg (the adventure water sports site) about an overnight kayak trip in the Florida Everglades. The article chronicles a 3-day canoe trip from Flamingo to Everglades City.
"Florida Bay was as smooth as glass. Cape Sable lay off to our right. On shore began a stretch of more than 20 miles of uninterrupted natural beach, by far the largest preserved stretch of ocean front property in the mainland Southeast."
You can read the 3-page article, see photos and find links to maps and outfitters on WetDawg's site.
To find more info about the Florida Everglades call 305-242-7700 and ask for a Wilderness Trip Planner.
Posted by Gus at 11:10 AM | Comments (0)