Hawaii has the most unique feature of any of the U.S. states. It's completely surrounded by water, which means there are lots and lots of water sports to enjoy when you visit any of the Hawaiian Islands.
When you think of watersports in Hawaii, many people will think of surfing, snorkeling and perhaps,swimming with the dolphins but there is so much more to try in Hawaii. How about stand up paddle boarding, scuba diving, deep sea fishing, swimming with manta rays and more.
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Friday, October 15, 2010
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Airline Fees Cheat Sheet
2010 will go down in history as the year that airlines starting charging fees for just about everything- checked luggage, carry on luggage, aisle seats, window seats, premium seats, meals and much more. I'm sad to hear that Continental, one of the last carriers to offer meal service (if you can call it that), will no longer offer food on flights shorter than 6 hours as of this month.
To help you navigate through the maze of airline fees, I've attached a cheat cheat on most of the fees charged by most of the major carriers. Of course, things in the airline business can change on a moment to moment basis so always check the airline website for the most up to date information.
Hope you find this helpful.
READ MORE....
To help you navigate through the maze of airline fees, I've attached a cheat cheat on most of the fees charged by most of the major carriers. Of course, things in the airline business can change on a moment to moment basis so always check the airline website for the most up to date information.
Hope you find this helpful.
READ MORE....
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Why book through a travel agent?
There is a thread on Linked In in the Travel and Tourism members only section asking about whether you should book your travel through the internet or online.
This excerpt is from one of the responses posted a few days after the question was posted. The writer has responded to some previous responses and really makes some excellent points. I've highlighted ones that really are key to why people should book their vacations through a travel professional.
Let me know what you think............
"I am in the travel industry (not an agent) and very interested in all your observations. You have made several points that I think I can address for those people who are doing more than a 'point to point' airfare. Firstly your comment Jonni about how Travel Agents market themselves is a great one as marketing ones 'travel' skills has been one that has always demanded alot of training. Hence many consumers think all travel agents are the same!. However...consider this... an exceptional Travel Agent needs only 'word of mouth' marketing to be successful as his/her customers are assured of the best value and return from every trip ready to book another. These agents will often charge a service fee instead of earning commission and believe me, you won't pay any more overall than you would have done when the prices were higher including commission (of course, previously this had to be passed on to you the consumer and included in the airfare!) A good travel agent is all about relationships and not paying lip service to that honor. Understanding your customer really well is critical and then the depth of the search (time) to customise your itinerary via the utilisation of their enormous resource of buying options. So,even if she/he includes a service fee, due to this 'depth of search' their customers can honestly be assured of the best value prices around.
Relationships within the travel industry have changed enormously with airlines, tour operators and hotels ever since these operators have needed to sell direct. There is very little commission (if any) given to agents by anyone today which, believe it or not works better for the agent because the can now work for their client and be totally unbiased. Many Travel agents are agents for YOU now....top consultants have always done this. I have lived and worked in the travel industry in the UK, Australia and the USA and you would be amazed how often I am asked for me to recommend a good travel agent in ALL countries, so consumer behaviour is (almost) the same everywhere....we all want to be looked after, to have our travel expert really understand us and for those of us who are time poor, it can be a WOW experience...
and Steve, its not just upmarket itineraries you can get help with...its upmarket experiences! for this reason, I never do my own plumbing! "
This excerpt is from one of the responses posted a few days after the question was posted. The writer has responded to some previous responses and really makes some excellent points. I've highlighted ones that really are key to why people should book their vacations through a travel professional.
Let me know what you think............
"I am in the travel industry (not an agent) and very interested in all your observations. You have made several points that I think I can address for those people who are doing more than a 'point to point' airfare. Firstly your comment Jonni about how Travel Agents market themselves is a great one as marketing ones 'travel' skills has been one that has always demanded alot of training. Hence many consumers think all travel agents are the same!. However...consider this... an exceptional Travel Agent needs only 'word of mouth' marketing to be successful as his/her customers are assured of the best value and return from every trip ready to book another. These agents will often charge a service fee instead of earning commission and believe me, you won't pay any more overall than you would have done when the prices were higher including commission (of course, previously this had to be passed on to you the consumer and included in the airfare!) A good travel agent is all about relationships and not paying lip service to that honor. Understanding your customer really well is critical and then the depth of the search (time) to customise your itinerary via the utilisation of their enormous resource of buying options. So,even if she/he includes a service fee, due to this 'depth of search' their customers can honestly be assured of the best value prices around.
Relationships within the travel industry have changed enormously with airlines, tour operators and hotels ever since these operators have needed to sell direct. There is very little commission (if any) given to agents by anyone today which, believe it or not works better for the agent because the can now work for their client and be totally unbiased. Many Travel agents are agents for YOU now....top consultants have always done this. I have lived and worked in the travel industry in the UK, Australia and the USA and you would be amazed how often I am asked for me to recommend a good travel agent in ALL countries, so consumer behaviour is (almost) the same everywhere....we all want to be looked after, to have our travel expert really understand us and for those of us who are time poor, it can be a WOW experience...
and Steve, its not just upmarket itineraries you can get help with...its upmarket experiences! for this reason, I never do my own plumbing! "
Friday, October 8, 2010
World's Most Romantic Islands
Romance vacations are not just limited to honeymooners. With our busy lives, couples really need to carve out time for themselves.
Travel and Leisure rated some of the world's most romantic islands.
Read more
Travel and Leisure rated some of the world's most romantic islands.
Read more
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Ode to Maui
Maui is one of my favorite of the Hawaiian islands and is a huge travel destination. Always rated one of the top islands in the world to visit, it is one of the most popular islands that my honeymoon couples request.
I found this nice article by a woman who revisits Maui many years after her first visit for their honeymoon.
Read more....
I found this nice article by a woman who revisits Maui many years after her first visit for their honeymoon.
Read more....
Monday, October 4, 2010
Keep your Frequent Flier Miles from Expiring
With all the rules and changes, it's hard to keep up with frequent flier miles and when they might expire.
Read more...
Read more...
Friday, October 1, 2010
Hawaii Waterfalls Worth Gushing Over
Hawaii has long been one of my favorite vacation destinations and one of the best features is the natural beauty of each of the individual islands.
Take a look at some of the most exquisite waterfalls that Hawaii has to offer. I do admit, some of my personal pictures might be better.
Click Here
Take a look at some of the most exquisite waterfalls that Hawaii has to offer. I do admit, some of my personal pictures might be better.
Click Here
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