Popular Holiday Website Finds Millions Of Cheap Holidays To Fill The Last Minute Demand This Summer
Posted August 7, 2009 , add a comment) With searches for cheap holidays seeing a big increase in the last few weeks due to the UK weather, Holiday Holiday Holiday has added millions of more holidays to its website. In response to demand there is now a huge range of September and August 2009 holidays live and accounting for over 50% of the millions of offers available on the holiday website.
The most popular searched destination on holiday holiday holiday still remains as Turkey at the moment, with Greece, Spain, and the Balearic Islands following closely behind. Majorca is still a popular searched destination despite recent news and long haul destinations such as the Caribbean have seen a renewed interest as people look to escape the rain and visit sunnier climates. The abundance of last minute holidays available at the moment has been largely due to the previously slow take up of foreign holidays this year, with many people previously looking towards UK holidays.
With the opportunity now of some great last minute deals to be had, many people have now refocused their search, using holiday websites such as holidayholidayholiday.co.uk, in order to find a cheap holiday bargain. With the great British summer turning out to be a bit of a washout so far and the forecast for August relatively bleak, holiday makers are looking to holidays abroad to fill the sunshine gap, with many opting for all inclusive holidays to help them stick to a budget and plan for their holiday ahead.
Holiday Holiday Holiday Marketing Director Emma Healey said “We are experiencing a noticeable rise in last minute holiday searches on the website as holidaymakers resign themselves to the fact that a summer holiday in the UK is increasingly unlikely and look instead to foreign shores for guaranteed sunshine”.
“With a wide range of holidays on offer, from all inclusive to cheap holidays on a budget, and the expertise on offer through the hundreds of travel agents using our site, holidayholidayholiday.co.uk is extremely well equipped to offer holiday makers everything they need to find their perfect holiday”.
Holiday Holiday Holiday re-launched with a new design and improved search facilities on the 1st July this year, whilst also securing a deal with hundreds of travel agents to increase the total amount of holidays on the website to many millions.
Three of the World’s Most Shark Infested Beaches
Posted , add a commentI tried to learn how to surf once. My boyfriend (who is now my husband) bought me a longboard for my birthday and took me out surfing in Cayucos. It was almost impossible to paddle out–me with my noodle arms that earned me the childhood nickname “T-Rex.” But I did it and there we were, bobbing in the ocean that suddenly seemed so much bigger than it ever had from the sand. “Look!” my boyfriend said, “Dolphins!” And then he took the next wave in and left me there to wonder how he was so sure those fins were that of dolphins smiling smart and not those of sharks most certainly out to eat me. I never did surf again, my arms too skinny and my imagination too fat, and my boyfriend eventually commandeered my birthday present longboard as his own, which I somehow think was the plan all along.
I don’t know how surfers do it–bob out there with nothing but a board and their thoughts. I am too macabre, too weak, too yellow maybe, my toes tingling with the maybe of it all. So what if more people die from car crashes, wasps, from snakes and bees, from drowning? There is just something about a shark that holds a special place primal cold in my nightmares. So in honor of Shark Week, I give you three of the World’s Sharkiest Beaches (based on nothing but my own research of the www):
Catch of the day. http://www.flickr.com/photos/zainedriscoll/3623710592/
New Smyrna Beach, Florida holds the dubious honor of being called The Shark Attack Capital of the World. Surrounded on all sides by water–the Atlantic Ocean, the Intracoastal Waterway, Mosquito Lagoon and Indian River–New Smyrna Beach boasts subtropical weather ideal not only for tourists and beach-goers, but also attractive to sharks: tiger sharks, blacktips, spinners and more. Given the large shark population and the increasing amount of people swmming and surfing in the waters just off the coastline, it is no wonder New Smyrna Beach holds the title of Shark Capital of the World.
Cape of Good Hope. http://www.flickr.com/photos/haakon/10398408/
Of course no discussion of shark attacks would be complete without mention of the coastline of South Africa. Here there has been documented footage of Great Whites leaping from the water to feast on seals, a watery ballet of grisy proportion. And it doesn’t even truly matter which particular beach you choose on South Africa’s eastern coastline—from Cape Town, up the Garden Route, and beyond to Durban. The entire area is famously shark infested. The fishing village of Gansbaai near Cape Town, for example, is known as Shark Alley for its unrivaled density of great whites. And the mouth of Kosi Bay in KwaZulu Natal, is known for its aggressive Zambezi, or bull sharks. Something tells me that it is of little solace to know that most shark attacks are a case of mistaken identity, a shark’s way of poking at something to see what it is. When the poke in question produces a deep gash down the side of one’s innards, it is of no matter that you are not a sea lion but a surfer.
How it got its name. http://www.flickr.com/photos/89044634@N00/24548709/
And then there is the poetically named Red Triangle, that is if the poet were Edgar Allen Poe and the subject the tell-tale shark attack. The Red Triangle is the name given to the roughly triangle-shaped area off the coast of Northern California extending from Bodega Bay, north of San Francisco, out to the Farallon Islands and down to Big Sur. The waters here are snack-rich, full of marine life such as elephant seals, harbor seals, sea otters and sea lions, favorite cuisine of the Great White Shark. Around thirty-eight percent of recorded Great White Shark attacks on humans in the United States have occurred within the Red Triangle - eleven percent of the worldwide total. And it just so happens that the Red Triangle includes my hometown beaches of Stinson, Bolinas, Tomales Bay where the sharks mate, and Ocean Beach where my husband now surfs sheathed in a black wet suit looking for all the world like a seal, a little gamey but good. Here the Great White rides at the tippy top of the food chain, fish and seals at the bottom, and surfers and swimmers only a half notch up from that.
So there you go. From my primal fear to yours, keep your toes tingling and stay dry–Happy Shark Week!
9 Hotels That Reach Customers and Job Prospects on Twitter
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Twitter is becoming a more popular vehicle for hotels to reach clientele and job prospects.
Twitter is fast becoming a medium for companies to reach their clients. (We’re on Twitter too! Follow us @UpTake!) Just yesterday my own websites went down and instead of going to my server company’s web page, I went directly to their Twitter page. In seconds I saw they had a power outage and service would be restored within the hour. What took the company 5 seconds to Tweet saved us both time and satisfied my need-to-know immediately.
Here are some of the top hotels on Twitter. Feel free to add to the list in comments.
The Hyatt has twitter streams for two purposes. One @hyattconcierge, to reach clientele and prospective clients, as well as promote their brand. The other, @hyattcareers, is meant for a search of job prospects and to post employment opportunities within the company. It will be interesting to see if separating the two genres will prove to be lucrative for The Hyatt.
The Marriott International (@MarriottIntl)posts interesting updates and does a good job of keeping their followers. With 13,000+ following their feed, it’s obvious The Marriott is taking Twitter seriously. The Marriott Vacation Club (@MarriottVacClub) is an active feed, with plenty of deals for would-be travelers. Watch this space closely for coupon codes.
I love how the Ritz Carleton actually has PR rep Allison Stitch as their front woman on Twitter (@RitzCarletonPR). Not only does that instill a sense of humanity to the stream, you know you’re actually talking to someone who’s job it is to make you happy. Great job Ritz Carleton!
Starwood Hotels are also doing a great job of engaging fellow Tweeters at their stream (@StarwoodBuzz) They ask questions, post interesting stories and links and reply back - a key to keeping your followers!
Omni Hotels (@OmniHotels) have a Twitter Team, complete with pictures. They help clients and post deals when they have them. Seems to me they are really taking the time to answer questions and go above and beyond to help others.
Joie de Vivre Hotels of California (@JDVHotels) take the time to post interesting things near their locations, answer customer questions and solve problems. Hotel guest Michael Fishman put the JDVHotel Twitter stream to test with shredded towels (!) and received new towels and a reply on Twitter.
Morgans Hotel Group (@morganshotels) also seem to love Tweeting about nearby nigthlife and the like. It’s proven to be a good move for them obviously, so say their high number of followers (3100+ to be exact). One tip for Morgans? Follow back. We don’t bite and your ratios are whacky.
Fairmont Hotels (@fairmonthotels) have a fun stream with contests and trivia questions. If nothing else, this Twitter stream is enjoyable and light. Twitter host Mike Taylor does a great job or keeping his 4500+ followers on board.
Millennium Hotels (@MillenniumPR) does a great job of posting job fairs, contests and replying to clients and prospective travelers. There’s a bonus to being one of their followers too: they post things just for us. I can see this account growing in popularity if Millennium keeps up the momentum.
There are many more hotels on Twitter. Here is a comprehensive list for you to find your favorites or to touch base with any of the hotels you plan on visiting.
Photo Credit: Karen Bodkin (screenshot of Twitter)
Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resorts Offer $99 Labor Day Deal
Posted , add a commentThinking about taking the family to Walt Disney World for a last legs of summer getaway? Then you’ll definitely want to take advantage of this great deal.
For the week of September 1 through September 9, 2009, The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin resorts are offering rooms for only $99 a night. That is a phenomenal deal for these luxury properties where rooms usually start at twice that rate.
Walt Disney World Dolphin
The two resorts are located next to each other, on the waterway that connects Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Epcot. This provides easy access to both parks via the water ferry that also services Disney’s luxury properties the Yacht and Beach Club, and the Boardwalk Inn and Villas.
Between the two properties, there are five pools, a white sand beach, two health clubs and seventeen restaurants and lounges, ranging from quick counter service to more upscale options like Shula’s Steakhouse and the absolutely gorgeous Todd English’s BlueZoo.
As an added bonus, since the Swan and Dolphin are on Disney property, guests staying at the resort can take advantage of special Disney benefits like Extra Magic hours (where the parks open early or stay open later just for Disney resort guests). And since both properties are owned by the Starwood Group, you can also earn points via the Starwood loyalty program.
To reserve the “$99 in 09″ Labor Day deal, call 800-227-1500. A three-night minimum stay is required and rooms may be on a limited availability.
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Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin
1500 Epcot Resorts Blvd
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
Phone: 800-227-1500
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[photo: Michelle Snow]
Chicago’s Hyatt Regency McCormick
Posted , add a commentPosted by Nancy D. Brown of What a Trip
Hyatt Regency McCormick, Chicago
While I don’t recommend arriving in Chicago at 1:30 in the morning on a flight from San Francisco, it’s safe to say that I didn’t encounter any rush hour traffic. I was in the windy city to speak about travel writing at the BlogHer conference. This was only my second visit to Chicago and I was excited to be back in this museum filled city.
Unfortunately, my luggage, on a non-stop flight from San Francisco, didn’t arrive on my United Airlines flight. I should have known better than to check my bag, but I was attending a conference and knew my carry-on suitcase would not be able to hold the items I would take home with me.
The folks at Chicago Hyatt Regency McCormick were very understanding of my situation. I was given the key to an $850 Executive Suite and a fully-stocked toiletries bag was delivered to my beautiful hotel room. At least I had a wonderful view of downtown Chicago and the lake while I waited for my luggage to be delivered.
Executive Suite & Cool Jazz
Executive Suite 2933
My room was on the twenty nineth floor of the 33-story hotel. There were nineteen Executive Suites at the Hyatt Regency McCormick with one suite located on floors 14-33. For the convention goers, the 800 room Hyatt is connected to the McCormick Place Convention Center and Arie Crown Theater via a concourse pedestrian walkway and is a ten-minute drive from downtown Chicago. I appreciated the complimentary shuttle that dropped me on Chicago’s Magnificent Mile, otherwise known as Michigan Avenue. Check with the hotel for shuttle service times or hop on the #3 bus, which will take you downtown to shopping and dining heaven or Millennium Park, between Randolph and Monroe streets.
The hotel is hip on social media, is on Twitter and even has a blog, but still doesn’t offer wireless internet throughout the facility. Plans are underway to remedy the Wi-Fi situation. If you find yourself staying here mid-week in the summer, you can check out Cool Jazz Thursdays from 7-9 p.m., where a Columbia College jazz quartet plays music on the patio. Available at Hyatt Hotels & Resorts worldwide, the company is offering a collection of value-added packages such as Amour, Balance, Awaken and Explore. The “Field Explorer” package includes two tickets to the Field Museum and complimentary one-way shuttle service to the museum.
In case you were wondering. United Airlines did eventually deliver my bag to the hotel. If you ever find yourself separated from your luggage, I have some Lost Luggage Tips for you to consider.
Hyatt Regency McCormick Place (312) 567-1234
2233 South Martin Luther King Drive, Chicago, IL 60616
Photos by Nancy D. Brown
