Half Term Holiday hunters look to Last Minute holidays for a deal.
Posted September 30, 2009 , comments closed) Holidaymakers are still determined to find last minute holidays before Winter officially kicks in, says holiday website www.holidayholiday.co.uk.
According to their stats, 46% of visiting holiday consumers in the last week have searched Holiday Holiday for a holiday in October, picking popular hot destinations such as Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt. A large percentage of those are looking for a cheap deal for October half term holidays, due to start in approx. 4 weeks time.
Marketing Director Emma Healey commented “With British Summer time ‘officially’ over on the 25th October, which falls at the start of the half term holidays week, lots of people are shopping around trying to find a last minute holiday. As we move into the Winter holidays season in the next couple of months, we expect the trend for last minute holidays for package holidays to continue.”
The Winter season in the travel industry is traditionally the start of November to the end of March, when destinations such as the Caribbean, Egypt and the Canary Islands become popular. Ski and Cruise bookings are also popular during this time, as ski resorts start to open and Cruisers look to the next year to book ahead for new cruise ship itineraries as well as that last minute bargain cruise deal.
For Half Term Holiday hunters, the Government backed “Every Lesson Counts” initiative, a joint initiative with ABTA (Association of British Travel Agents) and the FTO (Federation of Tour Operators) to aim to reduce the levels of school absence, has encouraged tour operators and travel agents alike to try even harder to find value added holidays within the school holidays.
In relation to this “those looking for half term holidays will benefit from a site like holiday holiday” says Emma as “we have hundreds of knowledgeable travel agents advertising, all in one place, updating their holiday offers on a daily basis. If you are looking for a deal in the half term week then searching the website and speaking to one of the many ABTA bonded travel agents on the site will enable you to challenge them to put their expertise to the test to find you a really good holiday deal”.
Hawaii Vacations - Globus family of brands
Posted , comments closed) Hawaii entices millions of travelers each year with its promise of sun, beautiful landscapes and island culture. Offering a selection of Platinum and Regional Discovery tours and Cruise & Tour options with Globus, as well as independent travel packages through Monograms, the Globus family of brands has developed 2010 Hawaii getaways focused on fun in paradise.
“Our Hawaiian vacations including two new getaways offer exciting excursions and opportunities to enjoy all the Hawaiian Islands have to offer,” said Scott Nisbet, president and chief executive officer for the Globus family of brands. “On our vacations, travelers can choose to explore some of Hawaii’s most awe-inspiring national parks, enjoy lunch at a plantation, snorkel, watch the sun set on a cruise, learn about island history or simply take in the view and the sun from one of the destination’s breathtaking beaches year round.”
New in 2010, the award-winning company has unveiled an Enchanting Hawaii Platinum guided tour with Globus and seven-day independent travel package Maui & Kauai through Monograms. Perfect for honeymooners, girlfriends or families, on this vacation travelers will explore two beautiful islands on their own, equipped with a plethora of special discounts and offers as well as 24-hour on-call service to ensure the vacation is filled with fun and free of stress.
In addition to unveiling new getaways, also new in 2010, the Globus family of brands is promising travelers ocean views from their hotels as part of its standard accommodations
And, in the Aloha spirit, the company is giving travelers $250 off per person on the air-inclusive price on all Globus and Monograms Hawaii vacations when booked before October 13, 2009.* Visit www.globusjourneys.com or www.monogramstravel.com for more information.
2010 HAWAII VACATION HIGHLIGHTS:
INDEPENDENT TRAVEL (Monograms Hawaii Vacations)
NEW Maui & Kauai (7 days), priced from $829 land- and intra-vacation flights only.
Oahu & Maui (7 days), priced from $889 land- and intra-vacation flights only.
Oahu, Maui & Kauai (10 days), priced from $1189 land- and intra-vacation flights only.
TOURS (Globus Hawaii Escorted Tours)
NEW Enchanting Hawaii (8 days), priced from $2,469 land- and intra-tour flights only.
Best of the Hawaiian Islands (9 days), priced from $2,289 land- and intra-tour flights only.
Grand Hawaii Vacation (12 days), priced from $3,059 land- and intra-tour flights only.
CRUISE & TOUR (Globus Hawaii Cruises)
Cruising Hawaii’s Paradise (11 days), priced from $1,909 land and intra-tour flights only.
*Book a 2010 Globus or Monograms Hawaii air-inclusive vacation to receive the $250 per person discount. Booking must be made, under deposit and discount applied between August 12 and October 13, 2009 for travel commencing through December 31, 2010. Offers not valid with any other offer except Journeys Club and applies to new 2010 Hawaii bookings only. Offer reliant on space availability. Full cancellation penalties will apply. Additional restrictions may apply.
ABOUT THE GLOBUS FAMILY OF BRANDS
Littleton, Colorado-based Group Voyagers, Inc. is the privately held company that markets and sells the Globus family of brands within the United States. Globus, Cosmos, Monograms and Avalon Waterways offer travelers unparalleled tour, independent travel package, river and small ship cruise options. Considered the world’s largest tour operator, with more than 80 years of international travel experience, the Globus family of brands is dedicated to enriching the lives of travelers by turning foreign destinations into familiar harbors, where the expense of travel is forgotten and replaced by personal value.
How Melbourne became Australia’s hottest destination
Posted , comments closed- Australia needs your input
- Victorian Tourism Minister Tim Holding slams Sydney's top spot
- German tourist attacked, stabbed in Melbourne
- Qantas names 75th Boeing 737 after famous New Zealand aviator
- Australia tourism launches contest on Facebook
- Have you heard the one about the dumb Australian?
- China-Australia rift threatens Australia's tourism
- Rare all-white humpback whale sighted near Great Barrier Reef
By
Diana Plater, Paul Mulvey and Gabrielle Dunlevy, theage.com.au |
Sep 30, 2009
It’s a miracle - culture has grown in popularity in Australia.
Well at least that’s what the numbers suggest.
For the first time, more Australians are visiting Victoria for a holiday than Queensland.
Data released by Tourism Research Australia shows NSW still heads the list with 7.2 million domestic visitors in 2008-09, followed by Victoria with 5.4 million and Queensland with 5.1 million.
Victorian tourist chiefs believe that during tough economic times, Australians’ tastes have shifted toward short breaks to experience Victoria’s cultural activities and away from Queensland’s physical attractions.
“The offer of big events, cultural events, retail, food and wine is considered more attractive than stuff like theme parks, Big Pineapples and gee-whizzy type of stuff,” Victorian Tourism Industry Council chief Anthony McIntosh says.
McIntosh says Victoria’s 20-year marketing campaign promoting its big events, such as the spring racing carnival, its shops, wineries and culture has paid off.
But he admitted visitors come for a good time, not a long time.
“The marketing has positioned Victoria as the place for short stay holidays, the place for dirty weekends basically,” he says.
“It’s a romantic, cultural, exciting place to visit for a short stay. People don’t stay here for weeks, they come and stay for a weekend or three or four days.
“They go to things like stage plays and big sporting events, musical tours, they go to wineries, they go to restaurants.”
As an example, both the National Gallery of Victoria and the Melbourne Museum recorded record crowds for their exhibitions on artist Salvador Dali and the ruins of Pompeii.
And the other blockbuster has been the musical Jersey Boys.
Melbourne Museum has had a record number to its exhibition, A Day in Pompeii.
And the NGV has had more than 150,000 people for its Salvador Dali Liquid Desire exhibition. Both exhibitions continue until October.
The gallery’s director Dr. Gerard Vaughan says the exhibition is second only in popularity to the NGV’s most attended Melbourne Winter Masterpieces exhibition, The Impressionists.
“Once again, the exhibition has proved extremely popular with visitors from Melbourne, regional Victoria, interstate and overseas,” Dr Vaughan says.
A Day in Pompeii tells the story of life in the ancient Roman city which was buried by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius on August 24, AD79. It covers everything from food and dining to shopping, medicine and religion.
The CEO of of Museum Victoria Dr Patrick Green says no other ancient city had been found so complete and intact.
But it remained lost and forgotten until rediscovered by archaeologists in the early 1700s.
Of particular interest are the the body casts, made by pouring plaster into hollows left where victims of the eruption were buried.
It’s particularly moving to observe their positions. They were most likely to have been covering their faces with their hands or clothes to relieve themselves from the gases that eventually suffocated them.
It’s highly recommended that people book online (museumvictoria.com.au/Pompeii) for a specific time so they don’t have to queue or come either in the afternoons (when the school kids have left) or Thursday nights when the Piazza Museo cafe is also open with musicians playing.
Both shows are part of the Melbourne Winter Masterpieces series, a Victorian government initiative that brings outstanding exhibitions from around the world exclusively to Melbourne. In its first five years it has attracted more than 1.34 million people.
Meanwhile, we found the audience at Jersey Boys playing at the historic Princess Theatre lively and friendly.
We got into the swing of things, playing a game of get up, sit down as other audience members climbed over us in the packed theatre.
The Australian version of the Tony Award-winning musical didn’t disappoint.
Written by Rick Elice it’s about the 60s pop group The Four Seasons, starring four relatively unknown Aussie actors.
It shows how Frankie Valli and his band were influenced by the mob influence of New Jersey in the 1950s and 60s but went on to sell 175 million records.
The show, which is running on Broadway and in more than six other cities, features their hit songs including Sherry, Big Girls Don’t Cry, Rag Doll, Oh What a Night and Can’t Take My Eyes Off You.
The actors/musicians for this version were chosen with the help of some of the original band members, including Valli.
They include Irish Dance champion and former Australia Mamma Mia star Bobby Fox as Valli, actor and musician Scott Johnson as Tommy DeVito, Glaston Toft as Nick Massi and Stephen Mahy as Bob Gaudio.
Some other places to visit and things to do in Melbourne:
Federation Square: Corner of Flinders Street and Swanston Street. Call: (03) 9639 2800 or visit www.federationsquare.com.au. It’s a complete inner city block, connecting the central business district with the Yarra River and is a fusion of arts and events, leisure, hospitality and promenading.
Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) Federation Square: Flinders Street. Call: (03) 8663 2200 or visit www.acmi.net.au. It celebrates, champions and explores the moving image in all its forms - film, television, games, new media and art.
National Design Centre: Federation Square Flinders Street. Call: (03) 9654 6335 or visit: www.nationaldesigncentre.com. Combining a gallery space and resource centre, the NDC also hosts the annual Melbourne Design Festival which showcases the latest and greatest in local product and celebrates the classics.
Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia Cnr Russell and Flinders Sts. Call: (03) 8620-2222 or visit: www.ngv.vic.gov.au. Current exhibition: John Brack - runs until August 2009.
Eureka Skydeck: 88 7 Riverside Quay, Southbank. Call: (03) 9693-8888 or visit www.eurekaskydeck.com.au. It’s on Level 88 and is the highest public vantage point in Melbourne, Australia and the Southern Hemisphere. Visitors are able to take in the 360 degree views through floor to ceiling glass windows, from the CBD to the Dandenong Ranges and across Port Phillip Bay.
Deadly quake rocks Samoa, triggers killer tsunami
Posted , comments closed- Samoan airline suspends operations
- Fight over driving side switch brewing in Samoa
- Many Australians and New Zealanders no longer want to visit Fiji
- Health alert as dengue fever rages in Pacific
- German tourist attacked, stabbed in Melbourne
- Man trap set to maim tourists
- To protect tourism Palau creates shark sanctuary
- Discover Raiatea
By
David Beirman, eTN Crisis Expert |
Sep 30, 2009
The earthquake that rocked Samoa at 0648 local time measured 8.3-magnitude on the Richter scale and subsequently generated a killer tsunami that has hit various parts of American Samoa, the south coast of Upolo (the most populated island of Samoa) and the smaller island of Manono. The death toll is estimated at 40 people on both American Samoa and Samoa and is expected to rise.
“As the earthquake struck sirens wailed in Apia, the capital of Samoa and bells rang in coastal villages all over Upolo,” eyewitness Elizabeth Angus said. “People who have been well prepared for a tsunami, immediately moved to higher ground and thousands of people were walking from Apia to the nearby hills.”
However, the tsunami struck on the southern coast of Upolo so quickly and with such ferocity that many people in low-lying areas could not evacuate, according to Angus. “One of the people who drowned in the tsunami was Tui Annadale, wife of Joe Annadale the owner of the upmarket Sinalei Resort on Uplolo’s south coast. Tui was much-loved by the thousands of Australians, New Zealand and American guests who have enjoyed the hospitality of the fabulous resort and Tui’s own commitment to hospitality.”
Although full details are not yet available, several popular tourist resorts on Upolo’s south coast are feared to have been affected by the tsunami, which followed the massive quake.
In Samoa, many of the beach fales and small resorts are literally located on the water’s edge and would have had little warning of a tsunami.
Damage to Apia is reported to be modest although media reports on American Samoa suggest that damage to coastal settlements there has been considerable.
The Samoan Tourism Authority is expected to provide updates in the coming hours.
Mt. Elgon National Park land troubles far from over
Posted , comments closed- Mount Elgon security stepped up
- Wolfgang’s East Africa report
- Kenya eyes cruise tourism spill-over from South Africa
- Congo Brazzaville in the “dock” over gorilla poaching
- International Tourism Day marked in Eritrea
- United Nations honor gorillas, Uganda celebrates them
- Foreign investor interest in Zimbabwe has picked up
- Ghana cleaning it's beaches to attract visitors
By
Wolfgang H. Thome, eTN Africa |
Sep 30, 2009
As reported recently, the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) rangers and staff live dangerously when deployed at Mt. Elgon National Park, as attacks by illegal encroachers, poachers, and timber thieves have caused them numerous injuries and even several deaths while executing their duties in defense of conservation, wildlife protection, and maintaining a crucial water catchment area.
However, as in many cases, there are two sides to each story and the Uganda Human Rights Network last week tried to spoil UWA’s celebrations of the UN Year of the Gorilla 2009 and their much-publicized launch of “Friend a Gorilla” campaign when they released a carefully-timed and targeted broad side of allegations against the national wildlife management body. Those familiar with the circumstances of Mt. Elgon since the park’s status was changed from a less-protected forest reserve to a fully-fledged national park in 1993, looked at the material, including some graphic pictures of alleged torture victims at the hand of UWA staff.
According to eTN own research, in recent days the original size of the former forest reserve – incidentally also a national park across the border in Kenya and part of a trans-boundary cooperation between UWA and the Kenya Wildlife Service – was gradually reduced between 1923, and the time of Uganda’s independence in 1962, reflecting growing populations and their requests for more agricultural land before eventually a position was taken by government that the existing boundaries would now have to stand if conservation was to retain any meaning at all. The widened protection of the mountainous forest as a national park was, in fact, aimed to sustain the livelihood of neighboring communities and Ugandans as a whole, as even then the function of the mountain as a water catchment area was recognized, permitting the constant flow of water in streams and small rivers emerging from Mt. Elgon and being used for a variety of purposes by homesteads and villages downstream.
Yet, since independence, the population around the park has more than tripled, and while there is undoubtedly ongoing and constant demand for opening up the park for people to live in, the need to protect the water sources for all those added numbers has become even more important today than it was 15 or 20 years ago. Hence, it is argued by UWA and the conservation fraternity that letting go of the park, or even parts of it, would in coming years make the life of communities around the mountain much worse, instead of better as suggested by political opportunists and inciters promising “heaven on earth” to those willing to listen and ready to do their bidding by launching regular attacks on ranger camps and wardens on patrol.
UWA claims to have cleared about 2,000 hectares of illegally-occupied and cultivated land already, which is said to be crucial to the protection of water sources and to prevent landslides and soil erosion, especially with the onset of the unusually heavy el Nino-induced rains. Reforestation and related repair measures are underway in such areas, too, as it was pointed out.
In a discussion with UWA’s executive director Moses Mapesa, he categorically rejected any suggestion and allegations that UWA would habitually or deliberately engage in torture or extrajudicial activities and denied that this was ever the organization’s method of working or indeed a matter of policy as has been suggested by its opponents. Having been the organization’s director of field operations before being appointed to the position of CEO, and being widely respected as an honorable and honest person, not just in Uganda but the wider eastern African region, gives even further credence to his denials.
While Mapesa did not rule out collusion by individual rangers in permitting people into the park to create shambas [small farms] in a corrupt fashion, he vowed to bring those errant staff to book, while he also vowed to pursue through police and other legal channels those who injured or killed his staff in past weeks and months.
Mapesa went on to state that some of the pictures published by human rights activists last week are in fact of UWA staff injured during attacks and NOT of innocent villagers beaten up by UWA personnel and that these pictures were provided to the media by UWA as proof of those attacks on rangers and wardens.
In closing our conversation, Mapesa laid substantial blame on the doorsteps of aspiring politicians and political charlatans, who incited crowds repeatedly in 2000, 2001, 2005, and again of late, and who were ultimately responsible for the resulting bloodshed during clashes of riotous encroachers, poachers, illegal farmers, and timber thieves on one side and the law enforcement personnel of UWA and other security agencies on the other side.
This is, incidentally, the same pattern experienced by the National Forest Authority, which has also seen their field staff under regular attack when trying to enforce the law governing the management of central forest reserves. Earlier this week, NFA released yet more details about fresh forest invasions affecting nearly 6,000 hectares of gazetted forests while government is pondering what to do and sitting on its hands instead of strongly supporting the national guardian body of forests.
The good news now is that UWA, in conjunction with community leaders of integrity, has worked out a draft agreement with nearby villages, which will permit the tightly-controlled sustainable use of the boundary sections of the forest park, which includes bee keeping, collection of medicinal herbs and plants, and limited use of timber by designated beneficiaries in quantities ensuring the long-term sustainability of such an economic partnership.
The emerging dangers, in particular with an eye on the 2011 elections in Uganda, have, however, been underscored when the organization’s PRO, during a session with journalists in Bwindi on her own within the context of answering a question, introduced it into one of her answers but would then not be drawn further into the subject. Playing with conservation for short-term political gains can have disastrous consequences as the severe impact of the Mau deforestation and destruction across the border in Kenya amply demonstrates. There, for the sake of votes, politicians have turned a blind-eye for decades on the emerging problems and only now that the fallout from the crippled key water catchment area can no longer be hidden and is causing more problems than potentially widespread evictions, is a half-hearted reaction beginning to emerge from the government in Nairobi.
Recent pictures showing Mt. Kilimanjaro’s top literally bare of snow and ice, the ongoing shrinkage of the Rwenzori icecaps, and the more frequent drought and flooding cycles are all a final wake-up call – mankind’s long-term survival is at stake, and the forthcoming Copenhagen Climate Conference will be the clearest indication yet of how serious the governments of developed nations, threshold nations, and very much our own African governments really are to save the planet from destruction.
That destruction always begins on a small scale somewhere, which is why UWA needs all the support and political backing to prevent further encroachment and parceling off at the Mt. Elgon National Park.
Seeking cheap publicity stunts like the ones by self-proclaimed human right activists are certainly not the way forward. No rangers have been taken to court for causing bodily harm, for torture, assault, or murder up to this point, and most likely for lack of evidence as otherwise those now making these allegations once again would have equally reported prosecutions and convictions – none of which happened.
In conclusion, these exact sentiments were also overwhelmingly voiced by those sections of the local print and electronic media considered responsible, while a distinct group of other media was trying to make cheap political capital out of the sad events when they highlighted in a one-sided manner the allegations against the Uganda Wildlife Authority and used it as a platform to attack government in general about all and sundry.