Rants & Raves

The results are in. Mobil Travel Guide has announced its five-star winners for 2009. For the first time, international venues like Hong Kong’s Mandarin and Peninsula by ESPA spas and the Spa at Wynn Macau are among the recipients.

Two spas in California—Spa Gaucin at the St. Regis Monarch Beach resort and Spa Montage at the Montage Laguna Beach resort—won Mobil’s coveted five star rating. Other winners include the Mayflower Spa in Washington, Connecticut; the Spa at Mandarin Oriental in Miami; Cloister Spa on Sea Island, Georgia; the Spa at Wynn Las Vegas; the Spa at Mandarin Oriental in New York; and the Spa at the Sanctuary on Kiawah Island, South Carolina.

In 2008 only three spas received Mobil’s top honors. Mobil Travel Guide, now in its 51st year, is one of the oldest and most respected inspection and ratings systems in the world.

Posted by Lisa at 11:28 AM | Permalink

Chinese New Year, or Spring Festival, is the most revered traditional Chinese holiday. It falls this year on January 26, and family members in China will travel by air, sea, and land to spend the holiday together. China has added trains to ease the traffic crunch, which is so far up 16.3% from this time last year, says the Ministry of Railways (MOR).

New Year festivals circle the globe in areas with large ethic Chinese populations. In San Francisco revelers on February 7 will see a Chinese New Year Parade that dates to the 1860s. One of the largest celebrations of Asian culture outside Asia, this year’s gala features the newly crowned Miss Chinatown U.S.A. as well as floats and exploding firecrackers. Start time: 5:15 pm. Start place: Market St. See chineseparade.com for parade route and tickets for bleacher seating.

New York’s 10th Annual Lunar New Year Parade takes place February 1 at 1 pm at Mott and Hester Sts. (betterchinatown.com). Related Chinatown events include a firecracker ceremony and folk arts festival. On January 24-25, Radio City Music Hall presents “Chinese New Year Splendor,” a program of classical Chinese dance and music (radiocity.com/events/chinese-new-year-2009.html).

London’s Trafalgar Square will be transformed February 1 by New Year’s Day parade and performances starting at noon. Londoners will see traditional Chinese dragon and lion dances, and visiting Chinese performers from China’s Qinghai and Kunming provinces (chinatownchinese.co.uk).

Posted by Lisa at 11:24 AM | Permalink

New York City’s winter season is rife with bargains for budget-minded tourists. Through March, discounted rates starting at $89 at hotels like the Astor on the Park (465 Central Park West) and the Roger Smith (501 Lexington Ave.) are available at hotelconxions.com.

Five midtown hotels run by Apple Core begin their pricing at $119 (applecorehotels.com). They include Comfort Inn Midtown, The Hotel in Times Square, La Quinta Manhattan, Red Roof Inn, and the Ramada Inn Eastside.

Amsterdam Hospitality Group (nyychotels.com) offers a promotional rate of $139 at its five boutique hotels. The art deco-style Moderne (243 W 55th St ) had a green makeover a year ago and now complies with Green Hotels Association guidelines. Its eco-friendly features include energy-efficient lighting, bulk dispensers for shampoos and soaps, recycled biodegradable paper products, 100% bamboo unbleached linen, and no smoking anywhere.

Until February 27, you can book two nights at 10 luxury hotels and get a third night free. Sponsored by NYC & Company, the city’s marketing and tourism arm, this deal is good at exclusive hotels like the Sherry-Netherland (781 5th Ave), Carlyle (35 E. 76th St.), and Plaza Hotel (5th Ave, at Central Park South). Saks Fifth Avenue offers free V.I.P. shopping to third-night participants with discounts and coffee and dessert in its cafe. For more information, visit nycgo.com/thirdnight.

Posted by Lisa at 11:22 AM | Permalink

Want to get through airport security faster? Skooba Design (skoobadesign.com) may have the answer. Its Checkthrough™ bag looks and functions like a high-end business case, but is designed and tested to be "checkpoint-friendly" so you can run it through airport x-ray screening without removing your laptop.

HiGear Design has invented a “new generation” travel pillow (travelrest.net) that can be inflated and attached to any seat back, or worn like a messenger bag. Use Playtripper (playtripper.com) to drag-and-drop MP3 files straight to your iPod with a program called Sherpa. You can also find travel podcasts relevant to your trip.

A tiny, powerful package, the Lenovo X301 (lenovo.com) is as convenient as a travel computer gets. It’s barely an inch thick and houses a DVD-burning drive, a built-in GPS, and a cellular data connection so you can get online anywhere you get a cell signal.

Nikon Coolpix P6000 uses new technology to capture, catalog, and share your travel memories. Its built-in GPS allows you to keep an accurate log of where each picture was shot so you can’t confuse Beijing with Shanghai (nikon.com).

Two websites help you organize and plan an itinerary. Forward your confirmation emails—from airlines and hotels—to plans@tripit.com. Tripit.com extracts the relevant information and creates an online itinerary you can access by email. GoPlanIt.com also builds itineraries, but it suggests activities, hotels, and restaurants based on your preferences and on how highly rated they are by other travelers.

Posted by Lisa at 11:18 AM | Permalink

European aircraft giant Airbus warned of a "horrible" year ahead, which will see its orders cut in half as the global economic crisis hits the airline industry. Airbus chief Thomas Enders said he expected a sharp drop off in orders, with plane deliveries in 2009 likely to surpass the number of orders for the first time since 2003.

"We all know that 2009 will be a very challenging year for the aeronautics industry. At Airbus we are well prepared and confident," said Enders.

Airbus commercial director John Leahy said the company expected 300 to 400 orders this year, less than half the number won in 2008. Last year, Airbus overtook Boeing with 777 orders and 483 deliveries compared to its rival's 662 orders and 375 deliveries. But the market has changed dramatically as airlines slash capacity to survive the worst global downturn in years.

Singapore Airlines (SIA), one of the world's most profitable airlines, said its passenger load fell 7.5% in December 2008 to give a capacity loading of 79.9%, down 4.4% over last year. "The prevailing global financial turmoil has dampened demand across all route regions, translating to weaker uplifts," said a SIA spokesperson. SIA is one of Airbus's most important customers and the launch airline for the key A380 super-jumbo,
 

Posted by Lisa at 11:16 AM | Permalink

The first tip may seem obvious, but many travelers forget that their frequent flyer miles give them points to leverage towards an upgrade. So the first rule is always join the airline’s frequent flyer program.

Second, ask, don’t demand. Be polite and say "Am I eligible for an upgrade today?" If the answer at check-in is negative, ask again at your departure gate. That’s when staff knows the flight’s passenger load and can often make last-minute seat changes.

Third, volunteer to get bumped to a later flight if yours looks oversold. Chances are you will leave only a few hours later, and it increases your chances for an upgrade, a travel voucher, or even a free flight.

Finally, when all else fails, be observant once you’ve boarded. If you see an empty seat in first class, ask your flight attendant if you can move. Don’t be shy, especially if you have a troublesome seatmate.
And remember to use charm. Grumpy passengers rarely get special favors

Matthew J. Bennett, an authority on air travel upgrades, offers a free report on many ways to work the airlines to your advantage at firstclassflyer.com. Another valuable source for frequent flyer tips is webflyer.com. Use its free e-newsletter MilesLink to get the latest airline deals and promotions.

Posted by Lisa at 11:06 AM | Permalink

Medical tourism is a billion-dollar industry. "For a long time, people said it was just a fad," says Renee-Marie Stephano, COO for Medical Tourism Association. "Now with the economy and the credit crisis, more people are paying attention to international healthcare." How big is the market? A Deloitte study estimates up to 6 million Americans, for example, will seek foreign care in 2010, up from 750,000 in 2007. Here are some of the major reasons patients are crisscrossing the globe.

1. Savings: For those without insurance or those needing operations insurance won't cover, medical tourism can be an affordable alternative to the skyrocketing costs of health care. While there is the risk of not having a firm legal recourse if something goes wrong, you can at least know your money is going towards your actual care rather than to administrative costs.

2. Shorter Waits: Even people who live in countries with public health care coverage often choose to take their treatment abroad because overburdened hospitals and doctors can have long wait periods for surgeries on conditions that are not life-threatening.

3. Quality: Many doctors have been trained abroad, and some are leaders in their fields. With careful research, it's possible to get the same, if not better, treatment in their countries than you could at home.

4. Insurance Coverage: More and more insurance providers are covering treatment abroad, as it saves them in costs as well. Aetna, Wellpoint, Assurance, and Swiss Re all have programs.

5. Same Facilities and Equipment as Home: Because medical tourism is such a big industry, hospitals are making big investments in equipment and technology to draw more patients.

6. Service and Comfort: Patients can expect a high level of personal care and attention from hospitals and clinics, many of which are corporately owned. Private rooms and luxury accommodations aren’t unheard of.

SOURCES: Deloitte study (http://www.deloitte.com/dtt/article/0%2C1002%2Ccid%25253D217866%2C00.html).
Renee-Marie Stephano, COO for Medical Tourism Association, renee@medicaltourismassociation.com, 561-791-2000

Posted by Lisa at 10:59 AM | Permalink

Vacationers may not travel as often in 2009, but when they do they are getting more value for their money. Travel websites are advertising deep discounts, some as much as 50 percent, on flights, cruises, and hotels.

For the third consecutive year, Hotwire.com ranked highest in customer satisfaction with booking of airline, hotel, or rental car reservations, according to California-based J. D. Power and Associates. Its 2008 survey of 7,667 consumers found Hotwire.com performed especially well in price competitiveness as did Priceline.com, which ranked second. Priceline.com allows buyers to name their own prices and even offers an email price drop alert.

Other popular websites for hotels, flights, cruises, and cars include Expedia.com, Travelocity.com, Cheaptickets.com and Orbitz.com. Hotels.com and Venere.com can help travelers save on accommodations; Edreams.com specializes in airline deals.

Posted by Lisa at 10:56 AM | Permalink

A tourist trail tracing the boundary of the former Warsaw ghetto was inaugurated in the Polish capital Nov. 2008.

Twenty-one commemorative plaques with photographs from the period have been installed at key points along the trail, although few vestiges of the ghetto remain today.

"The Warsaw ghetto was the largest to be set up in Poland during the Nazi occupation. It was a horrific place of isolation and death for a third of the city's population," Warsaw mayor, Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz, said during the inauguration ceremony.

The plaques, and an accompanying tourist map, were developed by Warsaw city hall, Poland's culture ministry and the city's Jewish Historical Institute. The inauguration date was chosen to be as close as possible to the November 16 anniversary of the walling-off of the ghetto by the Nazis in 1940.

Posted by Lisa at 10:51 AM | Permalink

Trenitalia, Italy’s national railway, introduced a new high-speed rail service last month.

The service, which runs between Naples and Milan, reduces travel time from Rome to Milan to three and a half hours. The train takes 65 minutes to travel from Milan to Bologna, 2 hours 10 minutes between Milan and Florence, and 4 hours 50 minutes between Naples and Milan. New perks aboard the high-speed line include free newspapers, beverages and snacks. Americans can make reservations for the Trenitalia high-speed trains (and all other services) through www.italiarail.com.

Rail leaders say the new service could draw as much as 60 percent of the 3.7 million passengers who fly each year on Europe’s second-busiest air route.  That’s what is happening  between Madrid and Barcelona, where high-speed trains are rapidly reducing the 950-plus weekly flights on Europe’s busiest route.

Posted by Lisa at 10:43 AM | Permalink

Fares on discount airlines can seem like a steal, but watch those hidden costs. Cheapflights.co.uk lists these top 10 hidden extras:
1. Excess Baggage
2. Airport Taxes and Fees including Air Passenger Duty
3. Credit Card Payments
4. Priority Boarding
5. Airport Check-in vs. Online Check-in
6. Meals
7. Checked Luggage
8. Fuel Tax Charge
9. Carrying Infants
10. Travel Insurance

The popular website asked its users to predict what low-cost airlines would charge for next. Of 1071 users who responded, 50% believe they’ll soon be charged for using the toilet, 12% believe they’ll be charged for looking out the window and 7% believe they’ll be charged for sick bags. As bizarre as those responses sound, they may not be far-fetched. China Southern Airlines, for example, already requests that passengers use the bathroom prior to boarding the plane. So prepare for coin-operated loos. And you thought getting through security was stressful.

Posted by Lisa at 10:39 AM | Permalink

Cruising is more exciting than ever—sometimes too exciting. Last fall, Hapag-Lloyd’s Columbus and Plantours and Partner’s Vistamar separately ran into pirates in the Gulf of Arden, which connects the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean near Somalia. In both cases, passengers disembarked and later rejoined the ships in Oman.

On November 28, a German frigate, part of the international naval patrol, fired on two suspected pirate boats approaching Transocean Tours’ Astor with 492 passengers on board; most were unaware of the incident at the time. Then on November 30, Somali pirates in speedboats chased Oceania’s Nautica, but the ship was able to outrun them. The attack on the nearly 600-foot long, American-operated cruise ship was dramatic proof of the pirates’ increased aggressiveness and called for a stronger military response.

Today the US Navy announced it would head a new international force to combat pirates off the Somali coast in an attempt to protect one of the world's key shipping lanes. Rear Admiral Terence McKnight has been tapped to head the force of 21 nations.

At least 111 cruise and merchant ships were attacked in 2008, and more than 40 of them hijacked. Thirteen ships remain in the hands of pirates along with more than 250 crew members, including a Saudi supertanker filled with $100 million worth of crude and a Ukrainian ship loaded with 33 battle tanks.

Posted by Lisa at 10:37 AM | Permalink

What’s new for global travel this year? Tighten your belts and watch for bargains as hotels, airlines, and tour operators compete for their share of a dwindling market. Expect consolidation as big fish gobble up smaller fish to maximize profits. Travel to Asia and the Middle East will continue to rocket and social networking expand as travelers connect online with locals in countries they plan to visit.

"Ethical travel" has entered the globetrotter's lexicon. Ethical travelers choose their destinations with an eye to environment protection, social welfare, and respect for human rights. Young people, especially, understand that travel is the world’s biggest industry, giving them enormous economic clout. As travelers of all ages become more socially conscious, brands will increasingly need green certification (such as Green Globe) or endorsements to earn credibility.

Travelers will continue to benefit from Web 2.0 communities to swap information, plan trips, and connect with locals. WAYN.com offers social networking; truetravellers.com identifies volunteering opportunities at no or low cost; and tripadvisors.com boasts over 20 million user reviews. Couchsurfing.com and hospitalityclub.com promote cultural exchange and free board. Since 2004, The Couch Surfing Project has registered 900,000 members with its invitation to “participate in creating a better world, one couch at a time.”

Starwood’s Aloft sm and InterContinental Hotels Group’s Indigo boutique hotels are designed to appeal to hip, budget-conscious guests, though not necessarily “flashpackers,” the backpacker’s flashier cousin. They feature loft-like, urban-inspired design, and accessible technology. Says Starwood Sr. VP Brian McGuinness “Generation X and Y travelers who grew up with MTV, iPods, and IKEA expect great design wherever they go.” Not surprisingly, the hotel brand partnered with the popular 3D community secondlife.com to offer viewers a sneak preview of Aloft sm last September.

Business travel to Asia will continue to grow at 9% in 2009, according to Euromonitor International, and St. Regis, Four Seasons, Marriott, and Accor hotels, among others, have expanded to meet this need in Shanghai, Singapore, and Macao. Commercial travel growth is bound to increase demand for business-class flights.

Will airlines manage to reduce flight delays, lost baggage, and poor service? Perhaps not, but they are getting smarter about handling customer complaints. In 2009, Virgin America will require empathy and stress management training for all of its employees, who attend classes on such topics as politeness and conflict resolution.

Posted by Lisa at 10:31 AM | Permalink