Destination Articles - Jax Fax Travel Marketing Magazine
Transcription
Destination Articles - Jax Fax Travel Marketing Magazine
JAXFAX The Travel Agents’ Path to Profits MAY 2011 The Philippines 24 32 36 46 53 60 64 THAILAND Thai the Knot TURKEY The Aegean Coast’s Best BALTIC STATES Spotlight on Capitals MOROCCO Marrakech & Foothills INCA TRAIL Routes to Machu Picchu CARIBBEAN Top Natural Attractions ALASKA Exploring the Waterways GTT is celebrating 27 years of Professional & Reliable Services. www.gttglobal.com QANTAS SPRING INTO SUMMER COMMISSION SPECIAL DOWN UNDER F, C & Y CLASS FARES 10% PREMIUM ECONOMY FARES 10% Dallas/Ft.Worth (DFW) Non-stop to Brisbane & 1-stop to Sydney Operating MO, WE, FR & SA. New York (JFK) Daily 1 stop via Los Angeles to Sydney. Los Angeles (LAX) Daily non-stops to Sydney & Melbourne. Non-stops to Auckland & Brisbane six days per week each. Honolulu (HNL) Non-stop to Sydney on WE, FR & SU. NEW NON-STOP SERVICE H DFW-BNE WIT CONTINUING YD SERVICE TO S MAY 16, 2011 Daily code share flights operating on AA from BOS, PHL, DCA, CHI, DTW, MSP, CVG, STL, BNA, CLT, MCO, MIA, DFW, AUS, HOU, DEN, SLC, PHX, SAN, SJC, RNO, PDX & SEA The commissions shown above are for OW or RT published airfares for travel on Qantas flights only. Specific terms & conditions may apply to each published airfare and all commissions are subject to change without notice. FOR QUOTES OR RESERVATIONS VISIT GTTGLOBAL.COM OR CALL: Los Angeles Seattle Houston Dallas - HDQ Detroit 800-485-6828 248-626-9181 713-774-4946 213-251-9936 206-381-9588 GTT Accepts Agent Bookings in Amadeus, Apollo, Sabre or Worldspan. GROUP REQUESTS For international group requests, go to www.gttglobal.com and click on the Group Request Form to submit your request. 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CONTENT COVER FEATURE JAXFAX VOLUME 39, NO. 5 MAY 2011 800-952-9329 | www.jaxfax.com | Consolidators: AirSearch.jaxfax.com DEPARTMENTS & DESTINATION ARTICLES ASIA & THE SOUTH PACIFIC 24 Thai the Knot 27 Consolidator Airfares & Tour Listings 32 Turkey’s Aegean Coast – The Best of the West THE PHILIPPINES Man’s Conquest, Nature’s Bounty 18 In the idle pre-departure chitchat that invariably arose as I made my way around the country, I was made aware that many Filipinos share the perception that their country still lies somewhat off the grid for western tourists. Some joked that… 2 36 Spotlight on Baltic Capitals There must be something in the water. What else could explain the cultural surge along the Baltic’s… 37 Tallinn – Estonia EVERY MONTH PUBLISHER’S CORNER EDITOR’S DESK PARTNER’S VOICE GREEN CORNER CRUISE NEWS INDUSTRY CALENDAR BEEN THERE HAVEN’T... FAM TRIP DIRECTORY AIRLINE INTELLIGENCE MESSAGE BOARD SUPPLIERS DIRECTORY AIRFARE DESTINATIONS Indented by countless coves, inlets and bays, and studded with more than a dozen peninsulas, Turkey’s 300-mile Aegean Coast has drawn adventurers and vacationers since time immemorial. Today’s pleasure-seekers enjoy… 6 8 10 13 14 31 39 67 70 71 72 73 Tallinn may have spent centuries under foreign rule— most recently under the Soviets—but since Estonia… 40 Consolidator Airfares & Tour Listings MERRIE MURRAY RYLEY HARTT EUROPE THAILAND NTO Whether your clients are looking for the perfect backdrop to hold their nuptials or an ideal honeymoon retreat, this year the Tourism Authority of Thailand is actively seeking out new ways to place their… AFRICA & MIDDLE EAST 46 Morocco Marrakech and its Majestic Foothills Morocco’s largest city, Marrakech, is a garden of palm, orange and olive groves flourishing in the shadow of the snowcapped High Atlas. At 13,671 feet, about half that of Mount Everest, Jebel Toubkal is the tallest… 48 South Africa: A Cultural Melting Pot 50 Consolidator Airfares & Tour Listings WWW.JAXFAX.COM MAY 2011 DEPARTMENTS & DESTINATION ARTICLES CENTRAL & SOUTH AMERICA 53 Alternate Routes on the Road to Machu Picchu The Inca Trail is one of the world’s most highly soughtafter treks, a 26-mile hike (typically done in four days) that culminates at Machu Picchu, arguably the most spectacular architectural feat of the late Inca Empire. This year marks the centennial anniversary of its… IS PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY: Jet Airtransport Exchange, Inc. (JAX) 52 W Main St., Milford, CT 06460, 203-301-0255, F: 203-301-0250 Verified Audited Circulation Douglas Cooke, CTC Publisher & Editorial Director, [email protected] Randi White | [email protected] Vice President & Associate Publisher Jeff Posner | [email protected] Associate Publishing Manager | Contributing Editor PERU NTO 57 Consolidator Airfares & Tour Listings TRAVEL MARKETING MAGAZINE CARIBBEAN & BERMUDA 60 Top Natural Attractions in the Caribbean ART DEPARTMENT Chantal Guillou-Brennan | [email protected] Art & Production Director, Webmaster Away from the swank resorts, gourmet eateries and glittering casinos; the sunning, swimming and surfing, the Caribbean salutes Mother Nature with a spectacular display of natural attractions. Although many of the natural wonders can be explored on your own, organized tours are advised for expert guidance in climbing mountains, kayaking rivers and… 63 Consolidator Airfares & Tour Listings EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT Ryley Hartt | [email protected] Managing Editor Katie Hultgren | [email protected] Editorial Assistant, Listings Manager Bill Becken, West Coast Editor Lillian Africano, Cruise Editor Worldwide Correspondents Europe: Tom Bross, and Barbara Radcliffe Rogers & Stillman Rogers Central & South America: Mercedes Cardona Asia Pacific: Marian Goldberg Africa & the Middle East: Lisa Loverro Caribbean: Melanie Reffes NORTH AMERICA & HAWAII 64 Exploring Alaska’s Waterways One of the best ways to see the wonders of Alaska’s Prince William Sound and the Kenai Fjords National Park is on a boat with someone who knows them well. Tour boats that ply the glacier-lined waters of South-central Alaska are floating classrooms. National park… 66 Consolidator Airfares & Tour Listings Contributing Editors Nina Africano, Jeff Burdick, Monique Burns, Christopher Cooke, Phyllis Cocroft, Jad Davenport, Denise Dubé, Katharine Dyson, Ben Frank, Chantal Guillou-Brennan, Barry Goldsmith, Patricia Harris, Dannielle Hayes, Ted Heck, Mark Laiosa, Bob Levine, Maria Lisella, David Lyon, Denise Mattia, Merrie Murray, Betty Rolston Clifton N. Cooke, CTC. | [email protected] Founding Publisher & Editor-at-Large Circulation & Subscriptions: 800-952-9329 Katie Hultgren | [email protected] Circulation Manager INDUSTRY NEWS 68 Facebook: Next Generation Best Practices Marjorie Vincent | [email protected] Business Manager Advertising: [email protected] MAY 2011 COVER Banaue is home to the Ifuago Rice Terraces, constructed manually by native Ifuago farmers thousands of years ago, which today are recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Member of: ASTA–American Society of Travel Agents; ATA–Africa Travel Assoc.; NTA–National Tour Association; ATME–Assoc. of Travel Marketing Exec.; CHA–Carib.Hotel Assoc.; CTO–Carib. Tourism Organization; PATA–Pacific Asia Travel Assoc.; USTOA–U. S. Tour Operators Assoc; SATA; APTA.“JAX FAX Travel Marketing Magazine” (ISSN 0279-7984) is published monthly by Jet Airtransport Exchange Inc., 52 West Main Street, Milford, CT 06460. Periodicals postage paid at Milford, CT, & additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to JAX FAX Travel Marketing Magazine, 52 West Main St., Milford, CT 06460. COPYRIGHT 2010. All rights reserved. Printed in U.S.A. No part of this publication may be reproduced in print or electronically without permission. Direct requests for permission to the Publisher, JAX FAX, 52 West Main St., Milford, CT 06460 or via E-mail: [email protected] CREDIT: The Philippines National Tourist Office 4 BP :: 800-518-7781 MD :: 866-933-5963 QM :: 877-625-2942 UM :: 800-742-3006 VR :: 888-359-8228 4Q :: 877-261-7234 HU :: 888-688-8813 MK :: 800-537-1182 PG :: 866-226-4565 D3 :: 866-322-5561 GA :: 800-342-7832 8U :: 877-359-0999 WWW.JAXFAX.COM MAY 2011 www.cnhintl.com Your #1 Air Travel Consolidator With our great airline relationship partners, C&H International provides discounted fares to virtually every major destination in the world and we are committed to providing the best travel products and superb customer service to all travel professionals. 0D\ 6SHFLDOV +XUU\ %22. 12: 6HDWV 6HOOLQJ 2XW )DVW Asia ō FRPPLVVLRQ RQ SXEOLVKHG HFRQRP\ IDUHV 86 WR $VLD RQ .RUHDQ $LUOLQHV *HQHUDOO\ fuel surcharges are lower; overall price for your clients is better. ō 8S WR FRPPLVVLRQ IURP 1HZ <RUN WR $VLD RQ $VLDQD JUHDW SULFLQJ JUHDW SURGXFW ō %XVLQHVV &ODVV QHW IDUHV WR &KLQD +RQJ .RQJ -DSDQ DQG PRVW PDMRU SRLQWV LQ $VLD 0DMRU 86 DQG $VLD &DUULHUV PRVW GHVWLQDWLRQV IRU EHVW SULFLQJ XVH RQH FRQQHFWLRQ SRLQW LAX to HKG $ 619 - major LAX to PEK $ 340 - CZ LAX to ICN $ 582 - CA E uro p e JFK to HKG $554 - MU JFK to PEK $573 - MU WAS to MNL $585 - major ō 0RVW PDMRU FDUULHUV SXEOLVKHG HFRQRP\ IDUHV RI XS WR WKDW DUH UHIXQGDEOH WR PRVW GHVWLQDWLRQV LQ WKH (XURSHDQ 8QLRQ <RXU FOLHQWV HDUQ IUHTXHQW IO\HU SRLQWV WRR ō %XVLQHVV FODVV FRPPLVVLRQ DQG QHW IDUHV RQ PDQ\ FDUULHUV XS WR JFK to CDG $318 - TK JFK to FCO $318 - TK MSP to CDG $440 - FI DCA to ZRH $460 - major M i dd l e E ast LAX to LHR $250 - LX SFO to MAN $518 - major IAH to VCE $466 - SK ORD to MAD $207 - LX ō (DUQ XS WR FRPPLVVLRQ IURP &KLFDJR 'HWURLW DQG 1HZ <RUN DQG FRPPLVVLRQ IURP RWKHU 86 FLWLHV WR DOO 5R\DO -RUGDQLDQ GHVWLQDWLRQV Contact us “ C&H INTERNATIONAL has been my favorite Airline Consolidator for 9 years now, when it comes to any International itineraries! They are very responsive and quick in responding to your needs and “allowed me to earn unlimited income in the ever-changing commission structure of the airlines”... ” S. Mamuric ō &DOO IRU VSHFLDO FRPPLVVLRQ LQ %XVLQHVV &ODVV RQ (PLUDWHV IURP 86 WR DOO RQOLQH GHVWLQDWLRQV (DUQ FRPPLVVLRQ RQ \RXU (PLUDWHV VDOHV WKDW RULJLQDWH RXWVLGH 86$ JFK to TLV $458 - LX MSP to AMM $655 - major JFK to DXB $821 - QR DCA to BEY $834 - EY Af ri ca LAX to EVN $655 - VS SFO to CAI $731 - LX IAH to DAM $1182 - EK ORD to THR $572 - AZ ō (DUQ XS WR FRPPLVVLRQ IRU %XVLQHVV &ODVV WLFNHWV RQ 6RXWK $IULFDQ IURP 86$ WR RQOLQH destinations in Africa. ō :H ZRUN ZLWK PRVW FDUULHUV VHUYLQJ $IULFD DQG FDQ ILQG WKH EHVW URXWLQJ DQG SULFLQJ *RRG PDUNXS SRWHQWLDO FDOO IRU UDWHV JFK to LOS $ 626 - major JFK to ACC $612 - major MSP to ABJ $713 - major DCA to NBO $624 - major Ind ia & Sub - C o n t in e n t LAX to ADD $790 - VS SFO to JNB $622 - LX IAH to EBB $917 - major ATL to DLA $1106 - major )/< /XIWKDQVD WR ,QGLD &+ LV DQ $XWKRUL]HG $JHQW IRU /XIWKDQVD GLVFRXQW IDUHV IURP 86 WR ,QGLD 3XW \RXU FOLHQWV RQ RQH RI WKH QHZ /+ $·V DLUFUDIW RSHUDWLQJ IURP 1HZ <RUN 0LDPL DQG 6DQ )UDQFLVFR ORD to DEL $ 570 - UA LAX to BOM $650 - LX JFK to MAA $ 550 - 9W DFW to BOM $783 - major IAD to DEL $736 - major SFO to HYD $700 - 9W IAH to MAA $985 - major SEA to BLR $860 - 9W Maximize Profits with › Hotels › Cruises › Travel Insurance › Visa Services Free GDS › Amadeus › Apollo › Sabre › Worldspan *Advertised prices do not include fuel surcharges, taxes and other government imposed fee. Commission and pricing subject to change and not guaranteed until ticketed. LH will operate the A380 aircraft from San Francisco effective May 10, 2011 and from Miami beginning June 10, 2011. Best in Travel for 29 years $FFHVV RXU *UHDW GLVFRXQW GLUHFWO\ E\ EHFRPLQJ D SDUWQHU ZLWK &+ ,QWHUQDWLRQDO &KHFN $LUOLQHV LQYHQWRU\ WKURXJK RXU IUHH *'6 RIIHUV :H RIIHU FRPSHWLWLYH SULFLQJ RQ &RQVROLGDWRU 1HW DQG Commissionable fares. Contact us for details. Chicago (312) 782-2288 Dallas (972) 479-1208 Los Angeles (323) 933-2288 New York (212) 564-2189 San Francisco (415) 356-2288 Seattle (206) 223-2288 Washington D.C. (202) 223-2288 Proudly member of PUBLISHER’S CORNER By Douglas Cooke, CTC, Publisher Mexico Tourism Reaches out to Travel Agents ast year over 22 million international tourists visited Mexico. Of that number, the United States represents the single largest source of visitors to Mexico with over 3 million Americans visiting each year, a large percentage of whom booked through a travel agent. Yet when I told friends I was visiting Cancun and the Riviera Maya last week their first question was, “Is it safe”? This perception of Mexico being an unsafe place to travel was the very reason for my trip. Funjet Vacations, along with the Mexico Tourist Board, invited over 200 of their top producing agents and several travel writers to come experience the destination as well as meet with top tourism officials, hoteliers and ground operators. The message we received was loud and clear; Mexico needs travel agents spreading the word that, not only is it a safe destination, but also one that offers tremendous value for your customers. I can assure you every travel agent on this trip will be relaying that message to his or her clients. Over the course of four days, the agents experienced many of the different tours, day trips and attractions this region has to offer and every agent I spoke to would have no problem recommending a vacation here to their clients. Consumer news outlets have generated a high degree of fear among potential travelers to Mexico with their ongoing coverage of the drug violence that has taken place. What they fail to convey L 6 is the vast majority of this violence is taking place in the border towns that are thousands of miles from Mexico’s tourism areas like Cancun or Puerto Vallarta. It is the equivalent of saying you wouldn’t visit New York because of something bad happening in Texas. Of all tourists to Mexico, 99.9 % will never encounter the horrific scenes that play out on their TV’s, nor will they even feel unsafe when practicing common sense travel behavior. Mexico is looking to travel agents to be their “goodwill ambassadors” by letting their clients know they will have a safe, affordable and enjoyable vacation experience. In order to do this, agents must familiarize themselves with Mexico’s geography, be knowledgeable about the current struggles Mexico faces and be able to communicate to their clients why they should choose Mexico over other tourism destinations. Funjet has put together a number of tools you can use to sell the destination, including travel agent and consumer testimonials. These can be found at www.funjet.com\sellingmexico The tourism industry in Mexico is comprised of hard-working men and women who put their heart and soul into the product they are delivering to your clients. The food I experienced on my recent trip (at all-inclusives) was as good as I have had in the finest restaurants anywhere. The service is warm and solicitous and the value of a vacation to Mexico right now is unbeatable. I would strongly encourage our readers to educate yourselves about all this great destination has to offer and pass the word along to your clients. You will both be glad you did. WWW.JAXFAX.COM MAY 2011 THE TICKETING EXPERT Problems issuing a ticket? Simply use HR-169 e-documents! To issue e-tickets on an Hahn Air e-document (HR-169), simply follow the standard ticketing process of your GDS. 1. 2. 3. 4. Book flight segment(s) and complete booking Quick check airline(s) on www.hahnair.com Get fare quote using Hahn Air as validating carrier Issue electronic ticket on HR-169 No HR segment required for ticketing on HR-169. Log on to www.hahnair.com today to find out more about smart ticketing and to register with Hahn Air. Hahn Air Lines GmbH, Germany www.hahnair.com [email protected] Service partner and local helpdesk: Airworld Alliance Toll-free number: 1 877 HR169HR [email protected] www.croatia.hr E D I TO R ’ S D E S K — Ryley Hartt, Managing Editor Philippine Perspective f ever there were a destination that seemed to defy the standard, let’s-all-pulltogether-in-a-way-that’s-easy-to-digest kind of magazine feature, the Philippines is it. Given how tightly interwoven our countries histories have been, it’s a surprise that few Americans, even Filipino-Americans, know about this country. The history of the Philippines—at least up until 20 years ago—is all there for you to read about, but not much exists in print that can give you an accurate sense of what things are like today. I know this because I assigned myself quite a bit of reading before embarking on a recent trip, and I could hardly believe what I found. The Philippines has suffered from a lot of bad press over the years, much of it reflecting a pretty dismal (and often ethnocentric) interpretation of a society plagued by political corruption and the same globalizing processes blamed for making the world a more accessible and less exciting place. Sure, the banks and food chains and fortified compounds of Manila’s Makati district are incongruent with the surrounding neighborhoods, but what makes this phenomenon so much more offputting here than in every other city around the world? Why have so many visiting writers come here and found inspiration for strongly worded commentaries on economic disparity and the Filipino ethic of delicadeza (which, by the way, means something very different to Filipinos than it does to Westerners)? The real question in my mind is: How does one write cohesively about a country made up of 7,107 islands without indulging in tangents and clichés? Maybe that is the problem, the reason we still pull out the old “friendliest and most hospitable” line when pressed to say something about the Philippines. Maybe there is just too much to cover. About that hospitality thing: the legend of Filipino’s abounding hospitality is about as deeply entrenched, conceptually, as that of Japan’s industriousness—but why? When you consider the earlier part about the 7,107 islands, it seems a bit hyperbolic to make assertions about the warmth of the Philippines’ general populous. Yet there is an underlying story I’ve now heard shared by countless American travelers—a story I now have my own version of too— about how the casual mention of a visit to the Philippines set off a trans-continental phone tree or email exchange that invariably landed them in the home of a local friend or relative—maybe even three or four times removed—trying to recount the steps that led them there over heaping piles of garlic rice, lechon and adobo. Maybe it has something to do with the abundance of Filipinos living here in the U.S.—at least two million, according to the last census— many of whom are 3rd and 4th generations who are keen on going back and retracing their roots. The Philippine Department of Tourism (PDOT) is certainly aware of this market potential, and has several programs in place to lure these visitors home. The Ambassadors, Consul Generals, and Tourism Directors Tour (ACGTDT), now on its sixth year, is held every July and led by top officials of the Philippine Embassies and Consulates from North America, attracting hundreds of participants to visit top tourist destinations and have the unique opportunity to visit Malacañan Palace for a luncheon and photo op with the President. The Pinoy Homecoming Program (www.pinoyhomecoming.com), will be launched in key U.S. cities to entice Filipino-Americans, overseas organizations, business groups, etc. to visit the country for vacations, reunions, conferences and missions with incentives and special privileges. I would strongly encourage you to familiarize yourselves with this destination by reading up on the Philippines Specialist Program and other resources that are at your disposal, so that you can share the joy of this destination with you clients. Photo by: Ivo Pervan I Sail into beauty. Imagine the flap of the sails in the warm Adriatic breeze, the playful splashing of the sea and the rush of the waves against the boat as you discover the secrets of the unique Dalmatian coast. Feel freedom in every breath you take. Croatia. Sounds good. Croatian National Tourist Office New York 800-829-4416 [email protected] 8 WWW.JAXFAX.COM MAY 2011 PARTNER’S VOICE By Richard B. Earls Social Media and Authentic Creativity or many travel agents, social marketing and media has proven its worth. Those who have succeeded using Facebook, Twitter and the like to generate business are actively engaged by being both creative and authentic. No doubt, the fundamental marketing tactics of local, community oriented public relations, networking and advertising are far more important and necessary to most travel agents than any social marketing efforts will ever be. However, layer your social marketing tactics on top of a solid foundation of fundamentals and truly excellent results can be the order of the day. What works? Firstly, narrow your social marketing platforms to one or two and then become an expert. Once you decide on a media choice, make a study of it and work hard at perfecting your online persona, and the ins and outs of the technical side of the media. Assist others with learning as well. Be useful to others and your online reputation will soar. Be interesting. These platforms demand creative content. Part of being creative and engaging in social marketing is accepting the fact that not all feedback will be complimentary or even gracious. You, however, need to be complimentary and gracious. Everything you say can and will be used against you in the court of public opinion. Keep in mind that you will live with your posts, so think twice and choose wisely. F To make friends and gain followers, be a friend and be a follower. Everyone is a peer in social media. When you follow others, they are more likely to follow you. Participate and engage. Exchange ideas. Forward good ideas to others with proper credit and take part. Have fun with social marketing. Be a human first and a marketer secondly. Facebook, Twitter and online forums are all about relationships. Don’t forget to inject every ounce of personality you can muster into your efforts, filtered by an intelligent professional persona – a balancing act but crucial. Know your demographic well and speak with it – not to it. Remember to engage clients in conversations, not one-way commercial dialogue. Give them a quick a reason to speak with you – remember it’s all about them and the benefit to them. Don’t stream out a constant flow of “travel specials” to your audience. Boring! Demonstrate your expertise. Help out with problems. Talk to issues about which your community cares. Every now and then, let them know about a truly amazing special if one is out there for them, but the point, as Nolan Burris reminds us, is to socialize. If you come across as though you are trying to monetize your position or their attention, the community will turn you off. Cross-market and cross-reference your brand through the various media you use. If you are using Facebook, build a Page as well as a Profile and feature your website. In your Continued on page 69 ☛ Paris... ...non-stop Non-stop from New York and Las Vegas to Paris nd starting May 22 Contact XL Airways France at : 1-877-496-9889 XL Airways France SA au capital de 17 997 200 €. RCS : Bobigny B401 858 659. Photo : Fotolia. Conception : . 10 or [email protected] Ticket in 1S, 1A, 1V, 1P WWW.JAXFAX.COM MAY 2011 GREEN CORNER — By Mike Kong & the NYPATA Green Team GREAT IDEAS THAT MAY WIN AN OVERNIGHT IN D.C. ur committee is pleased to have received many thoughtful and innovative suggestions from you readers and other members of the travel trade. We have taken a representative sampling to share with you. These and other submissions are eligible to win that overnight at the fabulous Fairmont Washington D.C. The drawing will be held next month, so get your emails in soon, and good luck! O Sell Fairmont labeled stainless steel water bottles in the rooms for a reasonable price. Then provide purified water refill stations throughout the hotel, and drastically cut down on plastic water bottles. And get free advertising when bottles are reused back home and in the gym. This is not only a good eco idea, it’s a great commercial one, too. This is the type of thinking that Dr. Noel Brown, former director of the UN Environment Program, calls market power becoming green power - the convergence of the environment and the bottom line. Use the old linens in a recycling program for hotels to make cloth laundry bags. The cloth laundry bag is a muchneeded shift in the hospitality industry (they have them in hotels in the Far East but when I mentioned this to the AHMA in the US, some expressed the view that the cloth bags would become ‘souvenirs’ and would be too costly to replace so often). Do not have as much grass and go to more ground cover to save on gas and emissions. The idea of using native ground cover vs. non-indigenous grasses is taking root in some areas, especially small independent developments. It saves water, reduces pollution and attracts native fauna while reducing energy and mainMAY 2011 tenance costs. In addition, with help from organizations such as Audubon, and golf course architects such as Columbus, Ohio-based Michael Hurdzan, more and more major golf resorts are starting to morph into sustainable properties. Hotels can provide recycling bins for plastic and papers in the rooms. Believe it or not, peer pressure prevents a lot of people from going green. I have seen students mocked for walking to a recycling bin rather than trashing a juice can. Imagine a shift in psychology when green becomes ‘cool’. Until then, it would be a terrific step forward for hoteliers to provide bins in the rooms for both waste and recyclables so people don’t have to go the extra step to the recycling bin. It’s up to us in the travel trade to make it as convenient to recycle as it is to trash. People learn best when they learn from personal experience and the more often they see bits and hints of a greener lifestyle, eventually it will become ‘second nature’. WWW.JAXFAX.COM 13 WORLDWIDE CRUISE NEWS SPONSORED BY . . . The Mediterranean’s Global Appeal By Lillian Africano perfect storm of events leading up to the spring/fall season has made Mediterranean cruising bigger than ever. Not only does Europe continue to enjoy top ranking on consumer wish lists, but with so many parts of the world suffering from political unrest or the aftermath of natural disasters, the Med becomes especially appealing. As a result, cruise lines are ramping up their presence there, adding new ships, new itineraries and new ports—and lingering longer. Carnival, which has not had a full season the Med for three years, has returned with its newest ship, the Carnival Magic, and a schedule of seven-, nine- and 12-day itineraries operating round-trip from Barcelona. This marks the first time the line has home ported a ship in Barcelona, a popular destination packed with tourist attractions. Foremost are the stunning architectural wonders of Antonio Gaudi, including the Sagrada Familia and Park Güell; excellent museums (the Picasso and Miro Museums have special appeal for art lovers); an exceptional aquarium; fine restaurants (some offering tapas and flamenco); and enticing shopping along Las Ramblas. In response to passenger demand, some lines have built one- or multi-night stays in departure ports into their cruise itineraries or cruise packages. Crystal Cruises Symphony spends two days in Monte Carlo on its 11-day “Gaudi and the Gods” sailing. Holland America Line, which is specializing in longer cruises of 10 to 28 days and sending four ships to the Med for the summer season, is featuring one- to two-night stays in Athens, Istanbul, Marseille and Venice—and extended evening stays in ports that have a lively night life such as Monte Carlo, Santorini and Barcelona. Holland America has also added new ports. The 21-day “Mediterranean Medley” aboard the Ryndam features a visit STILLMAN ROGERS A Costa Brava, Spain to the less-visited Sète, France, and Sardinia, Italy. While Sète is a small fishing village offering off-the-beaten track experiences like walking the hills and beaches or dining on the freshest of seafood, Sardinia (which has dazzling beaches and clear water) is home to high-end tourist resorts, dramatic palaces and churches and centuries-old fortifications. The line’s newest ship, the Nieuw Amsterdam, will sail the 12-day “Mediterranean Romance,” 12-day “Tapestry” and 12day “Empires itineraries,” and two seven-day cruises mid-season. Europe will also be big for Royal Caribbean; the 2011 deployment will be an increase from eight ships to 11—with 109 itineraries ranging from three to 15 nights. Mariner of the Seas will debut in the Med and homeport in Rome from March through October, sailing seven- and 12-night Mediterranean cruises. Splendour of the Seas will homeport in Venice, offering 10- and 11-night Greek Isles and Turkey itineraries. With ships that homeport in Rome (Civitavecchia), there is an expanded opportunity to explore at length the Eternal City’s FOR TRAVEL AGENTS ONLY (800) 644-1595 www.yallatours.com [email protected] 14 WWW.JAXFAX.COM MAY 2011 EXPLORE THE WONDERS OF THE MEDITERRANEAN Louis Cruises offers exciting destinations including the $BOBSZ *TMBOET $ZQSVT 'SBODF (JCSBMUBS (SFFDF (SFFL *TMBOET *TSBFM *UBMZ .BMUB .PSPDDP 1PSUVHBM 4QBJO BOE 5VSLFZ. Contact us today for more information. LEBRATING CE • YEARS LOUIS 19 4 –1 3 LOU Day Cr uises • Ki IS M AJEST ds Cruise FREE! R AL Y • LOUI S CRISTAL • CALYPSO • ORIENT QUEEN • CO For Louis Cruises brochure and information: E-mail: [email protected] • Call: (877) 568-4787 www.louiscruises.com .FNCFS PG 3 5 - 2 0 11 • 76 WORLDWIDE CRUISE NEWS Meet the best of the best close to home and learn their secrets for sales success at our CLIA seminars offered in the cities below. It’s not just here and there, it’s profit building strategies everywhere. ARIZONA LOUISIANA OHIO Cincinnati . . . . . .5/17/11 Tucson . . . . . . . . .6/21/11 New Orleans/ Scottsdale . . . . . .6/23/11 Kenner. . . . . . . . .4/26/11 Dayton . . . . . . . . .5/19/11 MASSACHUSETTS OKLAHOMA CALIFORNIA Beverly Hills . . . .5/10/11 Waltham . . . . . . .6/7/11 Oklahoma City/ Midwest City . . . .5/19/11 Long Beach . . . . .5/10/11 MARYLAND San Diego . . . . . .5/12/11 Annapolis . . . . . .4/26/11 OREGON MICHIGAN Salem. . . . . . . . . .6/7/11 Westlake Village . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5/12/11 Grand Rapids . . . 5/17/11 Beaverton . . . . . .6/9/11 Anaheim . . . . . . .6/14/11 East Lansing . . . .5/19/11 TENNESSEE Chattanooga . . . .5/5/11 San Jose . . . . . . .6/14/11 Detroit(APO)/ Temecula. . . . . . .6/16/11 Romulus . . . . . . .6/30/11 TEXAS MISSOURI Sugar Land . . . . .4/28/11 San Ramon . . . . .6/16/11 Springfield. . . . . .6/21/11 San Antonio. . . . .5/17/11 COLORADO Kansas City . . . . .6/23/11 UTAH Fort Collins . . . . .5/26/11 NORTH CAROLINA St George. . . . . . .5/10/11 FLORIDA Research Triangle 6/7/11 Salt Lake City . . .5/12/11 West Palm Beach Greensboro . . . . .6/9/11 VIRGINIA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6/14/11 NEW HAMPSHIRE Norfolk. . . . . . . . .4/28/11 Melbourne. . . . . .6/16/11 Nashua . . . . . . . .6/9/11 Fredericksburg . .5/24/11 GEORGIA NEW JERSEY Williamsburg. . . .5/26/11 Atlanta . . . . . . . . .5/3/11 Toms River . . . . .6/28/11 WISCONSIN HAWAII Cherry Hill. . . . . .6/30/11 Milwaukee(APO) 6/28/11 Honolulu . . . . . . .4/20/11 NEW MEXICO CANADA - BC KENTUCKY Albuquerque . . . .5/24/11 Victoria. . . . . . . . .5/24/11 Louisville . . . . . . .5/3/11 NEW YORK Vancouver-DWTN 5/26/11 Lexington. . . . . . .5/5/11 Rochester . . . . . .5/3/11 All the tools for cruising sales success. All in one place. This is CLIA. To learn more about CLIA membership or CLIA’s performance enhancing training WYVNYHTZ HUK *LY[PÄJH[PVUZ ]PZP[ ^^^JY\PZPUNVYN VY JHSS 16 NCL shore excursion NCL attractions: the Vatican Museum, the Sistine Chapel, the Coliseum, and many more. Venice, too, has a special appeal, from the sidewalk cafes in St. Mark’s Square, where visitors sip delicious coffee and listen to the orchestra in the piazza play one romantic melody after another, to the Doges Palace, the glassmaking studios in Murano and the Rialto Market. Royal Caribbean’s Liberty of the Seas will sail her maiden Europe season from Barcelona and Grandeur of the Seas will be the line’s first ship to homeport at Palma de Mallorca, Spain—known as “The Pearl of the Balearic Islands” and a destination where passengers will find a lot to do. In addition to excellent shopping (prices are gentler than in Europe’s big cities), there is a stately Gothic cathedral, the 14th century Bellver Castle, an underground cave system known as Cuevas de Drach, a large marine park, and the Almudaina—an Arab fortress that was turned into a royal castle in the 14th century. Independence of the Seas will continue its year-round service from Southampton, U.K. and, with Liberty of the Seas, make two Freedom-class ships to sail European waters as the largest cruise ships. Navigator of the Seas, Voyager of the Seas, Adventure of the Seas, Brilliance of the Seas, and Splendour of the Seas will sail a variety of Mediterranean itineraries. Oceania’s new Marina makes her inaugural tour of the Mediterranean starting in April. Her itineraries include: The 10day “Pearls of the Mediterranean”, from Barcelona to Rome; the 16-day “Epicurean Connoisseur,” from Barcelona to Copenhagen and the most noteworthy 16-day “Tastes of Europe,” which features cooking classes by Master Chef Jacques Pepin and which sails from London to Rome. For passengers who prefer the intimate cruise experience, all three Windstar ships will sail the Med this year, with seven-day itineraries from April through November. Seabourn ships also sail seven-day itineraries during this period. Passengers who want off-the-beaten-track experiences will find them during cruises like those offered by Tauck on the 56-passenger yacht, Le Ponant, which can call at places that are inaccessible to larger vessels. The yacht’s various 11-day Med cruises include calls at Lipari, the largest of the Aeolian Islands; Castellammare in northwest Sicily; Ortigia Island, the historical center of the city of Syracuse, Sicily; Ponza, the largest island in Italy’s Pontine Archipelago; the Corsican port of Bonifacio, home to the former barracks of the French Foreign Legion; and the island of Elba, where the most famous resident was the exiled Napoleon Bonaparte, who lived there with his sister before he escaped from exile. Other lines are well represented in the Mediterranean, too: Norwegian, Princess, MSC, Costa and Crystal (which becomes all-inclusive in 2012), to name a few. With all this activity, it’s clear that Med cruises come in all sizes (most from seven to 12 days) and in all prices, from about $500 to “thesky-is-the-limit.” At any price point, a Med cruise represents solid value that is likely to result in repeat bookings. Mediterranean means “center of the world,” and while this was literally true in classical times, today it means that a Med cruise offers passengers a rich smorgasbord of cultural and historic experiences. Expressing a sentiment that could be industry-wide, Holland America’s Rick Meadows, CTC, executive vice president, marketing, sales and guest programs, said: “In 2011, we are catering to a broader range of interests as the appeal of cruising Europe continues to grow. By expanding our cruise opportunities—both in new ports and varied itineraries—we expect to entice both first-time and seasoned cruisers.” In other words, there’s something for everyone. WWW.JAXFAX.COM MAY 2011 ISRAEL The Holy Land Sunny Land Tours Announces 15% Commissions On all Israel packages, including combination packages Yes, you heard it correctly. Book 2 travelers and get the commission for 3. 15% commission on all Israel packages, including Jordan and Egypt combinations when you book any deluxe category tour by May 31, 2011, valid for travel by December 15, 2011. HOLY LAND JOURNEY 7 Days from $549 Guaranteed Departures through February 2012 Packages featuring Jerusalem,Tel Aviv and Bethlehem plus Qumran, Dead Sea, Massada, Tiberias and more... John P. Hart, CTC General Manager, Sunny Land Tours “Make sure you have a supply of our 2011 brochures valid for travel to February, 2012. Destination Israel "The Holy Land" brochures, featuring 4 terrific standalone packages in Israel plus popular extension combinations to Egypt and Jordan. Recommend Israel this year and make your clients dream come true. Recommend Sunny Land Tours, operating tours to the Middle East, Mediterranean, and North Africa for over 45 years.” HOLY LAND JOURNEY 7 Days from $549 Featuring: Jerusalem, Bethlehem,Tiberias, Nazareth and more. HOLY LAND TOUR 8 Days from $1,299 Comprehensive tours visiting the holiest sites in Israel. Weekly departures. CLASSIC TOUR 9 Days from $1,599 Featuring guided tours in Tel Aviv, Haifa, Galilee, Jerusalem, Massada, and more. More reasons to offer Israel & Sunny Land to your clients: Tour Performance Warranty. 1 Million Dollar USTOA Travelers Assistance. Free Inspection Trips on Group Bookings. Year Round Individual Complimentary Inspection Fam Trips: www.HotFamTrips.com SHALOM FLY DRIVE ISRAEL 8 Days, Daily arrival from $999 Featuring 7 Nights select Dan Hotels Haifa, Jerusalem and Tel Aviv with car rental SUNNY LAND® TOURS, INC. Call us for complimentary brochures: 1-800-783-7839 For a selection of programs, visit: www.IsraelHotDeals.com The Philipines RYLEY HARTT Man’s Conquest, Nature’s Bounty St. Paul’s Underground River By Ryley Hartt n the idle pre-departure chitchat that invariably arose as I made my way around the country, I was made aware that many Filipinos share the perception that their country still lies somewhat off the grid for western tourists. Some joked that if it were not for the spouses and families of these Filipino-Americans returning to visit their native country, American travelers would be a rare sight. That alone was reason enough for me to want to explore further, as I suspect it would be incentive for many Americans. But in fact, this is not true. According to last year’s arrivals statistics, the U.S. ranked as the second main source market behind Korea, with 600,165 visitors for a share of 17 percent of total tourist traffic. The beauty is that in a country with such diverse offerings as the Philippines, it’s not hard for 600,165 visitors to find exactly what they’re after and quickly blend in. The New York director for the PDOT, Emma Ruth Yulo, outlined the country’s key assets as follows: second in the world with the most number of islands, a coastline that is nearly double that of the continental U.S., the kind of cultural diversity afforded by 17 distinct regions and 171 living languages (balanced by the fact that 95 percent of Filipinos speak and understand English), 8 UNESCO World Heritage Sites and countless other locales that are steeped in the Philippines own astonishing history. Add to that world-class medical care, shopping, hotels and resorts—all among the least expensive in the region. Thus, the position of the PDOT is that “the key to reaching the country’s tourism potential” lies simply “in being able Of course, opportunities like these already exist all over the Philippines. Some of the best known include the Banaue Rice Terraces, built into the Cordillera mountains near Baguio City by the Ifugao Tribe over 2,000 years ago; the Tubbattaha Reef, one of only two reefs in the world to have been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO; the Chocolate Hills in Bohol, a natural phenomenon consisting of 1,268 hills shaped like Hershey’s Kisses that span over 20 miles across three towns; and the world’s longest underground river, found at Puerto Princesa Subterranean National Park in Palawan. 18 PHILIPPINE NTO – GEORGE TAPAN I Chocolate Hills in Bohol to effectively underscore these assets in a region that is the world’s fastest growing, tourism-wise.” The passing of the 2009 Tourism Act and the assumption of President Benigno Aquino’s new administration last June has ushered in a renewed spirit and confidence for the Philippines to promote itself as a premier Asian tourist destination. The law streamlined the efforts of the PDOT and provided for the establishment of the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), an institution tasked with the designation, regulation, and supervision of tourism enterprise zones in strategic areas of the country. According to Ms. Yulo, the PDOT is actively “developing new tourism products to sustain arrival growth, to be served by improved infrastructure that takes into account traveler taste and requirements. Visitors now wish to be active while traveling, to do things, add new experiences, interact with—if not contribute to—local communities.” WWW.JAXFAX.COM Manila’s Melting Pot In order to get to any of these, arriving visitors must pass through Manila—a true melting pot whose unique flavor profile often seems to be underappreciated by visitors who expect to pass through it like a cafeteria line. To appreciate Manila, one must have some contextual understanding of its influences and pick a few ingredients to fish out and examine more closely. For a crash course on the history of Spanish rule, visitors must head to the walled city of Intramuros, which dates back to the 1600s. The focal point is San Agustin Church, which remains remarkably intact after surviving invasions, earthquakes and American bombs (sometimes 300 a day) during the Japanese occupation of Intramuros in WWII that effectively leveled everything else around it. Not bad for a building constructed of adobe bricks from the Pasig riverbed and held together with egg whites and molasses. The careful preservation of the religious icons in the church museum, many of them handcarved dolls modeled after saints, tells much about their significance to a country MAY 2011 Make one inquiry and receive multiple quotes from USACA Members Brazilian Travel Service www.btstravelonline.com DFW Tours www.dfwtours.com Hari World Travel www.hariworld.com C&H International www.cnhintl.com FaresForAgents.com www.faresforagents.com International Air Consolidators www.iacfares.com Centrav www.centrav.com Grand Holidays www.grandholidays.net Sky Bird Travel www.skybirdtravel.com Cosmopolitan Travel Service www.ctsfares.com GTT Global www.gttglobal.com Trans Am Travel www.transamtravel.com Turn air travel into a serious revenue stream Take to the Air United States Air Consolidator Association www.usaca.com between Manila and Corregidor, departing at 8 A.M. and returning at 3:45. Malls and Monuments PHILIPPINE NTO that today claims to be 81 percent Catholic. There is also Fort Santiago, the primary Spanish defense fortress built by Miguel López de Legazpi. Here, Dr. Jose Rizal, Philippine national hero and martyr, whose death precipitated the Philippine Revolution, was imprisoned and executed for sedition by the Spanish colonizers. Today Fort Santiago stands as a tribute to him, and houses artifacts that tell his story, including his final words that were inscribed in a poem on the eve of his execution and hidden in his cooking stove for his family to find. Rizal is also commemorated in the center of the city at the site of his execution, now aptly named Rizal Park, where a memorial depicting his tragic end before a firing squad stands in close proximity to the country’s tallest flagpole. Fact: the horizontal blue and red stripes of the Philippine flag fly with the blue stripe on top except in time of conflict. Metropolitan Manila is actually comprised of 16 smaller cities and one municipality. After the long flight clients will be on the lookout for a comfy place to knock off their jetlag, and Pasay City and Makati—both within a short drive from Ninoy Aquino Int’l Airport—offer great accommodations. In Pasay City, just up the road from the Mall of Asia, the Sofitel Philippine Plaza (www.sofitel.com) resides in the Cultural Center of the Philippines overlooking Manila Bay. With nightly cultural shows in its Sunset Bar, the Sofitel shares the duty of preserving Filipino arts and culture along with its neighbors. Guests may indulge in fine dining in the flagship restaurant Spiral, or take a short ride down Roxas Blvd to the Dampa, a combination wet market and food court where they can purchase fresh seafood and produce from the vendors lining the market side and take it to one of the restaurants next door to have it prepared any way they like. For a full day excursion, clients can walk down to the Sun Cruises Terminal early in the morning to catch a fast ferry to Corregidor Island. Chocolate Hills: and Filipino forces in defense of Bataan. When commanding General MacArthur was called away to Australia to plan and – execute his Southwest Pacific Command, eventually culminating in the successful liberation of the Philippines – Japanese forces laid siege to the tiny island of Corregidor and overwhelmed the troops stationed there under Gen. Wainwright. On January 22, 1945 MacArthur’s troops made good on his promise to return and retook the island from the air. Today much of the island is covered by natural foliage, inviting birdwatchers and hikers, but the real attraction lies on the bottom side where the head connects with the tail. The Malinta Tunnel, where both sides holed up and held out as long as they could, now offers a light and sound presentation chronicling the furious battles and historic moments that took place here. If you decide to send your clients here, be sure to look up Steve Kwiecinski ([email protected]), who has made it his life’s work to study the often misrepresented history of what occurred on the island where his father bravely served, and to set the facts straight one tour group at a time. Sun Cruises (www.corregidorphilippines.com) operates two fast ferries Located at the entrance of Manila Bay, roughly an hour and fifteen minutes by boat, this tadpole-shaped island played a strategic role for naval defense of the capital city during WWII. The island is only 6 km long and 2.4 km wide at the head, with a rocky landscape and flat topside that at one time held a total of 136 artillery canons and mortars used by the American 20 PHILIPPINE NTO – GEORGE TAPAN The Rock Taal Volcano WWW.JAXFAX.COM Manila American Cemetary, which resides just outside of the Makati Business District east of Pasay City, is the other must-see WWII memorial. Here lie 17,202 American and Filipino troops, buried under marble headstones arranged in concentric circles over 152 acres of land. A white chapel at the south end contains a stunning mosaic Madonna figure scattering flowers for the heroic dead. In front of the chapel lies a wide terrace with 25 mosaic maps illustrating the achievements of the American Armed forces and the names of 36,282 soldiers whose bodies were never recovered. Makati City favors shopping, dining and nightlife along Ayala Blvd. with a cluster of shopping centers that include the more local flavor of Market! Market! and more upscale Greenbelt 5. Guests at the Manila Peninsula Hotel (www.peninsula.com) may not ever wish to stray from the topnotch cuisine offered at Spices restaurant or the intoxicatingly nostalgic atmosphere of Salon de Ning, but should they choose to there are dozens of restaurants and bars lining the outdoor terraces of Greenbelt 5 just across the street that come alive when the sun goes down. Exploring the Final Frontier Having sampled some of what Manila has to offer, your clients may be ready to escape to the outdoors and unwind. For beach lovers and adventure seekers, Palawan’s 1,200 miles of coastline and vast tracts of virgin forest—and the fact that it’s the westernmost province—have earned it the nickname “the final frontier.” From Manila there are three to five flights daily (morning and afternoon) to Puerto Princesa and you can choose between Philippine Airlines, Air Philippines and Cebu-Pacific. Its just an hour and twentyminute flight from Manila to the laid-back capital of Puerto, and mere miles from the airport to Honda Bay, where water taxis wait to escort your clients to a picnic cabana on any one of the tiny islands dotting the bay’s pristine waters and shallow reefs. For serious diving, Puerto Princesa offers access to Tubbataha Reef, though there is just a brief window during the months of April and May when the wind and water conditions will allow it. The St. Paul Underground River—also called Puerto Princesa Underground River National Park—is actually found further MAY 2011 MAY 2011 RYLEY HARTT north in the village of Sabang and, unlike the reef, this draws crowds almost every day of the year. A new road to Sabang has cut travel time to roughly an hour and a half by car, and the stunning scenery will leave passengers wishing it were just a bit longer. Speeding around switchback turns as they wind up into the mountain villages whose stilted sawale huts line the road, visitors are treated to the sight of uniformed schoolchildren making the hike to school, water buffalo dragging sleds out to the rice paddies, buses heavily laden with cargo (sometimes human) dangling precipitously from their roofs, children not yet of school age sometimes straddling the metal girders lining the road like mile markers, and—depending on the season—they may see farmers spreading their rice harvest out across the bare road to bake in the sun. Daluyon Beach is ideally set in a tranquil alcove in the shadow of the garguatuan limestone formation known as St. Paul mountain, which the underground river passes directly underneath, emptying out into the sea. Dayulon Beach Resort (www.daluyonresort.com), with just 16 rooms and it’s own intimate beach befitting its very intimate style of service, is Water taxi in Sabang village departing for the St. Paul Underground River National Park one of those rare resorts that knows just how to make any guest want to come back. From here it’s just a five-minute walk down the beach to where the water taxis line up to ferry passengers to the mouth of the underground river. There is also a hiking path, but everyone who plans to enter the national park must register and get a permit. Only 600 people are allowed to enter on any given day, which might sound like a lot, but there is an over- WWW.JAXFAX.COM whelming demand and the local authorities are making an earnest effort to provide access while keeping it sustainable and well protected. At the mouth, passengers load into canoes and follow the beam of a flashlight connected to a car battery in the bow while a guide leads them partially up the 8.2 km river, pointing out stalagmites, stalactites and several enormous caverns teeming with bats. Continued on page 25 ☛ 21 E X C L U S I V E I N T E RV I E W — By Ryley Hartt With Emma Ruth Yulo, Director of Philippine Department of Tourism, NY How is the Philippine Department of Tourism working to enhance its product awareness in the North American market? The Philippine Department of Tourism (PDOT) continues to undertake programs to enhance awareness in North America. These include: a web-based travel agent specialist program (www.travelagentacademy.com); consumer and trade show participation; assistance to tour operators with Philippine packages; government-sponsored educational trips for travel trade; co-sponsorships with travel partners; joint marketing efforts with other Asian destinations like the Asia Now Group (www.DiscoverAsiaNow.com); media press trips and occasional ads in both trade and consumer publications. We wish we could do more, but despite the dearth in ads and media coverage, the viability of the Philippines as a strong tourist destination has resulted in continuous arrival growths, especially from the North American market. In January, North American arrivals increased by more than 15 percent over last year. How much concern is there for sustainability in paving the way for steady increases in visitor volume? The Philippines has been among the first to embrace ecotourism; encouraging green tourism for accommodation and transportation facilities as well as for public recreational areas like beaches, highlands, parks. Incentives are offered to tourism suppliers that adopt green technology. Social Tourism is another trend. PDOT has formalized its partnership with the Gawad Kalinga (GK) Community Development Foundation, Inc. for the development of community-based tourism enterprises in selected sites nationwide. PDOT supports GK’s world-acclaimed projects for personal and corporate volunteers to build houses for the urban poor and provide them with basic needs and skills to pursue livelihood opportunities. GK’s “Balikbayani” Program neatly dovetails with the “Mabuhay” Program of the PDOT as both are geared toward inviting overseas Filipinos and foreigners to visit GK sites and be motivated to help raise funds to build houses and undertake complementary programs for the less fortunate. In fact, a number of tour packages now in22 clude 1-2 days of community service, building communities for the poor; and has been one of our most gratifying tour components. Are there any travel trends or growth patterns that you are focused on in the near future? The 2010 World Travel Market Global Trends Report revealed that Asia is poised to lead both inbound and outbound travel over the next years, with a marked increase in regional demand for luxury breaks. For much less money, one may enjoy the trappings of luxury—good food, idyllic landscapes, chauffeur-driven limousines, daily massages, beauty treatments, and other forms of pampering in the Philippines. The Philippines offers visitors numerous options by which to mend the body and soothe mind and soul. There are 5-star resorts and exclusive spas offering treatments at par with the world’s best. And there are many world-class medical facilities staffed by well-trained professionals performing excellent elective and non-elective procedures. All these are rendered with the Filipino brand of caring. The Philippines is now attracting the cruise market, especially because cruise lines are opting more and more to deploy ships in Asia. This year was our second participation at Cruise Shipping Miami. We expect to capture more of the MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) market. After all, the Philippines’ Convention Center in Manila was Asia’s first and biggest. Its Plenary Hall can seat 5,000. For smaller meetings, there are endless possibilities in various islands of the Philippines. Our English-speaking population is also one of Asia’s most artistic and creative; rendering it much easier to organize and create spectacular and memorable events. We are looking to be active again at IT&ME or “The Motivation Show,” IMEX America and ASAE. Are there any special travel interests that you ‘ve seen develop in the U.S. market? Have these had any influence on your 2011 marketing plan? Definitely. The PDOT continues to identify North American special interest market segments, especially those in which the Philippines has distinct advantages. Our waters host over 2,000 marine WWW.JAXFAX.COM species and over 400 of the world’s 500 known corals making it the world’s true epicenter of marine biodiversity. Yes, we are at the center of the world’s coral triangle! This has been proven by the pre-eminent scientist Dr. Terence Gosliner. We have been participating in dive shows like the annual DEMA Show and regional dive shows like Beneath the Sea, Our World Underwater, Scuba Dive Show and Tacoma Dive Show. Ad placements, editorial and dive articles in dive magazines, testimonials and seminars conducted by American dive experts, have contributed to the Philippines’ becoming the buzz word in diving. Are there any emerging destinations to report on? The Philippines is developing its port facilities and infrastructure for the cruise industry. We are a member of the Cruise Southeast Asia working group and, through cooperative campaigns with ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations now with 10 members), cruise itineraries running through the member countries, will be promoted. Brand new and refurbished tourism facilities are sprouting all over the country. Shangri-la inaugurated its 5th property in Boracay. Radisson Blu opened its first hotel in Asia in Cebu, Philippines. Bella Roca in Marinduque, Misibis Bay and a few others now offer alternatives for celebrities who have frequented the topnotch Amanpulo in Palawan. At the same time, PDOT has beefed up support for bed-and-breakfast facilities in dozens of centuries-old Spanish lighthouses and the establishment of provincial museums and heritage villages. What are some other resources available to North American travel agents to help them research and book travel to the Philippines? MAY 2011 Save the Date: Cultural Events & Festivals The Philippine Department of Tourism is offering the Philippines Specialist Program (PSP) to all US and Canada-based travel agents who are interested to know more about the country and become travel specialists of the Philippines. This current four-seminar interactive course presents the Philippines’ major destinations and demonstrates how these can appeal to your clients’ special interests, including the Philippines’ rich history, famous world heritage sites, exotic beaches and islands, fabulous shopping, world-renowned pampering, colorful festivals and delectable cuisine. We have developed an online educational module for travel professionals who want to specialize on Philippine travel and tourism by logging on to www.travelagentacademy.com and undergoing a short online training program in four modules. Passing the exam will award a certificate of completion to the travel agent as a certified Philippine specialist. PDOT also conducts global travel events with the Philippine Travel Exchange (PHITEX) usually held in Manila; and the Philippine International Tourism Fair (PITF), Cebu, is mainly geared towards tour operators so that they are able to expand product offerings to their agents. PHITEX is an institutional mechanism in forging business tie-ups between international buyers and local sellers of tour packages. PITF is a venue for travel agents (including tour operators, travel agencies, retailers, corporate travel planners, specialized tour companies, incentive travel, wellness program organizers and medical tourism intermediaries, among others) to check out which among the country’s finest tourism destinations, products and services they could offer to their clients in their respective countries. These foreign buyers will have pre-schedules and one-on-one business meetings with local sellers of tourism packages during the PITF’s Travel Market Exchange (Tramex). The Philippine Department of Tourism maintains four (4) offices in the US: New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco. The New York is also responsible for Eastern Canada; Chicago for Middle Canada, and San Francisco for Western Canada. Los Angeles also covers Mexico and other South American countries. Our offices are equipped with promotional material, maps and whatever information may be needed to effect travel to the Philippines. To find the PDOT office nearest you, visit www.tourism.gov.ph MAY 2011 Ati-Atihan In Kalibo, Aklan in the island of Panay on the third weekend of January on the 2nd Sunday after the Epiphany. Ati-Atihan is the greatest, most colorful and fun festival in the Philippines featuring native dance competitions pitched to rhythmic and mesmerizing drumbeats that run nonstop for several days. Since the world-renowned beaches of Boracay are within Aklan Province, many visitors extend their visit to include a restful sojourn in Boracay. Pahiyas Festival In Lucban, Quezon Province, on May 15. Pahiyas is an annual celebration held in honor of San Isidro Labrador, the patron saint of farmers, in thanksgiving for abundant harvests. Pahiyas literally means decorating the walls of houses with “kiping”, a native delicacy made from ground rice and flour then dyed in various radiant colors. Flores De Mayo and Santacruzan Celebrated throughout the country, on May 1 - May 31. Catholic parishes and other community organizations all over the islands celebrate “Flores de Mayo” with 9day novenas during which the decades of the Rosary are recited and children offer flowers in Her honor. Traditionally, the Santacruzan is a sunset religious procession-parade held on the last day of the novena that fetes the Virgin’s many virtues. In metropolitan areas, the Santacruzan has evolved to be a veritable fashion show with celebrities and beauty queens wearing gowns by top fashion designers of the country. MassKara Festival On October 1-20, the weeklong festival is held each year in Bacolod City, the capital of Negros Occidental province. The term was coined from two words: Mass meaning “a multitude of the people” and the Spanish word Cara meaning “face”. The festival features a street dance competition, the MassKara Queen beauty pageant, carnivals, marching band competitions, food festivals, sports events, musical concerts, and trade fairs, garden shows. Panagbenga Held in Baguio City, on February 1 – first Sunday in March. Panagbenga, term of the Kankanaey tribe meaning “season of blooming”, is a month-long annual flower held in Baguio City, the country’s summer capital. Aside from the colorful parades of flower-laden floats, the festival features street dancing competitions with hundreds of dancers clad in flower-inspired costumes evoking the traditional “Bendian” and “Ibaloi” tribal dance of celebration and merriment. Peñafrancia In Naga City, Camarines Sur, on the second Friday to Third Saturday of September. The feast is preceded by a procession, locally called “translacion”, during which the image and the Divino Rostro are transferred from the Basilica to the Metropolitan Cathedral of Naga City for 9 days of Novena prayers and Holy Masses as well as a colorful celebration of cultural shows, civic and military parades, sports competitions, agro-industrial trade fair, WWW.JAXFAX.COM and the coronation of Miss Bicolandia beauties. It culminates in a fluvial parade on which candle-bearing devotees bring Our Lady’s image back to the Basilica. Sandugo Festival and TBTK Tigum Bol’anon Tibuok Kalibutan is held every three years in Bohol’s capital – Tagbilaran (2012). It is a gathering of Boholanons from all over the world; thus, almost doubling the provinces’ population resulting in a holiday atmosphere reverberating throughout the province. Several events are held concurrently, including street dancing, and the crowning of a “Miss Bohol” and “Mrs. Bohol”. Most spectacular is the 3-4 hour folk dance competition with vying entries from Bohol’s 40+ towns. Sinulog The weeklong festival starting from the second Saturday of January is a centuries-old tradition observed in Cebu, the Philippines’ second largest city, in honor of the Santo Niño (Holy Child). The term comes from the Cebuano adverb “sulog” which translates to “like water current movement,” and describes the traditional two steps forward and one step backward movement of the Sinulog prayer-dance with is synchronized to the beat of drums and shouts of “Pit Señor! Viva Sto. Niño!” The festival features a street parade. Boracay International Dragon Boat Held in Boracay Island, Aklan on April 28 – 30; this festival is one of the biggest international annual sporting events in the country, bringing participants from around the world. It is a fun-filled event incorporating the dragon boat spirit of sportsmanship and international camaraderie, held in world renowned Boracay Island, Aklan. Moriones In Marinduque Island, Philippines on Holy Monday to Easter Sunday. This weeklong celebration reenacts the story of Longinus, a one-eyed Roman centurion whose eyesight was restored by blood that spurted when he pierced the side of the crucified Christ. After three o’clock on Good Friday afternoon, the Santo Sepulcro is observed, during which old women exchange verses based on the Bible as they stand in wake of the dead Christ. Zamboanga Hermosa Festival In Zamboanga City on the twelve days between October 1-31, 2011. Held in honor of Our Lady of the Pilar, the festival is also popularly known as the ‘Fiesta Pilar’ and is a big celebration across the region. The event includes live music, cultural performances, street parades, and fireworks displays. The regatta that features numerous boats with brightly colored sails (vintas) filling the harbor is truly a sight to behold. Siargao International Surfing Cup In General Luna, Siargao, Surigao del Norte on the last week in September. This annual competition features phenomenal surfing on gigantic waves. The most popular and very powerful wave-off “Cloud Nine” located in General Luna has been hailed as one of the world’s five toughest breaks; considered to be one of the ten best waves in the world. 23 THAILAND NTO Romance on raft ASIA & THE SOUTH PACIFIC Thai the Knot tail hour and canapés from 5-7 p.m.; happy hour at Blue Sky; 24hour in-room internet access; and late check-out. Year round rates start at $777, dbl/occ. Visit www.centarahotelsresorts.com/scp hether your clients are looking for the perfect backdrop to hold their nuptials or an ideal honeymoon retreat, this year the Tourism Authority of Thailand is actively seeking out new ways to place their Kingdom at the top of the list for that fairytale wedding. In February, the TAT invited renowned wedding industry personality Jacqueline Johnson to give a special seminar at the Centara Grand and Bangkok Convention Centre. Ms. Johnson shared insight on the latest wedding and honeymoon trends, including projected spending habits for 2011. According to her, “When it comes to love, clients absolutely will spend money despite a sluggish economy. Couples still dream of that fairytale wedding or honeymoon experience.” The presentation also touched on how to reach wedding and honeymoon clients through social networks, bridal shows and alliances. On Valentine’s Day, the Tourism Authority of Thailand launched a microsite dedicated to making wedding and honeymoon planning easier than ever, both for couples and their travel planners. The new website (www.Honeymooning-in-Thailand.com) offers dozens of customized honeymoon packages from some of the destination’s most exotic locations, along with luxurious properties and renowned spas. “Honeymooners are such an important part of tourism in Thailand, and we’re thrilled to debut this innovative site, serving as a one-stop shop for booking a honeymoon,” said Srisuda Wanapinyosak, director of TATNY. “Properties throughout Thailand will be offering specialized packages, so we encourage newly engaged couples to check out the site regularly for new deals.” Below is a sampling of Honeymooning-in-Thailand.com offered packages. W Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel and Towers – Bangkok Celebrate the Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel & Towers’ “Memorable Honeymoon by the River Package,” including three-nights’ accommodations in a Junior Suite; luxury round-trip airport transfer; daily breakfast; sparkling wine and fruit basket upon arrival; turndown with chocolate elephant, heart-shaped cake and a bouquet of roses; dinner cruise on the legendary “River of Kings;” 60minute massage at Mandara Spa; and early check-in and late check-out. Year- round rates for this three-night package begin at $840 dbl/occ. An additional night rate starts at $157. Visit www.sheraton.com/bangkok Sofitel Centara Grand Bangkok – Bangkok Conveniently located in downtown Bangkok, the Sofitel Centara Grand Bangkok provides the perfect setting for leisure and relaxation. The “Memorable Honeymoon Package” includes a two-night stay in a Premium Deluxe Suite; round-trip airport transfer by hotel limousine; honeymoon set-up with rose petals on the bed; welcome fruit, flowers, daily newspaper and pillow menu; daily breakfast buffet; one champagne breakfast with Moet et Chandon; dinner for two at the property’s Suan Bua restaurant; a body scrub and two-hour Aromatherapy treatment; exclusive benefits and privileges at The Club Executive Lounge; all day coffee, tea and juice service; afternoon tea from 2-4 p.m. as well as cock24 ASIA & THE SOUTH PACIFIC RarinJinda Wellness Spa Resort – Chiang Mai Savor the perfect setting to celebrate the “I do” at RarinJinda Wellness Spa Resort Chiang Mai with the launch of its “Unforgettable Honeymoon Package.” This package offers mesmerizing options, including three-nights’ accommodations in a boutique deluxe room with pool access; round-trip airport transfers; welcome drink and fruit, a bottle of sparkling wine; daily breakfast; one dinner; RarinJinda Golden Memoirs, including a five-hour spa package; three Hydrotherapy pool treatments for the couple; half-day tour to elephant camp including an elephant ride; fitness center with yoga and aerobics’ classes; and free Wi-Fi internet access. Year-round rates start at $999 dbl/occ. Visit www.rarinjinda.com Pimalai Resort & Spa – Krabi The island resort of Pimalai or “purity place” is far from the crowd and provides an ideal setting for romance. Guests can enjoy the “Luxury Island Honeymoon Package,” including five-nights’ accommodations in a Deluxe room; round-trip transfer from Krabi Airport; sparkling wine; two candlelit dinners and a serenaded sunset cruise with cocktails and canapés; a private beach barbecue; a twoperson massage; as well as a sentimental “blessing” on the beach. Year-round rates begin at $3,000, dbl/occ. Visit www.pimalai.com Sri Panwa – Phuket Known as one of the top properties in Thailand, Sri Panwa is perched high atop Cape Panwa and commanding breathtaking views of the Southeastern tip of Phuket. Their “Special Honeymoon Package,” includes two-nights’ accommodations in a pool suite or a one-bedroom pool villa; daily breakfast; Sri Panwa special gift set; round-trip airport transfers; a bottle of sparkling wine; a 60-minute couple’s spa treatment at Cool Spa; one three-course candlelit dinner; floral turn-down service; late check-out; 20% discount on a la carte massage sessions and 10% discount on spa packages at Cool Spa; Wi-Fi and ipod in village; in-room fruit basket and mini bar, replenished daily. Year-round rates start at $1,500, based on double occupancy. Visit www.sripanwa.com Melati Beach Resort & Spa – Ko Samui Honeymooners are invited to relax and embark on an unforgettable journey with Melati Beach Resort & Spa’s “Honeymoon Package.” The special package includes four-nights’ accommodations in a Grand Deluxe room with daily American breakfast; round-trip transfer from Samui Airport; a welcome fruit basket and flower arrangement in room upon arrival; one bottle of sparkling wine; a candlelit dinner for two at View Pha Nang Restaurant; 60-minute Aroma Massage for two; late check-out; complimentary shuttle bus to Chaweng Beach; complimentary internet access; 20 percent coupon for food and beverage at View Pha Nang and Kan Sak Thong; and a 10 percent discount for laundry service at hotel. Rates for this four-night package start at $1,000, based on double occupancy, available year-round. Visit www.melatiresort.com For more information on all honeymoon packages being offered, visit www.Honeymooning-in-Thailand.com or www.tourismthailand.org WWW.JAXFAX.COM MAY 2011 DISCOVER WHAT YOU’VE BEEN MISSING. In an extraordinary country where rainforests are playgrounds for the adventurous, where gentle giants roam alongside people, and where the extraordinary happens everyday, here you’ll discover the essence of life. For special honeymoon packages, visit www.honeymooning-in-thailand.com www.tourismthailand.org/us 1-800-THAILAND ASIA & THE SOUTH PACIFIC THE PHILIPPINES Continued on page 17 Central Visayas The island of Bohol lies in the Central Visayas, just a quick puddlejump or two-hour boat ride from Cebu, which is itself more of a tourist hub than a destination. As the country’s oldest and now most industrialized province, Cebu is actually nine cities and 44 municipalities covering 166 islands. This is where Magellan first landed in 1521, and curious visitors should stop here if for no other reason than to appreciate the bizarre fact that there are two important monuments, both held in equally high esteem, one marking where he first landed and planted his cross, and the second marking the spot where he was killed by a native chieftain by the name of Lapu-Lapu. Ocean Jet operates fast ferry departures from Cebu pier to Tagbilaran, Bohol—also reachable by air directly from Manila. Of the 1.3 million residents of Bohol, 90 percent speak a dialect called Cibuano, which sounds similar but carries different meanings than the Tagalog commonly spoken in Manila and other parts of the country. Here there are no SM or Ayala malls, and motorized tricycles are the primary mode of transportation. With only one city on the island, the rest of Bohol is quite traditional, relying on agriculture and tourism to sustain itself. It is also very open and accessible to those looking to get around and explore on their own. Motorbike rentals are available in town and there is one main road that loops around the entire island in about six hours, making it pretty difficult to get lost. The Lompoc River is about 15 miles outside of town, or far enough that it makes sense to arrange a ride or hire a taxi from the airport. If your clients arrive in time for lunch, the river offers a truly unique dining experience aboard chartered pontoon boats that will serve them lunch and ferry them up the river for a while, making stops at nearby villages for musicians and singers to come out to the docks and give a quick serenade before moving on. Bohol is never lacking in natural beauty, and though it doesn’t have the impressive limestone mountains like Palawan, it does claim to have the most extensive and beautifully formed hills in the world. These Chocolate Hills stretch as far as the eye can see from the most popular vantage point. Uniformly shaped and all between 30 and 50 meters tall, their name comes from their grassy covering, which turns chocolate brown at the end of the dry season. This region is also home to the world’s smallest primate, known as a tarsier. These amazing creatures measure no bigger than the palm of one’s hand, with bulging eyes that cannot move in their sockets so they are uniquely adapted to make 180-degree turns with their head. In Bohol it is possible to arrange home stays and find truly oneof-a-kind B&B’s in beautifully preserved heritage homes that reflect the traditional building methods for the temperate climate. There is also a charming and comfortable cluster of smallish resorts found atop a seaside cliff at the northeastern end of the famed Alona beach in Panglao Island, which is just a few minutes ride from the city of Tagbilaran. Amorita Resort (www.amoritaresort.com) treats guests with simple yet refined accommodations and dining, and a breathtaking 180-degree view of the Bohol Sea. Bohol consistently ranks among the world’s top diving destinations and predictably, Panglao caters to a mostly North American and European diving crowd, but anyone looking for a little local interaction can climb down to the beach and barter with the fisherman when they land with their daily catch. For more help planning a trip to the Philippines, visit the Philippine Department of Tourism at www.experiencephilippines.org or www.tourism.gov.ph 26 ASIA & THE SOUTH PACIFIC NEWS & BEST BUYS CHINA Victoria Cruises is launching a new shore excursion to Guqin Terrace in Wuhan for 2011 sailings of its eight-night Three Gorges Discovery program in the upstream direction. Set among magnificent scenery surrounded by water on three sides and featuring a teahouse and arboretum, Guqin Terrace commemorates the ancient legend of the friendship between famous heptachordist, Yu Boya, and his greatest fan, Zhong Ziqi. It replaces the Hubei Provincial Museum on upstream sailings for a limited time through the 2011 sailing season. The upstream program departs from the sprawling metropolis of Shanghai, stopping in Nanjing, Huangshan Mountain, Wuhan, the Three Gorges Dam site, the mistshrouded peaks of Qutang Gorge and Wu Gorge, Wushan, Dachang and the “Ghost City” of Fengdu at Mingshan Hill. Guests disembark in Chongqing, where they may wish to tour the city on their own, perhaps visiting the Chongqing Zoo for an encounter with one of China’s national treasures, the gentle bamboo-eating Giant Panda. Visit www.victoriacruises.com 1610 $ PHILIPPINES 9-day “Classic Philippines” package begins with a morning sightseeing tour to historic Rizal Park, then on to Fort Santiago, which served as the military might of the Spanish, American and Japanese colonizers. Next, proceed past the San Agustin Church and Casa Manila, a reconstructed 19th century mansion. The last stop is a visit to the newly opened “Bahay Tsinoy”, a museum of the Chinese in Philippine life. Leaving Manila, guests will pass through quaint provincial towns, rice fields, and coconut plantations until they reach one of the country’s prime attractions, the town of Pagsanjan. Spend a few days at leisure in Boracay before transferring to Cebu to visit its landmark sights. On day 8, enjoy a Bohol Countryside Tour with Riverboat Lunch. Travel to the Chocolate Hills, and drive through the lush mahogany man-made forest and green farmland in Bilar and Batuan. Drive back to Loboc for a 50-minute river cruise along nipa-lined river, on board a native catamaran. Price includes international airfare, daily breakfast and comprehensive sightseeing. Visit www.goway.com 2199 $ Refer a Friend on Air Pacific Air Pacific, Fiji’s International Airline, is now offering reduced airfares to travelers who take a friend along to Fiji on Air Pacific. Share complimentary meals, cocktails and in-flight entertainment with a friend aboard Air Pacific and each traveler will earn an instant discount on your airfare. Fly roundtrip from Los Angeles to the South Pacific on Air Pacific from only $1,050 and take a companion with you for an additional $625. Or get three of your friends to travel to the South Pacific with you and you will travel for free. South Pacific includes the following: Nadi, Fiji Islands; Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne in Australia; Auckland and Christchurch in New Zealand; Tongatapu in Tonga; Port Vila in Vanuatu; Apia in Western Samoa; Honiara in the Solomon Islands. For those travelers traveling to any of the destinations beyond Fiji, their stopover in Fiji is free. This offer is available until May 31, 2011. All travel must be completed by June 14, 2011. Air Pacific currently operates a fleet that includes B737, B767 and B747 aircraft with a domestic and international network covering the Pacific, North America, Asia, New Zealand and Australia. Government taxes and surcharges may apply. Call 800-227-4446 or visit www.airpacific.com WWW.JAXFAX.COM MAY 2011 Ad Dawhah Al Khaluf OMAN Muscat Dushanbe Kabul Islamabad S e a Laccadive Sea Cochin Coimbatore WWW.JAXFAX.COM Nicobar Islands Indian Ocean SRI LANKA N B a y o f B e n g a l Monywa M a n d a la y Kh o n Kaen Phnom Penh Medan VIETNAM Enggano Palembang Sumatra Bandung Java Semarang Jakarta B a n ja rm a sin Ilo ilo B a c o lo d Z am b o an g a Celebes M an ad o Celebes Sea Davao Perth Cook Port Augusta Kangaroo Island Port Lincoln Great Australian Bight Kalgoorlie Solomon Sea New Britain g Adelaide Murray River M er Riv Sydney Canberra www.skylinkus.com ASIA & THE SOUTH PACIFIC 27 Hobart Tasmania Melbourne ay urr n rli Bourke Da Broken Hill Brisbane Fraser Gladstone Mackay Don River Cairns Noumea Viti Levu Tasman Sea South Island Greymouth Wellington Christchurch North Island Auckland Hamilton Rotorua New Plymouth Westport NEW ZEALANDGreat Barrier Island Suva Vanua Levu FIJI Pacific Ocean Loyalty Islands Port-Vila Efate I. CALEDONIA NEW New Hebrides VANUATU Guadalcanal Coral Sea Solomon Sea Honaira Solomon Islands Senyavin Islands Bougainville ef Re Geraldton AUSTRALIA Tennant Creek Mount Isa Wellesley Islands Gulf of Carpentaria Torres Str. Port Moresby Alice Springs Lae Rab au l Bismarck Archipelago New Ireland PAPUA NEW GUINEA New Guinea M ad an g W ew ak Admiralty Islands Ja y a p u ra t i er rr Ba Carnarvon Derby Darwin S e a Aru Kokor ea Gr Port Hedland Broome Tanimbar A r a f u r a Timor Sea Timor Ku p an g Flores Learmonth Sumba Bali Sumbawa Surabaya Seram Halmahera Palau Islands Saipan Guam Agana JAPAN Chiba Tokyo Sendai Niigata Akita Sapporo Pacific Ocean Kyushu Y uzhno Sakhalinsk Sakhalin Island Hokkaido Honshu r Sakai-minato Kyoto Nagoya Hiroshima Osaka Kita-kyushu Shikoku Fukuoka Taegu Pusan Mindanao Samar I N D O N E S I A S e a Philippine Sea Quezon City C a g a y a n D e O ro Palawan Ujungpandang Sa m a rin d a Luzon PHILIPPINES Manila Baguio Sea of Japan SOUTH KOREA Taejeon Seoul PHILIPPINES Bandar Seri Begawan S e a Taiwan Taipei Vladivostok Jixi K habarovsk u Am NORTH KOREA Pyongyang Incheon Yellow Sea Dalian Fushun Benxi Yingkou Feng Cheng Dandong Kaohsiung Lao ag Shantou S o u t h Borneo J a v a P o n tia n a k Fuzhou Xiamen Hong Kong MALAYSIA Natuna SINGAPORE Singapore Kuala Lumpur Jilin Harbin Amur Liaoyuan Qiqihar Changchun Qingdao Zaozhuang Xuzhou C h i n a BRUNEI Ho Chi Minh City Can Th o MALAYSIA So n g k h la Chum phon Zhanjiang D a N an g KAMPUCHEA Bangkok Hai Phong Hanoi Kaifeng a g HJinan an Taian Hu Pingxiang Shaoguan Guangzhou Nanning Guiyang Chongqing Zhangjiakou Tangshan Tianjin Shijiazhuang Jinzhou Fuxin H ailar Hulun Nur Amur Huaibei Huainan Nanjing Wuxi Hefei East Wuhu Shanghai Huzhou Jiaxing China Wuhan Hangzhou Huangshi Sea Ningbo Jingdezhen Yueyang Nanchang Shang Rao Changsha Wenzhou Shiquan Gulf of V in h Tonkin N o n g Kh ai Vientiane LAOS Handan Taiyuan Ha Huang Luoyang Xian VIETNAM Kunming Dukou THAILAND Siberut Nias Simeulue Zigong Mianyang Chengdu gH a Lanzhou Yinchuan Xining Hu an C h ia n g M a i Strait of Malacca Andaman Sea Rangoon MYANMAR Sit tw e Andaman Islands Vishakhapatnam Khulna Dhaka Imphal Brah maputra Y ume n Beijing C hoybalsan Hohhot Baotou Huang Ha Datong D alandzadagad ong Mek Colombo Madurai Tiruchchirappalli Bangalore Madras Lhasa Thimphu BHUTAN BANGLADESH Chittagong Calcutta Patna Ganges Jamshedpur Ganges Varanasi Krishna R. Hyderabad Godavari R. Sholapur Belgaum Nagpur Jabalpur INDIA Bhopal Indore da rma Na Allahabad Dhanbad Kathmandu Gan g Agra es Lucknow Kanpur NEPAL New Delhi Jaipur Salween Ulaanbaatar Bayanhongo r M O N G O L I A A ltay G olmud Hami C H I N A Q iem o Korla Tarim R. Sh i h e z i Urumqi H ovd U laango m ej Jenis Krasnojarsk g on ek Mangalore Panaji Ulhasnagar Bombay Pune Surat Vadodara Bikaner Bahawalpur Multan Kash i Y inin g Irtysh Karamay Ob Novosibirsk Semipalatinsk Irty sh R . H otan Alma Ata In Srinagar dus Gujranwala Lahore Faisalabad Ahmadabad Jamnaga r Rajkot Hyderabad Karachi Sukkur Q uetta PAKISTAN s Indu A r a b i a n Bishkek L. Balqash Balqash KYRGYZSTAN M azar-e Sharif M eymaneh Q andahar Gulf of Oman z U. A. E. Abu Dhabi QATAR Kerman Zahedan Bam Pavlodar L. Chany Qaraghandy TAJIKISTAN Tashkent C himkent Turbat Kzyl Orda AFGHANISTANRawalpindi H erat Ashkhabad Bandar Abba s BAHRAIN Shiraz Esfahan I R A N u orm of H Str. UDI ARABIA Riyadh A ralsk UZBEKISTAN N ukus Aral Sea Mashhad Atbassar Omsk K A Z A K H S T A N A ktyubinsk Rudnyy Chelyabinsk R U S S I A TURKMENISTAN Tehran Persian Gulf Manamah AIT ait ates R. Q R. Bakhtaran briz A rdabil Baku Caspian Sea Ufa Ural R. Shevchenko G uryev Tol Yatti Kuybyshev BAIJAN an a Volg atov Izevsk Indu s Kazan Jin sh aR . e Ya ng tz Kuybyshev Res. Mekong M Ma kas ar S trait R. R. e Salw een St r. s ha Jin z gt os a MAY 2011 n Ya Fo rm olga AUSTRALIA• NEW ZEALAND•ASIA PACIFIC 72 PAGE DIRECTORY SEE EMAIL & ADDRESS WEBSITE I N F O R M AT I O N , CONTACT FOR TRIP DEPARTING TYPE # DAYS LOS ANGELES SKED AIR DAILY LOS ANGELES SKED AIR DAILY SKED AIR DAILY ROUND TRIP PRICE MIN MAX AUSTRALIA $ 798 Net $ 622 $ 999 Net Net VALIDITY PERIOD SUPPLIER To:ADELAIDE AUSSIE ADVENTURES LIMITED To:BRISBANE AUSSIE ADVENTURES LIMITED GOWAY AIR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION 5/1/11-5/31/11 RT;866-828AUSSIE/SALE FARES/AIR&LND PKG 5/1/11-5/31/11 ALL YEAR RT;866-828AUSSIE/SALE FARES/AIR&LND PKG 800-387-8850;[email protected] EUROPE, ASIA, AFRICA, AUSTRALIA, SOUTH AMERICA. 60% OFF Business and First Class Airfares Real Discounts, Real Service, Real Rewards. Earn $125 incentive cash booking bonus. Increase your bottom line. No One Discounts Like We Do. 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YEAR ROUND ALL YEAR CALL 800-967-2345;212-696-2058;[email protected] 800-367-8833;OTH CITIES & FARES AVAIL RATES CHNG;800-227-2065;CST#1017187-60 YEAR ROUND ALL YEAR 800-967-2345;212-696-2058;[email protected] 773-714-1277;OTH CITIES & FARES AVAIL YEAR ROUND ALL YEAR 800-967-2345;212-696-2058;[email protected] 800-367-8833;OTH CITIES & FARES AVAIL ALL YEAR 800-367-8833;OTH CITIES & FARES AVAIL LOW SEASON 800-926-7274;WWW.JGTTRAVEL.COM ALL YEAR YEAR ROUND 800-758-1382;OTHER CITIES & 1ST AVBL. 800-967-2345;212-696-2058;[email protected] ALL YEAR ALL YEAR ALL YEAR CALL FOR OTHER CITIES;866-359-2776 800-758-1382;OTHER CITIES & 1ST AVBL. 800-367-8833;OTH CITIES & FARES AVAIL ALL YEAR YEAR ROUND 800-758-1382;OTHER CITIES & 1ST AVBL. 800-967-2345;212-696-2058;[email protected] WWW.JAXFAX.COM MAY 2011 # ROUND TRIP PRICE TRIP DAYS MIN MAX DEPARTING TYPE SAN FRANCISCO BUSINESS $ 2700 DAILY SUPPLIER To:SHANGHAI JBTI TOUR LLC YEAR ROUND 800-967-2345;212-696-2058;[email protected] LOS ANGELES DAILY SKED AIR To:NADI AUSSIE ADVENTURES LIMITED 5/1/11-5/31/11 RT;866-828AUSSIE/SALE FARES/AIR&LND PKG ALL YEAR 773-714-1277;OTH CITIES & FARES AVAIL ALL YEAR YEAR ROUND ALL YEAR 800-758-1382;OTHER CITIES & 1ST AVBL. 800-967-2345;212-696-2058;[email protected] 773-714-1277;OTH CITIES & FARES AVAIL ALL YEAR YEAR ROUND ALL YEAR TO 12/15/11 CALL CALL 800-387-8850;[email protected] 800-967-2345;212-696-2058;[email protected] 800-367-8833;OTH CITIES & FARES AVAIL 800-295-3436;[email protected];OTH CITIES 18% COMM ON PUB FARES;CST#1017187-60 800-227-2065;CST#1017187-60;NO ADV. ALL YEAR YEAR ROUND ALL YEAR 800-758-1382;OTHER CITIES & 1ST AVBL. 800-967-2345;212-696-2058;[email protected] 773-714-1277;OTH CITIES & FARES AVAIL YEAR ROUND 800-967-2345;212-696-2058;[email protected] ALL YEAR 800-367-8833;OTH CITIES & FARES AVAIL LOW SEASON 800-926-7274;WWW.JGTTRAVEL.COM FIJI $ 1075 BOSTON BUSINESS $ DAILY CHICAGO BUSINESS $ DAILY DAILY BUSINESS $ DAILY BUSINESS $ LOS ANGELES DAILY SKED AIR $ BUSINESS $ DAILY BUSINESS $ DAILY DAILY OW BC $ DAILY BUSINESS $ DAILY SKED AIR $ NEW YORK BUSINESS $ DAILY BUSINESS $ DAILY DAILY BUSINESS $ SAN FRANCISCO DAILY BUSINESS $ SEATTLE BUSINESS $ DAILY WASHINGTON DC SKED AIR $ DAILY Net HONG KONG (CHINA) 4500 Net 3200 3500 4500 Net 655 2700 3453 1243 2700 670 3300 3150 3370 Net Net Net Net Net Net 2800 3342 Net 570 Net To:HONG KONG JGT TRAVEL (CHI) To:HONG KONG EXTRA VALUE AIR JBTI TOUR LLC JGT TRAVEL (CHI) To:HONG KONG GOWAY AIR JBTI TOUR LLC JGT TRAVEL/LAX LEGEND TRAVEL AND TOURS TOKYO TRAVEL SERVICE TOKYO TRAVEL SERVICE To:HONG KONG EXTRA VALUE AIR JBTI TOUR LLC JGT TRAVEL (CHI) To:HONG KONG JBTI TOUR LLC To:HONG KONG JGT TRAVEL/LAX To:HONG KONG JGT VALIDITY PERIOD ADDITIONAL INFORMATION INDIA T O L E A R N M O R E A B O U T T R AV E L I N G T O I N D I A V I S I T W W W. CHICAGO DAILY BUSINESS NEW YORK DAILY BUSINESS DAILY SKED AIR LOS ANGELES DAILY SKED AIR MIAMI DAILY OW SKAIR NEW YORK DAILY SKED AIR .ORG $ 3900 Net $ 3900 $ 3900 Net Net $ 1060 Net $ 475 $ 3900 LOS ANGELES DAILY SKED AIR $ 760 WASHINGTON DC DAILY SKED AIR $ 838 Net INDONESIA Net Net To:DELHI EXTRA VALUE AIR To:DELHI EXTRA VALUE AIR EXTRA VALUE AIR To:MUMBAI GOWAY AIR To:MUMBAI LEGEND TRAVEL AND TOURS To:MUMBAI EXTRA VALUE AIR ALL YEAR 800-758-1382;OTHER CITIES & 1ST AVBL. ALL YEAR ALL YEAR 800-758-1382;OTHER CITIES & 1ST AVBL. 800-758-1382;OTHER CITIES & 1ST AVAIL ALL YEAR 800-387-8850;[email protected] TO 12/15/11 800-295-3436;[email protected];OTH CITIES ALL YEAR 800-758-1382;OTHER CITIES & 1ST AVAIL To:BALI, DENPASAR GOWAY AIR ALL YEAR To:JAKARTA JGT LOW SEASON 800-387-8850;[email protected] 800-926-7274;WWW.JGTTRAVEL.COM JAPAN LOWEST FARES TO JAPAN & ASIA LAX: 800-367-8833 • [email protected] or visit us at: CHI: 773-714-1277 • [email protected] LOS ANGELES 1234 SKED AIR $ DENVER DAILY OW BC $ WASHINGTON DC DAILY SKED AIR $ LOS ANGELES DAILY SKED AIR $ BOSTON DAILY BUSINESS $ CHICAGO DAILY BUSINESS $ DAILY BUSINESS $ LOS ANGELES 1346 BUSINESS $ DAILY BUSINESS $ DAILY SKED AIR $ MIAMI DAILY SKED AIR $ NEW YORK DAILY BUSINESS $ To:NAGOYA TOKYO TRAVEL SERVICE To:NARITA LEGEND TRAVEL AND TOURS To:OKINAWA JGT To:OSAKA TOKYO TRAVEL SERVICE To:TOKYO JGT TRAVEL (CHI) To:TOKYO JBTI TOUR LLC JGT TRAVEL (CHI) To:TOKYO TOKYO TRAVEL SERVICE JGT TRAVEL/LAX TOKYO TRAVEL SERVICE To:TOKYO JGT TRAVEL (CHI) To:TOKYO ARROW TRAVEL JAPAN RAIL PASS AVAILABLE & COMMISSIONABLE MAY 2011 560 Net 1653 757 Net 525 Net 3616 Net 3548 3354 Net 3116 2664 470 Net Net 3655 Net 2850 Net $ 3750 www.jgttravel.com CALL 800-227-2065;CST#1017187-60;FARES CHNG TO 12/15/11 800-295-3436;[email protected];OTH CITIES LOW SEASON 800-926-7274;WWW.JGTTRAVEL.COM CALL 800-227-2065;CST#1017187-60;FARES CHNG ALL YEAR 773-714-1277;OTH CITIES & FARES AVAIL YEAR ROUND ALL YEAR 800-967-2345;212-696-2058;[email protected] 773-714-1277;OTH CITIES & FARES AVAIL CALL ALL YEAR CALL 18% COMM ON PUB FARES;CST#1017187-60 800-367-8833;OTH CITIES & FARES AVAIL 800-227-2065;CST#1017187-60;FARES CHNG ALL YEAR 773-714-1277;OTH CITIES & FARES AVAIL ALL YEAR CALL FOR OTHER CITIES;866-359-2776 WWW.JAXFAX.COM ASIA & THE SOUTH PACIFIC 29 72 PAGE DIRECTORY SEE EMAIL & ADDRESS WEBSITE I N F O R M AT I O N , CONTACT FOR TRIP DEPARTING TYPE # DAYS ROUND TRIP PRICE MIN MAX NEW YORK DAILY BUSINESS $ BUSINESS $ DAILY SKED AIR $ DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BUSINESS $ DAILY DAILY BUSINESS $ SEATTLE DAILY BUSINESS $ WASHINGTON DC DAILY SKED AIR $ JAPAN 4200 3925 613 Net Net 3200 2664 Net 2664 Net 560 Net VALIDITY PERIOD SUPPLIER To:TOKYO JBTI TOUR LLC JGT TRAVEL (CHI) TOKYO TRAVEL SERVICE To:TOKYO JBTI TOUR LLC JGT TRAVEL/LAX To:TOKYO JGT TRAVEL/LAX To:TOKYO JGT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION YEAR ROUND ALL YEAR CALL 800-967-2345;212-696-2058;[email protected] 773-714-1277;OTH CITIES & FARES AVAIL 800-227-2065;CST#1017187-60;RATES CHNG YEAR ROUND ALL YEAR 800-967-2345;212-696-2058;[email protected] 800-367-8833;OTH CITIES & FARES AVAIL ALL YEAR 800-367-8833;OTH CITIES & FARES AVAIL LOW SEASON 800-926-7274;WWW.JGTTRAVEL.COM KOREA www.visitkorea.or.kr BOSTON DAILY BUSINESS $ CHICAGO DAILY BUSINESS $ DAILY BUSINESS $ LOS ANGELES DAILY BUSINESS $ DAILY SKED AIR $ NEW YORK SKED AIR $ DAILY DAILY BUSINESS $ DAILY BUSINESS $ SAN FRANCISCO DAILY BUSINESS $ SEATTLE DAILY BUSINESS $ WASHINGTON DC DAILY SKED AIR $ LOS ANGELES DAILY PRM ECON $ DAILY BUSINESS $ DAILY SKED AIR $ DAILY BUSINESS $ DAILY SKED AIR $ NEW YORK DAILY SKED AIR $ SAN FRANCISCO DAILY BUSINESS $ DAILY PRM ECON $ DAILY SKED AIR $ 3447 Net 2830 3447 Net 3447 590 Net Net 3300 2630 3447 Net Net 2300 3447 Net 620 Net NEW ZEALAND BOSTON DAILY BUSINESS $ CHICAGO DAILY BUSINESS $ LOS ANGELES DAILY BUSINESS $ DAILY SKED AIR $ DAILY BUSINESS $ MIAMI DAILY BUSINESS $ SEATTLE DAILY BUSINESS $ WASHINGTON DC DAILY SKED AIR $ 2294 5699 599 3800 958 Net Net Net Net Net 1218 Net 5699 2294 693 Net Net Net 4880 Net 4630 Net 3228 520 2650 Net Net 5380 Net 3221 Net 650 Net PHILIPPINES CHICAGO DAILY BUSINESS $ LOS ANGELES DAILY BUSINESS $ NEW YORK DAILY BUSINESS $ SAN FRANCISCO DAILY BUSINESS $ WASHINGTON DC DAILY SKED AIR $ To:MANILA JGT TRAVEL (CHI) To:MANILA JGT TRAVEL (CHI) To:MANILA JGT TRAVEL/LAX TOKYO TRAVEL SERVICE TOKYO TRAVEL SERVICE To:MANILA JGT TRAVEL (CHI) To:MANILA JGT TRAVEL/LAX To:MANILA JGT 600 Net $ 715 Net To:PAPEETE GOWAY AIR 3230 4080 Net 3030 2430 TAHITI 30 To:AUCKLAND AUSSIE ADVENTURES LIMITED AUSSIE ADVENTURES LIMITED AUSSIE ADVENTURES LIMITED EXTRA VALUE AIR GOWAY AIR To:AUCKLAND GOWAY AIR To:AUCKLAND AUSSIE ADVENTURES LIMITED AUSSIE ADVENTURES LIMITED AUSSIE ADVENTURES LIMITED To:SINGAPORE JBTI TOUR LLC To:SINGAPORE JGT TRAVEL/LAX To:SINGAPORE JBTI TOUR LLC To:SINGAPORE JBTI TOUR LLC To:SINGAPORE JGT SINGAPORE LOS ANGELES DAILY SKED AIR To:SEOUL JGT TRAVEL (CHI) To:SEOUL JBTI TOUR LLC JGT TRAVEL (CHI) To:SEOUL JGT TRAVEL/LAX TOKYO TRAVEL SERVICE To:SEOUL EXTRA VALUE AIR JBTI TOUR LLC JGT TRAVEL (CHI) To:SEOUL JBTI TOUR LLC To:SEOUL JGT TRAVEL/LAX To:SEOUL JGT ASIA & THE SOUTH PACIFIC KOREA TOURISM ORGANIZATION 800-TOUR-KOREA ALL YEAR 773-714-1277;OTH CITIES & FARES AVAIL YEAR ROUND ALL YEAR 800-967-2345;212-696-2058;[email protected] 773-714-1277;OTH CITIES & FARES AVAIL ALL YEAR CALL 800-367-8833;OTH CITIES & FARES AVAIL 800-227-2065;CST#1017187-60;MORE CITIES ALL YEAR YEAR ROUND ALL YEAR 800-758-1382;OTHER CITIES & 1ST AVBL. 800-967-2345;212-696-2058;[email protected] 773-714-1277;OTH CITIES & FARES AVAIL YEAR ROUND 800-967-2345;212-696-2058;[email protected] ALL YEAR 800-367-8833;OTH CITIES & FARES AVAIL LOW SEASON 800-926-7274;WWW.JGTTRAVEL.COM 5/1/11-5/31/11 5/1/11-5/31/11 5/1/11-5/31/11 ALL YEAR ALL YEAR RT;866-828AUSSIE/SALE FARES/AIR&LND PKG RT;866-828AUSSIE/SALE FARES/AIR&LND PKG RT;866-828AUSSIE/SALE FARES/AIR&LND PKG 800-758-1382;OTHER CITIES & 1ST AVBL. 800-387-8850;[email protected] ALL YEAR 800-387-8850;[email protected] 5/1/11-5/31/11 5/1/11-5/31/11 5/1/11-5/31/11 RT;866-828AUSSIE/SALE FARES/AIR&LND PKG RT;866-828AUSSIE/SALE FARES/AIR&LND PKG RT;866-828AUSSIE/SALE FARES/AIR&LND PKG ALL YEAR 773-714-1277;OTH CITIES & FARES AVAIL ALL YEAR 773-714-1277;OTH CITIES & FARES AVAIL ALL YEAR CALL CALL 800-367-8833;OTH CITIES & FARES AVAIL 800-227-2065;CST#1017187-60;MORE CITIES 18% COMM ON PUB FARES;CST#1017187-60 ALL YEAR 773-714-1277;OTH CITIES & FARES AVAIL ALL YEAR 800-367-8833;OTH CITIES & FARES AVAIL LOW SEASON 800-926-7274;WWW.JGTTRAVEL.COM YEAR ROUND 800-967-2345;212-696-2058;[email protected] ALL YEAR 800-367-8833;OTH CITIES & FARES AVAIL YEAR ROUND 800-967-2345;212-696-2058;[email protected] YEAR ROUND 800-967-2345;212-696-2058;[email protected] LOW SEASON 800-926-7274;WWW.JGTTRAVEL.COM ALL YEAR 800-387-8850;[email protected] WWW.JAXFAX.COM MAY 2011 TRIP DEPARTING TYPE # DAYS ROUND TRIP PRICE MIN MAX CHICAGO BUSINESS $ DAILY LOS ANGELES BUSINESS $ DAILY DAILY BUSINESS $ DAILY SKED AIR $ MIAMI DAILY BUSINESS $ NEW YORK BUSINESS $ DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BUSINESS $ DAILY OW BC $ DAILY WASHINGTON DC DAILY SKED AIR $ TAIWAN CHICAGO BUSINESS $ DAILY SKED AIR $ DAILY LOS ANGELES BUSINESS $ DAILY DAILY SKED AIR $ DAILY BUSINESS $ SKED AIR $ DAILY DAILY BUSINESS $ MIAMI BUSINESS $ DAILY NEW YORK DAILY BUSINESS $ BUSINESS $ DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BUSINESS $ DAILY WASHINGTON DC DAILY SKED AIR $ 4302 Net 3404 2690 680 Net 4752 Net 2935 Net 4080 1453 Net 570 Net 3300 4920 Net Net 3800 775 4080 650 2598 Net Net Net Net 5560 Net 3300 3370 Net Net 4080 Net 660 Net Net THAILAND LOS ANGELES DAILY SKED AIR $ 875 LOS ANGELES DAILY SKED AIR $ 670 WASHINGTON DC DAILY SKED AIR $ 526 VIETNAM Net Net Net VALIDITY PERIOD SUPPLIER To:TAIPEI JGT TRAVEL (CHI) To:TAIPEI JGT TRAVEL/LAX TOKYO TRAVEL SERVICE TOKYO TRAVEL SERVICE To:TAIPEI JGT TRAVEL (CHI) To:TAIPEI JGT TRAVEL (CHI) To:TAIPEI JGT TRAVEL/LAX LEGEND TRAVEL AND TOURS To:TAIPEI JGT To:BANGKOK EXTRA VALUE AIR JGT TRAVEL (CHI) To:BANGKOK EXTRA VALUE AIR GOWAY AIR JGT TRAVEL/LAX TOKYO TRAVEL SERVICE TOKYO TRAVEL SERVICE To:BANGKOK JGT TRAVEL (CHI) To:BANGKOK EXTRA VALUE AIR JGT TRAVEL (CHI) To:BANGKOK JGT TRAVEL/LAX To:BANGKOK JGT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ALL YEAR 773-714-1277;OTH CITIES & FARES AVAIL ALL YEAR CALL CALL 800-367-8833;OTH CITIES & FARES AVAIL 18% COMM ON PUB FARES;CST#1017187-60 800-227-2065;BLCKOUT;CST#1017187-60 ALL YEAR 773-714-1277;OTH CITIES & FARES AVAIL ALL YEAR 773-714-1277;OTH CITIES & FARES AVAIL ALL YEAR TO 12/15/11 800-367-8833;OTH CITIES & FARES AVAIL 800-295-3436;[email protected];OTH CITIES LOW SEASON 800-926-7274;WWW.JGTTRAVEL.COM ALL YEAR ALL YEAR 800-758-1382;OTHER CITIES & 1ST AVBL. 773-714-1277;OTH CITIES & FARES AVAIL ALL YEAR ALL YEAR ALL YEAR CALL CALL 800-758-1382;OTHER CITIES & 1ST AVBL. 800-387-8850;[email protected] 800-367-8833;OTH CITIES & FARES AVAIL VIA OSA;800-227-2065;CST#1017187-60 18% COMM ON PUB FARES;CST#1017187-60 ALL YEAR 773-714-1277;OTH CITIES & FARES AVAIL ALL YEAR ALL YEAR 800-758-1382;OTHER CITIES & 1ST AVBL. 773-714-1277;OTH CITIES & FARES AVAIL ALL YEAR 800-367-8833;OTH CITIES & FARES AVAIL LOW SEASON 800-926-7274;WWW.JGTTRAVEL.COM To:HANOI GOWAY AIR ALL YEAR To:HO-CHI-MINH CITY(SAIGON) TOKYO TRAVEL SERVICE CALL To:HO-CHI-MINH CITY(SAIGON) JGT LOW SEASON 800-387-8850;[email protected] 800-227-2065;CST#1017187-60;RATES CHNG 800-926-7274;WWW.JGTTRAVEL.COM 2011 CALENDAR OF TRAVEL TRADE SHOWS AND EVENTS DATE April 14-17 May 2-4 May 2-5 May 2 May 11-13 May 10-12 May 10-18,23-26 May 12-15 May 21 June 13-15 June 22-26 September 2 Sept. 6-8,27-29 September 7-9 September 11-13 September 16 September 21-24 September 29 October 20 November 6 November 8-11 December 6-9 November 14-17 November 15-18 EVENT International Destination Expo OSSN Homebased Agent Forum Arabian Travel Market Middle East World Travel Awards 2011 Expotur Caribbean Hotel & Tourism -- CHTIC The Travel Trade Show World Travel Fair N & C America & Caribbean Gala International Luxury Travel Market Asia Taste of the Caribbean World Travel Awards 2011-Europe Gala The Travel Trade Show La Cumbre The Trade Show Africa & Indian Ocean Gala - WTA 2011 IFTM Top Resa Asia & Australasia Gala Ceremony World Travel Awards 2011 World Travel Awards 2011 Grand Final World Travel Market International Luxury Travel Market The Travel Trade Show International Golf Travel Market LOCATION San Juan, Puerto Rico Las Vegas, NV Dubai, UAE Dubai San Jose, Costa Rica TBA NJ, MA, NY, IL, NM Shanghai, China San Francisco Shanghai, China Miami, FL Antalya, Turkey LA, AL, GA, FL Las Vegas, NV Las Vegas, NV Sharm El Sheikh Paris, France Bangkok Rio de Janeiro London London, UK Cannes, France UT,CO Andalucia, Spain CONTACT INFORMATION www.asta.org www.homebasedtravelagentforum.com www.arabiantravelmarket.com www.worldtravelgroup.com www.expotur.com www.caribbeanhotelandtourism.com www.travel-trade-shows.com www.worldtravelfair.com.cn www.worldtravelgroup.com www.reedtravelexhibitions.com www.caribbeanhotelandtourism.com www.worldtravelgroup.com www.travel-trade-shows.com www.lacumbre.com/ www.thetradeshow.org www.worldtravelgroup.com www.reedtravelexhibitions.com www.worldtravelgroup.com www.worldtravelgroup.com www.worldtravelgroup.com www.reedtravelexhibitions.com www.reedtravelexhibitions.com www.travel-trade-shows.com www.reedtravelexhibitions.com For inclusion in this directory, email your event to [email protected], thank you. MAY 2011 WWW.JAXFAX.COM ASIA & THE SOUTH PACIFIC 31 EUROPE Panoramic view of Analya Turkey’s Aegean Coast – The Best of the West By Monique Burns ndented by countless coves, inlets and bays, and studded with more than a dozen peninsulas, Turkey’s 300mile Aegean Coast has drawn adventurers and vacationers since time immemorial. Today’s pleasureseekers enjoy pristine beaches lapped by clear blue waters, cities with lively bazaars and laid-back fish restaurants, and legendary attractions like Ephesus and Troy, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. I Çanakkale At the narrow entrance to the Dardanelles, 200 miles southwest of Istanbul, lies Çanakkale, gateway to the Aegean. Here, where the Sea of Marmara and the Aegean meet, are seaside promenades lined with hotels, restaurants and cafés. The Çanakkale Archaeological Museum houses finds from ancient Troy and elsewhere. Two 15th-century fortresses guard the strait’s European and Asian sides—Kilitbahir and Çimenlik— with a World War I military museum found on the latter. Just north, on the Gallipoli Peninsula, the Historic National Park’s monuments, cemeteries and memorials honor 500,000 soldiers who lost their lives here. A short ferry ride west, in Gökçeada, Turkey’s largest island, age-old monasteries thrive among olive groves, grapevines and unspoiled beaches. Ancient Troy Lying in utter ruin, the storied city where the Trojan War was fought eons ago remains the stuff of legend. It takes only a lit- tle imagination to see the mossy stones and conjure up visions of Paris and Helen, Achilles and Hector. A UNESCO World Heritage Site first excavated in 1870, Troy contains the ruins of nine separate cities, dating from 3,000 BC to the 1st century. Among the ruins of a temple, theater, various city walls and house foundations is the Skaean Gate, where Hector fought his last battle with Achilles. On-site is a huge replica of the Trojan Horse. Anyone who thrilled to the 2004 Brad Pitt film, Troy, or read Homer’s Iliad will enjoy a visit here just as Alexander the Great did. Bergama (Pergamum, Pergamon) Leaving Troy and heading southeast toward Bergama, visitors pass the Gulf of Edremit, the “Olive Riviera.” Amid the region’s resort towns, beaches and thermal springs is Kaz Da i National Park, where the world’s first beauty contest was held between the goddesses Aphrodite, Athena and Hera. By giving the golden apple to Aphrodite, Paris won the love of Helen, setting off the 10-year Trojan War. Ancient myths are a good introduction to Bergama, also known as Pergamum or Pergamon. About 20 miles southeast of Ayvalik, where ferries leave for the Greek isle of Lesbos, and 17 miles northwest of the cruise-ship port of Dikili, Bergama is a top archeological site. In the Upper City are temples of Dionysus and Trajan, a library, a theater, a huge altar dedicated to Zeus, a gymnasium, and an agora, or marketplace. In the Lower City, an early sanctuary of Asclepios, god of health, was later converted into a Byzantine basilica. #1 HONEYMOON & ISLAND HOPPING SPECIALISTS 42 years of outstanding service. • Family owned • Personalized service. • Proud member of NTA • High quality tours at affordable rates. GREECE • SPAIN • ITALY • CANARY ISLANDS PORTUGAL • TURKEY • EGYPT • CYPRUS... European Honeymooners & Jet-setters... Romance, Fantasy, Passion! Romance was born in Europe! Cloud Tours captures the essence in each of its Honeymoon & Jetsetter tours. Individually created with romance in mind, each tour is the ultimate getaway! Comp Honeymoon Amenities at many hotels include wine, upgrades, SPA treatments, etc. Cloud Tours–The Sensuous Honeymoon. Our philosophy is that vacations should be enjoyed on your clients time table & not ours! Our independent tours do just that. Your clients trip can be as flexible or structured as they would like. Our travel professionals can customize any itinerary to suit your clients needs without extra fees! Make this the trip of their lifetime! SPECIAL CRUISE OFFER: KIDS CRUISE FREE THIS SUMMER IN THE GREEK ISLES! • Call us for group itineraries to all of our countries. 800-223-7880 • 718-721-3808 • F: 718-721-4019 • Email: [email protected]• www.cloudtours.com 32 EUROPE WWW.JAXFAX.COM MAY 2011 INTRODUCING A BRAND NEW SEARCH ENGINE FOR TRAVEL AGENTS JAXFAX Consolidator Air Search Engine Air Consolidators can save your clients money and/or put money in your pocket. JAX FAX's new "Find a Consolidator" search engine will help you find a consolidator to most worldwide destinations. Travel Agents can search for an Air Consolidator by: • US Gateway and International Destination City • Airline • Class of Service This search engine is FREE for Travel Agents and will quickly help you find an Air Consolidator for your clients. Go to www.jaxfaxmagazine.com & click on the FIND A CONSOLIDATOR link. EUROPE Panoramic view of Cesme Izmir About halfway down the coast is Izmir, Turkey’s third most populous city and its second-largest port after Istanbul. Built in 3,000 BC and known as Smyrna, Izmir was once home to Greece’s greatest poet, Homer. Today, visitors see handsome palm-shaded promenades lined with seafood restaurants and lush horizontal terraces on surrounding mountain slopes. The city symbol is the ornate late-Ottoman-style Clocktower, built in 1901. Also in Konak Square is the zmir Museum of Archaeology. In the northerly Alsancak district, site of the ferry terminal and central rail station, are the Atatürk Museum, where the republic’s first president once lived; the Fine Arts Museum with works by Turkish artists, and the Selçuk Yaçar Art Museum displaying 20th-century Turkish art. The 25th International Arts Festival is slated for June 20-July 21, and the 80th International Fair will be held September 8-18. A popular pastime is shopping for the region’s prized raisins and figs at Kemeralti Market. Even more fun is sampling grilled çipura or trança fish at a waterfront eatery along Kordonboyu Promenade. Çeçme Peninsula Jutting into the Aegean west of zmir are two peninsulas in one—the Çeçme Peninsula and the Karaburun Peninsula. To the south, the Çeçme Peninsula’s sandy beaches are bordered by fig groves and verdant fields of aniseed and sesame. At its western tip, about 50 miles west of zmir, is the port town of Çeçme. Its harbor guarded by a 14th-century Genoese fortress, Çeçme now welcomes weekly ferries from Venice. Holiday-seekers enjoy the many waterfront restaurants; bargain for carpets and leather goods, and hire yachts to explore nearby coastal resorts like Çiftlik with long sandy Pirlanta Beach and nearby Altinkum Plaj (Golden Sand MAY 2011 Beach); Ilica, a windsurfers’ haven where the Cakabey Optimist Yacht Race is held each July, and Si acik, a major yacht center near New Neptune Holiday Village’s acclaimed windsurfing and dive schools. Dotting the Karaburun Peninsula to the north are picturesque fishing villages like Balikliova, Karaburun and Mord gan. Ephesus (Efes) Farther south, Ephesus, or Efes, is Turkey’s best-preserved ancient city. Antiquity’s most important port, it flourished during Alexander the Great’s reign and later was a Roman capital. One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, it now contains the well-preserved Temple of Hadrian, Library of Celsus, an agora, gymnasium, baths and other structures richly adorned with murals and mosaics. Other major finds are housed in the Archaeological Museum. Ephesus is also an important Christian city, visited by St. Paul who wrote the New Testament Letter to the Ephesians. It is believed that St. John brought the Virgin Mary here after Jesus’ crucifixion and the Meryem Ana, the Virgin Mary’s House, on Mount Koressos (Bülbülda i) is a popular pilgrimage site. Each year, a commemorative service is held here on August 15. In May, the Ephesus International Festival of Culture & Tourism brings secular revelry to town. Kuçadasi Only 12 miles from Ephesus, Kuçadasi is a major resort and cruise-ship port. Pristine beaches are launchpads for scuba and snorkeling trips as well as boat excursions. Active types can take horseback and jeep safaris into Dilek Peninsula National Park, about 18 miles away, to see the rare Anatolian cheetah and the region’s last wild horses. City pleasures abound. There are scores of restaurants, serving fish dishes and traditional WWW.JAXFAX.COM EUROPE 33 FOREIGN INDEPENDENT TOURS Ancient Mystique...A Lifetime of Memories EUROPE Site of the Temple of Artemis in the town of Selçuk, near Ephesus Call: 800-248-3487 Visit: www.fittours.com Turkish fare, and lively watering holes like Jimmy’s Irish Bar and the huge open-air disco, Ecstasy Bar. The Grand Bazaar has more than a thousand stores and stalls selling sandals, carpets, leather jackets and hand-made jewelry. We are Aphrodisias and Pamukkale y e k Tu r 8 Day Tour - Deluxe Istanbul, Cappadocia and Antalya . . . . . . . .From $1899 Tour # 326: Free Upgrade to 5* Hotels a $200 value! RT Non-stop Air on Turkish Airlines from JFK to Istanbul, Airport transfers, All transportation by motor coach or domestic air, 5 Nights in 5 Star hotels, 1 Night Sleeper Train to Ankara, 11 Meals, Extensive sightseeing with English Speaking Guide. Through October '11 8 Day Istanbul and Trabzon - A privately guided tour! . . . . . . . . .From $1999 Tour # 331: Bustling Mediterranean to the Quiet Green Beauty of the Turkish Black Sea. Includes free upgrades worth $259! RT non-stop air from JFK on Turkish Air, 6 Nights Deluxe accommodations: 3 Nights in Istanbul at the Nena, 3 Nights in Trabzon at the Zorlu Grand, Turkish style buffet breakfast daily, 10 Meals total as indicated in the itinerary, Extensive sightseeing, Entrance fees to the museums and historical places mentioned in the itinerary, English speaking professional guidance, Fuel surcharge. Through October 2011. 9 Day Deluxe Escorted Tour of Turkey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .From $2199 Tour # 303: Award Winning Yunak Evleri Cave Hotel & Balloon Tour over Cappadocia. RT Air from JFK, 6 Nights in 4 & 5 Star hotels, 1 Night Sleeper Train to Ankara, All transportation by motor coach, 14 Meals, Balloon Tour, Extensive sightseeing with English Speaking Guide. Through October 2011. 11 Day Exploration of Magical, Mystical, Ancient Turkey . . . . . .From $1799 Tour # 228 Totally Escorted Tour - Extended Dates! Now with Non-Stop Flights From JFK! RT Trans-Atlantic Air from JFK, 8 Nights stay at center located 4* hotels, 1 Night sleeper train for the route Istanbul/Ankara, Daily buffet breakfast at hotels, set menu meals per itinerary, Ground transportation with a/c luxury coach, English speaking, licensed tour guide, Tours and entrance fees, Charges and Service tax. Thru October 2011 34 EUROPE Inland and east of Kuçadasi are two major attractions. The ancient city of Aphrodisas, or Geyre, with its richly carved marble temples, monuments, baths, a theater and a huge stadium, was once home to the ancient world’s most prestigious sculpting school. Farther east is Pamukkale, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the planet’s most striking natural wonders. At the site, known as “Cotton Castle,” calcium-rich salts from mineral waters run off the edge of a plateau creating expansive white terraces as well as scores of stalactites and cataracts that look like fairytale castles. Site of the ancient Roman spa city of Hierapolis, with its ancient theater and other ruins, Pamukkale was popular with local kings and emperors. Today’s bathers can still take the healing waters at Pamukkale Thermal, open daily. Bodrum and Marmaris Near the coast’s southernmost end is the Bodrum Peninsula with quaint fishing villages and countless “blue flag” beaches noted for cleanliness and clear waters. The city of Bodrum was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, birthplace of the Greek historian Herodotus. Contemporary visitors stroll the long palm-lined waterfront, browse the many art galleries, and shop for leather goods, kilims and blue glass beads. Divers explore reefs and underwater caves in the crystalline waters. Traditional boats like the broad-beamed gulette are used during October’s Bodrum Cup Race. Farther down the coast the Datça Peninsula forms the boundary between the Aegean and the Mediterranean. About 50 miles east is Marmaris, with horse-riding and tennis centers, restaurants serving Turkish fare and fish dishes, and shops selling everything from brassware and embroidery to the local pine-scented honey, çambali. In May, yachtsmen tour the coast during the annual Marmaris Yacht Charter Show. For more information, contact the Turkish Tourist Office at 877-367-8875, or log on to www.tourismturkey.org WWW.JAXFAX.COM MAY 2011 www.BookTravelBound.com Enter Travel Bound’s Race Around the World Book Turkey and get closer to winning $10,000 EUROPE The cOPENhagen Card, offering free entry to 60 museums and attractions, plus free public transport, starts at 33 euros (about $46). Each October, on Copenhagen’s Night of Culture (www.kulturnattan.dk), visit 200 museums and cultural venues for 10 euros (about $14). For more information, visit www.visitcopenhagen.com and www.visitdenmark.com. Spotlight on Baltic Capitals Helsinki here must be something in the water. What else could explain the cultural surge along the Baltic’s broad blue reaches? In the great Scandinavian capitals—Copenhagen, Helsinki and Stockholm—art, architecture and design reign supreme. In 2012, Helsinki takes center stage as the World Design Capital. Elsewhere on the Baltic, Estonia’s capital city of Tallinn showcases its artistry as a 2011 European Capital of Culture. T Copenhagen DENMARK NTO For decades, Copenhagen has been on Europe’s art and design radar. Consider architect Arne Jacobsen, who created Europe’s first design hotel, Copenhagen’s 1960 Radisson Blu Royal (www.radissonblu.com), and Jørn Utzon, who designed the Sydney Opera House. Think writers like Hans Christian Andersen, who created Copenhagen’s iconic Little Mermaid, and Isak Dinesen, who penned Out of Africa. And don’t forget Bodum crystal, George Jensen silverware, and Royal Copenhagen china, whose refurbished flagship store recently opened on pedestrian-only Strøget. Today, Copenhagen’s cuisine is causing the biggest stir. This year, the city’s restaurants netted 11 Michelin stars, more than any Scandinavian city. At two-star Noma (www.noma.dk) in Christianshavn, Chef René Redzepi creates new Nordic cuisine using fresh local ingredients like halibut, musk ox and berries. Rasmus Kofoed, who won the prestigious 2011 Bocuse d’Or gold medal, has opened Geranium2 (www.geranium2.dk) in Østerbro. In hip Norrebrø, northwest of downtown, visitors can find moderately priced Restaurant Relæ (www.restaurant-relae.dk), whose chef Christian Puglisi made the Wall Street Journal’s Top 10 list this year. Copenhagen’s hotels are also booming. Opening this month in the new Ørestad district is Copenhagen’s largest hotel, 814-room Bella Sky Comwell (www.bellaskyhotel.com), with red, purple and green accents enhanced with native ash and oak. The country’s first theme hotel, colorful, 396-room Tivoli Hotel (www.tivolihotel.com) opened in July 2010, not far from famed Tivoli Gardens. The 12-room Copenhagen Living (www.cphliving.com), Denmark’s first floating hotel, hit the scene in 2009. West of downtown, the former meat-packing and red-light district of Vesterbro now has trendy galleries, shops and restaurants like Mikkeller brew pub (www.mikkeller.dk) and Karriere (www.karriere.dk), with a moving bar counter and other art installations. The third branch of Meyer’s Deli (www.meyersdeli.dk) opened here last spring. Copenhagen City Museum (www.kbhbymuseum.dk) offers Vesterbro audio tours. 36 EUROPE Helsinki has its share of fine restaurants and trendy cafés, serving both traditional and new Nordic cuisine. It’s also known for music, from traditional offerings at the Finnish National Opera to hit songs like “F-F-FFalling” and “Sail Away” by Rasmus, one of many rock and metal bands. Architecture and design have been this city’s calling cards since 1875, when the world’s second-oldest design trade organization, Design Forum Finland, was established. Creations by early 20th-century architects Alvar Aalto and Eliel Saarinen helped the city gain further recognition from the Thirties to the Seventies, and today it continues with Helsinki’s recent designation as 2012 World Design Capital. Integrating design into virtually every area of life, the city itself is a veritable museum of architecture. Columned neoclassical buildings with green copper-domed roofs surround Senate Square. Elsewhere, the city boasts Northern Europe’s largest concentration of Art Nouveau buildings, including Eliel Saarinen’s majestic Helsinki Central Rail Station. Modernistic Functionalist buildings include Alvar Aalto’s marble-sheathed Finlandia Hall. Helsinki’s Design District (www.designdistrict.fi) has 200 galleries, design studios, shops, restaurants and design hotels on 25 streets in the center city. At the Design Forum (www.designforum.fi), see and shop for both classic and new products, from vases to passport cases. The Design Museum (www.designmuseum.fi) houses 75,000 objects, 40,000 drawings and 100,000 images. For 2011, the annual Helsinki Design Week (www.helsinkidesignweek.com), is slated for September 9-18 with special events and exhibits. The Helsinki Card (www.helsinkicard.fi) is available for 35 euros (about $50), providing free entry to major museums and sights, and free public transport. Visit www.visithelsinki.fi, www.wdc2012helsinki.fi and www.visitfinland.com for more information. FINNISH TB By Monique Burns Stockholm From Orrefors crystal to hip IKEA furnishings, from Camilla Norrback’s eco-friendly garments to Odd Molly blue jeans, Sweden—and its capital Stockholm—is a design paradise. What other city can claim to have the world’s longest art exhibit,—the Stockholm Metro,—with nearly 70 miles of sculptures, mosaics, paintings and other installations? Since the days of 19th-century playwright/novelist August Strindberg and the 1901 awarding of the first Nobel Prize, the literary arts also have flourished here. Today, the Stockholm Museum (www.stadsmuseum.stockholm.se) offers a 90- WWW.JAXFAX.COM MAY 2011 Tallinn Old City minute Millennium Tour, visiting sites from the best-selling Stieg Larsson trilogy—The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played With Fire and The Girl Who Kicked Over the Hornet’s Nest. There are many Millennium sites to be found on Södermalm Island, south of Gamla Stan, Stockholm’s Old Town. Among the many fashion and design shops is 60-year-old Konsthantverkarnas Förening (www.konsthantverkarna.se), Stockholm’s oldest and largest handicraft shop, with pottery, glass, wood, silver and textiles. Södermalm’s SoFo, south of Folkungagatan street, is a hip haven of galleries, cafés, and eateries like Nytorget Urban Deli (www.urbandeli.org) and bohemian Roxy (www.roxysofo.se), where three female restaurateurs serve up multicultural cuisine like Spanish parrillada with grilled meat and chorizos. Downtown, not far from the harborside Radisson Blu Strand Hotel (www.radissonblu.com) is Michelin two-star Mathias Dahlgren (www.mathiasdahlgren.com) in the landmark 1874 Grand Hôtel (www.grandhotel.se). In Gamla Stan, try two-star Frantzén/Lindeberg (www.frantzen-lindeberg.com), where unusual ingredients like pollen and violets often accompany main courses. The Stockholm Card offers free admission to 80 museums and attractions, free public transport, and free or discounted boat, bike and city tours, beginning at 425 SEK (about $65). Learn more by visiting www.visitsweden.com, www.visitstockholm.com and www.stockholmtown.com With its warren of cozy stone rooms and vintage furnishings, it’s hard to find a more romantic venue than the Gloria Wine Bar (www.gloria.ee). Despite the city’s medieval roots, Tallinn has a vibrant art and design scene. The city’s vanguard institution is the modernist Kumu Art Museum (www.ekm.ee), a glass, copper, brick and concrete ensemble that is built into a limestone cliff and displays contemporary and classic art. Set in a 17th century building, the Estonian Museum of Applied Art and Design (www.etdm.ee) exhibits an array of contemporary works by local artists, which can include textiles, product design, jewelry, ceramics and furniture. Three 14th century merchant houses serve as the home of Three Sisters (www.threesistershotel.com), a boutique hotel that mixes old and new. No two rooms are alike, with some complete with a claw foot tub and a four-poster bed. Another accommodation, the Hotel Telegraaf (www.telegraafhotel.com), is aptly named for the 19th century telegraph building where it occupies. Relaxation is de rigueur here, whether you swim in their heated pool or relish a Tibetan massage in their day spa. For more information, visit www.tourism.tallinn.ee URVE NEKLESA MERRIE MURRAY Stockholm Take a Look at OUR EUROPE Tallinn- Estonia — By Jeanine Barone Tallinn may have spent centuries under foreign rule—most recently under the Soviets—but since Estonia declared its independent in 1991, the capital city is making up for lost time by frantically developing its stylish identity. Not far from the defensive towers and Gothic churches are fashionable boutique properties, fusion restaurants, urbane wine bars and edgy art. One of the most curiously named restaurants, Ö (www.restoran-o.ee), which means island in Swedish, serves up Euro cuisine that’s heavy on Scandinavian and Estonian products. Diners can select from among delicacies that include smoked quail with mustard sauce and rabbit filet served with a creamy cèpe sauce. Past tall cast iron gates, another restaurant, Egoist (www.egoist.ee), said to be the most expensive in the city, is housed in a centuries-old mansion that’s detailed with antiques galore. Elevant, a cozy eatery with Asian accents, (www.elevant.ee) specializes in fusion Indian cuisine that includes, among the myriad curry dishes, some unusual offerings, such as moose curry. Oenophiles will be more than satisfied with Negossiant Vinoteek (www.negossiant.ee), a wine bar and shop stocked with selections from all over the world, including some rare bottles. MAY 2011 WWW.JAXFAX.COM Only nonstops from the USA to Poland. Yes, take a look at our 2011, all new ALL-EUROPE travel planner, an invaluable guide to the best of Poland, Central & Eastern Europe: escorted tours, hotel accommodations. car rentals, Fly/Drive programs, group travel, incentives, FITS and consolidator air tickets. For copies of our 2011 brochure contact: 505 Eighth Avenue, New York, NY 10018 www.lot.com Call Toll-Free: 800-228-0877 Fax: 212-581-7925 E-mail: [email protected] Visit: www.amta.com EUROPE 37 EUROPE NEWS & BEST BUYS GREECE Ya’lla Tours USA has just reworked their 7night/8-day “Greece for Lovers” island hopper program to significantly reduce the price. Since the program was first published several years ago, the prices have included travel by air between Athens and the islands of Mykonos and Santorini. However, many travelers have requested to modify the published program to travel by ferry on some legs rather than by air, not only for the lower cost but also for the experience. Lately, more often than not, travelers are requesting ferries, and as long as they are flexible, Ya’lla is happy to accommodate them. “Nothing is set in stone; flights can be added as needed,” says Ya’lla Tours General Manager Teri McCulloh. Additionally, Ya’lla Tours was able to renegotiate hotel contracts to further lower the prices without sacrificing any quality. The price savings range from several hundred to over a thousand dollars per person, depending on season and hotel category. Revised rates can be found at www.yallatours.com Louis Cruises Becomes 26th CLIA Member 2075 $ FRANCE France Cruises, with Gateway Destinations, announced they are taking reservations for a unique and exclusive Bordeaux Wine Cruise and Exploration of Dordogne Package. This 11-day package, available in September 2011 only, will explore the sub region of Dordogne for 3 nights, as well as, offer a 6 night cruise aboard the Mirabelle Hotel Barge. In Dordogne guests stay 3 nights in a typical farmhouse hotel. During their stay, guests have the opportunity to explore the rich countryside. Truffle hunting is one of the highlights. Guests are transported to the Bordeaux area, with a stop and lunch at famous Saint Emilion, to board the Mirabelle for a 6-night cruise along the River Garonne, Gironde Estuary, and Dordogne River. On board the Mirabelle, passengers have access to the personal wine connoisseur who will educate them on different wines during the cruise. Guests also will enjoy many excursions, which include wine tastings. This package is only available from September 1-10, 2011 and costs $4,625 per person (based on double occupancy) and single supplement charge of $1,775. Visit www.francecruises.com 4625 $ TURKEY FIT Tours’ 8-day “Deluxe Istanbul, Cappadocia and Antalya” package begins in the Sultanahmet district, the heart of old Istanbul, at Saint Sophia. Built by Emperor Justinian in the 6th century AD; visiting the Blue Mosque, the Hippodrome, the stadium of ancient Byzantium, the Grand Bazaar. Day two begins at Topkapi Palace, which, from the 15th to the 19th century, was the principle residence of the Ottoman Sultans. In Ankara, visit to the Anatolian Civilizations Museum at which numerous remnants from Stone Age, Neolithic Age, Hittites, Urartians, Phrygians and many others are on display. Then continue on to Cappadocia. After a picturesque trip along the Salt Lake pass by the 13th century Seljukian Caravanserai Agzikarahan. After visiting Kaymakli Underground City, the place early Christians hid from persecutors, proceed to the hotel in Cappadocia for overnight. This package includes nonstop airfare, airport transfers, domestic transportation and a free 5-star hotel upgrade. Visit www.fittours.com 1899 $ 38 EUROPE Louis Cruises announced that is has become the newest member cruise line of Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), bringing the association’s 16,000 travel agents a unique opportunity to sell destination-focused cruises throughout the Eastern and Western Mediterranean onboard the fleet’s Louis Cristal, Louis Majesty, Coral, Orient Queen, and Calypso. The cruise line is raising the bar in Greek Island cruising with the introduction of Louis Majesty to the Eastern Mediterranean this season, offering upgraded quality and capacity for the line’s 3 and 4 night cruises, and further stimulating the growth of cruising in the region. “This affiliation constitutes a rewarding recognition for the 25-year-long successful history of Louis Cruises and the efforts of the more than 8,500 employees with hundreds of Greek officers and crew that are employed aboard the Louis Cruises fleet as well as to the thousands of dedicated members of staff that Louis Group employs in Greece and Cyprus. It is their continued commitment to excellence that made Louis Cruises a leading choice for vacations throughout the Mediterranean,” said Costakis Loizou, Executive Chairman of Louis Group and CEO of Louis Cruises. Travel agents and travelers looking for inspired cruises opportunities can page-through Louis Cruises recently released March - November 2011 2nd edition brochure online at www.louiscruises.com Viking Announces Four New Builds For 2012 Viking River Cruises has announced the next phase of its $250 million fleet development program as it unveils details of four, state-of-the-art vessels set to launch at the start of its 2012 sailing season. Building on the company’s reputation as the industry innovator—Viking Freya, Viking Idun, Viking Njord and Viking Odin—are the first of Viking’s Longships, a new class of vessel within the fleet that is marked by sophisticated and inviting design coupled with high-tech and patent-pending features. Designed by celebrated maritime architects Yran & Storbraaten—the team behind the Disney Dream and the Yachts of Seabourn—the new ships are characterized by the long and graceful design of ancient Scandinavian vessels and were named after key members of the Norse pantheon. “For our 2012 new builds, we have stretched ourselves creatively and technologically, evaluating every aspect of the guest’s cruising experience and asking ourselves how we can surpass it,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman and CEO of Viking River Cruises. “What has emerged are vessels that will deliver a peerless travel opportunity to aficionados of river cruising and those that have yet to try this unique way to see the world.” Scheduled to sail four of Viking’s most popular European itineraries, including the 10-day Tulips & Windmills, 8-day Romantic Danube, 15-day Grand European Tour and 8-day Danube Waltz, each of the new Viking Longships will be 443 feet (135 meters) long, and feature 95 staterooms per ship. Itinerary details, dates and pricing as well as travel agent benefits are available on the company’s travel agent portal at www.vikingrivercruises.com/agents WWW.JAXFAX.COM MAY 2011 BEEN THERE HAVEN’T DONE THAT By Prof. Barry Goldsmith So Near, and Yet so Far here are many “HAVEN’T DONE THAT” sites that no one has ever heard of—in places where most tourists have never “BEEN.” The clustering of great, unknown historic sites grouped near one another—even within a few miles of each other—doesn’t make visiting them any easier if they’re all far from public transportation. “So near, and yet so far.” Many of these sites are located in areas so rustic, without sidewalks, that even walking isn’t an option. There are three small towns in Kent—Sevenoaks, Tonbridge and Edenbridge—about 30 miles southeast of London, that have four of Britain’s greatest country homes separated from one another by just a few miles. Each home is strikingly unique in its historic and literary associations: Chartwell is the home that Winston Churchill built—literally. (Churchill was an expert bricklayer who constructed many garden walls.) There is also a separate studio museum with works of art painted by the most famous British artist of the 20th century—Winston Churchill. Hever Castle is the home of Anne Boleyn, where Henry VIII courted the woman that forever changed the religion—and history— of Great Britain. It was bought and restored in 1904 by William Waldorf, who added a lavish Italian water garden. (Did anyone in an Italian castle ever add an English garden?) Knole, the home of the Sackville-West family (including the author Vita Sackville-West) is one of the largest Elizabethan manor houses in Britain, with 365 rooms. A room for each day keeps the doctor away? Knole is completely decorated with furniture ranging from the Tudor to the Stuarts. Some rooms were sealed off for centuries like pharaoh’s tombs—perfectly preserving their 17th-century furnishing in situ. Besides being a decorative arts museum, Knole is an art gallery filled with old masters: Van Dyck, Gainsborough and Reynolds (including his portraits of Oliver Goldsmith, Samuel Johnson and the 3rd Duke). Penshurst is the home of Henry VIII’s son, Edward VI, who gave it to his tutor William Sydney. (That should have set an example of how to treat teachers and professors.) Penshurst has its original English Tudor gardens—one of the few formal floral gardens not obliterated by the 18th-century “natural” landscaper Lancelot “Capability” Brown. Penshurst has been used as sets in countless movies. T Making Them Accessible All these great homes are so near to each other and yet so far. Even if you take a taxi from the nearest West Kent train stop to one of the above towns, there’s still the problem of getting from one historic house to the next, though only a few miles separate them. Unfortunately, many tour companies merely run the same day trips out of London: Windsor, Hampton Court, Stratford-onAvon, etc. Why not offer a day trip to these four great West Kent historic homes? Each has its own restaurant, so tourists don’t even have to look for a place to eat. When I lectured on Riga Art Nouveau for spouses of EU ambassadors to the United Nations, I discussed this problem with the wife of the British Ambassador. She agreed with me. We arrived at a solution: Each property should acquire a van to shuttle tourists from MAY 2011 one property to the next. For those interested in visiting these West Kent towns, I suggest flying into nearby Gatwick Airport. British Airways serves many international flights to nearby Gatwick (www.ba.com). Now let’s head of north of London—about 30 miles also—to two more spectacular seldom-visited sites, similarly just miles from each other: Hatfield House and Shaw’s Corner. Hatfield House is in the town of Hatfield. (Hatfield House is the Jacobean home of the Cecil family.) On the grounds is the tree under which Princess Elizabeth was sitting when a messenger informed her that she had just become queen. There’s also the old Tudor palace—the location for many movies such as Anne Of The Thousand Days. Many more current movies were filmed in the main including Shakespeare In Love, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and Get Him To The Greek. Just a few miles away from Hatfield, in the town of St. Alban’s, is Shaw’s Corner, home of George Bernard Shaw. His home reflects both his genius and his eccentricity. Shaw liked to type with sunlight on the same place on his typewriter. In the garden there’s a shed on a lazy-susan turntable designed by Shaw. As the sun shifted, Shaw just moved the shed to keep the sun where he liked it. Two more of the greatest sites in Britain are also so near, and yet so far, with no tours and no public transportation. I know that Hatfield House has a van, because they shuttled me to Shaw’s Corner. I suggested they get a larger van and start service on a regular basis. “So near, and yet so far” is a problem of great seldom-visited sites (near one another) all over Europe. The inaccessibility by public transportation does not help my cause of introducing tourists to great, unknown sites if they’re out of easy reach. Renting a car for a vacation is a great idea to see a section of a country. It’s an expensive and eco-unfriendly idea to rent a car just to see a few sites a few miles from each other. Off Limits, But Not Forgotten My favorite chateau in France, Vaux le Vicomte (see April BEEN THERE, HAVEN'T DONE THAT) is only a few miles from Fountainebleau Palace. Let's get a shuttle going between these two great French attractions so no one will miss either. Crowds queue to get into the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. There’s a museum with almost as many Van Goghs—plus a magnificent sculpture garden—in the southern Netherlands: the Kroeller-Mueller Museum. This museum is just a few miles from Het Loo Palace with its restored 17th-century Dutch Baroque garden. This completely furnished palace, lived-in by Dutch royalty, was just opened to the public in 1984. Why don’t more tourists visit both sites together? Same reason: “So near, and yet so far” from public transportation. One of my favorite cities in the world is Venice. Because the Doges had their city palaces built on the canals, their nearby summer palaces were built inland. Many of these country homes are Palladian villas. And many of these palatial Palladian villas are separated from others by just a few miles. So far, there’s no transportation between them. If you’re based in central Venice, it’s very difficult to park your rented car in the hotel’s parking lot. Since many Palladian villas on canals, how about linking them with a shuttle boat? At least you can keep your rental boat in your Venice hotel’s parking lot. WWW.JAXFAX.COM EUROPE 39 FOR CONTACT I N F O R M AT I O N , WEBSITE ADDRESS & EMAIL SEE DIRECTORY PAGE 72 EUROPE 40 EUROPE WWW.JAXFAX.COM MAY 2011 TRIP DEPARTING TYPE NEW YORK DAILY SKED AIR # DAYS ROUND TRIP PRICE MIN MAX ARMENIA NET/COMM USA DAILY SKED AIR AZERBAIJAN $ 600 Net BELARUS DAILY NEW DAILY DAILY TOUR PKG 3 YORK SKED AIR SKED AIR $ 220 $ 540 Net NET/COMM VALIDITY PERIOD SUPPLIER ADDITIONAL INFORMATION To:YEREVAN DOWNTOWN TRAVEL ALL YEAR 212-481-1800;WWW.DOWNTOWNTRAVEL.COM To:BAKU IMPRESSA CLUB, LTD. ALL YEAR OTH CITY;718-645-8578;AZALUSA.COM To:MINSK RUSSIAN AMERICAN CONSULT. ALL YEAR To:MINSK AMERICAN TRAVEL ABROAD 4/1/11-5/13/11 DOWNTOWN TRAVEL ALL YEAR 877-268-2677;VISAS;HTLS AVBL ALL BELAR. 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TATRA TVL/CZECH VACATIONS contact us: 877-496-9889 [email protected] GDS: 1S, 1A, 1V, 1P TO 12/15/11 800-295-3436;[email protected];OTH CITIES ALL YEAR TO 12/15/11 CALL FOR OTHER CITIES;866-359-2776 800-295-3436;[email protected];OTH CITIES FROM 5/1/11 BIZ NETS AVBL;800-321-1199;MORE DESTS FROM 5/1/11 ALL YEAR ALL YEAR BIZ NETS AVBL;800-321-1199;MORE DESTS 800-758-1382;OTHER CITIES & 1ST AVBL. 773-714-1277;OTH CITIES & FARES AVAIL ALL YEAR TO 5/31/11 ALL YEAR 212-481-1800;WWW.DOWNTOWNTRAVEL.COM NET/COMM;COACH/BUS;ADDONS;800-204-7130 CZECHVACATIONS.COM;800-321-2999;OTH TRS FROM 5/1/11 BIZ NETS AVBL;800-321-1199;MORE DESTS TO 12/15/11 800-295-3436;[email protected];OTH CITIES ALL YEAR FROM 5/1/11 ALL YEAR CALL FOR OTHER CITIES;866-359-2776 BIZ NETS AVBL;800-321-1199;MORE DESTS 773-714-1277;OTH CITIES & FARES AVAIL FROM 5/1/11 BIZ NETS AVBL;800-321-1199;MORE DESTS TO 12/15/11 800-295-3436;[email protected];OTH CITIES ALL YEAR 800-367-8833;OTH CITIES & FARES AVAIL FROM 5/1/11 TO 12/15/11 BIZ NETS AVBL;800-321-1199;MORE DESTS 800-295-3436;[email protected];OTH CITIES FROM 5/1/11 ALL YEAR ALL YEAR TO 12/15/11 BIZ NETS AVBL;800-321-1199;MORE DESTS 800-758-1382;OTHER CITIES & 1ST AVBL. 773-714-1277;OTH CITIES & FARES AVAIL 800-295-3436;[email protected];OTH CITIES TO 12/15/11 800-295-3436;[email protected];OTH CITIES FROM 5/1/11 TO 12/15/11 BIZ NETS AVBL;800-321-1199;MORE DESTS 800-295-3436;[email protected];OTH CITIES TO 5/31/11 888-968-0335;13-16%COMM:CRUISES/TOURS TO 5/31/11 FROM 5/1/11 888-968-0335;13-16%COMM:CRUISES/TOURS BIZ NETS AVBL;800-321-1199;MORE DESTS TO 5/31/11 FROM 5/1/11 888-968-0335;13-16%COMM:CRUISES/TOURS BIZ NETS AVBL;800-321-1199;MORE DESTS FROM 5/1/11 BIZ NETS AVBL;800-321-1199;MORE DESTS TO 5/31/11 888-968-0335;13-16%COMM:WEDDNGS/TOURS FROM 5/1/11 BIZ NETS AVBL;800-321-1199;MORE DESTS TO 5/31/11 FROM 5/1/11 FROM 5/1/11 888-968-0335;13-16%COMM:WEDDNGS/TOURS AIR;6N ATH;CITY TOUR;MORE BIZ NETS AVBL;800-321-1199;MORE DESTS FROM 5/1/11 BIZ NETS AVBL;800-321-1199;MORE DESTS GEORGIA (EX SOVIET REPUBLIC) 6 NEW YORK DAILY SKED AIR $ BOSTON DAILY BUSINESS $ CHICAGO DAILY BUSINESS $ DAILY SKED AIR $ DAILY BUSINESS $ DALLAS DAILY SKED AIR $ LAS VEGAS DAILY BUSINESS $ LOS ANGELES DAILY BUSINESS $ MIAMI DAILY SKED AIR $ DAILY BUSINESS $ NEW YORK DAILY SKED AIR $ DAILY BUSINESS $ DAILY BUSINESS $ DAILY SKED AIR $ SAN FRANCISCO DAILY OW BC $ WASHINGTON DC DAILY SKED AIR $ DAILY BUSINESS $ GERMANY ATLANTA DAILY SKED TUR 7 BOSTON DAILY SKED TUR 7 DAILY SKED AIR DALLAS DAILY SKED TUR 7 DAILY SKED AIR HOUSTON DAILY SKED AIR LOS ANGELES DAILY SKED TUR 7 MIAMI DAILY SKED AIR NEW YORK DAILY SKED TUR 7 DAILY SKED TUR 7 DAILY SKED AIR PHILADELPHIA DAILY SKED AIR 329 2685 1950 447 3164 Net $ 3250 534 3065 3672 447 2674 329 3100 2648 2385 Net Net 1875 397 2276 GREECE 42 EUROPE $ 799 $ 975 $ 799 $ 440 Net $ 975 $ 799 $ 516 Net $ 558 Net $ 1015 $ 799 $ 496 $ 1120 Net $ 799 $ 1475 $ 440 $ 975 Net $ 445 Net To:BERLIN CROWN PETERS To:FRANKFURT LEGEND TRAVEL AND TOURS To:FRANKFURT ARROW TRAVEL CROWN PETERS JGT TRAVEL (CHI) To:FRANKFURT CROWN PETERS To:FRANKFURT LEGEND TRAVEL AND TOURS To:FRANKFURT JGT TRAVEL/LAX To:FRANKFURT CROWN PETERS LEGEND TRAVEL AND TOURS To:FRANKFURT CROWN PETERS EXTRA VALUE AIR JGT TRAVEL (CHI) LEGEND TRAVEL AND TOURS To:FRANKFURT LEGEND TRAVEL AND TOURS To:FRANKFURT CROWN PETERS LEGEND TRAVEL AND TOURS To:ATHENS AEGEAN/MED CRUISES/TOURS To:ATHENS AEGEAN/MED CRUISES/TOURS CROWN PETERS To:ATHENS AEGEAN/MED CRUISES/TOURS CROWN PETERS To:ATHENS CROWN PETERS To:ATHENS AEGEAN/MED CRUISES/TOURS To:ATHENS CROWN PETERS To:ATHENS AEGEAN/MED CRUISES/TOURS CROWN PETERS CROWN PETERS To:ATHENS CROWN PETERS WWW.JAXFAX.COM MAY 2011 www.skylinkus.com TRIP # ROUND TRIP PRICE DEPARTING TYPE DAYS MIN MAX TAMPA DAILY SKED TUR 7 $ 799 $ 1080 DAILY SKED AIR $ 586 WASHINGTON DC DAILY SKED AIR $ 440 Net NEW YORK DAILY SKED AIR $ 440 SUPPLIER To:ATHENS AEGEAN/MED CRUISES/TOURS CROWN PETERS To:ATHENS CROWN PETERS To:THESSALONIKI CROWN PETERS NEW YORK DAILY SKED AIR DAILY SKED AIR To:BUDAPEST AMERICAN TRAVEL ABROAD CROWN PETERS HUNGARY $ 329 $ 339 BOSTON DAILY SKED AIR $ NEW YORK DAILY SKED AIR $ ATLANTA DAILY BUSINESS $ BOSTON DAILY SKED AIR $ DAILY BUSINESS $ DALLAS DAILY SKED AIR $ DAILY BUSINESS $ HOUSTON DAILY SKED AIR $ MIAMI DAILY SKED AIR $ DAILY BUSINESS $ NEW YORK DAILY SKED TUR 5 $ DAILY SKED TUR 8 $ DAILY SKED AIR $ DAILY BUSINESS $ PHILADELPHIA DAILY SKED AIR $ SAN FRANCISCO DAILY BUSINESS $ WASHINGTON DC DAILY SKED AIR $ BOSTON DAILY SKED AIR $ NEW YORK DAILY SKED TUR 8 $ DAILY SKED AIR $ Net Net ITALY 366 Net 344 Net 2675 384 2876 Net 497 2785 Net 431 Net 474 2698 Net 599 799 331 2675 396 $ 999 $ 1299 Net Net 3265 419 Net 376 Net 599 363 Net $ 999 To:MILAN CROWN PETERS To:MILAN CROWN PETERS To:ROME LEGEND TRAVEL AND TOURS To:ROME CROWN PETERS LEGEND TRAVEL AND TOURS To:ROME CROWN PETERS LEGEND TRAVEL AND TOURS To:ROME CROWN PETERS To:ROME CROWN PETERS LEGEND TRAVEL AND TOURS To:ROME AEGEAN/MED CRUISES/TOURS AEGEAN/MED CRUISES/TOURS CROWN PETERS LEGEND TRAVEL AND TOURS To:ROME CROWN PETERS To:ROME LEGEND TRAVEL AND TOURS To:ROME CROWN PETERS To:VENICE CROWN PETERS To:VENICE AEGEAN/MED CRUISES/TOURS CROWN PETERS VALIDITY PERIOD ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO 5/31/11 FROM 5/1/11 888-968-0335;13-16%COMM:CULTURAL TOURS BIZ NETS AVBL;800-321-1199;MORE DESTS FROM 5/1/11 BIZ NETS AVBL;800-321-1199;MORE DESTS FROM 5/1/11 BIZ NETS AVBL;800-321-1199;MORE DESTS 4/1/11-5/13/11 FROM 5/1/11 OW $209;NET;CALL;800-228-0877 BIZ NETS AVBL;800-321-1199;MORE DESTS FROM 5/1/11 BIZ NETS AVBL;800-321-1199;MORE DESTS FROM 5/1/11 BIZ NETS AVBL;800-321-1199;MORE DESTS TO 12/15/11 800-295-3436;[email protected];OTH CITIES FROM 5/1/11 TO 12/15/11 BIZ NETS AVBL;800-321-1199;MORE DESTS 800-295-3436;[email protected];OTH CITIES FROM 5/1/11 TO 12/15/11 BIZ NETS AVBL;800-321-1199;MORE DESTS 800-295-3436;[email protected];OTH CITIES FROM 5/1/11 BIZ NETS AVBL;800-321-1199;MORE DESTS FROM 5/1/11 TO 12/15/11 BIZ NETS AVBL;800-321-1199;MORE DESTS 800-295-3436;[email protected];OTH CITIES TO 5/31/11 TO 5/31/11 FROM 5/1/11 TO 12/15/11 888-968-0335;13-16%COMM:CRUISES/TOURS 888-968-0335;13-16%COMM:CRUISES/TOURS BIZ NETS AVBL;800-321-1199;MORE DESTS 800-295-3436;[email protected];OTH CITIES FROM 5/1/11 BIZ NETS AVBL;800-321-1199;MORE DESTS TO 12/15/11 800-295-3436;[email protected];OTH CITIES FROM 5/1/11 BIZ NETS AVBL;800-321-1199;MORE DESTS FROM 5/1/11 BIZ NETS AVBL;800-321-1199;MORE DESTS TO 5/31/11 FROM 5/1/11 888-968-0335;13-16%COMM:CRUISES/TOURS BIZ NETS AVBL;800-321-1199;MORE DESTS C e n t r a l A s i a B e s t A i r l i n e • S l e e p e r B u s i n e s s C l a s s • C om f or t a n d S a f e t y from the heart of eurasia KAZAKHSTAN DAILY TOUR PKG 3 $ 346 KYRGYZSTAN DAILY TOUR PKG 3 $ 310 U S S a l e s I n f o r m a t i o n : u s a . s a l e s @ a i r a s t a n a . c om • 1 - 8 8 8 - 8 5 5 - 1 5 5 7 To:ALMATY RUSSIAN AMERICAN CONSULT. ALL YEAR 877-268-2677;VISAS;HTLS AVBL ALL KAZAK. To:BISHKEK RUSSIAN AMERICAN CONSULT. ALL YEAR 877-268-2677;VISAS;HTLS AVBL ALL KYRGY. JAX FAX's new "Find a Consolidator" search engine will help you find a consolidator to most worldwide destinations. Go to www.jaxfaxmagazine.com & click on the FIND A CONSOLIDATOR link. MAY 2011 WWW.JAXFAX.COM EUROPE 43 72 PAGE DIRECTORY SEE EMAIL & ADDRESS WEBSITE I N F O R M AT I O N , CONTACT FOR NEW 4,7 DAILY DAILY YORK SKED AIR SKED AIR SKED AIR $ 475 Net $ 540 Net NET/COMM NEW DAILY DAILY USA DAILY YORK SKED AIR SKED AIR $ 540 Net NET/COMM SKED AIR $ 450 NEW YORK SKED AIR DAILY SEATTLE DAILY SKED AIR $ 470 To:RIGA UNITED TOURS CORP. AMERICAN TRAVEL ABROAD DOWNTOWN TRAVEL LATVIA To:VILNIUS AMERICAN TRAVEL ABROAD DOWNTOWN TRAVEL To:VILNIUS IMPRESSA CLUB, LTD. LITHUANIA To:CHISINAU PANORAMA TRAVEL, LTD. To:CHISINAU MISSION VALLEY TRAVEL MOLDOVA Net NET/COMM NEW YORK SKED AIR $ DAILY ATLANTA SKED AIR $ DAILY BOSTON SKED AIR $ DAILY CHICAGO SKED AIR $ DAILY DETROIT SKED AIR $ DAILY HOUSTON SKED AIR $ DAILY NEW YORK DAILY SKED AIR $ PHILADELPHIA SKED AIR $ DAILY WASHINGTON DC DAILY SKED AIR $ To:KRAKOW AMERICAN TRAVEL ABROAD To:WARSAW AMERICAN TRAVEL ABROAD To:WARSAW AMERICAN TRAVEL ABROAD To:WARSAW AMERICAN TRAVEL ABROAD To:WARSAW AMERICAN TRAVEL ABROAD To:WARSAW AMERICAN TRAVEL ABROAD To:WARSAW AMERICAN TRAVEL ABROAD To:WARSAW AMERICAN TRAVEL ABROAD To:WROCLAW AMERICAN TRAVEL ABROAD POLAND 329 Net 468 Net 384 Net 495 Net 645 Net 508 Net 329 Net 361 Net 383 Net TO 5/31/11 4/1/11-5/13/11 ALL YEAR 888-838-1674;212-245-1100;OW OK OW $378;NET;CALL:800-228-0877 212-481-1800;WWW.DOWNTOWNTRAVEL.COM 4/1/11-5/13/11 ALL YEAR OW $218;NET;CALL:800-228-0877 212-481-1800;WWW.DOWNTOWNTRAVEL.COM ALL YEAR OTH CITY;718-645-8578;IMPRESSACLUB.COM TO 5/31/11 NET/COMM;COACH/BUS;ADDONS;800-204-7130 ALL YEAR 800-321-8069;WWW.MVTI.US;ALL CITIES 4/1/11-5/13/11 EWR SAME;OW $249;NET;800-228-0877 4/1/11-5/13/11 KRK,GDN SAME;OW $300;NET;800-228-0877 4/1/11-5/13/11 KRK SAME;OW $245;NET;CALL:800-228-0877 4/1/11-5/13/11 KRK SAME;OW $317;NET;CALL:800-228-0877 4/1/11-5/13/11 KRK,GDN SAME;OW $415;NET;800-228-0877 4/1/11-5/13/11 KRK,GDN SAME;OW $322;NET;800-228-0877 4/1/11-5/13/11 GDN,KTW SAME;OW $209;NET;800-228-0877 4/1/11-5/13/11 KRK SAME;OW $224;NET;CALL:800-228-0877 4/1/11-5/13/11 KRK,GDN SAME;OW $244;NET;800-228-0877 BOSTON DAILY SKED AIR $ 395 Net CHICAGO DAILY SKED AIR NET/COMM LOS ANGELES DAILY SKED AIR NET/COMM DAILY SKED AIR NET/COMM DAILY HTL PKG 3 $ 210 MIAMI DAILY SKED AIR NET/COMM NEW YORK DAILY BUSINESS $ 2050 Net $ 2950 DAILY SKED AIR $ 430 Net DAILY SKED AIR NET/COMM DAILY BUSINESS CALL FOR QUOTES DAILY SKED AIR $ 330 Net DAILY HTL PKG 3 $ 210 VARY SHIP PKG 11 $ 1200 $ 1760 SAN FRANCISCO DAILY HTL PKG 3 $ 210 SEATTLE DAILY SKED AIR NET/COMM USA DAILY SKED AIR $ 350 WASHINGTON DC DAILY SKED AIR NET/COMM NEW YORK DAILY SKED TUR $ 400 NEW YORK DAILY SKED TUR 6 $ 360 Net DAILY HTL PKG 3 $ 210 VARY SHIP PKG 11 $ 1200 $ 1760 To:MOSCOW PANORAMA TRAVEL, LTD. TO 5/31/11 To:MOSCOW DOWNTOWN TRAVEL ALL YEAR To:MOSCOW DOWNTOWN TRAVEL ALL YEAR MISSION VALLEY TRAVEL ALL YEAR RUSSIAN AMERICAN CONSULT. ALL YEAR To:MOSCOW DOWNTOWN TRAVEL ALL YEAR To:MOSCOW ARROW TRAVEL ALL YEAR CROWN PETERS FROM 5/1/11 DOWNTOWN TRAVEL ALL YEAR MISSION VALLEY TRAVEL ALL YEAR PANORAMA TRAVEL, LTD. TO 5/31/11 RUSSIAN AMERICAN CONSULT. ALL YEAR RUSSIAN AMERICAN CONSULT. ALL YEAR To:MOSCOW RUSSIAN AMERICAN CONSULT. ALL YEAR To:MOSCOW DOWNTOWN TRAVEL ALL YEAR To:MOSCOW IMPRESSA CLUB, LTD. ALL YEAR To:MOSCOW DOWNTOWN TRAVEL ALL YEAR To:MOSCOW,ST.PETERSBURG TATRA TVL/CZECH VACATIONS ALL YEAR 2011 To:ST. PETERSBURG PANORAMA TRAVEL, LTD. TO 5/31/11 RUSSIAN AMERICAN CONSULT. ALL YEAR RUSSIAN AMERICAN CONSULT. ALL YEAR LOS ANGELES DAILY BUSINESS $ 3265 NEW YORK DAILY SKED TUR 14 $ 599 DAILY SKED AIR $ 204 WASHINGTON DC DAILY BUSINESS $ 2465 NEW YORK DAILY SKED TUR 14 $ 799 MIAMI 3XWK BUSINESS $ 1750 To:BARCELONA LEGEND TRAVEL AND TOURS To:BARCELONA AEGEAN/MED CRUISES/TOURS CROWN PETERS To:BARCELONA LEGEND TRAVEL AND TOURS To:COSTA DEL SOL AEGEAN/MED CRUISES/TOURS To:MADRID PRIME TRAVEL RUSSIA SPAIN 44 EUROPE $ 1299 Net $ 1999 Net NET/COMM;COACH/BUS;ADDONS;800-204-7130 800-952-3519;WWW.DOWNTOWNTRAVEL.COM 800-952-3519;WWW.DOWNTOWNTRAVEL.COM 800-321-8069;WWW.MVTI.US;ALL CITIES 877-268-2677;VISAS;HTLS AVBL ALL RUSSIA 800-952-3519;WWW.DOWNTOWNTRAVEL.COM CALL FOR OTHER CITIES;866-359-2776 BIZ NETS AVBL;800-321-1199;MORE DESTS 212-481-1800;WWW.DOWNTOWNTRAVEL.COM 800-321-8069;WWW.MVTI.US;ALL CITIES NET/COMM;COACH/BUS;ADDONS;800-204-7130 877-268-2677;HTLS AVBL ALL RUSSIA 877-268-2677;VISA SVCS;HTLS;ALL GATES 877-268-2677;VISAS;HTLS AVBL ALL RUSSIA 800-952-3519;WWW.DOWNTOWNTRAVEL.COM OTH CITY;718-645-8578;IMPRESSACLUB.COM 800-952-3519;WWW.DOWNTOWNTRAVEL.COM 2 CITY;CZECHVACATIONS.COM;800-321-2999 NET/COMM/BUS;800-204-7130 877-268-2677;HTLS AVBL ALL RUSSIA 877-268-2677;VISA SVCS;HTLS;ALL GATES TO 12/15/11 800-295-3436;[email protected];OTH CITIES TO 5/31/11 FROM 5/1/11 888-968-0335;13-16%COMM:CRUISES/TOURS BIZ NETS AVBL;800-321-1199;MORE DESTS TO 12/15/11 800-295-3436;[email protected];OTH CITIES TO 5/31/11 888-968-0335;13-16%COMM:CRUISES/TOURS MAY 2011 ALL LAT AMER & EUR AIR/TRS;800-447-4013 WWW.JAXFAX.COM MAY 2011 BALTIC STATES L I T H U A N I A • L AT V I A • E S T O N I A Scandinavia • Czech Republic • Russia Group Departures • Air and Land Packages Low Airfares • FITs VYTIS TOURS 40-24 235th Street, Douglaston, NY 11363 TOLL FREE: 800-7789847 • 718-423-6161 • FAX: 718-423-3979 www.vytistours.com Email: [email protected] TRIP # DEPARTING TYPE DAYS NEW YORK DAILY SKED TUR 14 SKED AIR DAILY ROUND TRIP PRICE MIN MAX $ 699 $ 204 $ 1699 Net DALLAS DAILY OW BC $ 1456 SAN FRANCISCO DAILY BUSINESS $ 3175 To:ZURICH LEGEND TRAVEL AND TOURS To:ZURICH LEGEND TRAVEL AND TOURS SWITZERLAND ATLANTA SKED AIR $ 577 DAILY DALLAS DAILY SKED AIR $ 908 HOUSTON DAILY SKED AIR $ 908 MIAMI DAILY SKED TUR 7 $ 699 NEW YORK DAILY SKED TUR 7 $ 699 DAILY SKED AIR $ 665 DAILY SKED AIR $ 406 DAILY OW BC $ 1145 WASHINGTON DC DAILY SKED AIR $ 665 TURKEY Net Net Net $ 1299 $ 1299 Net Net UKRAINE DAILY TOUR PKG 3 $ 295 CHICAGO DAILY SKED AIR NET/COMM LOS ANGELES DAILY SKED AIR NET/COMM NEW YORK DAILY SKED AIR $ 497 Net DAILY SKED AIR NET/COMM DAILY BUSINESS CALL FOR QUOTES DAILY SKED AIR $ 340 Net SAN FRANCISCO DAILY SKED AIR NET/COMM SEATTLE DAILY SKED AIR NET/COMM DAILY SKED AIR NET/COMM USA DAILY SKED AIR $ 300 NEW YORK DAILY SKED TUR $ 400 NEW YORK DAILY SKED AIR $ 497 Net DAILY SKED AIR NET/COMM DAILY TOUR PKG 3 $ 255 UZBEKISTAN DAILY NEW 4,7 NEW DAILY MAY 2011 TOUR PKG 3 YORK SKED AIR YORK SKED TUR 10 $ 160 $ 860 $ 500 VALIDITY SUPPLIER PERIOD To:MADRID AEGEAN/MED CRUISES/TOURS TO 5/31/11 CROWN PETERS FROM 5/1/11 Net To:ISTANBUL C & H INTERNATIONAL To:ISTANBUL C & H INTERNATIONAL To:ISTANBUL C & H INTERNATIONAL To:ISTANBUL AEGEAN/MED CRUISES/TOURS To:ISTANBUL AEGEAN/MED CRUISES/TOURS C & H INTERNATIONAL CROWN PETERS LEGEND TRAVEL AND TOURS To:ISTANBUL C & H INTERNATIONAL ADDITIONAL INFORMATION 888-968-0335;13-16%COMM:CRUISES/TOURS BIZ NETS AVBL;800-321-1199;MORE DESTS TO 12/15/11 800-295-3436;[email protected];OTH CITIES TO 12/15/11 800-295-3436;[email protected];OTH CITIES TO 5/13/11 VISIT CNHINTL.COM OR CALL 888-708-0088 TO 8/25/11 VISIT CNHINTL.COM OR CALL 866-206-8065 TO 8/27/11 VISIT CNHINTL.COM OR CALL 888-440-2288 TO 5/31/11 888-968-0335;13-16%COMM:CRUISES/TOURS TO 5/31/11 TO 6/5/11 FROM 5/1/11 TO 12/15/11 888-968-0335;13-16%COMM:PILGIMAGES VISIT CNHINTL.COM OR CALL 888-823-8839 BIZ NETS AVBL;800-321-1199;MORE DESTS 800-295-3436;[email protected];OTH CITIES TO 6/5/11 VISIT CNHINTL.COM OR CALL 866-787-2288 To:KIEV RUSSIAN AMERICAN CONSULT. ALL YEAR To:KIEV DOWNTOWN TRAVEL ALL YEAR To:KIEV DOWNTOWN TRAVEL ALL YEAR To:KIEV AMERICAN TRAVEL ABROAD 4/1/11-5/13/11 DOWNTOWN TRAVEL ALL YEAR MISSION VALLEY TRAVEL ALL YEAR PANORAMA TRAVEL, LTD. TO 5/31/11 To:KIEV DOWNTOWN TRAVEL ALL YEAR To:KIEV DOWNTOWN TRAVEL ALL YEAR MISSION VALLEY TRAVEL ALL YEAR To:KIEV IMPRESSA CLUB, LTD. ALL YEAR To:KIEV,LVIV,ODESSA TATRA TVL/CZECH VACATIONS ALL YEAR 2011 To:LVOV AMERICAN TRAVEL ABROAD 4/1/11-5/13/11 MISSION VALLEY TRAVEL ALL YEAR To:ODESSA RUSSIAN AMERICAN CONSULT. ALL YEAR 877-268-2677;VISAS;HTLS FOR ALL UKRAINE 800-952-3519;WWW.DOWNTOWNTRAVEL.COM 800-952-3519;WWW.DOWNTOWNTRAVEL.COM OW $319;NET;CALL:800-228-0877 212-481-1800;WWW.DOWNTOWNTRAVEL.COM 800-321-8069;WWW.MVTI.US;ALL CITIES NET/COMM;COACH/BUS;ADDONS;800-204-7130 800-952-3519;WWW.DOWNTOWNTRAVEL.COM 800-952-3519;WWW.DOWNTOWNTRAVEL.COM 800-321-8069;WWW.MVTI.US;ALL CITIES OTH CITY;718-645-8578;IMPRESSACLUB.COM 3 CITY;CZECHVACATIONS.COM;800-321-2999 OW $319;NET;CALL:800-228-0877 800-321-8069;WWW.MVTI.US;ALL CITIES 877-268-2677;VISAS;HTLS FOR ALL UKRAINE To:TASHKENT RUSSIAN AMERICAN CONSULT. ALL YEAR 877-268-2677;VISAS;HTLS AVBL ALL UZBEK. To:TASHKENT UNITED TOURS CORP. TO 5/31/11 888-838-1674;212-245-1100;OW OK To:TASHKENT,BUKHARA,SAMARKAND TATRA TVL/CZECH VACATIONS ALL YEAR 2011 3 CITY;CZECHVACATIONS.COM;800-321-2999 WWW.JAXFAX.COM EUROPE 45 AFRICA & THE MIDDLE EAST Exploring Morocco: Marrakech and its Majestic Foothills By Monique Burns Caption orocco’s largest city, Marrakech, is a garden of palm, orange and olive groves flourishing in the shadow of the snowcapped High Atlas. At 13,671 feet, about half that of Mount Everest, Jebel Toubkal is the tallest peak in North Africa’s tallest peak. Local Berber tribesmen refer to the High Atlas as “the mountains of mountains.” And to get a taste of Morocco’s High Atlas Mountains, travelers need only arrange a day trip to the foothills of the Ourika Valley, located just 20 miles outside of Marrakech. M Exotic Pleasures, Grand Hotels Djemma el Fna, the main square of this lively city, is a threering circus where snake charmers, jugglers and musicians perform from dawn to dusk. At sunset, food-sellers appear, filling the square with the mingled scent of acrid smoke and spicy Moroccan specialties. In the souks of the old Arab quarter, or medina, haggle for stained-glass lanterns, colorful hooded caftans called “djellabas,” soft leather slippers and other goods. West of the medina lies the “Nouvelle Ville”, or New City, created by the French, who occupied Morocco from 1912 to 1956. On its northern edge, the Jardin Majorelle (www.jardinmajorelle.com) is an oasis of flowering plants, trees and cacti, punctuated by a neon-blue villa once owned by designer Yves St. Laurent and now housing the Islamic Art Museum. Marrakech is called the “city of riads” – both traditional townhouses and elaborate hotel villas. But the talk of the town remains the 2009 reopening of five-star La Mamounia (www.mamounia.com) after a $180 million renovation. In 2010, another standout opened, the Royal Mansour Marrakech (www.royalmansour.ma), with 53 lavishly decorated riads, and three restaurants, two overseen by three-star Michelin chef Yannick Alléno. Accommodations at both hotels start at $600. This summer’s newcomers are also sure to set tongues wagging. In mid-June, the Four Seasons Marrakech (www.fourseasons.com) opens near the Menara Gardens on the Nouvelle Ville’s southern edge. Amid its own 40-acre gardens, the hotel is a contemporary-style walled sanctuary with spacious, art-filled rooms, a spa with two indoor pools, and two restaurants: Bleu d’Orange for Provençal dishes, and Solano for Andalusian, Italian and Moroccan specialties. Doubles start at $500. Also expected to open this summer are Pearl and Pure, sister hotels to 69-room Hivernage Hotel & Spa (www.hivernage-hotel.com), a five-star design hotel known for La Table du Marché’s innovative French and Moroccan dishes. Doubles 46 AFRICA & THE MIDDLE EAST The main square of Djemma el Fna in Marrakech start at about $300. Next door, the new Pearl (www.hivernage-collection.com) has 75 neo-Baroque suites awash in precious marbles and sumptuous fabrics, restaurants presided over by French two-star Michelin chef Michel Rostang and Italian two-star chef Giancarlo Morelli, and a rooftop “sky-pool” offering Atlas panoramas. Pure (www.hivernage-collection.com) will have a 75-room boutique hotel, and an extensive spa village and fitness complex, complete with tennis and squash courts, a heated pool and dietetic restaurants. Room rates were unavailable at press time. The Road Through the Ourika Valley You could spend days on your hotel balcony contemplating the snow-capped Atlas over cups of strong Moroccan coffee or mint tea. But for a closer look, the Ourika Valley’s dramatic foothills lie just 45 minutes from Marrakech. Start early, heading southeast along route P2017, the Route de l’Ourika. About 20 miles from Marrakech, the orchards and olive groves of the Haouz plain give way to the ochre-colored flanks of the High Atlas. For another 50 miles, the road threads its way through typical Berber villages, with pressed-mud houses clinging to hillsides, and roadsides lined with pottery studios, inns, restaurants and outdoor food stalls where meatand-vegetable “tagines” (stews) braise in cone-shaped pots. In Tafza village, 23 miles from Marrakech, is the Ecomusée Berbère de l’Ourika (www.ecomuseeberbere.com). Here hand-woven carpets, pottery and photos capture the rich culture of the Berbers, driven to these foothills centuries ago by Arab invaders. About 6 miles farther, west of Tnine de l’Ourika village, tour La Safranière de l’Ourika (www.safran-ourika.com), an organic farm where precious saffron, known as “red gold,” is grown. Not far away is a government-run Women’s Argan Cooperative, where widowed and divorced Berber women collect the prized argan oil, derived from an endangered tree that grows only in Morocco. Watch the women crack open and grind the seeds, then visit the shop, which sells bottles of the culinary oil used in couscous, tagines and salads as well as cosmetic oil and soaps, believed to have anti-aging properties. At Po- WWW.JAXFAX.COM MAY 2011 AFRICA & THE MIDDLE EAST NEWS & BEST BUYS MOROCCO NTO Royal Air Maroc Updates Fleet, Adds Routes The main square of Djemma el Fna in Marrakech terie Ourika, in nearby Anrar village, cheerful Omar El Maazi, using a traditional foot-driven potter’s wheel and a wood-burning kiln, creates cups and vases with colorful Berber designs as well as authentic clay tagines. Continue to Aghbalou, the valley’s largest village, at kilometer 49, for a tour of Arom Montagne. At this remarkable government-run facility dozens of aromatic herbs are grown for medicinal oils and infusions like Jacaranda rose to prevent dark under-eye circles, cactus oil to soothe burns, and teas to heal liver, bladder and prostate problems. At kilometer 68, the end of the Ourika Valley, is Setti Fatma, known for its four-day religious festival in August and its seven waterfalls. Cross one of many rope bridges strung across the Ourika River to open-air Le Noyer to feast on couscous, Atlas Mountain trout drizzled with Argan oil, or hearty Berber-style tagine, chicken or beef braised with potatoes, carrots, zucchini, hot peppers and olives. Royal Air Maroc has made some important strides toward the development its network, routes and code share agreements. Since the beginning of 2010, the company has opened 11 new international destinations: Verona (Italy), Zurich (Switzerland), Munich and Berlin (Germany), Warsaw (Poland), Lyon (France)-Agadir, Pointe Noire (Congo Brazzaville), Bangui (Central African Republic), Malaga (Spain), Moscow (Russia) and Porto (Portugal). Royal Air Maroc has also opened some domestic destinations: Nador, Zagora, Tan Tan and Guelmim. Additionally Royal Air Maroc has signed a code share agreement with Etihad Airways for flights from Casablanca to Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Singapore. A few years ago Royal Air Maroc started to modernize its fleet. In 2010 the Company took delivery of 2 B767-300 and 3 B737-800. The company will be among the first airlines to take delivery of B787 Dreamliners and has also signed an important contract with ATR for the “Greenliners” to be used on its domestic routes. RAM offers non-stop services from both JFK and Montreal with 6 weekly flights in low season and 12 weekly flights in the summer. From its hub in Casablanca, RAM offers a large number of connections to the important markets of West Africa, North Africa, Middle East and Europe. Visit www.royalairmaroc.com for more information. For More Information Royal Air Maroc (www.royalairmaroc.com), Morocco’s national carrier, has the most frequent flights from New York’s JFK Airport to Marrakech, with stopovers in Casablanca. Air France (www.airfrance.com), Delta Air Lines (www.delta.com) and Iberia Airlines (www.iberia.com) also have connecting flights from JFK Airport to Marrakech. Minimum flight time to Marrakech is 7.5 hours. By train (www.oncf.ma), Marrakech is 3 hours from Casablanca. The best way to explore the Ourika Valley is by car. Winding mountain roads can be dangerous, so consider hiring a car and driver (about $250-$300 daily). Local tour operators offer half or full-day tours (about $30-$100). Your hotel concierge can arrange car rentals, chauffeur hire or local tours. Tour operators specializing in Morocco—Casablanca Tours (www.casablancatour.com), Foreign Independent Tours (www.fittours.com) and Oussaden Tours (www.oussadentours.com)—often include the Ourika Valley in Marrakech itineraries. For more information, contact the Moroccan Tourist Office, 212-221-1583; E-mail [email protected]; www.visitmorocco.com MAY 2011 Come lose yourself in the romantic backdrops that served as the setting for Bogart and Bergman in one of history’s most beloved love stories. Share this unforgettable event with your loved ones in the Kingdom of Morocco. Call: 800-227-2868 Email: [email protected] www.casablancatour.com WWW.JAXFAX.COM AFRICA & THE MIDDLE EAST 47 AFRICA & THE MIDDLE EAST South Africa: A Cultural Melting Pot Some information in this article was reproduced with permission from www.southafrica.info/travel outh Africa is triply blessed. A long and varied coastline supplies it with an astonishing amount and variety of seafood; its fertile soils and wonderful climate work together to produce an enormous range of agricultural products; and its checkered history has endowed its population with such diverse cultural backgrounds that fusion is hardly anything new. S Indulge in Culinary Temptations South Africa's seafood is legendary, and is best sampled at one of the West Coast's open air restaurants - not much more than simple shelters on the beach. As well as mussels, fish stew, grilled fish and lobster, visitors may be offered pickled fish - a well-loved dish which they'll also find in some traditional Cape Malay restaurants. Other Malay specialities include fruity, spicy but not overpowering curries, "smoorsnoek" (a fish dish not unlike kedgeree), "koeksusters" (a sweet, syrupy treat), "bobotie" (a spicy mince dish), and some Indian specialities, such as "rotis" and "samosas," with a local twist. But this country's cuisine is truly multicultural, and nowhere is this more apparent than at a typical South African "braai" (barbecue). Now, braais are assumed to be the domain of the Afrikaner male, but the reality is not nearly so simple. Yes, there is an awesome amount of meat, most notably the very Afrikaner "boerewors" (a spicy, fatty sausage), but there will almost certainly be "sosaties" too—this is a lightly curried meat kebab, not unlike an Indonesian satay, which was brought to this country by the Malays hundreds of years ago. And of course, no braai is complete without "pap en sous," which is the staple diet of most of Africa. It's a grits-like maize porridge, cooked up stiff, and served with a relish of vegetables, usually tomato and onion at a braai, or wild spinach ("merogo" or "imifino") in a traditional African environment. Your client will get the opportunity to try this at most cultural villages, or at one of the many African restaurants which are scattered all over the country. And, of course, all this food has got to be washed down with something. South Africans are great beer drinkers, and no braai is complete without the brown liquid. More worth trying, though, is the thick, low-alcohol, nutritious traditional African beer, brewed from maize or sorghum. But nothing can beat a good wine from the Cape - a notable wine-growing region for over 300 years. Raise a Glass at the Soweto Wine Fest The 2011 Soweto Wine Festival, will run from September 2nd to the 4th at the University of Johannesburg's Soweto Campus, showcasing diverse wines from some of South Africa's top and emerging wine producers, including awardwinning labels and empowerment wine brands. This 6th festival marks the introduction of the Soweto Wine Shop, together with Norman Goodfellows, which promises to offer 48 AFRICA & THE MIDDLE EAST Soweto Wine Festival a one-stop-shop retail wine experience. This year's Soweto Wine Festival is taking this experience further, and will be hosting some of the famous township's favourite restaurants alongside 800 wine exhibitors. La Kitchen Eatery, Roots, Asidle Gourmet, Masakeng Pub and Divine Caterers will be on hand to serve scrumptious Soweto "home-grown" cuisine. In addition, a new Wine Business Education arena will give visitors an opportunity to explore careers and entrepreneurial opportunities in wine. The “marquee”, dubbed the Platinum Arena, will feature travel lounges from San Parks and Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, premier wineries, as well as education and business opportunities. To add more spice to the show, visitors will be asked to find "The One". The One is a fun activity that involves finding your favorite wine variety such as cabernet sauvignon, chenin blanc, sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, muscadel, pinot noir, merlot, shiraz or blends of these and then finding the winery that makes your style. Retail group Pick n Pay is sponsoring the Taste Theatre which is a classroom-style lecture where food and wine personalities like Ntsiki Biyela, Jacob Peu, Erick Sikhosana and celebrity chef Citrum Khumalo will share their passion for wine and food. Visit www.sowetowinefestival.co.za Wine Festival Comes to Guguletu Businessmen Mzoli Ngcawuzele and Lungile Mbalo from Mzoli's Place have hired the Soweto Wine Festival organizing team to launch the first Guguletu Wine Festival, taking place on the rooftop of the Guguletu Square Mall in Cape Town on May 27 and 28. Mbalo says the aim of the festival is to create awareness amongst the broader population in the Western Cape with a view to expanding the wine base for wineries; to enhance Guguletu as a tourist destination; and to create awareness of the wine brands, consumption and availability of wine products among black people in the Western Cape. The festival will have a large VIP area for invited guests, captains of industry and VIP media with entertainment, fantastic food and plenty of free flowing wine from the province's world-class wine estates. There will be approximately 50 wine exhibitors, wine lounges, big brand sponsors and around 2,000 visitors over the two days. "This is a glamorous affair of middle class residents, top businesspeople and celebrities in Guguletu and Cape Town and will become a hot event annually," Ngcawuzele said. Cooper will be managing the wine estate exhibitors, while Hot Salsa Media, sponsorship and PR professionals for the Soweto Wine Festival, will manage the sponsorship, public relations and media VIPs for the Guguletu Wine Festival. For more information, call the South African Tourist Board, 800-593-1318; or visit www.southafrica.net WWW.JAXFAX.COM MAY 2011 AFRICA & THE MIDDLE EAST SOUTH AFRICA South African Airways Vacations is offering an 11-day “Route of the African Sun” trip that takes travelers to Cape Town, Sun City and Victoria Falls. This luxury package includes round-trip economy class airfare from New York (JFK) or Washington, D.C. (Dulles) to Cape Town on South African Airways as well as regional flights within Southern Africa. Enjoy 3 nights in Cape Town at the 5-star Table Bay Hotel located at the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront. This package includes a full day tour of Cape Peninsula and a tour of the Cape Wine region where guests will enjoy several wine tastings. After Cape Town, a transfer to Sun City where guests will stay 2 nights at The Palace of the Lost City. Next, a flight to Livingstone for 2 nights at The Royal Livingstone Hotel. Explore the mighty Victoria Falls, one of the great natural wonders of the world and a sundowner cruise on the Zambezi River. All airport transfers, Cape Peninsula and Winelands tours, sundowner cruise and some meals are included in this package. Visit www.flysaavacations.com 4799 $ MOROCCO FIT Tours is offering an 8-day culinary tour of Morocco priced at $2,499 now through October 2010. Originally created as a Budget Travel Magazine exclusive, this package takes visitors through Casablanca, Rabat, Fes and Marrakech with round-trip, non-stop air from JFK to Morocco, all transfers and transportation, porterage of luggage in the hotels, 6 nights accommodation in 4 star hotels, 17 meals, 3 cooking lessons, a cooking demonstration, a visit to the food markets of Rabat and Marrakech, a typical Moroccan Tea ceremony and private air conditioned car at your client’s disposal during the whole tour with an English speaking driver. For bookings and further information visit www.fittours.com 2499 $ MAY 2011 MOROCCO Casablanca Tours’ 8-day Imperial Cities package gives clients the opportunity to explore Casablanca, Rabat, Meknes, Volubilis, Moulay Idriss, Fes and Marrakech from land-only prices starting from $1,600. Package includes accommodation in hotel category of your client’s choosing, buffet breakfast, guided city tours and monument fees, private car, English-speaking driver, porterage of luggage, hotel tips and all applicable taxes and service charges. Trip highlights include exploring the natural sights of the Valley of Ourika at the foot of the Atlas Mountains and discovering the charm of a Berber village. For those interested, Casablanca Tours offers a “Jewish Heritage” tour following the same schedule as above, but with particular emphasis paid to Jewish historical points of interest. There is no additional charge. Visit www.casablancatour.com 1600 $ MOROCCO NTO TANZANIA Luxury African safari outfitter, Great Safaris, is reporting that the early rains have started in the Serengeti Plains of Tanzania, a precursor to the famous Great Migration. The Great Migration occurs every year as the rains cease and the southern grasslands wither. The wild creatures of the vast Serengeti gather in massive herds for the slow march north through the Serengeti, toward the promise of water and sweet new grasses in the Northern Serengeti and the Masai Mara of Kenya. With their own promise of a moveable feast, the carnivores tag along, darting through the shadows in search of the too old, too young or too slow. This is the great migration - the Greatest Show on Earth. Great Safari’s 10-day Greatest Show on Earth itinerary showcases the best of the great migration, from the fabled tree-climbing lions of Lake Manyara and amazing wild life of the Ngorongoro Crater, to the outstanding game viewing in the heart of the Serengeti. Common species include lions, cheetahs, leopards, elephants, wildebeest, baboons, warthogs, zebra, giraffe, rhino, and more. Great Safaris offers year-round daily departures with pricing starting at $4,975 per person, double occupancy. Airfares from JFK to East Africa good for travel June 01 – August 10 from $1,990 plus tax, $178. Additional months of travel are available upon request. More info and full itinerary at www.greatsafaris.com 4975 $ NEWS & BEST BUYS ZANZIBAR Zanzibar, the ‘spice-island’ in the Indian Ocean with its Swahili, Arabian and Eastern influences is a charming destination, ideal for an incentive or short break-away. Traces of Africa’s 5-day package, available from $1,157 pps, includes return flights from Johannesburg, South Africa, and 4 nights accommodation. Optional activities include a full-day Safari Blue Excursion to see the dolphins, islands and coral reefs of Menai Bay; a morning tour of the UNESCO World Heritage City of Stonetown; and a traditional Dhow sunset cruise. Combo this program with one of their Country Stays or City Stays in Cape Town or Johannesburg for the complete package. Visit www.tracesofafrica.co.za 1157 $ Collette Partners to Benefit Orphans Collette Vacations and Hasbro, Inc. announced that together they have brought a brand new school bus to impoverished children living in Kenya. The two Pawtucket, RI based companies each made grants through their philanthropic arms, the Collette Foundation and the Hasbro Children’s Fund, to purchase a bus that will provide transportation for the students and staff of the Tenderfeet Education Center in Kenya. The Tenderfeet Education Center, located in Riruta, Kenya, has a mission to bring orphaned and disadvantaged children the three things they need to prepare for a better life – food, education and hope. Until now, children needed to ride for miles in an old, unreliable van to reach Tenderfeet. The van was small and could not accommodate enough children, thus preventing many from having the chance to get an education. This new school bus will not only help to give access to more children, but also allow them to go on field trips and other school related outings that would have otherwise been challenging or even impossible. Tenderfeet Education Center was founded in 2000 by Margaret Nyabuto. Just three short years ago, her dream of building a foundation for a better life for the children here, many of who are afflicted with AIDS, was realized with the building of a school funded by The Collette Foundation and a team of Collette employees working to make it all happen. Visit www.collettevacations.com WWW.JAXFAX.COM AFRICA & THE MIDDLE EAST 49 72 FOR CONTACT I N F O R M AT I O N , WEBSITE ADDRESS & EMAIL SEE DIRECTORY PAGE AFRICA & THE MIDDLE EAST 50 AFRICA & THE MIDDLE EAST WWW.JAXFAX.COM MAY 2011 TRIP DEPARTING TYPE # DAYS ROUND TRIP PRICE MIN MAX VALIDITY PERIOD SUPPLIER ADDITIONAL INFORMATION EGYPT LOS ANGELES DAILY SKED TUR 7 NEW YORK DAILY SKED TUR 7 Visit: www.egypt.travel C al l 87 7- 77- E G Y P T $ 799 $ 1599 $ 649 $ 1699 To:CAIRO AEGEAN/MED CRUISES/TOURS TO 5/31/11 To:CAIRO AEGEAN/MED CRUISES/TOURS TO 5/31/11 888-968-0335;13-16%COMM:NILE CRS/TOURS 888-968-0335;13-16%COMM:NILE CRS/TOURS ISRAEL ATLANTA DAILY SKED AIR $ 729 DALLAS DAILY SKED AIR $ 910 HOUSTON DAILY SKED AIR $ 963 NEW YORK DAILY SKED AIR $ 807 DAILY SKED AIR $ 487 USA DAILY SKED TUR 8 $ 499 WASHINGTON DC DAILY SKED AIR $ 849 Net Net Net Net Net Net To:TEL AVIV C & H INTERNATIONAL To:TEL AVIV C & H INTERNATIONAL To:TEL AVIV C & H INTERNATIONAL To:TEL AVIV C & H INTERNATIONAL PANORAMA TRAVEL, LTD. To:TEL AVIV IMPRESSA CLUB, LTD. To:TEL AVIV C & H INTERNATIONAL TO 5/22/11 VISIT CNHINTL.COM OR CALL 888-708-0088 TO 6/17/11 VISIT CNHINTL.COM OR CALL 866-206-8065 TO 6/17/11 VISIT CNHINTL.COM OR CALL 888-440-2288 TO 6/17/11 TO 5/31/11 VISIT CNHINTL.COM OR CALL 888-823-8839 NET/COMM/BUS;800-204-7130 ALL YEAR TFR;HTL;TUR;7186458578;IMPRESSACLUB.COM TO 6/17/11 VISIT CNHINTL.COM OR CALL 866-787-2288 EUROPE, ASIA, AFRICA, AUSTRALIA, SOUTH AMERICA. 60% OFF Business and First Class Airfares Outstanding Customer Service & Highest Commissions with No Caps. Last Minute Travel. Earn $125 incentive cash booking bonus. No One Discounts Like We Do Mindy Pesach, President: [email protected] • 888-4BizClass (424-9252) NEW YORK DAILY SKED AIR $ 1125 WASHINGTON DC DAILY BUSINESS $ 3750 KENYA ATLANTA DAILY SKED AIR $ 766 DALLAS DAILY SKED AIR $ 713 HOUSTON DAILY SKED AIR $ 763 MIAMI DAILY OW BC $ 1654 NEW YORK DAILY SKED AIR $ 676 WASHINGTON DC DAILY SKED AIR $ 823 Net Net $ 4950 NIGERIA Net Net Net Net Net To:NAIROBI GOWAY AIR To:NAIROBI ARROW TRAVEL To:LAGOS C & H INTERNATIONAL To:LAGOS C & H INTERNATIONAL To:LAGOS C & H INTERNATIONAL To:LAGOS LEGEND TRAVEL AND TOURS To:LAGOS C & H INTERNATIONAL To:LAGOS C & H INTERNATIONAL ALL YEAR 800-387-8850;[email protected] ALL YEAR CALL FOR OTHER CITIES;866-359-2776 TO 5/20/11 VISIT CNHINTL.COM OR CALL 888-708-0088 TO 5/20/11 VISIT CNHINTL.COM OR CALL 866-206-8065 TO 5/20/11 VISIT CNHINTL.COM OR CALL 888-440-2288 TO 12/15/11 800-295-3436;[email protected];OTH CITIES TO 5/20/11 VISIT CNHINTL.COM OR CALL 888-823-8839 TO 5/20/11 VISIT CNHINTL.COM OR CALL 866-787-2288 www.skylinkus.com MAY 2011 WWW.JAXFAX.COM AFRICA & THE MIDDLE EAST 51 72 PAGE DIRECTORY SEE EMAIL & ADDRESS WEBSITE I N F O R M AT I O N , CONTACT FOR TRIP DEPARTING TYPE # DAYS ROUND TRIP PRICE MIN MAX ATLANTA SKED AIR $ 981 DAILY OW SKAIR $ 420 DAILY DALLAS SKED AIR $ 981 DAILY HOUSTON SKED AIR $ 1141 DAILY NEW YORK DAILY BUSINESS $ 3750 DAILY SKED AIR $ 845 DAILY BUSINESS $ 4100 SKED AIR $ 805 DAILY PHOENIX OW BC $ 1895 DAILY WASHINGTON DC DAILY SKED AIR $ 938 SOUTH AFRICA BOSTON BUSINESS DAILY DALLAS DAILY BUSINESS OW SKAIR DAILY OW BC DAILY DENVER BUSINESS DAILY LOS ANGELES DAILY BUSINESS MIAMI DAILY BUSINESS DAILY OW BC NEW YORK DAILY BUSINESS DAILY BUSINESS DAILY BUSINESS Net Net Net Net $ 4950 Net Net Net Net VALIDITY PERIOD SUPPLIER To:JOHANNESBURG C & H INTERNATIONAL TO 5/31/11 LEGEND TRAVEL AND TOURS TO 12/15/11 To:JOHANNESBURG C & H INTERNATIONAL TO 5/31/11 To:JOHANNESBURG C & H INTERNATIONAL TO 5/31/11 To:JOHANNESBURG ARROW TRAVEL ALL YEAR C & H INTERNATIONAL TO 5/31/11 EXTRA VALUE AIR ALL YEAR GOWAY AIR ALL YEAR To:JOHANNESBURG LEGEND TRAVEL AND TOURS TO 12/15/11 To:JOHANNESBURG C & H INTERNATIONAL TO 5/31/11 To:DUBAI LEGEND TRAVEL AND TOURS To:DUBAI LEGEND TRAVEL AND TOURS LEGEND TRAVEL AND TOURS LEGEND TRAVEL AND TOURS To:DUBAI LEGEND TRAVEL AND TOURS To:DUBAI LEGEND TRAVEL AND TOURS To:DUBAI LEGEND TRAVEL AND TOURS LEGEND TRAVEL AND TOURS To:DUBAI ARROW TRAVEL EXTRA VALUE AIR LEGEND TRAVEL AND TOURS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION VISIT CNHINTL.COM OR CALL 888-708-0088 800-295-3436;[email protected];OTH CITIES VISIT CNHINTL.COM OR CALL 866-206-8065 VISIT CNHINTL.COM OR CALL 888-440-2288 CALL FOR OTHER CITIES;866-359-2776 VISIT CNHINTL.COM OR CALL 888-823-8839 800-758-1382;OTHER CITIES & 1ST AVBL. 800-387-8850;[email protected] 800-295-3436;[email protected];OTH CITIES VISIT CNHINTL.COM OR CALL 866-787-2288 UNITED ARAB EMIRATES $ 3465 $ 3365 $ 248 $ 1875 $ 3565 $ 3875 $ 3465 $ 1834 $ 2950 $ 4150 $ 3265 Net $ 4450 Net AFRICA & THE MIDDLE EAST Sleep Under the Stars With Norman Carr Safaris Today, 50% of the world’s population can no longer see the stars because of pollution. An outstanding exception is the remote and pristine South Luangwa Valley in Zambia where the air is light and the moon and stars are bright. Here, you can re-discover the beauty and wonder of the night sky with Norman Carr Safaris’ “Return to the Wild” sleep-out safari. With famed guide Abraham Banda at the lead, you’ll wend your way to the spectacularly beautiful Luwi dry river bed where you’ll spend the night on a bedroll with a mosquito net. You’ll marvel at the Southern Cross and the vast black hole beneath it, known as the coal sack, as Abraham points out all the constellations of the glittering Southern sky and explains how the stars influence the daily activities of the Zambian people. You’ll also experience the tranquility and beauty of the orange moon as it reflects on night waters. And when the stars come out -- and you’re there in the right season -- so do the fire flies until you are surrounded with thousands of points of light above and below. On your night under the stars, once the camping site is selected and a camp fire lit, the game ranger will prepare dinner with your help. After dinner, adventure stories are told around the fire until it’s time to bed down under the magnificent African sky while your guide and scout keep watch until morning. 52 AFRICA & THE MIDDLE EAST TO 12/15/11 800-295-3436;[email protected];OTH CITIES TO 12/15/11 TO 12/15/11 TO 12/15/11 800-295-3436;[email protected];OTH CITIES 800-295-3436;[email protected];OTH CITIES 800-295-3436;[email protected];OTH CITIES TO 12/15/11 800-295-3436;[email protected];OTH CITIES TO 12/15/11 800-295-3436;[email protected];OTH CITIES TO 12/15/11 TO 12/15/11 800-295-3436;[email protected];OTH CITIES 800-295-3436;[email protected];OTH CITIES ALL YEAR ALL YEAR TO 12/15/11 CALL FOR OTHER CITIES;866-359-2776 800-758-1382;OTHER CITIES & 1ST AVBL. 800-295-3436;[email protected];OTH CITIES NEWS & BEST BUYS The rate per night per person for the Return to the Wild sleep-out safari, for a maximum of four guests, is $200. This may be combined with a stay in one of Norman Carr Safaris Bushcamp sites or at the Kapani Lagoon House. Visit www.normancarrsafaris.com RWANDA & UGANDA The mountain gorilla is still able to call the forgotten forests of Africa home. In contrast to the six billion human beings living on our crowded planet, there are only some 700 mountain gorillas left on the borders of Uganda, Rwanda and Congo. Seeing these gentle giants up close is an awe-inspiring experience. This trip from Frontiers Travel begins in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in Uganda and ends in Parc National des Volcans in Rwanda. Adjusting to the elevation (Rwanda at 9,842 feet and Uganda at 8,553 feet) and the terrain’s dense vegetation can be a challenge, but once you have located the gorillas, you will experience the most dramatic, thrilling and poignant wildlife encounter of your life. Trips are offered year-round, although the dry seasons are considered to be May-September and December-February. There are four opportunities to gorilla trek on this itinerary; other activities include visiting Dian Fossey’s grave and Ros Carr’s orphanage, trekking the golden monkeys in Mgahinga, climbing the Muhavura Volcano, and nature walks in Bwindi. Visit www.frontierstravel.com 5400 $ WWW.JAXFAX.COM MAY 2011 SOUTH & CENTRAL AMERICA Alternate Routes on the Road to Machu Picchu he Inca Trail is one of the world’s most highly soughtafter treks, a 26-mile hike (typically done in four days) that culminates at Machu Picchu, arguably the most spectacular architectural feat of the late Inca Empire. This year marks the centennial anniversary of its discovery by American explorer Hiram Bingham, and while the trail to the “lost city” is well tracked today, plenty more discoveries await in other parts of the Urubamba Valley. T Arrivals and Making Connections All international flights entering Peru arrive in Lima, with the majority arriving during the day with no possibility of same day connections to other domestic destinations, forcing travelers to spend at least one night in the city. Although there are attractions that are worth checking out, Lima tends to be a one-day affair for most travelers. Things to do include visiting the Plaza de Armas, Larcomar overlooking the ocean, the Huacapucllana, Inca ruins, museums and Barranco, an older section of the city overlooking the ocean and lined with restaurants. There are a few flights that arrive in Lima early enough to accommodate same day connections to Cuzco. Try to catch one if DIANE ZANDER By Andrew Crape Machu Picchu possible. The domestic flight is about two and a half hours long with breathtaking views of the Andes and lands in the capitol of the Incan Empire. Cuzco is vibrant city with a very unique blend of Spanish and ancient Incan and Quechuan culture that can be seen in its architecture, artwork and music. The cobblestone streets and sidewalks connecting Cuzco’s many parks and plazas wind through the adobe buildings that the conquering Spaniards constructed on top of Incan stone foundations. Outside the airport there are registered taxis that will take you anywhere in the city or Sacred Valley. Most of them have a preset rate of $8 for city locations and $80 for the Sacred Valley, but do not hesitate to negotiate the price. The Plaza de Armas is about 10 minutes from the airport and offers a central location for all restaurants, accommodations, and tours in Cuzco and the surrounding area. There are a number of tourist agencies with English speaking guides that offer package deals to all of the archeological sites, The Sacred Valley of the Inca, Machu Picchu, and the Amazon jungle. January 15th 2011, LAN Airlines Begins Direct Service to Easter Island from Peru!! MAY 2011 WWW.JAXFAX.COM SOUTH & CENTRAL AMERICA 53 SOUTH & CENTRAL AMERICA There is an abundance of accommodation options around the center of Cuzco including five star and boutique hotels, along with a range of hostels. San Blas is a neighborhood located just a few blocks above the plaza with narrow winding cobblestone roads and terraced housing as it climbs up the side of the valley. It is also an epicenter for backpackers, artists, and alternative Peruvian culture with many shops, cafes and bars hosting live music almost every night of the week. Just off the plaza is the Avenida del Sol, which has banks, Internet cafés, artisan markets and convenience stores for all travel necessities. The religious site and museum of Koricancha, or Temple of the Sun, is very sacred for both the Incas and Spanish and demonstrates the fusion of these two cultures. Located nearby is the famous twelve-angled stone, fixed into the foundation of a building. The San Pedro market, a short walk from the plaza, is a local open air market that sells the best and cheapest selection of local produce, meat, cheese, breads, herbal medicines and other local crafts. Archeological Sites Around Cuzco Sacsayhuaman is located just above the city, a 30-minute uphill walk or ten-minute taxi ride, and is one of the most spectacular archeological sites in the area. Huge stone terraces with single stones measuring over 25 ft. tall and 70 ft. long are placed together with such precision that even a piece of paper cannot penetrate the joints. It also offers beautiful views of PER U Organizing Quality Tour Programs Since 1980 1-800-327-0080 www.taratours.com [email protected] 54 SOUTH & CENTRAL AMERICA the city and surrounding valley. Other archeological sites in the area include Temple of the moon, Qenqo, Puca Pucara, and Tambomachay. The Road to Machu Picchu There are a few different ways to get to Machu Picchu from Cuzco. The most direct way is to take the train from Cuzco to Aguas Calientes, the small town located at the base of the mountain were Machu Picchu is located. The other option is to take a bus through the Sacred Valley and then catch the train in Ollantaytambo. Ollantaytambo is also accessible by bus or taxi direct from the city of Cuzco in about 2 hours by taking the road through Urubamba. The town is located at the intersection of three valleys each leading to Machu Picchu, the Sacred Valley and the Amazon Jungle making it an important location and site of the Temple of the Winds. The train from Ollantaytambo can cost anywhere from $500 for the Hiram Bingham first class experience to $65 for the backpacker. The train ride is about two and a half hours and has its first departure very early in the morning to accommodate travelers who only have one day to do a round trip visit to the ruins. Two or three days at Machu Picchu will provide time to experience its wonder in a much calmer fashion. From the town of Aguas Calientes, the drop off point for the train, buses cost around $12 and depart frequently for the 30-minute drive up a switchback road to the site’s entrance. If time permits, try the hike to Huayna Picchu, a steep climb up stone stairways to a ceremonial site offering views of Machu Picchu and the surrounding mountains. Only 400 people a day are allowed to make the climb so getting there early is a must. The gates open at 6 A.M. The town of Aguas Calientes provides little more than a place to eat and sleep after visiting the ruins. However, it does have natural hot springs at the edge of town that can aid in relaxation after a long day. A few of the nicer hotels are the Rupa Wasi Lodge (www.rupawasi.net), Hatuchay Tower (www.hatuchaytower.com), Inkaterra (www.inkaterra.com) and the luxurious Sanctuary Lodge (www.sanctuarylodgehotel.com) located at the entrance of Machu Picchu. The Sacred Valley of the Incas The Sacred Valley of the Incas is located about one and a half hours in the bus or one hour in a taxi from Cuzco. It is a beautiful drive that winds through small alpine villages, corn fields and alpaca herds all above 12,000 ft. and then drops back down with views of sacred mountains, some of which are covered in snow year round. Pisaq is a small town full of restaurants, hostels and backpackers, but still manages to hang on to its traditional culture and charm. In the main plaza there is a craft market three times a week and a more elaborate Sunday market that includes agricultural and handmade products from local mountain villages nearby. There are also spectacular ruins accessible on foot or taxi at the top of the mountain at the edge of town. The ruins can also be partially seen from the main plaza. Ollantaytambo is another two hours along the Urubamba River and through the Sacred Valley dotted with small towns, archeological sites and dramatic scenery. For more information, visit PromPeru at www.peru.info WWW.JAXFAX.COM MAY 2011 SOUTH & CENTRAL AMERICA ECUADOR & GALAPAGOS CRUISE See firsthand why Quito was the first city UNESCO declared a World Cultural Heritage. Galapagos is simply at its best aboard one of these three charming and modern vessels. Package includes: RT local airfare from Quito to the Galapagos Islands, three nights onboard the M/V Legend, M/Y Coral I & II, or M/V Galapagos Explorer II, All meals onboard: breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Two daily guided island excursions per day, Certified naturalist guides, three night’s accommodation in Quito, breakfasts daily, guided tour of Quito, all museum & park entrance fees, hotel taxes and service charges, airport transfers & portage, Galapagos National Park Tax and cruise fuel surcharge. Competitive airfares available at additional cost. Call Marnella Tours at 866-993-0033 1900 $ COSTA RICA Costa Rica's pura vida is a pure deal this spring and summer with Avanti Destinations' great getaway to Arenal Volcano and Guanacaste Beach. A volcanic experience awaits at one of the most picturesque active volcanoes in the world. The lush area surrounding the volcano gives everyone fun activities to do during the day, like river rafting or ziplining, and the sights at night can steal the show. Then get your beach on along the worldrenowned Guanacaste Beach. Package includes: all ground transfers, 2 nights Arenal, Tabacon Hot Springs evening entrance fee and dinner, 4 nights Guanacaste, daily breakfast. Includes lodging in moderate class hotels, upgrades available. Call 800-422-5053 or visit www.avantidestinations.com 699 $ t r a v e l NEWS & BEST BUYS PERU For a limited time, Sunny Land Tours is making its “Peru Express” package available from only $599 per person. This 7-day tour includes half-day tours of Colonial and Modern Lima, visiting the Plaza de Armas with its Cathedral and Government Palace, and the exquisite Torre Tagle Palace, modern day seat of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In modern Lima, drive along the exclusive residential areas of Miraflores and San Isidro. A day at leisure in Cusco allows guests to wander through this lovely city, exploring the astonishing narrow streets and shopping for traditional Peruvian handicrafts, alpaca-wool sweaters and rugs, ponchos, pottery, gold and silver jewelry, leather goods, etc. An optional guided bus tour to the oldest continuously inhabited city in the western hemisphere includes important landmarks of enchanting Cusco and also the nearby ruins of Kenko, Puca-pucara, Tambomachay as well as the Sacsayhuaman fortress. For an additional $299, catch the backpacker (economy-seat) train ride through the sacred valley of Urubamba to the “Lost City of the Incas,” Machu Picchu. Visit www.peruhotdeals.com 599 $ PERU & ECUADOR EcoAmerica Tours has created a unique combo tour to Machu Picchu and the Galapagos to allow travelers to experience ancient cultures and nature at their fullest. Peru highlights include visits to Lima, Cusco, Sacsayhuaman, Tambonachay, Pisac, the Sacred Valley, and Machu Picchu 2530 $ Continued on page 56 ☛ s o l u t i o n s Great deals to South America ATLANTA BALTIMORE BOSTON BUFFALO CHARLOTTE CHICAGO DENVER DALLAS DETROIT KANSAS CITY LOS ANGELES NEW YORK MIAMI ORLANDO PENSACOLA PITTSBURGH PHILADELPHIA SAN FRANCISCO SAN DIEGO TAMPA WASHINGTON GRU 758 620 515 750 662 630 630 662 688 688 625 560 599 688 750 580 573 625 688 704 550 GIG 758 620 425 750 662 630 630 662 688 688 625 560 599 688 750 580 513 625 688 704 550 CWB 938 822 730 910 907 810 810 907 943 943 705 620 620 943 910 580 850 705 943 969 814 BHZ 775 675 675 775 775 675 675 775 775 775 675 620 620 775 775 775 775 675 775 775 675 SSA 599 499 499 599 599 499 499 599 599 599 499 499 499 599 599 599 599 499 599 599 499 REC 649 499 499 599 599 499 499 599 599 599 499 499 499 599 599 579 579 499 599 599 499 FOR 649 499 499 599 599 499 499 599 599 599 499 499 499 599 599 579 579 499 599 599 499 MAO 724 588 516 730 676 710 710 676 639 639 516 564 580 639 730 516 516 516 639 630 657 EZE MVD 1018 969 663 936 733 844 663 663 703 1099 799 829 799 829 703 1099 866 864 866 864 725 832 529 629 529 529 866 864 663 663 643 844 643 844 725 832 866 864 633 633 880 829 SCL 1210 960 703 633 673 613 613 673 950 950 713 529 529 950 633 613 613 713 950 633 611 WE ALSO ISSUE ELECTRONIC TICKETS FOR ALL BRAZILIAN DOMESTIC CARRIERS BELOW — A I R L I N E S — Rico Total Webjet OceanAir Passaredo Air Minas NHT Pantanal Team Varig/Gol Trip CALL US NOW! Toll Free: 866-361-3500 | Fax: 212-695-8333 www.ChanteclairTravel.Com MAY 2011 WWW.JAXFAX.COM SOUTH & CENTRAL AMERICA 55 SOUTH & CENTRAL AMERICA Nearly 200 travel agents from across the United States convened in Cancun to enjoy the tropical weather and unique excursions as well as participate in an interactive panel discussion on the safety facts about the resort areas of Mexico. The travel agents have been brought together by Funjet Vacations as part of the company’s 500 Club, a group of top performing travel agents from across the country. The all-inclusive Iberostar Paraiso Beach Hotel hosted the group from April 3-6. “I get questions every day from my clients asking about the safety in Mexico, which is why this trip was so important to me. I can now share my own personal experience with them” said Kathy Morrison, owner of Morrison Travel in St. Louis. “I’m certain when I share details of this trip, I’ll ease their apprehension. When it comes to value, there is simply no better destination right now than the resort areas like Cancun, Riviera Maya and Puerto Vallarta.” Many companies, both in the U.S. and Mexico, are joining forces to combat and educate consumers against negative stories that have found their way to the media. On April 4 the interactive panel, which consisted of Mike Going, president of Funjet Vacations; Javier Aranda, executive director of partnerships with the Mexico Tourism Board; Joe Martinez, president of Lomas Tours; Terry Denton, president of Travel Leaders of Fort Worth and three presidents of hotel associa- FUNJET VACATIONS Funjet Vacations Hosts Interactive Panel tions in Cancun, Cozumel and Riviera Maya, spoke about the true crime and safety situations in their area, and discussed new highlights and excursions for travelers to enjoy in the resort towns. Following a successful year of travel in 2010 with over 22.4 million visiting Mexico by air, Funjet Vacations and the Mexico Tourism Board jointly announced an increase of travel from Texas to Mexico during December and January, a number that saw a 12% increase from the previous year. “It is very important for the Mexico Tourism Board to be here as part of the Funjet Vacations 500 Club meeting. We appreciate the support of Funjet and thank them for this opportunity,” said Rodolfo Lopez-Negrete, chief operating officer of the Mexico Tourism Board. “Cancun and Riviera Maya are excellent tourist destinations and we at the tourism board are here to continue to promote them and the rest of our beautiful country, as well as to answer any questions regarding travel to the area.” For more information visit www.funjet.com. SUNNY LAND® TOURS, INC. hotfamtrips.com Taste of Panama $399 6 Days BEST VALUE !! Costa Rica Romancing the Rainforest $490 2 Nights at Crowne Plaza, 1 night in Gamboa Resort,2 nights Intercontinental Playa Bonita, all transfers, Partial transit panama canal cruise, City Tour & Canal Locks, Embera Tribe & Anton Valley Day Tour. All meals included! Departure Sept. 7 7 Days Fam trip combining 3 "Must See" gems, the beaches of Manual Antonio, Villablanca Cloud Forest, the active Arenal volcano and Chachagua Rainforest. Limited Space. Dep. Dates: Aug. 31 & Oct. 5 Peru Hot Deal $549 Lima & CUSCO NEW!!! LET'S GO TO COLOMBIA 7 Days immersed in the cultural traditions of the Incas, 2 nights in Lima with a full day Colonial and Modern Lima, 4 nights in Cusco, with a full day visit to Machu Picchu. Operates Saturday biweekly. JULY 9 to 12 CARTAGENA 4 YOU! 4 Days Hilton Cartagena Beach $199 Captivating Costa Rica $460 7 Days Costa Rica including Rainforests, Palo Verde National Park, Arenal & Tabacon Hot Springs and Chachagua Hotel & Hacienda Extraordinary hotel selection, fully escorted! Departure June 9,2011 Colombia Series Select Departures June thru July Fully Escorted & all Meals, City Tour and best attractions! 4 Days Discover Bogota $299 5 Days Experience Cartagena $399 These Fams are available to Home-based agents & Companions Call: 1-800-783-7839 56 SOUTH & CENTRAL AMERICA WWW.JAXFAX.COM MAY 2011 CENTRAL & SOUTH AMERICA EUROPE, ASIA, AFRICA, AUSTRALIA, SOUTH AMERICA. 60% OFF Business and First Class Airfares No min/max stays or advance purchase required Earn $125 incentive cash booking bonus. Discounts on most major carriers. No One Discounts Like We Do. Mindy Pesach, President: [email protected] • 888-4BizClass (424-9252) MAY 2011 WWW.JAXFAX.COM SOUTH & CENTRAL AMERICA 57 72 PAGE DIRECTORY SEE EMAIL & ADDRESS WEBSITE I N F O R M AT I O N , TRIP DEPARTING TYPE # DAYS LOS ANGELES BUSINESS DAILY MIAMI SKED AIR DAILY NEW YORK BUSINESS DAILY T/F/S SKED AIR ROUND TRIP PRICE MIN MAX ARGENTINA $ 2250 Net $ 529 Net $ 3300 $ 529 Net Net NEW YORK SKED AIR $ DAILY ECON $ DAILY MIAMI ECON $ DAILY MIAMI DAILY SKED AIR $ DAILY BUSINESS $ NEW YORK BUSINESS $ DAILY BOSTON DAILY ECON $ MIAMI SKED AIR $ DAILY DAILY BUSINESS $ NEW YORK SKED AIR $ DAILY BUSINESS $ DAILY ST. 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Be sure to determine from the wholesaler what the applicable amount is and advise your clients.— The Publisher FOR CONTACT www.skylinkus.com 58 SOUTH & CENTRAL AMERICA WWW.JAXFAX.COM MAY 2011 TRIP DEPARTING TYPE MIAMI DAILY SKED AIR # DAYS ROUND TRIP PRICE MIN MAX GUATEMALA COLUMBUS ECON DAILY SAN DIEGO DAILY ECON $ 268 Net $ 450 Net $ 388 Net MEXICO MIAMI DAILY ECON $ 270 RALEIGH-DURHAM DAILY ECON $ 232 AUSTIN ECON $ 205 DAILY EL PASO ECON $ 331 DAILY VALIDITY PERIOD SUPPLIER To:GUATEMALA CITY CHANTECLAIR TRAVEL CALL To:LEON PRIME TRAVEL To:MERIDA PRIME TRAVEL Net To:MEXICO CITY PRIME TRAVEL To:MEXICO CITY PRIME TRAVEL To:MONTEVIDEO PRIME TRAVEL To:SALTILLO PRIME TRAVEL Net Net Net ADDITIONAL INFORMATION 866-361-3500;WWW.CHANTECLAIRTRAVEL.COM MAY 2011 BUS & ECON NET; ALL LAT AM;800-447-4013 MAY 2011 BUS & ECON NET; ALL LAT AM;800-447-4013 MAY 2011 ALL LAT AMER & EUR AIR/TRS;800-447-4013 MAY 2011 BUS & ECON NET; ALL LAT AM;800-447-4013 MAY 2011 BUS & ECON NET; ALL LAT AM;800-447-4013 MAY 2011 BUS & ECON NET; ALL LAT AM;800-447-4013 MIAMI DAILY SKED AIR $ 138 Net To:MANAGUA CHANTECLAIR TRAVEL CALL 866-361-3500;WWW.CHANTECLAIRTRAVEL.COM NEW YORK SKED AIR DAILY $ 320 Net To:PANAMA CITY CHANTECLAIR TRAVEL CALL 866-361-3500;WWW.CHANTECLAIRTRAVEL.COM $ 543 Net MAY 2011 BUS & ECON NET; ALL LAT AM;800-447-4013 $ 300 Net To:ASUNCION PRIME TRAVEL To:ASUNCION CHANTECLAIR TRAVEL CALL 866-361-3500;WWW.CHANTECLAIRTRAVEL.COM SAN FRANCISCO DAILY BUSINESS $ 1719 Net To:LIMA PRIME TRAVEL MAY 2011 ALL LAT AMER & EUR AIR/TRS;800-447-4013 MIAMI DAILY SKED AIR $ 465 Net To:MONTEVIDEO CHANTECLAIR TRAVEL CALL 866-361-3500;WWW.CHANTECLAIRTRAVEL.COM MIAMI DAILY ECON DAILY BUSINESS $ 300 $ 815 Net Net To:CARACAS PRIME TRAVEL PRIME TRAVEL MAY 2011 MAY 2011 ALL LAT AMER & EUR AIR/TRS;800-447-4013 ALL LAT AMER & EUR AIR/TRS;800-447-4013 NICARAGUA PANAMA LOS ANGELES ECON DAILY MIAMI SKED AIR DAILY PARAGUAY PERU URUGUAY VENEZUELA SOUTH & CENTRAL AMERICA Continued from 55 expedition by train. In Ecuador: Quito and the colonial district, and the Galapagos Islands. Their lowest priced combo package with lots of great travel features includes a 3-night cruise on the luxurious Coral I or Coral II motor yacht. Also included are 8 night’s hotel accommodations, 18 meals, all transfers and sightseeing in an air-conditioned vehicle and local, English-speaking guides. Visit www.ecoamericatours.com PERU Tara Tours is promoting an unbelievably wonderful 7-day journey at an unbelievably affordable price. This program lands in Lima with an immediate flight to Cuzco. A quiet morning is spent here, in order to get used to the high altitude and to the surroundings. During the stay in Cuzco, once known as the Capital of the Inca Empire, a city tour and visit to the ruins nearby of Sacsayhuaman, Kenko, Puca-Pucara, Tambomachay and other archeological sites are included. The next day, visitors will go by bus and train to Machu Picchu, where a private tour guide will take guests from site to site explaining the advanced world of the Incas. Overnight in the village of Aguas Calientes, just at bottom of Machu Picchu. The next day is at leisure -so guests can go back to explore “The Lost City of Incas” or visit the Inca Thermal baths of Aguas calientes and the local market. 1294 $ MAY 2011 NEWS & BEST BUYS Mid-afternoon return to Cuzco. On the way back there is an opportunity to enjoy incredible views of the Andean peaks, the Urubamba Valley and the powerful Vilcanota River. Visit www.taratours.com Latin Trails’ Family Friendly Fleet With pioneer boats in first class and luxury categories, Latin Trails is one of the most family friendly companies to cruise the Galapagos Islands. The company’s three top quality cruises have a capacity for 16 passengers and are ideal for adventurous families traveling alone or in groups of two or three. Besides each boat’s various amenities and worldclass services, Latin Trails announces that children under 12 will receive a 50% discount in all 2011 summer departures in any of their three boats. Latin Trail’s fleet provides the ideal environment for family travel because of the company’s attention to detail and capacity to adapt to each client’s specific needs. All boats have rooms that accommodate triples and cribs can be situated in any cabin required. More specifically, the Galapagos Journey I has an itinerary ideal to awaken every child’s inner scientist. By making learning a fun, hands-on activity, a family getaway can turn into a valuable life lesson that contributes to each youngster’s education. Visit www.latintrails.com WWW.JAXFAX.COM SOUTH & CENTRAL AMERICA 59 CARIBBEAN & BERMUDA Mother Nature Rocks Top Natural Attractions in the Caribbean ST. LUCIA TB PUERTO RICO TC By Melanie Reffes The crown jewel of the US National Park Service, El Yunque or The Caribbean National Forest is the most visited natural site in Puerto Rico. Carpeted in brilliant hues of green and rising dramatically from the sea, the Pitons are St. Lucia’s treasured twin peaks. way from the swank resorts, gourmet eateries and glittering casinos; the sunning, swimming and surfing, the Caribbean salutes Mother Nature with a spectacular display of natural attractions. Although many of the natural wonders can be explored on your own, organized tours are advised for expert guidance in climbing mountains, kayaking rivers and photographing a riotous array of wildlife from vervet monkeys to predator birds. With a nod to ensuring the environmental sustainability of the region, the Sustainable Tourism Conference (STC) organized by the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) was held in April in Bermuda and attracted leading tourism planners and policymakers who focused on ways to maintain the new green economy. From bays that glow in the night and dark caves that are home to ancient bats, to mineral baths and marine parks, get off the beach chair and discover a truly magnificent region under the tropical sun. is the most visible point on the horizon. Learn more at www.elyunque.com Carpeted in brilliant hues of green and rising dramatically from the sea, the Pitons are St. Lucia’s treasured twin peaks. Formed from lava and rock, these volcanic cones have been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site and are the most photographed image on the island. A formidable challenge for even the most experienced climber, a hike up the peaks at sunrise is well worth the effort. Visit www.stlucianow.com Despite its small size, St. Kitts is Eden for bird watchers who, with binoculars in hand, covet glimpses of a variety of birds dressed up in blue, purple, yellow, and green. Water birds including herons, brown pelicans and oystercatchers can be spotted in the salt ponds and lagoons of the southeast peninsula, while towards the lower mountains, hummingbirds, doves and hawks are a feast for the eyes. Visit www.stkittstourism.kn A Wild Blue Yonder The crown jewel of the U.S. National Park Service, El Yunque or The Caribbean National Forest is the most visited natural site in Puerto Rico. An hour southeast of San Juan towards the Luquillo Mountains, the 28,000-acre bonanza of biodiversity is the only rainforest in the U.S. Forest system and is chockablock with hundreds of animals including the endangered green parrot and the two-note chirping coqui frog, whose iconic image is on virtually every souvenir sold in the gift shop. While it is advisable to hike the forest with a tour guide, nature buffs can do it alone with a sturdy pair of sneakers, a water bottle and a good sense of direction. When the clouds lift—even for a minute—the big rock called El Yunque 60 CARIBBEAN & BERMUDA Off the Deep End Opened in December, St. Maarten now lays claim to its first marine park. Named the Man of War Shoal, the park includes the popular Proselyte Reef dive site named after a 32-gun frigate that sunk in 1801. Sightings of migratory whales and dolphins are already a big hit with tourists. “By creating the marine park, St. Maarten is taking steps to preserve the local environment as well as enhancing sustainable tourism,” said Franklin Meyers, tourism minister. Visit www.vacationstmaarten.com First protected by the U.S. Government in 1948 to preserve one of the finest marine gardens in the Caribbean Sea, Buck Island off the north coast of St. Croix was declared a national monument in 1961 by President Kennedy. Expanded by Pres- WWW.JAXFAX.COM MAY 2011 ST. KITTS TOURISM BONAIRE TOURISM CARIBBEAN & BERMUDA A mecca for scuba fans, Bonaire’s National Marine Park surrounds the entire tiny island east of Curacao. From the shore to the point where the water reaches two-hundred feet in depth, the park is one of the best protected reef systems in the Caribbean ident Clinton to include much of the water that surrounds the island, the park in the USVI is snorkeling nirvana with sherbetcolored angelfish and eagle rays. To the delight of nature buffs, leatherback and hawksbill turtles nest on the beach from March through August. Visit www.stcroixtourism.com A mecca for scuba fans, Bonaire’s National Marine Park surrounds the tiny island that sits in the sea east of Curacao. From the shore to the point where the water reaches two-hundred feet deep, the park is one of the best protected reef systems in the Caribbean. Although closely monitored, humans are allowed to swim, kayak and windsurf. Visit www.tourismbonaire.com Jamaica’s most visited natural site, Dunn’s River Falls in Despite its small size, St. Kitts is Eden for bird watchers who, with binoculars in hand, covet glimpses of a variety of flying creatures. Gone Batty The highest point in Trinidad’s central range, Mount Tamana is also an awesome bat cave. After a steep climb to the summit, hikers are spellbound by thousands of bats who live in the first chamber. More adventurous travelers can explore farther into the second chamber where the bats have a wingspan measuring one foot in diameter. It’s hard to imagine, but estimates put the total number of bats living in the chambers at half a million—including twelve different species. Visit www.pariasprings.com The largest of its kind in the Caribbean, Harrison’s Cave in Barbados is a trip back in time through caverns of crystalized limestone and centuries old stalagmites. Recently revamped, modern trams take visitors into the subterranean chambers for an up close look at cascading waterfalls and pools of clear water. Visit www.harrisonscave.com ST MAARTEN TOURISM Night Magic The Man of War Shoal Marine Park, in Dutch St. Maarten, is an area better known as "the Proselyte Reef Complex " . It is the island’s most important marine habitat consisting of coral reefs and sea grass beds as well as a large population of aquatic mammals and fishes, including whales, dolphins, sharks, sea turtles and fish. The reef also acts as a migratory stopover and breeding site for many birds. Ocho Rios is a full-day affair with a jogging beach, crafts park, barbecue pit and cafeteria—dishing up spicy snacks from jerk chicken to curried goat—and the magnificent falls which rise to six-hundred feet above sea level. Visit www.dunnsriverfallsja.com MAY 2011 In Puerto Rico, Island Adventures Biobay Tours offers nightly adventures aboard electrically-powered double-pontoon boats that take nocturnal tourists through the waters of Puerto Mosquito on Vieques Island. One of three bioluminescent bays on the island, Mosquito Bay is full of single-celled organisms that emit a flash of blue-green light at night when disturbed by predators or swimming tourists. For a unique experience, the boats park in an area of high bioluminescent concentration where brave souls get the rare chance to swim with millions of these glowing critters. Visit www.biobay.com With one of the healthiest coral reef systems in the world, it’s no wonder scuba diving at night is increasingly popular with tourists visiting Bermuda. Triangle Diving offers three-hour night-diving excursions for a spooky look at crabs, eels and octopus. The one-tank dives are offered every two weeks on Tuesday’s starting in June and continuing through October. Visit www.trianglediving.com WWW.JAXFAX.COM CARIBBEAN & BERMUDA 61 CARIBBEAN & BERMUDA ST. THOMAS, USVI Girls just want to have fun, and Bolongo Bay Beach Resort on St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands is the spot for summer fun and a great vacation value. The laid-back beach resort has a new four-night girlfriend getaway package just in time for summer vacation. Available June 1 through August 31, 2011, Bolongo Bay’s Girls Beach Getaway package includes: 10% off a four-night stay in an Oceanview room for two, manicure and pedicure for each person with fresh fruit and bottle of Champagne for mimosas, a round of martinis at Bolongo’s oceanfront Lobster Grille bar, choice of sailing cruise on the resort’s 53’ catamaran – either the Swim with Turtles half-day snorkel trip or Sunset Harbor Cocktail Cruise, and a 45-minute Jet Ski tour. The package represents 28% in savings and is just $1,299 for two people, including all taxes and fees. Plus, at Bolongo Bay Beach Resort, the fun in the sun is always included. Every guest receives complimentary non-motorized water sports equipment, including snorkel gear, paddle boards, kayaks and more, and a free discover scuba diving lesson. Call 1-800-524-4746 or visit www.BolongoBay.com 1299 $ BAHAMAS Known as a premier family-friendly resort in the Bahamas, the Sheraton Nassau Beach Resort continues to attract parents and children because of its reachability, affordability and unique Caribbean flavor. Based on increasing demand from the family travel market, the resort has launched a new “Family Time in Paradise” package and enhanced its popular Love Your Family Program. Perfect for families booking now through December 31, 2011, the “Family Time in Paradise” package includes: guaranteed connecting rooms or suites where available, daily $50 Resort Credit, kids 12 and under enjoy free food and beverage and complimentary nonmotorized water sports. With rates starting at $219, the “Family Time in Paradise” package also includes one welcome amenity per child per stay, a kid’s cup that can be filled up with juice, milk and soft drinks for free at the pool and a complimentary rollaway, subject to availability. When booking the “Family Time in Paradise” package, mention rate code LYF50PKG. For more information or to make reservations, call (866) 716-8106 or visit www.sheratonnassau.com 219 $ CURAÇAO Hyatt Regency Curaçao Golf Resort, Spa and Marina is launching a brand new all-inclusive option designed to make guests’ vacation experiences all the more enjoyable. As of the first of the year, the resort is offering the option to vacation just the way luxury travel intended, with unlimited food and drinks. This offer, which focuses on giving guests the ultimate dining experience, includes dining throughout all the resort’s fine restaurants - SWIM, MEDI, and SHOR. Hyatt Regency Curaçao guests can enjoy all of the hotel’s culinary offerings under its new all inclusive package. The all-inclusive option is priced at $85 per child and $199 per adult, per day, including service charge and tax. Please use promotion code CURAIP. This offer is valid with the “Three for Free” promotion which includes a fourth night free, daily breakfast for two adults, two children (under 12), and an upgraded room type (up to Premier Water View). “Three for Free” is available until December 21, 2011. Call 800-55-HYATT or visit www.curacao.hyatt.com 199 $ 62 CARIBBEAN & BERMUDA NEWS & BEST BUYS MEXICO This package from Casa Las Tortugas Holbox is inspired by Elizabeth Gilbert’s book Eat, Pray, Love. It’s dedicated to all of you that this year want to take some more time for yourself, eat healthy organic food or love your body with Spa treatments like a papaya scrub or a relaxing aromatherapy massage. Yoga lessons in the morning are meant to harmonize body and mind. This package includes accommodations in a pool view room for 5 nights; half board plan for 2; yoga lessons for 1 and 3 Spa treatments for 1 person. Available Spring / Summer 2011. $995 price is for two people. Visit www.holboxcasalastortugas.com 995 $ GRAND CAYMAN Love is in the air at Cotton Tree, where four distinctive new honeymoon packages promise to enchant newlyweds with a combination of stunning natural beauty and personalized romantic experiences. The “On the Water” package includes three nights accommodation in a luxury Caymanian-inspired beach cottage (additional nights may be added), a romantic sunset sail for two with a complimentary bottle of sparkling wine or champagne, threecourse lunch for two by the water at the Calypso Grill restaurant or the Luca restaurant, picnic basket for two chock full of edible gourmet goodies, organic sweets and a bottle of champagne or wine to be enjoyed while basking in the sun on any beach on the island and half-a-day deep sea fishing for two with the option to request a chef to prepare your freshly caught catch-of-the-day Caymanian style in your cottage. Pricing: High Season (Nov. – April) $3,845 and Low Season (May–Oct.) $3070. Visit www.caymancottontree.com 3070 $ Island Routes Hits the Road Right from their ziplines, kayaks, catamarans and horses, ambassadors from the award winning Island Routes Caribbean Adventure Tours hit the road bringing their high-energy and expertise to travel agents April 4-11, 2011, meeting with over 5,000 west coast travel agents. Agents can email [email protected] for information about meeting with Island Routes Tours Ambassadors in San Francisco on April 11, Los Angeles April 12, Phoenix April 13 and Seattle on April 14. And, for an amazing hands-on experience, Island Routes Caribbean Adventure Tours is partnering with Sandals Resorts International on a Fall Mega Fam bringing 3,600 travel agents to three resorts on three islands in three days. Chartered flights will leave from Baltimore, Newark, Charlotte, Orlando and Toronto in September; Memphis, Cleveland, Atlanta and Dallas in October; Chicago, Minneapolis and Toronto in November; and New York in December. Call 877-768-8370 or visit www.islandroutestours.com Grenada Announces Strategic Plan In response to the current global economic challenges and the need to bring more structure to Grenada’s tourism industry, the Grenada Board of Tourism (GBT) has begun developing a new national tourism strategic plan that will be three to five years in duration. The first step of the plan’s development is the review of existing strategy reports and tourismrelated studies undertaken in Grenada over the past 14 years to be completed by June 2011. For more information, please contact Edwin Frank, Public Relations Officer for the Grenada Board of Tourism, at [email protected] WWW.JAXFAX.COM MAY 2011 f f Mexico Eleuthera CARIBBEAN & BERMUDA Nassau U.S.A. New providence K e y W e st Andros Cat San Salvador THE BAHAMAS 771 miles S.E. from New York Great Exuma St. George Clarence Town Havana Long Island BERMUDA Crooked Hamilton Mayaguana Acklins Gulf of Batabanó TURKS & CAICOS CUBA Little Inagua Grand Turks Turks Matthew Town Atlantic Ocean San Juan M St. Barthélémy St. Croix (US) ST. KITTS & Le I n d i e s St. Kitts NEVIS Nevis ss Montserrat e up Grande Terre elo Guad Guadeloupe r An e ag ss Pa DOMINICA Roseau Martiniq ss Pa ue Martinique (FR) Fort de France es Aruba (NETH) Oranjestad Doninica till ss (FR) Basse Terre S e a Le Antigua ( UK) Plymouth e Aves is. (VEN) C a r i b b e a n (FR) ANTIGUA & BARBUDA Barbuda ag e Cabo Beata (FR) (NA) U.S. Virgin Islands nel We s t a on Puerto Rico a ss Pa an Kingston d Ch Santo Domingo Isl an S t . L u ci a ST. LUCIA Castries ge Port-au-Prince ar d Anegada ( UK) St. Thomas Virgin Gorda ( UK) (US) Tortola ( UK) Anguilla ( UK) St. John (US) St Maarteen St. Martin St. Vince nt Pa ss a BARBADOS er Curaçao Willemstad Kingstown An Bridgetown ST. VINCENT & St. Vincent Bequia Canouan til Bonaire THE GRENADINES Carriacou les Is de las Aves nds JAMAICA r A nti lle s Leew s Montego Bay ate HAITI DOMINICAN REPUBLIC Pointe Ouest Gulf of Gonâve ge Gre George Town Isla Cayman Brac Grand Cayman St. Louis du Nord St. George’s GRENADA El Roque Is. Blanquilla rd Cayman Islands ( UK) g ssa Pa d r dwa Win wa Santiago de Cuba Little Cayman e Gulf of Guacanayabo P as sa Great Iguana W ind Isla de la Juventud Caicos ge Gulf of Ana Maria Is. de Los Testigos Tobago TRINIDAD & TOBAGO Tortuga Is de Margarita Port of Spain Trinidad C www.skylinkus.com DEPARTING TRIP TYPE # DAYS ROUND TRIP PRICE MIN MAXSUPPLIER DETROIT DAILY SKED AIR $ LOS ANGELES DAILY SKED AIR $ MIAMI DAILY SKED AIR $ NEW YORK DAILY SKED AIR $ WASHINGTON DC DAILY SKED AIR $ 878 Net 517 Net 432 Net 499 Net 320 Net To:ARUBA SKYBIRD TRAVEL & TOURS To:ARUBA SKYBIRD TRAVEL & TOURS To:ARUBA SKYBIRD TRAVEL & TOURS To:ARUBA SKYBIRD TRAVEL & TOURS To:ARUBA SKYBIRD TRAVEL & TOURS $ 706 Net To:NASSAU SKYBIRD TRAVEL & TOURS $ 796 Net $ 367 Net $ 271 Net $ 263 Net To:PORT AU PRINCE SKYBIRD TRAVEL & TOURS TO 5/31/11 To:PORT AU PRINCE SKYBIRD TRAVEL & TOURS TO 5/31/11 To:PORT AU PRINCE SKYBIRD TRAVEL & TOURS TO 5/31/11 To:PORT AU PRINCE SKYBIRD TRAVEL & TOURS TO 5/31/11 Net To:SAN JUAN SKYBIRD TRAVEL & TOURS ARUBA BOSTON DAILY SKED AIR BAHAMAS ATLANTA DAILY SKED AIR LOS ANGELES DAILY SKED AIR MIAMI DAILY SKED AIR NEW YORK DAILY SKED AIR HAITI NEW YORK DAILY SKED AIR PUERTO RICO MAY 2011 VALIDITY PERIOD $ 883 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO 5/31/11 WWW.SKYBIRDTRAVEL.COM;888-SKY-BIRD TO 5/31/11 WWW.SKYBIRDTRAVEL.COM;888-SKY-BIRD TO 5/31/11 WWW.SKYBIRDTRAVEL.COM;888-SKY-BIRD TO 5/31/11 WWW.SKYBIRDTRAVEL.COM;888-SKY-BIRD TO 5/31/11 WWW.SKYBIRDTRAVEL.COM;888-SKY-BIRD TO 5/31/11 WWW.SKYBIRDTRAVEL.COM;888-SKY-BIRD TO 5/31/11 WWW.JAXFAX.COM WWW.SKYBIRDTRAVEL.COM;888-SKY-BIRD WWW.SKYBIRDTRAVEL.COM;888-SKY-BIRD WWW.SKYBIRDTRAVEL.COM;888-SKY-BIRD WWW.SKYBIRDTRAVEL.COM;888-SKY-BIRD WWW.SKYBIRDTRAVEL.COM;888-SKY-BIRD CARIBBEAN & BERMUDA 63 NORTH AMERICA & HAWAII Prince William Sound Exploring Alaska’s Waterways ne of the best ways to see the wonders of Alaska’s Prince William Sound and the Kenai Fjords National Park is on a boat with someone who knows them well. Tour boats that ply the glacierlined waters of South-central Alaska are floating classrooms. National park rangers stand by the railings, ready to answer any question about the birds and sea mammals nearby. Captains, as familiar with the pristine waters as they are with their crafts, offer rich narratives and often alter their routes to make sure passengers don’t miss breaching whales or calving glaciers. The two bodies of water are easily within the reach of travelers to Alaska. Although the stunning settings offer many of the same opportunities—sightseeing tours, sea kayaking, calving glaciers, whales, astounding fishing opportunities and miles of pristine shoreline—they are very different. O Prince William Sound Prince William Sound, with 3,500 miles of coastline and 150 glaciers, lies within the boundaries of Chugach National Forest, the second largest in the country. The sound is home to one of the world’s largest collection of tidewater glaciers. Although it’s in the far northern Gulf of Alaska, the waters are mostly protected by a series of islands. Calm bays, a plethora of islands and so many glaciers that they aren’t all named provide unparalleled opportunities to explore one of Alaska’s most impressive and accessible bodies of water. Most tours from Anchorage begin in Whittier, a 40-minute drive from Anchorage that connects to a short, 11-mile train ride through a tunnel carved into a mountain. You can drive your vehicle onto a flatbed car, or just hop on the train. Once in Whittier, a small enclave originally built to be a self-contained army community, travelers can throw sea kayaks into the sound or catch an Alaska Marine Highway ferry, or buy a ticket on one of the numerous half- or full-day tours provided by tour companies. Like the captains who ply the waters of the Kenai Fjords National Park, Prince William Sound captains and crewmembers provide information and insight into the wildlife and glaciers along the way. You’ll gaze at huge, sheer walls of prehistoric ice, watch other chunks of glacial ice - some call them icebergs - float, freshly calved away from the sound’s spectacular Columbia Glacier, a 40-mile-long and four-mile-wide tidewater glacier. There is another option to get to see the sound. You can do what the locals do - something an Anchorage newspaper reporter once called “The Valdovier Loop” - that is, a trip encompassing Valdez, Cordova and Whittier. It involves a six- to eight-hour drive to Valdez, a ferry to Cordova and onto Whittier, then a train ride (with your car onboard) to Portage for the return drive to Anchorage. The drive to Valdez, spectacular to even the most seasoned Alaskan, peaks at Thompson Pass, where the Worthington Glacier is accessible by car. Valdez, a lively little berg famous for the World Extreme Skiing Competition usually held around the end of March, wild rafting, unsurpassed fishing and the termination of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline. It’s also home to internationally acclaimed Prince William Sound Theater Confer64 NORTH AMERICA & HAWAII ence, an August event that draws playwrights and actors from all over the country. Cordova is an amazing spot, a quaint fishing town of about 2,500 set in the Copper River Delta, where six glacial rivers meet. The docks are lined with weathered canneries and the harbor filled with commercial fishing vessels. About 50 miles outside of Cordova, along the old Cordova River Road, is Childs Glacier. A 300-foot-wall of ice sits across the Copper River. When the mighty glacier calves, a steel bridge—still unfinished but open to pedestrians—reverberates with the thunderous sound. Tours or taxi rides to the glacier are available from Cordova. Birders love Cordova, as do anglers. Camping and fishing tips are best gotten from the U.S. Forest Service and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. In May, Cordova fills with birders to watch some of the 240 species of birds that live here or stop on various migration routes. The Copper River Delta Shorebird Festival marking the event provides opportunities to share birding information and enjoy the small-town charm of the town. The Kenai Fjords When local Alaskans have visitors, chances are you’ll find them driving three hours south along the Seward Highway, a National Forest Scenic Byway, to Resurrection Bay and the Kenai Fjords National Park. Here, it’s almost embarrassingly easy to impress visitors who have traveled north to learn firsthand about Alaska’s natural wonders. And travelers who arrive on their own find opportunities to study the sea life and surrounding glaciers from national park rangers. Rangers who work on many of the daily commercial tours, staff the ranger station and sometimes can be found walking along the docks of Seward, enjoying a sunny day. After a drive through the nation’s best salmon-fishing country, the road trip ends in Seward, a small, friendly community of about 3,000 that lies nestled where turquoise waters meet with the timbered Kenai Mountains. The town is a mix of working fishermen, young cannery workers and people in the tourist trade. It’s lively and a tribute to its somewhat rocky history. The city is named after William H. Seward, U.S. Secretary of State in 1867 when Russia agreed to sell Alaska to the United States for $7.2 million. Seward drew widespread criticism for fostering the purchase, hence the state’s early monikers of “Seward’s Folly” and “Seward’s Icebox.” Fourth of July weekend is one of the busiest in Seward. Over 30,000 people gather to enjoy a parade and street fair filled with food and craft booths. But the big attraction that weekend is the Mount Marathon Race, when some 3,000 WWW.JAXFAX.COM MAY 2011 NORTH AMERICA & HAWAII men, women and youth race up the steep 4,603-foot peak. If you can’t make it in July, plenty of other activities that mix spectacular Alaska wilderness with the hometown fun of Seward go on all summer. The town hosts a silver salmon derby every August and is home to an active yachting club, which stages regattas and races throughout the summer, filling the harbor with colorful sails. One of the area’s premiere attractions is 690,000-acre Kenai Fjords National Park. Dominated by the immense Harding Icefield, the area surrounding the fjords feeds dozens of deep-blue glaciers that tumble down into the waters of the bay. Out on the water, it’s not hard to find communities of Steller sea lions, otters, puffins, bald eagles and calving glaciers. Whales sometimes make it deep into the fjords, but the odds of seeing one increase as you boat further into Resurrection Bay. To get out on the water, take one of several tour boats or smaller charter boats that provide tours from the small boat harbor. Tours range from 2.5-hour cruises across Resurrection Bay to the edge of the national park, to 9.5-hour cruises deep into the fjords. The sizes of the commercial tour boats vary, holding from less than 10 to 200 passengers. The cruises offer a rare chance to have the beauty of Alaska interpreted by experts. National park rangers staff many of the cruises and tours. Captains also provide ongoing narratives during the tours, often altering their route to give travelers closer viewing to whales and sea lions. Maps and other printed guides allow for even more study of the glaciers and wildlife along the way. Personalized sightseeing tours and fishing charters are also available out of Seward, with operators offering trips to catch ling cod, halibut and salmon or to simply cruise the bay. If you’re not inclined to head out onto the water to see glaciers, downtown Seward is a short drive from the foot of Exit Glacier. Part of the national park, this glacier empties out at a trailhead nine miles off the Seward Highway just outside of Seward. Energetic hikers can scramble up the three-mile trail alongside the glacier to overlook the Harding Icefield. Or you can simply walk to the face of the glacier. A nearby ranger station offers maps, literature on glaciers and, as always, helpful rangers who love to talk about the region. Much of the best of the Fjords’ wildlife can be seen at the new Alaska SeaLife Center. This $52 million state-of-the-art marine research, rehabilitation and educational facility has three main exhibits including Stellar sea lions, harbor seals and a variety of seabirds. The research center was designed and built as an outgrowth of the Exxon Valdez oil spill. Its mission is to rehabilitate marine birds, mammals and fish while allowing the public to observe. The displays are top-drawer. Huge glass tanks make visitors feel as if they are standing under the bay’s waters. In the “Discovery Zone,” you can get up-close looks at sea stars, sea urchins and a passel of other marine invertebrates. Descending into the display, “Denizens of the Deep,” you’ll watch sea lions and other marine species in their natural elements while another underwater viewing area boasts of wolf eels, giant octopus and various species of crabs. A variety of organized packages can get travelers to Seward by rail, bus or plane. The independent traveler can also arrange transportation on those modes, or drive. Ambitious hikers can walk from Anchorage to Seward, having to walk along only 40 miles of highway in the course of the 125-mile journey. For more visitor information contact the Alaska Travel Industry Association at 800-862-5275 or http://travelalaska.com MAY 2011 NEWS & BEST BUYS LAGUNA SECA EagleRider announced the addition of a Laguna Seca MotoGP Guided Tour to their 2011 product line. This tour marks the first time that EagleRider has included a MotoGP racing event in a Guided Tour itinerary. As part of the Guided Tour package, each client will receive race tickets and a paddock pass for the MotoGP race. The Laguna Seca Tour, which runs from July 15th28th, 2011 starts in Las Vegas, heads to Los Angeles then Monterey for the race weekend, and finishes with two nights in San Francisco. This ride offers a unique combination of desert, canyon and coastal riding, plus some of the best parts of Route 66. Highway 1 up to Monterey is one of the most beautiful rides in the world. And Eaglerider has included multi-night stops in Las Vegas, L.A, Monterey and San Francisco, so clients can really enjoy all the things those cities have to offer. Visit www.eaglerider.com 7568 $ NEW YORK Baseball season is underway and Affinia Hotels, with five properties in New York City, is encouraging fans to cheer on their favorite teams with a special sports getaway, “For the Love of the Game.” Available through December 31, 2011, so all sports fans can show their love, with nightly rates starting at $216, it includes: upgrade to a one-bedroom suite,Crackerjacks and choice of a six-pack of beer or bottle of wine, $10 Metrocard to take the subway to the game, $10 Modell's Sports gift card and late check out. Guests can choose from five hotels: Affinia Manhattan, Affinia Shelburne, Affinia Dumont, Affinia 50 and Affinia Gardens. To book visit www.affinia.com/loveofthegame 216 $ WWW.JAXFAX.COM NORTH AMERICA & HAWAII 65 Whitehorse Macken zi 72 of Alaska N Yellowknife A V U T Huds Rankin Inlet on St r BRITISH COLUMBIA Bear Lake Prince Rupert Queen Charlotte Islands basc Atha a Riv er Ch urc hil Vancouver Island R. Seattle Olympia Portland Salem Albany North Battleford mbia Trail Lethbridge Prince Albert Smallwood Res. e ak Newfoundland Labrador City Lake Winnipeg St. John's Corner Brook ONTARIO . R Winnipeg Brandon Great Falls Missoula Williston Helena Lake Sakakawea Butte NEW FOUNDLAND Thompson Swift Current MONTANA Pendleton OREGON CANADA Moosonee NEW BRUNSWICK St. Regina Pullman a R. r Rive Labrador Sea Saskatoon Spokane WASHINGTON Colum bi Flin Flon Calgary Colu Kelowna on Nels Saskatchewan River Red Deer Kamloops Vancouver Victoria Inukjuak MANITOBA lR SASKATCHEWAN Edmonton Hudson Bay Churchill Fort McMurray Grande Prairie Prince George PA C I F I C OCEAN DIRECTORY Fort Chipewyan ALBERTA Dawson Creek ait Ungava Bay Lake Athabasca Peace River Minot Grand Forks NORTH DAKOTA Lake Nipigon Gulf of Lawrence Charlottetown Moncton Fredericton Amos Timmins Thunder Bay MINNESOTA QUEBEC Quebec Sydney Sc ot ia PAGE Baker Lake Great Slave Lake L. Superior Sn Klamath Falls Billings Boise Bismarck Fargo Lake Oahe Duluth ch ig a n Miles City Buf fal o ATLANTIC OCEAN o rad Riv er f lf o Oahu Molokai Maui e nd ra oG Ri Honolulu Gu ADDRESS Kauai lo Co & Mis sis sip p iR . Colo rado R. EMAIL L. Mi SEE IDAHO N ov a Trois-rivieres Halifax Sudbury North Bay Montreal Bangor Marquette Augusta Ottawa Ironwood Sheridan Iron Mountai n SOUTH L. Huron VERMONT Tw in Falls MAINE St. Paul Marinette Idaho Falls WYOMING DAKOTA Kingston Montpelier Redding Minneapolis M WISCONSIN NEW Concord NEW HAMPSHIRE Chico iss Toronto Hot Springs Rapid City NEVADA Green Bay iss Ontario YORK . L MICHIGAN Great Salt Mankato i Casper Elko p Reno Boston Sioux Falls pi Oshkosh Rochester Albany Lake Sacramento MASSACHUSETTS Madison Carson City Lansing Buffalo Pla Scottsbluf f Salt Lake City Milwaukee Sioux City Hartford San Francisco Oakland RHODE ISLAND r ie t Norfolk Detroit Provo Cheyenne te Riv Ely IOWA L. E CONNECTICUT Bradford e Chicago San Jose r NEBRASKA New York Toledo UTAH Bishop Monterey Omaha Cleveland PENNSYLVANIA Trenton Boulder Fort Collins ILLINOIS Wabash Des Moines Fresno NEW JERSEY Lincoln Grand Junction orado R. Harrisburg Philadelphia Lafayette OHIO Denver Col Cedar City Baltimore CALIFORNIA Springfield INDIANA Columbus St. Joseph DELAWARE COLORADOArk Colorado Springs WEST an Las Vegas Santa Maria Marble Canyon Kansas City Indianapolis Ohi MARYLAND Pueblo sas R. Bakersfield o R. VIRGINIA KANSAS Topeka St. Louis Washington D. C. Louisville Durango Missouri R. ARIZONA Charleston Richmond Frankfort Los Angeles San Bernardino Wichita Dodge City Norfolk MISSOURI Needles Gallup Owensboro KENTUCKY Roanoke VIRGINIA Winfield Parsons Palm Springs Santa Fe Flagstaf f Bowling Green Poplar Bluf f Raleigh San Diego Tulsa TENNESSEE Albuquerque Phoenix A rk NORTH CAROLINA Oklahoma City Nashville ansa ARKANSAS Scottsdale Mexicali s R. Charlotte NEW MEXICO Chattanooga Memphis OKLAHOMA Greenville Tucson Huntsville Roswel l Little Rock Columbia Birmingham Wichita Fall s Bisbee SOUTH CAROLINA Carlsbad Atlanta MISSISSIPPI Greenville Macon Charleston Dallas El Paso Big Spring Montgomery Shreveport Jackson Savannah LOUISIANA Waco Albany TEXAS ALABAMA Brunswick Temple Natchez GEORGIA Jacksonville Pensacol a Baton Rouge Austin Tallahassee San Antonio Medford Eureka Houston oG FLORIDA Orlando Galveston de ran Hawaiian Islands New Orleans Ri Hawaii i fo Cal WEBSITE N U.S. • CANADA • HAWAII Juneau Laredo Corpus Christi Tampa Gulf S t U. S. A. West Palm Beach www.skylinkus.com TRIP DEPARTING TYPE # DAYS ROUND TRIP PRICE MIN MAX VALIDITY PERIOD SUPPLIER ADDITIONAL INFORMATION MIAMI DAILY OW SKAIR $ 154 To:PHOENIX LEGEND TRAVEL AND TOURS TO 12/15/11 800-295-3436;[email protected];OTH CITIES ST. LOUIS DAILY OW SKAIR $ 167 To:BOSTON LEGEND TRAVEL AND TOURS TO 12/15/11 800-295-3436;[email protected];OTH CITIES ARIZONA BOSTON NEW YORK DAILY OW SKAIR $ 198 BOSTON DAILY OW SKAIR $ 198 WASHINGTON DC DAILY OW SKAIR $ 167 To:LOS ANGELES LEGEND TRAVEL AND TOURS TO 12/15/11 To:SAN DIEGO LEGEND TRAVEL AND TOURS TO 12/15/11 To:SAN FRANCISCO LEGEND TRAVEL AND TOURS TO 12/15/11 CALIFORNIA 800-295-3436;[email protected];OTH CITIES 800-295-3436;[email protected];OTH CITIES 800-295-3436;[email protected];OTH CITIES DOMESTIC COACH NET FARES WITHIN 48 STATES FROM NYC/ATL/BOS LAS/SLC/PHX WAS/PHL XNA/LIT/MCI MIA/MCO BOS/EWR/ROC CONTACT I N F O R M AT I O N , U NORTHWEST TERRITORY TO TO TO TO TO TO LAX/SFO/SAN/SEA DFW/OKC LAX/SFO/SAN/SEA LAX/SFO/SAN/SEA LAX/SFO/SAN/SEA DEN/PHX/SLC $498* $468* $486* $498* $498* $489* FROM DFW/IAH SAN/SEA/PDX STL/DEN/SLC ORF/RDU/GSO DFW/IAH/OKC TPA/MCO/WPB TO TO TO TO TO TO LAX/SFO/SAN/SEA CLE/BNA/BHM NYC/MIA/ATL/BOS LAX/SFO/SAN BOS/WAS/CLT LAS/ELP/DEN $368* $489* $498* $498* $498* $398* *Add tax. Subject to availability in lowest class of service; or you can purchase sell up class 1 day advance purchase no min/ non refundable return changes $150 plus difference in fare; re-issue $300 plus difference in fare. All booking and changes strictly done by our office. If duplicate booking we will not issue tickets. EMAIL: US FOR INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS CLASS RATES! [email protected] FOR Call LEGEND TRAVEL & TOURS 800-295-3436 Visit www.mylegendtravel.com 561-965-7885, Fax: 561-965-5482 Email [email protected] or [email protected] 66 U.S. • CANADA • HAWAII WWW.JAXFAX.COM MAY 2011 # TRIP DAYS DEPARTING TYPE ATLANTA DAILY OW SKAIR ROUND TRIP PRICE MIN MAX $ 175 SUPPLIER To:SANTA ANA LEGEND TRAVEL AND TOURS VALIDITY PERIOD ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO 12/15/11 800-295-3436;[email protected];OTH CITIES TO 12/15/11 800-295-3436;[email protected];OTH CITIES TO 12/15/11 800-295-3436;[email protected];OTH CITIES TO 12/15/11 800-295-3436;[email protected];OTH CITIES TO 12/15/11 800-295-3436;[email protected];OTH CITIES TO 12/15/11 800-295-3436;[email protected];OTH CITIES TO 12/15/11 800-295-3436;[email protected];OTH CITIES $ 198 To:CALGARY LEGEND TRAVEL AND TOURS To:MONTREAL LEGEND TRAVEL AND TOURS To:OTTAWA LEGEND TRAVEL AND TOURS To:QUEBEC LEGEND TRAVEL AND TOURS To:TORONTO LEGEND TRAVEL AND TOURS To:VANCOUVER LEGEND TRAVEL AND TOURS DALLAS OW SKAIR DAILY $ 98 To:DENVER LEGEND TRAVEL AND TOURS TO 12/15/11 800-295-3436;[email protected];OTH CITIES ORLANDO DAILY OW SKAIR $ 118 To:LAS VEGAS LEGEND TRAVEL AND TOURS TO 12/15/11 800-295-3436;[email protected];OTH CITIES ARKANSAS DAILY OW SKAIR $ 167 To:NEW YORK LEGEND TRAVEL AND TOURS TO 12/15/11 800-295-3436;[email protected];OTH CITIES ATLANTA OW SKAIR DAILY LOS ANGELES OW SKAIR DAILY MIAMI OW SKAIR DAILY BOSTON OW SKAIR DAILY NEW YORK DAILY OW SKAIR DALLAS DAILY OW SKAIR CANADA $ 225 $ 198 $ 176 $ 175 $ 165 COLORADO NEVADA NEW YORK FamiliarizationTrips INDIA Become an expert and grow your sales to this exotic destination ANTIGUA Sugar Ridge Antigua Announces 2011 Travel Agent Fam Rates Sugar Ridge, celebrated its one-year anniversary this winter and welcomes travel agents to experience the resort first hand with discounted FAM rates for 2011. Travel agent FAM rates are valid for travel now through October 22, 2011 and start at $55 per person, per night based on double occupancy and subject to availability. Rates are as follows: $85 per person, per night based on double occupancy including breakfast valid for travel now through April 9, 2011 and $55 per person, per night based on double occupancy including breakfast valid for travel April 10 through October 22, 2011. Allinclusive rates: $95 per person, per night based on double occupancy valid for travel April 10 through October 22, 2011. Stay for 7-nights and only pay for 4-nights: stay at Sugar Ridge for one week and the first three nights are complimentary including breakfast. Sugar Ridge: 866-591-4881; www.sugarridgeantigua.com FRANCE Cote d'Azur's best-loved cities Includes Nice, Cannes, Antibes and Monte Carlo. 7 nights hotel, 7 breakfasts, welcome and farewell dinners, airport transfers, all transportation including a one week TER rail pass, your guide, maps, customized itineraries, and taxes. 2011 departures Guided Walks: agents $950/guests $995, self-guided walks: Agents $850/Guests $895. All rates pp, up to three guests.land only, d/o. Call 619-584-4213 or 562-305-1817, [email protected], www.thebluewalk.com EGYPT 7 Days Discover Egypt Cruise & Tour: $399 Sunday Departures: September 4 & 18, October 2, 16 and 30 November 6 and November 20 and December 4, 2011. 4 Day MS Carnival Cruise. Includes all meals, all local flights, a 4 Day Deluxe Nile Cruise, all transfers & touring in Cairo. 1 nights moderate first class Oasis hotel in Cairo or similar. Flight Luxor-Cairo. All transfers in Egypt. 1 night accommodation in First Class compartment sleeper train Cairo-Aswan Full day excursions in Cairo including lunch (visiting Egyptian Museum and Pyramids. Total of 15 meals (6 breakfasts, 4 lunches, and 5 dinners). Nightly entertainment aboard the cruise.. All local government taxes. Services of Sunny Land local reps. Optional Farewell dinner on the Nile $50. Optional excursions available $249 Click for details. Single supp: $300; Companion Sup: $200 Sunny Land Tours: 800-783-7839, www.hotfamtrips.com MAY 2011 The “9 Days to Discover India’s Highlights” FAM to India, departs 4/25/2011. Priced at $859 plus tax. Upgrade to Biz Class air just $1082. Package includes: R/T International air from New York (Exclusive of YQ, and other taxes), 6 Nights Hotel accommodations, Transfers, and porterage at airports, sightseeing and entrance fees for visits listed in the itinerary, private driver, with ground transportation in air-conditioned vehicles, 6 breakfasts, and 7 dinners and services of English speaking guides. Visit www.foreign-independent-tours.com or call 800-248-3487 ISRAEL 10 Night Christian FAM for IATAN, CLIA or TRUE Members Visits Tel Aviv, Caesarea, Mt. Carmel, Megiddo, Sea of Galilee, Capernaum, Mt. of Beatitudes, Jordan River, Cana, Nazareth, 6 nights in Jerusalem, Bethlehem. Cost: $1,495 per person, double. Includes: 1 night at the Carlton Tel Aviv in Executive Royal Floor rooms, 3 nights at the Ron Beach Tiberias on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, 6 nights at the Regency Jerusalem in Club Level rooms, 8 days of touring, most meals, transfers, entrance fees, hotel taxes and more. We will accept one agent per agency only, full-time agents only, and no companions. No single rooms are available.my and business class air is available from the cities around the U.S. on Delta Airlines, via New York or Atlanta. Yalla Tours 800-644-1595; [email protected]; www.yallatours.com PANAMA 6 Day PanamaTour from $399 2 Nights at Crowne Plaza Panama, 1 night in Gamboa Resort, 2 nights Intercontinental Playa Bonita, all transfers, A Full Day Canal Tour, Full Day Tour of Embera, partial transit panama canal cruise, Day Tour Valle Anton, and topped of with all meals. Sunny Land Tours: 800-783-7839, www.hotfamtrips.com UKRAINE Ukraine Cruise - SAVE $500 per cabin: Sail the Dnieper River from Odessa to Kiev (vv) and save $250 per person on select departure dates shown below! These 12 day all inclusive programs feature outside facing cabins, 32 meals, 9 shore excursions, 2 concerts, lectures, games, and more. Cruise rates start at only $1649 per person twin and are valid for departures: 26 May, 17 June, 2011. Save 50% off published rates on dates above. Subject to availability. Value World Tours: 800-795-1633, [email protected]; valuecruises.net WWW.JAXFAX.COM U.S. • CANADA • HAWAII 67 H O M E B A S E D AG E N T TOOLS & TIPS – By Joe Dysart Facebook: Next Generation Best Practices illions of Facebook users have been watching the latest evolution of the service—which includes a new look and feel for everyone who has a Facebook account—roll out across the network since late 2010. With Facebook’s new makeover this spring now a “fait accompli,” many Web marketers rejoice that some of the service’s new features will make it much easier for them to do business on the social network—both creatively and from a business analytics perspective. But for marketers, one of Facebook’s most anticipated changes is the service’s new ability to easily add framed content to a Facebook page—technically known as content presented within iFrames. Essentially, the change enables any company to easily mirror the Web design on their company home page and other pages on a Facebook page—as long as it’s within an iFrame. Scores of Web designers are celebrating the move, since attempting to duplicate the look and feel of a company’s Web site pages on Facebook had previously presented quite a challenge in many cases. Moreover, Web marketers say the introduction of easy iFraming also makes it much easier for a business to crunch analytics, including tracking user activity on Facebook pages, and thoroughly analyzing how sales and other sought-after conversions are unfolding on company Facebook pages. All told, the makeover has stimulated marketers to update their best marketing practices for the service, as detailed below. M Understand Why Facebook is So Powerful While social networking has been around for a while (it was done on discussion forums long before Mark Zuckerberg got his first tricycle), Facebook was one of the services that made such networking so effortless, so fun and so multifaceted. For example, once someone signs up for your ‘fan’ or business page on Facebook, they immediately begin getting info about your firm in their News Feed, can instantly share your offers to others in their social network, can effortlessly engage in discussions on your Facebook page, can give their opinion about your products or services and can shop on your Facebook page – all without even thinking about how to do these things. Small wonder Facebook now has half a billion registered users and is still growing. Get Creative With Web Design Features For years, Web designers have bemoaned the fact that they were forced to use Facebook’s propriety programming for much of the designing they did on the Facebook site. No more. With the latest makeover on March 1, the service is now offering Web designers complete creative design freedom within specified framed areas of your pages on Facebook. “I for one am thrilled with this long-awaited news,” says Janet Driscoll Miller, CEO of SearchMojo, a Web marketing firm. Essentially, any content that appears within these specially designed frames iFrames is no longer subject to the limitations of Facebook’s design language. Instead, the content can be 68 AIRLINE INTELLIGENCEI easily designed with more robust Web design programs like Dreamweaver or Microsoft Expression. “This is a huge timesaver when you’re trying to program pages to mach your corporate brand,” Miller adds. (You can check out what your content with look like within an iFrame at this link: http://www.facebook.com/whosbloggingwhat?sk=app_126 661227405239). Take Advantage of Google Analytics “Not long ago, Facebook removed some features that allowed you to track your page views in Facebook via Google Analytics,” Miller says. That’s no longer a problem, now that Google allows company Web content to be displayed within the new iFrames model. Essentially, any content showcased within the frame can be completely tracked, sliced and diced with Google Analytics (http://www.google.com/analytics/), a free program that has a great reputation for analyzing user behavior on Web sites. Easily Track Sales and Other Conversions “Seriously, this one deserves about 15 exclamation points,” Miller says. “iFrames makes tracking conversions from Facebook—and keeping ad respondents within the Facebook application—much easier.” Post a ‘Like Button’ A recent Facebook innovation, the ability to ‘Like’ a business confers an instant recommendation of your business to everyone within a Facebook user’s circle – be it 12 people, or 1,200 people. You can easily add a ‘Like’ button to your Facebook page by visiting: (http://developers.facebook.com/docs/plugins/). Consider Other Business-Friendly Social Plugins These plugins include ‘Recommendations,’ which gives users personalized suggestions for pages on your site that they might like, and ‘Comments,’ which allows visitors to comment on content on your Facebook site. Meanwhile, the ‘Like Box,’ enables users to ‘like’ your Facebook page and view its stream directly from your Web site; ‘Facepile’ shows profile pictures of a user’s friends who have already signed up for your site and ‘Live Stream’ allows users to exchange comments and engage in other shared activity in real-time as they interact during a live event on your Facebook page. WWW.JAXFAX.COM MAY 2011 Post Freely Under Your Business Name to Other Pages With the March 1 makeover, Facebook has made it very easy for a business to make a post to the walls of other pages. Previously, business’ messages had been restricted to appearing on the Facebook News Feeds of people who liked you, friends of those people, and of course, on the Wall of your own business Facebook page. Used judiciously, this new freedom to post to the walls of other Facebook pages could make promotion on Facebook a whole lot easier. Post Often, Interestingly and With Plenty of Graphics The only way to continually attract attention to your Facebook page is via constant updates to your page. Fortunately, you can post to Facebook a few times a week, or in some cases, every day, and other Facebook users won’t consider you annoying. After all, those who ‘friend’ you are clearly saying they are interested in what you have to say. Just be sure it’s interesting, and it includes images or video often. Graphics are the lifeblood of Facebook. Engage, Don’t Broadcast If you’ve had a business page on Facebook for any amount of time, no doubt you’ve already heard this. But it bears repeating. Businesses that use traditional methods to broadcast their brands on Facebook are generally received with a collective yawn—and sometimes even negative retribution—from Facebook users protective of the social network’s culture. Quite simply, Facebook users expect a conversation from the businesses they befriend. And they expect it to be authentic. Social Media and Authentic Creativity By Richard B. Earls Continued from page 10 Twitter profile, customize the page with your logo and place your website URL in your profile. On your website, give people a chance to join you on Twitter. Go back to basics and look at your mission statement - make sure that you are clearly articulating who you are and what your company is all about in each of your new social marketing efforts. Think globally, act locally. Next, think locally and act globally. Smart travel agents adopt a marketing mind-set, constantly looking at and exploring new possibilities for raising their brand profile. Certainly you can market “to the world” using social media. But for the vast majority of travel agents, the most important community is the one that is within 50 miles of your office or house. Include your local market into your social media world. Seek out early adopters and users in your hometown communities and your social marketing efforts will have a far greater impact. Spend some time learning the fundamentals of marketing and them applying them to social media. Be authentic, be creative and have fun. That is a formula that easy to comprehend and strangely demanding. INDUSTRY NEWS WTA Launches Digital Consumer Magazine World Travel Awards has launched Best in Travel, a free digital monthly magazine aimed at the luxury traveler. An industry first, Best in Travel blends leading interactive technology with unrivaled market knowledge to create the definitive insiders guide to the worlds most glamorous travel experiences. Featuring online interactivity, flash content and available on PC and android, it will be circulated to a global database of 135,000 highend travel consumers. Manon Han, Publisher, Best in Travel and Executive Vice President, World Travel Awards, says that Best in Travel aims to capture the consumer shift away from print to web as a source of information on travel. Since launching in 1993, the WTA team has had the rather enviable task of scouring the globe in search of the ultimate in luxury travel, those out-of-this-world places and experiences where memories forged will last a lifetime. Through Best in Travel we are now able to share these experiences with the travel consumer by using video and virtual tours to bring the magic of travel alive, she says. Best in Travel issue 1 is available at www.bestintravelmagazine.com XL Airways France: Low Fares to Paris XL Airways announces new low fares on non-stop flights from Las Vegas and New York to Paris starting at just $599 with taxes included. Dates available from Las Vegas are May 26, 29 and June 2, 5, 9 with a return date in June. Fare class XPROM. Dates fro travel from JFK to CDG are May 22, 23 and 25 with June return date. Fare class XPROM. Additional fees may apply and valid only on specific travel dates. Fare is capacity controlled and subject to change. Call 877-496-9889 or visit [email protected] JOIN OUR AGENCY PROGRAM Host Agency Program • • • • • • Highest Commission Earnings Virtuoso Top-3 Member Exclusive Rates & Amenities Program Dedicated Support & Educational Opportunities Award Winning Marketing Financially Stable CONTACT: Lea Diele • (800) 843-0259 • [email protected] MAY 2011 WWW.JAXFAX.COM INDUSTRY NEWS 69 AIRLINE INTELLIGENCE — By Bob Levine OPENSKIES All-Business-Class Service is All Pleasure penSkies may not be a household name yet to business travelers, but it will be. Now just three years old, OpenSkies is a premium subsidiary of British Airways, operating daily business-classonly flights to Paris (Orly Sud) from Newark Airport and five-times-weekly from Washington (Dulles) at remarkably competitive prices. In 2008 it acquired L’AVION, the 100 percent business-class French airline. What drew it to this travel writer’s attention was that it won the title of Best All-Business-Class Airline for 2010 from Global Traveler magazine. This is quite a distinction when you consider that the competition included Singapore Airlines, British Airways, Swiss International Air Lines and Lufthansa. OpenSkies feels like a small airline but has the know-how of one of the world’s biggest airlines. The airline uses 757s, and while I’ve always preferred double-aisle planes for transatlantic crossings (I like the roominess and I like to know that my path to the lavatory won’t be blocked by a cart), I discovered something wonderful aboard my recent Newark/Orly (Sud) round trip flights. There are 72 seats in Biz Seats (the “rear” of the plane) and 12 Biz Beds in the “front.” Since the seat configuration is two-and-two in a plane that used to be three-and-three, even with very roomy seats in both sections, the aisle is far wider than we’re used to: passengers can easily move past the carts. Of course, it’s rarely necessary—with only 36 rows in Biz Seats the flight attendants can move out of the aisle quickly and efficiently. The 84 passenger max capacity also means no bunching at the gate (boarding took less that 15 minutes from start to finish) and the almost certain guarantee of a very quiet flight. Each of the four planes that make up the fleet is newly designed in soft, warm colors—beige, mauve and gray. Each passenger is given his or her own personalized video system filled with dozens of first-run movies, TV shows, and other entertainment, so the sense of privacy and low-lighting—no overhead movie screens—is maintained. Although it is called a “business class” airline, it can be recommended to couples looking for a flight that feels intimate and custom-made as well. Biz Bed offer seats that convert to completely flat beds (180° recline). Biz Seat is equipped with large seats that recline to 140° with 52 inches of seat pitch. Every seat is equipped with universal outlets for your computer and a personalized video system. The staff is friendly and helpful. Both cabins offer lunch and dinner served on china with a wide choice of gourmet meals. Top quality champagnes and wines—and many of them—as well as various other beverages, are offered during flight. A light meal is served before landing, and on that way back from Paris we were treated to not only a couple of tiny sandwiches, but pastries from La Maison Ladurée, the oh-so-classy-andelegant 150 year old Parisian tea shop. Before you board, there is a personalized welcome at checkin, business lounges in the airport, and simplified access to the gate thanks to “fast-track” check-in. And the “British Airways Executive Club” customer-loyalty program allows you to accumulate miles when you fly OpenSkies. And Orly (Sud) is so small, it took only 15 minutes from the gate to the street! Let’s not forget the low fares: round trip from Newark in Biz Seat starts at $1,832; from Dulles it is $1,982. (We all know that a no-restriction economy ticket on most airlines to Europe is about the same!) Biz Bed from Newark starts at $3,748 r/t and is about the same from DC. All fares are inclusive of all taxes and fees. Flights leave Newark at 6:45 p.m. and 8:25 p.m. daily, arriving in Paris the next morning at 8:40 a.m. and 10:10, respectively, and the Dulles flight leaves at 7:30 p.m. and arrives at Orly at 9:30 a.m., daily except Tuesdays and Saturdays. For more information visit www.flyopenskies.com Cruise Ships & Harleys Couples Save $800 on River Cruise Want to see the mountains of Switzerland? Start with a 13day “Enchanting Rhine” river cruise from AMA Waterways, comprised of a 7-night cruise from Amsterdam to Basel, 2 nights in Lucerne, and ending with a 2-night stay in Zürich. Jump off the ship, then motor along the Swiss Alps, courtesy of Harley-Davidson Zürich. Are you a history buff? A must-see city is Berlin. Rent a Harley from Classic Bike and visit the Alte National Gallery (a UNESCO World Heritage site), the Brandenburg Gate and the Berlin Wall Memorial. After touring the city, you can catch a 10-Night Elegant Elbe river cruise with Viking River Cruises. While biking on a Harley offers terrific side-trip opportunities on any cruise, note that for most of Harley- Davidson’s® international rental locations, riders must be 21 years of age or older, have a valid heavyweight motorcycle operator's license, have a major credit card and possess the skills and knowledge to operate a heavyweight motorcycle. Call 877-283-1114 or visit www.AllThingsCruise.com Couples can now save $800 on the 29-day “Grand European Explorer” itinerary from Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection by booking before April 30th. Sail the legendary Rhine, meandering Main, and enchanting Danube rivers from Basel to Bucharest. Explore the UNESCO World Heritage Old Towns of Bamberg and Regensburg, and some of the most majestic capitals of Europe: Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest, Belgrade, and Bucharest. Discover Renaissance palaces, Baroque and Rococo architecture, and Roman ruins—and even take a horsedrawn carriage ride through the fairytale Bavarian Forest. Follow pastoral scenes along the Main River through the engineering marvel of the Main-Danube Canal before traveling the enchanting Danube through the dramatic Iron Gates and towards the Black Sea. Be amazed by ten countries, three rivers, and countless chances to touch history on this all-encompassing journey. Visit www.uniworld.com O 70 INDUSTRY NEWS WWW.JAXFAX.COM MAY 2011 MESSAGE BOARD SAA names Marc Cavaliere Sr. VP– Global Sales Development South African Airways (SAA), Africa’s most awarded airline, announced that Marc Cavaliere, executive vice president for North America, has been named as senior vice president, global sales development, effective immediately. In this newly created position, Cavaliere will oversee several departments within SAA’s commercial division including airline alliances, e-commerce, sales planning, distribution, customer call centers and regulatory affairs. Cavaliere will now be based at South African Airways’ headquarters in Johannesburg. A 30-year airline industry veteran, Cavaliere joined South African Airways as head of the North American market in 2006. Prior to that, he served as vice president of sales and marketing distribution for Spirit Airlines. He has also served as vice president for Aviation Management, a leading consulting firm that specializes in South American and Latin American carriers, and in several sales and airport operations roles for American Airlines and Pan Am. Todd Neuman, vice president of sales for North America, will serve as acting executive vice president for the region until a replacement is named. Neuman has worked in the airline industry for 30 years, and joined South African Airways in 2006 as its vice president of sales after holding positions at National Leisure Group and US Airways. For more information on South African Airways, visit www.flysaa.com. Perillo Tours Appoints Carol Dimopoulos To Groups Division Perillo Tours has appointed Carol Dimopoulos as the vice president of business development for Perillo’s groups and special interest travel division. As America’s leading tour operator to Italy, Carol plans to expand Perillo’s groups division with a particular focus on the trade, academic and affinity markets. Carol is taking the initiative to reintroduce the “Perillo Loves Groups” concept, creating awareness of Perillo’s commitment to advance their dedicated groups division. The goal is to position Perillo Tours as a company for group bookings as it is one of the most established brands in tourism. Carol will also be heading up groups for Perillo’s new culinary tours selected in cooperation with Slow Food Italia. The tours offer special insight into Italy’s local foods, wines and culture including encounters with artisans and cooks, and hands-on cooking experiences. Carol has more than 25 years of experience in the travel industry. She previously worked with Celtic Tours as the vice president of sales and marketing. Carol has served on the board of the Italian Travel Promotion Council and the international committee of the Student Youth Travel Association (SYTA). Guido Polito New CEO of Baglioni Hotels Guido Polito has been appointed chief executive officer of Baglioni Hotels. Guido will succeed Roberto Polito, founder of the prestigious Baglioni hotel chain, who will remain as president of the group. Guido Golito, who in his position as vice president operations of Baglioni Hotels, brought many developments to the Company. These included the creation of a new design concept first seen at the Baglioni Hotel London, the definition of new quality standards and a profound enhancement of human resources along with the development of new brand values, all of which have contributed greatly to the international growth of Baglioni Hotels. “We have important projects in the pipeline for our Collection,” declared Guido Polito“ we wish to push the brand into new markets, beginning with the opening of a resort in Marrakech next year, in collabora- tion with internationally recognized partners such as Jade Jagger and Six Senses Spa. The goal is to double our presence abroad, in countries like India, the Arabic Peninsula as well as Paris and New York, always maintaining our identity as ambassadors of hospitality made in Italy”. As part of the reorganization of the company’s top executives, Giuliano Rocchi, who has served for years as chief financial & administrative director, Baglioni Hotels, has been appointed as VP of the group. To join the Home Based Agent Registry fill out your free online profile at www.HBTAR.com MAY 2011 WWW.JAXFAX.COM MESSAGE BOARD 71 JAXFAX ® MAGAZINE AEGEAN & MEDITERRANEAN CRUISES & TOURS 1702 Quentin Rd., Brooklyn, NY 11229; 888-968-0335; 718-645-6499; F: 718645-4865; www.aegeanmedtours.com; [email protected] AIR ASTANA 285 Westside Avenue, Suite 277-278, Jersey City, NJ, 07305; 888-855-1557; [email protected], [email protected] AMERICAN TRAVEL ABROAD, INC. 505 Eighth Ave, Ste 801, New York, NY 10018; 212-586-5230; 800-228-0877; [email protected] ; www.amta.com ARROW TRAVEL 280 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10016; 212-889-2550; F: 212-889-5959; 866359-2776; www.arrowtravel.com; [email protected] AUSSIE ADVENTURES 908 Main Street, Suite 280, Louisville, CO 80027; 866-828-AUSSIE; 303-8280757; F: 303-828-0820; [email protected] C & H INTERNATIONAL 4751 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 201, Los Angeles, CA 90010; 800-833-8888; 323933-2288; F: 323-939-2286; www.cnhintl.com CASABLANCA TOURS INC. 523 West 14th Street, New York, NY 10009, 800-227-2868, 212-697-7428; F: 212-697-7511, [email protected], www.casablancatoursinc.com CHANTECLAIR CONSOLIDATORS 152 West 36th Street, Suite 805, New York, NY 10018; 866-361-3500, 212-6953514; F: 212-695-8333, [email protected]; www.chanteclairtravel.com CHINA NATIONAL TOURIST OFFICE 370 Lexington Avenue, Suite 912, New York, NY 10017; 212-760-8218; F: 212760-8809; [email protected]; www.cnto.org CLIA-CRUISE LINES INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION, INC 910 SE 17th Street, 4th Floor, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316 212-921-0066; www.cruising.org CLOUD TOURS Newtown Plaza, 31-09 Newtown Ave., Long Island City, NY 11102;800223-7880; 718-721-3808; F: 718-721-4019; [email protected]; www.cloudtours.com COSMOPOLITAN TRAVEL SERVICE 22313 Mack Avenue, St. Clair Shores, MI 48080; 800-633-4087; 586-445-8585, F: 586-445--6194; www.ctsfares.com; [email protected] COSTAMAR 531 E Oakland Park Blvd. Oakland Park, FL 33334; 800-428-8687; 954-6300060; F: 954-630-0703 CROATIAN NATIONAL TOURIST OFFICE 350 Fifth Ave., Suite 4003, New York, NY 10118; 800-829-4416; 212-279-8672; F: 212-279-8683; www.htz.hr; [email protected] CROWN PETERS 34-10 Broadway, Astoria, NY 11106; 800-321-1199; 718-932-7800; F: 718-9322930; [email protected]; www.crownpeters.com DOWNTOWN TRAVEL 3 West 35th Street 8th Floor, New York, NY 10001; 800-952-3519; 212-4811800; Fax: 212-481-5516; [email protected]; www.downtowntravel.com EAGLERIDER MOTORCYCLE RENTALS & TOURS 11860 South La cienega Boulevard Hawthorne CA 90250-3461, 310-536-6777; F: 310-536-6770; [email protected]; www.eaglerider.com EGYPTIAN TOURIST AUTHORITY 630 Fifth Avenue, Suite 2305, New York, NY 10111; 877-77-EGYPT, 212-3322570; Fax: 212-956-6439; [email protected], www.egypttourism.org ELITE TOURS & TRAVEL • 28790 Chagrin Blvd., Suite 180, Woodmere, OH 44122; 800-354-8320; 216514-9000; Fax: 216-514-9001 • 9070 Kimberly Blvd., Ste 49, Boca Raton, FL 33434; 561-208-7777; F: 561-208-0700 EXTRA VALUE AIR 1155 Warburton Ave. Suite 6P, Yonkers, NY 10701; 800-758-1382; Fax: 914966-1979 ; [email protected]; www.extravalueair.com TOURIST OFFICE FOR FLANDERS, BELGIUM 620 Eighth Ave, 44th floor., New York, NY 10018,212-584-2336; F: 212-5753606; www.visitflanders.us FOREIGN INDEPENDENT TOURS 2125 Center Avenue, Suite 209, Fort Lee, NJ 07024 800-248-3487; 201-5851549; Fax: 201-585-2298 www.fittours.com GOWAY TRAVEL 5757 West Century Blvd, Suite 807, Los Angeles, CA; 800 387 8850; Fax 800 665 4432; [email protected]; www.goway.com; www.gowayagent.com GREAT SAFARIS, L.L.C. 400 North Brand Blvd. Suite 920, Glendale, CA 91203; 800-409-7755, Fax: 818637-2750; [email protected]; www.greatsafaris.com G.T.T. INTERNATIONAL • 4100 Spring Valley Rd., #202, Dallas TX 75244; 800-485-6828; F: 972-239-5068 • 900 Fourth Ave., #555, Seattle, WA 98164; 800-827-5882; F: 206-381-5996 • 3250 Wilshire Blvd., #1908 Los Angeles CA 90010; 866-868-8890; F: 213-25172 IDIRECTORY ADVERTISERS DIRECTORY 9967 • 4810 Beauregard St., #224, Alexandria, VA 22312; 703-354-9288; F: 703354-9567 • 9449 Balboa Ave., #212, San Diego, CA 92123; 858-614-0260; Fax: 858-614-0312; www.gttglobal.com; [email protected] HAHN AIR 1-877-HR169HR (471-6947); [email protected]; www.hahnair.com HARI WORLD • 3 West 35th Street, Fifth Floor, New York, NY 10001; 888-889-2968 , 212-9973300, F: 212-997-3320 • 5255 Mawry Ave, Freemont, CA 94538; 510-795-5000; Fax: 510-795-6183 • 6346 N. Washtenaw Ave., Chicago, IL 60659; 773-381-5555; Fax: 773-3812797 • 3400 Peachtree Rd, NE Ste 815, Atlanta, GA 30326;404-233-5005; Fax: 404233-5020 • www.hariworld.com HOMERIC TOURS & CHARTERS 55 East 59th St, NY, NY 10022; 212-753-1100; 800-223-5570; F: 212-753-0319; W. Coast: 310-519-0366; 800-600-0377; Fax: 310-579-8246; [email protected]; www.homerictours.com IMPRESSA CLUB LTD. 2307 Coney Island Ave, New York, NY, 11223; 347-429-3332, 718-645-8578Fax. 718-336-6708 INDIA TOURISM 1270 Ave. of the Americas , Suite 303, New York, NY 10020; 212-586-4901, Fax 212-582-3274; [email protected], www.incredibleindia.org; JBTI TOURS LLC 118 E 28 St., Suite 375, New York, NY 10018; 212-696-2058. 800-9672345, F: 212-696-2057: [email protected]; www.jbti.com JGT 1629 K St. NW, Ste 601, Washington, DC 20006; 800-926-7274; 202-833-3531; F: 202-833-4370 JGT TRAVEL (CHI) 8430 West Bryn Mawer Ave., Suite 777, Chicago, IL 60631; 773-714-1277; Fax 773-714-1289; [email protected]; www.jgttravel.com JGT TRAVEL (LAX) 19700 Mariner Ave, Suite 102, Torrance, CA 90503; 800-367-8833, 310-4063189, F: 310-406-3172; [email protected]; www.jgttravel.com KENYA AIRLINES • 450 7th Avenue, Suite 705, New York, NY 10123, F: 212-279-6602, Kirti Surendran, [email protected]; 866 KENYA AIR (536 9224); www.kenyaair.net • 401 North Michigan Avenue, Ste 3320, Chicago, IL 60611-4255; F: 312-8220048, Kazim Ghouse, [email protected]; • 3050 Post Oak Boulevard, Suite 1320, Houston, TX 77056-6569, F: 713-626-1905; ; Ravin Mehra, [email protected] • 16250 Ventura Boulevard, Suite 115, Encino, CA 914362204, F: 818-501-2098, ; Sam Kordi, [email protected] • 1235 Bay Street, Suite 601, Toronto, ON M5R 3K4, F: 416-972-0185. ; Shekhar Ramamurthy, [email protected], • 1166 Alberni Street, Suite 1406, Vancouver, BC V6E 3Z3, F: 604-681-8953; ; Mable Tang, [email protected] KOREA NATIONAL TOURIST OFFICE 2 Executive Drive, Suite, 750, Fort Lee, NJ 07024 800-868-7567; 201-585-0909, F: 201-585-9041; [email protected]; www.visitkorea.or.kr LATIN TRAILS 800-747-0567; [email protected]; www.latintrails.com LEGEND TRAVEL & TOURS 1730 South Military Trail West Palm Beach, FL 33415; 800-295-3436, F: 561965-5482 ; www.mylegendtravel.com LOUIS CRUISE LINES 2801 NE 183rd Street, Suite 2204, Aventura, FL 33160; 877-568-4787, 786-2078429, F: 786-207-8430; www.louiscruises.com, [email protected] LUFTHANSA GERMAN AIR 1640 Hempstead Turnpike, East Medow, NY 11554; Tel: 800-645-3880, Travel Agent: www.lufthansa-usa.com/pr_tvlagt MARNELLA TOURS 5171 Glenwood Avenue, Suite 111, Raleigh, North Carolina, 27612; 866-9930033; 919-782-1664, Fax 919-782-1664; [email protected]; www.marnellatours.com MISSION VALLEY TRAVEL, INC. 112 Cooperative Way, Kalispell, MT 59901; 800-321-8069; 406-758-4848; F: 406-758-4828; www.mvti.com PANORAMA TRAVEL, LTD., 12 East 33rd St., 12 Floor, New York, NY 10016; 212-741-0033; [email protected]; www.panoramatravel.com PERFECT TRAVEL 19 W. 44th Street, Suite 310, New York, NY 10036; ; 212-840-6777; F: 212-8406707; [email protected] PREMIUM TRAVEL INC. 1080 Mcdonald Avenue #199, Brooklyn NY 11230; 888 424 9252 4; Fax: 888.924.9329; [email protected] RUSSIAN AMERICAN CONSULTING CORP., 45 W. 34th St, Ste 703, New York, NY 10001; 877-268-2677; 212-268-9336; Fax: 212-268-9368; [email protected]; www.russianconsulting.com WWW.JAXFAX.COM SITA WORLD–AIR DIVISION 450 7th Avenue, Suite 705, New York, NY 10123, 10118; 212-279-6601 SKYBIRD TRAVEL & TOURS INC 24701 Swanson Rd., Southfield, MI 48033; 888-SKY-BIRD; 248-372-4800; Fax: 248-372-4810; [email protected], Fax.248-372-4806 • 104 S. Michigan Ave., Ste 1425, Chicago, IL 60603; 312-606-9600; Fax 312-606-0925 • 370 Seventh Ave, Suite 306, New York NY 10001; 212-563-0300; Fax 212-563-2056 • 3913 Old Lee Highway #32B, Fairfax, VA 22030; 703-934-8999; Fax. 703-7348157 • 360 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Suite 2050, El Segundo, CA 90245: 310-6473400:; Fax. 310-647-5800 • 305 S. Andrews, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33301, 888-759-2473 x 2010, F: 954-467-5703 • 2825 Wilcrest Dr, Suite 502, Houston, TX 77042; 713 292-9600, F: 713 292-9601 SKYLINK TRAVEL 980 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 401, New York, NY 10018; 800-247-6659; 212-573-8980; F: 212-573-8878 • 1025 Connecticut Avenue, Suite 213, Washington, DC 20036; 202-822-6666; F: 202-755-8046 • 3525 West Peterson Avenue, Suite 301, Chicago, IL 60659; 773-463-4667, F: 773-478-2501 • 8383 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 430, Beverly Hills, CA 90211; 323-653-6718, F: 323655-4393 • www.skylinkus.com SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS Sun Trust Bldg., 515 E. Las Olas Blvd., Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33301; 800-772-9675; 974-769-5000; F: 954-769-5079; www.saa.co.za SUNNYLAND TOURS 21 Old Kings Rd. N, Suite B-212, Palm Coast, FL 32137; 800-783-7839 , 386449-0059; Fax 386-449-0060, www.sunnylandtours.com TARA TOURS 12002 SW 128 CT, Suite 209, Miami FL 33186; 800-327-0080; 305-278-4464; F: 305-278-4654; [email protected]; www.taratours.com, www.galapagosamazoncruises.com TATRA TRAVEL / CZECH VACATIONS 12 East 33rd St., 12th Floor, New York, NY 10016; 212-486-0533;i [email protected]; www.czechvacations.com TOURISM AUTHORITY OF THAILAND One World Trade Center, Suite 3729, New York, NY 10048 212-432-0433; Fax: 212-912-0920 TOKYO TRAVEL SERVICE 327 E. 2nd St, Ste 223, Los Angeles, CA 90012; 213-680-3545; F: 213-488-9206 TRANS AM TRAVEL INC. • 4222 King Suit, Ste 130, Alexandria, VA 22302; 703-998-7676; 800-822-7600; F: 703-824-8190; [email protected]; • 5200 W. Century Blvd., Ste 330, Los Angeles, CA 90045; 310-670-2111; F: 310-670-1875; www.transamtravel.com TRAVEL BOUND 5 Penn Plaza, 5th floor, New York, NY 10001; 800-808-9541 (FIT); 800-808-9547 (Grp); F: 800-808-9542, www.booktravelbound.com; [email protected]; [email protected] TRAVEL RESEARCH ONLINE- TRO www.travelresearchonline.com TURKISH AIRLINES 8501 W. Higgins Road, Suite 210, Chicago, IL 60631; 773-693-5849; fax 773693-2849; www.thy.com UNITED TOURS 701 7th Ave., #1000, New York, NY 10036-1505; 800-245-0203; 212-245-1100; F: 212-245-0292 UP & AWAY TRAVEL 347 Fifth Ave., Suite 305, N Y, NY 10016; 212-889-2345; 800-275-8001; F: 212889-2350; www.upandaway.com • 1010 Vermont Ave., Ste 1011, Washington, DC 20005; 800-746-4766; 202-639-0520; F: 202-639-0525 • 376 Boyleston Street, Suite 204, Boston, MA 02116; 800-347-3813; 617-236-8100; F: 617-2472920 • 8383 Wilshire Blvd., Ste 1022, Beverly Hills, CA 90211; 888-978-7629; 323-852-9775; F: 323-852-9771 • 2701 LeJeune Road, Suite 402, Coral Gables, FL 33134 877-876-2929; 305-446-9997;Fax: 305-446-0797 USACA (U.S. AIR CONSOLIDATORS ASSOCIATION) 925 L St, Ste 2020, Sacramento, CA 95814; 916-441-4166; Fax: 916-441-3520; www.usaca.com VYTIS TOURS 40-24 235th Street, Douglaston, NY 11363; 800-77-VYTIS; 718-423-6161; F: 718-423-3979; [email protected]; www.vytistours.com XL AIRWAYS FRANCE 205 West Side Avenue, Suite 277-9 Jersey City, NJ 07305; 877-496-9889; [email protected] YA’LLA TOURS USA INC. 4711 SW Huber Street, Suite 2, Portland, OR 97219; 800-644-1595; 503-9773758; Fax: 503-977-3765 ; [email protected]; www.yallatours.com This directory is provided as a free service for our advertisers and listers. JAX FAX Travel Marketing Magazine makes every effort to provide correct & current contact information However, JAXFAX does not guarantee the accuracy or validity of the information contained in this directory. Any changes to the above information should be submitted in writing to : [email protected]. — Doug Cooke, CTC, Publisher/Editorial Director MAY 2011 HBTAR Home Based Travel Agent Registry ADVANTAGES OF JOINING HBTAR • Access to local BDM's • Suppliers awareness resulting in increased support • Annual HTBAR Supplier & Member Choice Awards • Special Offers • Incentives and FAM Trips, • Weekly newsletter with sales tips... AS A TRAVEL AGENT Get the recognition you deserve from travel suppliers. One of the disadvantages of being a home-based agent is the loss of personal contact with travel suppliers and your local BDM’s. Plus as a home-based agent, you may be working through host agencies and therefore suppliers may not be aware of your sales of their products. The Home Based Travel Agent Registry serves two purposes: It will let suppliers know who you are and what areas you specialize in. Nature creates ability... It will provide you with a list of home-based agent friendly suppliers and will have a directory of BDM’s so you will know who your local contact person is. HBTAR provides you with opportunity. To join the Home Based Agent Registry fill out the free online form at www.HBTAR.com LISTINGS SECTIONS NEW CONSOLIDATOR AIRFARE SEARCH AT http://airsearch.jaxfax.com/ WORLDWIDE AIRFARES CRUISE & RAIL PACKAGES TOUR/HOTEL/RESORT PACKAGES NOTICE TO TRAVEL AGENTS: The listings displayed in JAX FAX may or may not include all of the government taxes/fees, fuel surcharges, airport facility and airline security charges, since these will vary depending upon the airline(s) used and the specific route flown for the ticket(s) actually purchased.Travel agents are hereby advised that the U.S. Department of Transportation requires that consumers be advised of the total amount of applicable taxes, fees and charges before the ticket sale is consummated. Be sure to determine from the wholesaler what the applicable amount is and advise your clients.— The Publisher AFRICA & THE MIDDLE EAST 50 EGYPT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51 ISRAEL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51 KENYA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51 NIGERIA . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51 SOUTH AFRICA . . . . . . . . .52 UNITED ARAB EMIRATES . . .52 ASIA & THE SOUTH PACIFIC 27 AUSTRALIA . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 CHINA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 FIJI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 HONG KONG . . . . . . . . . .29 INDIA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 INDONESIA . . . . . . . . . . . .29 JAPAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 KOREA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 NEW ZEALAND . . . . . . . . .30 PHILIPPINES . . . . . . . . . . . .30 SINGAPORE . . . . . . . . . . . .30 TAHITI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 TAIWAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 ASIA & THE SOUTH PACIFIC THAILAND . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 VIETNAM . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 CARIBBEAN & BERMUDA 63 ARUBA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63 BAHAMAS . . . . . . . . . . . . .63 HAITI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63 PUERTO RICO . . . . . . . . . . .63 EUROPE 40 ARMENIA . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 AZERBAIJAN . . . . . . . . . . .41 BELARUS . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 BELGIUM . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 BRITAIN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 CZECH REPUBLIC . . . . . . . .41 ESTONIA . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 FINLAND . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 FRANCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42 GEORGIA . . . . . . . . . . . . .42 GERMANY . . . . . . . . . . . . .42 EUROPE SOUTH & CENTRAL AMERICA GREECE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42 COLOMBIA . . . . . . . . . . . .58 HUNGARY . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 ECUADOR . . . . . . . . . . . . .58 ITALY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 GUATEMALA . . . . . . . . . . .59 KAZAKHSTAN . . . . . . . . . .43 MEXICO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59 KYRGYZSTAN . . . . . . . . . . .43 NICARAGUA . . . . . . . . . . .59 LATVIA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 PANAMA . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59 LITHUANIA . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 PARAGUAY . . . . . . . . . . . .59 MOLDOVA . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 PERU . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59 POLAND . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 URUGUAY . . . . . . . . . . . . .59 RUSSIA VENEZUELA . . . . . . . . . . . .59 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 SPAIN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 SWITZERLAND . . . . . . . . . .45 U.S. • CANADA • HAWAII 66 TURKEY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45 ARIZONA . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66 UKRAINE . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45 BOSTON . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66 UZBEKISTAN . . . . . . . . . . . .45 CALIFORNIA . . . . . . . . . . .66 CANADA . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67 SOUTH & CENTRAL AMERICA 57 ARGENTINA . . . . . . . . . . . .58 BRAZIL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58 COLORADO . . . . . . . . . . . .67 NEVADA . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67 NEW YORK . . . . . . . . . . . .67 CHILE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58 COMING NEXT MONTH... JUNE: FAMILY FOCUS COVER: CROATIA Africa & Mid. East Family Safaris Asia & S. Pacific China, Japan Rail Packages Caribbean Top Family Vacation Resorts C. & S. America Family Adventure in Mexico Cruise News Best Spas at Sea Europe Italy, Upcoming Summer Festivals Industry News Sales 2.0–Selling Through Social Media USA & Canada Dude Ranches SUPPLEMENT: Guide to AGENT SPECIALIST PROGRAMS Consolidator Listings due by: .................................. April 29 Editorial Copy • Ad Space Reservation:......................May 6 Ad material is due on or before:...............................May 13 MAY 2011 WWW.JAXFAX.COM INDEX 2 lan de rs & come to ov er lo ok ed HU K und era ppr eci ate d, ha s far m or e FKDUP th a n a No really. (UK P[»Z PUJYLKPIS` Only 1h20’ LHZ` to NL[ [V ,6 from 3$5 ’ from $067(5'$0 50 1h and and /21'21 by fast train. We call it , the center of Europe, IVERSE. and probably of the UN 7KHUH we’ve said it. FLANDERS, IT’S IN BELGIUM. Whether you’re into gastronomy or horticulture, or simply have a passion for history and architecture, Flanders has something for everyone. Be amazed by the flower carpet on the Grand Place in Brussels, made up of 1 million begonias. Discover romance in medieval Bruges, go biking along the canals in cozy Ghent or indulge in some retail therapy in Antwerp, fashion and diamond capital. And with the world’s best chocolate and beer, what more do you want? For all the latest events, great deals and packages, go to www.visitflanders.us.