Falling for the Island of Love: Top 2010 Honeymoon Destination

Although traditional hotspots such as Venice and Paris are expected to be the top honeymoon destinations, as they have been in the past, there has been a stark contrast in honeymoon destinations of late. Following the announcement of the royal wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton, there was a new survey whose intent was to find out the top honeymoon spots for 2010. Surprisingly, the results were that Cyprus holds the number one spot. Originally known as the ‘Island of Love’ as the mythical home of the Greek goddess Aphrodite, Cyprus is living up to its name in for a different reason; being a great honeymoon destination. Another surprising find arose with the Dominican Republic sliding in as the second most popular, and Cape Verde in Africa taking the three spot. While it may not be shocking that people are moving to cheaper destinations, it is extremely strange that the traditional spots are being abandoned altogether. Of the 1,078 couples polled, only two traveled to Venice and none indicated Paris. With a shift in spending from previous years, it seems that people are much more intent on saving money while finding smaller, more intimate locations when selecting a honeymoon destination. (Although the amount of time that these destinations will stay inexpensive and intimate is up for debate.) But for the moment, many smaller locations are enjoying an influx of attention. It is certainly something to look out for in the future, as this could be the beginning of a paradigm shift, in which people start to favor more obscure locations for their events.

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A Virgin Enters the Business

Virgin Group has earmarked $500 million for their newly announced property venture. A world recognized mega brand, the Group is already comprised of some 300 branded companies and more than 50,000 employees across the globe. The London-based Group recently announced the official launch of Virgin Hotels- and though entering “virgin territory,” they have no doubt about their ability to take on the industry and succeed as they have done in numerous other ventures.

Unlike other start-ups, Virgin can draw on their existing brand recognition. But Executive Director of Virgin’s Leisure and Hospitality segment, Anthony Marino, knows, “it’s one thing to be known, it’s another to be liked.” The London-based company is already well-known AND liked for their ‘cultural service’ with a reputation for innovation and lifestyle trendsetting.

“We don’t come at it as hotel experts, (but as a company) that understands its consumers,” Marino said, noting their experience in the leisure and lifestyle industries, particularly airlines and gyms. Virgin has its sights set on “a hotel experience that is more than just boutique,” according to Raul Leal, President and COO.

The hotels will provide a sensory experience using functional design that always considers the consumer. Virgin understands better than anyone, that today the experience is centered on technology. Although specifics have yet to be mentioned, Leal hinted at a few “tech surprises” that look at what technology could be in the next three to five years.

In the next seven years, the group will look to open 25 new hotels, with the first property to open in the next 12 to 18 months. The projected 4-star hotels are targeting gateway cities in the U.S. including Boston, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, and Miami. Marino also noted a London property would be a natural fit.

Virgin Group will be announcing new hires in the near future as Anthony Marino works to assemble the management infrastructure.

Nessler, D. (2010, October 21). Virgin territory: mega-brand enters hospitality business with launch of four-star lifestyle concept. Hotel Business. 18(19), 30-32.

Also referenced here: http://tinyurl.com/3xjxzv4

Valley View Casino Opens Boutique Hotel & Event Center

San Diego’s favorite casino just got better! Valley View Casino is now, Valley View Hotel & Casino. On November 19^th, Valley View staff, Swinerton Builders, the San Pasqual Casino Development Group, Inc., San Pasqual Band of Mission Indians, and community members celebrated the successful completion of a two-year long project a with a ribbon cutting ceremony!

According to Swinerton Builders, the 7-story luxury boutique hotel has 96 rooms, 12 suites, pool deck with infinity pool and 5,000 square foot event center all of which boast amazing views of Palomar and Hellhole Canyon Preserve. Gamers now have the option to play and stay!

The new hotel offers an appealing and extensive list of amenities for guests, including but not limited to, daily complimentary poolside breakfast, complimentary overnight valet and self parking, complimentary bottled water, and saving the best for last - no tax fees and no resort fees. Loyal, high profile rated players will of course have the opportunity to cash in on exclusive amenities. http://tinyurl.com/2de5c4b

Grassroots Travelers Vow to Not Fly on the Busiest Travel Day of the Year

Travelers voice their concerns about their close encounters with TSA’s body scanners and new pat-down techniques. Passengers have the option to walk through the full-body scanner or be pat-down by a TSA agent as part of TSA’s security preventative measures. These measures are creating quite the buzz for travelers.

According to CNN Travel, Grassroots groups are urging travelers to either not fly or to protest by opting out of the full-body scanners and undergo time-consuming pat-downs instead….One online group, "National Opt Out Day" calls for a day of protest against the scanners on Wednesday, November 24, the busiest travel day of the year.

In a recent article, by Eileen Sullivan of the Associated Press, states that John Pistole, TSA Administrator says he understands those privacy concerns, but says the government must provide the best possible security for air travelers. Pistole sympathizes with travelers and assures the public that these measures are implemented to protect all travelers. In fact, Pistole received the pat-down himself.

In any situation, there are always two sides to every coin. In this case, we can either accept the security measures that are in place; or we can protest and decide not to fly.

So, to travel, or not to travel, that is the question. The answer, it simply depends on what you believe is more important to you. Personally, I don’t think the majority will sacrifice visiting their family for the holidays, or attending an important meeting to make a point to TSA and Homeland Security. After all, it is their job to protect us, is it not?

For more information on the TSA pat-downs and full-body scans before flying check out these articles, http://tinyurl.com/29jylj6 and http://tinyurl.com/26ak63e.

A New Meaning for Safe Travel

If you’re flying out to your next meeting, or out for the holidays, rest assured you will be traveling a lot safer from now on.

In October 2009, all airlines were given a grace period to clear out their systems of older reservations made before the implementation of Safe Flight requirements which ended this November. Most of us are familiar with TSA, however many for many of us Secure Flight is an unfamiliar name. Secure Flight is TSA’s behind-the-scenes watch list matching program. They are responsible for establishing a consistent watch list system to keep all traveler’s safe and of course prevent terrorists from flying, thus preventing a repeat of 9/11.

As of November 1^st passengers will need to provide Secure Flight Passenger Data at the time of booking. This required information includes passenger’s full name (as it appears on government-issued ID), date of birth, gender and Redress Number (if applicable). According to the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA), a Redress Number is a unique number that helps TSA eliminate watch list misidentification. It is needed only if you have a name similar to or the same as a name on the current terrorist watch list.

Because travelers provide their Secure Flight Passenger Data at the time of booking their flight, there are no additional steps. Airlines will need to provide the required information to TSA 72 hours before each flight, giving Secure Flight ample time to conduct watch list matching. Here’s how it works, if you are issued a boarding pass, you are good to go. However, if any information is missing or not provided, you will not receive a boarding pass. It’s as easy as that. In order to avoid any delays, be sure to complete all required information to ensure you get a flight and get to you destination. To learn more about the Secure Flight Process visit the TSA website at www.tsa.gov/secureflight.