Give the Gift of Travel this Christmas

Avoid giving "stuff" this Christmas, and give an "experience." Stuff is sooooo out, experiences are sooooooo in. Stuff sits around; experiences cause you to get out!

Travel experiences are not often something people think of gifting, but they are easy to give as well as appreciated by sun-seekers and adventurers alike.

Here are some travel experiences you can give this Christmas: Fairmont Gift Card How it works:

• pick up a gift card at any fairmont location
• use it toward a stay, at any restaurant within any fairmont
• PLUS, from today until December 20th, the Fairmont Southhampton in Bermuda is offering a $99/night sale.  I don't know about you, but if I got this gift for Christmas, it would be something I NEVER forget!

Your Airline Miles How it works:

• login to the airline with whom you have the points you wish to gift
• navigate [or search] transfer or giving miles
• as an example, here's how to transfer and give away miles with Alaska Airlines.  Alaska is having a big sale for bookings between some of their fave Canadian and US destinations.
• if you are feeling like you want to give away more miles you can also give to charities

Travel Agencies How it works:

• contact your travel agency
• see if they have a gift certificate option (some do, but unfortunately don't advertise it)
• [make sure their business is stable so you won't lose your money in 6 months]
• buy the travel gift certificate in your preferred denomination
• example

More Advent/Christmas 2009 Travel Deals

[trip style :: ski + all inclusive]

Further to our December 1st post about 2009 Advent travel deals, here are a few more hand-picked travel opportunities that have come across our desk:

Ski Whistler Blackcomb - Voted the Top Resort in North America year-over-year and home of the 2010 Winter Olympics, Whistler Blackcomb still has a lot of availability over Christmas, as well as pre and post Olympics. With a record base in November and snow continuing to fall in December, why wouldn't you want to visit this winter wonderland? Here is the latest according to their newsletter: Book a pre-Olympic stay by January 31, 2010 and you'll also enjoy one of the best deals we've offered in years... 3 NIGHTS LODGING. 2 DAY LIFT TICKET. JUST $115 PER PERSON, PER NIGHT. Plus, Book now and you'll also receive a FREE lift ticket you can come back and use anytime before May 24.

Sun Sandals - popular with honeymooners and those seeking a couples getaway, Sandals is slowing creeping away from their '90s glory and upgrading many of their resorts into modern times.  As with many companies, some of their resorts are better than others [which i will write about in a later post].  With the biggest sale of any resort company listed here, until tonight, they are offering up to 65% off and up to 3 nights free.

Secrets Resorts - this small group of super all-inclusive resorts sits at the toward the top end of the spectrum. Their current limited-time holiday offer is: Book now and save up to 35%. Their current winter offer is: Book now to receive savings up to 55% at Secrets Resorts & Spas and $200 in resort coupons!

Club Med - with 80 resorts in 30 destinations worldwide, one of the pioneers in all-inclusive travel is offering some pretty sweet Christmas savings at: Turkoise, Turks & Caicos [12/19 to 12/26/09] and Sandpiper, Florida [12/19 to 12/28/09]. 3 nights: $349/adult, $180/child* 4 nights: $449/adult, $240/child* 5 nights: $549/adult, $300/child* 6 nights: $649/adult, $360/child*

Snowbirds Rejoice :: Westjet Flies Non-Stop To Kauai

[trip style = sun + beach]

Recently I went to Maui for an extended weekend.  I thought about going to Kauai, but didn't because there was no direct flight out of YVR and Hawaiian Airlines, my preferred Hawaii-bound airline, did not fly there direct.  Even though I like to travel, I hate to fly, which is why I LOVE direct flights.

This is why I'm SO excited that as of Dec 16, 2009 Westjet will be starting direct service from Vancouver to Kauai twice weekly. To my knowledge, other than Westjet, there are no direct flights from YVR to LIH out of Vancouver, but Alaska Airlines does fly to LIH direct from SEA.

Here are some sample costs & dates for the Westjet Non-Stop Service: Depart Dec 30 - Returning Jan 9: $1010/per person Depart Jan 2 - Returning Jan 9: $915/per person

Here are a few top lux hotels for Lihue, Kauai, according to Frommers: Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa (tel. 800/55-HYATT): This Art Deco beach hotel recalls Hawaii in the 1920s -- before the Crash -- when gentlemen in blue blazers and ladies in summer frocks came to the islands to learn to surf and play the ukulele. The Hyatt's architecture and location on the sunny side of Kauai make this the island's best hotel. The beach is a bit too rough for swimming, but the saltwater swimming pool is the biggest on the island. An old-fashioned reading room by the sea houses club chairs, billiards, and a bar well stocked with cognac and port. Golf, horseback riding, and the shops of Koloa, a plantation town offering numerous boutiques, are nearby diversions.

Kauai Marriott Resort & Beach Club (tel. 800/220-2925): Water is found everywhere throughout this resort: lagoons, waterfalls, fountains, a 5-acre circular swimming pool (some 26,000 sq. ft., the largest on the island), and a terrific stretch of beach. The lagoons are home to six islands that serve as an exotic minizoo, which still lends an air of fantasy to the place and, along with the enormous pool and children's program, makes the resort popular with families.

Sheraton Kauai Resort (tel. 800/782-9488): This modern Sheraton (since 1997) has the feeling of Old Hawaii and a dynamite location on one of Kauai's best beaches. It features buildings on both the ocean side and the mountain side of the road. The horseshoe-shaped, Polynesian-style lobby has shell chandeliers dangling from the ceiling. You have a choice of three buildings: one nestled in tropical gardens with koi-filled ponds; one facing the palm-fringed, white-sand beach (our favorite); and one looking across green grass to the ocean, with great sunset views. The rooms overlook either the tropical gardens or the rolling surf.

Princeville Resort Kauai (tel. 800/826-4400): This palace of green marble and sparkling chandeliers recalls Hawaii's monarchy period of the 19th century. It's set in one of the most remarkable locations in the world, on a cliff between the crystal-blue waters of Hanalei Bay and steepled mountains. You arrive on the ninth floor and go down to the beach. Opulent rooms with magnificent views and all the activities of Princeville and Hanalei make this one of Hawaii's finest resorts.

Outrigger Waipouli Beach Resort & Spa (tel. 800/OUTRIGGER): The lap of luxury, this $200-million condominium project on 13 acres (between the historic towns of Wailua and Kapaa) is located right on the beach within walking distance to restaurants, shops, and recreational activities. The resort, which opened in 2007, has hotel rooms, as well as 1-and 2-bedroom units. Each unit is furnished with top-of-the-line materials like granite countertops; stainless steel appliances by Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Fisher/Paykel; double dishwasher; full-size Whirlpool washer and dryer; whirlpool bathtub in the master bathroom; and 37-inch flatscreen TVs in the living room and bedrooms. The resort features a long list of amenities like complimentary high-speed Internet access, a 4,000-square-foot Aveda spa, fitness center, and a 300,000-gallon heated saltwater fantasy pool, with flowing river, garden, dual serpentine waterslides, sand-bottom children's pool, and three sand-bottom whirlpool tubs.

Trip Advisor's Top Kauai Picks: 1. Koa Kea Hotel & Resort 2. The Villas at Poipu Kai 3. Kauai Coast Resort at the Beachboy 4. Outrigger Waipouli Beach Resort 5. Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort and Spa

Off-the-beach things to do in Kauai...

Winter 2009/2010 Travel Trends

Since fall 2008, economic uncertainty has been top-of-mind.  As a result, spending without thinking has become a thing of the past.  The sobering reality of the past year has forced consumers to be much more selective about when, where, why and how they travel. Fast forward to Winter 2009/2010.  Although much of the initial economic angst has passed, the shock of last year's blow still lingers.  According to a Hotels.ca survey, no destination area, particularly among resorts, has been immune to the recession.

2009/2010 travel trends Social Media Explosion - Tweet, Tweet, Tweet There are early adopters and late adopters.  Those that have facebook groups and active twitter accounts (at minimum) will benefit--and profit.   In the past year, smart hoteliers and airlines have started to use twitter in very saavy ways that not only engage customers but add value.   This has turned into higher customer satisfaction and profits.  Case in point, many hotels like Fairmont Chateau Whistler asked their followers for input on the ultimate winter package.  After the votes were in, the Chateau launched its first Twinter Travel Package.

Last-Minute Booking Although online travel retailers have always facilitated the last-minute trip for spontaneous travellers, a combination of the economy, the explosion of last-minute booking sites and social acceptability of late booking is making the notion of booking time off work and deciding within a week to a day before leaving for a trip...normal. Practical Application: Sites like Travelzoo, Last Minute Travel and Kayak's Deals are excellent resources.

Shorter Stays People would rather travel a little than not at all. And since a two-week getaway is harder to justify, enter the short-haul (ie- 3-5 day) trip. Although families may still favor the week-long getaway, couples and singles are embracing the quicky getaway in droves. Case in Point: Last fall, Expedia said third-quarter profits fell 4.8% as the slowing economy lead people to shorten their trips.

Price-Driven Consumer Travel seekers are becoming more and more sensitive to price. This is not rocket science. Because consumers would rather travel a little than not at all, suddenly you have people who favor price over loyalty. For example, in the wake of a last-minute booking, if "consumer A" can't find what they are looking for with Starwood (their preferred hotel group) and see a great package deal featuring an Intercontinental property, they'll book it if the price differential is big enough. Practical Application: The travel industry's response to this?  According to TravelMole.com, airlines and hoteliers are by-passing the GDS (Global Distribution System - used by online and offline agencies) and encouraging customers to gain savings by booking direct with them.  Always check with your fave travel companies first, they may have a deal in order to encourage direct bookings.

Closer to Home Weekending Even though closer to home getaways may not always be cheaper than a last-minute deal, planning to go away locally (within a 4-hour drive) has seen major resurgence in the wake of the economic slowdown. Weekending within one's region seems more attainable to the price-crunched consumer. Hotels and resorts are catching on, offering more and more discounts and packages to lure those who want a little 'local' pampering. Practical Application: Not including the dates for the 2010 Olympics, Resorts like Whistler Blackcomb are welcoming more and more local guests from BC and Northern WA as the previous 'audience' from Ontario, the UK and California are choosing to stay closer to home.

Gen X Will Travel Even though Generation X is 11% smaller than Boomers (according to The Age Curve), those born between 1965 and 1984 are the emerging young single, couple and family travellers who have grown up in fairly stable economic times. This means they are careful but still fairly optimistic (likely didn't lose they entire retirement savings in the economic debacle), and willing/excited to still pursue a little R+R. Their web-saavy nature and high expectations dictate they will still travel and find hotel and airline rates their parents may not even know to look for. Practical Application:  This group will use their web skills and optimism to book getaways online.  With less health concerns as their aging parents, some will opt for short, safer vacations whereas others will follow Carmen Sandiego's lead and book adventures in far-off lands.

[photo by TheSeafarer]

The Art of Carry-On Travel

[trip style = packing light]

Do you want to become someone who - casually saunters on the plane avec purse and stylish carry-on - walks off the plane and by-passes the luggage area - heads right to the cab/car area - is sipping a mojito poolside within 1-hour of landing

Although travelling solely with a carry-on is can be challenging given the space challenges, adapting is possible!  With a little forward thinking, carry-on travel can be learned!

Case in Point Although this is an extreme example, my husband travelled to China for one month with a carry-on sized suitcase and a small backpack. The size of his bags did not limit him--it seemed he wore different outfits all the time. He might be mad if he knew I said he wore outfits... A less extreme example is when we only took carry-ons with us to sip wines in Napa. I was pleasantly surprised when we were able to stylishly and efficiently pack for 6 full days. Bonus of staying at a nice hotel, they gave us the items we weren't able to bring at the time: razors, tweezers, extra toothpaste, etc...

Packing light - documents (including passport) - book/mags - ipod - phone - pashmina - attire geared at your destination's weather (check the weather report before you leave) - minimal shoes - mini toiletries (toothpaste/brush, deodorant, comb, hair stuff, face wash, meds, make-up) * your hotel should be able to provide: shampoos, soaps, hair dryer, cotton balls, q-tips, toothpaste, razors, slippers, etc...

Strategies Pashmina/big scarf - wear it as a blanket on the on the plane, as a scarf and as a Grecian-style bathing suit cover-up.

Go monochromatic - choose a colour-theme for your outfits, then only bring pants/tops/skirts/jackets that match each other.  Same goes for shoes.

Semi-packed and ready to go - keep the items that you like to travel with in your carry-on at all times, that way, when you leave for your next trip, you'll have most items ready to go.

Get organized - make lists for the items you'd need for a weekend trip, tropical getaway etc... half the time we spend packing is just DECIDING what to wear. This will also help if you decide to take a spontaneous trip!

Choose clothes that will 'double in the program' - if space is at a minimum (and I assume it is) bring clothing that will play double duty, like a top you can wear to the pool (as bathing suit cover-up)or with jeans, or shoes that can go from day to night.

Pack an extra bag - consider packing a flat, easily-foldable bag (like a longchamp handbag/le pliage) that can be used a) as a make-shift pool or beach bag, b) as a large purse, or c) as an overflow bag should the malls get the best of you.