Gap Year Travel - an untapped opportunity?

I just came across this article from last summer.... interesting stuff.
http://tourismintelligence.ca/2006/08/10/exploiting-the-gap-year-travel-niche/

Disney Goes to the Dogs

Dog days at Disney World
Walt Disney World in Orlando is going to the dogs. Literally. The
company wants to coddle dogs with bedtime stories and treat cats to
tuna on Ritz crackers. "We will be able to provide wonderful
experiences for pets," Dennis Dolan, president and chief executive
officer of Best Friends Pet Care Inc., told The Orlando Sentinel. His
Norwalk, Conn., company has a contract from Disney to operate the
resort's five existing kennels -- and to build a state-of-the-art
boarding center where dogs and cats can board in two-room suites with
patios.

Ice cream snacks? Bottled water? Elevated beds with lamb's-wool
bedding? Even orthopedic beds will be available. For dogs used to
curling up on a child's bed and drifting off to sleep as a parent
reads a bedtime story, bedtime stories will be available. For those
conditioned to nap in front of a TV, televisions can be provided.
What's playing? Dog movies.

"A lot of people leave their televisions or radios on at home during
the day to keep their pets company. This is really an idea that came
to us from our clients who wanted a more homelike setting for their
pets," said Best Friends spokeswoman Debra Bennetts. She added: "What
we provide is luxury suites. . . . It's really for that person who
wants to make sure that their pet is being pampered the way they get
pampered at home."

Cats will get a different kind of pampering. Their "condos" will come
with lofts. Their TVs will play videos of birds. They can have
aquariums to watch.

Dolan said luxury boarding for pets has been emerging for years, and
he considers his company to be one of the innovators. Best Friends has
44 other boarding centers nationwide. Most of the luxury features are
available at most of them. At those other Best Friends facilities,
basic boarding fees for dogs range from less than $25 to more than $40
a day, depending on the local market and the size of the dog. Luxury
features, such as 10 minutes of cuddle time, can be purchased
separately for $2 to $12 per feature or in packages that add $12 to
$38 a day to the cost.

The company has not yet set its Disney World luxury rates.

Report by David Wilkening

Study says Gay / Lesbian Travellers are Ideal Travellers

See the story at CTC News: http://www.corporate.canada.travel/corp/media/app/en/ca/newsItem.do?articleId=67468

--
all the best,
todd

todd.lucier@gmail.com
Todd Lucier, co-founder, Northern Edge Algonquin Inc.
http://www.northernedgealgonquin.com
http://www.tourismclicks.com
Toll Free: 800 953-EDGE

Keep in touch with all that's new and natural at the Edge subscribe to our Web log: http://www.algonquincanada.com/blogger.html or subscribe to the weblog feed at http://www.algonquincanada.com/atom.xml

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the Concious Consumer

Consumers Prefer To Buy From Companies That Reflect Their Values

According to the inaugural BBMG Conscious Consumer Report, nearly nine
in ten Americans say the words "conscious consumer" describe them well
and are more likely to buy (if products are of equal quality and
price) from companies that:

* Manufacture energy efficient products (90%)
* Promote health and safety benefits (88%)
* Support fair labor and trade practices (87%)
* Commit to environmentally-friendly practices (87%)

Conducted by BBMG, in conjunction with Global Strategy Group and
Bagatto, the report research in three U.S. markets with a national
survey of 2,007 adults to reveal how companies reach, inspire and
motivate values-driven consumers.

Raphael Bemporad, founding partner of BBMG, says "... conscious
consumers expect companies to do more than make eco-friendly claims.
They demand transparency and accountability across every level of
business practice... "

Key findings from the Conscious Consumer study include these excerpts:

Consumers' most important issues are the ones that affect their
health and wellness most directly, such as:

* Safe drinking water (90%)
* Clean air (86%)
* Finding cures for diseases like cancer, AIDS and Alzheimers (84%)
* Only 63% describe global warming as the most, or a very, important issue.?

Americans readily self-identify as:

* "conscious consumers" (88% well, 37% very well)
* "socially responsible" (88% well, 39% very well)
* "environmentally-friendly" (86% well, 34% very well)
* "green" (65% well, 18% very well, which is viewed as more exclusive)

While price (58% very important) and quality (66% very important) are
paramount, convenience (34% very important) has been edged out by more
socially relevant attributes... where a product is made (44% very
important), how energy efficient it is (41% very important) and its
health benefits (36% very important) are all integral to consumers'
purchasing decisions.

Jeffrey Pollock, president of Global Strategy Group, says "Americans
think before they buy... they tend to prefer to buy from companies
that reflect their values... "

test

sss

--
Nancy Arsenault, PhD, Dean
Faculty of Tourism and Hotel Management
Royal Roads University
... Located on Hately Park National Historic Site
www.royalroads.ca/tourism   www.hatleypark.ca

World Cafe Facilitation Technique

Here we are 'at the Edge' delivering an exciting multi-sector tourism training course in Atlantic Canada. In this course we look through the lens of the B2C (Business to Consumer), B2B (Business to Business) and B2CM (Business to Community). One activity that is vital to tourism growth is facilitating meaningful discussions with staff, stakeholders, communities, partners ... and the list goes on. On the 2nd afternoon of this three day course, we exposed our participants to the World Cafe as we explored opporunities for experiential travel within a community! Perhaps this may help you!


The EDGE of WEDGE World Café

Building awareness, creating links, and furthering action!


What is a World Café?

Quite simply, it is a technique for creating meaningful dialogue, speaking from the heart, sharing ideas, and listening. The goal is to achieve a shared view by the end of the café and take action.

In their book “The World Café: Shaping our World Futures Through Conversations that Matter”, Juanita Brown and David Isaac they share this methodology that is based on small group, intimate conversations, and talking about questions that really matter. Even in a large setting with hundreds of people, they can all be engaged in the same conversation (www.worldcafe.com).

How does it work?

1. Clarify the context
2. Create a hospitable environment
3. Explore questions that matter
4. Encourage everyone’s contribution
5. Cross-pollinate and connect diverse perspectives
6. Listen together for pattern, insights and deeper questions
7. Harvest and share collective thoughts

‘The Edge’ Rules of Engagement

* Self select -- find a table with a group of 4 or 5 people that you haven’t had a chance to chat with in a meaningful way yet.
* Your ‘host’ will ask you to quickly reintroduce yourselves and refresh the others on your relationship to tourism.
* A question will appear on the screen, read it, them discuss at your table – everyone’s voice matters!
* Jot notes down on the paper on the table or ideas on the flip chart while your ‘host’ retains summary thoughts
* After 15 minutes, one person will stay behind, the others will move to another table, you don’t have to travel together, mix and mingle!
At the new table, a second question will appear on the screen and with this new group; we’ll repeat the process a second time, then a third.

Nancy Arsenault, Ph.D.
Faculty of Tourism and Hotel Management
Royal Roads University
... located at Hatley Park National Historic Site

Posting to my blog!

<<Nancy Arsenault.jpg>>
Nancy Arsenault (PhD), Dean
Faculty of Tourism and Hotel Management
Royal Roads University
2005 Sooke Road, Victoria BC, V9B 5Y2  Canada
 
Tel:  250.391.2600 ext 4424     www.royalroads.ca
Cel:  250.589.0004                  www.halteypark.ca
Fax: 250.391.2546                 
Toll Free: 1.866.241-0674     

Travel with Pets

TripAdvisor dug it up: More than half of Americans travel with their
pets. And hotel-owners should know: more than half will only stay at
accommodations that are pet-friendly.
Pet-friendly accommodations are most important to dog owners --
according to almost two-thirds of those polled -- compared to more
than one-third of cat owners. More than a third of respondents with
pets would pay more to stay at accommodations that are pet friendly.
More than one third of pet owners take shorter vacations, and 25% take
fewer vacations because of their pawed pals.

Doggie Trends

http://www.travelmole.com/stories/1122041.php?mpnlog=1&m_id=_r_r~AT_m~A

Nancy Arsenault, Ph.D.
Faculty of Tourism and Hotel Management
Royal Roads University
... located at Hatley Park National Historic Site

U.S. Visits to Canada down Signficantly

U.S. Visits to Canada are down since 9/11.
http://www.travelmole.com/stories/1119068.php?mpnlog=1

Trends according to TravelZest Report

The top 10 "niche" travel markets tipped to grow over the next five years are:
• Learn-a-skill-in the-sun (eg cooking, surfing, painting, salsa dancing)
• Inner self escapes (eg yoga, meditation, spa)
• Hobbies abroad (eg art, gardens, cycling)
• Festivals & Fiestas (dance, opera, food & wine)
• Eco-lifestyle
• Wildlife & nature tours
• Sports tourism (following teams and playing sport)
• The home-from-home hotel
• Soft and extreme adventure
• Nip/ Tuck tourism

CTC staff report US traveler going GREEN

A TripAdvisor survey of more than 1,000 travellers worldwide has found that 40% take environmentally-friendly tourism into consideration when making travel plans, according to an article by Bev Fearis in TravelMole. The survey also found that 66% believe that environmentally-friendly measures in travel are making a difference.

The survey also reveals nearly 25% believe that air travel should be avoided, whenever possible, to help preserve the environment, while 38% said would pay more to take an eco-friendly flight and 26% would pay a 5-10% premium. However, only 3% have ever purchased carbon credits.

The accommodation sector is also on the green radar: 34% of those surveyed said they would pay more to stay at an environmentally-friendly hotel, while 38% said they had already stayed at an environmentally-friendly property, and 9% would specifically seek out environmentally-friendly establishments.

A second TravelMole article - by David Wilkening - reports on an Orbitz profile of environmentally-friendly destinations that claims 65% of Americans say it would somewhat impact their decision to stay at a hotel if they knew the hotel was using solar or wind energy to supplement the powering of the building, and 63% say they would pay a little more to rent a hybrid vehicle or stay at a "green" hotel.

- CTC staff

Online Payment fears on the rise . . .

The number of consumers concerned with submitting their credit-card information online has doubled. About 9% cited this reason in Forrester's 2005 poll, and in 2006, 16% said:

"I didn't want to submit my credit-card/payment information over the Internet."

Forrester views this reason as a "red flag for all travel sellers"

"The growing fear of online identity theft presents a real and serious obstacle to continued online booking growth, as even travelers who have booked online in the past are now afraid to do so," the report reads. Report by David Wilkening

TourismClicks.com

Single Travelers - not alone!

About 11% of all leisure travelers of 34.8 million adults in the US travel alone, according to the Travel Industry Association (TIA).

Typically, the solo vacationer is:

* Forty-two-years old.
* Has an annual household income of $54,000.
* Has completed college (38%).
* Has a professional or managerial occupation (26%).
* Is unmarried.

A survey of 100 AAA travel counselors and their counterparts in Canada, the CAA, found 27% reported increases in the number of trips booked by single travelers.

"There are nearly 90 million single people in the US, and this is clearly a market that the travel industry has been focused on in the past few years" said AAA's vice president of travel, Sandra Hughes.

People between the ages of 18 to 35 comprise the largest group (35%) of solo travelers, according to the TIA.

The next largest group is 35 to 49 year olds (27%), followed by 50 to 64-year-olds (26%) and 65+ (12%).

Source: TravelMole.

Who is the average Adventure Traveler?

A recent AATA study reveals travelers representing 35 countries who engage in Adventure Travel includes these interesting data points:

• Women comprise 52% of adventure travelers.

• 41-60 year olds comprise the highest participating age group.


• 46% of all adventure travel companies offer sustainability programs for customers.

Posted by todd.

Travel Mole says Humanitarian Travel on the Rise

wyciwyg://7/http://mail.google.com/mail/?view=page&name=js&ver=1kudxq6lor5wp

Tourism is all about Experiences!

Experiential travel has been on the rise for years as visitors seek enriched travel experiences that are 'just for them'. Companies across Canada have been responding to the call and building dynamic packages across the country. Now the Canadian Tourism Commission will be extending the reach of these companies and their products through a new on-line Explorer Quotient (EQ) that will link great travel products to different 'types' of travelers.

Read the complete article

Nancy Arsenault, Ph.D.
Faculty of Tourism and Hotel Management
Royal Roads University
... located at Hatley Park National Historic Site

Learning Travel no longer niche

A survey of US travellers taken last year by the Travel Industry Association found that 56% said they were interested in taking an educational trip and 22% said they were more interested now compared with five years ago, according to a report by David Wilkening (TravelMole February 22, 2007).

Carbon Offsets - Sun News Service report Buying Your Way Out of Impact

Carbon offset programs seem to be the new rage -- but are they ethically correct?
By VIVIAN SUNG, SUN MEDIA
February 26, 2007

Forgive us Mother Earth for we have sinned.

It's been five years and 758 megatonnes of greenhouse gas emissions since our last confession -- the amount of pollutants Canada has pumped into the atmosphere despite having ratified the Kyoto agreement in 2002.

How many Hail Mary's and carbon offsets must we commit to absolve ourselves of our sins?

By now, the allegory of the carbon offset and the papal indulgence has become as commonplace as the parable of the prodigal son among environmentalists -- only in this case, it's Mother Nature who stands with outstretched arms, welcoming back her rebellious child.

How it works

Here's how it works: Carbon offset programs work to neutralize carbon emissions produced by driving, flying or home energy consumption. On average, each Canadian produces more than five tonnes of carbon emissions a year -- enough to fill five Olympic-size swimming pools.

After calculating the amount of carbon produced from driving, for example, consumers can mitigate the damage done by paying into an offset program that invests the money into energy efficiency and green projects, mostly in developing countries.

Though well-intentioned, critics have likened the scheme to the 16th-century practice of papal indulgences, where Catholics were able to buy their way out of sinning.

Similarly, skeptics caution carbon offsets give polluters an easy way out -- $20 buys absolution of another kind, mollifying guilty consciences.

"Purchasing offsets can be seen as an easy way out for governments, businesses and individuals to continue polluting without making changes to the way they do business or their behaviour," warn Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth and the World Wide Fund for Nature-U.K., in a joint statement. "In particular, there are strong concerns over the environmental credibility of the credits and the contribution of the projects to sustainable development."

Carbon offset schemes are not a new concept, having been around for more than a decade. But it's gained momentum in Canada only recently, with about a dozen offset companies in the country, many of which popped up within the last two years.

But if the fevered pitch of environmentalism continues along the current trajectory, chances are green initiatives like offset programs will grow.

At Offsetters.ca, a Vancouver-based, non-profit provider, business has been brisk.

In the last four months alone, co-founder James Tansey said sales have quadrupled.

When Offsetters.ca partnered with the airline WestJet in October of last year, they sold $120,000 in tickets for the airline translating into $2,400 or roughly 160 tonnes of offsets -- the equivalent of the annual output of 32 Canadians.

If they continue at the rate of the last three to four months, Offsetters.ca expects to grow by up to 10 times and offset $2 million in air travel this year, Tansey said.

When consumers purchase WestJet flights via their website, a 2% commission of the ticket cost is reinvested in carbon offsets, Tansey explains.

Caveats

Environmental groups, meanwhile, agreed carbon offsets can be a part of the solution but all cautioned their endorsements come with caveats.

"The first priority is to reduce our own emissions," said Matthew Bramley of the Pembina Institute, based in Calgary. "But once you've done all you can to reduce emissions, we believe offsets enable you to go further. If you go all the way to carbon neutral, you're taking responsibility for 100% of emissions which is never possible to achieve purely through reductions."

Some carbon-intensive activities like driving for example, are unavoidable especially for rural and northern communities.

"The most important thing is that the consumer is becoming aware of their consumption of energy and the result of their emissions," said Bryce Conacher, CEO of Reknewco and Cleanairpass, launched in December 2005.

The first step to offsetting involves calculating your own emissions, Conacher said, which in itself acts as a wakeup call for the average Canadian, unaware of their own carbon footprint.

Ron Dembo, CEO of Zerofootprint in Toronto, describes the interest in offsetting as more than just a trend, but a watershed moment for Canadians.

"The first thing you're doing is making an enormous cultural leap. You now actually believe that the environment costs money," Dembo said. "By paying for that offset, you've made a massive cultural leap ... getting people to understand that the environment's not free."

Added Dale Marshall of the David Suzuki Foundation: "People looking into this are generally concerned and looking at their daily activities. It's an important criticism but not as big as some say."

In the U.K., bogus carbon schemes have caused so much concern the government moved last month to set standards and bring greater clarity to an exponentially growing industry.

Need authority

"Clearly there's a role for the federal government to establish an agency or some sort of authority...where Canadians can be assured that if they're buying carbon offsets, the money is actually taking carbon out of the air," said Stephen Hazell of the Sierra Club of Canada.

Though environmental groups often cite the Gold Standard -- used under Kyoto's Clean Development Mechanism -- as the highest bar to measure offsets, few are registered and are expensive for smaller projects. Voluntary offsets also come with a confusing assortment of standard guarantees: EcoLogo in Canada, Green-e in the U.S., and the International Organization for Standardization.

When purchasing an offset, experts advise the most important aspect to consider is additionality -- that is, the project wouldn't have happened without the extra funding from the sale of offsets.

"The whole purpose of offsets is to shift people away to a carbon neutral future," said Howie Chong of Toronto-based CarbonZero, launched last September. "If we can convince Canadians and the government to do this on their own, if we can make drastic changes so we're no longer carbon dependent, we'll shut down. It's that simple."

The above article also appears in the following news publications:

Buying your way out; Carbon offset programs seem to be the new rage -- but are they ethically correct?
Forgive us Mother Earth for we have sinned. It's been five years and 758 megatonnes of greenhouse gas emissions since our last confession -- the amount of pollutants Canada has pumped into the...
Byline: BY VIVIAN SUNG
Edition: Final
The London Free Press
Mon, Feb 26, 2007

Buying your way out; Carbon offset programs seem to be the new rage -- but are they ethically correct?
Forgive us Mother Earth for we have sinned. It's been five years and 758 megatonnes of greenhouse gas emissions since our last confession -- the amount of pollutants Canada has pumped into the...
Byline: BY VIVIAN SUNG
Edition: Final
The Toronto Sun
Mon, Feb 26, 2007

Buying your way out; Carbon offset programs seem to be the new rage -- but are they ethically correct?
Forgive us Mother Earth for we have sinned. It's been five years and 758 megatonnes of greenhouse gas emissions since our last confession -- the amount of pollutants Canada has pumped into the...
Byline: BY VIVIAN SUNG
Edition: Final
The Winnipeg Sun
Mon, Feb 26, 2007

Buying your way out; Carbon offset programs seem to be the new rage -- but are they ethically correct?
Forgive us Mother Earth for we have sinned. It's been five years and 758 megatonnes of greenhouse gas emissions since our last confession -- the amount of pollutants Canada has pumped into the...
Byline: BY VIVIAN SONG
Edition: Final
The Ottawa Sun
Mon, Feb 26, 2007

http://www.tourismclicks.com

Consumers Prefer Green

Fully two-thirds of consumers are likely to

switch their spending to companies that have demonstrated a commitment to

green policies, further illustrating how important the environment is to

Canadian consumers, according to a survey released today by Bullfrog

Power(TM), Ontario's first 100 per cent green electricity retailer.

The poll, by Environics Research Group, is the first snapshot to capture

how Canadians view companies not just on the basis of the goods or services

they provide, but the way they do business, specifically when it comes to how

they care for the environment. And it proved what many suspected is true:

Canadian consumers are more attracted to companies that have clearly shown a

commitment to a cleaner, greener environment.

In the survey of more than 1,000 Canadians conducted Feb. 7-14, 67 per

cent said they are likely to switch to banks, stores and other retail or

service outlets that have demonstrated their commitment to the environment. In

British Columbia and Alberta, consumers are most likely to make the switch,

with 7 in 10 responding that they would move their business, followed by

Ontario at 68 per cent and Quebec at 64 per cent.

In addition, 75 per cent of Canadians surveyed said they are likely to

change their own shopping habits to purchase more environmentally friendly

goods and services, even if it means paying a premium price. Regionally,

British Columbians were the most likely to change, at 83 per cent, followed by

Ontarians at 78 per cent and Albertans at 75 per cent.

"We're seeing a fundamental shift in consumer behavior that reflects the

increased mainstreaming of environmental consciousness," said Michael Adams,

founding president of the Environics group of research and communications

consulting companies. "Canadians are exercising their consumer power by

actively and very deliberately rewarding those companies who are taking action

on the environment."

The national poll also found women consumers (80 per cent) were more

likely than men (69 per cent) to change their shopping habits in favour of

environmentally friendly goods and services. However, consumer interest in

green companies, including banks, malls and retail stores did not vary between

different income levels.

"Canadian consumers are demonstrating their environmental awareness,

leadership and action," said Tom Heintzman, President, Bullfrog Power. "During

this period of heightened awareness about environmental issues, consumers are

clearly looking for green products and also looking to support businesses that

have demonstrated environmental stewardship."

Bullfrog Power is the only electricity retailer in Ontario that buys

power exclusively from pollution-free wind and low-impact hydro generators who

meet or exceed the federal government's Environmental Choice(M) Program

EcoLogo(M) standard for renewable electricity.

Bullfrog Power provides homes, businesses and non-profit organizations

with a convenient, easy way to go green. A number of Ontario businesses have

already demonstrated environmental leadership by signing up for Bullfrog

Power, including RBC Financial Group, Wal-Mart, Ivanhoe Cambridge, Cadbury

Adams, and Credit Union Central of Ontario. Residential customers and members

of the Bullfrog Founders Club include Gord Downie of the Tragically Hip, Mark

Cullen, Jamie Kennedy, David Crombie, Thomas Homer-Dixon, Graham Gibson and

Margaret Atwood.

The Environics Research Group national survey was conducted among 1,013

Canadians and is considered accurate within plus or minus 3.1 percentage

points, 19 times in 20. Survey data is weighted to replicate actual population

distribution by age and sex according to most recent 2001 Census data.

The complete survey results are available online at

http://www.bullfrogpower.com/news/Survey_Data.pdf

About Bullfrog Power

Bullfrog Power(TM) is a 100 per cent green electricity retailer in

Ontario that sources electricity exclusively from wind and low-impact water

power producers who meet or exceed the federal government's EcoLogo(M)

standard for renewable energy. Bullfrogpowered(TM) customers ensure that their

electricity dollars support clean, renewable energy producers who are

displacing polluting and CO2-emitting electricity production on the Ontario

grid. Bullfrog Power has pledged 10 per cent of company profits to

organizations that promote sustainability. Visit Bullfrog Power on the web at

www.bullfrogpower.com.

Contact Us

Michael Adams, founder of Environics Research Group, and Tom Heintzman,

President of Bullfrog Power, are both available for interviews.

For further information: Bill Walker, Senior Vice President, Veritas

Communications, Tel: (416) 482-2248, Mobile: (416) 558-8766, Email:

walker@veritascanada.com

ONLINE BOOKINGS continue to grow - over 70% of Web Users Book ONLINE.

2/3 of Web users who plan to travel in the next three months will do their travel research and buy tickets or book hotels online, according to a new study by Burst Media. Burst surveyed around 2,100 adult Web users who were planning to travel in the next three months. Almost half (47.2%) said the Internet will be their primary travel resource, while two-thirds (66.9%) said they would research and make a travel-related transaction online.

72.9% said they would make hotel reservations. Consumers who used the Internet to research and make travel arrangements skewed toward higher incomes. Sixty-three percent of respondents who reported household incomes of over $100,000 said the Internet would be their primary travel resource, and 51.8% of those reporting household incomes of between $75,000 and $99,000 said the Web would be their primary resource. Respondents most valued the ability to check the availability and rates of hotels, flights and rental cars on a travel site. Fifty-five percent of users said that feature would convince them to return to a travel site, 49.9% wanted destination information, and 49.7% were looking for promotions and special deals.

Also, respondents who will make transactions online will also conduct travel research online – almost 60% will research travel destinations, and almost one-third will research travel/tour operators.

Todd Lucier - TourismClicks.com

Blogs Get Attention

Travel Blog inspires media attention and government action.

THE CHANGING PROFILE OF TOURISTS

More and more people are 'cash-rich' and 'time-poor' today, according to the World Travel Trends Report 2006/07. They have less time to travel for leisure purposes, but they want to ensure their trips create a memorable experience - one they can savour for a long time, although the majority of travellers are "still constantly on the look-out for price deals".

Today's leisure travellers, who comprise more singles, more female travellers, more grandparents travelling with their grandchildren, and more large family units (several generations), are much less concerned about which destination they visit, which means they tend to be less loyal to destinations than they ever were in the past. The increased desire for healthy living and the need to escape highly pressured working environments have stimulated the demand for niche products such as spa/wellness tourism, outdoor activities, cruises and educational trips.

The need to be more 'green', authenticity, interaction with local people and a more emotional and cultural link to the people and communities they visit rank as increasingly important. Consumers now want more control in organizing their trips, especially when travelling for leisure, and technology has provided them with the means to assume this control and customize their own travel plans. This trend is even apparent in China, where young, educated Chinese demand more flexibility instead of ready-made, organized package holidays.

More detailed analysis of the key issues and trends identified by the Pisa Forum participants is available in the ITB/IPK World Travel Trends report, which can be downloaded from the ITB website.

This article comes from Hotel News Resource www.hotelnewsresource.com; visit www.hotelnewsresource.com/article25986.html

TerraPass launches partnership with Expedia to bring carbon balanced flight to all travelers

http://www.terrapass.com

Big news, people: Expedia and TerraPass have partnered in a program to offer Flight TerraPasses to travelers when they buy plane tickets.

Although the travel industry has undertaken limited experiments with this kind of offering before, this is the first program of its size and scope to offer measured, verified greenhouse gas reductions to all travelers. Expedia will offer TerraPass to every U.S. traveler who buys a plane ticket through their web site.

This is an important development for the travel industry and for the fight against global warming. Air travel has exploded in popularity as the cost of plane tickets has dropped. But planes create a large and growing proportion of global warming pollution. For frequent flyers, plane travel creates more emissions than their cars.

Previously, there was not much travelers could do about their contribution to this problem. Now there is.

Please help us spread the word about this exciting program. A lot of people will be watching to see how it does. If it’s successful, more industries will take note of the consumer appetite for real, substantive action on global warming.

The co-marketed Flight TerraPass comes at three purchase levels: 1,000 lbs of CO2 for $5.99; 2,500 lbs of CO2 for $16.99; and 5,000 lbs of CO2 for $29.99, enough to balance about 2,200 miles; 6,500 miles; and 13,000 miles of flying, respectively.

At the smallest purchase level, your purchase comes with a nifty co-branded decal. At the two higher levels, you get a magnificent co-branded luggage tag, made of durable, high-quality silicone.

To buy a Flight TerraPass through Expedia, you just book a ticket as you normally would, and look for us on the “Customize your trip” page under the heading of “Featured Activities & Services.” You can also buy a TerraPass through Expedia separately from your plane ticket by clicking on the “Activities” tab and selecting dates and a destination.

A bit about our partner Expedia, for those of you who are new to this whole internet thing. The company has quite a pedigree. They were the first online travel agency, and they remain by far the largest. They’ve been selling travel online since 1996, when the entire internet consisted of six computers administered by a thirteen-year-old boy named Kevin.* Travel was the first truly successful mainstream retail category on the Web, and Expedia has been a pioneer not just in online travel, but also in sustainable travel.

Savvy customers have been able to buy Flight TerraPasses through our web site for a few months now. But this new partnership gives us a reach that is really just unimaginable, which is great for customers, for us, and for the environment. Congratulations to Expedia for taking leadership on such an important issue.

The future of the partnership depends on its success, so we encourage our readers who have not yet balanced out their flying to make their next ticket purchase through Expedia — and make it carbon balanced. Spread the word!

Cruise Company sells family reunion cruises

The rise of multi-generational travel has led Crystal Cruises to add a new web site: "Family Reunion Cruises."

"A family reunion aboard a cruise offers the opportunity of being together yet apart," said Nitsa Lewis, Crystal's vice president of marketing, saying the cruise line has long been known for both its amenities for adults and sophisticated learning programs and entertainment for children.

"What some people don't know is that our attention to detail extends to an exceptional Junior Activities Program on summer Mediterranean and European cruises, as well as to other destinations, offering compelling onboard programming for children," she said.

The Web site includes:

* Junior Activities Directors (on select sailings, such as summer and holidays) to plan and supervise such "insider" activities as cookie baking in the galley, bridge visits with the Captain and interactive backstage costume events.
* Dedicated children's playrooms with games and craft areas, and even Xbox 360 and Sony PlayStation kiosks.
* Multiple dining options with assigned group seating for dinners.
* Inspired menus appealing to a variety of dietary requirements, including vegetarian, sugar- and gluten-free, and low carbohydrate.
* Broadway-style shows for the whole family.
* Group portrait photography opportunities.
* Large families can earn free staterooms (limited availability).
* A family of connoisseurs can reserve the Crystal Cruises Vintage Room for exclusive, intimate wine-makers dinners.

US travel appetites growing for spa vacations and religious retreats - from travelmole.com

US travel appetites growing for spa vacations and religious retreats

I have found an interesting news on travelmole.com. I am sending you details about news below. US travel appetites growing for spa vacations and religious retreats http://www.travelmole.com/stories/1114237.php Travelmole Administrator

TIA ‘Voice of the Traveler’ Travel Tidbits

Washington, DC – November 2006 – Below is a brief snapshot of data from the Voice of
the Traveler survey by the Travel Industry Association and Synovate.
Spa Vacations: More than half (54%) of travelers said they were currently interested in going to
a spa or a place where they can relax and rejuvenate themselves. Good news for the spa
industry...interest appears to be growing. Almost a third (28%) of travelers said they were MORE
interested now compared to five years ago in going to a spa or a place where they can relax and
rejuvenate themselves. In fact, spa vacations ranked fifth when listing all the things people said
they were MORE interested in doing now compared to five years ago. Among those who are
interested in spa vacations, the majority (40%) are 35 – 54 years old; however, interest is also
strong among 18 – 34 year olds (37%).
Volunteer Vacations: One-quarter (24%) of travelers said they were currently interested in
taking a volunteer or service-based vacation. More than one in ten travelers (11%) said they
were MORE interested now compared to five years ago in taking a volunteer or service-based
vacation. Interest was strongest among baby boomers, with the largest share (47%) of those
interested in taking a volunteer vacation falling into the 35 – 54 year old age range.
Children-Friendly Destinations: More than 35% of travelers said they were currently interested
in traveling to places that cater to children. Among those who are interested, the majority (51%)
are 18 – 34 years old, presumably young families with young children. Nearly one in five
travelers (18%) said they were MORE interested now compared to five years ago in traveling to
places that cater to children.
Spiritual Vacations: One-quarter (25%) of travelers said they were currently interested in taking
a spiritual vacation (e.g., religious retreat, pilgrimage). More than one in ten travelers (12%) said
they were MORE interested now compared to five years ago in taking a spiritual vacation. The
appeal of a spiritual vacation spans the ages, with approximately one-third of each age group (18
– 34 years old, 35 – 54 years old and 55+) expressing current interest in taking such a vacation.
Enrichment Travel: More than half (56%) of travelers said they were currently interested in
taking an educational trip where they and/or their family can learn something. Nearly 22% of
travelers said they were MORE interested now compared to five years ago in taking such a trip.
Editor’s Note: The Voice of the Traveler survey by the Travel Industry Association and
Synovate was conducted in May among a representative sample of 1,500 U.S. adults.
Travel Industry Association (TIA) (www.tia.org), the national, non-profit organization
representing all components of the $654 billion travel industry, represents the whole of the
U.S. travel industry to promote and facilitate increased travel to and within the United
States.
Media Contact:
Travel Industry Association of America (TIA)
Cathy Keefe
Manager, Media Relations

Boomer Research Defines Six New Consumer Clusters

by Karlene Lukovitz, Monday, Oct 2, 2006 5:00 AM ET

SIX DISTINCT CLUSTERS EMERGE FROM new research into consumers who are 42 and over. The findings were unveiled last week at a forum hosted by Focalyst, a joint venture of AARP Services and research consultancy Kantar. Through no design of the researchers, the clusters that emerged also turned out to be demographically distinct, which will work to marketers' targeting advantage in applying the results, said David van Nostrand, Focalyst senior vice president and chief research officer. However, he emphasized the primacy of the attitudinal/behavioral characteristics that define the clusters, pointing out that life experiences are the major determinants of which cluster an individual falls into. Overall, van Nostrand said, the results confirm that "'old' is a very relative thing." A nutshell look at the attributes of the six clusters: Overwhelmed and Unfortunate (represent 25 percent of the study population; average age, 62; average income, $45,000): Have had negative life experiences with health, fitness, education and finance, and these negative trends continue in their current scenario. So overwhelmed by financial, family responsibilities--children, grandparents living at home--that they want to avoid more responsibility (want others to tell them what to do). Feel that they've accomplished very little during their lifetimes. Active and Successful (24 percent of the study population; average age, 53; average income, $72,000): Excellent health, income scenarios. Enjoy challenge, novelty, change. Involved in a very wide range of activities. Feel young; want to be attractive and stand out in the crowd. Care about fashion, being well-dressed. More online users within this group than within the general population. Cluster with greatest number of people owning their own companies, and greatest number saying that their current careers are entirely different than the careers in which they started out. Positive and Responsible (20 percent of the study population; average age, 62; average income, $51,000): Feel it is their responsibility to make the world a better place. Volunteer more than any other cluster. Put others ahead of self; value time more than money. Healthy, active, price-conscious. Regular Folks (16 percent of study population; average age, 58; average income, $72,000): Fishers, campers, bowlers. Do-it-yourselfers who enjoy home improvement, car maintenance. Have had positive family, career and financial experiences. More interested in achieving financial security than maintaining youthful appearance; not fashion-conscious. Fortunate and Ready (14 percent of study population; average age, 63; average income, $85,000): Planned and worked to be financially and otherwise prepared for retirement, and are looking forward to it. Emotionally secure, not in denial about their age. Best educated, highest-income group. Goals include personal development, devoting time to charity. Alone and Ill (2 percent of study population; average age, 71; average income, $47,000): Poor diet and exercise; poor health; lowest income; most fearful of becoming a burden; most likely to have at-home assistance for medical/health reasons.

JAPANESE TRAVELLERS LOOKING FOR SOMETHING DIFFERENT

According to Tenshin Kobayashi, the director of the Evolution Tourism Institute, Japanese travellers are losing their interest in traditional travel products and looking for "distinctive tours and fresh destinations." During the 2006 PATA Travel Mart in Hong Kong, Kobayashi joined a panel that included Marriott International Global sales vice-president-Japan Victor Osumi and Travel Journal chief operating officer Kiyotaka Kaburaki, to discuss Japanese outbound tourism.

Noting that the Japanese currently spend twice as much on cell phones as they do on international travel, Kobayashi said that the travel preferences of Japan's 37 million passport holders are increasingly shifting from passive to active; fast to slow; general to specific; short to long; look to experience; famous to unique; money to time; shopping to memory; and the list goes on. According to Victor Osumi: "Today's generation of traveller is looking for customized and individualized products with `simple-is-best' originality." In his view, the Japanese are becoming more individualistic, and he says: "Japanese now pay more attention to their individual needs rather than society's expectations. Self-priority is cool in Japan." Osumi continued that: "Original and simple are considered a new trend among luxury and premium [Japanese]travellers. Heritage and culture is also considered classy and elegant." And in line with the global trend, Japanese consumers are pursuing lifestyles of health and sustainability. "Being fit and healthy is considered cool. Exercises like yoga, boxing and dancing are becoming lifestyle trends in the market and consumers are increasingly into `organic' foods," Osumi said. For more, go to www.PATA.org.


Author: Canadian Travel Press
Organization: Canadian Travel Press/Baxter Publishing
Contact: ctp@baxter.net

The Public Transit Market

Rail Riders and Power Pedestrians Are Plugged In and Primed

Scarborough Research reports on an often overlooked consumer group that has unique targeting value for marketers. A recent study and analysis of Mass Transit Users and Power Pedestrians, people who do a significant amount of walking in towns and cities, says that they account for about 22 percent of consumers in the 75 local markets measured by Scarborough.

Not only does this market segment and have desirable demographics, says the report, but more opportunities to make purchases since they are also plugged-in and more likely to purchase portable electronic devices such as MP3 players, PDAs, and to use wireless Internet.

According to the Scarborough analysis, today's Mass Transit Users and Power Pedestrians own or plan to purchase a variety of portable technologies.

* Subway riders are 93 percent more likely than the average consumer in subway cities to plan to purchase an MP3 player
* Rail riders are 62 percent more likely than other consumers in Scarborough's rail markets to plan to purchase, an MP3
* Power Pedestrians are 44 percent more likely to plan to buy an MP3 player
* Subway riders are 48 percent more likely than the average consumer in cities with subway systems to own a PDA.
* Rail riders are 65 percent more likely than other consumers in Scarborough's rail markets to own a PDA, and
* Power Pedestrians are 16 percent more likely to have a PDA.

Carol Edwards, vice president of out-of-home media services, Arbitron, Inc, says "Portable devices such as MP3 players and PDAs give the commuter the power to purchase in the palm of their hand. This, combined with the fact that these consumers are 'out and about' and perhaps close to retail outlets and other points of purchase, gives marketers a unique opportunity to entice a consumer group who may be physically closer to making a purchase."

Subway riders are 27 percent more likely than other consumers in subway markets to have spent $2,500 or more on Internet purchases during the past year.

Power Pedestrians are 26 percent more likely than all consumers to be in this spending group, and buy in high-end retail categories online such as jewelry, automotive, and travel.

Today's Mass Transit User is young, affluent, and ethnically diverse.

Subway riders are:

* 39 percent more likely than all consumers in subway markets to be ages 18-34
* 15 percent more likely to have an annual household income of $150k or more
* 75 percent more likely to be African-American
* 58 percent more likely to be Hispanic

Rail riders are

* 26 percent more likely than all consumers in rail markets to be ages 18-34
* 41 percent more likely to have an annual household income of $150k or more
* 75 percent more likely to be African-American
* 37 percent more likely to be Hispanic

Power Pedestrians are

* 14 percent more likely than all consumers to be ages 18-34
* 21 percent more likely to have an annual household income of $150k+
* 22 percent more likely to be Hispanic

"Mass transit options vary from local market to local market, so it is important to understand how consumers use the transit available to them," said Ms. Edwards.

Several advertising categories stand out among Mass Transit Users and Power Pedestrians.

Subway riders are

* 45 percent more likely than other consumers in subway markets to have taken three or more domestic air trips during the past year
* 32 percent more likely to have eaten in a fast food restaurant six or more times during the past month

Rail riders are

* 56 percent more likely than other consumers in rail markets to have made three or more domestic air trips during the past year
* 17 percent more likely to have eaten at a fast food restaurant six or more times during the past month
* 14 percent more likely to be from households that spend $150 or more on groceries weekly

WE'RE ALL GOING ON A SUMMER HOLIDAY: SCOTIABANK

In its second annual study of Canadian travel intentions, Scotiabank reports that half of Canadians are planning summer vacations and they expect to spend $2,500 on average during those getaways.

For Canada's tourism industry, the news gets even better as half of those travellers say they're going to be taking their trips in Canada. Adrienne Warren, senior economist, Scotiabank, observes that: "Staying closer to home should be good news for Canada's travel & tourism industry which has had to deal with the dampening impact of a strong Canadian dollar on foreign travelers, rising gasoline costs and border issues with our American neighbours." Warren says that job gains in Canada have bolstered household income and are helping support travel spending. Just five months into 2006, the economy has added 220,000 new jobs, which almost matches the average annual gain over the past three years. As for spending, the Scotiabank study discovered an increase in the area of entertainment and sightseeing ($460), up $112 from 2005. As well, there was also a modest increase in spending on transportation ($810), up $74 and meals and beverages ($453), up $41 over last year.

On the other hand, the study found that on average, travellers are planning to spend $185 less on accommodations ($529) this year. The study was conducted on behalf of Scotiabank by Decima Research and was a national omnibus telephone poll (teleVox) that took place between April 26 and May 17, 2006. Overall results are based on a randomly selected sample of 3,026 English and French-speaking Canadian adults aged 18 years and older. A random probability sample of this size delivers results with a statistical margin of error of ±1.8 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. Travel results are based on a randomly selected sample of 1,484 English and French-speaking Canadian adults aged 18 years and older who intend to take a leisure trip between late April and the end of August 2006. A random probability sample of this size delivers results with a statistical margin of error of ±2.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. The margin of error will be larger within subgroupings of the survey sample. Data have been weighted to reflect a representation of the gender, age and regional distribution in Canada. Go to www.scotiabank.com for more.


Author: Canadian Travel Press
Organization: Canadian Travel Press/Baxter Publishing
Contact: ctp@baxter.net

Passport Restrictions for US Visitors Eased

US SENATE PASSES COLEMAN/DORGAN AMENDMENT TO IMMIGRATION REFORM ACT
The United States Senate has passed the Coleman/Dorgan bipartisan amendment to the Comprehensive Immigration Reform bill, a move the National Tour Association is applauding.

According to officials, the decision is a "significant step of tremendous importance to the North American travel industry," since the amendment addresses several critical issues embedded in the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, which will require all travellers, including United States citizens, to have a passport or other accepted document to enter or re-enter the U.S. from Canada, the Americas and the Caribbean.

Currently, the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative has an implementation date of Dec. 31, 2007, but the Coleman/Dorgan amendment postpones implementation until June 1, 2009, allowing time for a comprehensive public education campaign on cross-border travel requirements.

NTA and the Student Youth Travel Association told senators that WHTI would seriously curtail educational travel to and from Canada. The Coleman/Dorgan amendment addresses this concern since it "authorizes the Secretary (of Homeland Security) to waive documentary requirements for children travelling in groups of six or more to/from Canada, provided that each child can demonstrate parental consent." Furthermore, fees established for the proposed People Access Security Services card, which would be accepted for cross-border travel, have been capped at $20 and would be waived for travellers age 18 and under. Additionally, the amendment establishes a 72-hour "day pass" for those not possessing a passport or a PASS card.

"This is a huge victory for the travel industry," said NTA president Hank Phillips. "These common-sense changes to WHTI will help to maintain border integrity yet facilitate cross-border tourism. But the fight is not over. We have to keep working to ensure this amendment survives the conference committee."

Author: Canadian Travel Press
Organization: Baxter Travel Group
Contact: ctp@baxter.net

eTAMS - Travel and Activity Motivations Research available from Ontario Ministry of Tourism

eTAMS is a web tool that allows free public access to the Travel Activities
and Motivation Survey (TAMS) - a major study that identifies existing and
potential travel markets in North America and provides information on place
of residence, demographics and media use of these potential visitors.

Get eTAMS at: http://www.research.tourism.gov.on.ca/english/tourdiv/research/index.html

The eTAMS consists of two components:

* Cross Tabulation - a user-defined query or statistical table,
whereby one can choose the columns, rows and base of a two-dimensional
statistical table.

* Profile - a predefined statistical report on a group of travellers
of your interest.

Thanks to Kendra Adema (OTMPC) for providing the information regarding this research availability.

Red Wine Boosts Food Checks

According to The NPD Group, Americans like to drink alcohol with their meals. The recent study found that 37 percent of adults (ages 21 and over) include alcohol with their casual/fine dining restaurant dinners from Friday to Sunday, compared to 34 percent between Monday and Thursday.

And, says the report, the type of alcohol consumed varies by meal as well.

* Beverage alcohol consumption nearly triples between lunch and dinner. 13 percent of the time when an adult visits a casual/fine dining restaurant for lunch, they order an alcoholic beverage, whereas 36 percent of the time for a dinner meal, alcohol is ordered.
* 55 percent of “drinking” lunches include beer as opposed to dinner (45 percent), but cocktails and wine take the lead at dinnertime.
* Happy hour, between 4:00 and 7:00 PM, is the highest consumption of beer (58%), and cocktails during this time are on par with dinnertime consumption (34%).
* Red wine garners the highest check size 
The average eater check is about $12.00 without beverage alcohol. With alcohol, the average check amount almost doubles. People tend to have a higher check when they order red wine, a moderate check with white wine, and a lower check with blush wine.
* Desserts are ordered more often if someone had wine with their meal.
* Thursday is the peak weekday for consuming alcoholic beverages.
* While wine is consumed throughout the week, cocktails rely most on the weekends.

Michele Schmal, vice president of The NPD Group, says “What we’re seeing is that alcoholic beverages have an important place in people’s lifestyles that go beyond Saturday nights.”

Australia Ramps up Tourism Effort

What does authenticity have to do with Tourism Marketing? Everything!

Australia is launching a new $20 million marketing campaign designed to lure American tourists to its shores that carries the potentially controversial slogan, "Where the bloody hell are you?" "Authenticity is key to the campaign," said Tourism Board marketing director Ian Macfarlane. He said he's not concerned about offending consumers, but acknowledged that the tagline might be toned down in some nations. The campaign includes TV spots in which a series of non-actors describe how they have prepared for visiting tourists by getting the 'roos off the greens, shampooing the camels, turning on the lights to the Sydney Opera House and, in the case of Aboriginal dancers, "we've been rehearsing for over 40,000 years." In a reference to ocean swimming areas where fences have been installed to keep sharks out, an Australian boy says Australia has "gotten the sharks out of the pool." The $20 million North American campaign will run in U.S. and Canada for two-and-a-half years.

Just think about it: So, Canada: What is authentic about your community? How can what you consider to be uninteresting and perhaps uninviting about your community become a lure to potential visitors.

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