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About The Author
Elizabeth Wares is an avid traveler and has enjoyed many miles of inexpensive flying.
She has created the Airfare Resource Information site Airfare X
airfarex.com
elizabeth@airfarex.com
Another year has come and gone, and now you’re planning a 2006 Caribbean holiday vacation to get rid of those winter blues! When considering a winter getaway, an All Inclusive vacation may be your best option if you happen to be on the after Christmas vacation budget.
If you’re new with the vacation terms such as inclusive vacation, all-inclusive, semi-inclusive, EP plan, and vacation packages provided through many Vacation Tour Companies, I will give you a crash course on what the differences are between the packages, and what you would normally expect from each individual holiday plan.
You may be surprised that the All-Inclusive package has a far better value over other package deals! Your budget will determine on what type of vacation package you would opt for, but during the final decisions, you would want to make sure you get the best value for your dollars spent.
European Package: Also known as the EP Plan, this is your most basic vacation package that only offers your hotel accommodations, airfare, and in most cases transfers to your destination of choice. Your meals, drinks, snacks and gratuities are additional, so unless you happen to be very good with budgeting, and watching your spending during the time you’re at destination, then I would suggest you stay away from this plan unless you find a price you just can’t refuse, but then I would still want to do a cost comparison.
Semi-Inclusive Package: Many vacationers get this term confused with the All-Inclusive, and the package price difference can be quiet substantial. This is why when you read the brochures, this may be easily overlooked, and before you know it, your holiday that you booked becomes more expensive than you originally imagined.
It’s always in your best interest to read all the fine print whether out of the brochure, or online information. The semi-inclusive plan is simply your resort, flight, transfers, and may not include gratuities. This type of package in most cases does not include unlimited beverages, such as pop, coffee, and alcohol, and you would have to pay for most, if not all your water sport activities at your property if available. You will see that a semi-inclusive plan could offer full daily meals, however, in most cases they may only provide breakfast, and/or lunch/dinner, leaving one meal and snacks as an additional expense.
All-Inclusive Package: These resort packages are the best for budgeting, because all your costs are paid up-front, but also be very careful with this plan, and do your research to make sure that what is included is exactly what you’re looking for in your vacation experience.
With this type of plan, you will receive your accommodations, air transportation to your destination, transfers to/from airport, and in some instances gratuities are included. Your daily meals consist of your breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and most plans provide daily snacks. A large number of your water sports and entertainment are included in the price of the package, but I will explain where you may find some differences in these All Inclusive package deals.
Inclusive Hotels, Inclusive Service, And Beach Packages Are Not All Created Equal!
You will find with vacation package deals offering All-Inclusive plans are not all created equal, and in many instances you may think that you paid for everything, and later find out there are additional costs charged for amenities that you thought were in your inclusive service.
It may take a little research, but when you read the details of all the amenities that are offered, you will soon understand why your All-Inclusive package price looks so appealing! Some areas you may witness discrepancies are in your meals, drinks, water sports, and gratuities. These little oversights could be costly, and add up very quickly on the actual price you paid for your vacation. These are items and services you may have not budgeted for, and if not caught prior to booking, can easily put a strain on your holiday experience.
As you go through each of the resort packages available, you will quickly notice that price will be the indicator on what you will be getting, and don’t use the current sale or last minute prices, use the brochure or online gross price. My best advise to you, is to find the holiday package that suites your lifestyle requirements, such as beachfront resort, more A La Carte restaurants versus buffets, and higher star rated properties that offer more amenities such as 24 hour services, fitness clubs, spas, and free bottled water, which is a big oversite by many lower star rated resorts.
After you figured out what you want in your vacation experience, then the next step is to search online for the inclusive information for the resorts that appeal to you most. If you happen to see cheaper deals online, compare the two with the amenities and services offered, and make sure that the property provides everything you are requesting. Do a price comparison, and see what the cost difference is, and this can help you make your final decisions.
Keep in mind that what you budget at home is not going to be the same for your vacation. I always tell people that when you arrive at your desired vacation destination, your current budget goes right out the window! You’re in a different mindset, and when the moment arises you’re more than likely going to be more impulsive, and the normal decisions that you would not make in your everyday life, you will do it on your holidays. Remember, you’re on vacation to have fun, create new experiences, and do things that you would don’t normally do in your everyday life, that’s why they call it a getaway from reality!
You’re going to meet new friends, and they may want you to go out for intimate fancy dinners, and share exciting excursions together. With my experience, the pressure takes a toll on you, and when the pressure is on, the credit cards are pulled out, and the charges add to your vacation expense.
In conclusion, it is better to find a quality four-star resort property that offers a variety of fancy dining in combination with good buffet restaurants. Make sure the drinks such as pop, coffee, liquor, beer, and wine is available to you 24 hours a day with unlimited availability, and also see that water sports and entertainment is included with no additional fees charged.
My last suggestion is that you find a package that also offers all gratuities, because when you get to your resort, you are going to be overwhelmed with their service and amenities, which will have you dishing out more in tips than you budgeted for in the beginning. These are a few of the small expenses that wind up making your great All Inclusive deal turn into a costly holiday that you never expected in the beginning.
About the Author
About the author: William Lezubski is a professional in the Travel Industry and is the owner and author of “Discount Caribbean Vacations Web Site” at www.discount-caribbean-vacations.com A great source for vacations.
Cheap Airfare Ticket
Keeping Lives Safe on the Road
Accidents do happen unexpectedly, but they can be avoided.
However, despite the fact that a lot of people are trying their best to avoid it, still, many are in danger in the road while traveling. They will never know when an accident will take place. In fact, it seems that the number of people who gets into accidents while traveling is continuously growing.
In 2003 alone, statistics show that over 6 million car accidents have been reported in the United States, and in those accidents about 2.9 million were injured and 42, 643 people were killed. That is, indeed, a very alarming figure considering the fact that the campaigns about driving safely and avoiding road accidents are in full force.
So, where does the problem lies? Is it on the driver, the car manufacturer, the government, or is it fate for most people who get into accidents? In reality, nobody can really tell who to blame. The only choice people have is to continue driving safely and avoid accidents.
However, in the event that accidents happen, the only way to solve the mishap is to deal with it. Here’s how:
1. Emergency numbers in one’s mobile phone are extremely important.
People just don’t realize this yet, but the emergency numbers stored in their mobile phones are vital to one’s life, especially when away from home or while traveling.
Surveys show that people who usually survive in accidents are those who were attended to immediately by health experts. This goes to show that immediate actions are important so as to save people who have met accidents.
2. Panic is the number one killer in an accident.
The reason why many people do not survive in an accident is because they tend to panic first. They get so panic-stricken that they can no longer clear their mind and think of ways how to deal with the dilemma. That is why it is extremely important to stay calm when accidents and happen and think of ways how to solve the problem.
3. Prevention is still the number one remedy.
Today, car accidents are currently the top most causes of death, usually within the age bracket of 1 to 37. Hence, the majority of the drivers, who are prone to accidents, are young. Usually the causes of accidents in young people are speeding, reckless driving, not wearing seatbelts, and drunk driving.
And so, it is important to observe traffic rules and regulations so as to prevent road accidents while traveling. As they say, an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.
About the Author
Jay is the web owner of http://www.airline-tickets.biz Discount Airline Tickets, a website that provides information and resources on vacations, airfare, hotels, and travel. You can visit his website at: http://www.hotels-in.net Cheap Hotels
Business trips or official trips are those that take you away from your place of work for a significant duration of time. In terms of IRS you travel away from your tax home (the place where you are currently working) to a different place for a specific interval of time.
A business trip is different from an ordinary one in some respects. In the latter you decide which place to go to have maximum entertainment, spend your own savings, generally your family goes along with you etc. but in the case of a business trip the most often your company decides which place to go, the company pays for your trip (the food allowance etc.) and most often your family does not hang around with you. If you are the owner of a company the decision of which place to go is centered round the bright business prospects i.e. the best place you think would be to enhance and promote your business.
So business trips are to be planned in a slightly different fashion than the usual. Usually the company does the bookings for you but if it is at your discretion then think a little. You can save some good amount here. Search online the various business sites like Expedia, Hotwire, Kayak, Travelocity, Priceline and the like. These sites will educate you about the various things. For instance you can know about the hotels and their charges, airfares, the cost to take a rented vehicle etc. at the destination you are heading for. It is better to search online and get your reservations and bookings done a little before than the dates to leave for a thought of last minute reservations can be troublesome.
While you making a business trip, try and save as much as you can but without compromising on your basic amenities. Like avoid spending your entire food allowance by eating lavishly, be fuel economic i.e. if you take your own car (which is not a very good idea) think about saving fuel expenses. Dont move into casinos and bars to part away with the annual bonus that you are sure to get. If you are visiting a place for the first time, one night to see the nightlife of that place is enough. Dont carry too many clothes with you. Some elegant official wear shirts and trousers should be preferred than a multitude dresses. Pack your suitcase nicely. Take that bag or suitcase which has several compartments. It will keep your official papers and other things segregated from the rest of the stuff (your toiletries etc.). Dont forget your credit as well as business cards to a camera. Remember official trips mean more work and comparatively less enjoyment. So make a note of all the essential official documents that you need to carry for your meeting there and if possible either leave a photocopy of them at your place or avoid carrying the originals for there is always a threat to lose or misplace them. Inform your family about your complete itinerary, the place and the numbers of the hotel in which you will stay etc. this will save them from worrying and will keep them in touch with you. Make it a point to speak to your boss before you leave, ask him any crucial work left undone. Also think about payments of your bills if you are going for more than a month or so. Keep an alarm clock with you for that will help you in waking up on time and reach your workplace without delays.
Lastly, reach the airport or station on time to avoid missing your flight or train. Go with a little planning and make your business trip a huge success.
About the author:
Mansi gupta writes about business travel topics. Learn more at http://www.businesstravelguides.com.
Cheap Domestic Air Fares
I admit it. I’ve made some mistakes. Oh, sure, I talk
about all of the things that went right and that I did
pretty well with my home-based business, and that’s true.
But I would be doing both of us a disservice if I were to
leave you with the impression that all is well in
“Home-based Business Land”, that I live in a carefree
fairytale world of wealth and consumption, and that my bills
are all paid and will continue to be. No, it’s not like
that at all. And it’s only just recently that I identified
the problem. It can be summed-up in a single word: denial.
My business is centered around software that is dependent on
a technology that is slowly going away. I had a nice income
stream (customers pay an annual fee), but as my customers
drifted to new technologies my base of income eroded. I
could see it happening. For years I said “This gravy train
isn’t going to last forever!” I chose to ignore it. Why?
Denial. Although I wasn’t consciously aware of it, I took
the attitude, “I’ll worry about it when it happens.”
Suddenly the revenue is alarmingly low, and now I have to
deal with it. Had I dealt with it sooner, it would have
been much easier to fix.
A friend of mine recently went to New Zealand on a speaking
tour. She agreed to pay her own airfare and the organizer
(’Peter’) would pay for hotels and for her speaking
appearances, plus she would be able to sell her books and
tapes at the seminars. It was not until after she arrived
that Peter informed her that most of the seminars had been
cancelled. After she arrived! He knew that participation
was going to be low. He knew that they might have to
cancel. He didn’t tell her, though, because he was in
complete denial.
Denial is what we do when we just can’t face the truth. It
is very real, but it does nothing to fix the problem. Did
Peter’s denial of the failure of his seminars change
anything? Did my denial of eroding revenue change anything?
YES! In both cases it made a bad situation worse.
Two things happen when you are in denial. First, you have
more anxiety because you haven’t examined the situation
enough to know how bad it really is. No matter how bad it
is, it’s easier to deal with if you know where you stand.
Second, there’s a pretty good chance that delaying the
solution will make the problem worse, maybe even completely
unsolvable. By denying the problem, you may be passing up a
golden opportunity to fix it. Easily.
Do you have a situation that is too scary to deal with?
Deal with it anyway.
Do you have a situation that is too embarrassing to face?
Face it anyway.
Deal with it. Face it. Get it over with. You can’t make
it worse; you’ll only make it better. You’ll feel better
too.
“Make More Money and Have More Fun” with your small
business! Dave will show you how with his FREE newsletter,
“Big Bucks in a Bathrobe” sent by e-mail. Visit
http://www.TheStayAtHomeCEO.com to sign-up, for information
on speaking services, or for copies of past articles and
newsletters. Comments and/or questions are always welcome
at 1-800-366-2347 or Dave@DaveBalch.com.
The newest media wave to hit the online shore is video. Individual emails abound with links to “the funniest video ever,” or blurry clips of new babies or birthday parties.
Businesses, on the other hand, have largely been left standing on the shore, scratching their heads and wondering if there’s any real value to be earned from diving into making their own live video broadcasts, video emails or video on demand infommercials. Here are just five of the many ways video adds to the bottom line of any company.
1. People remember more of your message
While people generally remember 10% of what they read and 20% of what they hear. But, they’ll remember as much as 50% of what they see and hear together. Before anyone can act on your message, they need to process and remember it.
2. Increase responses by up to 30%
A call to action is much easier to follow if it is actively delivered. Sound and motion are powerful action drivers, especially when they are delivered by your sincere enthusiasm and passion for your topic. Companies who have made the switch to video email and on- demand broadcasts have reported response rates jump as much as 30% following a broadcast.
3. Build your credibility
People do business with people they know, like and trust. When you cut through the technological barriers of the Internet and put yourself online, you put “your self on the line” as far as viewers are concerned. The time it would normally take you to build a relationship with a potential customer can be dramatically shortened as a result.
4. The cost savings are obvious
Anytime you can avoid the high costs of sending someone on the road to meet with clients or attend a meeting, the bottom line savings are immediate and obvious. In addition to any costs associated with attending a meeting, you need to factor in travel costs covering airfares to taxis and tolls, hotel costs, meal expenses, and even your internal costs to process the expense paperwork.
5. Soft cost savings multiply returns
Spare yourself the productivity drain and the physical and mental tolls travel takes on your company’s road warriors and you could enjoy “soft” cost savings that dwarf your hard dollar travel costs. Want an example? Look at your own calendar for the past month and count up just the hours you spent traveling to and from meetings. Multiply that by your hourly wage, and then by the number of employees in your firm.
If reasons like these don’t help you convince the reluctant decision makers in your company to add video to your communications mix, please be patient with them. Historically they are in good company. There were many who claimed the smeary images on hard to handle rolls of paper called “faxes” could never function in place of an original document. And who, they asked, would ever want to spend more time typing an email message when they could so easily pick up a telephone and place a call?
Copyright 2005 Liz Micik
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About The Author
Liz Micik turns your video learning curve into a fast and easy profit curve in her newest book, Cue the Director: 10 Simple Steps to Online Video Success. Visit www.powerpresenters.com to have free weekly video tips emailed to you.
Airfare Ticket Sale
HOW TO GET CHEAP TRAVEL TICKETS
With planning, foresight and a little bit of hard work, you can go ahead and have that dream vacation the economical way. Here’s how:
*Search the internet, call airline agencies and watch the news to keep yourself up to date on discounts. There are a lot of promotional fares offered by airline companies that are new in the industry.
*When you do travel a lot, sign up for frequent flier miles.
*Ask about student fares or senior citizen discounts.
*Keep a flexible travel schedule. Go with the flow. If the promo states that they only give discounts every Tuesdays, then set your departure on Tuesday. Generally, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays are the days that have fewer reservations, so it in on these days that tickets are sold cheap. Monday is usually the busiest day of the week.
* Do not go ahead and make reservations to the first airline company you see with promotions. Take the time to source out a variety of options. Take the time to find out if the promotion is indeed the cheapest in your area. Ask the clerk about other offers available. When checking through the internet, make sure you check at least five sites before you decide where to buy your tickets.
*You can have the option of purchasing tickets trough consolidators. These are people who buy a whole block of tickets and resell them at certain discounts. This helps the airline fill up still available seats. The travel section of the newspaper is the place to check for ticket consolidators.
*Try flying on off peak hours schedule. Usually if you take the before seven in the morning flight or the after seven in the evening flight, tickets are at their cheapest. This too, will be a wise decision since it is at these times that airlines are not overcrowded, thus getting more space for yourself and your luggage.
*Be sure to inquire if the airline offers travel packages. Some airlines do offer packages such as car rental discount or a hotel room discount that comes with the travel ticket.
* When you are flying off season, be very sure to ask about certain standby fares.
*Have an early booking. Promotions are usually offered when one reserves a ticket three weeks beforehand. Remember that due to over crowding during the holidays, you may not use your frequent flier miles. So book in advance if you plan to travel during the holidays.
*Staying with only one airline on your entire trip may too, give you discounts. Airlines offer special rates to round trip tickets or connecting flights.
Have a safe trip and enjoy!
About the Author
Jay is the web owner of http://www.airline-tickets.biz Discount Airline Tickets, a website that provides information and resources on vacations, airfare, hotels, and travel. You can visit his website at: http://www.hotels-in.net Cheap Hotels
If you are thinking about going to Brazil, I think you are a very smart person. Brazil is an exciting country with plenty to see and do and a very warm people who love to receive and share with whomever is receptive enough to make friends with them.
I would start by Rio of course. Rio is a very big city and just like any other city around the world, you have to be careful. Rio has many wonderful places that are sure to take the breath away. Corcovado, Sugar Loaf, The Vista Chinesa, Tijuca Forest and so on and so forth. The beaches in Rio are an experience for the newcomer. In Ipanema beach, every day when the sun goes down, everyone watches in silence and finally clap in awe of the beauty of the scenery. The best place to go to the beach in Rio depends on what kind of person you are.
If you are young and want to mingle and see interesting brazilian youth exuding their charm and unbelievably beautiful bodies, go to Posto 9 in Ipanema, where they play footvolley all day, the boys and girls are golden and there’s everything you could possibly want on a beach day for you to enjoy. Vendors walking by selling everything from popsicles to hammocks and sun glasses to shrimp cabobs. The service is nice. Now, if you are a family and you are looking to really just enjoy the sun and beach on a weekday (weekdays are much better at the beach in Rio), then I suggest you try the Barra da Tijuca beach. It is so vast it never really seems to be that full (except on Sundays when the so called ’suburbanos’ are there). But even then it’s nice.
Personally, I like the Botanical Gardens on Sundays. It’s quiet and nice and you can see a lot of very cool things, feed the fish and pelicans on the pond and rest under a Pau Brasil tree. The beach is way too full to be nice on the weekends. Or to take a nice hike up the many hidden waterfalls that make you forget entirely that you are right in one of the biggest cities in the world. It feels more like a tropical jungle.
If you have plenty of time to really get to know Brazil, like 3 or 4 weeks, I suggest getting a Brazil pass, it’s a ticket that costs around $500 US and that it allows you to travel by air to 5 major brazilian cities. My suggestion goes as follows: Start with Rio because it’s the major hub but don’t spend too much time there. Just enjoy the beauty of it for a few days, take a few of the escorted jeep tours around the forests of Rio, visit Corcovado and Sugar Loaf, go to the beach and then move on. Next stop, Salvador. This is one of the coolest places you are going to be at in the world. It’s a mixture of New Orleans, Kenya, Jamaica and Paradise beaches, all with the Brazilian “tempero” a seasoning that only in Brazil you will find.
In Salvador, you will see Capoeira rodas, music in the streets and art and life everwhere. It’s a must. Since you are already in Bahia, o Morro de Sao Paulo is not too far and neither is Trancoso, these are classical beaches where you need not worry about shoes. It’s all sandy and it doesn’t cost much to stay there either. You will experience a level of warmth and service that might make you want to forget the States and move there. Visit both and then move on.
So, with 4 more air tickets to spend, I’d do the following: Go to the Amazon and take a jungle tour in Manaus. There is no reason not to see the most beautiful rainforest in Brazil and the world and it will enrich your life just to have been there and be able to tell the stories.
Next, a stop in Minas to visit the old town of Ouro Preto which seems like the entire town was sculpted by an artist and it’s fun and sweet. Not very dangerous either. Relax here and take the time to enjoy the best brazilian cuisine you will find in the entire country of Brazil.
After this, on your way back to Rio, go visit Buzios and make sure you get souvenirs there and go walk on rua das Pedras. It’s classy and supposedly Brigitte Bardot (the French actress) used to walk around topless there.
That’s it for today. Please be sure to visit Brasil101.com for more Brazilian Travel, Tourism in Brazil, Brazilian Business and of Course, Brazilian Soccer info.
Brasil101.com
About the author:
Marcio has been taking groups and tours to Brazil since 1997. He knows Brazil and can help you make the most of Your Brazil Vacation Packages
Several facts to obtaining cheap Airfarescorsa dirfesAirfares
Need a vacation but dont want to stay around town?
Want to go somewhere exotic, somewhere different?
Want to fly but worried about the airfare? Sourcing the
cheapest airfare available has been made easier with
competition growing between travel agencies as
people realize that a vacation need not be all that
expensive. Airfare can be a hindrance to the best of
vacation plans but it need not be. With so many travel
companies vying for your business securing cheaper
airfare is a given!
The airline companies set airfare prices, with travel
agents adding a mark up to the wholesale price. More
often than not, the advertised price of an airfare does
not include any government taxes or duties. So
additional charges such, as these need to be figured
into your airfare budget.
Aside from the airline companies and travel agencies
setting the price, it is important to be aware that many
things determine airfare prices, but the most important
influence on price is the final destination. Other
influences include but are not limited to:
- The type of airline class you prefer; do you want
comfort or are you ok with being a tad squashed,
- The location of your seat; window seat or inside,
- The time of day you are prepared to travel; day
or night,
- How close you book to your departure date;
booking closer to your departure date may increase
your airfare unless you secure a last minute deal, and
- Whether your airfare is part of an all inclusive
holiday package; more often than not for these all
inclusive packages the airfare has been given with a
huge discount as a deal between the resort or hotel,
the airline and travel agent.
Therefore, being the money savvy person that you are;
you need to take into consideration all of the above
points before you start searching for an airfare that fits
within your budget. Researching airfare is critical to
securing the cheapest rate. Research has definitely
been made easy thanks to the World Wide Web.
Increasingly, last minute deal websites are being
developed and there are some great bargains to be
had particularly with regard to airfare rates. Checking
often and subscribing to these last minute deal web
sites will ensure that your vacation is one to remember
without the added burden of over spending on airfare!
About the author:
corsa dirfes is the owner of
Airfares ON
which is a premier resource for Airfares information.
for more information, go to http://www.airfareson.com
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