Top family beach resorts

More beach resorts are offering pools with water slides, no-cost children’s programs and other amenities that make them attractive, affordable alternatives for families looking for one-stop vacations, according to Parents magazine.

The magazine evaluated more than 200 beach resorts in the U.S. and the Caribbean, based on room rates and other costs, quality of children’s programs, variety of family activities, pool and beach area and other factors.

The May issue of Parents lists the 10 resorts the magazine deemed to best meet those criteria.

“Our winners are practically rolling out the red carpet for families on a tight budget,” said Sally Lee, editor in chief of Parents. “Great kids’ programs and perks are no longer exclusive to resorts with high price tags.”

The resorts that made Parents’ list offer seven-night vacations, May-September, for prices ranging from $129 a night to $500 a night (for an all-inclusive with meals and activities covered), with most falling under $250 nightly.

The resorts are Sheraton Grand Bahama Island Our Lucaya, Bahamas; Club Med Punta Cana, Dominican Republic; South Seas Island Resort, Captiva Island, Fla.; Atlantis, Paradise Island, Bahamas; Disney’s Vero Beach Resort in Florida; Beaches Negril Resort and Spa, Jamaica; Hilton Hawaiian Village, Honolulu, Hawaii; Ocean Edge Resort & Spa, Brewster, Mass.; Loew’s Coronado Bay Beach Resort & Spa, San Diego; and Rio Mar Beach Golf Resort Casino & Spa, in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico.

Details at http://www.parentsmag.com.

Myrtle Beach's 100-km Grand Strand offers a rockin' good time for your next family vacation

Myrtle Beach -- known to many as 'America's Beach Playground' -- is one of the most popular family vacation destinations in the U.S.

Famous for its 'Grand Strand' -- a 100-km strip of white sandy beach with nary a cloud, a boat or an island dotting the horizon to disrupt the view -- it's not hard to see why.

Boasting 14-million annual visitors, a wealth of history, a never-ending amount of things to see and do, Southern hospitality and cuisine that can't be beat can be found any way you turn along the beautiful South Carolina coastline.

One of the main reasons for Canadians to trek south of the border to Myrtle in the month of March is the CanAm Days festival -- an annual week-long celebration hosted by Myrtle Beach to honour the area's annual crop of northern visitors. The ones they so fondly refer to as 'our Canadian snowbirds' in that unmistakable thick and slow Southern twang.

Myrtle Beach's nearest neighbour is a town by the name of Conway -- a 17th-century settlement nestled on the Waccamaw River, littered with Civil War reminders and remnants of its rich colonial history.

Quaint and quiet, the streets of Conway are lined with alternating American and Canadian flags during CanAm days and it doesn't take long to track down a few fellow-Canucks, such as Bob Jarrett and Mel Beatty from Ontario -- big grins on their faces, telling tale after tale of the many things that keep them coming back to Myrtle Beach year after year.

Brookgreen Gardens and the Huntington Sculpture Gardens Tour will truly take your breath away. And with a $12 admission that's good for seven days, you'll have time to see all the sculpture, horticulture and history you could dream of.

Considered one of the seven wonders of South Carolina, four former rice plantations have been combined to create the Huntington Sculpture Gardens. Opened to the public in 1932, the gardens now house more than 1,200 sculptures that stretch as far as the eye can see. There's also the Lowcountry History and Wildlife Preserve. And, most remarkable of all, the Lowcountry Trail and Ricefield Overlook -- a boardwalk stroll that will leave you standing in the exact spot where, a mere 200 years ago, thousands of enslaved Africans worked the rice fields.

For another history lesson on the controversial pre-Civil War South, visitors can take a walk through Litchfield Plantation. Established in 1750, Litchfield was one of the largest and most prosperous rice plantations in the 'Low Country' of South Carolina.

The old plantation house built in 1750 still remains, but is now a charming country inn resort offering Southern hospitality at its finest.

If a beachfront hotel on the strip is more your thing, the Anderson Ocean Club is a reasonably priced, full-service, five-star family hotel in the heart of the Grand Strand, with rooms ranging from studio-size to three-bedroom.

For the discerning business traveller looking for luxury tucked away from the hustle and bustle of Myrtle Beach, the Marina Inn at Grande Dunes is an unexpected gem.

Set adjacent to the picturesque Intracoastal Waterway, the rooms at Marina Inn go from the modest-yet-magnificent Mediterranean Club Suites to four-bedroom luxury, with stunning views of the water and surrounding golf courses.

Though the golfing in Myrtle Beach is world renowned, the links aren't the only place for the big kids to go out and play.

Top-of-the-line rollercoasters, state-of-the-art attractions and interactive amusements are all found at Hard Rock Park. It's the world's first rock'n'roll theme park and the first new major attraction to be built in the U.S. in nearly a decade.

The 20th Annual Run to the Sun Car Show is another must-see pit-stop on the CanAm Days schedule, featuring more than 2,500 cars and trucks and attracting more than 80,000 visitors every year, with muscle cars and street rods bearing plates from as far away as Saskatchewan.

And don't forget The Carolina Opry's presentation of Calvin Gilmore's Good Vibrations Show. The song and dance montage of music from the '60s, '70s and '80s is family entertainment at its finest.

And if you think the kids won't dig it, ask them how they feel about the famous foursome of teen heartthrobs known as All That, who tap-danced their way to the top in 2006 on NBC's hit show America's Got Talent.

Whatever your pleasure, rest assured Myrtle Beach is not just for retirees and golfers. With an uninterrupted beach longer than California's, weather far more reliable than in Florida, and a plane trip that's just a skip over the border from Canada, Myrtle Beach is the perfect getaway destination for vacationing travellers of all ages.

Y'all should see for yourself now, y'hear?

The quiet side of Hawaii

There's a lot you might expect from a family vacation in Hawaii -- sandy beaches, swaying palms, steel guitars, a surfer or two. But seclusion? Hawaii's hot beaches can be heavily populated -- unless your family heads for Molokai.

This minuscule island is far from the madding crowds of Maui and only a puddle jump by air from the worldly excitement of Oahu. Settled long ago by leprosy sufferers who were banished to Molokai beaches then promptly nearly forgotten, the island has avoided mass development in the century since.

The leper colony is long gone. But in its wake, Molokai's inland terrain, which is dry and desert-like, has proven more attractive to ranchers and pineapple growers than tourists. These days the island is well kept and well guarded by locals fiercely holding fast to old Hawaiian traditions. Many say this Pacific isle conveys how Maui, Kauai and Oahu were 50 years ago, before they were discovered by resort developers.

FRIENDLY ISLE

Known as "the friendly isle," it is said Molokai (MO-lo-kye-EEE) is home to an "aloha spirit." Indeed, the few locals that you meet on this sparsely populated place are calm and welcoming. They drive slowly, amble through the aisles in the grocery store and take time to enjoy their own scenic views.

While the other isles of Hawaii are friendly, their citizens move at a more mainland pace. Which is exactly why Molokai is ideal for family travel. Besides taking in the sea, the palms and that consistently warm breeze, there's nothing much to do on Molokai except enjoy one another's company.

The island is the fifth largest in the Hawaiian archipelago. It's about 60 km long and approximately 16 km wide, with a seemingly small 40-km expanse between Molokai and Oahu. On our first night there we watched the sun set prettily behind Oahu's Waikiki Beach, which lies due west across the channel.

Much of Molokai's terrain is ranchlike -- similar to Australia's Outback or inland California. It is dry, treeless, hot, brown and sparse -- the antithesis of what you'd expect from a lush Hawaiian island. Cowboys have worked its land for years, especially on Molokai's western half.

This dry land is in stark contrast to the island's edges where, close to the sea, the terrain livens up. There's plenty of green, lots of palms, an ultra-blue sea and steady rolling waves that will lull you to sleep. As you travel east along the single highway that extends across the island, Molokai's terrain becomes more verdant. Molokai's eastern end is significantly more beachy and lush.

Among Molokai's family friendly fun are activities that are, like the island, low key. Kids love horseback riding along Molokai's rugged trials or cycling along its only road, which enjoys little vehicular traffic.

The island is so small, from the road and trail there's always a fabulous view of the sea. Molokai is home to Hawaii's only barrier reef -- ideal for snorkelling. Molokai's sea cliffs are among the highest and most dramatic in the world. Your kids will recall the spectacular views from the movie Jurassic Park III.

Sea kayaking is popular. And while Molokai isn't a Mecca for Hawaiian surfing, its smallish waves are decent enough to learn on. The island is also the birthplace of the hula dance.

Lodging and nightlife on Molokai is different than the hotel fare you find on Maui. There are no large hotel chains and few fancy restaurants.

UK to test new face recognition system at airports this summer

LONDON - British border officials say they plan to test a new facial recognition system at airports this summer to see if it can boost security and reduce overcrowding.

The Home Office says details about the scope of the program will be released in the coming months before it is put into operation.

Iris scanners are already in use at many UK airports for travellers who register for the program.

The British newspaper The Guardian said Friday that travellers with British or European passports with embedded biometric data can use the new system.

Unmanned security gates with computers will be set up to scan each person's face to determine if it matches passport data.

Some experts are skeptical about whether the technology is ready for widespread use.

Brazil wants to require approval for all foreigners heading to Amazon

BRASILIA, Brazil - Foreigners who want to visit the Amazon region may soon need permits from Brazil's government.

National Justice Secretary Romeu Tuma told The Associated Press on Friday that the government plans to send Congress a bill to require the permits within months. It is meant to prevent foreign meddling and illegal activity in the world's largest remaining tropical wilderness.

The law reflects long-standing suspicions among conservative politicians and the military that foreigners working to help Indians and save the rain forest are actually spearheading an international attempt to wrest the Amazon and its riches away from Brazil.

Tradition dies as 102-year-old Grand Canyon shop forced to close

GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, Ariz. - At a time when tourists visited the Grand Canyon in stagecoaches, they did their souvenir shopping at a tent set up by a man named John George Verkamp.

It was 1898, before the Grand Canyon was a national park, before there was a National Park Service and before Arizona was even a state. Not many had the means to visit the 1.6-kilometre-deep gorge, so it was mostly just a handful of adventurers, prospectors, the American Indians whose people had lived there for centuries, and the Verkamps.

These days, the Grand Canyon has luxury lodges and cute coffee shops. The only thing it won't have come September is the Verkamps and their store, Verkamp's Curios.

The family's final chapter at the canyon began in 1998, when Congress passed a law that reversed giving preference to established businesses when issuing contracts. A company that had never operated at a given park now could outbid anyone if it had a better proposal - even if the competition had been there for more than a century.

The Verkamps scrambled, spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on appraisals, environmental consultants, financial advisers and lawyers - all in an effort to prepare to face off against major corporations that could vie to run the gift shop Verkamp opened in a permanent building on the South Rim in 1906.

When the National Park Service issued the store's final prospectus last July, the family chose to give in to what they call "bureaucratic process fatigue."

"There's just so many hoops to do what you've always been doing," said Susie Verkamp, the 60-year-old granddaughter of John George Verkamp. "It kind of wears you out."

Susie Verkamp said there also was really no one left in the family to run the shop, which has been managed by someone other than a family member since 1995, although the Verkamps have maintained an active involvement.

Park Service spokesman Jeffrey Olson said the 1998 law shows the public that there is no favouritism in issuing contracts to concessioners.

He acknowledged that not everybody is happy with the law but said small businesses shouldn't lose sight of their own advantages.

"If I were a big business going up against somebody who had been in business for generations, I don't know that I would think I had this thing in the bag," he said. "Incumbency, when you talk about political circles, has a lot of weight."

The Park Service turned down three companies that put a bid on taking over the Verkamps' building, saying the Grand Canyon had plenty of gift shops on the South Rim. The agency compensated the Verkamps more than $3.2 million for the building, park spokeswoman Maureen Oltrogge said.

Park Superintendent Steve Martin said the structure may be used as a visitors' facility or a Grand Canyon history museum, which does not yet exist.

Martin said the Verkamps' story "is part of the settlement of the West and the American dream."

Mike Anderson, a Grand Canyon historian who has written three books about the canyon's history, described the Verkamps as pioneers and their shop as a mainstay of the canyon community.

"John G. Verkamp was there at the onset trying to make a living off Grand Canyon tourism when it was really still in its infant stage," Anderson said.

He said Verkamp's first customers would have primarily been the wealthy who took trains from the East to Williams, where they had to hire a stagecoach to travel the remaining 97 kilometres to the canyon.

The Grand Canyon Railway, built in 1901, made the trip a bit easier, but it wasn't until 1930, when the automobile became affordable for the average American, that the middle class started showing up at Verkamp's in larger numbers, Anderson said.

By 1936, the Depression had taken its toll on Verkamp's other business interests, so he moved his wife and four children to a two-bedroom apartment above the shop.

The Verkamps' chocolate brown, two-storey store hasn't changed much in its 102 years. It still sits about 30 metres from the edge of the Grand Canyon and it still sells hand-selected items from local American Indian artists and regional traders.

Woven Navajo rugs hang from the ceiling, deer and buffalo heads eye customers from the rustic, wooden walls and people warm themselves in front of a giant, crackling fire.

Verkamp ran the store until he died of a stroke in 1944 at the age of 67. Two more generations of his family managed the store until 1995, when the Verkamps hired someone outside the family to take over management duties.

Susie Verkamp and her six brothers and sisters also grew up in the apartment upstairs. The brood learned how to swim in a pool near the edge of the Grand Canyon, and played hide-and-seek, red rover, and kick the can in the nearby woods.

Verkamp said people always ask her if she and her family take the Grand Canyon for granted, considering it was their backyard.

"On the contrary," she said. "We have a certain intimacy with the canyon and love that couldn't be further from taking it for granted," Verkamp said from her home in El Prado, N.M., where she's lived since 1989. "It gives you kind of a unique perspective on life. We always had an understanding that the human species is a very small part of the big picture."

LeAnn Koler of Cleveland recently fulfilled a lifelong dream to visit the Grand Canyon and stopped by Verkamp's to do some souvenir shopping.

"It's kind of sad to see a family-run business go," Koler said after buying a turquoise ring, silver earrings and a shot glass for her collection. "It's nice to go to a store that's not a chain like Wal-Mart. You'd rather give a family your business than a chain."

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If You Go . . .

Verkamp's curios: http://www.verkamps.com/ or 888-817-0806. This is the final summer for the 102-year-old store on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. It will close in September.

Grand Canyon National Park: http://www.nps.gov/grca/ or 928-638-7888.

Canada and Mexico drive increase in tourists visiting United State

GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, Ariz. - When Steve Meissner of Berlin bought a 1956 butter yellow Cadillac online, he could have simply had it shipped from Arizona to Germany.

Instead, he flew to the U.S. with a buddy, hopped in the Caddy and began a road trip that included the Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon and Zion national parks in Utah, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles.

"This is adventure. This is cruising," Meissner said recently as he shopped at a roadside stand on the popular south rim of the Grand Canyon. "Driving west with a '56 Cadillac - that's a dream."

Like an increasing number of foreign travellers to the U.S., Meissner couldn't resist taking advantage of the weak U.S. dollar and gas prices here.

"Our euro is so up, and gas is dirt cheap," said the 45-year-old wedding photographer, who shipped the car to Germany after his adventure. "We pay $8 a gallon in Germany, so we enjoy pumping gas at three bucks a gallon."

International visitors to the United States increased to more than 56.7 million people in 2007, an 11.1 per cent increase over the previous year, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. Visitors from Canada, Mexico, England, Japan and Germany top the list.

Although international visitors in the U.S. are up overall, the Washington, D.C.-based Travel Industry Association points out that the numbers are being driven by Canadians and Mexicans. Commerce Department figures show numbers of overseas visitors are still about two million below those prior to the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

"With the dollar at an all-time low, this is a phenomenal bargain," said Travel Industry Association president and CEO Roger Dow. "We're not realizing the numbers we should. We certainly have a long way to go."

Grand Canyon National Park officials don't track visitors' nationalities but say they've noticed a sharp increase in international tourists in the past year or so and estimate that they now make up about 40 per cent of all visitors to the massive gorge.

"Every other group is speaking a different language," Grand Canyon Superintendent Steve Martin said. "You have Brits, people from Australia and New Zealand and India and a number of Asian countries and Hispanics. It's just incredible."

Martin said domestic visitation to the Grand Canyon likely is staying constant. Overall visitation to the Grand Canyon increased to more than 4.4 million tourists in 2007, a 3.1 per cent increase from the previous year.

That reflects more visitors going to national parks across the country. The national park system recorded more than 275 million tourists last year, a one per cent increase over 2006.

The large, iconic national parks in the West, including the Grand Canyon, Rocky Mountain, Yellowstone, and Yosemite parks, saw some of the largest increases.

Park Service spokesman Jeffrey Olson said it's difficult to explain the trends but attributed some of the increases at the iconic parks to pent-up visitation.

"People just love those Western parks," he said. "Maybe they hadn't been to see Yosemite for three, four or five years or so, and the guy just says, 'Marge, we have to go to Yosemite this year,' and they do."

Olson also suspects foreign travellers are boosting the numbers.

"The Canadian dollar is much stronger, the euro is much stronger, and that translates into good travel deals in the United States for Europeans and Canadians," he said. "If people overseas had postponed a trip the United States for a couple years or so, the strong euro was probably a nice incentive to make that trip."

John and Christine Rickard from England's Isle of Wight recently took advantage of the U.S. economy, taking a three-week trip to the Western United States that included stops in the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Las Vegas and San Diego.

"You're really feeling the pinch at the moment," Christine Rickard, 66, said with a wink at one of the Grand Canyon's stunning overlooks.

"We just had a cup of hot chocolate and it was half of what we would have paid in England," John Rickard, 68, said. "It's very worthwhile coming here in the present circumstances."

Tom Sargent, manager at the Desert View General Store on the south rim of the Grand Canyon, isn't complaining.

"We're really happy to have the foreign visitors," he said. "Without them, we'd be up a creek."

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On the Net: Grand Canyon National Park: http://www.nps.gov/grca/

National Park Service: http://www.nps.gov/

Airlines tout celebrity chefs to lure travellers

First-class airline passengers can say goodbye to mystery meat.

While complimentary meals have all but disappeared for most coach flights, there's a whole new culinary landscape for first class. In the latest effort to lure customers and create buzz, airlines are serving up gourmet menus cooked up by celebrity chefs.

Travellers flying to South America or Japan on United Airlines can feast on award-winning chef Charlie Trotter's appetizer of sauteed prawns and crispy short rib wontons with organic Thai barbecue sauce and chilled sweet-and-sour cucumber relish. Going to Europe on American Airlines? Try the rosemary-scented shrimp drizzled with garlic sauce and served with lemon rice and artichokes.

"Everything has been upgraded," says Stephan Pyles, who is known for his creative southwestern cuisine and has signed on as one of American's three culinary celebrities. "Just as the customer in a restaurant has become more sophisticated, refined and demanding in terms of their food, that demand has filtered to the airlines."

For Delta, hot Miami chef Michelle Bernstein came up with entrees such as roasted chicken breast with goat cheese and pepper pesto crust served with polenta and ratatouille. Pair that with a wine picked out by the airline's sommelier or shake it up with a "Mile High" mojito from Rande Gerber's signature cocktail menu.

"Shaking the cocktails in the aisle, it's a very exciting and cool part of the atmosphere of the aircraft," says Jake Frank, Delta's director of product development and delivery.

For those stuck in coach, on the other hand, an airline somelier might sound like a punchline.

Thanks to financial pressures that began with the 2001 terrorist attacks and have only worsened as fuel prices have soared, complimentary coach meals have become an endangered species. Continental is the only major U.S. airline that still offers complimentary meals - designed by their "Congress of Chefs" - in economy class for domestic travel.

While most of the gourmet action is in first class, Delta Air Lines enlisted celebrity chef Todd English to design its fee-based coach meals - a chicken bistro salad with goat cheese crostini and organic spinach for US$8 - available on certain flights longer than 2 1/2 hours.

"There is no question that competition is fierce in this industry and we are looking for ways to differentiate," says Frank. "People will choose to come back with us, creating repeat business and loyalty."

Preparing and presenting airline food still has its challenges that even celebrity chefs can't alter. Airline meals are prepared cafeteria-style hours before they are served, and food 30,000 feet in the air doesn't behave the same way it does on the ground.

"Just because the food is gorgeous and delicious in a restaurant doesn't mean it will be that way in the plane," says Bill Oliver, vice-president of the Boyd Group Inc., an aviation consulting firm.

Travellers seem to agree. Websites dedicated to user reviews of airlines abound with tales of disappointing food.

"Although it sounded promising, this meal tasted as if it was prepared last month," one first-class passenger travelling from Atlanta to Zurich wrote on AirguideOnline.com.

Others, however, have seen more promise. "This was probably the best meal I've had in an airplane," a business-class flyer going from Newark to Honolulu wrote. "The steak, though slightly overcooked, was tender and juicy, the vegetables were fine, the risotto cake was delicious, and the sauce accented the meal nicely."

If it's not quite restaurant quality, don't blame the chefs. Aircraft pressurization can make food dry and flavourless, says Guillaume de Syon, a history professor at Alleghany College who has written about the history of airline food. Pressurization can affect passengers, too.

"Your taste buds change, your breathing changes, you get stuffed up and it affects how things taste. You become very thirsty and people tend to drink alcohol, when they should be drinking water," de Syon says.

And while the meals are designed by a celebrity chef, they certainly aren't made by them. The thousands of meals served each day are prepared at airport catering companies like LSG SkyChefs or Gate Gourmet.

US Airways and Northwest decided not to join the celebrity chef trend. Instead, US Airways announced last fall it has upgraded its first class and fee-based coach menus to provide healthier and better quality food.

"We don't think that customers really care who 'designed' their meals or that they choose which airline they're going to fly because of the celebrity chef. They just want the meals to taste good," US Airways spokeswoman Valerie Wunder explained in an e-mail.

This isn't the first time airlines have turned to celebrity chefs to dazzle passengers - the trend has come and gone through the decades, Oliver says. Opting out may be a smart money-saving move for airlines.

"The travel decision is based on three fundamentals: pricing, schedule and frequent flyer card," he says. "I just don't see food being in the top three."

English understands the in-flight challenges, but says the food doesn't have to suffer because of the environment.

"It's 30,000 feet in the air, but now people can get a decent organic salad and a cheese and fruit plate with a nice glass of wine," he says. "How hard can that be?"

Passengers to be hit in the pocket as airlines cope with rising fuel prices

MONTREAL - Canadian travellers should brace for a wave of higher fares and new charges this summer as airlines struggle to cope with soaring fuel prices, industry observers said Friday.

Air Canada (TSX:AC.A) started the ball rolling by announcing plans to charge its lowest-fare customers $25 to check a second bag on North American flights.

"The consumer has to pay in the end, there's no other way around it," FareCompare.com chief executive Rick Seaney said in an interview.

He said airlines, particularly in the U.S., can't continue to post massive quarterly losses in the face of dramatic increases in their largest operating expense.

The new charge for Air Canada bookings made after May 15 will start July 15 for passengers who buy Tango and Tango Plus tickets.

Customers can still receive a discount when travelling without checked luggage.

The new policy will not affect international travel, which will continue to allow two checked bags within weight limits at no additional cost. North American flights connecting to international travel also aren't affected.

"In an environment of record high and unrelenting fuel costs it is more critical than ever that the airline reviews its product offering to ensure it can continue to offer everyday low fares," stated Duncan Dee, the airline's chief administrative officer.

Canada's largest airline is also reviewing its baggage policy to determine if the maximum size or weight of bags should be reduced.

WestJet (TSX:WJA) and Air Transat (TSX:TRZ.A) said they have no plans to charge to check a second bag.

The charge at Air Canada follows the lead of several U.S. carriers, including at least one that plans to charge to reserve a window or aisle seat.

Fares in the United States have increased by three to six per cent since September, with another five per cent tacked on this week.

Delta CEO Richard Anderson said airlines need to raise fares by 15 to 20 per cent to break even if oil hits US$120 per barrel.

Seaney predicts summer travel is going to be very expensive for U.S. travellers, and that Canadians aren't immune.

"Over the next four weeks, you'll see an increase and I think you'll see them pull back a little bit mid to late summer when the softness starts to occur," he said of Canadian fares.

Rival WestJet, which eliminated fuel surcharges in 2005, said it is monitoring the situation but has "no definitive plans" to increase fares at this time.

"There is the potential to see increased prices this summer if this continues," spokesman Richard Bartrem said from Calgary.

Transat spokesman Jean-Michel Laberge said the airline has no plans to increase the surcharges updated in February.

Airline analyst Jacques Kavafian of Capital Research Corp. said Canadian airlines have been able to cope so far because a 10 per cent growth in the number of domestic passengers has absorbed the higher fuel costs. Also helping is the stronger loonie which has shielded Canadian airlines from U.S.-priced fuel.

Canadian airlines still increased fares by four to six per cent last year.

"I think they are going to keep increasing fares to compensate for the rising fuel price," Kavafian said.

He said airlines will continue to look for new revenue sources to mitigate the fuel increases, and consider ways to improve fuel efficiency.

Air Canada has reduced its fuel consumption by 24 per cent since 1990 by renewing its fleet. WestJet has enjoyed 34 per cent fuel savings by switching to Boeing 737 Next Generation planes with bent wing tips.

They have taken a series of steps to save fuel, including the use of fewer engines to taxi on tarmacs, satellite navigation systems to ensure more direct routes and lighter catering trolleys.

Brussels Airlines this week began to slow the speed of some of its aircraft. Cutting the speed of its Avro regional jets by 15 to 20 kilometres per hour is expected to save $2 million per year, but add only a minute or two to short haul flights.

Air Canada has already reduced the speed of some aircraft. Onboard computers allow Canadian airlines to program planes to fly the most cost-efficient way. Some flights slow down mid flight if tail winds put them ahead of schedule.

The drive for fuel efficiency has also prompted Brussels Airline to consider updating its fleet by purchasing Bombardier's (TSX:BBD.B) new CSeries. The aircraft promises 20 per cent fuel savings by using composite materials and a new engine.

"Every manufacturer that presents today an aircraft that has a better performance ratio and that consumes less fuel will produce a winner on the market," airline spokesman Geert Sciot said in interview.

Some European low-cost carriers may be the models of future charges. They charge for airport check-ins not made by Internet, all luggage, and the use of credit cards.

"You can be rest assured that every bean counter at every airline has looked at every possible thing," Seaney said.

Dirty Dancing in Chennai India Hotels

Police arrested three employees at a posh hotel in Chennai India on Sunday night, charging them with organizing entertainment for guests without a valid license.

Police said a team that inspected the hotel around 10 p.m. found girls performing a disco dance in a hall where liquor was also being served to the guests.

The police arrested the hotel employees and are on the lookout for the hotelier. Cases under Section 34 and 76 of City Police Act have been registered. Further investigation is on.

I'm having flash backs to Footloose and Dirty Dancing right now. You have to respect the laws no matter how upscale your hotel may be. Hotel promoters are willing to adhere to the strict regulations, but want the Government to take note of the changing face of Chennai and adjust the rules and regulations accordingly.

Sunken Ship Reefs in the 1,000 Island Region

The Eastern Ontario Artificial Reef Association has unveiled their plan to sink an old navy warship in the St. Lawrence River. Their goal is to create an artificial reef for drivers to explore.

I have always wanted to explore sunken ships! I think has something to do with me wanting to be a pirate as a small child.

The site the group has proposed is in the 1,000 Island region near Gananoque Ontario, just east of Kingston, however the exact drop site will be revealed on Friday. With hopes that the new ship can generate 10,000 new visitors a year as well as taking the pressure off of the already deteriorating wooden ships divers can explore at this point.

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Hampton Hotels Lost Landmarks

Hampton Hotels has launched a very cool new feature on their website. Lost Landmarks is an interactive program that calls for wannabe detectives young and old to investigate some of today's most mysterious pop-culture disappearances. The Lost Landmarks launch is part of the complete redesign of www.hamptonlandmarks.com and aims to track down these - and other - famous artifacts from the U.S., Canada, and Latin America that have seemingly vanished into thin air.

This is what they have to say:

"We invite everyone from the somewhat curious to the expert artifact hunter to visit hamptonlandmarks.com and investigate these great pop-culture mysteries," said Judy Christa-Cathey, vice president of marketing for Hampton Hotels. "These beloved pieces of pop culture have gone missing, unbeknownst to many people. We're hoping with the online help of industrious fans, we can bring these Lost Landmarks back to where they belong and help preserve them for future generations."

What a great way to get people interested in Hampton Hotels, while at the same time giving people an opportunity to find treasure. I for one love treasure and will be checking the Hampton Landmarks website regularly.

BlackBerry Thumb treatment

We live in a culture of internet addicts. Everyday it gets worse and worse. You know it is bad when words like 'CrackBerry' are invented and thrown around in terms of needing your BlackBerry to live. It sounds silly to some people, but to others it is just a way of life. The Sheraton Hotel chain has a program in place to aid head-hand addicts on vacation, supplying them with a place to lock away their palm pilot of choice. Now Hilton Hotels and Hyatt Hotels are offering guests guest treatment for 'BlackBerry Thumb.'

Yup BlackBerry Thumb is the real deal. Basically it is a stress injury to the hands caused by over use of the thumb keyboards on BlackBerrys and similar devices.

Available at locations throughout North America, Hilton pairs a 30-minute hand massage and heat treatment for $30, while Hyatt is offering a similar massage and heat treatment called the 'BlackBerry Balm' for $80. Both aim to help ease the pain caused by the malady.

source: http://www.smartphonetoday.com/

The Vineyard Hotel Cape Town wins awards

The Vineyard Hotel and Spa in Cape Town South Africa was Awarded a high honor this week at the Imvelo Awards for responsible tourism. The awards, hosted by FEDHASA and the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry in Alexander Township, are judged according to the responsible tourism guidelines for the South African hospitality industry and the UN World Tourism Organization's code of ethics.

The Vineyard Hotel won 'Best practice - economic impact' and was a finalist in the 'Best social involvement program' for the hotel's positive impact on local communities.

I like to see when world-class hotels are recognized for being more than world-class luxury machines. Taking time to be part of the community is important to any business, whether they are big or small. Too many big companies - hotel industry related and otherwise - have their blinders on, cutting costs and corners to make as much money as possible. What some people tend to forget is that large luxury resorts, factories, and the like can affect the environment and even culture around it.

Michael Jackson takes over a hotel

I, like many people, seemed to be under the impression that Michael Jackson was not just a musical icon, he was a broke musical icon. After recent drops in record sales and numerous legal problems I assumed that the spending would slow down...

This is not so.

Michael Jackson and his 25 person entourage have taken over two floors of the Hempel Hotel in London's Notting Hill. The price tag on taking over two floors of a hotel? It hovers around £75,000 (US$142,080). Small change I suppose if you can support an entourage that big.
Jackson, who is in town to receive the World Music Awards' Diamond Award - presented to the superstar for selling more than 100 million albums during his career - is even taking measures to keep his children safe and healthy by asking the Hempel Hotel staff to remove all candles from his children's rooms and insisting complimentary chocolates are not supplied. Instead of the chocolate Jackson has asked for freshly squeezed fruit juices and smoothies.

I actually think that freshly squeezed fruit juices and smoothies is a good idea. I would love a tasty fruit juice smoothie on the nightstand when I check into a hotel room. He may be on to something there.

Chef Ramsay lands in New York

Celebrity Chef Ramsay is famous from the Hell's Kitchen reality cooking competition. For those not familiar with the show the premise was Ramsay pitting a small army of want-to-be chefs head to head for a chance to become a head chef at a Ramsay owned restaurant. Now he is taking his talent to the Big Apple. New York City will be getting an up close and personal taste of Chef Ramsay's food in the Luxury London NYC Hotel (formally the Rihga Royal Hotel New York), aptly named Gordon Ramsay at The London.

New York City is famous for eating out isn't it? I've heard that on average New Yorkers eat out four times a week. I guess if you are going to eat out constantly it should be at an amazing restaurant in a 5 star hotel rather than McDonald’s.

Hey, if Ramsay is living in the USA now do you think he'll ever turn up on Iron Chef America?

• New York City Hotels
• London NYC Hotel (Rihga Royal Hotel) New York City
• Gordon Ramsay Home Page

Borat steals hotel chairs

Have you heard about the worldwide phenomenon that is Borat? He is a character played by Sacha Baron Cohen who you might know as Ali G, or that French race car driver from Ricky Bobby. His claim to fame is the new documentary Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan.

There has been a backlash against Borat in recent weeks. Several people who played a part in the Borat mockumentary are trying to sue because they didn't like how they were portrayed in the film. Now there are more reports that Sacha Baron Cohen, in character as Borat, narrowly escaped police custody after playing a prank in New York’s Wellington Hotel.

In the middle of the night, Borat and his film crew started carrying furniture out of the Wellington Hotel. The night manager, who wasn't having any of that, stopped them and called the police. Borat "ran out of the hotel as fast as he could." It turned out the furniture had been taken from a Sheraton hotel in New Jersey.

Hiroyuki Sakai treats the Observatory Hotel

Hiroyuki Sakai treats the Observatory Hotel

Anyone who knows me knows that if I get a chance to work Iron Chef into anything it makes my day...And yes, today my day has been made.

Last night Iron Chef Hiroyuki Sakai treated guests at the Observatory Hotel to an amazing 7 course meal that was kept top secret until the last minute. The menu focused on Australian produce and featured Hiroyuki Sakai's signature dish prawn with escallop mousse. Sakai will prepare two more dinners this week at a ticket price of $495 a head.

I'm a pretty picky eater, but I think I may even throw down the money and my taste buds to try something prepared by an Iron Chef, especially Hiroyuki Sakai the Iron Chef of Iron Chefs.

If you've never heard of Iron Chef I suggest you check it out. It was an amazing Japanese cooking show battle that took place in Kitchen Stadium and pitted world class 'challenger' chefs again Iron Chefs. They are given a secret main ingredient and 1 hour to create as many original dishes as possible. They are then judged by a panel of celebrities and/or food critics.

You can also catch an American Version of Iron Chef that airs on the Food Network, but it is pretty watered down compared to how extreme the Japanese version was. Maybe the English voiceovers did it for me.

FA Cup Final Boosts the price of a hotel in Cardiff

A room at the West Ham team hotel for the FA Cup Final in Cardiff this month has reached more than £1,100 in a bid at auction on the internet.

The room originally went for £245, and someone is was selling it on ebay. I just checked the auction, and unless someone makes another bid the 2 night 'stay at the luxurious Vale of Glamorgam Hotel along side the West Ham United Football team' will go for £1,750.00 (or around $3,228.05 US).

That is what I call devotion to a team! I guess if you can afford it, do it right? Personally I'd stick to a nice Cardiff Hotel that I didn't have to sell my soul to sleep in.

St. David's Hotel is in tune with your tunes

When you first walk into a fancy hotel you are usually greeted with the warm sounds of classical music. Perhaps it is Greensleeves or Pachelbel’s Canon in D. You check in, and make your way to the elevator where the music gets slightly louder. Then you make your way to the hotel's restaurant and some how the song that you thought you'd left in the elevator picks up right where it left off. Finally after your third course and the forth version of Greensleeves you have had enough. In one last valiant attempt for your sanity you spill wine all over your dinner guest's clothing ruining everyone's night and possibly the entire trip!

If you know this scenario all to well you may want to get on the mp3 bandwagon just like St David's Hotel & Spa in Cardiff. Guests at the hotel are completely free from listening to repeat music thanks to an MP3 style selection of more than 20,000 songs.

Management at the St David's Hotel & Spa have detected that the so-called iPod generation doesn't appreciate bland tunes playing in the background, and would much rather listen to the music they choose.

St David's has responded to customer taste by installing technology that will provide guests access to a 20,000-strong music library in each of its private dining and eight conference rooms.

Hotel Bathroom...of the Future

It has always bugged me that when I'm in the bathroom in a hotel I can't watch my morning news. Luckily for me The Charles Hotel in Cambridge Massachusetts has teamed up with a company called Séura to bring us the solution to my problems.

It seems Séura is the creator of the mirror television. This amazing invention is a television display that when turned on is a TV in your mirror, and when turned off completely invisible. This has to be the next step to a Star Trek world and is the greatest idea since doors that open themselves! This Boston Hotel isn't the first hotel to do this, and I'm sure it will not be the last. The MGM Grand currently has them in their Skylofts.

There are an endless number of companies looking to make our future easier. Hey who knows, maybe one day we won't be afraid of the sheets in your hotel room.

Road Trip Travel Tips

This summer I will be taking some time to visit the Calgary Stampede in Alberta Canada. Like every good trip we have planned out a few major activies that have to be done, from taking some time to check out the mountains to what Stampede Breakfasts we will be visiting every morning! We know how much everything is going to basically cost, and we know which hotel in Calgary we will be staying in. Everything sounds like it is running smoothly right? So here is the twist:

6 people in one car for almost 20 hours. That is right this is Road Trip. So I thought I would put together a few tips for everyone driving across their own state, province or country this summer in search of a family vacation. The less stress there is the more fun everyone will have.

Family Road Trip Tips:

• For older kids, give them a "travel budget" of maybe $5 or $10 that they can use to make a purchase in the airport or at a rest stop during a car trip. Having the ability to make some choices while in transit might be a great distraction.
• Prepare a map to chart the trip. Give kids a map to help them understand where they are and how far it is to the destination.
• Give each child a responsibility for the trip. Depending on their age, it might be taking care of their own luggage, organizing the games they want to bring along or preparing a mixed tape the whole family can listen to.
• Bring some classic travel games such as Battle Ship, Checkers, Scrabble, Trouble (a personal favorite), or sorry all of which come in travel sized games!
• Put the child with the shortest attention span, or that gets sick easily, next to the window; if your child is placid, give them a book or crayons and give them a middle seat or if they always feel the need to be a part of things, put them in the middle so they won't have to disturb everyone else to be a part of the action.
• Do not feed your kids a lot of snacks with sugar to avoid bouncy off the walls in the back seat

Staying Healthy on Vacation

I've always loved traveling. You get a chance to experience a new city, meet new people, bond with old friends, and yes, eat a lot great food. Eating is one of my favorite things to do on a trip. Of course there are a lot of times when you aren't eating very well. Fast food, salty chips, and sugary drinks… the list goes on and on. There isn't much more you can do than grab a bag of chips and a soda when you are 30 miles in between two cities

Luckily for us there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Health magazine and AOL CityGuide recently put together a list of the healthiest hotels in America. These healthy hotels offer amenities such as quality fitness facilities, healthy food, spas, and stress-reduction services.

• Four Seasons, Boston
• Topaz Hotel, Washington, D.C.
• Starwood's Westin Times Square, New York City
• The Peninsula Chicago
• Mandarin Oriental, Miami
• Starwood's W Atlanta
• Las Vegas Sands' Venetian, Las Vegas
• Watertown Seattle
• Hotel Vitale, San Francisco

Edmonton Oilers are Going to Anaheim

After a nail-biting overtime victory The Edmonton Oilers are going to meet The Anaheim Mighty Ducks head on in the Western Conference Finals. Playoff hockey fans from all over North American are going to be heading to Arrowhead Pond to see these teams do battle. But while in Anaheim where are the best places to stay...No...Not in the packing lot, I do not think your wife would appreciate that. So what are the best hotels in Anaheim for all you Edmonton Oilers fans to cram into? I will tell you.

1. Best Western Raffles Inn And Suites

   Not only is the Best Western Raffles Inn and Suites a mere 7 minutes away from the Arrowhead Pond and your NHL playoff experience, the room rates start at only $24. What a deal that is! You get to see you team, bring all you friends, and even still afford to get a drink at the game if you are so inclined!

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2. Best Western Anaheim Inn

   The Best Western Anaheim Inn in Anaheim is in a great location for a quick cab ride to the Oilers Vs Mighty Ducks game and a short victory walk home. The staff is friendly and easy going, and prices can start as low as $89.00 which is pennies when you split it to the 5 guys you are going to want to split the room with!

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3. Days Inn Disneyland West

   The prices start as low as $50.00 a night, the rooms are spacious, the staff in great and very accommodating, and to top it off you are only 8 minutes from the NHL plays offs! Imagine the energy that will surround this hotel that night when your team wins!

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4. Days Inn & Suites Anaheim Resort

   The Days Inn & Suites Anaheim Resort is a comfortable hotel with everything a crazed NHL playoff Hockey fan needs: A big enough room for him and all the friends he is going to make at the game, and an affordable price. This gem of a hotel is only an 8 minute trek to and from the Arrowhead Pond.

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5. Holiday Inn Suites Anaheim

   The Holiday Inn Suites Anaheim is a big more expensive than the other choices, but this Anaheim Hotel is still a great deal. The food is great, the rooms are spacious and you only need to take an 8 minute journey to get to the Oilervs VS Ducks game at Anaheim's Arrowhead pond!

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So there you have it some great hotel choice for your trip to Anaheim to watch Edmonton Oilers and Anaheim Mighty Ducks play in the Western Conference Finals. Agree with my choices? Disagree and think you have a better hotel for the list, let me know - leave me a comment!

The Best All Inclusive Hotel In Greece

You heard it right! To correspond with the upcoming Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest movie, Disneyland is introducing the Pirates of the Caribbean Suite. The new suite can be found at the top of the Sierra Tower in the at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim.

The Spanish Colonial suite features Old World rugs, dark-stained hardwood floors, and even wooden beams overhead. It may seem like a pirate's plunder, but the suite provides all the comforts a person…or a pirate… could ever need, including a 42-inch plasma TV, surround sound stereo, and a wet bar.

The Captain's Quarters (or Master Bedroom for all you landlubbers out there) have a vintage canopied four-poster bed, cast iron light fixtures, decorative artwork inspired by the Pirates of the Caribbean films and attractions, oh, and a 37-inch LCD TV. The Master Bath rounds out this part of the suite with the same Spanish styles surrounding modern luxuries such as a Jacuzzi tub and a steam shower.

Meanwhile, the kids will enjoy their own pirate stronghold. The second bedroom features a more playful rustic theme and pirate themed furniture. It is perfect for kids with big imaginations, or who are just fans of the movies. Did I mention the door bell even sings Yo Ho, Yo Ho, A Pirate's Life For Me?

This Pirates of the Caribbean Suite should be an amazing addition of the Disneyland Hotel.

The Best All Inclusive Hotel In Greece

Greece has some of the most beautiful landscapes, seascapes, and culture the world has to offer. And The Silva Maris hotel in Greece is one of the most beautiful all inclusive resorts in the world.

Silva Maris operates as an all-inclusive resort hotel where you will find a plethora of activities to keep you busy, or if you want to, you can just lie on the beach or by one of the pools and relax. The four-star hotel on the beach built in the style of a traditional Cretan village is washed by the brilliant sunshine of Crete and its beautifully proportioned gardens enhance and embellish the natural low stone walls and small piazzas.

The Best Honeymoon Hotels

The perfect honeymoon is the perfect cap on a wedding. Relaxing together in that first week of marriage is what every newly wed couple really needs. So I've come up with two great suggestions of romantic honeymoon hotels and resorts...I mean if relaxing in the lap of luxury on a tropical island is your idea of romantic tropical paradise that is.

1. The Palms - Turks & Caicos

   

   The Palms is a beautiful, elegant Carribean Hotel. This honeymoon hotel is a luxury all-suite resort situated on 450 feet of beach on the shores of Providenciales in Turks and Caicos Islands.

   Housed in low-rise coral stone buildings, the bedrooms feature mahogany four-poster beds and ocean-view travertine terraces. The Penthouse Suite even comes with an outdoor garden shower and chauffeur service.

   If you are looking for rest and relaxation for your honeymoon The Palms hotel is perfect for you.

   Click Here to learn more

2. Taha's Pearl Beach Resort & Spa - Tahiti

   

   The Taha'a Pearl Beach Resort and Spa is an exotic luxury honeymoon hotel Resort located on the island of Taha, a small island approximately 140 miles west of Tahiti.

   The beauty of this Tahiti Honeymoon Hotel is it's privacy. You can only reach Pearl Beach Resort by private boat or helicopter, and every one of the beach and over water bungalows measures in at 1,400 square-feet.

   Click here for more information.