by Editor | Aug 27, 2007 | Luxury Travel
Buddy James Seiner of the South Dakota Office of Tourism
An increasing number of travelers, including Americans, place their trust in complete strangers when it comes to researching and booking their vacations, according to the inaugural Lightspeed International Travel Trust Index Report, released by boo.com, an online travel website and booking agent. The research reveals that peer reviews are growing in power, with nearly one in five travelers posting a review following a vacation.
Although friends and family are respondents’ top choices for travel advice, 70 percent of survey respondents let their fellow travelers be their guide, using peer reviews when making booking decisions. They trust online reviews and travel sites above print and broadcast media stories, travel agents, travel brochures and travel guides.
“The internet has become a major avenue for our marketing efforts and our inquiry numbers have shown the fruits of our labor. We realize that more people are not only planning their trip online, but researching it as well. I imagine that online articles based on first hand experiences play an essential role in much of this research,” said Buddy James Seiner, outdoor media and PR representative of the South Dakota Office of Tourism. From August 1, 2006 to July 31, 2007, 80 percent of the tourism inquiries of that state were online.
Ray Nolan, CEO of boo.com
“Peer reviews have rapidly changed the travel booking process,” said Ray Nolan, CEO of boo.com. “We have introduced a boo trust rating index which enables reviewers to earn the trust of the rest of the community based on the number of reviews they have submitted and how useful these were considered. This takes some of the risk and anonymity out of the whole decision-making process.”
Americans cherish their annual vacations, and almost half of respondents admit to saving for most of the year to guarantee their two weeks of vacation time is enjoyable. Ensuring their vacation budget is well spent requires some effort. Researching a holiday destination can be a time-consuming and sometimes stressful process.
To ease this process, more than three quarters of consumers are opting to research and book their vacations online. Only 17 percent of people surveyed preferred to book their travel through an agent. Travelers from developed countries with widespread high speed Internet access stand out for their online enthusiasm. At the same time, tourism destinations and properties are quickly adapting and offering customers the tools they seek – and seeing results.
Researching travel destinations and hotels online is fast becoming travelers’ preferred method of information gathering and sometimes booking. What travelers seek is credible and reliable first hand information about destinations. Whether it’s outdoor destinations like South Dakota, Belize and the Florida Keys; game viewing properties in Namibia, South Africa, and Zambia; rental villas in Trinidad and Tobago or top of the line hotels in major metropolitan areas; travelers want direct access to destination and property information.
Brian Davidson, group sales and marketing director at Legacy Hotels & Resorts
“Roughly 25 percent of our bookings are delivered electronically. This includes GDS, GDS Portal, Expedia, hotels.com, Central Reservations and tour operator websites,” said Brian Davidson, group sales and marketing director at Legacy Hotels & Resorts, a South Africa based hotel and resort company.
“Yes we receive more and more direct bookings off the Internet. Possibly about 15 percent of all our bookings come direct to us over the internet and this figure is increasing. It is impossible to tell how many people see our information on the Internet and are then prompted to visit us as a result but they book us through an agent. Quite a number I should imagine,” said Nick Aslin, managing director of Norman Carr Safaris in Zambia.
Travelers want to see photos, communicate directly with the property they plan to stay at and have the option to book online. They also want to know what online publications and previous guests have to say. Savvy properties are offering prospective guests that information by linking to online articles and feedback from past guests.
“At least 70 percent of our bookings are partially or wholly made on line and influenced by articles and editorial information on line,” said Nancy B. Wexler, sales and marketing director, Tranquility Bay & Indigo Reef Cay Clubs in Marathon Key, Florida.
Mervyn Sifontes, owner of Villa de Lena, a rental villa in Tobago, is confident the villa’s advantageous pricing accounts for its solid booking calendar. At the same time, he indicates 95 percent of the bookings are online, 30 percent generated from his own website.
“Casa del Caballo Blanco Lodge is relatively new and has yet to build a solid base of past guests which in turn leads to word of mouth marketing and referrals. So it’s safe to say nearly 100 percent of their bookings are now coming from online articles and editorial exposure. They have yet to establish themselves (website) in the major search engines so what traffic they are enjoying comes primarily from media mentions and articles,” said Dave Wiggins, a spokesperson for Casa del Caballo Blanco Lodge in Belize.
According to an article in eTurboNews, a recent survey in Asia by online booking agency HotelClub shows a similar trend among Asians. The majority of respondents to that survey (51 percent) surf the web to research travel purchases. They also rely on word of mouth (26 percent) and magazines (7 percent) for travel information.
As part of the survey, Lightspeed International asked 2,000 consumers in the United Kingdom and Ireland, 2,000 consumers in the USA and 500 in Canada about their travel research and booking preferences and habits. Lightspeed International is an interactive online market research solution provider.
by Editor | Jul 2, 2007 | Luxury Travel
Article and photos by Elena del Valle
A week of road travel in off the beaten path South Dakota just as spring was warming in early June left an impression. Although with only 780,000 residents the state is sparsely populated we never felt lonely. As we made our way across South Dakota, small towns that were just dots on the state map blossomed into state parks, historic and Native American sites, and popular attractions such as the town of Deadwood. We also took time to visit the world famous Mt. Rushmore National Monument and Crazy Horse Memorial.
Striking scenery, unspoiled and uncrowded attractions, welcoming residents and affordable prices made South Dakota noteworthy. In our whirlwind weeklong trek we drove east to west starting in the state’s most populated city, Sioux Falls, and departing from Rapid City on the western border near the Black Hills. On our way, we spotted ring neck pheasant, turkey, prairie dogs, mule deer (including a female with triplets), prong horn antelope, wild horses, peafowl, and bison.
We stopped in Watertown, home of the lovingly restored historic Mellette House, where the first governor of South Dakota resided; and the Redlin Art Center, an ode to Terry Redlin, oil painter and Watertown native. We were fortunate to arrive at the Sisseton State Park during the closing day of the fort’s annual historical festival, a potpourri of historic and military reenactments, American Indian dancers, music and western products for sale.
The following morning found us in the town of DeSmet enjoying a guided tour of author Laura Ingalls Wilder’s restored Victorian house; and the nearby Laura Ingalls Wilder Homestead, a former working farm converted into a popular tourist attraction, where we had a glimpse of life in the old west.
We spent the night in Pierre (pronounced “peer”), the state capital, where the weather was picture perfect. During our stay, we explored the interesting Cultural Heritage Center, and enjoyed an outstanding sunset boat ride on the Missouri River. From Pierre we drove west to the Badlands National Park. En route we enjoyed a brief visit at Wall Drug Store, home to an art collection, various shops, attractions, fudge factory, ice cream shop, restaurant and bookstore all under one management.
We stopped at the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation where we visited the Lakota Sioux Heritage Culture Center Complex. We also had an opportunity to chat with local residents Emerson and Jerilyn Elk, owners of Cankpé-Opí Crafts, who showed off their bead artwork and shared insights about the Wounded Knee Massacre.
We arrived at Hot Springs in the Black Hills in time for a hearty dinner. The following morning we visited the nearby Wild Horse Sanctuary, home to more than 500 wild horses, on our way to the famous Wind Cave National Park, the fourth longest caves in the world set below 28,000 acres of prairie and pine forest. We spent that night at the cozy and delightful French Creek Ranch bed and breakfast – a favorite.
Before turning in for the evening we visited the Crazy Horse monument, a work in progress for the last 50 years and going strong. The following day, we braved windy and cold weather, to enjoy a brief stop at Mount Rushmore National Monument. On our way to Rapid City, we went to see the handsome bronze sculptures at Kevin Costner’s Tatanka Story of the Bison attraction before stopping for a yummy lunch at the Latchstring Inn in Spearfish Canyon. We flew home the following morning reminiscing about a week that began with gentle and green scenery along sleepy towns and ended with the conspicuous Black Hills and stories of Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane.
by Editor | Jun 18, 2007 | Ecotourism, Luxury Travel
Costas Christ, chairman of the Tourism for Tomorrow Awards judges, Andrew Skeat, Great Barrier Reef, Lisha Mulquenny, Great Barrier Reef, Jean-Claude Baumgarten, president, WTTC and Jeff Hanle, Aspen Skiing Company
Lisbon , Portugal – The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) recently announced the winners of the 2007 Tourism for Tomorrow Awards at the 7th Global Travel & Tourism Summit. The Awards recognize and promote best practices in tourism development around the world. The 2007 winners in the four categories are: Destination Award Great Barrier Reef, Australia; Conservation Award, Aspen Skiing Company, United States; Investor in People Award, Nihiwatu Resort , Indonesia; and Global Tourism Business Award, Lindblad Expeditions, United States and global.
The winners were selected by a panel of five judges chaired by Costas Christ. The judging process included on-site evaluation visits of award finalists by a team of sustainable tourism experts. The judges were Christ, judging chairman, Tourism for Tomorrow Awards, United Kingdom; Graham Boynton, group travel editor, The Telegraph Media Group, United Kingdom; John Briceño, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Natural Resources, Local Government and the Environment, Belize; Fiona Jeffery, managing director, World Travel Market, United Kingdom; and Hitesh Mehta, director of Ecotourism, EDSA Landscape Architects, Planners & Graphic Designers, United States.
“Over the past few years, we have witnessed a positive growth in environmentally sustainable business activity not only among the Travel and Tourism industry but also beyond. Consumer consciousness has encouraged companies, and especially WTTC companies, to engage in sustainable programs by delivering environmentally friendly products,” said Geoffrey Kent, chairman, WTTC. “While there remains a need to generate profit, the Tourism for Tomorrow Awards are helping demonstrate that companies can balance business and economic growth with ethics and sustainability.”
The 2007 awards were sponsored by Adventure in Travel Expo, British Airways, Espírito Santo Tourism, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, Opodo, Reed Travel Exhibitions and TAP Portugal. Media partners include 4hoteliers, BBC World, ETurboNews, National Geographic Adventure, Newsweek, Simon & Baker Travel Review, The Telegraph Media Group, TravelDailyNews, the Travel Channel, TravelMole, Travel Weekly, TTN Middle East and WOW.travel.
“The 2007 Tourism for Tomorrow Awards winners represent a major turning point in the global tourism industry. Gone are the days when there were only a handful of ecolodges or a few small tour operators who were doing sustainable tourism successfully. Today’s best practice models also represent major tourism destinations and global tourism companies that are helping to protect cultural and natural heritage and support the well being of local peoples,” said Christ during the ceremony.
WTTC is a forum for business leaders in the travel and tourism industry. The organization counts among its members chief executives of one hundred of the world’s leading travel and tourism companies. WTTC works to raise awareness of travel and tourism as one of the world’s largest industries, employing approximately 231 million people and generating over 10 per cent of world’s gross domestic product.
Photo: World Travel & Tourism Council
by Editor | Mar 5, 2007 | Accomodations, Luxury Travel
An elephant in South Africa’s famous http://simonandbaker.com/kruger
Many websites point to Simon & Baker Travel Review articles including Expedia owned TripAdvisor.com. The popular website, where visitors share their opinions about hotels and attractions, features hyperlinks to more than 70 Simon & Baker Travel Review articles in the Expert Guidebook section.
TripAdvisor.com has links to Simon & Baker articles about international destinations and properties such as Kamalame Cay in The Bahamas, Plantation Club in the Seychelles, Royal Island in the Maldives, Guanahani Hotel in St. Barths (France), and Azulik in Tulum, Mexico.
It also points to many South Africa reviews such as Deception Valley Lodge, Cape Grace and Mount Nelson hotels in Cape Town, Ten Bompas Hotel in Johannesburg, Garonga Thornybush and Singita Lebombo game lodges in the http://simonandbaker.com/kruger area.
In the U.S., TripAdvisor directs visitors to read about Cheeca Lodge Hotel in the Florida Keys, Derek and Houstonian hotels in Houston, 1801 First, Beach House Half Moon, Honor Mansion, Omni San Francisco, Inn Above Tide, and Sea Rock Inn in California.
Recent Simon & Baker articles featured luxury accommodations and attractions in Tobago (Trinidad & Tobago), Cape Town and bush camps in Zambia.
by Editor | Feb 5, 2007 | Accomodations, Ecotourism, Luxury Travel
Investor in People Award finalist 10 Knots Development Corporation/El Nido Resorts, Philippines
The World Travel & Tourism Council recently announced 12 finalists in four categories for the 2007 Tourism for Tomorrow Awards. The Tourism for Tomorrow Awards recognise and promote leading examples of best practice in responsible tourism development in four categories: Destination, Conservation, Investor in People, and Global Tourism Business.
Destination Award finalist Australia’s Great Barrier Reef
The finalists were selected from 130 applications from over 40 different countries representing seven continents. The finalists for the Destination Award are Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, Greenbox Trading As Responsible Tourism, Ireland and The State of Vermont, USA. For the Conservation Award, they are Aqua-Trek in the Fiji Islands and USA; the Aspen Skiing Company, USA, and the Caiman Ecological Refuge in Brazil.
Conservation Award finalist Caiman Ecological Refuge, Brazil
For the Investor in People Award they are 10 Knots Development Corporation/El Nido Resorts in the Philippines; the Nihiwatu Resortin Indonesia and the Sunderbans Jungle Camp in India. For the Global Tourism Business Award, the finalists are Lindblad Expeditions in the USA and Global; Six Senses Resorts & Spas in Thailand and Global and Wilderness Safaris in South Africa.
Global Tourism Business Award finalist Lindblad Expeditions
One of our teams visited three Wilderness Safaris properties in Botswana. To read about their experiences click on the name of the property Camp Okavango, Xigera and their favorite, King’s Pool.
*Photos: 10 Knots Development Corporation/El Nido Resorts, Australia Great Barrier Reef, Caiman Ecological Refuge, and Lindblad Expeditions.
by Editor | Dec 18, 2006 | Luxury Travel
The Digital Photography Book cover
The Digital Photography Book: The Step-by-Step Secrets For How to Make Your Photos Look Like the Pros (Peachpit Press, $19.99) by Scott Kelby offers a useful series of one-page vignettes organized by category. It is a quick read and helpful tool for photographers wishing to address specific challenges like taking sunset or wildlife photos, landscape, forest or people shots, etc. It’s designed in a series of approximately 200 short articles particularly handy for someone who already is familiar with digital photography. It is written in an easy to read style with minimum technical jargon, practical advice and a sense of humour.
According to Kelby, The Digital Photography Book is all about “sharing the pro’s secrets about how to get dramatically better-looking photos every time without having to learn all the technical things about photography or your digital camera.”
Author Scott Kelby
“It’s not the camera that makes a shot professional, it’s the user,” Kelby said. “The pros know the tricks to get great results no matter what kind of camera they use. You don’t need to learn all the technical things about your camera; you just need to learn to take better photos.”
Scott Kelby is editor and publisher of Photoshop User magazine, editor-in-chief of Nikon’s Software User magazine, and publisher of Layers magazine, the how-to magazine for everything Adobe. Scott is president and co-founder of the National Association of Photoshop Professionals (NAPP) and president of the software training, education, and publishing firm KW Media Group.
Scott is a photographer, designer, and an award-winning author of more than 30 books, including The Photoshop Book for Digital Photographers, Photoshop Down & Dirty Tricks, Photoshop Classic Effects and is series editor for the “Killer Tips” books series from New Rider publishing.
