TIA To Build Official Travel & Tourism Websites Promoting America

Encouraging international travelers to “Discover America,” the Travel Industry Association (TIA) will build websites in multiple languages to promote the U.S. as a premier destination after winning a $3.9 million grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce, it was announced today.

TIA, with the assistance of leading travel industry partners, including several of the State Tourism Offices and Convention and Visitors Bureaus, American Express, Travelocity, Yahoo! and Fodor’s, will build, market and maintain a set of websites aimed at markets that account for roughly 75% of the international inbound travel market.

TIA initially will develop websites in English and Japanese over the next nine months to attract attention primarily from travelers in the United Kingdom, Canada and Japan. The second phase will include development of sites targeting residents of Mexico and Germany. TIA has retained Blue Canopy as technology integrator and Tribal DDB as lead agency to assist in the development and implementation of these sites.

“As the organization that represents the interests of the entire U.S. travel industry, we’re uniquely positioned to create world class websites that will provide relevant and meaningful information for travelers from key markets throughout the world,” said Roger Dow, President and Chief Executive Officer at TIA. “We opted for a prudent, two-phase approach to ensure the project’s success, and we’re grateful for the confidence shown in our organization by everyone at the Department of Commerce.”

Dow noted the importance of reaching overseas travelers in particular because that portion of international inbound travel to the U.S. has declined by 17% since 9/11, and the U.S. share of the world travel market has declined by 36% since 1992.

Web Sites Increasing Local Newspaper Penetration Markedly

According to a special release from The Media Audit, newspapers are increasing their market penetration beyond 60, 70 and even 80% with the help of their websites. Ten daily newspapers have achieved a net reach of more than 80%. The full report will be available at the Newspaper Association of America Marketing Convention in Las Vegas, January 28-31.

Bob Jordan, president of International Demographics, says "To improve the net, newspaper(s) are... making impressive gains in attracting viewers to (their websites.) As recently as 2003 just 30 daily newspapers had attracted more than 20% of adults in their immediate market to their websites. Our current numbers show 49 dailies have attracted more than 25% of adults and 30 dailies have attracted 30% or more."

Caribbean Trade Groups Team Up To Launch Marketing Company

Caribbean tourism officials unveiled a new marketing and branding company at the 28th annual Caribbean Hotel Association Marketplace reports Travel Weekly.

Called the Caribbean Tourism Development Co., the new entity is jointly owned and operated by the CHA and the Caribbean Tourism Organization. Each organization has a 50% share in the company, and the board of directors is chaired by Peter Odle, CHA president, and Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace, CTO secretary general. CTDC projects will be marketing-focused and event-oriented, said Odle.

"It has taken us a while to get here, but now we have one company responsible for marketing the Caribbean," said Allen Chastanet, CTO chairman and minister of tourism for St. Lucia. "The importance of tourism is finally beginning to penetrate this region. The Caribbean is one brand, and we all live and die by this brand."

New Starwood Capital Brand Appears To Be Baccarat

According to HotelBusiness a report out of Paris said that U.S. private equity group Starwood Capital is attempting to build hotels using the Baccarat brand that belongs to the French luxury crystal maker in which Starwood Capital has a majority stake.

The report said that Starwood Capital presented the plan at a Baccarat board meeting on January 25 and told other shareholders it would pull out of its equity stake in the glassmaker unless it gave an approval of the idea within 15 days. Two days earlier in a presentation at ALIS, Starwood Capital Chairman Barry Sternlicht hinted at the introduction of a new hotel brand shortly. The report said that Starwood Capital wanted to build hotels in Hawaii and the Caribbean.

A spokesman for Starwood Capital declined to comment, citing normal confidentiality rules applying to internal board meetings. "The only thing I can say is that the stated intention of Starwood is to develop Baccarat," the spokesman said.

Starwood Capital acquired an indirect majority stake in Baccarat when it bought France's Taittinger and Societe du Louvre for their portfolio of some 800 hotels in 2005.

Study: Emerging New Travel Trends

Expedia.com's latest study found US air traffic to be rising and predicted spring break to be as strong as last year, among other trends.

"Following the peak holiday travel season, many find that winter is a great time to beat the crowds and uncover off-peak travel deals," said Chris McGinnis, editor of the Expedia Travel Trendwatch (TM). He added: "But travel during winter is nothing compared to the take-off we'll see when spring-breakers head for resorts and popular destinations in March and April."

According to TravelMole, Expedia.Com in its study by Harris Interactive found:

Sixteen percent more US adults plan to travel by air this spring.
"All signs point to this spring break season being as busy as last year, continuing the pattern of the recent park winter holiday season," said Expedia.
Airlines are continuing to raise rates despite declining fuel prices.
Unseasonably warm temperatures in parts of the US could mean deeper discounts being offered in warm weather destinations such as Florida and the Caribbean.
Recent changes in passport requirements do not appear to be dampening interest in overseas trips, despite a weak U.S. dollar and concern over new passport requirements,
Americans are still traveling internationally.
The study found cruise pricing softest in the Caribbean, while pricing for European or Alaskan itineraries remains firm.

Air Travelers Seen Doubling By 2025

According to Reuters the number of air travelers is expected to double by 2025, rising to more than 9 billion a year, a body representing the world's airports said on Tuesday. The Airports Council International predicted air freight would triple over the same period.

In its Global Traffic Forecast 2006-2025, ACI said passengers passing through the 1,650 domestic and international airports its 567 members operate would grow an average 4% annually over the period. There are currently around 4.2 billion air travelers a year. Environmentalists say aviation is a growing source of carbon dioxide which contributes to global warming.

Asian air travel is set to increase 9% annually, led by India (10.4%) and China (8.1%), ACI said. By 2025, Asia will be challenging North America, which has held the top spot as the busiest global air passenger region since the dawn of civil aviation. Last year 1.5 billion people passed though North American airports against 897 million in Asia.

Travel To U.S. Off 17% Since 9/11

A 17% drop in overseas travelers to the United States since the September 11 attacks has cost the country more than $15 billion in lost taxes and nearly 200,000 jobs, a recent study has shown reports Yahoo!News.

Since the September 11 attacks, the United States has tightened security measures and toughened its visa and entry requirements. As a result, the country was ranked as the world's most unfriendly to visitors in a survey conducted last year of travelers from 16 nations.

"Our economic security is suffering from a drastic decline in overseas travelers and we are missing an extraordinary opportunity to strengthen America's image around the globe," said Stevan Porter, president of Intercontinental Hotels Group and chairman of the association's Discover America Partnership. "We are in the midst of a travel crisis."

The study by the Travel Industry Association said the U.S. market share of the $6 trillion worldwide travel market had dropped to about 6.1% in 2006, from about 7.5% in 2000. Since September 11, overseas travel to the United States has dropped by 17%.

The study, which looked at the economic ripple effect over time, said the drop resulted in 194,000 lost jobs, $25.9 billion in lost payroll and $15.6 billion in lost taxes to federal, state and local governments.

Emirates, Boeing Continue To Tinker With 747-8I

Emirates and Boeing are working to try and reduce the weight of the 747-8 Intercontinental so the airline can operate Dubai-Los Angeles with 400 passengers (a 50-ton payload) year round. "We need another 500 miles and we are not there yet," EK President Tim Clark said, indicating he wants more capacity than is available aboard the 777-200LR. "We think we can fill 400 seats a day."

According to Air Transport World, Clark said Boeing is seeing the airline next month to brief it on progress and he hopes to convince the manufacturer to build the original, lighter 3.6-m. stretch for EK, which wants 20 aircraft, rather than the 5.6-m. stretch sold to Lufthansa. He said the smaller stretch also would suit Emirates' network to Asia.

Hotel Industry Bullish On Long-Term Outlook

The U.S. hotel industry, four years into a recovery from the travel slump that followed the attacks of September 11, 2001, is likely to continue reaping higher profits for at least a few more years, industry leaders say. "I see nothing on the horizon that would slow it down," Bill Marriott, chairman and chief executive of Marriott International Inc., said at a lodging industry conference held in Los Angeles this week.

According to Reuters , he cited low U.S. unemployment, a strong global economy and tamer oil prices as factors underlying his estimate that the sector in is the "early to middle stages" of its typical economic cycle. PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP and Smith Travel Research have both projected that 2007 revenue per available room, a key measure of hotel financial performance known as revpar, will rise by 5.8% this year, compared with 7.4% last year and 8.5% in 2005.

The growth has been driven mainly by higher room rates, rather than occupancy gains. "We know the economy is OK through 2008. If the Republicans want to get re-elected, they'll find a way to keep the economy up," said Joe McInerney, president and chief executive of the American Hotel and Lodging Association.

Given the underpinning of a strong macroeconomic outlook, some say a more important indicator for the long-term health of the lodging market is likely to be the supply of new hotel rooms. "What hurts our industry is when we build more rooms than we can rent," said Mark Elliott, senior managing director at Hodges Ward Elliott Inc., a brokerage and investment firm specializing in lodging properties.

But the supply of hotel rooms -- constrained by conversions to condominiums, closures and high costs for land and construction -- is only now beginning to creep above growth in demand, according to forecasts.

Hotel Chain Exec Sees Tourism, Travel As Foreign Policy

Las Vegas casinos have long targeted big-spending foreign gamblers to help boost the bottom line. Look for an even broader version of that strategy to emerge far off the Strip now that Loews Hotels owns a nongaming property at Lake Las Vegas says Casino City Times.

Loews Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jonathan Tisch touts foreign tourism as a tool not only for making money but also for world diplomacy. "My belief is that travel and tourism can be used as an effective foreign policy," said Tisch, who is also on the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board. "When visitors come to this country it breaks down stereotypes and opens them up to seeing the America many only read about."

Travel and tourism in the United States generate nearly $654 billion annually, he said. But America's share of the world travel market has fallen from 9% to 6% since 1992. Business arrivals to the United States fell 10% to 7 million in 2004-05, while business visits to Europe grew 8% to 84 million.

Tisch said the negative perception of the United States, reports of long lines and rude treatment from customs officials and long waits for visas deserve some of the blame. For example, Tisch said, people in Brazil and India sometimes face waits of 100 days or more in getting a visa.

Booming Tourism Industry Sparks Baltimore Hotel Development

Businesses like it when tourists and conventioneers visit Baltimore -- but love it when they sleep over says The Baltimore Examiner.

According to the Baltimore Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, tourists added $2.96 billion to Charm City’s economy in 2006, a whopping $2.17 billion of that total coming from visitors who slept over. Keeping tourists overnight seems to be the key for hotels, and is a big factor in recent expansion.

“For years, we have talked about the lack of hotel rooms, and now we are getting them,” said Nancy Hinds, vice president of public affairs for the visitors bureau. “They can complement one another.”

According to the Downtown Partnership, a nonprofit group dedicated to the improvement of downtown Baltimore, there are 5,968 hotel rooms in downtown Baltimore, consisting of a one-mile radius from Pratt and Light streets.

New Orleans CVB Announces Aggressive Rebranding Campaign

Hotel Online has reported that the New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau is launching an aggressive, strategic marketing, public relations and direct sales campaign, designed to celebrate its authentic culture, lure domestic and international visitors back, preserve the city's leading industry (hospitality) and overcome misperceptions about New Orleans among consumers.

Prices, Not Politics, Slow Cuba Tourism

The number of tourists visiting Cuba dropped 3.6% last year due to high prices -- not political uncertainty over Fidel Castro's illness, travel industry sources told Reuters. An outbreak of mosquito-born dengue fever also scared some visitors away, they said this week.

A tour operator in Havana reported only one cancellation -- by a group of Russian tourists -- due to fears of political turmoil if and when the ailing Castro dies. The 80-year-old Cuban leader has not been seen in public since he underwent emergency intestinal surgery six months ago and handed over power to his brother Raul Castro.

Cuba's cash-strapped economy relies heavily on tourism for foreign currency earnings. But visitors fell to 2.2 million last year from 2.3 million in 2005, the Cuban government said. It was the first drop since the September 11 attacks on the United States hurt the travel industry worldwide in 2002.

Canadian tourism, source of 27% of Cuba's arrivals or about 600,000 a year, dipped for the first time in years, according to Cuban government figures. "Cancun and the Dominican Republic offered better deals," a Canadian diplomat said.

Tour operators said Cuba lost its competitive edge when it revalued its currency by 8% in 2005. They said tourists get more quality for their money elsewhere. The Canadian Association of Tour Operators warned Cuba last year that it was losing out to other Caribbean destinations due to the lack of adequate service for tourists, theft of luggage at airports and hotels, and a failure to attend to complaints.

Cuba expanded its hotel capacity to 44,000 rooms last year, one-fourth of them in 24 hotels administered by Spanish chain Sol Melia. The number of tourists visiting Cuba from Spain, Italy, Germany and France declined last year, while Britain became Cuba's second market after Canada.

Newspaper Blogs Are Instant "Letters To The Editor

Nielsen//NetRatings finds that traditional publishers are adopting interactive forums like blogs, where web traffic to the blog pages of the top 10 online newspapers grew 210% year over year in December, according to The Center for Media Research.

The overall unique audience growth to these online newspapers was 9% year over year. Unique visitors to blog pages accounted for 13% of their December 2006 Web traffic, up 9 percentage points from 4% in December 2005.

Carolyn Creekmore, senior director of media analytics, Nielsen//NetRatings, said "...It makes perfect sense for online newspapers, where responding to a blog posting is like writing an instant letter to the editor."

An Elite-Level Frequent Flier Card Isn't What It Used To Be

An elite-level frequent flier card used to be a passport to a better flying experience, offering access to special waiting areas, preferred seating and priority first-class upgrades. But lately, says the International Herald Trubune, frequent flier status has come to represent something else to many U.S. business travelers: a de facto insurance policy against more declines in customer service.

Airlines are reserving more choice seats for their best customers -- generally those who earn at least 25,000 "qualifying miles" in a calendar year. They are creating separate areas where certain customers can check in, get screened and even board faster. Passengers without that status often have to stand in lines that seem to be getting longer and longer. There are even discussions about whether to begin charging passengers for checking in luggage or for advance seat assignments; card-carrying elites would probably be exempt from those fees.

"Basically, the airlines are saying that if you're a frequent flier, you'll be protected against cuts in services and amenities," said Tim Winship, who is the co-author of "Mileage Pro: The Insider's Guide to Frequent Flyer Programs" and the editor of the Web site Frequentflier.com. "It's a subtle but important switch from the early days of loyalty programs, when belonging to a frequent flier program meant that you would be given additional services that went above and beyond the already good service you were getting."

Passengers have noticed a shift, too. "Becoming an elite flier doesn't mean you get anything extra," said Christopher Howes, a product manager from Minneapolis who is a Northwest Airlines frequent flier. "It just means that you avoid some of the headaches and hassles that are becoming more common."

Italy Sets Timeline For Sale Of Alitalia

The Italian government wants to start its sale of Alitalia by the end of the year and complete it within six months, the economy minister, Tommaso Padoa-Schioppa, said Wednesday reports the International Herald Tribune .

Padoa-Schioppa told a parliamentary hearing that the government, which announced on December 5 its intention to sell a major portion of its controlling 49.9% stake, could keep some shares in the airline, but probably not a "golden" share.

"I don't think there's space for a golden share," he said, confirming the state's intention to cede control over the unprofitable airline, which he said had failed to adapt to the increasingly competitive European market.

Casinos, Hotels Bet On Macau

The biggest gamblers in Macau aren't the guys lining up at the blackjack tables and slot machines. They're the casino and hotel owners betting billions that they can transform this backwater on the edge of the Chinese mainland into the Las Vegas of the East says ehotelier.

Already, Macau is overtaking the Vegas strip as the world's top gambling market. But such casino impresarios as Sheldon Adelson of Sands Las Vegas and Stephen Wynn of Las Vegas' Wynn Resorts have grander ideas: They're working on a makeover that will turn the former Portuguese colony and city of 450,000 into Asia's premier tourist destination and erase memories of the city's tawdry and sleepy past.

"If Macau wants to change its international image -- which has been a small, sleazy gambling place -- you have to offer more than baccarat," says Paulo Azevedo, executive director of Macau Business magazine. "You need shopping centers, you need big shows, you need big retailing, you need a variety of restaurants."

For now, the typical visitor to Macau is a day-tripper from Hong Kong or a nouveau riche high-roller from Shanghai. Newcomers such as Sands and MGM Grand want to see more families who will stay a few days, shop, take in shows and eat some pricey meals.

Starwood To Revamp, Rebrand Some Hawaii Properties

Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, Inc. plans to overhaul its Waikiki properties to include the repositioning and rebranding of the Moana Surfrider to a Westin, according to reports, and also plans to shift the entrance of its Royal Hawaiian Hotel.

The renovation project concentrates on Starwood’s four Kyo-ya Co. Ltd.-owned hotels in Waikiki, and includes the Sheraton Waikiki, the Sheraton Moana Surfrider, the Royal Hawaiian Hotel and the Sheraton Princess Kaiulani. The cost of the project is estimated at $400 million. The renovations are expected to be complete in 2009 says HotelBusiness.

The June 1 rebranding of the historic Sheraton Moana Surfrider into the Westin Moana Surfrider will coincide with guestroom renovations, a lobby facelift and other upgrades, according to the report. A full-service spa will go into the Surfrider Tower and a Westin Kids Club also will be added.

The historic Royal Hawaiian Hotel also will undergo extensive renovations. The entrance reportedly will be moved to accommodate the expansion of the resort's Royal Gardens and a new porte cochere will be added.

Music Cruises Lure Fans And Bands

Paul and Georgia Cantrell couldn't imagine a better place to hear Kenny Chesney sing his island-flavored country hits than a secluded beach in the Caribbean.So last winter, says USA Today, the San Francisco-area couple took a four-night cruise to the Bahamas that included a private, beach-side performance by Chesney, Dierks Bentley and "Big Kenny" Alphin of Big & Rich.

Aboard the ship, artists such as Little Big Town and Chris Cagle sat for Q&A sessions and chatted with passengers."To interact with them at the pool or run into them at a midnight buffet after they had performed was just a great experience," said Cantrell, a 40-year-old marketing researcher. So great that the Cantrells did it again on a cruise that sailed January 28 with superstar Tim McGraw.

They are among many die-hard -- and well-heeled -- music fans combining sun and sea with an intimate concert experience. Ray Waddell, who covers the concert industry for Billboard magazine, says the cruises are another way for promoters to tap the discretionary income of hardcore fans at an unsteady time for the concert business. Attendance at concerts was up 14% last year, but that followed years of decline, including a 3.8% decrease in 2005.

For the Country Cruise Getaway with McGraw, Live Nation, one of the country's largest promoters, chartered the 2,974-passenger Carnival Liberty. The three-night cruise departed Fort Lauderdale, and also featured Little Big Town, Cagle, Jamie O' Neil, the Blue Collar Comedy Tour, Jypsi and the Nashville Hitmakers. Tickets started about $1,100 per person and top out at $2,100.

New Airline To Link Small, Midsize Cities

A new airline will try to solve a frustrating conundrum for thousands of travelers: how to fly nonstop between two small or medium-size cities says The Wall Street Journal.

Within the next week, ExpressJet Holdings Inc., a regional airline once wholly owned by Continental Airlines Inc., is expected to launch a new carrier under its own name that will focus on point-to-point service -- direct flights without herding planes and passengers through hub airports -- using 50-seat jets. ExpressJet will go to 24 cities and fly only where there isn't currently any nonstop service -- routes like San Diego to Omaha, Austin to Albuquerque, Sacramento to Tucson, Kansas City to Raleigh and New Orleans to Jacksonville.

Ontario, Calif., near Los Angeles, will be the new airline's busiest city, with nonstop flights to 14 cities. Officials say exact schedules will be loaded in computer-reservation systems later this week. Flights will actually begin in April, with the full route network rolled out roughly west to east by May before the start of the summer travel season.

WRTA To Represent $18 Billion Worldwide Religious Travel Industry

Two of the most recognized faith-based travel industry authorities have launched the World Religious Travel Association (WRTA) to advise, build and connect the $18 billion worldwide religious travel industry.

Kevin J. Wright , President of the Religious Market Consulting Group, and Honnie Korngold, President of the Christian Travel Finder are the founders says TravelMole. They say they have established the organization in response to the growing demand for faith-based vacations and the increasing number of tourism companies entering or expanding their presence within the industry.

"WRTA's overall mission is simple and clear: We will advise and assist the travel industry in working with the religious market, and establish faith-based vacations as a key travel option for the religious consumer," said Kevin J. Wright, Executive Director of WRTA.

Major Hotel Brands See Big Opportunity In Asia

Major hotel brands, expecting another year of rising profits in the United States, have set their sights on Asia as the next big market for the lodging industry. According to ehotelier, InterContinental Hotels Group Plc, the world's largest hotelier which also operates Holiday Inn and Crowne Plaza hotels, "is investing in our brands and diversifying geographically. We're strong in east Asia," Andrew Cosslett, chief executive of the company, said on Tuesday at an industry conference held in Los Angeles. He said InterContinental already is the top hotel company in China as well as Japan, where last year it acquired a majority stake in All Nippon Airways Co.'s hotel management unit.

Others are angling for market share. "China is an enormous opportunity for us," said Steven Rudnitsky, president and CEO of Wyndham Worldwide Corp.'s hotel group, which also operates brands like Days Inn and Ramada. He said China's first Wyndham hotel is slated to open later this year and the company's Super 8 economy chain has proven particularly popular. "Eight is a very lucky number for China. Our partner has opened 50 properties so far," Rudnitsky said.

Hilton Hotels Corp. which earlier this year acquired its British namesake and international rights to the Hilton name, also has big plans for Asia, including India and China. Investing in India, with its "long history of English law," is more straightforward than China, which requires more caution, said Hilton President and Chief Operating Officer Matthew Hart.

Cosslett said China's government has "a long-term mission" to manage social development so they are not thrown out of power like the Communist regimes of Eastern Europe.

Carlson Added 78 Hotels In '06, Plans Accelerated Growth In '07

Carlson Hotels Worldwide has announced that it added 78 hotels and resorts to its five-brand portfolio in 2006, and it has plans to continue expanding in 2007.

According to the Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal the company ended the year with 938 hotels operating in 70 countries. Its brands include Regent Hotels & Resorts, Radisson Hotels & Resorts, Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts, Country Inns & Suites By Carlson and Park Inn.

In November, Carlson Hotels Worldwide increased its ownership of Rezidor Hotel Group as Rezidor became a publicly traded company. Rezidor manages four of the Carlson Hotel brands in Europe, the Middle East and Africa: Regent, Radisson, Park Inn and Country Inns & Suites.

Jay Witzel, president and CEO of Carlson Hotels Worldwide, said in a statement that the company is accelerating momentum in 2007 to grow toward 1,000 locations.

Rewriting The Room Service Menu

For all that hotels have done to make their bedding more luxurious, their décor more stylish and their lobbies smell better with a signature scent, one area that hasn’t gotten much of a makeover is the in-suite dining experience, otherwise known as room service.

Certainly, hotels have tweaked their menus to keep up with changing dietary trends, offering low-fat, low-cholesterol or Atkins-friendly options as the weight-loss winds have shifted. And some high-end hotels deliver food from a fancy restaurant on site, like the Trump International Hotel and Tower in New York, which lets guests enjoy meals from Jean-Georges and will even send a chef to cook in your in-suite kitchen (for an extra $75 an hour). But at the hotels where most business travelers stay, room service has not gotten the kind of attention that has been lavished on fancy spas and high-thread-count linens -- at least not yet says The New York Times.

That may be about to change, as more hotels focus on their food and beverage services, with an eye toward keeping up with their guests’ increasingly sophisticated palates, nonstop work schedules and desire for healthful meals.

“For many years, room service was looked at as, ‘Gee we have to do it,’ but now I think more hotels are looking at it as, ‘How can we solve our customers’ problems?’ ” said Michael Beam, managing director at HVS/American Hospitality Management, a consulting firm that spent several months last year researching travelers’ room service preferences.

Among the findings: people who travel 10 to 15 days a month order room service the most, and cravings are the No. 1 criteria when they select from the menu -- the research found hamburgers to be among the top choices -- followed by healthfulness. But the latter category does not mean a preference for bland tofu stir-fry or poached salmon.

“If anything, it’s a move away from traditional ‘healthy’ items to what I’d call balanced,” Mr. Beam said. “It’s reasonable portions of good things that you wouldn’t necessarily call health food.” Business travelers, it seems, would welcome any moves in that direction.

Tree House Hotels Branching Out

Some hoteliers are finding it’s just fine to go out on a limb says Hotel Interactive. Tree house style hotels have yet to be common but there are more than a dozen of them worldwide, including some in the United States. And most of them are not designed just for children. “Tree houses are branching out everywhere. They are no longer just childhood playhouses,” writes BootsnAll Travel.

“Living in a tree house is a childhood dream that many hold well into adulthood,” says hotel designer Juergen Bergmann. “Our tree houses are built like kids would have made them if we had let them,” he adds. He owns the Kulturinsel Einsiedel and adjoining tree house hotel located 70 miles east of Dresden near a town called Zwick. The town is about a three-hour drive south from Berlin.

His hotel there opened in 2006 has been labeled by the media as the first-ever tree house hotel in Germany. “It’s proving a hit with an adventurous breed of tourists,” says one Germany newspaper.

Guests sleep 30 feet above the ground in cabins perched on the branches of black locust trees. Guests climb to their cabins via ladders.

The tree houses are built without right-angles to create a more organic feel. They’re interlinked with wooden foot bridges. Each house has two or three floors connected by ladders and can hold up to four people. There’s a spectacular view of the deep woods and the Neisse River. The cabin spaces come with small balconies, electric lights, shared toilets and even showers -- but there’s no hot water. The cost is between 160 Euros and 220 Euros or about $190-$265 a night. The rooms are virtually booked solid, according to Bergmann.

“We offer more than lodging. We offer an experience,” he says.

Website Taps Into Ugly Hotels

Officials of Lodging Unlimited have created uglyhotels.com, a unique Web site that will serve as the base for acquiring “extraordinary potential” hotels.

The company has acquired its first property, the 245-room George Washington Hotel, in Williamsburg, Va. LUI plans to undertake a complete makeover of the property and convert it to an undisclosed upscale brand reports Internet Travel News.

“There currently are a tremendous amount of hotels trading hands,” said Morris Lasky, LUI president and CEO. “However, there is one class of hotels that has not seen as much movement, and those are what we call the ‘extraordinary potential’ hotels. Like the swan in the children’s tale, “The Ugly Duckling,” many hotels have another life in them, but that life needs to be uncovered. That’s what uglyhotels.com is all about, finding the ugly ducklings with extraordinary potential and giving them a new, profitable life. Usually, these properties are older and need substantial amounts of strategic capital infusion, as well as creative positioning to bring these hotels back to life.”

World Tourism Sets Record In 2006

World tourism set a record in 2006 despite fears of terrorism, bird flu and rising oil prices, the United Nations tourism watchdog has reported says Associated Press. A total of 842 million international tourist arrivals were recorded last year, an increase of about 4.5%, the Madrid-based World Tourism Organization said, citing preliminary data.

By regions, Africa posted the biggest growth rate at 8.1%, benefiting from travelers' fears of terrorism elsewhere in the world. "Although no destination is immune to terrorist attacks, sub-Saharan Africa in particular is seen as being a long way from the center of zones of tension and unrest," the agency said in a report. Africa is also a lure because of its natural resources, including wildlife, and appeal as a place for "authentic" experiences for vacationers, it added.

The region with the weakest growth was the Americas -- just 2.0% -- due mainly to stagnation in arrivals in North America, the WTO said.

Study: Talk Outweighs Advertising

First, a study released by BIGresearch, "Simultaneous Media Usage," confirmed what a number of earlier studies have found. More and more Americans are consuming media in bulk, not concentrating on any one medium at a time.

The poll of 15,000 consumers discovered that 68% of them use other media while watching TV, 69% while reading newspapers and 71% while online. At 57%, radio has the least amount of simultaneous media usage, probably due to the fact that many people listen to the radio while driving.

But when it comes to the question of which medium influences consumers most, reports eMarketer, the big advertising media all took a back seat to humble word-of-mouth (WOM), which may be far less manageable than conventional ad-supported media, but which also seems to be more effective.

"New digital options make it easier to give and receive options on products and services and it's no longer confined to one-to-one conversations," said Joe Pilotta of BIGresearch. "Online search, blogging, email, texting, video, streaming and social networks such as MySpace and YouTube have expanded the word-of-mouth universe and made traditional advertising less relevant for many."

BIGresearch reports that 94% of consumers regularly or occasionally give advice about products and services they purchased and 91% regularly or occasionally seek advice about products and services before making a purchase.

Super Bowl Hotels Costing Fans Five Times As Much

It's hard enough finding a moderately priced hotel room in Miami in the winter, but try doing it over Super Bowl weekend February 2 to 5 says an article in TravelMole.

A not untypical rate for a double room at the Miami Airport Holiday Inn is $190, wrote The New York Times. For the night before the Super Bowl, however, that same room goes for $430. And at the already pricey Delano, a deluxe room that would have cost $775 this winter is more than twice that amount, $1,625, on February 4. Despite the cost, many hotels are booked solid.

Many hotels are requiring minimums of up to seven nights during Super Bowl week. The very expensive Setai, for example, is requiring guests to stay a minimum of seven nights during Super Bowl for $950 a night.

Robert Tuchman, president of TSE Sports & Entertainment, told the Times his company was selling four-night Super Bowl packages with upper-level game tickets, but without air fare. His packages include an autographed football, a celebrity golf tournament and a Sunday morning chat with a former N.F.L. player or coach.

"When you couple the Super Bowl with a great location like Miami, hotels can charge five times their normal price," Mr Tuchman said.

Louvre Sets Mark For Yearly Visitors

The Louvre Museum had a record number of visitors in 2006 thanks to dynamic Friday night programming, successful temporary exhibits and a lecture series by Nobel Prize winner Toni Morrison, the Paris museum told Associated Press.

About 8.3 million people visited the Paris museum in 2006, up from 7.5 million the previous year, the museum said in a statement. Attendance has increased steadily over the past few years.

The statement did not mention any impact from the May release of Ron Howard's film adaptation of "The Da Vinci Code" -- part of which was shot in the museum. But Louvre officials have said they expected it to draw movie fans.

Both French and foreign visitors were on the rise, the Louvre said, without giving a breakdown. The Louvre invited Morisson to stage a series of lectures, readings, films, concerts and debates, which helped boost visitors in November.

Valet Parking Landing At Airports

Big airports are adding a service for time-pressed travelers: valet parking. More than a half dozen, including Miami, Indianapolis, Charlotte, Pittsburgh, Reagan Washington National and Los Angeles, have added valet service in the last year.

Cleveland, Atlanta and others are considering it says USA Today. Some airports offer extras with it: car wash and detailing, filling up the gas tank and inflating tires. With a record number of passengers, airports are adding the service to gain revenue, differentiate themselves from competitors and provide travelers with a time-saving convenience.

"It's good for consumers," says Mark Wildman, marketing executive of The Parking Spot, which recently introduced its first on-airport valet service at Dallas/Fort Worth. "People are inevitably running late when catching their flight." Airports benefit because they can pack cars into smaller space as attendants arrange them without concerns about blocking someone in, Wildman says.

Charges for the service and parking typically run $20 to $30 a day. Some airports, including John Wayne in Orange County, Calif., Cincinnati, Oakland and Columbus, Ohio, offer curbside service. For $23 a day, John Wayne passengers drop off and pick up their car at a designated spot on the departure level of the main terminal. At most airports, travelers have to park at a valet lot and walk or take a shuttle ride to the terminal.

U.S. Is Urged To Step Up Plan To Attract More Visitors

One year after the Bush administration vowed to try to slow the decline of overseas visitors to the United States, travel industry executives and some Democratic lawmakers say that the initiative needs to be stepped up says The New York Times.

The lawmakers and executives point to continuing delays in processing visas, staff shortages at international airports here and American consulates abroad and what they describe as a failure to promote the United States adequately as a travel destination since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

Officials at the Departments of State and Homeland Security counter that they have already made significant progress in addressing such problems. But Senator Daniel K. Inouye, Democrat of Hawaii and chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, and Senator Byron L. Dorgan, Democrat of North Dakota and chairman of the tourism subcommittee, say legislation is needed to prod the administration to do more.

“Announcing a new initiative is the easy part,” Mr. Dorgan said of the administration’s plan, which is intended to encourage tourism and business travel. “The follow-through is what is important. And the fact is the results so far have been less than impressive.”

Between 2000 and 2005, the number of overseas visitors dipped from 26 million annually to 21 million, according to the Travel Industry Association. In some places in Brazil, Mexico, Venezuela and the Dominican Republic, travelers still wait nearly two months or more to get an interview for a visa, State Department statistics show. And travel industry executives say that an effort to transform the Houston and Dulles international airports into model airports has made “marginal progress.”

Head Of Tourism Montreal Says City Must Clean Up To Attract Visitors

The head of Tourism Montreal said the city has to clean up if it wants to attract visitors reports The Canadian Press.

Charles Lapointe drove his point home in a speech to the Montreal Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce with a video presentation. It showed overflowing garbage cans, thousands of cigarette butts littering the street, trash on the road, holes in the pavement and benches in need of paint. He said the city and private companies as well must act quickly to reverse the situation.

Lapointe said Montreal is too often busy congratulating itself to pay attention to the "little horrors" that jump out at tourists. He said if people didn't believe him, they should read posts on the Internet about the city.

Rural Tourism Flourishing In China

Tourist spots in China's vast countryside receive 300 million travelers every year, reaping revenues of 40 billion yuan (5.13 billion U.S. dollars) as rural tourism and private cars are rapidly gaining popularity in the country.

Latest statistics from the National Tourism Administration (NTA) show 30 rural tourist spots around Shanghai received 3.91 million people last year, up 86% year-on-year China Economic Net has reported.

Shanghai plans to have 20,000 beds for tourists in these tourist spots in 2008 in the belief that rural tourism will stimulate consumption and create numerous job opportunities. Every year, 60 million urban tourists choose to go to the countryside during China's three "Golden Holiday Weeks" in May, October and during the Spring Festival period, according to the NTA.

Bahamas Minister Points To New Focus On Tourism

The Ministry of Tourism must evolve into a so-called tourism corporation if the entity is to respond effectively to "the new Bahamas", according to Minister of Tourism Obie Wilchcombe. The minister was addressing the third annual national tourism conference on Friday when he stated that "what (the Ministry of Tourism) did yesterday will not suffice in the changing Bahamas."

One of the ways in which The Bahamas is changing has to do with a shift in focus, according to Minister Wilchcombe. "Our concern is less and less on the numbers of visitors coming to our nation, but (more on) what those visitors are spending, and the fact that we have put in place the brand that attracts millions today tells me that what we should work on now is our product, ensuring that we are in fact delivering all that we promise," he said.

He outlined the function of this new corporation, which he said would provide the leverage to meet the expectation of all the islands in The Bahamas, The Bahamas Journal has reported.

"It is inconceivable to believe that the marketing and promotional dollars for the central government will be enough to continue to develop our product, promote and market the product," Mr. Wilchcombe said.

Seaportal To Open Hotel Doors And Phone Lines

Boston’s Seaport Hotel on January 22 unveiled Seaportal, an enhancement to its guest services which offers custom Web browsing and complimentary local and nationwide long distance phone calls for guests.

The direct calling capabilities on the in-room Web application is supported by VoIP technology from two-year old venture technology company BlueNote Networks’ SessionSuite SOA (service-oriented architecture) Edition software. Seaport is BlueNote’s first client to use SessionSuite says DMNews.

The portal provides on-demand Internet features in each guest’s room through a touch screen computer. Features include current hotel and local attraction information, video and audio entertainment, travel updates and access to e-mail.

Survey: Luxury Hotel Web Sites

Wealthy consumers have named Waldorf Astoria Collection's website the top luxury hotel site in the Luxury Institute's 2007 Luxury Website Effectiveness Index survey of Luxury Hotels says ModernAgent. The Four Seasons' website ranks a close second and Ritz-Carlton's website ranks third overall among the 13 luxury hotel websites surveyed. Wealthy consumers rated the luxury hotels on usefulness of content, ease of navigation, look and feel, and privacy and security.

Brands rated, in alphabetical order, include: Fairmont, Four Seasons, InterContinental, Le Meridien, Leading Hotels of the World, Loews, Mandarin Oriental, Park Hyatt, Ritz-Carlton, Small Luxury Hotels of the World, St. Regis, W Hotels, and Waldorf Astoria Collection. The proprietary Luxury Website Effectiveness Index survey is the only measure available of the effectiveness of leading luxury brand websites to wealthy Americans. A national sample of wealthy American consumers with a minimum household income of $150,000, were surveyed online. Survey results are weighted to match demographic and net worth profiles of the same audience according to the latest Survey of Consumer Finances from The Federal Reserve. For more information, call 914-909-6350 or visit www.luxuryinstitute.com. .