Archive for the ‘Travel’ Category

from Brian Mundy:

In 1991 I had the honor (with a group of American travel agents) of hosting IQOTC’s first St. Patrick’s Irish fam trip, and to participate in our first live Parade in Limerick. My wife and I have returned every year since, taking with us over those years almost 800 travel agents from almost every state in the USA. It has been an amazing 16 years; with more precious memories than we could have ever dream’t about.

Last year Cheryl and I decided that the 2007 St. Pat’s fam would be our last – BUT WE LIED! It was such a success that we have bowed to enormous pressure from many sources in Ireland and have decided to give it one more blast!!

We’ve selected all 5-star hotels (the Dublin accommodation on the last night is being kept as a “surprise” for the moment) for our little jaunt – check them out on their websites. And our Irish office is working on many other “surprises” that will be included in the final program.

I hope you can join Cheryl and I on our 17th consecutive trip. We will take spouses/companions at the same cost providing space is available. However, the trip will be strictly limited to 30 guests.

Contact Brian Mundy at www.iqotc.com

Came into Greenville SC a little early and went to Port City Java for a cup of coffee and to get a little work done online. There were already several people working on their laptops. The connection was good and never had a problem with speed or being kicked off.

1941 Woodruff Rd.
Greenville, SC 29607
864.289.9890
www.portcityjava.com

Decatur Travel Agency has been in the Decatur area for 25 years and going through a new growth phase, and I’m glad to be part of growth with this new web site.

Under the hood:
The site is coded to load fast and fit in any browser window. There are a couple of php scripts to pick up random travel pictures. I think this makes the site look larger, because when you go back to a page you will see a different picture.

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I could go on and on, but I would like to get your feedback on what you think of the site.

Orlando Info

Orlando Info is the web site for Orlando and Orange County cvb, Convention and Visitors Bureau. And this site provides plenty of information for any visitor.

I like this site, lots of color, lots of information that’s easy to get to. The layout is like a catalog, each topic has a title, photo, short description and a link.

Orlando Info uses CommonSpot as the template, a content server managed web site. There were some simple errors under the hood, but nothing I saw would create problems for a browser.

There’s not many cons, but if I had to pick one, I would say it could be a little friendlier, it feels a little pushy, but that´s me.

Angela E. Fairfax
American Express Travel

Laurie Gluck
Gluck Travel

Sam Maynard
World Ventures

Karen Page
The Travel Authority

Libby Voy
BMD Travel Services

ALL ABOARD THE AMTRAK
CRESCENT DEPARTING FOR THE BIG EASY, NEW ORLEANS NOVEMBER 2-4,
2007

Itinerary

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2

DEPARTING FROM THE PEACHTREE AMTRAK STATION AT 8:38 A.M Vendor presentations, games, and door prizes

TRANSFER FROM THE NEW ORLEANS STATION TO THE SHERATON NEW ORLEANS ON CANAL STREET.
WELCOME RECEPTION www.starwoodhotels.com

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 3

BREAKFAST AND SITE INSPECTION AT THE CHATEAU SONESTA AND ROYAL SONESTA IN THE FRENCH QUARTER, 9:30 A.M. – 12:30 P.M.
www.sonesta.com

RECEPTION AND SITE INSPECTION, SHERATON FOUR POINTS, NEW ORLEANS AIRPORT, 2:30 P.M. – 4:00 P.M.
www.starwoodhotels.com

TOUR AND CANDLELIGHT
DINNER AT THE HOUMAS HOUSE PLANTATION, 5:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M.
www.houmashouse.com

TRANSFER TO THE AMTRAK STATION AT 6:00 A.M.,
FOR A 7:20 A.M. DEPARTURE, ARRIVE THE PEACHTREE STATION AT 7:53 P.M.

$149.00 PER PERSON,
INCLUDES TRAIN, 2 NIGHTS HOTEL BASED ON DOUBLE OCCUPANCY, TRANSFERS, AND ALL
EVENTS SINGLE OCCUPANCY $249.00, BASED ON AVAILABILITY RSVP TO YOLANDA TURNER
YATES AT (404) 526-5812

YOU MUST BE A CURRENT MEMBER OF T.I.A.G.
PLEASE CONTACT VERNON VROLIJK AT (404) 892-7822 TO JOIN

MAIL CHECKS TO TIAG, PO BOX 420575, ATLANTA, GA 30342

November 29- December 6, 2007

Barcelona – Granada – Ronda- Andalucía- Seville – Córdoba – Madrid

An Educational Sales Symposium & Familiarization Trip

Open exclusively to active travel sales professionals, we are excited to offer this working trip for serious leisure travel sales professionals. You will increase your knowledge of Spain and learn how to increase your sales through effective marketing and consultative selling skills.

Seminar/Discussion topics include: direct selling, group sales, increasing your client base through top-notch service, and more. This is not a fam tour where you will be shuffled around on endless sight inspections. Symposium topics provide in-depth training including strategic selling, agency growth strategies, and developing simple yet effective marketing plans based on your agency’s size and resources. Symposiums are most appropriate for owners and managers; however, top front-line agents are welcome to join.

Of course, we also want you to experience the best of Spain and enjoy your Tauck tour, so we have choreographed the perfect mix of morning workshop seminars, sightseeing, outstanding hotels, fine dining, entertainment, and free time. Plus, CTCs earn 10 continuing education credits.

Prices Include: Virtually every expense… all transportation within the tour itinerary, hotel accommodations, meals as outlined, seminars and materials, all sightseeing admissions, taxes, gratuities, tour director, and driver. See Tauck’s “2007 Europe” brochure for details. Airfare to Spain not included. You must provide your own air arrangements.

A Week In…Spain, 8 Days (7 Nights), 7 Breakfasts, 3 Lunches, 4 Dinners Welcome to Spain! A transfer is included to your Barcelona hotel, Le Méridien Barcelona; it is conveniently located in the heart of this exciting city. Meet fellow symposium members at our welcome reception and dinner.

Visit Las Ramblas, the fanciful, unfinished cathedral designed by Antoni Gaudí I Cornet. See the athletic venues of the 1992 Olympic games. From Barcelona, continue with a morning flight to Granada, then on to Ronda. In Granada, a visit to the famous Alhambra is a splendid example of the Moorish influence that has shaped so much of Spain. You’ll spend the night in one of Spain´s most famous Paradors.

Explore Ronda and journey into Andalucía’s lovely hills and charming villages. Continue on to romantic Seville, where your journey continues with a private evening performance of flamenco dancing. No Spain journey would be complete without a visit to charming Seville.

See the former Royal Tobacco Factory, where the fictional Carmen labored, and the splendid Palacio de San Temlo. Take a horse and carriage ride to Seville Cathedral, the third largest Roman Catholic church in the world; tour the cathedral, thought to be the final resting-place of Christopher Columbus.

In Córdoba, visit La Mezquita, third largest mosque in world, and tour the historic Jewish Quarter. Then, board the high-speed AVE train and travel first class to Madrid, the marvelous capital city.

A guided tour of the famous Museo del Prado, one of the best art museums in the world, precedes Madrid sightseeing where you’ll view sites such as the Neptuno and Cibeles fountains, the bullring, and the Palacio de Oriente, the ornate Royal Palace built in the 18th-century.

Enjoy typical Castilian entertainment at our farewell dinner, a fitting finale to your one-week Spain travel experience.

Bonus: Flight to Granada included… A $325 value! See page 112 of Tauck’s 2007 Europe brochure.

Regular tour price: Twin $3180 Single $4055 plus on tour air.

• Night 1,2 – Le Méridien Barcelona – Barcelona
• Night 3 – Parador de Ronda – Ronda
• Nights 4,5 – Meliá Colon – Seville
• Night 6,7 – The Westin Palace Madrid – Madrid

More information

Avalon Waterways Danube Cruise
from $399 per person.

The Globus family of brands invites you to join an exclusive travel agent opportunity. Experience a first-class European river cruise with Avalon Waterways down the legendary Danube from Budapest to Nuremberg.

1. Departure from the USA on Friday October 26, 2007, on board the Avalon Poetry®
2. Departure from the USA on Friday November 2, 2007, on board the Avalon Artistry®

Daily Itinerary:

• Day 1 – FRI – depart USA
• Day 2 – SAT – arrive Budapest – PM hotel check in
• Day 3 – SUN – embarkation
• Day 4 – MON – Budapest to Vienna
• Day 5 – TUES – Vienna
• Day 6 – WED – Durnstein-Melk
• Day 7 – THUR – Linz-Passau
• Day 8 – FRI – Regensburg
• Day 9 – SAT – Nuremberg
• Day 10 – SUN – Nuremberg, Disembarkation, flight home

• • PRICE INCLUDES: 1 night hotel in Budapest with buffet breakfast;
  cruise accommodation; meals onboard plus wine with dinner; shore excursions/entertainment/lecturers
  and transfer from hotel to the ship.
• PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE: Airfare, taxes, gratuities, port
  charges of $84 per person, transfers, alcohol and soft drinks, or items of a personal
  nature
• Package is non-commissionable and non-combinable
• Eligible participants are travel agents and one companion
• Space is limited; cabin categories are limited; assigned on first come/first serve basis

Share twin priced from $399 per person
Single twin priced from $769 per person

Submit your request to avalonspecial@globusfamily.com

Panera Bread is close by and has a lot of choices salads, and in the morning, Spinach artichoke souffle hits the spot.

I’m creating a list of helpful free hot spots in del.icio.us that will grow. If you have a site you like please leave it here for everyone to use.

Panera Bread has some great sandwiches and salads. In the evenings or weekends I can get a sandwich and save a half for lunch the next day. This is a great way to cut down on the volume of food and get a couple of hours on the net.

Chick Fil A is close to work, but there seems to be trouble ftping and sending pictures to Flickr. I think they just visitors using email and surfing.

Caribou Coffee, well it’s almost free. You get a free login for an hour and with a purchase of something over a dollar and change you get a card with a password for another hour.

Atlanta Bread, I’ll try this location out next. It’s close to home and they have pretty good Omelets.

Links to wifi hotspots.