Jax Fax Travel Marketing Magazine

Transcription

JAXFAX
The Travel Agents’ Path to Profits
MARCH 2012
TAIWAN
THE HEART OF ASIA
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PLUS: 2012 AIR CONSOLIDATOR GUIDE
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HU TE : 20
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Looking Ahead in KOREA
CENTRAL & EASTERN EUROPE
The OKTOBERFEST Experience
Cities of ISRAEL, Old & New
ETHIOPIA, Naturally
CARTAGENA Love
CARIBBEAN Luxury
GTT is celebrating 28 years of
Professional & Reliable Services.
UK & EUROPE COMMISSION SPECIAL
APPROVED TRAVEL DATES
Fare Class
Applicable Commission
February 1, 2012 thru May 15, 2012
C, D
16%
BLACK-OUT DATES
J, Z
11%
April 5, 2012 – April 15, 2012
All Economy
7%
AMS ➤
ATH
BCN
BRU
CDG
DUB
FCO
FRA
GLA
LGW
LHR
LIS
MAD
MAN
MUC
VCE
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PROMOTIONAL ONLINE DESTINATIONS FROM THE US
GTT
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OFFER
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CHEA
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&
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A
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TO
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E
R
A
F
FRICA
A
,
A
I
IND
OPE
& EUR
The commission levels mentioned above
are for travel on a specific U.S. carriers
online flights to these destinations. Other
terms and conditions may apply and all
commission levels are subject to change
without notice.
FOR GROUP REQUESTS EMAIL: GTTGROUPS@GTTTRAVEL.COM
OR GO TO: WWW.GTTGLOBAL.COM & CLICK ON GROUP REQUEST BANNER
Atlanta
770-807-0077
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AUSTRALIA • NEW ZEALAND • MEXICO • CENTRAL AMERICA • SOUTH AMERICA • PUERTO RICO • CARIBBEAN
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JAXFAX
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CONTENT
ASIA & THE SOUTH PACIFIC
COVER FEATURE
22 Looking Ahead in Korea
DEPARTMENTS & DESTINATION ARTICLES
South Korea is looking forward to welcoming both
domestic and foreign visitors to two major international events. This year, the Republic of Korea will
host the 2012 World Expo in Yeosu from May …
24 Consolidator Airfares & Tour Listings
TAIWAN NTO
VOLUME 40, NO. 3
MARCH 2012
KOREA NTO
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EUROPE
TAIWAN
Riding With the King
28 CENTRAL & EASTERN EUROPE: Heritage...History...
16
Early last November, I stepped off a bus
in front of GIANT headquarters in
Taichung City to meet King Liu, the
founder of GIANT Bicycles and the Jack
LaLanne of Eastern Asia—a man whose
products and public feats of endurance...
EVERY MONTH
PUBLISHER’S CORNER
EDITOR’S DESK
CRUISE NEWS
PARTNER’S VOICE
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
INDUSTRY CALENDAR
FAM TRIP DIRECTORY
AIRLINE INTELLIGENCE
BEEN THERE HAVEN’T...
SUPPLIERS DIRECTORY
AIRFARE DESTINATIONS
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6
8
10
14
21
27
61
68
70
71
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With abundant hospitality, these Central and Eastern European countries are
welcoming visitors with open arms. Here you will find amazing and diverse
landscapes and architecture, as well as beautiful classical…
6
Germany: The Oktoberfest Experience
What started out as a bucket list trip may very well turn into an annual event.
At least that was what I told my friend Pete as we flew home from our first
visit to the beer drinkers pilgrimage known as Oktoberfest. For years my …
AFRICA & MIDDLE EAST
43 A Trip to the Cities of Israel, Old and New
Over the years, I have always enjoyed Israel, picking olives on a first trip
decades ago; camping out in the Negev Desert beneath the sparkling stars,
crossing the sands of the Sinai by bus, getting lost in the souk of the Old…
44 Ethiopia, Naturally
Historical sights abound in Ethiopia and while a visit to the country is most
definitely a lens into the cradle of civilization, there are many other reasons to
visit this land. It’s natural contrasts from the tops of the rugged Simien …
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MARCH 2012
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DEPARTMENTS & DESTINATION ARTICLES
CENTRAL & SOUTH AMERICA
TRAVEL MARKETING MAGAZINE
IS PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY:
Jet Airtransport Exchange, Inc. (JAX)
52 W Main St., Milford, CT 06460, 203-301-0255, F: 203-301-0250
Verified Audited Circulation
50 Falling in Love in Cartagena
Fifty yards off the beach, I watch the dark-skinned fishermen rowing their morning’s catch to shore. I throw up
my arm and wave. These pescadors launch their traditional wooden boat off the beach at daybreak …
Douglas Cooke, CTC
Publisher & Editorial Director, doug@jaxfax.com
CINDY ROSS
Randi White | Randi@jaxfax.com
Vice President & Associate Publisher
52 Costa Rica – The Osa Experience
Jeff Posner | Jeff@jaxfax.com
Associate Publishing Manager | Contributing Editor
ART DEPARTMENT
Chantal Guillou-Brennan | CBjaxfax@aol.com
Art & Production Director, Webmaster
CARIBBEAN & BERMUDA
EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT
Katie Hultgren
Managing Editor | Editor@jaxfax.com
Arielle Feger
Editorial Assistant | Arielle@jaxfax.com
Bill Becken, West Coast Editor
Lillian Africano, Cruise Editor
Ryley Hartt, Editor-at-Large
57 Don’t Break the Bank Selling Luxury for Less
If you’re in the mood for vacation but don’t have a lot of extra cash to spend,
the Caribbean is ripe with high season bargains that won’t break the bank.
From air and hotel packages to gratis room nights and generous…
58 Selling the Caribbean CHTA Travel Marketplace 2012
NORTH AMERICA & HAWAII
62 Florida: Tourism Heats up in the Sunshine State
When winter settles into the colder states, tourism heats up in sunny Florida.
And with tourism being the state’s biggest business, employing over 1 million
people, the local travel industry is on the top of their game in bringing …
Worldwide Correspondents
Europe: Tom Bross, Monique Burns, Maria Lisella
Barbara Radcliffe Rogers & Stillman Rogers
Central & South America: Mercedes Cardona
Asia Pacific: Marian Goldberg
Africa & the Middle East: Lisa Loverro
Caribbean: Melanie Reffes
Contributing Editors
Nina Africano, Maxine Albert, Geri Bain, Jeff Burdick,
Christopher Cooke, Phyllis Cocroft, Jad Davenport, Denise Dubé,
Ben Frank, Chantal Guillou-Brennan, Barry Goldsmith,
Buzzy Gordon, Patricia Harris, Susan McKee, Mark Laiosa,
Bob Levine, David Lyon, Denise Mattia,
Merrie Murray, Cindy Ross, Margery Weinstein
Clifton N. Cooke, CTC. | Clif@jaxfax.com
Founding Publisher & Editor-at-Large
Circulation & Subscriptions:
800-952-9329 | circulation@jaxfax.com
66 HOMEBASED AGENT NEWS
Marjorie Vincent | Marjorie@jaxfax.com
Business Manager
Advertising: sales@jaxfax.com
MARCH 2012 COVER: TAIWAN
Member of: ASTA–American Society of Travel Agents; ATA–Africa Travel Assoc.;
NTA–National Tour Association; ATME–Assoc. of Travel Marketing Exec.;
CHA–Carib.Hotel Assoc.; CTO–Carib. Tourism Organization; PATA–Pacific Asia Travel
Assoc.; USTOA–U. S. Tour Operators Assoc; SATA; APTA.“JAX FAX Travel Marketing
Magazine” (ISSN 0279-7984) is published monthly by Jet Airtransport Exchange Inc., 52
West Main Street, Milford, CT 06460. Periodicals postage paid at Milford, CT, & additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to JAX FAX Travel Marketing Magazine, 52 West Main St., Milford, CT 06460. COPYRIGHT 2012. All rights
reserved. Printed in U.S.A. No part of this publication may be reproduced in print or electronically without permission. Direct requests for permission to the Publisher, JAX
FAX, 52 West Main St., Milford, CT 06460 or via E-mail: Doug@jaxfax.com
Bicyclists whiz by raging river rapids,
charming hamlets, geothermal hot springs
and tea plantations in Taiwan, The Heart of Asia
CREDIT: Taiwan Tourism Bureau / 交通部觀光局
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PUBLISHER’S CORNER
By Douglas Cooke, CTC, Publisher
DOUG COOKE
The Oktoberfest Experience
hat started out as a
bucket list trip may
very well turn into an
annual event. At least
that was what I told
my friend Pete as we
flew home from our first
visit to the beer drinkers pilgrimage known as Oktoberfest.
For years my buddies and I have had talked about a trip to
Munich for this annual celebration and last September five
of us made the journey. What we discovered was beyond
our expectations and just what we had hoped for, an experience of a lifetime. And while a lot of beer was drunk that
week to be sure, a visit to Munich for Oktoberfest offers so
much more than the non-stop consumption of that golden
nectar of the gods.
Oktoberfest began 200 years ago as a celebration of the
wedding of Germany’s King Ludwig I. Since then, it has been
celebrated every year for two weeks beginning in late September. For 2012, the dates of Oktoberfest are September 22
to October 7.
Each year the mayor of Munich gets the festivities started with
the official tapping of the keg in the Schottenhamel tent. For the
next 15 days, over 6 million people from around the globe will
come here to drink 7 million gallons of beer, eat 177 oxen, 59
W
6
calves and other traditional German food, all while singing along
to bands in Oktoberfest’s famous Bier tents. Five breweries are
responsible for producing all the beer that is consumed in each of
the 14 large and 20 smaller Bier tents. And what great beer it is!
Since it is brewed especially for this event, it is brewed without
any additives or preservatives, resulting in a crisp delicious brew
and no hangover, really! I can tell you with pride (and much to the
mortification of my wife) that each day we drank on average about
8 liters of beer over the course of the day and, much to my amazement, not one morning did I wake up hung over, a tribute to the
quality and freshness of Munich’s Oktoberfest beers.
The Oktoberfest Tents
Not really tents at all but rather now permanent structures
made to look like tents, these 14 Bier halls are the center of
Oktoberfest action. Aligned one after the other in the center
of Theresienwiese Park, each has its own personality and reputation. From the traditional sophisticated German ambiance
of the Weinzelt (wine tent) to the raucousness of the Lowenbrau or Hofbrau tents, there is something here for everyone.
That is not to say that patrons of even the most highbrow of
the tents don’t get into the spirit of the party. They do! The following is a link to the official Oktoberfest site that provides a
good description of each of the tents and the clientele they
Continued on page 32 ☛
cater to www.oktoberfest.de
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MARCH 2012
ANYWHERE ELSE
THIS WOULD BE A REAL HIGH POINT.
But this is the Dead Sea, at over 1300 feet below
sea level the lowest places on earth.
Israel is home to two of the world’s
great cities. But it also offers your
clients world-class natural wonders
like the Dead Sea and historic
monuments like the mountaintop
fortress of Masada – easy day trips
from either Tel Aviv or Jerusalem.
goisrael.com
There’s a little bit of Israel in all of us.
Come find the Israel in you.
Follow our journey through Israel
E D I TO R ’ S D E S K
By Katie Hultgren, Managing Editor
Getting a Helping Hand
ome easygoing clients have a definite idea of where they want to go
and what they want to do on their
vacation. They want to revisit
places they have been before, or
visit places that seem manageable
and totally guest oriented. They like to know what to expect
when they get there and not be disappointed. Sometimes,
they need a getaway so badly that they do not want to plan
or even think about it at all – they just want to go, and do
nothing but relax once they get there. I am sure most
agents can arrange a vacation like that with relative ease.
Then, there are the other types of clients who are craving adventure and who want to experience everything an unfamiliar
destination has to offer. These are the people who are going to
make you work a little harder.
To make a vacation truly memorable, every detail must be
planned: accommodations, transportation, tours, sightseeing,
meals, leisure time and even those special touches like a welcome fruit basket, or bottle of wine. Your clients assume you already know everything about everywhere, and can make it all
happen for them. But perhaps you aren’t quite as confident as
they think you are.
To effectively sell a destination, you should be knowledgeable
about it, or know where to get the information you need. You have
to be able to convey to your client a vision of their dream vacation
S
and make them see it too. Luckily, there is a wealth of information
out there, much support and many resources available to you.
Almost every destination has a website run by its tourist board.
These sites are full of links to the location’s history, culture, upcoming events, print and online brochures and invaluable details
for travelers such as travel document requirements, currency
and other travel advice. Many destinations offer opportunities
for travel agents to continue their education and become destination specialists. Agents are also encouraged to take FAM trips
sponsored by tour operators or destinations.
Travel trade media is geared towards assisting agents in making their client’s vacation dreams a reality. JAX FAX always contains editorial from writers who have recently visited the places
they write about, and who know the ins and outs of a destination from personal experience. We also work with tour operators
and other travel providers who are true experts in the destinations they serve. I recently spoke with a tour operator who specializes in South America. She knew time saving routes, less
expensive but still luxury accommodations, the not-to-be-missed
sights to see – the things your client would benefit from if you
were to contact her.
If you do not yet have the personal knowledge or experience
to sell your client a specific destination, you definitely have a
support network, which can help you create the vacation of a
lifetime for your intrepid travelers. Never hesitate to ask for help
or guidance when you need it.
Visit Bolivia: Service from Washington DC or Miami
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Washington, DC
201-204-5500
703-531-0773
aerosur@apg-usa.us
ventaswas@aerosur.com
Santa Cruz de la Sierra
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Gate of the Sun
Jesuit Mission
Fish Island
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Miami
305-403-3737
ventasmia@aerosur.com
Cochabamba
Reed boat
Pantanal
MARCH 2012
WORLDWIDE CRUISE NEWS
t comes as no surprise that river cruising, while still relatively “undiscovered” by the U.S. market, is the fastest
growing segment of the cruise industry, increasing at
double-digit rates in recent years, and tripling the growth
rate of ocean cruising.
Agents have contributed to this growth by educating clients
about the “perks” of a river cruise, starting with the focus on
destinations; the appeal of traveling along the world’s great
waterways, with a “view” all day long; the convenience of
traveling at night and arriving at a new destination (within walking distance of many attractions) every day; the increasing luxury and comfort available on new river ships; the intimacy and
personal service available on these smaller yacht-like vessels.
Perhaps most important: the need to have clients evaluate the
initial cruise price, which may be higher than that of many
ocean cruises, but which can include such “extras,” as guided
shore excursions, beer, wine and soft drinks at meals.
Viking River Cruises, the world’s largest river cruise line,
has been a leader on the world’s rivers — in Europe, Russia,
Egypt, China and Southeast Asia — garnering many awards
and growing to a fleet of 19 ships.
I
VIKING RIVER CRUISES
Viking Prestige in Europe
Celebrating its 15-year anniversary this year, the line will
launch an unprecedented six vessels: Viking Freya, Viking
Idun, Viking Njord, Viking Odin, Viking Embla and Viking Aegir,
all representing the next-generation Longship vessels. Last
year, Viking announced a $250 million fleet development program and debuted two new ships, the Emerald in March
(China) and the Prestige (Europe).
Said Torstein Hagen, Chairman and CEO of Viking River
Cruises, “Innovation has been a hallmark of how Viking River
Cruises has grown its business from its inception, with our
guests serving as our inspiration. We were the first to introduce hotel-style beds in Russia, the first to design purposebuilt ships to navigate the Elbe, the first to introduce hybrid
engines that deliver a quieter and more peaceful experience to
10 CRUISE NEWS
By Lillian Africano, Cruise Editor
guests with Viking Legend and the first to operate Westernstyle ships on China’s Yangtze.”
Like the Legend and Prestige, the new ships have a number
of “green” features, as well as larger suites and a new Aquafit
Terrace, where part of the floor-to-ceiling windows can be
rolled aside to create an indoor/outdoor seating area.
Also new for 2012: Viking’s enhanced Russian offering, the
eight-day Glories of the Hermitage, featuring exclusive access
and private tours of the museum and a Russia-focused microsite, (www.TheRealRussia.com).
This
year,
Avalon Felicity on the Rhine
Avalon Waterways unveils
two
more
Suite
Ships,
the
Avalon
Vista
and
Avalon Visionary. These join
the Avalon Panorama, which features the eponymous wall-towall Panoramic window, which, when open, creates an openair balcony.
Avalon also has four new itineraries in Egypt and Southeast
Asia. In Egypt, Avalon charters the five-star MS Mayfair and
the MS Kasr Ibrim, which sails Lake Nasser, a new waterway
for the line. Three new itineraries are offered: the nine-day
Highlights of Egypt; 12-day The Pyramids, Lake Nasser and
Nile Highlights; and the 13-day Egypt and the Nile in Depth.
In Southeast Asia, Avalon launches the 16-stateroom Angkor
on the Mekong River; it is the first (and only) passenger vessel to cruise from Ho Chi Minh City to Siem Reap, which eliminates seven hours of drive-time on land. The Angkor’s new
itinerary is the 14-day Fascinating Vietnam, Cambodia and The
Mekong River itinerary from Ho Chi Minh City to Bangkok.
Responding to increased interest in “passion” travel, Avalon
is expanding its wine, music, art and holiday vacations to include legacy themes with new Jewish Heritage and new European History and Politics cruises. Adding to their roster of
activities, Avalon has partnered with bicycle-tour specialists in
Amsterdam, Maastricht, Lyon, Durnstein and Breisach for optional, guided excursions. (www.avalonwaterways.com)
Uniworld Boutique River Cruises, which introduced the
new 601-passenger River Saigon in January, expands their
Asia river cruises and tours this year. Two new itineraries include a 15-day Timeless Wonders of Vietnam, Cambodia &
The Mekong cruise and tour from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi,
and a 24-day Grand Asia & the Mekong cruise and tour from
Beijing to Hanoi. Additional options include Uniworld’s “reimagined” 10-day land-based tour of Classic China and a 12day Splendors of China and the Yangtze cruise and tour.
Reflecting the increased interest in Southeast Asia, Uniworld launched the new 60-passenger River Saigon, which
sails the Mekong River. And in response to the increased in-
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AVALON WATERWAYS
RIVER CRUISING:
New Ships
New Itineraries
New Enrichment
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MARCH 2012
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Join CLIA, the world’s largest and most distinguished
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10-night Themeboating Adventures that include visits to legendary battlefields, re-enactments, lectures by renowned experts and other forms of enrichment.
Three departures follow the footprints of the blue and gray:
Epic Civil War Journey, a 10-night voyage between New Orleans and Chattanooga; Epic Civil War, a 10-night voyage between Chattanooga and Vicksburg; Civil War, an eight-night
voyage between Vicksburg and Louisville. With so many new
options to offer potential clients, river cruises should be easier than ever to sell.
Great American Steamboat Company
GREAT AMERICAN STEAMBOAT COMPANY
terest in multi-generational travel, the line offers two familyfriendly Europe itineraries in July and August. One sails the
Rhône and Saône rivers from Arles to Chalon su Saône for
eight days aboard the River Royale. The other option is a
seven-night cruise along the Seine from Paris to Normandy
aboard the River Baroness. (www.uniworldcruises.co)
Debuting this summer are AmaWaterways’ African safari
river cruises aboard the 28-passenger Zambezi Queen, featured on the TV show “Jack Hanna’s Into The Wild.” During
the 16-day Stars of Africa, the 16-day African Sunsets and the
19-day Golden Trails of Africa, passengers explore locales in
South Africa, Botswana, Kenya and Tanzania. Experimental excursions include tiger fishing, tours of Victoria Falls and
evening sky presentations.
Earlier this year, AmaWaterways transported the AmaDagio
from Rotterdam in the Netherlands to Marseille, France to operate seven-night cruises on the Rhone River, starting on March
29. As part of the line’s 15-day Provence and Spain cruise-tour
itinerary, the ship sails seven-night cruises between Lyon and
Arles through the end of the year. Excursions include the Beaujolais wine region, tours of Roman ruins and stops at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Avignon and Arles, where Vincent
Van Gogh spent much of his life. After the cruise, guests visit
the medieval town of Perpignan, France before ending their voyage in Barcelona. ( www.amarivercruises.com)
Returning to the Mississippi River this year is the Great
American Steamboat Company’s new American Queen. As
this debut coincides with the 150th anniversary of the Civil
War, it offers history buffs unique experiences during eight- to
AMA WATERWAYS
Ama Waterways in Provence
New Safety Policy
The global cruise industry has announced a new emergency
drill policy requiring mandatory muster for embarking passengers
prior to departure from port. The new policy follows the industry’s announcement of a Cruise Industry Operational Safety Review, as part of the industry’s continuous efforts to review and
improve safety measures. The Cruise Lines International Association, European Cruise Council, and the Passenger Shipping Association put forward the new policy with the support of
their member cruise lines. The new muster policy, which has
been voluntarily initiated by the associations’ members and is effective immediately, exceeds existing legal requirements by calling for the mandatory muster of all embarking passengers prior
to departure from port. Musters are mandatory exercises conducted on cruise ships to ensure passengers are informed of
safety protocols while onboard the ship, including emergency
evacuation procedures. Current legal requirements for conducting a muster of passengers can be found in SOLAS and mandate
that a muster occur within 24 hours of passenger embarkation.
Visit: www.cruising.org
Cruising with Crown Peters
®
It’s all about
Join CLIA today!
Visit us at www.cruising.org/travelagents or call CLIA toll-free
at 855-444-CLIA (2542) (U.S. & Canada), 754-224-2200
for more information or to join today.
12 CRUISE NEWS
For over four decades, the name Crown Peters Travel Service has been synonymous with superior packages and service
for Mediterranean travel. Crown Peters takes tremendous pride
in every aspect of their organization, from the knowledgeable
and well-traveled staff to their scrupulous attention to detail providing many cruises to the Mediterranean islands and countries
including Greece and Turkey. Each cruise guarantees that travelers can be part of all that makes the Mediterranean so magical
at a very reasonable cost, without compromising luxury and comfort. Visit www.crownpeters.com
WWW.JAXFAX.COM
MARCH 2012
PARTNER’S VOICE
By Richard B. Earls
Enhancing Supplier Relationships
et’s focus on enhancing every aspect of your travel practice, making
every point of contact with clients
as sharp as possible. As we have
said to the point of extreme repetition, travel consulting is all about
relationships.
The unique nature of your position as a travel consultant,
however, is dual facing. Your relationships with clients are of
primary importance. But of nearly equal importance is the relationships you develop with your suppliers. Knowing a supplier intimately is a very large part of mastering the art of being
a travel professional. Each supplier brand means something
slightly different from any other supplier brand. Having a precise knowledge of which supplier to choose for a particular
client, for a particular trip, the ability to match the appropriate
supplier with the appropriate client is paramount.
Forming a relationship with suppliers requires effort. Certainly it is easier with some tour operators than others, but in
a pinch, a crisis situation or when something goes wrong, it
helps to have that little bit of inside edge that a relationship
with a sales representative or a reservationist can give you.
When on the phone with tour operators, establish relationships with as many inside personnel as possible. Don’t just
make a booking and move on, but endeavor to establish a
professional working relationship, and, when possible, re-
L
14
quest the same reservationist by name each time you book
with the operator. While many, if not most, tour operators no
longer have outside sales reps, the reservations staff and inside reps have a lot of knowledge and expertise. Slowing the
process down and getting to know them can be a worthwhile
exercise.
Make this the year of the trade show as well. Work into your
business plan and budgets the opportunity to attend a trade
show so you can meet supplier representatives. The investment is not insignificant, but important nevertheless. The faceto-face experiences inherent in a trade show are very valuable
to a professional travel counselor. There is no substitute for
meeting a supplier representative in person to take the measure of his or her company. Old friendships can be renewed and
strengthened, new ideas compared and tested.
Educational seminars and discussion panels at trade shows
can be very important, especially when the promoter takes seriously the needs of their agency constituency. The topics of
discussion at the best trade shows typically represent strategic insight into the future of the industry. The new perspectives, inspiration and motivation provided by a good trade
show or conference are hard to over-estimate.
Focus on the relationships to either side of you, both client
and supplier. The benefits will accrue almost immediately, and
your place as a first-rate travel consultant will be better secured.
WWW.JAXFAX.COM
MARCH 2012
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TA I WA N
Riding With the King
By Ryley Hartt
arly last November, I stepped off a bus in front of pair of bib shorts and set out to complete a circuit around the
GIANT headquarters in Taichung City to meet King island, finishing in 15 days. The trip got so much attention from
Liu, the founder of GIANT Bicycles and the Jack the media and the public that everyone demanded to know
LaLanne of Eastern Asia—a man whose products what was next. In one interview he joked, “Maybe I can ride
and public feats of endurance are credited with around Beijing or maybe around Shanghai.” The next day,
spawning a national obsession. I came to discuss his dream newspapers reported that King Liu had announced plans to
of transforming the island of Taiwan into a cycling paradise ride 1,668 kilometers from Beijing to Shanghai. It was two
and putting in on the short track to becoming one of the years before he gave in and completed the staggering victory
most bike-friendly nations in the world. Going into it I knew lap in less than 20 days. Today he continues to ride daily, comthis much: he began not as a hyperglycemic high-school muting at least one way to work, and says he has never felt
dropout à la LaLanne, but as an out-of-work eel breeder. better. Most of his time is now spent encouraging others to
According to legend, in 1972, Jinbiao Liu lost his livelihood to follow suit, advocating what he calls “the 1330 rule.” The
1330 rule states that a rider
a typhoon and decided to
must commit to riding at
begin building bicycles,
least three times a week, for
launching a small OEM opera minimum distance of 30
ation in Taichung that snowballed into what may now be
kilometers each time. Do
the largest bike manufacturer
this, he says, and you are
in the world. In 2007, at age
guaranteed to feel the bene73, his company produced 5
fits of maintaining a healthy
million bicycles. That year, he
lifestyle in the cycling paraalso had something of a revedise that is Taiwan.
lation that made quite a stir
This “cycling paradise”
in the national media.
rhetoric began as a marketing
Inspired by a coming-of-age
strategy—develop the envidrama released in Taiwan
ronment in which GIANT
Food vendors at Taipei's Shilin Night Market
called “Island Etude,” in
products are sold and dewhich the male protagonist
mand will increase—but in resets out to circumnavigate the island of Taiwan on a bicycle, cent years it has taken a life of its own, even weaving itself
King Liu thought, “If I don’t start riding now, I may forever lose into political agendas and big budget policy. Some 3,823 kilothe chance.” “I had produced bicycles for 35 years but I forgot meters of bikeways have been completed or are in the works
to ride them,” he later confided. So, one day he threw on a around the island. Last year, King Liu organized a five-day
RYLEY HARTT
E
16
WWW.JAXFAX.COM
MARCH 2012
scouting trip to the Netherlands in an attempt to learn how to
build better bike paths and bring that knowledge home. Most
recently, King Liu helped organize an international road race to
bring top cyclists from around the world to compete on Taiwan’s home turf and discover the island’s beauty for themselves. With the help of a loaner bike from GIANT, I set out to
join the race and find out for myself whether Taiwan lived up
to its new reputation.
The 200-kilometer 2011 Taiwan Cup international road race
was the highlight of the 2011 Taiwan Cycling Festival, a weeklong celebration of cycling culture on the island. A course was
mapped out along what King believes to have been the most
spectacular leg of his initial round-island journey: a 200-kilometer circuit along the Central Cross-Island Highway and the
Suau-Hualien Highway between Haulien and Taitung. In 2010,
a typhoon wiped out a section of the course just days prior,
forcing the event to be canceled. This past year it was moved
up by a month in the hopes that the rain would hold off long
enough for the riders to stay on the road and avoid the sheer
cliffs and pounding ocean waves.
Leading Up to Taiwan Cup: Go, Go, Go!
The first thing King Liu says he remembers from his initial
round-island ride is the outpouring of support he got from
passers-by. To say that Taiwan is bike-friendly is a serious understatement. Touring the island on two-wheels automatically
gives the rider celebrity status. People’s eyes light up when
you pass. “Go, go, go!” is the thing you hear people say most
RYLEY HARTT
King Liu, GIANT Founder
often as you cruise
past. The facility of interaction with locals
and the depth of experience, coupled with
the convenience and
accessibility that Taiwan boasts anyway
make for a truly rewarding experience.
For day rentals and
quick jaunts there are
GIANT retails stores
everywhere you look—
our group of riders must have made at least a dozen emergency
trips to the bike shop in just as many different towns and we
never had trouble finding one close by. For longer tours GIANT
offers comprehensive tour planning service that covers pick-up,
pre-trip consultation and training, guided tour service and a personal support van to ensure rider safety, deal with flats and other
mechanical issues on-the-spot, and even to point out the best
roadside snacks wherever you may be traveling. Even without
your own personal SAG wagon, Taiwan’s accessibility and
amenity cannot be overstated. On a “warm-up ride” to the top
of Wuling Mountain two days before the race (warm-up ride is
a dirty euphemism for what this was—a grueling 26 km hill climb
up a switchback road with 15% grades to the highest point on
the Taiwan’s entire road system) we learned that you can find
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18
WWW.JAXFAX.COM
MARCH 2012
Reenactment of Atayal aborigine dance
one of the island’s 5,000-ish 7-11’s in
just about every town or hamlet you
enter—perfect for grabbing quick road
snacks. And most police stations keep a
bike pump handy and will happily fill up
your water if you find yourself in need.
Race Day
RYLEY HARTT
We awoke before dawn on the
morning of the amateur cup race,
donned the cycling jerseys given to us
by the Taiwan Tourism Bureau, and
scarfed our boxed breakfasts from the
hotel as our bikes were loaded off the
sag wagon and assembled. Thirty-two
teams of riders representing 12 different countries were also doing the
same, as they set off for an early training ride to prepare for the professional
race the following day. The course we
followed was hand-drawn by King Liu, following Taiwan’s stunning east coast, where the flank of the island’s Central Mountain Range rises dramatically from the Pacific Ocean to over
5,000 feet before dropping into the alluvial plains of the East
Rift Valley. Along what is essentially a 100-mile tectonic crumple zone, we whizzed (and at times crawled) by raging river
rapids, charming hamlets, tea plantations, geothermal hot
springs, throat-singing aboriginal tribes, and one of the most
beautiful roads in the world. The waters off the coast here are said to
contain 29 out of 60 whale and dolphin species known to exist in the
world. Whale tours out of Hualien
boast a 90 percent success rate and
the coral reefs fringing Taiwan’s
southern coast offer spectacular diving opportunities. The spectacular
Quingshui Cliffs are emblematic of
the natural beauty that led 19th century Portuguese mariners to call this
the Ilha Formosa, or “beautiful island.”
I, along with one other journalist
and several local riders who kept
pace with us throughout the race,
finished the 200km course in just
over 10 hours. Waiting to greet us at
the finish were schools of children
armed with cell phone cameras and permanent markers, each
of them wanting to pose for a photo and get an autograph
from these two strange-looking foreigners. It was a joyous finish to what had been a monumental challenge.
“Sliding” Taroko Gorge
After a day of rest and gluttonous food consumption, we
mounted up once again to tour what many of us had been
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19
most looking forward to: the marble highway of Taroko Gorge.
This time we opted to skip the hill climb and ride up to the
peak in the van. The road that cuts along the bottom of the
gorge—the easternmost section of the Central Cross Island
Highway—is nothing short of an engineering marvel. Blasted
out of sheer marble walls with rushing white water and towering cliffs along the entire route, the scenic highlights all lie in
plain eyesight as you travel between the boulder-strewn path
embraced on either side by marbled crags. As you snake along
this road, disappearing into and emerging from tunnels to even
more staggering views of the canyon, the gushing Liwu River
and soaring cliffs, you climb toward the main settlement of
Tianxiang, nestled between green mountains about 14 miles
west of the park entrance. About 100 yards east of Tianxiang
you can climb across a suspension bridge to the lofty Xiangde
Temple, a collection of pagodas, ornate prayer halls and Bodhisattva statues. If you do tackle the gorge on a bicycle, start
from here and make your way east to the park entrance. It’s
smooth coasting downhill all the way. Just watch for cars in
the narrow sections—there are no designated bike lanes for
“sliding,” as the Taiwanese call it.
Taiwan’s Can’t-Miss Adventures
Round-Island Bike Tour: Inspired by King Liu, GIANT has
steps to inspire Taiwanese to pursue the round-island trip as a
kind of coming of age ritual, something that is really beginning
to take seed. The simple fact is, there is no better or more di-
30 Years
Leading
Consolidator
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To ll F ree 8 00- 8 3 3 -8 8 8 8 | F a x 3 2 3 -9 3 9 -2 2 8 6
w ww .c nh i n t l . c o m
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20
RYLEY HARTT
Spectacular view of Taroko Gorge National Park
rect way to experience this island’s beauty than on a bike, and
no other opportunity anywhere in the world to complete a journey of this magnitude (1,000 kilometers in nine days) with the
kind of support that GIANT is set up to provide. This is truly a
opportunity to accomplish something you never imagined possible, and to be afforded the relative comfort to savor every
minute of it. Visit www.giant-adventure.com.tw
Raft the Xiuguluan River: The Xiuguluan emerges from its
source at an altitude of 10,200 feet in the Central Mountain
Range. It is the east coast’s longest river, snaking downstream
for 67 miles before dumping out into the Pacific Ocean between Hualien and Taitung. Between the months of April and
October, these waters can be navigated with the help of an
experienced rafting guide. For more information, contact the
East Coast National Scenic Area Administration or direct your
clients to the Ruisui Rafting Center on the banks of the Xiuguluan River at the southern end of the Ruisui Bridge.
Whalewatching off Taiwan’s East Coast: A 90 percent success
rate and half of the world’s cetacean species is something to be
proud of and definitely something worth checking out. SeaWhale
(www.seawhale.com) offers morning and afternoon trips and
bears the Taiwan Cetacean Society stamp of approval.
Taroko Gorge: Apart from offering a spectacular backdrop
for two-wheeled exploration, Taroko offers an intricate network of hiking trails—many of which were once hunting and
intervillage routes blazed by the Atayal aborigines who once inhabited much of this region.
Hot Springs: While Taiwan does not have any active volcanoes, it’s proximity to the Ring of Fire (just 80 miles away)
makes for a lot of geothermal activity in the form of hot
springs. As rain falls and seeps into the porous rock, it picks up
minerals and heat on its descent. When this hot mineral water
encounters a fault, it rises back to the surface, forming and
feeding a hot springs pool. These can be found all over the island, surrounded by elegant spas and rejuvenation centers.
Sailing on Sun Moon Lake: A favorite spot for honeymooners, Sun Moon Lake offers one of the most popular resorts and some of the most exquisite scenery on the island. At
dusk and dawn, the low-hanging sun sets the lake ablaze and
orange and violet hues.
Yanmingshan National Park: On the north side of the capital city of Taipei, this large nature park occupies a mound of
extinct volcanoes not more than an hour from the city. Here
you can find nature trails, hot springs, fumaroles and several
unique, local dining experiences.
For more information, visit the Taiwan Tourism Bureau at
www.taiwan.net.tw or www.go2taiwan.net
WWW.JAXFAX.COM
MARCH 2012
E X C L U S I V E I N T E RV I E W — By Katie Hulgren
With Warren Friesner,
Frequent Traveler to Taiwan
For a unique perspective on travel to Taiwan, the Taiwan Tourist Bureau put JAX
FAX in touch with Mr. Warren Friesner.
Through his business partner, Mr. Friesner has had extensive personal experience traveling to Taiwan and has a
fascination with the country, its people
and its diverse cuisine. Warren Friesner
is a founding partner and creative director of Clear Light Interactive Corp.
(www.clearlightcorp.com), a print and
digital design firm in New York, and is cofounder of (www.eventfullydeals.com),
a website which markets fully configured
events packages online.
I understand that you have been to Taiwan
more than 10 times. Please share some of your
experiences there with our readers.
Taiwan is a place that few Americans
have even a remote idea about. When I
first traveled there with my business partner, I knew next to nothing about the country and expected it to look like New Jersey,
filled with high tech factories. All I really
knew about Taiwan was that it produced
computers, electronics, and semi-conductors. I was very quickly disabused of that
notion the very first time I was taken by his
family to Yangmingshan National Park,
which is actually within walking distance
from the northern part of Taipei City proper,
and saw multiple 3,000 foot peaks towering over the urban landscape.
You have great interest in the culinary aspect
of Taiwan, and have told me that there are significant differences in the cuisine from city to
city. Would you please elaborate?
While many towns in Taiwan are close to
each other, in terms of straight line distance, the steep mountains and deep valleys separating them create natural barriers
to travel. While paved roads now connect
these towns, there must have been a time
when travel between them was much
more difficult and took far longer. As a result, one finds unique “signature” food
products and dishes from town to town.
For example, I was recently in a former
gold mining town called Jiufen. They have
an “old” street which, for the most part,
has been turned into a tourist arcade,
where one can find rows of stalls selling
various foods and local crafts. I noticed that
MARCH 2012
certain items appeared here which are
simply not seen in Taipei or other cities I’ve
been to throughout the country. A number
of stalls sold a large, gently rounded
dumpling with translucent skin and a mass
of red color directly under the skin at the
top, which is a produced by red yeast with
sweet rice fermented with wine, and
mixed with fresh pork and fresh bamboo
shoots. You can apparently find this in
Mainland China as well, but I don’t think it’s
sold just 25 miles away, in Taipei.
Taiwan is known for extravagant festivals.
What are some that you have attended, and
would suggest that other visitors experience?
Since I generally travel to Taiwan during
the New Year celebrations, my only experience is with events surrounding that particular time of year. Much of what happens
is extremely idiomatic to Taiwanese culture. For example, there is one particular
day where people crowd outside of Taoist
temples waiting to be let in. The first person who reaches a huge urn in the courtyard and places an incense stick into it is
supposed to have very good luck that year.
Additionally the temple awards this person
a “prize” of 8,888 NT dollars (about $300
US). Needless to say, this sparks some
rather fierce competition between participants, with elbows flying and the like. This
year a video camera shooting from inside
the main temple revealed that the supposed winner had been hiding in the temple all night and suddenly “sprang up” at
the moment the doors were open to
everyone else, and planted his incense
stick. After being caught red handed, he
admitted that he probably wasn’t going to
have a very good year after all (and did not
receive the prize, of course.)
If a traveler wanted to have a home stay experience in Taiwan, what could they expect?
People in Taiwan are gracious hosts. For
example, when one dines either at home
or at any restaurant the host will generally
expect their foreign guest to take their food
first and will actually wait for them to do it.
For a home stay, one item visitors may
want to bring are towels. Taiwanese use
tiny towels little bigger than washcloths.
There have been improvements in transportation within Taiwan, such as the Taiwan High
Speed Rail service. Is this service accessible
WWW.JAXFAX.COM
and navigable for tourists?
Taiwan’s HSR service is easily navigable for
tourists. The signs are all bilingual, ticket
machines are bi-lingual and easy to find. An
English website allows users to quickly
find their desired route and to purchase
tickets. Trains are well-maintained, on-time,
and incredibly fast (equivalent of nearly the
same length route as NYC – DC in just
1:46.) Even the food is edible.
What are options for experiential travelers who
want a more adventurous experience in Taiwan?
Taiwan has some of the best hiking trails
in Asia and has hiking clubs that foreigners
can join, which arrange hikes up difficult
mountains, such as Yu Shan.
In an effort to assist travel agents in selling the
destination and providing their clients with the
best experience possible, what suggestions or
insights would you offer?
Taiwan has a highly developed infrastructure for traveling and most public
signs are bilingual with both Chinese and
English characters. The country has great
scenic beauty—-higher mountains than
Japan, and many recreational opportunities, including hiking, biking, and fishing.
Taiwan has vastly improved their tourist accommodations over the past 5 years.
Many new 3-4 star hotels have been built
with others under construction. The outstanding cuisine stands up favorably to
Hong Kong and Shanghai. A visit to Taiwan
can be less expensive as prices tend to be
about 70% of those in the US; and it is
cheaper than Japan or Hong Kong. There
are many organized touring opportunities,
all transparently priced and with a variety
of clearly stated features. Taiwan is an extremely safe country with a low crime rate.
There is warm weather in the south during
the winter months with some well developed seaside resorts (in Kenting, especially) and more on the way. Temperatures
are generally in the upper 70s to low 80s
and the weather is mostly sunny.
21
Looking Ahead in Korea
outh Korea is looking forward to welcoming both
domestic and foreign visitors to two major international events. This year, the Republic of Korea will
host the 2012 World Expo in Yeosu from May 12 to
August 12, and in 2018, they will host the XXIII
Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang from February 9-25.
S
Expo 2012 Yeosu Korea
The upcoming World Expo in the Korean port city of Yeosu
(http://eng.expo2012.kr) will focus on the “balancing and the
preservation of ocean and coastal areas with the need for economic development.” Since the United Nations Convention on
the Law of the Sea went into effect in 1993, the ocean has
emerged as an important element in resolving various problems
humankind faces, including those related to resources, food,
space and the environment. However, industrial activities have
damaged the marine ecosystem and subsequently reduced fish
stocks. As a result, the ocean faces severe crisis. Thus, Expo 2012
Yeosu Korea themed on “The Living Ocean and Coast,” will pave
the way for reaffirming global effort to resolve such issues. This
will be realized through three sub-themes: Development and
Preservation of the Ocean and Coast, New Resources Technology, and Creative Marine Activities.
The Expo site covers the New Port Area of Sujeong-dong and a
part of Deokchung-dong in Yeosu. It is situated in the center of
the southern coast of the Korean peninsula, where land civilization meets marine culture, and it is strategically located in the heart
of the Northeast Asian regional exchange, and is a gateway to the
Pacific Rim. Five percent discounted tickets can be purchased on
the official website through April 30th.
XXIII Winter Olympic Games in the Korean Alps
At over 2,290 feet above sea level the county or “gun” of
Pyeongchang, also known as “The Korean Alps” is located in the
central region of south Gangwon-do Province about 2.5 hours by
bus east of Seoul. Of its total land, approximately 65% lies at an altitude that is said to be ideal for the biorhythm of humans, animals,
and plants. It is home to both sheep and cattle (Daegwallyeong
area) and is a top producer of buckwheat, potatoes, and mountain
herbs. Pyeongchang’s unspoiled year-round natural beauty also
makes it a much beloved spot among nature lovers, but especially
in the winter, November to the beginning of April. It is during this
period that snow-covered peaks attract skiers from all over Korea
and now even the world, as Pyeongchang’s major ski resorts prepare to host the XXII Winter Olympic Games in 2018. The IHG
Alpensia Resort Complex (www.alpensiaresort.co.kr),
South Korea’s very first year-round resort, will serve as the main
venue for the 2018 Games. Here visitors will find: the Alpensia
Ski Jumping Stadium, where the major ceremonies, ski jumping,
and some of the Nordic combined events will be held; the Alpensia Biathlon Centre, where the Biathlon will take place; the Alpensia Nordic Centre, location for cross-country skiing and other
Nordic combined events, and the Alpensia Sliding Centre, housing the Luge, Bobsleigh and Skeleton runs. In addition, Alpensia
will be the location of the Olympic Village. The Yongpyong Ski
22 ASIA & THE SOUTH PACIFIC
WWW.FREESUN.BE
By Marian Goldberg
Pyeongchang to Host 2018 Winter Olympics
Resort will be the venue for Alpine Skiing (Slalom, Giant Slalom).
After the Olympics, the Alpensia Resort will also host the 2018
Winter Paralympics from March 9-18, 2012.
2012 TIC Cultural Experience Events
Every year, the Korea Tourist Information Center (TIC), located
in the basement of the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) Headquarters in Seoul, hosts a series of free, first-come-first-served,
hands-on cultural experience programs. These workshops in traditional crafts making, playing folk games, writing your name in Korean calligraphy, and trying on hanbok (traditional clothes) are being
offered Monday through Saturday at set times through December
2012. TIC staff will be present to assist the participants, and provide interpretation services in English, Chinese, and Japanese. Further information, visit www.visitkorea.or.kr
Visit Korea Year Promotions and Savings
As a culmination of the Visit Korea Year campaign, KTO is
continuing its “One More Night” promotion through December 2012. If you book one of their participating hotels (all four
and five star) for three nights, you’ll be able to get an extra
fourth night for your client free. Reservations can be made either through the hotel’s website or on the phone.
A new free 40-seat bus is now operating on the route from
Seoul to Jeonju as part of Visit Jeonbuk Year 2012. And a new
shuttle bus from Seoul to Busan now departs at 8 am from
the Dongwha Duty Free shop in Seoul and arrives at the Lotte
Hotel in Busan at 2 pm. The return trip departs the Lotte Hotel
at 4 pm and arrives at the Dongwha Duty Free shop at 10 pm.
Reservations are first-come-first-served.
International travelers can save up to thirty percent on KTX
tickets if they book the ticket on the Visit Korea Year website
and pick it up at the designated ticket office. The offer is valid
through December 31, 2012, but black-out dates during Korean Thanksgiving and the Lunar New Year holiday applies.
Tickets cannot be purchased at regular KORAIL ticket windows. For information: http://english.visitkoreayear.com
Fifty Beautiful Places to Visit in Korea
The Asian-focused travel website, CNNGo, a subsidiary of
CNN International, featured “50 Beautiful Places to Visit in
Korea” in its January 13, 2012 issue (www.cnngo.com) The
Number 1 favorite sight is Seongsan Ilchulbong Peak, a UNESCO world heritage site on Jeju Island that is actually a crater
formed by volcanic eruptions 5,000 years ago.
For more information on travel to Korea visit the KTO website at: www.visitkorea.or.kr or call 800-868-7567.
WWW.JAXFAX.COM
MARCH 2012
CHINA
As a leading China tour operator, HEE Travel offers great value on tours to experience Classic China. An 11day great value tour package visits Beijing, Shanghai, Wuzhen,
Hangzhou, Wuxi and Suzhou. Explore the treasure-filled Forbidden City, the palace of Chinese emperors, the uniquely constructed Temple of Heaven and Great Wall. Experience the
picturesque beauty of West Lake in Hangzhou, a historical
water town in Wuzhen or the modern, cosmopolitan Shanghai. This tour provides the perfect first step to discover this
fascinating land. Price includes accommodations at 5 star luxury hotels, meals, sightseeing admission, activities, professional English-speaking tour guide, deluxe air conditioned
motor coach and government taxes and fees, and more. HEE
pays high commission to all their agents. Contact info@heetravel.com; 732-662-2998; www.heetravel.com
828
$
KOREA
With Pacific Holidays, travelers can explore
the beauty of Korea on this 5-night journey. The journey begins in Gyeongju, where visitors can see the 6th-century Bulguksa Temple and Seokguram Grotto. On the way to Daegu,
the tour stops at Mt. Gaya along the way and visits Haeinsa
Temple, known as a repository of one of the most comprehensive compilations of Buddhist scriptures in Asia. Upon returning to Gyeongju, explore the royal tombs at Tumuli Park
then travel by train to Seoul, to see the Gyeongbok Palace and
the beautiful Secret Garden. There will be a day trip to the Demilitarized Zone. Visit www.pacificholidaysinc.com
1675
$
CHINA
Goway invites guests to partake in their
“China Odyssey” tour, featuring the most important and beautiful places in the country. In Beijing, visitors will see the Great
Wall, the most representative part of this key symbol to Chinese civilization. In Xian, the tour visits the Temple of Heaven
and the famous Terra Cotta Warriors before heading to Guilin,
one of China’s most picturesque cities. In Shanghai, the largest
city in China, guests will visit the elegant Yu Yuan Garden, the
teeming Nanjing Road and the legendary Bund, or riverfront
esplanade. Suzhou has been aptly named the “Venice of the
East.” Here tourists will visit Yipu Garden and the fascinating
Silk Embroidery. 11-day tour price includes accommodations,
domestic travel, most meals, and luxury touring coaches. Visit
www.goway.com
2059
$
INDIA
G Adventures’ Ganges Sailing Adventure is
answering the question, “What can you do with 15 days in
India?” Visitors can start with whitewater rafting in the foothills
of the Himalaya and a visit to the Taj Mahal, a monument that
redefines the word ‘monumental.’ Next, they can catch pictures of river dolphins, witness the moving burial ceremonies
at the Ghats of Varanasi and camp out along the shores of the
mighty Ganges itself. From bustling New Delhi to gorgeous
Agra to colonial Kolkata and all points in between, this is India
in a huge, wonderful, brightly-colored nutshell. Price includes
accommodations, as well as 1 breakfast, 1 lunch, 1 dinner. Visit
www.gadventures.com
1399
$
MARCH 2012
NEWS & BEST BUYS
JAPAN
Anyone can explore Japanese culture with
Group IST on their 10-day tour of Japan. The tour begins in Tokyo,
where there will be visits to the Meiji Jingu Shrine, Imperial East
Gardens, Asakusa Kannon Temple and Nakamise Shopping Arcade. In Tokyo, guests can also see the UNESCO World Heritage
Site Nikko Toshogu Shrine. Then, tourists will board the world famous Shinkansen bound for Kyoto, where they can see the
Golden Pavilion, Nijo Castle, Imperial Palace, Kyoto Handicraft
Center and UNESCO World Heritage Sites such as Todaiji Temple, Nara Deer Park, and the Kasuga Grand Shrine. Price includes
accommodation and some meals. Visit www.groupist.com
2759
$
AUSTRALIA
AAT Kings wants travelers to enjoy the
beauty of Australia with a two week journey from Australia’s
capital to its coast. The tour begins in Sydney and travels the
New South Wales countryside to Australia’s capital Canberra,
then cross the mighty Murray River into rural Victoria on route
to Melbourne. Some tour highlights include Sydney Opera
House, a tour of Parliament House, Kosciuszko National Park,
the Phillip Island Penguin Parade, a Great Barrier Reef cruise,
and a visit Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park. Price includes airport transfers, hotel accommodations, as well as 11 breakfasts, 3 lunches, and 1 dinner. Visit www.aatkings.com
3430
$
INDIA
India is a potpourri of palaces and far pavilions,
pink cities and painted elephants. Insight Vacations invites all
who are curious to join them on their 11-day tour through this
magical land. In Delhi, see the Chandni Chowk Bazaar, the Red
Fort, India Gate and Parliament House. In Agra lies the majestic
Taj Mahal and red sandstone Agra Fort. There will be a visit to the
deserted imperial city of the Mughal dynasty, and Fatehpur Sikri.
Take an elephant safari through the wilderness as well as three
game safaris by open Canter Truck in search of the Royal Bengal
Tiger. Land price includes accommodations, some meals, and
much more. Visit www.insightvacations.com
6825
$
SITA Introduces Affordable India
SITA World Tours has announced the introduction of Affordable India, an exciting, new tour product line designed to attract a
growing budget oriented segment of the travel market. The new
collection of India itineraries is the result of an increased demand
for more affordable India travel. For the cost of a value-priced
cruise or resort package, SITA’s Affordable India tours offer a colorful, more diverse experience in comfort with all the value. The
tours offer some of India’s most popular sights and experiences
along with special people-to-people opportunities such as dining in
the homes of local families, learning turban tying and henna, and
joining in on a yoga session from a local yogi. The initial offering will
include eight different itineraries including: Temples & Palaces of
North India (11 days), Land of Maharajah (16 days), South India
Sojourn (9 days+4 day extension to Karnataka), Glimpses of India
(12 days), Golden Triangle (6 days) and Essence of India (9 days).
With almost eight decades of experience as a tour operator, SITA
arranges luxurious, affordable and customized programs to destinations worldwide, including Africa & the Middle East, Asia,
India, South and Central America. Visit www.sitatours.com
WWW.JAXFAX.COM
23
I A
sej
Jeni
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AUSTRALIA• NEW ZEALAND•ASIA PACIFIC
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VIETNAM
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PHILIPPINES
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Strait of
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BRUNEI
MALAYSIA
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MALAYSIA
Simeulue
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Siberut
M an ad o
SINGAPORE
Sa m a rin d a
Borneo
Admiralty Islands
Celebes
Ma
Palembang
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ait
P o n tia n a k
Sumatra
ar S
tr
Nias
N
W ew ak
Seram
Jakarta
Bandung
Semarang
J a v a
S e a
Rab au l
Ujungpandang
M ad an g
I N D O N E S I A
Bougainville
Aru
New Guinea
Surabaya
Java
Bali Sumbawa
Bismarck
Archipelago
New Ireland
Ja y a p u ra
B a n ja rm a sin
Enggano
Senyavin Islands
Mindanao
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Kuala Lumpur
Kokor
Davao
Bandar Seri Begawan
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Indian
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Palau Islands
So n g k h la
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Colombo
Luzon
PHILIPPINES
S e a
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Andaman Islands
Phnom Penh
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N o n g Kh ai
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Zhanjiang
Gulf of
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Kaohsiung
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LAOS
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on
ek
Belgaum
B a y
o f
B e n g a l
Pacific
Ocean
Taipei
Taiwan
Shantou
Hong Kong
M
Krishna R.
Panaji
Xiamen
VIETNAM
C h ia n g M a i
Sholapur
Shaoguan
Guangzhou
Nanning
MYANMAR
Sit tw e
INDIA
Godavari R.
Ulhasnagar
Bombay
Pune
Fuzhou
Kunming
M a n d a la y
Kyushu
Pingxiang
Guiyang
Dukou
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Imphal
Dhaka
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Ahmadabad
Jamnaga r
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putra
Brahma
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JAPAN
os
a
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Mekong
Hyderabad
arachi
Lucknow
Kanpur
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Kyoto
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Hiroshima
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Fukuoka Shikoku
Huaibei
Huainan
Nanjing
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Huzhou Jiaxing
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Hangzhou
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Ningbo
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Yellow Sea
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Kaifeng
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KOREA
Taejeon
Seoul
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Indu
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Salween
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Lahore
Faisalabad
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Handan
Lanzhou
In
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Islamabad
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an
Taian
Hu
Fo
rm
C H I N A
Xining
Sea
of Japan
Pyongyang
Dalian
St
r.
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NORTH KOREA
Zhangjiakou
Incheon
Kabul
Vladivostok
Fushun
Benxi
Yingkou
Feng Cheng
Dandong
Jinzhou
Yinchuan
Q iem o
M azar-e Sharif
eymaneh
Hokkaido
Liaoyuan
Fuxin
KYRGYZSTAN
TAJIKISTAN
Changchun
D alandzadagad
Hami
Bishkek
C himkent
Turbat
Sakhalin Island
K habarovsk
Qiqihar
Bayanhongo r
A ltay
L. Balqash
C hoybalsan
Ulaanbaatar
H ovd
Irtysh
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Amur
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Sumba
PAPUA NEW GUINEA
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Timor Sea
Torres Str. Port Moresby
S e a
Darwin
VANUATU
Vanua Levu
New Hebrides
Gr
FIJI
Coral Sea
tB
ea
Cairns
NEW
Alice Springs
Loyalty Islands
CALEDONIA
Gladstone
AUSTRALIA
Fraser
Pacific
Ocean
Brisbane
Geraldton
Kalgoorlie
g
rlin
Da
Cook
Port Augusta
Perth
Great Australian Bight
Port Lincoln
Kangaroo Island
Viti Levu
Noumea
f
Mackay
ee
rR
Don River
rie
ar
Tennant Creek
Mount Isa
Suva
Efate I.
Port-Vila
Learmonth
Carnarvon
Guadalcanal
Solomon Sea
Derby
Port Hedland
Solomon
Islands
Honaira
Gulf
of
Carpentaria
Wellesley
Islands
Broome
New Britain
Solomon Sea
Tanimbar
Flores
Lae
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TRIP
DEPARTING TYPE
#
DAYS
ROUND TRIP PRICE
MIN
MAX
ATLANTA
DAILY
SKED AIR
$
CHICAGO
DAILY
SKED AIR
$
COLUMBUS
DAILY
SKED AIR
$
DENVER
DAILY
SKED AIR
$
LOS ANGELES
DAILY
SKED AIR
$
NEW YORK
DAILY
SKED AIR
$
OMAHA
DAILY
SKED AIR
$
ROANOKE
DAILY
SKED AIR
$
SAN FRANCISCO
DAILY
SKED AIR
$
WASHINGTON DC
DAILY
SKED AIR
$
AFGHANISTAN
929
Net
910
Net
903
Net
996
Net
949
Net
748
Net
903
Net
748
Net
949
Net
984
Net
VALIDITY
PERIOD
SUPPLIER
To:KABUL
TRANS AM TRAVEL INC.
To:KABUL
To:KABUL
To:KABUL
To:KABUL
To:KABUL
To:KABUL
To:KABUL
To:KABUL
To:KABUL
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
THRU 3/29/12
800-822-7600; ONE WAY FARES AVAIL
THRU 3/29/12
THRU 3/29/12
THRU 3/29/12
THRU 3/29/12
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THRU 3/29/12
THRU 3/29/12
THRU 3/29/12
Improve Your Sales with APG’s Interline E-ticketing Platform
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LOS ANGELES
DAILY
BUSINESS
DAILY
BUSINESS
NEW YORK
DAILY
BUSINESS
AUSTRALIA
$ 3250
$ 3250
Net $ 4150
Net
$ 4500
Net
To:SYDNEY
ARROW TRAVEL
EXTRA VALUE AIR
To:SYDNEY
EXTRA VALUE AIR
ALL YEAR
ALL YEAR
CALL FOR OTHER CITIES;866-359-2776
800-758-1382;OTHER CITIES & 1ST AVBL.
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CHICAGO
DAILY
BUSINESS
$
DALLAS
DAILY
OW BC
$
DETROIT
DAILY
BUSINESS
$
LOS ANGELES
DAILY
BUSINESS
$
DAILY
SKED AIR
$
NEW YORK
DAILY
BUSINESS
$
SAN FRANCISCO
DAILY
BUSINESS
$
CHICAGO
DAILY
BUSINESS
$
DAILY
BUSINESS
$
LOS ANGELES
DAILY
BUSINESS
$
DAILY
BUSINESS
$
NEW YORK
DAILY
BUSINESS
$
DAILY
BUSINESS
$
SAN FRANCISCO
DAILY
BUSINESS
$
CHINA
CHICAGO
DAILY
BUSINESS
DAILY
BUSINESS
LOS ANGELES
DAILY
BUSINESS
DAILY
OW BC
3400
1453
3200
Net
2700
560
Net
3300
2700
3100
3100
Net
2750
3150
Net $ 3250
Net
3150
3150
Net
2700
HONG KONG (CHINA)
MARCH 2012
$ 3200
$ 3500
$ 2700
$ 1243
Net
To:BEIJING
JBTI TOUR LLC
To:BEIJING
LEGEND TRAVEL AND TOURS
To:BEIJING
EXTRA VALUE AIR
To:BEIJING
JBTI TOUR LLC
TOKYO TRAVEL SERVICE
To:BEIJING
JBTI TOUR LLC
To:BEIJING
JBTI TOUR LLC
To:SHANGHAI
EXTRA VALUE AIR
JBTI TOUR LLC
To:SHANGHAI
ARROW TRAVEL
EXTRA VALUE AIR
To:SHANGHAI
EXTRA VALUE AIR
JBTI TOUR LLC
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To:HONG KONG
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YEAR ROUND
800-967-2345;212-696-2058;INFO@JBTI.COM
CALL
800-295-3436;LUIS@LEGEN.COM;OTH CITIES
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CALL
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71
PAGE
DIRECTORY
SEE
EMAIL
&
ADDRESS
WEBSITE
I N F O R M AT I O N ,
#
DAYS
ROUND TRIP PRICE
MIN
MAX
LOS ANGELES
DAILY
BUSINESS
$
DAILY
SKED AIR
$
NEW YORK
DAILY
BUSINESS
$
DAILY
BUSINESS
$
SAN FRANCISCO
DAILY
BUSINESS
$
HONG KONG (CHINA)
CHICAGO
DAILY
BUSINESS
NEW YORK
DAILY
SKED AIR
DAILY
BUSINESS
MIAMI
DAILY
OW SKAIR
NEW YORK
DAILY
SKED AIR
2700
670
3300
3150
Net
Net
2800
INDIA
$ 3900
Net
$ 3900
$ 3900
Net
Net
$ 475
$ 3900
LOS ANGELES
1234
SKED AIR
$
DENVER
DAILY
OW BC
$
LOS ANGELES
DAILY
SKED AIR
$
CHICAGO
DAILY
BUSINESS
$
LOS ANGELES
1346
BUSINESS
$
DAILY
SKED AIR
$
NEW YORK
DAILY
BUSINESS
$
DAILY
SKED AIR
$
SAN FRANCISCO
DAILY
BUSINESS
$
Net
JAPAN
560
Net
1653
525
Net
3548
3116
470
Net
4200
613
Net
3200
VALIDITY
PERIOD
SUPPLIER
To:HONG KONG
To:HONG KONG
EXTRA VALUE AIR
JBTI TOUR LLC
To:HONG KONG
JBTI TOUR LLC
To:DELHI
EXTRA VALUE AIR
To:DELHI
EXTRA VALUE AIR
EXTRA VALUE AIR
To:MUMBAI
To:MUMBAI
EXTRA VALUE AIR
To:NAGOYA
To:NARITA
To:OSAKA
To:TOKYO
JBTI TOUR LLC
To:TOKYO
To:TOKYO
JBTI TOUR LLC
To:TOKYO
JBTI TOUR LLC
CALL
CALL
18% COMM ON PUB FARES;CST#1017187-60
800-227-2065;CST#1017187-60;NO ADV.
ALL YEAR
YEAR ROUND
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YEAR ROUND
800-967-2345;212-696-2058;INFO@JBTI.COM
ALL YEAR
ALL YEAR
ALL YEAR
800-758-1382;OTHER CITIES & 1ST AVAIL
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ALL YEAR
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CALL
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YEAR ROUND
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CALL
CALL
800-227-2065;CST#1017187-60;FARES CHNG
YEAR ROUND
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YEAR ROUND
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KOREA
www.visitkorea.or.kr
CHICAGO
DAILY
BUSINESS
$
LOS ANGELES
DAILY
SKED AIR
$
NEW YORK
DAILY
SKED AIR
$
DAILY
BUSINESS
$
SAN FRANCISCO
DAILY
BUSINESS
$
2830
590
Net
3300
2630
Net
2300
LOS ANGELES
DAILY
BUSINESS
$ 3800
LOS ANGELES
DAILY
SKED AIR
DAILY
BUSINESS
$ 520
$ 2650
NEW ZEALAND
Net
PHILIPPINES
CHICAGO
DAILY
BUSINESS
$
NEW YORK
DAILY
BUSINESS
$
DAILY
FIRST CL
$
SAN FRANCISCO
DAILY
BUSINESS
$
Net
SINGAPORE
ATLANTA
DAILY
SKED AIR
CHICAGO
DAILY
SKED AIR
3230
3030
12800
Net
2430
TAIWAN
$ 1120
Net
$ 725
Net
To:SEOUL
JBTI TOUR LLC
To:SEOUL
To:SEOUL
EXTRA VALUE AIR
JBTI TOUR LLC
To:SEOUL
JBTI TOUR LLC
KOREA
TOURISM
ORGANIZATION
800-TOUR-KOREA
YEAR ROUND
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800-227-2065;CST#1017187-60;MORE CITIES
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To:AUCKLAND
EXTRA VALUE AIR
ALL YEAR
To:MANILA
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CALL
800-227-2065;CST#1017187-60;MORE CITIES
YEAR ROUND
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YEAR ROUND
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800-967-2345;212-696-2058;INFO@JBTI.COM
YEAR ROUND
800-967-2345;212-696-2058;INFO@JBTI.COM
THRU 5/15/12
VISIT CNHINTL.COM OR CALL 888-708-0088
THRU 4/30/12
To:SINGAPORE
JBTI TOUR LLC
To:SINGAPORE
JBTI TOUR LLC
To:SINGAPORE
JBTI TOUR LLC
To:TAIPEI
C & H INTERNATIONAL
To:TAIPEI
C & H INTERNATIONAL
NOTICE TO TRAVEL AGENTS: The listings displayed in JAX FAX may or may not include all of the government taxes/fees, fuel surcharges, airport facility and
airline security charges, since these will vary depending upon the airline(s) used and the specific route flown for the ticket(s) actually purchased. Travel agents
are hereby advised that the U.S. Department of Transportation requires that consumers be advised of the total amount of applicable taxes, fees and charges
before the ticket sale is consummated. Be sure to determine from the wholesaler what the applicable amount is and advise your clients.— The Publisher
FOR
CONTACT
TRIP
DEPARTING TYPE
26
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MARCH 2012
TRIP
#
ROUND TRIP PRICE
DEPARTING TYPE
DAYS MIN
MAX
HOUSTON
DAILY
SKED AIR
$ 795
Net
LOS ANGELES
DAILY
SKED AIR
$ 680
Net
DAILY
BUSINESS
$ 2690
NEW YORK
DAILY
SKED AIR
$ 730
Net
SAN FRANCISCO
DAILY
OW BC
$ 1453
WASHINGTON DC
DAILY
SKED AIR
$ 930
Net
SUPPLIER
To:TAIPEI
C & H INTERNATIONAL
To:TAIPEI
To:TAIPEI
C & H INTERNATIONAL
To:TAIPEI
To:TAIPEI
C & H INTERNATIONAL
CHICAGO
DAILY
BUSINESS
LOS ANGELES
DAILY
BUSINESS
DAILY
BUSINESS
DAILY
SKED AIR
NEW YORK
DAILY
BUSINESS
CALL
CALL
800-227-2065;BLCKOUT;CST#1017187-60
THRU 5/15/12
CALL
THRU 5/23/12
ALL YEAR
ALL YEAR
CALL
CALL
VIA OSA;800-227-2065;CST#1017187-60
ALL YEAR
Net
$ 3800
$ 2598
$ 650
Net
$ 3300
Net
To:BANGKOK
EXTRA VALUE AIR
To:BANGKOK
EXTRA VALUE AIR
To:BANGKOK
EXTRA VALUE AIR
$ 670
Net
To:HO-CHI-MINH CITY(SAIGON)
CALL
Net
VIETNAM
THRU 4/30/12
$ 3300
THAILAND
LOS ANGELES
DAILY
SKED AIR
VALIDITY
PERIOD
800-227-2065;CST#1017187-60;RATES CHNG
2012 CALENDAR OF TRAVEL TRADE SHOWS AND EVENTS
DATE
Feb 29-March 4
March 5-6
March 5-6
March 3-7
March 7 - 11
March 12-15
March 13, 14, 15
March 17
March 17-18
March 17-18
March 20, 21, 22
March 22 - 25
March 28-29
April 2-4
April 12-14
April 16
April 18-20
April 18. 19
April 20-22
April 23
May 7
May 9, 10
May 14
May 15, 16, 17
May 21 22, 24
June 5-6
June 14-17
June 25
Sept. 11, 12, 13
Sept. 17, 18, 19
September 20
September 25-28
September 27-28
October TBA
October 10, 11
October 15-18,
November 5
November 7, 8
November 27-29
November 27-29
MARCH 2012
EVENT
LOCATION
CONTACT INFORMATION
BTL 3012
Lisboa, Portugal
www.btl.fil.pt
Social Media Strategies for Travel
San Francisco, CA
gina@eyefortravel.com
Mobile Strategies for Travel 2012
San Francisco, CA
gina@eyefortravel.com
PATA Adventure Travel
Paro, Bhutan
www.pata.org/events
ITB Berlin 2012
Berlin, Germany
www1.messe-berlin.de
Cruise Shipping Miami
Miami Beach , Miami
www.cruiseshippingmiami.com
Travel Trade Show
TN. AL, GA venues
www.travel-trade-shows.com
Travel + Destination Symposium
Washington D.C.
www.destinationsymposium.com
Travel & Adventure Show
Washington D.C.
www.adventureexpo.com
Travel Xpo
Melbourne, Australia
www.travelxpo.com.au
Travel Trade Show
North Carolina venues
TUR 2012
Gothenburg, Sweden
www.tur.se
Samara Tour Expo
Samara, Russia
http://rte-expo.ru/en
World Ports & Trade Summit
ADNEC, Abu Dhabi
www.worldportsandtrade.com
TourSIB
Novosibirsk, Russia
http://toursib.sibfair.ru/eng
Travel Trade Show
Albuquerque, NM
Sea Japan 2012
Tokyo, Japan
www.seajapan.ne.jp/en
Travel Trade Show
CO Springs, Denver CO
PATA Annual Meeting 2012
Putrajaya, Malaysia
www.pata.org/events
Seatrade Asia Awards
Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore
www.seatradeasiaawards.com
Travel Trade Show
Indianapolis/Carmel, IN
Travel Trade Show
Gd Rapids, Detroit MI
Seatrade Awards 2012
Guildhall, London
www.seatrade-awards.com
Travel Trade Show
Albany/ Rochester/ Buffalo, NY www.travel-trade-shows.com
Travel Trade Show
Chicago, IL & MinneapolisMN
Online Mktng Strategies for Travel Miami, FL
brian@eyefortravel.com
ITE HK
Hong Kong, China
www.itehk.com/ITEHK
Travel Trade Show
Honolulu, HI
Travel Trade Show
California venues
Travel Trade Show
California venues
Travel Trade Show
Las Vegas, NV
PATA Travel Mart 2012
SMX, Philippines
www.pata.org/events
Seatrade All Asia Cruise
Shanghai, China
www.asiacruiseconvention.com
World Heritage Travel Expo
The Venetian Macao
www.worldheritagetravelexpo.com/en
Travel Trade Show
Mesa/Chandler, Tuscon ,AZ
Travel Trade Show
Texas venues
Travel Trade Show
Salt Lake City, UT,
Travel Trade Show
Boulder / Denver CO
Seatrade Middle East
Dubai, UE
www.seatrade-middleeast.com
Seatrade Med Cruise
Marseille, France
www.seatrade-med.com
For inclusion in this directory, email your event to CBjaxfax@aol.com, thank you.
WWW.JAXFAX.COM
ASIA & THE SOUTH PACIFIC 27
Vibrant Zagreb
Hospitality, Heritage and History
W
Vienna, Mozart
Memorial
AUSTRIA
AUSTRIA NTO
A vacation in Austria gets
you close to nature and allows
you to get to know the people
and the wonderful traditions.
Austria’s landscapes are incredibly varied and the options are endless, be it on a
relaxing walk or experiencing
the great outdoors in the Austrian Alps. Keep in mind that you
are never far from historic city centers, cultural events and
gourmet restaurant. Austria is known for many things, most
prominently its connection to music. Vienna was home to
Mozart, Beethoven and Straus. In homage to this history, the
country celebrates with multiple music-themed festivals and
activities such as Schubertiade, a festival dedicated to Franz
Peter Schubert, held from June to October and the Grafenegg
Music Festival, held from August to September, which incorporates history, gastronomy and music into one big celebration.
Along with the return of the famed musical “Sound of
Music” to the Salzburg stage, the Salzburg Festival (July-September) is definitely something to be experienced while in
Austria. From Mozart to modern, from classic interpretations
to daring experimentation, only the best performers are invited
to Salzburg each year. The festival’s motto this year is “To
awaken the ear, the eyes, human thinking.”
Visitors who want to truly immerse themselves in the Austrian music scene, can stay at the Hotel Imperial Vienna. When
staying at the hotel, guests are invited to take a special music
“test” and get a consult with a composer before being treated
to a piece of music composed solely for them or their beloved.
Visit www.austria.info
CROATIA
Croatia is one of the most significant travel destinations in
the Mediterranean because of its preserved natural wealth and
environment, cultural and historical heritage, mild Mediterranean climate, close proximity to European markets, and the
availability of active holidays in environmentally protected destinations. Geographically, it stretches from the Pannonian
Plain, the Danube region, and woody and hilly areas to real
peaks and mountain chains descending to and protecting the
unique and unforgettable Adriatic coast.
Zagreb Wine Gourmet Weekend is an international festival of
28 CENTRAL & EASTERN EUROPE
wine and food held in the
Glyptotheque of the Croatian
Academy of Arts and Sciences in Zagreb from April
13th to April 15th, 2012. At
this festival, local wine lovers
can get acquainted with the
carefully selected wines and wine producers, as well as the
latest harvests of the important local wine producers.
The Split Summer Festival from July 14th to August 14th
2012 focuses mainly on opera productions, presenting the
Split audiences with prominent opera productions by theatres
from across the world. In addition to operas, the festival offers its visitors numerous plays, ballets and exhibitions.
Later on in the year, The Split Film Festival runs for eight
days from September 15th to 22nd, showing new films from
across the world from a variety of categories, themes, genres
and styles. For more information visit www.croatia.hr
CROATIA NTO
ith abundant hospitality, these Central and
Eastern European countries are welcoming
visitors with open arms. Here you will find
amazing and diverse landscapes and architecture, as well as beautiful classical and
modern art and music. Opportunities abound to experience
the spas, crafts, and gastronomic treats unique to these
countries. Plan a trip to coincide with one of the countless
festivals that take place throughout the year, celebrating history, culture, and heritage.
CZECH REPUBLIC
The Czech Republic lies in the heart of Europe, meaning history can be
found on every
corner. The oldest cities were
founded during
the Middle Ages
at the crossroads
Villa Tugendhat in Brno
of trading routes.
Coins were minted in them, heavy metals were mined and
beer was brewed. Some towns, such as Tabor, were even established as a result of religious reformation. In order for
tourists to easily gain their bearings, the Czech Republic is divided into 17 tourist regions. The most visited region is the
capital, Prague, but it would be a mistake to stay only here
when visiting the Czech Republic. Visitors will only learn what
Central Europe is really like after visiting Bohemian Paradise,
South Bohemia, South Moravia and the West Bohemia spas.
Each region is completely different and each provides a rich
and varied spectrum of tourist activities.
Spas and Wellness
Be sure to visit Karlovy Vary, Marianske Lazne, Frantiskovy
Lazne, Teplice or another of the famous spa cities for worldclass care. Relax and recharge by visiting a spa to receive treatment with natural therapeutic resources, including hot springs,
hot spring gases or clay. Curative procedures are offered for
specific medical conditions.There are also more modern spa
options including those with Eastern influence. Over 37 spa
regions are found in the country, each offering a particular speciality.
UNESCO Sites
Something that sets the Czech Republic apart from other
countries is their unique claim to such a large number of UNESCO World Heritage sites in a relatively small area. Monuments include the historical center of Prague, and the center
of Kutna Hora.
WWW.JAXFAX.COM
MARCH 2012
Music and Theatre
High quality music and musicians can be found in the Czech
Republic on the jazz scene. There are music festivals throughout the country such as Jazz Goes to Town, International Jazz
Festival Prague, and others. In 2012, the eleventh annual international festival Jazzfest Brno will present a wide spectrum
of jazz and related genres. From April 11 to 26, foreign guest
musicians and top domestic performers will come to Brno to
offer fans of modern jazz and improvised music unique experiences. The program consists of jazz musicians from the cradle of jazz, the USA, but the festival also offers a wide variety
of musicians from thirteen other countries.
The Czech Republic will also be home to the Summer Shakespeare festival from June to September 2012. The festival will
appear in Prague, Ostrava and Brno. This festival is the biggest
and oldest festival of this kind in Europe. Even though most of
the productions are in Czech and Slovak, the magic atmosphere of summer production at time-honored castles entice
theatre-goers from all countries around the world.
Gastronomy
The Czech Republic also offers a unique opportunity for gastronomy. For beer lovers, there are more than 450 brands on
the market. Many small breweries, which brew their own original beer, are very popular. Coming from the most beautiful
parts of the Czech Republic, the wines are also worth tasting.
Czech cuisine consists of meat specialties, dumplings and potato pancakes. The Prague Food Festival is a three-week celebration of Czech food. The open-air event features the best
chefs in the Czech Republic. From May 25th-27th, visitors will
get a chance to try the Czech cuisine and more exotic specialties from the country’s restaurants.
For more information about visiting the Czech Republic, visit
www.czechtourism.com
ESTONIA
Estonia is an amazing place
of natural beauty, steeped in
colorful history. The country
lies on the eastern shores of
the Baltic Sea and borders the
Gulf of Finland, between Latvia
and Russia. Because of its history and geography, Estonia’s
Tallin Old City
culture has been influenced by
the traditions of the adjacent area’s various Finnic, Baltic, Slavic
and Germanic peoples as well as the cultural developments in
the former dominant powers Sweden and Russia.
Tallinn Music Week, held from March 29th to the 31st this
year, is a festival that introduces Estonian music to both Estonian and foreign audiences. The largest and most influential
music festival and seminar-conference in Estonia will be held
for the fourth time with the aim of searching for new ways to
promote the local talent and music industry.
As it has for decades, the start of the peak season of spring
gardening in Estonia is marked by the Turi Flower Fair, held on
the fields on Kalevi Street in Turi. This year’s fair will be the
35th in its history, held from May 15th-20th. At the fair there
will be gardening companies, forestry schools and private gardens, all with special offers designed to help gardeners improve their gardens. Visit www.visitestonia.com
ESTONIA NTO
Designated as a UNESCO site in 2001, the historically
youngest monument is the Functionalist Villa Tugendhat in
Brno, dating back to 1930. Villa Tugendhat was closed to the
public in January of 2010 for restoration and renewal, with the
aim of preserving and conserving the original building and the
gardens. Designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe in 1928, it
was built by Artur and Moric Eisler over the next two years for
the Tugendhat family. In a time of confidence reflected by a
housing boom, the house has since become an icon of modernism. This house impacted the future of architecture with
its use of brand new technologies, an open floor plan, and furniture designed for function. It was built with iron framework,
allowing the architect to use the lack of supporting walls to
create a sense of light and openness. The home has a travertine staircase, and feature walls of ebony and onyx. The Villa
also has a remarkable history. After the original family emigrated, the Villa was confiscated by the Gestapo. It became
the property of the German Reich in 1942. Through the years,
it was used as a stable, a dance school and a rehabilitation
center for children. In 1980, the Villa became the property of
the City of Brno. There was a restoration effort made from
1981-1985. Over the past two years, another restoration has
been taking place, and original fixtures have been restored to
the building. In addition, metal work, plaster, glass have been
restored according the principles of the preservation of a monument. Proudly, in March 2012, Villa Tugendhat will be reopened to the public.
GEORGIA
Georgia is a peaceful, small
nation in between Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It enjoys a moderate climate, as the
cold winds and snow are
mostly blocked by the Caucasus Mountains along its northSvetitskhoveli Cathedral
ern border. More than a quarter
of its population lives in the capital city of Tbilisi. Being in the
crossroads between Europe and Asia, Georgia’s history was colored by many invaders. Recommended daytrips from Tbilisi include the town of Signaghi, in the eastern wine province of
Kakheti. It is a scenic location to sample Georgian wines and see
examples of traditional carpets. Another daytrip from Tbilisi is to
the Jvari Monastery (6th century), high on a hill above the ancient capital Mtskheta, overlooking the confluence of the rivers
Aragvi and Mtkvari. After visiting the monastery, descend into
Mtskheta to visit the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, built in the 11th
century and used for centuries for the coronation and burial of
Georgian monarchs.
The Black Sea resort of Batumi, on the west coast, is a mix
of modern and old world architecture. There is a concrete
boardwalk, as well as parks with flowers and shade trees. Recently inaugurated, the Opera House is a beautiful building.
The Borjomi Gorge is home to cool mountain air and medicinal springs, and there are several hotel/treatment centers
where you can enjoy spa-type experiences.
The city of Gori is home to the Joseph Stalin Museum. At
the museum complex, one can see his birth house, a train car
that he used for traveling, and an extensive and interesting collection of photographs and exhibits.
WWW.JAXFAX.COM
MARCH 2012
In the mountains near Tskhaltubo are the Sataplia and
Prometheus caves, showcasing footprints of dinosaurs and incredible formations of stalactites and stalagmites.
The Bagrati Cathedral, together with the Gelati Monastery, a
UNESCO World Heritage site, is in the area of Kutaisi, Georgia’s second largest city. The cathedral is currently closed for
renovation, but the monastery is open and worth a visit. For
more information, visit www.mfa.gov.ge
Baroque Ball is held every February in Gyor. The event is complete with period gowns, music, dance, food and the strict
rules of a formal Baroque ball. During the course of the
evening attendees even have the opportunity to marvel at
sword dancers and belly dancers.
And as if the hundreds of cultural, historical, gastronomical or
musical events weren’t enough, travelers rave about the legendary Hungarian hospitality, which keeps them coming back
again and again. Visit www.gotohungary.com
HUNGARY
POLAND
Poland’s capital city, Warsaw, is full of astonishing contrasts and dimensions waiting
to be discovered, absorbed
and understood by the inquisitive. Nurturing over 400 years
of pride as a capital, it is
Poland’s largest city and an
Gdansk iconic fountain
economic, political, and cultural center with a bustling metropolis that features an unforgettable history. It is a city with the tallest four-faced clock
tower in the world, sitting on one of the youngest, yet one of
the most prominent, symbols of socialist architecture – the
Palace of Culture and Science, built in 1956. It is where travelers can find an actual rooftop garden that has been cultivated
atop one of the largest university libraries in the capital. While
within the historic walls of Lazienki Palace on the Lake, visitors
can listen to hip-hop and the ever-present Fryderyk Chopin,
where the famous composer himself used to play. Ethereal
MERRIE MURRAY
HUNGARY NTO
Though Hungary is a small
country (about the size of Indiana,) it is one Europe’s oldest
and most culturally fascinating. Natives speak a language
and have formed a culture unlike any other in the region.
This distinctiveness has been
Parliament Building in Budapest
both a source of pride and an
obstacle for more than 1,100 years.
Hungary celebrates several cultural holidays and festivals every
year, with plenty of chances for travelers to become involved in the
celebrations. For example, on St. Martin’s Day (a day to celebrate
the patron saint of soldiers and horses) there are plenty of events
and activities held throughout Budapest and Hungary. Most restaurants in Budapest and around the country offer a special St. Martin’s
Day menu, so be sure to try a traditional dish like roasted goose leg
with steamed red cabbage, roasted goose liver or smoked goose
breast. St. Martin’s day is on November 11th every year.
In order to preserve the country’s Baroque traditions, the
Continued on page 34 ☛
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MARCH 2012
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31
GERMANY:
Oktoberfest Experience
Continued from page 6
Book Early & Where to Stay
DOUG COOKE
One word of caution; it is necessary for your clients to
make reservations for a table at each of the tents well in
advance. Booking now for this September isn’t too soon.
The tents are incredibly crowded, especially the first and
last weekends of Oktoberfest and you will not be served
unless you are sitting at a table. There is no additional cost
to make a reservation but they do require you give a deposit, about 35 euros on average, that serves as your minimum and is applied toward your food and beverage
purchases. Reservations are usually for either lunch, afternoon or evening in increments of 3 hours so, if your
clients plan on spending the day, they will need to make multiple
reservations. My advice would be to mix it up and spend the afternoon in one tent and the evening in another. It should also be noted
that each tent has an outdoor Bier garden with open seating and with
a little patience and perseverance a seat can usually be found. Though
many tents do have some unreserved seating, people without reservations start lining up early in the morning when the tents open, at
10am weekdays and 9am weekends, to claim a table for the day.
Though the Bier tents are the biggest draw at the Fest, there is
much more to see and do. There are dozens of carnival style rides as
well as food and shopping stalls. Tip: For a birds eye view of the fair
grounds advise your clients to climb the bell tower of the St. Paul’s
Cathedral located at the Northern end of Theresienwiese Park. The
view is amazing.
The Hotel Carat (www.carat-hotel-muenchen.de) located at Lindwurmstr 13, just a 15- minute walk to the fair grounds was where
JAX FAX stayed on this trip. This 48 room, 3 star hotel has very clean,
comfortable rooms and served a complimentary buffet breakfast in
their courtyard each morning. The hotel provides underground parking, free wifi, some rooms with kitchen units and a very central location. Rates during Oktoberfest are about 299 euros/night for a double.
Other Munich Attractions & Day Trips From Munich
While the Theresienwiese Park is the center of attention during Oktoberfest, there are many other sites to be seen while in
Munich. A trip to Munich wouldn’t be complete without an excursion to Marienplatz to see the Glockenspiel clock and St.
Peter’s Church. And just around the corner from there is the
world famous Hofbrauehaus, the second busiest spot in Munich during Oktoberfest. Advise your clients to arrive early. Tables are full by noon. The Bier Garden in the English Gardens is
another popular spot away from the crowds.
We decided to give our livers a break from the beer tents for a day
and took a train from the central Munich Hauptbahnhof to the town
of Fuessen, about a 2-hour train ride. From here you can take a taxi
or bus for a 15-minute drive to see the “Cinderella Castle”
Neuschwanstein. While the castle is an incredible site in a fairytale
setting on the rocky cliffs, we opted to take a cable car ride up to
Tegelberg. Once at the top you can hike along the mountain ridge
enjoying magnificent views of the Alps and Lake Forggensee or
watch the paragliders and hang gliders launching off the death-defying platform located next to the tram station. Of course, there is also
a café offering more of that wonderful beer we had come across the
ocean to enjoy as well as a wide variety of culinary options.
Many tour operators offer customized packages for Oktoberfest,
though with some research and advance planning, travel agents can
arrange and market their own FIT packages for clients. For more information on Oktoberfest visit www.germany.travel
Fly Lufthansa to Oktoberfest
When setting out for an international vacation your
client’s journey starts at the airport, so why not choose an airline that sets the proper mood.
JAX FAX did just that and flew
Lufthansa non-stop from
Boston to Munich on our recent Oktoberfest adventure.
On all long-haul Lufthansa
flights to and from Munich during the Oktoberfest, “white
and blue” – the traditional
Bavarian colors – are also the color theme. Passengers traveling in
First Class are offered a traditional Oktoberfest menu including Munich white sausage terrine and other Bavarian specialities. To accompany their meal, passengers can request a glass of the
renowned Oktoberfest beer. Traditional Bavarian delicacies are also
served in Business and Economy Class. Meanwhile, on the audio
channel, a special program is devoted to Bavarian music to get passengers into the swing of what is known in Bavaria as the “fifth”
season of the year.
During Oktoberfest, Lufthansa ground staff wears their own
traditional Bavarian dress to work. Furthermore, in cooperation
with Loden-Frey and the specialist outfitters, Trachtenhaus Jager,
tailor-made dirndls in blue and white and traditional men’s suits
are provided for Lufthansa’s ground staff at Munich.
Lucky guests flying to and from Munich on select international
flights have had the opportunity to experience a special Lufthansa
crew dressed in the traditional Bavarian style. “Year after year,
the response from our customers has been overwhelming,” said
Peter Ulmer, Regional Director Sales, Western USA. “That alone
is incentive enough for us to continue the Oktoberfest on board.”
It is now more than 50 years since Lufthansa flight attendants
first exchanged their uniforms for traditional Bavarian costumes.
In 1957, the airline reported: “During the Oktoberfest, Lufthansa
stewardesses dressed in dirndls will be attending to the needs of
passengers on flights from New York to Hamburg and on flights
from London to Munich. On those routes, blonde flight attendants wore pale-blue dirndls, while their dark-haired colleagues
were dressed in pink.
About Lufthansa
One of the world’s largest and most prestigious airlines, Lufthansa
currently flies to 211 destinations in 84 countries, with hubs in Frankfurt, Munich, and with its recent acquisition of Austrian Airlines
and SWISS –Vienna and Zurich. From its 22 North American gateways, Lufthansa and its partners serve over 450 destinations in
more than 120 countries. Its long-haul fleet to and from North America includes the Boeing 747-400, as well as the Airbus A300 sub
fleet. Currently, Lufthansa has over 150 new aircraft worth about
$18 billion on order and will be the largest European operator of the
A380 and is also the launch customer for the new Boeing 747-8, the
industries’ two most fuel-efficient passenger aircraft.
Known for its premium services, Lufthansa continues its
$150 million program earmarked for building new or upgrading
existing lounge facilities across its worldwide network and will
spend more than $1.4 billion in new onboard products and
services by 2015. In 2010, Lufthansa re-launched its broadband wireless Internet service onboard, FlyNet. For more information or reservations, visit www.lufthansa.com
WWW.JAXFAX.COM
MARCH 2012
Riesling, pinot noir & Co.: www.germany.travel
Discover
the taste of Germany
© Schloss Wackerbarth, Radebeul
Wine festival at Radebeul, and afterwards:
visit the Schloss Wackerbarth wine estate.
Æ Take your palate on an adventure!
POLAND NTO
Krakow
POLAND (continued)
Art Nouveau architecture, and
modern-glass skyscrapers tower
over apartment buildings.
Spectators visiting Warsaw in
2012 will encounter a city that
continues to strive for new standards of beauty and modernism.
Along with the reconstructed
Krakowskie Przedmie cie, one of
Warsaw’s most famous streets, the new Copernicus Science
Centre, Theater Square and the new Vistula boulevards will
surely impress even the most seasoned traveler.
In 2012, the UEFA European Football Championship will be
held in Warsaw. This is a great opportunity for the Polish capital to accelerate all of the city’s investment projects such as
the construction of the National Stadium, the revitalization of
the Eastern part of Warsaw, as well as the construction of beltways and of the second subway line. UEFA Euro 2012 is expected to bring about positive changes and spread Warsaw’s
reputation not only as a beautiful city full of phenomenal sites
and plethora of tourist attractions, but also modern metropolis ready to take on new challenges.
Museum Night has become a very popular tradition Europe
over the last 10-15 years. In Warsaw, Museum Night will be
held for the fourth time, on May 19. It will involve 80 museums
and galleries that will be open to the public between 7 p.m.
and 1 a.m. Most museums will present additional attractions,
such as meetings with artists, special exhibitions, workshops
and film screenings. Visitors will be provided with free transport. There will be special buses and a historical tram line. Museum Night will start with a concert by Tytus Wojnowicz in the
courtyard of the National Museum in Warsaw.
The Warsaw Film Festival takes place in October of 2012
and differs from other festivals in its program, much like Warsaw differs from other cities. Selecting the films, the Festival
committee always remembers the audience - native Varsovians, those working or studying in Warsaw, and those in town
for a short while, perhaps only for the Festival. In 2009 the
Warsaw Film Festival became one of 14 events recognized by
the International Federation of Film Producers Associations
(www.fiapf.org) as international film festival. For information
on Poland, visit www.poland.travel and for Warsaw, visit
www.warsawtour.pl
In June, the Traditional Crafts Fair takes place. Crafts enthusiasts from all over Romania gather at the Village Museum in
Bucharest to offer free demonstrations of traditional woodcarving, rug weaving, textile weaving and embroidering, pottery molding, glass blowing, egg painting and more.
In August, Romania celebrates the Dance at Prislop (Hora de
la Prislop), a traditional celebration of ties among three of Romania’s main regions: Transylvania, Moldova and Maramures.
During the festival villagers parade in traditional costume to
Prislop Pass in the Carpathian Mountains, then participate in
traditional dances, singing and feasting.
In October, Romanians celebrate Halloween in Transylvania
with tours, shows and celebrations following the footsteps of
Bram Stoker’s novel character, Count Dracula. For more information, visit www.romaniatourism.com
RUSSIA
Tourism in Russia is fueled by
rich cultural heritage and great
natural variety of the country.
Major tourist routes in Russia include travel around the Golden
Ring of ancient cities, cruises on
the big rivers like Volga, and
long journeys on the famous
Trans-Siberian Railway. Most
visited destinations in Russia are Moscow and Saint Petersburg,
the current and the former capitals of the country.
The White Nights Festival in St. Petersburg is an annual international arts festival during the season of the midnight sun. The
White Nights Festival consists of a series of classical ballet, opera
and music events and includes performances by Russian
dancers, singers, musicians and actors, as well as famous international guest stars. Organized by the Saint Petersburg City Administration, the festival begins in May with the “Stars of the
White Nights” at Mariinsky Theatre, and ends in July.
The Afisha Picnic, this year on July 21st, is a one-day outdoor festival held in Moscow, Russia every summer. Since its
start in 2004, the Afisha Picnic has followed the concept that
mixes professional music festival featuring performances of
international artists and local independent musicians, and
urban-style event with all sorts of entertainment, such as designers’ market, gastronomic area, games and crafts, sports
and amusements, lectures and workshops. For more information, visit www.russia-travel.com
ROMANIA
VISITMARAMURES.RO
Located halfway between
the Equator and the North
Pole, Romania is the 12th
largest country in Europe.
Throughout the year, Romanians celebrate their ancient
heritage, changing seasons,
religious holidays and life- Dance at Prislop
cycle events, such as birth,
marriage and death, with festivals that have remained unchanged for centuries. Some of Europe’s most traditional folk
ways are meticulously preserved here, with young celebrants
wearing the same costumes and dancing the same steps to
tunes played on instruments traditional to their forefathers.
Afisha Picnic Festival in Moscow
SLOVAKIA
Kosice
Balloon
Fiesta
Kosice, the second largest
city of Slovakia, stands out
due to its interesting cultural,
social and sporting activities.
It has been given the title of
the European Capital of Culture for the year 2013. But
that doesn’t mean 2012 doesn’t have anything to offer travelers. Kosice has many festivals and celebrations happening all
year long. For example, the Balloon Fiesta is a beautiful event
organized by ADS Ballooning that gives chances for balloon
rides over the city, night balloon inflating, and accompanying
WWW.JAXFAX.COM
MARCH 2012
programs. The Kosice Wine Festival is held in September, giving local wine-growers the chance to present themselves to
the public. Festival-goers may also participate in tasting and
assessment of the wine, while enjoying traditional music in
historical premises.
The Use The City Festival (annually in May) is one of the
most interesting and important because it was used in the
winning campaign for the European Capital of Culture. This relatively new festival calls for the citizens to use their city, go out
in its streets and actively join public life, and to start to communicate with culture and art offered by the urban space. The
objective is to bring the city to life and open a dialogue with
“street-art“ artists. Visit www.slovakia.travel
SLOVENIA
Ljubkjana old town
SLOVENIA NTO
Independent since 1991,
Slovenia does not have a majestic history like many larger
European nations, but the
past is nevertheless important. Ljubljana, located in the
center of the country in the
Ljubljana Basin, is the capital
of Slovenia. With 272,000 inhabitants, it is the only large town in Slovenia. Throughout history, Slovenia has been influenced by its geographic position
at the crossroads of the Slavic world with the Germanic and
Latin cultures. Ljubljana was the capital of the historical region
of Carniola, and in the 20th century it became the cultural, educational, economic, political and administrative center of
Slovenia. Culture has a special historical and social significance
in Slovenia, and a day of culture is a national holiday. Slovenia’s national day of culture is February 8, the anniversary of
the death of its greatest poet, France Preseren, a European
romanticist.
Slovenia has an extensive network of cultural institutions.
The Slovenian Philharmonic is one of the oldest orchestras in
Europe, with 300 years of history. There are professional opera
and ballet companies in Ljubljana and Maribor, and numerous
professional theatre groups, including Drama (Slovenia’s national theatre), the Youth Theatre and the Puppet Theatre in
Ljubljana. Festivals in Slovenia include: the Ljubljana Festival at
Krizanke, the festival of early music in Brezice, the Primorska
Cultural Festival and a series of cultural events under the auspices of Imago Sloveniae. Maribor’s Lent Festival is also a favorite.
Maribor has officially become the 2012 European Capital of
Culture. After a spectacular opening ceremony, the city looks
forward to a year with hundreds of events taking place in six
towns. (www.maribor2012.eu)
Art galleries in Slovenia include the Museum of Modern Art
in Ljubljana, which focuses on modern works, and the National
Gallery, whose collection consists of older works. The range of
cultural events, festivals, concerts and exhibitions in Slovenia
is enough to satisfy the most demanding of guests. Visit
www.slovenia.info
www.airastana.com
We are an airline going places. From our base in Kazakhstan our modern fleet operates
over 50 domestic and international routes as we continue expanding our network to Eurasia
and beyond. We take flying seriously, which is why we’ve completed the IOSA audit with
excellent results* and we’ve been voted Central Asia’s best airline at the Skytrax Awards**
for the last two years. If you’re traveling to Eurasia on business or leisure, fly with Air Astana.
*IATA Operational Safety Audit, 2011 ** Skytrax Awards 2011
For more information, contact USA Sales: usa.sales@airastana.com / 888-855-1557
WWW.JAXFAX.COM
MARCH 2012
EUROPE
NEWS & BEST BUYS
PRAGUE, VIENNA, BUDAPEST
Travelers can see the Imperial Cities on this
10-day American Travel Abroad tour. In Prague, visitors will
enjoy sightseeing tours to Old Town Square to view the Astrological Clock, the Jewish Quarter, St. Nicholas Church,
Charles Bridge as well as the Royal Castle of Hradcany and St.
Vitus Cathedral. In Vienna, the tour visits Prater amusement
park, the UN building, St. Stephen’s Cathedral and other vivid
reminders of the city’s imperial history. Situated on opposite
banks of the Danube River, the former cities of Buda and Pest
are linked by a series of graceful bridges. Sightseeing tours include the main attractions: Parliament, the Coronation Church,
Hero’s Square Gellert Hill, the Castle Hill area, Fisherman’s
Bastion and the Royal Palace. Visit www.amta.com
1998
$
IRELAND
Sceptre Tour’s Friends and Family East Ireland package is perfect for travelers looking to combine ultimate luxury with excellent sightseeing. Package includes 6
nights at the luxurious 5-star Ritz Carlton Powerscourt in
county Wicklow. The Ritz-Carlton Powerscourt provides the
ultimate luxury experience discriminating travelers expect. Offering interconnecting suites and deluxe accommodations, this
hotel is the perfect place for family and friends to enjoy their
vacation together. While in Eastern Ireland, visitors should take
advantage of the wonderful sights this area has to offer. Featured in the trip is a Dublin City bus tour, where travelers can
enjoy all of Dublin’s famous sights including Trinity College and
St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Visit www.sceptretours.com
1149
$
FRANCE AND BELGIUM
Insight Vacations is inviting your clients to join
them for a glorious 10 days of flowers, flowers, and more flowers
with this stunning tour of the Floriade World Expo and other European cities. The Floriade World Horticultural Expo is referred to
as the “Theater of Nature,” and this global sensation, which happens only once every 10 years, has the world’s most exquisite
and exceptional flowers, plants, trees, and more on display. Over
100 exhibitors from dozens of countries will pay tribute to the
world of horticulture. In addition to the Floriade, guests will see
Belgium with stays in Brussels and Bruges, as well as Paris, the
“City of Lights.” Travelers will visit one final fabulous destination—
the lovely home and palatial gardens of Claude Monet. Book as
soon as possible because there is only one departure on May
11th. Visit www.insightvacations.com
3320
$
Small Group Departures from Cloud Tours
Cloud Tours is introducing Small Group Departures to Italy
in 2012 with comprehensive 6 and 7-night tours of Italy as well
as shorter “Capers” to the Amalfi Coast. The Small Group Departures have a maximum of 16 participants, and combine the
carefree experience of group travel with the luxury of independent travel at lower rates. Their first-class hotels are centrally located enabling self-guided exploration of the cities, in
addition to the included private tours. Tours include the city
highlights, and are conducted in English. Attention is given to
dining with a focus on regional menus using local wines and
ingredients. Included are dinners and lunches at traditional
restaurants featuring delicious Italian cuisine. Experience
everything that Italy has to offer - antiquity, art, history,
MARCH 2012
churches, fashion, food and wine. Cloud will happily “charter”
a departure for your clients. If you have a family or class reunion or any other group and would like to operate your own
departure, contact Cloud Tours at 800-233-7880. Email
info@cloudtours.com or visit www.cloudtours.com
New CEO for Louis Cruises
Louis Cruises announces that Mr. Kyriakos (Kerry) Anastassiadis has been appointed to the position of CEO of the company. Mr. Anastassiadis was raised in South Africa where he
studied Commerce at the University of Witwatersrand and obtained a postgraduate title in Market Analysis and Advertising.
He has rich and multifaceted experience working as General
Manager, CEO and President at large multinational corporations such as Coca Cola, Procter & Gamble, Polaroid and others, in a number of countries including Italy, China, the United
Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates and Greece. Referring to
his new role, Mr. Anastassiadis underlined that, “It is with
pleasure that I undertake the position of CEO at Louis Cruises,
a subsidiary of a group with a 76 year long history in tourism
and cruising in the Eastern Mediterranean. Louis Cruises is
currently renewing its fleet and operations and I am confident
that in cooperation with the rest of the management team we
will set sail at full speed ahead towards new success.” For
more information, visit www.louiscruises.com
France Cruises Debuts Free Land Tours
Building on its commitment for optimizing the experience of the
traveler, France Cruises is offering complimentary pre- and postcruise Land Tours in the most popular French cities when customers purchase a cruise and two-night stay in a hotel of their
choice. Guests can take advantage of France Cruises’ Hotel &
Tour offer and choose from 29 exciting excursions in eight admired cities. Further enhancing the France Cruises experience,
the land tours may extend beyond the travelers cruising area.
Guests have the option to choose their hotel, or select from the
cruise company’s sample list of recommendations, which ranges
from traditional boutique hotels to deluxe chateaux and historic
country inns. This special offer can be combined with most of
France Cruises promotions and exclusive offers. Promotion is valid
for new bookings only, and is subject to availability. A two-night
minimum stay in the hotel is required for full-day excursions; however, a one-night stay may allow for a half-day excursion if available. Visit www.FranceCruises.com
The World Celebrates Wallenberg
In 2012, the world celebrates the 100th birthday of Swedish
diplomat Raoul Wallenberg, who saved tens of thousands of
Hungarian Jews during the Nazi holocaust. Wallenberg’s centennial began in January with the opening of a new
Raoul Wallenberg Room at Berlin’s Mauer Museum
(www.berliner-mauer-gedenkstaette.de). Also in January, the
traveling exhibit, “To Me There Is No Other Choice,” debuted at
the Hungarian National Museum (www.hnm.hu). The exhibit visits 7 other cities: New York (March 12, Center for Jewish History,
www.cjh.org), Washington, D.C. (April 20-30, House of Sweden,
www.houseofsweden.com), Moscow (May), Tel Aviv (September), Berlin (October), Ottawa (mid-November) and Toronto (early
January 2013). For a complete Calendar of Events, visit
www.raoulwallenberg2012.se or www.visitsweden.com
WWW.JAXFAX.COM
EUROPE
37
71
TRIP
DEPARTING TYPE
#
DAYS
ROUND TRIP PRICE
MIN
MAX
SUPPLIER
NEW YORK
DAILY
SKED AIR
NET/COMM
To:YEREVAN
DOWNTOWN TRAVEL
ALL YEAR
212-481-1800;WWW.DOWNTOWNTRAVEL.COM
USA
DAILY
SKED AIR
$ 600
To:BAKU
IMPRESSA CLUB, LTD.
ALL YEAR
OTH CITY;718-645-8578;AZALUSA.COM
ARMENIA
AZERBAIJAN
BELARUS
DAILY
NEW
DAILY
DAILY
TOUR PKG 3
YORK
SKED AIR
SKED AIR
$ 220
NET/COMM
NET/COMM
Net
VALIDITY
PERIOD
To:MINSK
RUSSIAN AMERICAN CONSULT. ALL YEAR
To:MINSK
AMERICAN TRAVEL ABROAD
ALL YEAR
DOWNTOWN TRAVEL
ALL YEAR
877-268-2677;VISAS;HTLS AVBL ALL BELAR.
WWW.AMTA.COM; 800-228-0877
FOR
CONTACT
WEBSITE
ADDRESS
&
EMAIL
SEE
DIRECTORY
PAGE
EUROPE
38 EUROPE
WWW.JAXFAX.COM
MARCH 2012
TRIP
DEPARTING TYPE
#
DAYS
ROUND TRIP PRICE
MIN
MAX
VALIDITY
PERIOD
SUPPLIER
BELGIUM
www.visitflanders.us
CHICAGO
DAILY
SKED AIR
$
DALLAS
DAILY
SKED AIR
$
DAILY
OW BC
$
DAILY
FIRST CL
$
DENVER
DAILY
OW FIRST
$
DAILY
OW SKAIR
$
DAILY
BUSINESS
$
LOS ANGELES
DAILY
BUSINESS
$
DAILY
OW FIRST
$
DAILY
OW BC
$
NEW YORK
DAILY
BUSINESS
$
DAILY
SKED AIR
$
DAILY
OW BC
$
DAILY
OW SKAIR
$
DAILY
OW FIRST
$
DAILY
FIRST CL
$
DAILY
BUSINESS
$
PHILADELPHIA
DAILY
SKED AIR
$
PHOENIX
DAILY
FIRST CL
$
SAN FRANCISCO
DAILY
OW FIRST
$
DAILY
BUSINESS
$
DAILY
OW SKAIR
$
WASHINGTON DC
DAILY
OW BC
$
BRITAIN
785
852
1965
7800
Net
Net
5125
416
2178
Net
Net
Net
3300
6440
1245
Net
Net
Net
1295
715
1572
275
3580
7240
2554
Net $ 2550
Net
Net
Net
Net
Net
743
8490
Net
5125
2178
416
Net
Net
Net
1125
To:LONDON
CROWN PETERS
To:LONDON
CROWN PETERS
To:LONDON
To:LONDON
EXTRA VALUE AIR
To:LONDON
ARROW TRAVEL
CROWN PETERS
To:LONDON
CROWN PETERS
To:LONDON
To:LONDON
To:LONDON
FROM 2/1/12
BIZ NETS AVBL;800-321-1199;MORE DESTS
FROM 2/1/12
CALL
CALL
800-895-3436 FOR RULES/CITIES;VIA LHR
CALL
CALL
CALL
800-895-3436 LUIS@LEGEN.COM;OTH CITIES
ALL YEAR
CALL
CALL
ALL YEAR
FROM 2/1/12
CALL
CALL
CALL
CALL
CALL
FROM 2/1/12
CALL
CALL
CALL
CALL
CALL
www.skylinkus.com
NEW
DAILY
NEW
DAILY
DAILY
DAILY
YORK
SKED TUR
YORK
SKED AIR
SKED AIR
SKED AIR
CZECH REPUBLIC
NEW YORK
DAILY SKED TUR
NET/COMM
NET/COMM
NET/COMM
$ 800
Net
To:KARLOVY VARY
DOWNTOWN TRAVEL
To:PRAGUE
DOWNTOWN TRAVEL
PANORAMA TRAVEL, LTD.
ALL YEAR
SPA CZECH REP;800-952-3519/212-481-1800
ALL YEAR
ALL YEAR
CALL
WWW.AMTA.COM; 800-228-0877
NET/COMM/BUS;800-204-7130
$ 309
To:PRAGUE,BUDAPEST,KRAKOW
TATRA TVL/CZECH VACATIONS ALL YEAR
CZECHVACATIONS.COM;800-321-2999;OTH TRS
NEW YORK
DAILY
SKED AIR
DAILY
SKED AIR
NET/COMM
NET/COMM
To:TALLINN
DOWNTOWN TRAVEL
ALL YEAR
ALL YEAR
WWW.AMTA.COM; 800-228-0877
NEW YORK
DAILY
SKED AIR
NET/COMM
To:HELSINKI
DOWNTOWN TRAVEL
ALL YEAR
FROM 2/1/12
CALL
800-295-3436 CALL FOR RULES/OTH CITIES
CALL
CALL
CZECH REPUBLIC,HUNGARY,POLAND
6
ESTONIA
FINLAND
NEW YORK
DAILY
SKED AIR
ATLANTA
DAILY
BUSINESS
DENVER
DAILY
OW BC
LOS ANGELES
DAILY
OW SKAIR
FRANCE
$ 820
Net
$ 4080
Net
$ 1424
$ 475
To:NICE
CROWN PETERS
To:PARIS
To:PARIS
To:PARIS
Non-stop to Paris from
New York, San Francisco and Las Vegas
MARCH 2012
WWW.JAXFAX.COM
contact us: 877-496-9889
XLAirways_FR@apg-usa.us
travel agents ticket in any GDS
EUROPE
39
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MIAMI
DAILY
SKED AIR
DAILY
FIRST CL
NEW YORK
DAILY
SKED AIR
DAILY
BUSINESS
$ 875
$ 7860
Net
Net
$ 780
$ 2900
Net
Net
NEW
DAILY
DAILY
DAILY
NET/COMM
$ 818
$ 650
FRANCE
YORK
SKED AIR
SKED AIR
SKED TUR
To:PARIS
CROWN PETERS
To:PARIS
CROWN PETERS
EXTRA VALUE AIR
To:TBILISI
DOWNTOWN TRAVEL
TATRA TVL/CZECH VACATIONS
FROM 2/1/12
CALL
FROM 2/1/12
ALL YEAR
ALL YEAR
CALL
ALL YEAR
NET/COMM;COACH/BUS;ADDONS;800-204-7130
CZECHVACATIONS.COM;800-321-2999;OTH TRS
FROM 2/1/12
CALL
ALL YEAR
FROM 2/1/12
FROM 2/1/12
CALL
CALL
FROM 2/1/12
CALL
CALL
FROM 2/1/12
ALL YEAR
CALL
CALL
FROM 2/1/12
CALL
THRU 3/31/12
THRU 3/24/12
THRU 3/24/12
CALL
THRU 3/31/12
CALL
THRU 3/31/12
FROM 2/1/12
FROM 2/1/12
FROM 2/1/12
FROM 2/1/12
FROM 2/1/12
FROM 4/3/12
LAND ONLY;2N ATH;CITY TOUR;3N CR
FROM 2/1/12
FROM 2/1/12
FROM 2/1/12
FROM 2/1/12
ALL YEAR
WWW.AMTA.COM; 800-228-0877
FROM 2/1/12
FROM 2/1/12
FOR
CONTACT
WEBSITE
ADDRESS
&
EMAIL
SEE
DIRECTORY
GEORGIA (EX SOVIET REPUBLIC)
5
NEW YORK
DAILY
SKED AIR
$
BOSTON
DAILY
BUSINESS
$
CHICAGO
DAILY
BUSINESS
$
DAILY
SKED AIR
$
DALLAS
DAILY
SKED AIR
$
LAS VEGAS
DAILY
BUSINESS
$
LOS ANGELES
DAILY
FIRST CL
$
MIAMI
DAILY
SKED AIR
$
DAILY
BUSINESS
$
DAILY
FIRST CL
$
NEW YORK
DAILY
SKED AIR
$
DAILY
BUSINESS
$
DAILY
BUSINESS
$
SAN FRANCISCO
DAILY
OW BC
$
WASHINGTON DC
DAILY
SKED AIR
$
DAILY
BUSINESS
$
ATLANTA
DAILY
SKED AIR
$
CHICAGO
DAILY
SKED AIR
$
HOUSTON
DAILY
SKED AIR
$
MIAMI
DAILY
FIRST CL
$
NEW YORK
DAILY
SKED AIR
$
DAILY
FIRST CL
$
WASHINGTON DC
DAILY
SKED AIR
$
GERMANY
BOSTON
DAILY
SKED AIR
$
DALLAS
DAILY
SKED AIR
$
HOUSTON
DAILY
SKED AIR
$
MIAMI
DAILY
SKED AIR
$
NEW YORK
DAILY
SKED AIR
$
DAILY SKED TUR 7
$
PHILADELPHIA
DAILY
SKED AIR
$
TAMPA
DAILY
SKED AIR
$
WASHINGTON DC
DAILY
SKED AIR
$
NEW YORK
DAILY
SKED AIR
$
780
2685
Net
1950
840
Net $ 3250
825
3065
Net
12460
Net
825
2674
8220
Net
Net
840
3100
2385
Net
Net
Net
1875
850
2276
340
Net
286
Net
336
Net
8260
Net
286
7420
Net
Net
286
Net
730
Net
812
Net
826
Net
988
Net
730
895
Net
778
Net
830
Net
740
Net
GREECE
NEW YORK
DAILY
SKED AIR
764
NET/COMM
ITALY
40 EUROPE
To:ATHENS
CROWN PETERS
To:ATHENS
CROWN PETERS
To:ATHENS
CROWN PETERS
To:ATHENS
CROWN PETERS
To:ATHENS
CROWN PETERS
CROWN PETERS
To:ATHENS
CROWN PETERS
To:ATHENS
CROWN PETERS
To:ATHENS
CROWN PETERS
To:THESSALONIKI
CROWN PETERS
To:BUDAPEST
HUNGARY
BOSTON
DAILY
SKED AIR
NEW YORK
DAILY
SKED AIR
To:BERLIN
CROWN PETERS
To:FRANKFURT
To:FRANKFURT
ARROW TRAVEL
CROWN PETERS
To:FRANKFURT
CROWN PETERS
To:FRANKFURT
To:FRANKFURT
To:FRANKFURT
CROWN PETERS
To:FRANKFURT
CROWN PETERS
EXTRA VALUE AIR
To:FRANKFURT
To:FRANKFURT
CROWN PETERS
To:MUNICH
C & H INTERNATIONAL
To:MUNICH
C & H INTERNATIONAL
To:MUNICH
C & H INTERNATIONAL
To:MUNICH
To:MUNICH
C & H INTERNATIONAL
To:MUNICH
C & H INTERNATIONAL
$ 820
Net
$ 735
Net
To:MILAN
CROWN PETERS
To:MILAN
CROWN PETERS
WWW.JAXFAX.COM
MARCH 2012
TRIP
#
ROUND TRIP PRICE
DEPARTING TYPE
DAYS MIN
MAX
ATLANTA
DAILY
BUSINESS
$ 2675
Net
BOSTON
DAILY
SKED AIR
$ 880
Net
DAILY
BUSINESS
$ 2876
Net
DALLAS
DAILY
SKED AIR
$ 854
Net
DAILY
BUSINESS
$ 2785
Net
HOUSTON
DAILY
SKED AIR
$ 823
Net
MIAMI
DAILY
SKED AIR
$ 963
Net
DAILY
BUSINESS
$ 2698
Net
NEW YORK
DAILY
SKED AIR
$ 822
Net
DAILY
BUSINESS
$ 2675
Net
PHILADELPHIA
DAILY
SKED AIR
$ 743
Net
SAN FRANCISCO
DAILY
BUSINESS
$ 3265
Net
WASHINGTON DC
DAILY
SKED AIR
$ 834
Net
BOSTON
DAILY
SKED AIR
$ 802
Net
NEW YORK
DAILY
SKED AIR
$ 802
Net
SUPPLIER
To:ROME
To:ROME
CROWN PETERS
To:ROME
CROWN PETERS
To:ROME
CROWN PETERS
To:ROME
CROWN PETERS
To:ROME
CROWN PETERS
To:ROME
CROWN PETERS
To:ROME
To:ROME
CROWN PETERS
To:VENICE
CROWN PETERS
To:VENICE
CROWN PETERS
VALIDITY
PERIOD
CALL
FROM 2/1/12
CALL
FROM 2/1/12
CALL
FROM 2/1/12
FROM 2/1/12
CALL
FROM 2/1/12
CALL
FROM 2/1/12
CALL
FROM 2/1/12
FROM 2/1/12
FROM 2/1/12
KAZAKHSTAN
Central Asia’s Best Airline • Sleeper Business Class • Comfort & Safety
USA Sales information: usa.sales@airastana.com / 888-855-1557
DAILY
TOUR PKG 3
$ 346
To:ALMATY
877-268-2677;VISAS;HTLS AVBL ALL KAZAK.
DAILY
TOUR PKG 3
$ 310
To:BISHKEK
877-268-2677;VISAS;HTLS AVBL ALL KYRGY.
NEW
4,7
DAILY
DAILY
YORK
SKED AIR
SKED AIR
SKED AIR
$ 475
Net
NET/COMM
NET/COMM
To:RIGA
UNITED TOURS CORP.
DOWNTOWN TRAVEL
TO 3/31/12
ALL YEAR
ALL YEAR
888-838-1674;212-245-1100;OW OK
WWW.AMTA.COM; 800-228-0877
NET/COMM
NET/COMM
To:VILNIUS
DOWNTOWN TRAVEL
ALL YEAR
ALL YEAR
WWW.AMTA.COM; 800-228-0877
ALL YEAR
CALL
WWW.AMTA.COM; 800-228-0877
ALL YEAR
800-321-8069;WWW.MVTI.US;ALL CITIES
ALL YEAR
WWW.AMTA.COM; 800-228-0877
ALL YEAR
WWW.AMTA.COM; 800-228-0877
ALL YEAR
WWW.AMTA.COM; 800-228-0877
ALL YEAR
CALL
WWW.AMTA.COM; 800-228-0877
CALL
ALL YEAR
ALL YEAR
ALL YEAR
ALL YEAR
877-268-2677;VISAS;HTLS AVBL ALL RUSSIA
ALL YEAR
FROM 2/1/12
KYRGYZSTAN
LATVIA
NEW YORK
DAILY
SKED AIR
DAILY
SKED AIR
LITHUANIA
NEW YORK
DAILY
SKED AIR
DAILY
SKED AIR
SEATTLE
DAILY
SKED AIR
MOLDOVA
DETROIT
DAILY
SKED AIR
NEW YORK
DAILY
SKED AIR
CHICAGO
DAILY
SKED AIR
NET/COMM
$ 788
Net
NET/COMM
To:KRAKOW
To:KRAKOW
To:WARSAW
POLAND
ATLANTA
DAILY
SKED AIR
DAILY
FIRST CL
BOSTON
DAILY
SKED AIR
CHICAGO
DAILY
SKED AIR
LOS ANGELES
DAILY
SKED AIR
DAILY
SKED AIR
DAILY HTL PKG
3
MIAMI
DAILY
SKED AIR
NEW YORK
DAILY
SKED AIR
NET/COMM
NET/COMM
NET/COMM
RUSSIA
MARCH 2012
NET/COMM
$ 7340
Net
$ 751
Net
NET/COMM
NET/COMM
NET/COMM
$ 210
NET/COMM
$ 602
To:CHISINAU
To:CHISINAU
MISSION VALLEY TRAVEL
Net
To:MOSCOW
To:MOSCOW
To:MOSCOW
DOWNTOWN TRAVEL
To:MOSCOW
DOWNTOWN TRAVEL
RUSSIAN AMERICAN CONSULT.
To:MOSCOW
DOWNTOWN TRAVEL
To:MOSCOW
CROWN PETERS
WWW.JAXFAX.COM
EUROPE
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PAGE
DIRECTORY
SEE
EMAIL
&
ADDRESS
WEBSITE
CONTACT
FOR
TRIP
DEPARTING TYPE
#
DAYS
ROUND TRIP PRICE
MIN
MAX
VALIDITY
PERIOD
SUPPLIER
NEW YORK
DAILY
SKED AIR
NET/COMM
DAILY
FIRST CL
$ 7480
Net
DAILY
BUSINESS
CALL FOR QUOTE
DAILY
SKED AIR
$ 541
Net
DAILY HTL PKG
3
$ 210
VARY
SHIP PKG 11
$ 1200
$ 1760
SAN FRANCISCO
DAILY HTL PKG
3
$ 210
SEATTLE
DAILY
SKED AIR
NET/COMM
WASHINGTON DC
DAILY
SKED AIR
NET/COMM
NEW YORK
DAILY SKED TUR 6
$ 815
NEW YORK
DAILY
SKED AIR
6
$ 550
Net
DAILY HTL PKG
3
$ 210
VARY
SHIP PKG 11
$ 1200
$ 1760
To:MOSCOW
DOWNTOWN TRAVEL
ALL YEAR
CALL
ALL YEAR
CALL
To:MOSCOW
To:MOSCOW
DOWNTOWN TRAVEL
ALL YEAR
To:MOSCOW
DOWNTOWN TRAVEL
ALL YEAR
To:MOSCOW,ST.PETERSBURG
To:ST. PETERSBURG
CALL
LOS ANGELES
DAILY
BUSINESS
$
NEW YORK
DAILY
SKED AIR
$
WASHINGTON DC
DAILY
BUSINESS
$
NEW YORK
DAILY
SKED AIR
$
CALL
FROM 2/1/12
CALL
FROM 2/1/12
CALL
CALL
ALL YEAR
FROM 2/1/12
CALL
WWW.AMTA.COM; 800-228-0877
ALL YEAR
877-268-2677;VISAS;HTLS FOR ALL UKRAINE
ALL YEAR
WWW.AMTA.COM; 800-228-0877
ALL YEAR
ALL YEAR
ALL YEAR
ALL YEAR
CALL
ALL YEAR
1 CITY;CZECHVACATIONS.COM;800-321-2999
ALL YEAR
ALL YEAR
ALL YEAR
ALL YEAR
WWW.AMTA.COM; 800-228-0877
ALL YEAR
WWW.AMTA.COM; 800-228-0877
ALL YEAR
ALL YEAR
877-268-2677;VISAS;HTLS FOR ALL UKRAINE
ALL YEAR
WWW.AMTA.COM; 800-228-0877
RUSSIA
3265
Net
724
Net
2465
Net
724
Net
To:BARCELONA
To:BARCELONA
CROWN PETERS
To:BARCELONA
To:MADRID
CROWN PETERS
Net
To:ZURICH
To:ZURICH
SPAIN
DALLAS
DAILY
OW BC
$ 1456
SAN FRANCISCO
DAILY
BUSINESS
$ 3175
SWITZERLAND
NEW
DAILY
DAILY
DAILY
YORK
SKED AIR
SKED AIR
OW BC
To:ISTANBUL
CROWN PETERS
TURKEY
NET/COMM
$ 530
$ 1145
UKRAINE
DAILY TOUR PKG 3
$ 295
BOSTON
DAILY
SKED AIR
NET/COMM
CHICAGO
DAILY
SKED AIR
NET/COMM
LOS ANGELES
DAILY
SKED AIR
NET/COMM
NEW YORK
DAILY
SKED AIR
NET/COMM
DAILY
BUSINESS
CALL FOR QUOTE
DAILY
SKED AIR
$ 683
Net
DAILY SKED TUR 6
$ 585
SAN FRANCISCO
DAILY
SKED AIR
NET/COMM
SEATTLE
DAILY
SKED AIR
NET/COMM
DAILY
SKED AIR
NET/COMM
HOUSTON
DAILY
SKED AIR
NET/COMM
NEW YORK
DAILY
SKED AIR
NET/COMM
NEW YORK
DAILY
SKED AIR
NET/COMM
DAILY TOUR PKG 3
PHILADELPHIA
DAILY
SKED AIR
$ 255
NET/COMM
UZBEKISTAN
DAILY TOUR PKG 3
NEW YORK
4,7
SKED AIR
42 EUROPE
$ 160
$ 860
Net
To:KIEV
To:KIEV
To:KIEV
DOWNTOWN TRAVEL
To:KIEV
DOWNTOWN TRAVEL
To:KIEV
DOWNTOWN TRAVEL
TATRA TVL/CZECH VACATIONS
To:KIEV
DOWNTOWN TRAVEL
To:KIEV
DOWNTOWN TRAVEL
To:LVIV
To:LVIV
To:LVOV
To:ODESSA
To:ODESSA
To:TASHKENT
To:TASHKENT
UNITED TOURS CORP.
TO 3/31/12
WWW.JAXFAX.COM
877-268-2677;HTLS AVBL ALL RUSSIA
877-268-2677;VISA SVCS;HTLS;ALL GATES
877-268-2677;VISAS;HTLS AVBL ALL RUSSIA
2 CITY;CZECHVACATIONS.COM;800-321-2999
877-268-2677;HTLS AVBL ALL RUSSIA
877-268-2677;VISA SVCS;HTLS;ALL GATES
877-268-2677;VISAS;HTLS AVBL ALL UZBEK.
888-838-1674;212-245-1100;OW OK
MARCH 2012
AFRICA & THE MIDDLE EAST
A Trip to the Cities of
Israel, Old and New
ver the years, I have always enjoyed Israel, picking
olives on a first trip decades ago; camping out in
the Negev Desert beneath the sparkling stars,
crossing the sands of the Sinai by bus, getting lost
in the souk of the Old City of Jerusalem.
Last month, I returned to Israel. Sadly, I missed the stonestrewn Negev and the red-gold Sinai on this journey, but I wandered the streets of Jerusalem’s Old and New Cities, learned
of the new light rail that links the Yad Vashem Memorial commemorating those who perished in the Holocaust, to central
Jerusalem. I sought out Tel Aviv’s 1930s’ Bauhaus architecture and climbed about the ancient seaport of Jaffa.
Jerusalem, the country’s capital, remains a welcoming city.
Day and night, shoppers stroll the New City’s Mamilla shopping mall of art galleries and up-scale clothing shops. The handsome, luxurious 194-room Mamilla Hotel abutting the mall is
attracting overnight guests while discerning diners are finding
their way in spring and summer to its rooftop restaurant. Both
are just a short walk from the Old City’s Jaffa Gate.
Touring the New City, I stopped in at the spiffy boutique
Hotel Harmony on Yoel Salomon Street. Serving a satisfying
breakfast, it’s close to such arts and crafts galleries as Daniel
Azoulay’s selling blessings for the home; Judaicut, known for
its traditional papercuts; and Miudela Arts on Queen Shlomzlon Street, where Persian carpets and Israeli antiquities are
sold. Nearby is the Kadosh Coffee Shop that has been in business for more than four decades. I also visited the Western
Wall and the Jewish Quarter of the Old City. There, the narrow
lanes are lined with shops displaying Judaica and fine jewelry
and art. In the Armenian Quarter, artist-shopkeepers were
painstakingly painting religious scenes on tiles and cups.
For lunch, I stepped into the Kadosh Café and found it easy
to strike up a conversation with diners at a neighboring table.
They urged me to explore such New City boutiques as Poenta,
on up-and-coming pedestrian Shatz Street, and Sofia on the
Bezalel pedestrian street. For café-goers, the Naadi Café on
Shatz Street is known for its fine cheeses and Café Bezalel is
popular for coffee and cake. In the same neighborhood is the
Artists House Gallery in the former Bezalel Arts Academy
building, and on Shatz Street the Angelica Restaurant offers
fine kosher food in an inviting modern setting.
Mahane Yehuda, the mouth-watering New City market, is atumble with vegetables, shops of cheeses, butcher shops and
candy stores and fish shops. In the Georgian section of the
market during the evening, the Casino de Paris--once the
British Officers’ Club--is a gathering place for both locals and
diplomats, offering Middle Eastern tapas and a wide variety of
local micro-brews. At Café Mizrachi, there is music and dancing in summer.
After exploring the shopping neighborhoods, I walked
through an Arab food market to the Garden Tomb outside the
golden walls of the Old City. I went back through the Damas-
O
MARCH 2012
ISRAEL NTO
By Phyllis Cocroft
Tel Aviv Carmel Market
cus Gate into the labyrinthine Christian Quarter to the Austrian Hospice on the Via Dolorosa. Established in the mid-19th
century, it is notable not only for its inexpensive, pleasant accommodations, but for the apple strudel and Sachertorte in its
Viennese Café. My own accommodations were just inside the
Jaffa Gate at the Christchurch Guest House, established,
similarly, in the mid-19th century.
For evening dining during my stay, I went once to the pleasant restaurant at the Imbal Hotel on Jabotinsky Street in the
New City; another night to the Armenian Tavern. I also joined
an Israeli friend at the American Colony Hotel. Originally a
pasha’s palace, it is set in lovely, peaceful gardens.
Tel Aviv
Sadly, I had only three days in Israel’s capital city of
Jerusalem. My stay in Tel Aviv included wandering through the
sprawling Carmel Market. With an earphone guide rented at
the Bauhaus Center on Dizengoff Street, I searched for houses
of that imported school of German architecture. Later, I ambled along tree-lined Rothschild Boulevard and visited the Independence Hall Museum where the establishment of the
state of Israel was announced in 1948. I walked to neighboring Jaffa with its marvelous view of the sea and the skyscrapers of Tel Aviv, its art galleries and jewelry shops. I
explored the narrow cobblestone streets of Jaffa’s flea market, the largest in Israel.
I stayed in the towering waterfront Dan Panorama Hotel.
Nearby are also smaller, inviting sounding accommodations:
the 12-room Montefiore Boutique Hotel in an historic building set among other historic buildings; the luxurious 30-room
Brown Hotel; the cozy, renovated Shalom and Relax Hotel
with its jacuzzi and sauna on the roof, and the attractive little
Versano.
I found the works of designer-artists in the old HaTachana
railway station, once a main rail station for the country, and on
Dizengoff Street and jewelry and crafts on Shabazi Street.
Tel Aviv is the nightlife center of the country with nightclubs like
Seret, a movie-theater styled nightclub on Gvirol Street where
DJ’s spin house and mainstream dance hits and Radio E.P.G.B.,
the city’s hippest nightspot with nightly musical performances.
Someday, I would like to go to the Negev again, with its wild
capers and sprawling fig trees, its camels and herds of goats
and the black and white desert birds circling overhead. I would
like to cross the sweeping dunes of the Sinai as I did decades
ago, but I have enjoyed my city exploration, too. Further information is available from the Israel Ministry of Tourism,
www.goisrael.com
WWW.JAXFAX.COM
43
Ethiopia, Naturally
By Lisa Loverro
istorical sights abound in Ethiopia and while a visit to
the country is most definitely a lens into the cradle
of civilization, there are many other reasons to visit
this land. It’s natural contrasts from the tops of the
rugged Simien Mountains, to the depths of the
Danakil Depression have drawn visitors here for many years. Its
natural beauty sometimes takes a back seat to the religious and
historical sights here, but should not be overlooked.
The cornucopia that blesses Ethiopia offers a variety of landscapes: Afro-Alpine highlands, volcanoes and mountains, the
splendor of the Great Rift Valley, white-water rivers, savannah
teeming with game, giant waterfalls, dense and lush jungle; and
the list continues. Ethiopia’s many national parks enable the visitor to enjoy the country’s scenery and its wildlife in natural habitats, and offers opportunities for travel adventure unparalleled in
Africa. Simien Mountain National Park is the home to the Walia
Ibex, the symbol of the Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Organization. The Ibex was thought to be headed for extinction, but it appears to be surviving with the protection it is now given.
The wildlife consists mainly of East African plains animals;
Oryx, bat-eared fox, caracal, aardvark, and green monkeys, baboons, leopard, bushbuck, hippopotamus, cheetah, lion, kudu
and 450 species of birds all live within all the national parks.
H
Cave Dwelling
If your clients are fascinated with caves, Sof Omar, a tiny Muslim
village in Bale, is the site of an amazing complex of natural caves,
cut by the Weyib River as it found its way into the nearby mountains. The settlement, which is a religious site, is named after a local
Sheikh who took refuge here many centuries ago.
Visitors to Sof Omar make their way underground with guides
armed with torches and official map, far down into earth, beside a
subterranean stream. One can see an extraordinary number of
arched portals, high, eroded ceilings and deep, echoing chambers,
as well as the famous pillars called the “Chamber of Columns.”
The Thrill of the Falls
Known locally as Tis Isat, meaning ‘Smoke of Fire,’ the Blue
Nile Falls is a dramatic spectacle on either the White or the
Blue Nile rivers. Some 1,300 feet wide, and dropping over a
sheer chasm more than 150 feet deep, the falls throw up a
continuous spray of water, which drenches onlookers up to a
½ mile away. This misty deluge produces rainbows, shimmering across the gorge, and a small perennial rainforest of
lush green vegetation, to the delight of the many monkeys and
multi-colored birds that inhabit the area. To reach the falls is
no easy task and should be reserved for the more adventurous
traveler. They’ll need to drive south from the town of Bahir Dar
for about half an hour and stop at Tis Isat village. Here, travelers will quickly find themselves surrounded by overzealous
guides who, for a small fee, will show the way and point out
several places of historic interest en route. After leaving the village, the footpath meanders first beside open and fertile fields,
then drops into a deep rift that is spanned by an ancient, fortified stone bridge built in the seventeenth century by Por44 AFRICA & THE MIDDLE EAST
Great Rift Valley
tuguese adventurers, and still in use today. After a thirtyminute walk, a stiff climb up a grassy hillside is rewarded by a
magnificent view of the falls. A rewarding but longer trek is to
walk along the east bank all the way to the back of the falls;
crossing the river by papyrus boat known as a ‘Tankwa’.
Awash National Park
Lying in the lowlands east of Addis Ababa, and striding the
Awash River, the Awash National Park is one of the finest reserves in Ethiopia. The Awash River, one of the major rivers of
the Horn of Africa, waters important agricultural lands in the
north- eastern part of Ethiopia and eventually flows into the
wilderness of Danakil Depression. The dramatic Awash Falls is
a site not to be missed in the national park. A special attraction
are the beautiful clear pools of the hot springs to the north (Filwoha). Awash National Park, surrounding the dormant volcano
of Fantale, is a reserve of arid and semi-arid woodland and Savannah. Forty-six species of animals have been identified here,
including Beisa Oryx and Swayne’s Hartebeest. The bird life is
abundant along the river, with over 400 species recorded.
Tour Packages
There are specific tour companies that specialize in exploring
the natural beauty of Ethiopia. Offering cultural and religious
tours, as well as family and trekking adventures, Desire Tours
(www.desiretoursethiopia.com) can customize a trip for your
client including treks into the mountains, viewing volcanoes
and photo safari adventures.
ET African Journeys has numerous departure dates in 2012
for their 12-day “Imperial and Tribal Ethiopia” package, allowing
visitors to view many of Ethiopia’s natural wonders, including visits to three UNESCO World Heritage sites, a Lake Chamo cruise,
and visits to tribal villages. Visit www.etafricanjourneys.com
Getting There
Ethiopian Airlines now offers non-stop service from Washington to Addis Ababa, eliminating their stop in Rome. Total flight time
duration is 12 hours and 25 minutes, which slashes overall travel
time by 2hrs and 35mins. The return trip from Addis Ababa to
Washington Dulles will continue to make a stop in Rome.
Recently, the airline joined into the Star Alliance program. At a recent press conference, Jaan Albrecht, CEO Star Alliance stated, “We
offer our customers the widest choice of flights connecting to, from
and within Africa. Moreover, Ethiopian Airlines will bring the Star Alliance customer benefits to more markets across Africa, a region of
the world in which air travel is enjoying steady growth rates.”
U.S. Citizens need a visa to enter Ethiopia. Single entry 1-3 month
tourist visas can be issued upon arrival at the Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa.
For more information, visit www.tourismethiopia.org
WWW.JAXFAX.COM
MARCH 2012
NEWS & BEST BUYS
ETHIOPIA
With ET African Journeys’ 10-day “Wings
Over Imperial Ethiopia,” travelers can experience the only
African nation that was never colonized and that can boast 17
centuries of Christian tradition. Ethiopia is a country so rich in
history that four destinations have been designated UNESCO
World Heritage Sites. This program will amaze any traveler
with the sites, culture and hospitality of the Ethiopian people.
Highlights include Addis Ababa, Gondar, the “Camelot of
Africa”, and Axum, the reputed resting place of the “Ark of
Covenant,” the peaks and waterfalls of the Simien Mountains
and many more. Price includes accommodations, most meals,
and domestic travel. Visit www.etafricanjourneys.com
FIT Offering a 12 Day Tour in Kenya
1999
$
TANZANIA
With Great Safaris, travelers will experience
Tanzania’s safari circuit in the lap of luxury: flying to and from
each destination in the comfort of an executive aircraft, staying in world class accommodation, feasting on gourmet cuisine and quenching their desire for the adventure while
experiencing Africa in awe and wonder. Elewana SkySafari includes all of Northern Tanzania’s core highlights and offers an
unparalleled game viewing and cultural experience. The tour
stays in Arusha, Tarangire, Ngorongoro Cater and Serengeti
Park, with highlights such as game drives, a visit to an authentic African market, and guided walks. Price includes accommodations and all meals. Visit www.greatsafaris.com
6539
$
JORDAN
Ya’lla Tours invites travelers on their 5-day Royal
Touch of Jordan Tour which begins in Jerash, one of the best preserved Greco-Roman cities. Guests may stroll the stately colonnaded streets past the theater, the baths, the hill top temple and
the triumphal arch then see Mount Nebo, the site from which
Moses viewed the Promised Land. In Madaba, they will see the
5th century floor mosaic of a map of the world with Jerusalem at
the center before continuing to Petra, the famous Nabatean city
which served as a prosperous trading post from the 3rd century
BC to the 2nd century AD. A highlight of the trip is in Wadi Rum
where travelers take a 4 X 4 vehicle ride into the desert. Price includes hotel accommodations with daily breakfasts as well as all
transfers and entrance fees. Visit www.yallatours.com
2195
$
MARCH 2012
Travelers can explore Kenya with FIT’s 12-day tour. Safari stops
include the world renowned Maasai Mara Game Reserve, Amboseli National Park, and the Tsavo East game reserve, famed for
the “infamous” man eating lions of Tsavo. Also, a boat trip on Lake
Naivasha with the chance to spot the resident hippos and prolific
bird life. After leaving the safari, the tour moves towards the coast
to Papillon Lagoon Reef, an all-inclusive resort. This hotel is located
on the very private Southern Tip of Diani Beach. Activities at the resort include water sports like windsurfing, snorkeling, beach fishing, and a free pool dive. Visit www.fittours.com
Upcoming Events in Eilat
From April 19-22, thousands of athletes are expected to arrive
in Eilat for the European Triathlon Championships, featuring swimming, running and cycling courses along Eilat’s Red Sea shoreline.
(www.triathlon-championships-2012.com) From May 15 –17,
Eilat’s annual LGBT festival will feature vibrant parties, activities and
dance and music performances taking place in various hotels and
outdoor venues around the Red Sea resort town. During August
2012, The 26th annual Red Sea International Jazz Festival will include performances by world-renowned jazz musicians, as well as
open jam sessions and workshops in various venues around Eilat.
(www.redseajazzeilat.com) The Epson World of Underwater
Images Competition will be held from November 14-19. This leading photography competition attracts photographers from around
the world to capture the Red Sea’s plethora of tropical fish and
coral reefs. (www.eilatredsea.com) Visit www.goisrael.com
Free Night at Pezula
If guests are looking to save, look no further than Pezula’s “3
Nights for the Price of 2” deal. The Pezula Resort Hotel & Spa,
Africa’s first true luxury resort, is located on the Eastern Head of
Knysna on the exquisite coastline of the Western Cape. It is a
sanctuary of privacy and indulgence created to reflect the natural
beauty of its surroundings. The Pezula Resort has breathtaking
views of the Indian Ocean, the Knysna Lagoon and the Outeniqua Mountains. Guests can luxuriate in a spacious suite featuring
a patio or balcony and a walk in wardrobe, among other amenities.
Guests may choose to dine at Zachary’s, the hotel’s gourmet
restaurant. Visit www.pezula.com
WWW.JAXFAX.COM
45
71
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CONTACT
WEBSITE
ADDRESS
&
EMAIL
SEE
DIRECTORY
PAGE
46 AFRICA & THE MIDDLE EAST
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MARCH 2012
In Egypt –When only the best will do!
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RT Air, All transfers including porterage and luggage handling, 2-nights Cairo, breakfast daily, 4-night 5-Star Cruise, featuring Outside Cabins and including all meals.
10 Day Irresistible Egypt from $1999
Oberoi Mena House & m/s Radamis I.Limited Offer: Only 3 Departures
RT Air, All transfers in Egypt including porterage and luggage handling, 4 nights in
Cairo with breakfast daily, 4-night Nile Cruise including all meals and shore excursions, Extensive sightseeing in Cairo and in Upper Egypt.
15D Extensive Egypt Tour/Sharm El Sheikh from $2939
4 Night Nile Cruise 5 Nights Cairo 4 Nights All-Inclusive Red Sea
RT Air, All transfers including porterage and luggage handling, 5-nights Downtown
Cairo, breakfast daily, 4-night 5-Star Cruise, featuring Outside Cabins and including
all meals and shore excursions, 4-nights all-inclusive Sharm el Sheikh. Extensive
sightseeing included!
17 Day Extensive Egypt Tour with Safari from $4779
3 Night Nile Cruise 5 Nights Cairo One week Safari
RT Air, All transfers including porterage and luggage handling, 5-nights Cairo,
breakfast daily, 3-night 5-Star Cruise, featuring Outside Cabins and including
all meals, One week Safari, including all meals. Extensive sightseeing included!
FOREIGN INDEPENDENT TOURS Call: 800-248-3487
Ancient Mystique...A Lifetime of Memories
Visit: www.fittours.com
All prices are per person, based on double occupancy, and subject to availability at the time of booking. The from price reflects the lowest available price at
time of publication, which is valid for a specific departure date or dates and also based on availability at the time of booking. Prices include all applicable taxes,
fees, and fuel surcharges. The total price will be displayed on your invoice prior to receipt of the required deposit. Additional baggage charges may apply.
TRIP
DEPARTING TYPE
#
DAYS
ROUND TRIP PRICE
MIN
MAX
VALIDITY
PERIOD
SUPPLIER
EGYPT
Visit: www.egypt.travel
C al l 87 7- 77- E G YP T
ATLANTA
DAILY
SKED AIR
$ 723
CHICAGO
DAILY
SKED AIR
$ 761
HOUSTON
DAILY
SKED AIR
$ 801
NEW YORK
DAILY
SKED AIR
$ 703
WASHINGTON DC
DAILY
SKED AIR
$ 647
ETHIOPIA
ATLANTA
DAILY
SKED AIR
$ 406
CHICAGO
DAILY
SKED AIR
$ 373
HOUSTON
DAILY
SKED AIR
$ 603
NEW YORK
DAILY
SKED AIR
$ 375
DAILY
SKED AIR
$ 825
USA
DAILY SKED TUR 8
$ 499
WASHINGTON DC
DAILY
SKED AIR
$ 414
NEW YORK
DAILY SKED TUR 10
$ 955
Net
Net
Net
Net
Net
ISRAEL
Net
Net
Net
Net
Net
Net
To:ADDIS ABABA
C & H INTERNATIONAL
To:ADDIS ABABA
C & H INTERNATIONAL
To:ADDIS ABABA
C & H INTERNATIONAL
To:ADDIS ABABA
C & H INTERNATIONAL
To:ADDIS ABABA
C & H INTERNATIONAL
THRU 3/31/12
THRU 3/31/12
THRU 3/31/12
THRU 3/31/12
THRU 3/31/12
To:TEL AVIV
C & H INTERNATIONAL
THRU 4/01/12
To:TEL AVIV
C & H INTERNATIONAL
THRU 3/31/12
To:TEL AVIV
C & H INTERNATIONAL
THRU 3/31/12
To:TEL AVIV
C & H INTERNATIONAL
THRU 3/31/12
CALL
To:TEL AVIV
IMPRESSA CLUB, LTD.
ALL YEAR
To:TEL AVIV
C & H INTERNATIONAL
THRU 3/31/12
To:TELAV,MASAD,JERUS,NAZ+
TFR;HTL;TUR;7186458578;IMPRESSACLUB.COM
GUIDED TOUR 8 D/7N;800-321-2999
www.skylinkus.com
ATLANTA
DAILY
BUSINESS
LOS ANGELES
DAILY
BUSINESS
KENYA
$ 5492
Net
$ 5492
Net
To:NAIROBI
To:NAIROBI
CALL
CALL
SPOTLIGHT AFRICA & MID. EAST
WE ARE EGYPT!
TO ADVERTISE IN THIS
SECTION
Email Doug Cooke at
doug@jaxfax.com
or call 203-301-0257
LUXURY EDITION - When only the best will do!
• See the Pyramids and Great Sphinx
• Learn the History and soak up the Culture
• 10 Day Luxury Egypt Cruise
Tour From $2899
W W W. G R E A T S A F A R I S . C O M
8 0 0 - 4 0 9 - 7 7 5 5
Call: 800-248-3487
Visit: www.fittours.com
FOREIGN INDEPENDENT TOURS
Ancient Mystique...A Lifetime of Memories
48 AFRICA & THE MIDDLE EAST
WWW.JAXFAX.COM
MARCH 2012
TRIP
DEPARTING TYPE
#
DAYS
NEW YORK
DAILY
BUSINESS
ROUND TRIP PRICE
MIN
MAX
SUPPLIER
$ 5492
Net
To:NAIROBI
Net
To:LAGOS
To:LAGOS
KENYA
MIAMI
DAILY
OW BC
$ 1654
WASHINGTON DC
DAILY
FIRST CL
$ 10540
NIGERIA
VALIDITY
PERIOD
CALL
CALL
CALL
SOUTH AFRICA
Outstanding Customer Service & Highest Commissions with No Caps. Last Minute Travel. Earn $125 incentive cash booking bonus.
NEW YORK
DAILY
BUSINESS
ATLANTA
DAILY
OW SKAIR
DAILY
BUSINESS
NEW YORK
DAILY
BUSINESS
DAILY
BUSINESS
DAILY
BUSINESS
PHOENIX
DAILY
OW BC
No One Discounts Like We Do Mindy Pesach, President: sales@premtrvl.com • 888-4BizClass (424-9252)
$ 5740
Net
$ 420
$ 5640
Net
$ 3750
$ 4100
$ 5480
Net $ 4950
Net
Net
$ 1895
To:CAPETOWN
CALL
To:JOHANNESBURG
CALL
CALL
To:JOHANNESBURG
ARROW TRAVEL
ALL YEAR
EXTRA VALUE AIR
ALL YEAR
CALL
To:JOHANNESBURG
CALL
TANZANIA
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FRPPLVVLRQRQSXEOLVKHGIDUHVYDOLGDWHGRQ3:
3UHFLVLRQ$LUB7DQ]DQLD#DSJ-XVDXV
ATLANTA
DAILY
FIRST CL
BOSTON
DAILY
BUSINESS
DALLAS
DAILY
OW BC
DAILY
BUSINESS
DAILY
OW SKAIR
DAILY
FIRST CL
DENVER
DAILY
BUSINESS
LOS ANGELES
DAILY
BUSINESS
MIAMI
DAILY
OW BC
DAILY
BUSINESS
NEW YORK
DAILY
BUSINESS
DAILY
BUSINESS
DAILY
BUSINESS
To:DUBAI
To:DUBAI
To:DUBAI
To:DUBAI
To:DUBAI
To:DUBAI
To:DUBAI
ARROW TRAVEL
EXTRA VALUE AIR
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
$ 8460
Net
$ 3465
Net
$
$
$
$
1875
3365
248
9580
Net
Net
$ 3565
Net
$ 3875
Net
$ 1834
$ 3465
Net
$ 2950
$ 4150
$ 3265
Net $ 4450
Net
Net
NEWS & BEST BUYS
EGYPT
Travel Egypt offers an 8 day/7 night fully
escorted tour designed for families with children ranging in age
from preschool to teens. While the program features introduction
to the major historic sites of Egypt it does so in a "hands on" environment by exposing them (the children) to a living history example of what life was like in ancient Egypt for both the royal
families and the workers. Instead of being "tombed out" by repetitious visitations to places that after a few days all resemble one
another, they are transported in time to relive the adventure and
thrill of events as they occurred. Not only that, but they will be
entertained by camel rides into the desert, sailing on the Nile in a
Felucca (native sailboat), entering a pyramid and feeling the mys-
1985
$
MARCH 2012
CALL
CALL
CALL
CALL
CALL
CALL
CALL
CALL
CALL
CALL
ALL YEAR
ALL YEAR
CALL
tery, climbing around old fortresses and more. They will come to
know the sophisticated city children of Cairo and the village children of upper Egypt. www.travelegypt.com
TANZANIA
Gadventures is offering a 7 day tour, exploring
Tanzania's best game parks, learning of the history of man at the
Olduvai Gorge, meeting the Masai and savouring traditional cuisine. Witness big game on open savannah and experience the
stunning beauty of the Rift Valley. Led by a certified safari guide,
journey to Tanzania in search of phenomenal wildlife in its natural
habitat. Full service camping will bring you closer to the region’s
wildlife and is an economical way to gain insight into local cultures
in a short amount of time. Our small safari vehicles minimize drive
times and improve your chances of snapping that perfect shot of
one of the elusive 'Big 5'. Visit www.gadventures.com
1999
$
WWW.JAXFAX.COM
49
SOUTH & CENTRAL AMERICA
Falling in Love
in Cartagena
By Cindy Ross
ifty yards off the beach, I watch the dark-skinned
fishermen rowing their morning’s catch to shore. I
throw up my arm and wave. These pescadors
launch their traditional wooden boat off the beach at
daybreak. Hundreds of shimmering prawns fill the
holds caught in their nets only an hour ago. Behind them, a
skyline of modern buildings rise, and I am reminded of the
juxtaposition of life that comfortably exists side by side here
in Cartagena, Colombia. Tonight, their catch will grace the
finest world-class restaurants in this most beautiful city in all
the Americas, as well as feed their local families.
From my perch at the luxurious Sonesta Hotel
(www.sonesta.com), I can watch these snippets of rural life.
Most of the workers at this fine hotel live an easy walk or bicycle ride from the neighboring fishing village of La Boquilla. A
short drive in the other direction will transport me to the magical colonial old city of Cartagena de Indias, one of the most romantic, colorful, historic and desirable vacation destinations
on the planet.
CINDY ROSS
F
Cartegena
Architectural History
Cartagena first became a desirable place to stop over some
400 years ago when the Spanish landed here with their holds
full of silver, gold, and African slaves. So much looting and pirating occurred that tremendous fortresses and bastions
needed to be built to guard the city, resulting in the construction of thirteen miles of massive encircling walls, which are intact today.
Sandwiched within this World Heritage Site are seventy-four
structures of special interest preserved since the 16th century. The old city glows with Spanish colonial architecture,
painted in warm pumpkin, mustard, and peach. Buckets of brilliant flowers spill over wooden balconies. Horse-drawn carriages clatter through the cobbled streets. Gas lamps burn
soft, cozy cafes line lazy plazas where lovers whisper close, locals get their shoes shined, and mothers nurse their babies. A
female fruit vendor, a palenquera, with her long, full skirt, ruffled blouse, and scarved head, offers slices of mango, papaya,
and pineapple. She spreads her skirt in a pose and flashes me
a saucy smile for a photograph. These native women, descendants from Colombia’s first freed slaves, come to Cartagena’s plazas every day, take their posts, and help you fall in
love with their exquisite city.
A tour of the fascinating Spanish San Felipe Fort, perched atop
the hillside, gives you a clear understanding of how this city is situated and protected by its encircling bay, making it a hot spot
for commerce and trade. With its vast network of criss-crossing
subterranean tunnels and its walls constructed entirely of
Caribbean coral, it is easy to see how this structure was consid50 SOUTH & CENTRAL AMERICA
WWW.JAXFAX.COM
MARCH 2012
ered a masterpiece of Spanish military engineering.
As I enter the arch at the old city’s principal gate, before me
is the Torre del Rejoj with its 19th century clock tower, one of
the most iconic architectural symbols of Cartagena. Horse
drawn carriages line up on the cobbled plaza, ready to transport visitors back in time as they wind through the gorgeous
city. Plaza after picturesque plaza, ancient churches, colonial
manor homes converted into boutique hotels, and unique
shops make my tour one of ever-changing visual pleasure.
When in need of dinner refreshment, I ask to be let off at
the charming El Santisimo Restaurant, where the Catholic
saints and rituals are used to name and describe all the entrees and appetizers. The most fun are the decadent desserts,
named for the mortal sins whose indulgence is pure enjoyment. Another excellent dinner choice is the ancient salmoncolored monastery Santa Clara Hotel on Plaza San Diego,
now owned by Accor (www.accorhotels.com), a French
hotel chain. The historic monastery is the stage for Pulitzerprize winning Colombian author, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, who
centers the novel/film, Love and Other Demons, inside this
historic structure. It was converted into a 122-room grand
hotel with verdant gardens and live, colorful toucans.
The Islands
Many visitors come to Colombia just to visit the Rosario Islands off the northern coast. One of the most unique features
of Colombia is the fact that it boasts shorelines of two oceans,
the Pacific and the Atlantic, and in the middle of these two
bodies of water is the Caribbean Sea. Taking a fast boat less
than an hour north, transports visitors to a completely other
world, the Caribbean paradise of the Rosario Islands.
My fast boat heads to Grande Isle, the largest of the twentyfour-island chain, all boasting clear turquoise water and white
sugar sand beaches. The archipelago is fortunate to lie beyond
the hurricane zone so waters are nearly always calm in this
huge national park.
As I disembark, natives greet me with champagne, smoke
and cream-colored strands of pearls draped over their sculpted
arms, hoping to grab our attention and give it up. I want them
all but merely smile and head to Hotel de Majagua to get fitted
with snorkeling gear. As I circle a small adjacent island, face
down, flippers swishing past the coral reef, my arms relaxed
by my side, I greet the riot colored Parrotfish, the clotheshorse
of the Caribbean. Other favorites are the unusual, pale blue iridescent Trunkfish, with its sword-like head, and the mesmerizing schools of silverfish, that engulf me and seem to move
as one organism.
Afterwards, under a canopy of majestic rubber trees, I feast
on crispy fried fish, coconut rice and fresh-squeezed fruit juices.
From here, we go on a side trip to San Martin de Pajarles Island.
This is a must, as the large outdoor aquarium presents dolphin
and mellow nurse-shark shows, as well as the opportunity to become intimate with dozens of sea turtles.
They say it is difficult not to fall in love with Cartagena de Indias. The Columbian people and their city and all its surrounding beauty embraces me like one of its own. No place is
Colombia’s slogan, “The only risk is wanting to stay,” felt more
keenly, than in Cartagena de Indias.
For more information, visit www.colombia.travel
MARCH 2012
NEWS & BEST BUYS
PERU
With SITA World Tours, the haunting world of
the ancient Inca civilization comes alive as travelers explore both
the remains of their empire and the new world that has evolved in
Peru. With Machu Picchu as a stunning highlight, this adventurepacked journey puts visitors in touch with fascinating remains and
modern, colorful local culture. Highlights include a cruise on Lake Titicaca, a train ride to Machu Picchu, a flight over the Nazca Lines,
and a cruise to the Ballestas Islands. Price includes standard, firstclass or deluxe accommodations, 10 breakfasts, 4 lunches and 4
dinners; transfers, and all entrance fees. Visit www.sitatours.com
3125
$
Cosmopolitan Adventure Tours Profile
Even if an agency belongs to a consortium, many times they
meet clients who need a travel counselor to weave their dream vacation together into a sensible plan. They need someone who can
advise them whether they need a custom-designed FIT or
whether they should join a small group tour or seat-in arrangement. Owner Rea Franjetic lived in South America for 20 years,
and has in depth knowledge and many contacts throughout the
continent. She visits the region annually. She knows unique spots
like Bolivia's salt flats, Posadas in Argentina, Valdivia in Chile and
also the beautiful northeast and Southern Brazilian coastal cities.
Her experience can save travel agents hours of research time,
using only the best local suppliers. Travel agents should add Cosmopolitan Adventure Tours to their list of South American special operators. Visit www.cosmopolitanadventuretours.com
WWW.JAXFAX.COM
51
By Doug Cooke
osta Rica seems to always have a new frontier for
discovery. I’ll bet there are a lot of us who didn’t know
that along the southwestern Pacific coast lies a wet,
wild and rather wonderful corner of the country, the
Osa Peninsula. Home to the pristine Corcovado
National Park, widely recognized as the richest biological zone in
Mesoamerica, the whole area, onshore and off, offers clients a
bounty of superlative attractions: long and deserted beaches, jungled forests sheltering wildlife and birds galore, a marine world
that’s home to white-tip sharks and stringrays year round, humpback whales and dolphins part time.
C
Accommodations
During a visit organized by the Costa Rica Tourism Board, I also
discovered many good lodges offering not only great comfort in
the wilderness but all kinds of ways to experience the Osa: surfing and snorkeling, canopy zipline tours, boat tours for whale
watching and deepsea fishing, kayaking in the mangroves of the
Terraba-Sierpe Wetland Reserve, visits to the indigenous Bri Bri
community, horseback riding on the beaches, through the forests,
beneath waterfalls.
The Osa Peninsula frames the western side of Golfo Dulce, a
huge bay whose major gateway on the north shore is slightly
funky Golfito, a port town squeezed between the gulf and mountains and served by Nature Air and SANSA flights from San Jose.
Once headquarters for the United Fruit Company, Golfito’s justified claim to fame today is sport fishing. Anglers put their skills to
practice when fighting the fierce mahi-mahi, yellow fin tuna, marlin or sailfish. Fisher-folk favor staying by the harbor at the Banana
Bay Marina or at Casa Roland Marina Resort, the classiest place
in town, complete with spa, tennis courts and swimming pool.
Additionally, there are many choice eco-lodges in the area.
Reached only by boat is Playa Nicuesa Lodge, whose luxury cabins and two-story, tree-top style lounge and dining area are open
to rainforest on all sides. With good guides and a creative excursions program, this is a good pick for families and honeymooners.
And nature lovers couldn’t do better than a stay at the lovely Esquinas Rainforest Lodge, set right in the Piedras Blancas National Park; its five duplex cabins are connected by a covered
walkway; guest room porches with rockers and hammocks overlook beautifully landscaped gardens and pool drawing colorful
birds and butterflies. Profits from the lodge and its roster of activities (from mountain biking to dolphin-watching) are invested in
improvements in La Gamba village.
On the Ground
Visitors can also approach the peninsula overland. We took the
new Costanera Sur Highway, which is now paved all the way from
Quepos/Manuel Antonio National Park to the Panama border. In
between is what is called the Costa Ballena, a name that tell us
we are in whale territory, for just offshore, the humpback giants of
the sea migrate in both summer and winter. Whale watching is
one of the activities available to guests staying at 36-room Diuwak
Hotel & Beach Resort, which offers good food served in the open
air restaurant, a nice pool and friendly staff. The rating is two-star,
but the excursions available earn higher points.
Saddle up for a guided horseback tour to Don Lulo’s Nauyaca Wa52 SOUTH & CENTRAL AMERICA
COSTA RICA NTO
The Osa Experience
Turtle nesting
terfalls, part of a Costa Rican family enterprise. From the stables,
you ride out for a half hour, stopping for a typical Costa Rican breakfast and lunch on return at Don Lulo’s House, complete with a little
zoo of macaws, toucans and tepezcuintles. Ride on to the magnificent falls of the Barucito River, tumbling two cascades (one 150
feet, the other 65 feet) into deep pools that are perfect for swimming. Explore on horseback, guided walk or via a canopy tour the
Hacienda Baru National Wildlife Refuge, which embraces two miles
of beach, mangrove swamp and primary rainforest and provides
habitats for anteaters and ocelots, capuchin monkeys and
jaguarundis; the bird count is more than 300 species. Petroglyphs
carved into large rocks are found here, and you will also find a birding tower, orchid garden, butterfly garden and turtle hatchery. On
Baru Beach, Olive Ridley and hawksbill turtles do come to nest.
On the Water
Take a boat ride to explore Marino Ballena National Park which
harbors important mangroves and a large coral reef. Green marine
iguanas live here in the salt water pools. Olive Ridley and hawksbill turtles come ashore May to November. Dolphins frolic offshore
and the bay is the southernmost mating site for the humpback
whale which migrates from California waters, December-April,
while those seen July-October come from Antarctica. Cruise
around Isla Ballena and the rocks known as Las Tres Hermanas
(the Three Sisters) which are havens for pelicans, boobies and
frigate birds.Take your time when floating through the TerrabaSierpe Wetland Reserve, a natural wonderland network of mangrove swamps fed by the Sierpe River to the south, the Terraba to
the north. Thie is primetime territory for viewing crocodiles and
caimans living waterside, monkeys and myriads of colorful birds
at home in the trees and mangroves. Anglers generally stay put in
small riverside lodges, bases for sport-fishing expeditions.
Ride a wave off any number of the beautiful beaches around and
on the Osa Peninsula, for one of the southern zone’s biggest draws
is surfing which is at its best in the rainy season, May-November.
This is a good area for beginners to learn (there’s a surfing school
at Uvita Beach,) and for intermediate surfers to improve their skills.
And further south along the coast is the fishing hamlet of Pavones,
beloved by expert surfers who come for one the longest left-hand
breaks in the world.
Of course the Osa’s most famous tenant is the Corcovado National Park, occupying a large part (105,000 acres) of the Peninsula;
the park is often cited as the “crown jewel” of Costa Rica’s vast
park system. Remote and comparatively un-touristy, this is the
most likely place to see elusive critters such as the big cats (ocelot,
margay, jaguar, puma), tapirs, river otters, peccaries and rare
brocket deer, while monkeys (all four species), pizotes, scarlet
macaws, toucans and orchids are plentiful. Accompanied by park
guides, visitors walk along well-maintained trails (flat along the
coast, steep in the interior) that thread around and between various
ranger stations at the borders of the park.
For additional information, contact the Costa Rica Tourism
Board: (800) COSTA RICA; visit www.visitcostarica.com
WWW.JAXFAX.COM
MARCH 2012
ARGENTINA
Travelers will experience the majesty of Argentina’s natural wonders on a life-changing journey of discovery
with Travcoa. The 15-day journey begins in vibrant Buenos Aires
and explores its wide avenues, chic shops and glamorous
nightlife. Here, visitors may take a tango lesson and absorb the
romantic rhythms. Then, the tour flies south to see the rugged
lands of Patagonia, where travelers step aboard a boat to watch
the magnificent Southern Right Whales. Travel to Glacier National
Park and ascend to the continental ice sheet for spectacular views
of the glaciers and mountains, visit a small Omaguaca Indian village where local craftsmen display their colorful works of art and
then explore the Calchaquí Valley and the city of Cafayate, to savor
rich local wines. Price includes accommodations, all meals and
more. Visit www.travcoa.com
9795
$
COSTA RICA
Travelers should grab their camera and get
ready for Globus Journeys’ wonderful vacation to Costa Rica.
Witness bountiful wildlife in a natural habitat, enjoy relaxing
dips in ecothermal hot springs, and learn about the Costa
Rican culture on this once-in-a-lifetime tour. Among the many
highlights of this tour are Tortuguero National Park, the Arenal
Volcano, and the Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve. On this
Costa Rica tour, travelers also have a chance to visit local
farms to learn about the local culture and industries. This is
the trip of a lifetime—a trip filled with wildlife, scenic waterways, tropical rainforests, and knowledgeable guides that help
visitors learn about Costa Rica. Price includes accommodations and some meals. Visit www.globusjourneys.com
1409
$
COSTA RICA
Costa Rica Dream Adventures is offering a
specially priced program in Costa Rica. Departing every
Wednesday from May 2 – December 5, 2012, this program includes private transport to and from the 5 star Corobici hotel,
where guest will stay 6 nights. Tour highlights include Irazu
and Lankester Gardens guided tour, Doka State coffee tour,
Grecia and Sarchi Village guided tour, canopy tour and rafting
tour on the Reventazon River. Price is based on double occupancy, and includes daily breakfast and 4 lunches. Call 800655-7955 or visit www.costaricadreamadventures.com
845
$
PERU
With Sunny Land Tours, travelers can see the
many highlights of Peru with this 8-day tour package. After visiting
Lima, the capital of Peru, visitors will become caught up in the excitement of touring the ancient capital of the Inca Empire, with a delightful combination of Inca and colonial architecture. The tour visits
important landmarks such us Cusco’s Cathedral, Santo Domingo
Church, Plaza de Armas and Koricancha “The Temple of the Sun.”
There will be a full day excursion to the Pisac Indian Market and the
Ollantaytambo Fortress, a train ride through the sacred valley of
Urubamba to the “Lost City of the Incas,” a visit to Machu Picchu,
a boat ride from the Tambopata Port to Posada Amazonas and into
the Community’s Primary Forest Private Reserve, and other amazing sightseeing highlights. Price includes accommodations, all domestic travel, daily breakfast and some other meals. Visit
www.sunnylandtours.com
2599
$
MARCH 2012
NEWS & BEST BUYS
SOUTH AMERICA
Anyone can cruise in style with Royal
Caribbean’s 7-night cruise of South America. Ports of call include Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, as well as Montevideo and Punta del Este, Uruguay. Enjoy the 2,435-guest
Vision of the Seas with amazing amenities like a day spa, two
pools, six whirlpools, and the Masquerade Theatre, which features nightly entertainment, and contemporary musical stage
productions. There are tons of excursions to choose from, including sightseeing tours and beach activities. Includes accommodations and dining. Visit www.royalcaribbean.com
834
$
MEXICO
On this Signature 9-day journey from Abercrombie & Kent, visitors will delve into Mexico’s ancient history
when they visit incredible archaeological sites, including Chichen
Itza, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. Highlights include a stay at Hacienda Temozon, a sprawling estate that harks
back to colonial times in the Yucatan peninsula; meeting a Mayan
family, exploration of enchanting Izamal, a traditional Yucatan city
boasting both yellow-hued Spanish buildings and ancient Mayan
remnants; and the chance to make an early start at Chichen Itza
when you stay at the adjacent Lodge at Chichen Itza. Tour price
includes all accommodations; meals; transfers; fully guided sightseeing (including park and entrance fees); services of an A&K Tour
Director; handling of two pieces of baggage per person; hotel
taxes; and gratuities. Visit www.abercrombiekent.com
4680
$
t r a v e l
s o l u t i o n s
Great deals to South America
ATLANTA
BALTIMORE
BOSTON
BUFFALO
CHARLOTTE
CHICAGO
DENVER
DALLAS
DETROIT
KANSAS CITY
LOS ANGELES
NEW YORK
MIAMI
ORLANDO
PENSACOLA
PITTSBURGH
PHILADELPHIA
SAN FRANCISCO
SAN DIEGO
TAMPA
WASHINGTON
GRU
758
620
515
750
662
630
630
662
688
688
625
560
599
688
750
580
573
625
688
704
550
GIG
758
620
425
750
662
630
630
662
688
688
625
560
599
688
750
580
513
625
688
704
550
CWB
938
822
730
910
907
810
810
907
943
943
705
620
620
943
910
580
850
705
943
969
814
BHZ
775
675
675
775
775
675
675
775
775
775
675
620
620
775
775
775
775
675
775
775
675
SSA
599
499
499
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649
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FOR
649
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DAYS
MIAMI
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DAILY
BUSINESS
NEW YORK
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54
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DAILY
SKED AIR
$ 620
NEW YORK
DAILY
SKED AIR
$ 958
MIAMI
DAILY
SKED AIR
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DAILY
BUSINESS
$ 2178
NEW YORK
DAILY
BUSINESS
$ 2165
DAILY
SKED AIR
$ 799
MIAMI
DAILY
SKED AIR
$ 599
DAILY
BUSINESS
$ 1979
MOBILE
DAILY
SKED AIR
$ 1140
NEW YORK
DAILY
SKED AIR
$ 560
DAILY
BUSINESS
$ 2179
PHILADELPHIA
DAILY
SKED AIR
$ 649
RALEIGH-DURHAM
DAILY
SKED AIR
$ 1140
MIAMI
DAILY
BUSINESS
$ 2265
DAILY
SKED AIR
$ 799
NEW YORK
DAILY
BUSINESS
$ 2289
ATLANTA
DAILY
SKED AIR
$ 758
BRAZIL
Net
Net
Net
Net
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Net
Net
Net
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Net
Net
Net
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Net
Net
Net
Net
To:BELO HORIZONTE
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71
PAGE
DIRECTORY
SEE
EMAIL
&
ADDRESS
WEBSITE
#
DAYS
ROUND TRIP PRICE
MIN
MAX
LOS ANGELES
DAILY
SKED AIR
$
MIAMI
DAILY
SKED AIR
$
DAILY
BUSINESS
$
NEW YORK
DAILY
BUSINESS
$
DAILY
SKED AIR
$
DAILY
BUSINESS
$
DAILY
BUSINESS
$
SAN FRANCISCO
DAILY
SKED AIR
$
WASHINGTON DC
DAILY
SKED AIR
$
BRAZIL
MIAMI
DAILY
SKED AIR
NEW YORK
DAILY
SKED AIR
625
Net
599
1998
Net
Net
1950
560
3300
2198
Net $ 2550
Net
Net
Net
625
Net
625
Net
$ 529
Net
$ 529
Net
CHILE
MIAMI
DAILY
SKED AIR
$
DAILY
SKED AIR
$
NEW YORK
DAILY
SKED AIR
$
ORLANDO
DAILY
SKED AIR
$
FT LAUDERDALE
DAILY
SKED AIR
$
CHICAGO
DAILY
SKED AIR
$
FT LAUDERDALE
DAILY
SKED AIR
$
VALIDITY
PERIOD
SUPPLIER
To:SAO PAULO
CHANTECLAIR TRAVEL
To:SAO PAULO
CHANTECLAIR TRAVEL
To:SAO PAULO
ARROW TRAVEL
CHANTECLAIR TRAVEL
EXTRA VALUE AIR
To:SAO PAULO
CHANTECLAIR TRAVEL
To:SAO PAULO
PRIME TRAVEL
To:SANTIAGO
CHANTECLAIR TRAVEL
To:SANTIAGO
CHANTECLAIR TRAVEL
CALL
CALL
CALL
ALL YEAR
CALL
ALL YEAR
CALL
CALL
TO 5/31/12
CALL
CALL
CALL
TO 5/31/12
CALL
TO 5/31/12
TO 5/31/12
TO 5/31/12
TO 5/31/12
TO 5/31/12
355
416
Net
Net
445
Net
273
Net
415
Net
695
Net
405
Net
To:BOGOTA
CHANTECLAIR TRAVEL
PRIME TRAVEL
To:BOGOTA
CHANTECLAIR TRAVEL
To:BOGOTA
PRIME TRAVEL
To:CALI
PRIME TRAVEL
To:CARTAGENA
PRIME TRAVEL
To:MEDELLIN
PRIME TRAVEL
CHICAGO
DAILY
SKED AIR
$ 362
Net
To:SAN JOSE
PRIME TRAVEL
MIAMI
DAILY
SKED AIR
$ 268
Net
To:GUATEMALA CITY
CHANTECLAIR TRAVEL
CALL
NEW YORK
DAILY
SKED AIR
$ 625
Net
To:ROATAN
PRIME TRAVEL
TO 5/31/12
MIAMI
DAILY
SKED AIR
$ 138
Net
To:MANAGUA
CHANTECLAIR TRAVEL
CALL
NEW YORK
DAILY
SKED AIR
$ 320
Net
To:PANAMA CITY
CHANTECLAIR TRAVEL
CALL
$ 775
Net
TO 5/31/12
$ 300
$ 679
Net
Net
To:ASUNCION
PRIME TRAVEL
To:ASUNCION
CHANTECLAIR TRAVEL
PRIME TRAVEL
CALL
TO 5/31/12
NEW YORK
DAILY
SKED AIR
$ 715
SAN FRANCISCO
DAILY
SKED AIR
$ 716
Net
TO 5/31/12
Net
To:LIMA
PRIME TRAVEL
To:LIMA
PRIME TRAVEL
TO 5/31/12
COLOMBIA
COSTA RICA
GUATEMALA
HONDURAS
NICARAGUA
PANAMA
LOS ANGELES
DAILY
SKED AIR
MIAMI
DAILY
SKED AIR
DAILY
SKED AIR
PARAGUAY
PERU
MIAMI
DAILY
SKED AIR
$ 465
Net
To:MONTEVIDEO
CHANTECLAIR TRAVEL
CALL
MIAMI
DAILY
SKED AIR
$ 450
Net
To:CARACAS
PRIME TRAVEL
TO 5/31/12
URUGUAY
VENEZUELA
Call: 877 496 9894 • Email: SBA_Venezuela@apg-usa.us
8% COMMISSION ON ALL S3 PUBLISHED FARES
DAILY FLIGHTS FROM MIAMI TO CARACAS
FOR
CONTACT
TRIP
DEPARTING TYPE
56
WWW.JAXFAX.COM
MARCH 2012
Don’t Break the Bank
Selling Luxury for Less
By Melanie Reffes
f you’re in the mood for vacation but don’t have a lot of
extra cash to spend, the Caribbean is ripe with high season bargains that won’t break the bank. From air and
hotel packages to gratis room nights and generous addons, a resourceful travel agent worth his/her sea salt can
easily source a reasonably priced winter respite for clients
looking for a break from the blustery winds at home.
Swap the taxi rides for a bicycle and ditch the fancy spa for
yoga on the beach and you’ll discover a vacation under the sun
doesn’t mean taking out a second mortgage. From St. Lucia to
the Bahamas and Grand Cayman to St. Maarten, a tropical getaway is an affordable winter reality.
I
Sun-Soaked Bargains
Choice Hotels International is big on low prices with generous discounts at several of their Caribbean properties. A rate
slice of up to twenty-five percent with a minimum stay of four
nights invite at properties in the Cayman Islands, Curacao, Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. “This is the first time we’ve
rolled out region-wide promotions like these,” said Bill Clegg,
regional vice president. “Those who stay fewer than four
nights can earn twenty percent off all Caribbean properties
once advance booking requirements are met.” www.choicehotels.com
With nightly rates as low as $119, Comfort Suites in Turks
& Caicos may be the best bargain on the turquoise island. Upscale without the price tag, the hotel shuttles guests to the
beach in a golf cart and stages impromptu steel pan concerts
in the lobby. “We offer a resort feel without resort prices,“ explains manager, David Crofts. “We’re a big hit with travelers
who appreciate our little extras like free Wi-Fi and Miss
William’s famous triple layer coconut cake served on our
breakfast buffet.” www.comfortsuitestci.com
Sitting pretty on the shoreline, Aruba Marriott hugs the
calm waves of Palm Beach with divine suites, fine eateries,
all-night casino, Mandara Spa and health club. The ‘Sand Dollar’ package with a “book three nights, get one free” offer includes a daily $50 resort credit for travel through December
21. For sports fans, Champions Restaurant at adjacent Marriott Ocean Club is a win-win crowd-pleaser with thirty big
screen television screens and enough Balashi beer to keep the
gang happy all night. www.arubamarriott.com
The road less traveled can mean luxury without the crowds
and at Rosalie Bay resort in Dominica, daily rates include yoga
classes and breakfast made from a bounty of healthful choices
like the fruits and vegetables grown in the organic garden. A
twenty-eight room eco-luxury property, the wind and solar
powered resort is big with nature lovers from March through
October who come to see three species of endangered turtles who nest and hatch on the Bay’s protected black sand
beach. Through October 31, a saving of thirty-three percent is
offered with room rates starting at $149 for chi-chi suites with
relaxing rain showers. www.RosalieBay.com
MARCH 2012
ST. MAARTEN TOURIST BUREAU
CARIBBEAN & BERMUDA
The ‘3 Palms On The Rocks’ in the middle of Simpson Bay in St. Maarten
No haggling required in St. Lucia where rates at the Fond
Doux Plantation are discounted during the winter season. In
the picturesque French town of Soufriere, ten cottages sit on
a 19th century plantation along with two restaurants and a collage of swimming pools. “It’s still Christmas in St. Lucia, and
we want to ensure that guests visiting in 2012 can allow us to
pamper them at a fraction of the regular cost,” said manager
Eroline Lamontagne. The ‘Warm Winter Retreat’ packages include seven nights, breakfast, airport transfers, bottle of bubbly and two spa treatments at the new Mamma La Terre Spa
with a menu of massages that use organic products from Fond
Doux’s grounds. www.fonddouxestate.com
Luxury never had it this good with rates for a two-bedroom
villa starting at $300 per night at the Bahama Beach Club on
Great Abaco Island. From snorkeling in the sea and beach barbecues on the sand to exploring the underwater caves and
deep sea fishing for blue marlin and wahoo, the ‘Warm Winter Savings’ package is too good to pass up with one night
gratis when three are confirmed, unlimited long distance calls
to the USA, on-site concierges who whip up gourmet meals in
the villas or pre-stock the kitchen with Bahamian treats.
www.bahamabeachclub.com
Steak Me Home Tonight
Smack dab in the middle of Simpson Bay in St. Maarten, 3
Palms On The Rocks is the latest eatery on the island’s culinary horizon. Owners Phil and Patty Lennox are all about a
Caribbean chill-out with tables painted in Rasta-inspired yellow, green and red and two dollar mugs of beer. A magnet for
yachties and the women who like them, the funky eatery is
action-central for the Heineken Regatta taking to the sea this
month. www.simpsonbayresort.com
Even if you can’t afford caviar and foie gras, a treat once in
while is the stuff of luxury vacations. Fronting the famed
Seven Mile Beach in Grand Cayman, Westin Casuarina is
revered for the trademarked Heavenly Beds, hip lobby bar and
Wine Dinners in Casa Havana, the island’s only Cuban eatery.
Big tickets include the ‘Tapas and More‘ dinner on March 23
and ‘Tour de France’ on May 25 that brings ooh-la-la French
flair to the beach. www.westingrandcayman.com
With a staff so friendly you’d swear you’d met them before,
Pelican Bay in Provo, Turks & Caicos excels with mains like a
succulent lobster so fresh it’s still angry. Ask for the house
pepper sauce to take home as a souvenir more memorable
than a fridge magnet or a t-shirt. www.pelicanbaytci.com
South Beach meets the tropics at Vino Tiempo, a reasonably
priced wine bar in the swank Regent Village. Owned by wine
connoisseurs Tony Garland and Murad Mohamad, the bar tantalizes with fine wines, minty mojitos and potent cocktails,
shaken or stirred, with local Bambarra rum. “Tourists flock to
the bar as a reminder why they booked a vacation in the first
place,“ says Tony Garland whose knowledge of wine (and vacations) is legendary. www.vinotiempowinebar.com
WWW.JAXFAX.COM
CARIBBEAN & BERMUDA
57
CARIBBEAN & BERMUDA
Selling the Caribbean CHTA Travel Marketplace 2012
By Melanie Reffes & Doug Cooke
osted by The Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA), Islands Of The Bahamas, MasterCard and Virgin Holidays, Marketplace 2012
was held at the Atlantis on Paradise Island from
January 22 to 24. Renamed “Caribbean Travel
Marketplace,” and marking its 30th anniversary this year, the
annual trade show is the largest marketing event in the
region where suppliers meet, greet, network and negotiate
with buyers from around the world.
For the first time since 2008, the show attracted 276 supplier companies, 715 supplier delegates, 142 buyer companies
and 344 buyer delegates from eighteen countries including
Russia and Japan. The total of 1,269 delegates was a slight
dip from the 1,518 who attended last year in Montego Bay.
“We begin 2012 with the hope that this year will mark a distinct point of recovery and return to sustained growth for
tourism in our region,” said Prime Minister of the Bahamas,
Hubert Ingraham, addressing delegates during the gala opening ceremony that featured high-spirited performances of The
Royal Bahamas Police Force Band.
Noting Marketplace as the region’s most important convention,
Josef Forstmayr, president, CHTA told delegates, “The Caribbean
remains the most tourism-dependent region in the world and the
H
“
Sound Bites from the Floor
Nothing stimulates tourism like low cost, high quality and frequent air service. The
Bahamas has fifty government owned and operated regional airports and fifteen international airports.—Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace, minister of tourism, Bahamas
Jamaica is already synonymous with entertainment; however, we are making a
concerted effort now to market Brand Jamaica with a focus on our music. After all,
everyone in the world knows Bob Marley.—Wykeham McNeill, newly elected
minister of tourism and entertainment, Jamaica
We are now putting an emphasis on fashion after one of our locals, Ayoung-Chee
Anya, won the last “Project Runway“ television competition. The plan is to have her
help promote tourism to the destination.—Sandra Perkins, CEO, Tourism
Development Company of Trinidad & Tobago
In September, we will launch 721 as the new area code for Dutch St. Maarten which will
be based on the North American system. This will make it easier for our American guests
to call the island.—May-Ling Chung, director tourism, St. Maarten Tourist Bureau
If St. Maarten is a good place to live then it must be an even better place to visit.
—Emil Lee, president, St. Maarten Hospitality and Trade Association
I brought in a pizza chef from Italy to bake pies at our brand new Bella Napoli Pizzeria, which is earning a reputation as the best pizzeria on the island.—Armando
Pizzuti, general manager, Sonesta Maho, St. Maarten
Our message for this year is that Anguilla is affordable for all visitors, not just the rich
and famous.—Marie Walker, director tourism, N. America, Anguilla Tourist Board
We are one of the most popular resorts for spring weddings with confirmations already
for April. One couple has booked all our villas for what we know will be one spectacular celebration.—David Lyon, director of sales, CuisinArt Golf Resort, Anguilla
Due to the relatively mild winter in the northeast, we are offering discounts for
bookings through April 8. This is the first winter we have offered these kinds of incentives but we feel it necessary in order to ensure high occupancies through the
high season.—Paul Robinson, director sales, The Reef, Grand Cayman
We are re-launching our vacation website, www.Caribbeantravel.com with a significant financial commitment to redesign the site which debuts in August.
—Josef Forstmayr, president, CHTA
MARCH 2012
”
substantial volume of transactions generated by the 15,000 appointments will bolster the Caribbean nations’ economies directly,
resulting in a better standard of living for our citizens.“ Adding that
2010 was a banner year for tourism with 23.1 million visitors to the
region, Forstmayr said 2011 numbers are also looking good. “The
forecast is for a four-percent growth, for a record of 24 million arrivals.” Referring to the new “Tourism is Key” advocacy campaign,
Forstmayr added, “There has to be a strong consensus of our leaders and the public so that tourism will receive the full support it
needs as the Caribbean’s most vital export industry.“
Bahamas Buzz
Visitor numbers for 2011 show an impressive spike of 6.3%
or 5.6 million visitors. “Most of these were cruise arrivals,”
noted Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace, minister of tourism. “Air
arrivals were down due to bad weather last January in the US
and a hurricane that impacted the island in August.” A surge
in November and December boosted year-end numbers with
Nassau showing a 7.1% hike and Grand Bahama Island recording a notable spike of 15.9% over last year.
Set to debut in March, a new marketing initiative by the Ministry of Tourism will focus on the sixteen island groups in order
to draw visitors beyond Nassau and Paradise Island.
“We have divided the islands into separate groups, all represented by their own logos,” said Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace.
“We want the islands to become a multiple-destination experience within one destination.”
Following fires that destroyed the building, a brand new $12
million Straw Market is open on Bay Street in Nassau. An
iconic symbol of Nassau, the new venue has extensive fire
safety measures including a sprinkler system with on-site
water storage and fire hoses.
New airlift from Nassau, Delta will fly nonstop service from
LaGuardia in March while JetBlue announced direct flights
from White Plains, a suburb of New York City. Additional flights
via Delta from New York (JFK) include service to San Juan,
Puerto Rico, and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic and
from New York (LGA) to Nassau.
One-Stop-Shop
MLT Vacations grew their sales to the Caribbean by over 46
percent in 2011. To highlight this growth, the one-stopshopping package provider has launched a Caribbean sale offering up to 10,000 bonus miles per person and reduced rates
at select resorts through their Delta Vacations and United Vacations brands.
Mark Your Calendar
April 24–26: CHTA Investment Conference, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
May 16-18: St. Maarten Annual Regional Trade Show
(SMART) Radisson Blu resort. www.shta.com
June 16: CHTA celebrates its 50th Anniversary with a Golden
Jubilee Gala, Montego Bay
June 20–25: CHTA’s Taste of the Caribbean, Miami
October: CHTA Small Hotels Conference, Venue TBA
Visit www.caribbeanhotelandtourism.com
WWW.JAXFAX.COM
CARIBBEAN & BERMUDA
58
CARIBBEAN & BERMUDA
TURKS AND CAICOS
Seven Stars Resort, named for the seven stars
of the storied Pleiades constellation, is an all-suite resort that
sits on 22 acres of manicured grounds at the center of Grace
Bay Beach. The resort’s suites are among the Island’s most
spacious with private balconies and dramatic views. Located
on the island of Providenciales, Turks and Caicos, the resort
sits on one of the best beaches in the world. Vacationers can
get more than 25% savings with the resort’s Winter Special
Offer - every fourth night is free when booking four or more
nights and a $100 resort credit, which can be used at the spa,
restaurants and bars. Visit www.sevenstarsgracebay.com
537
$
ST. LUCIA
One of the top resorts in the world, Saint Lucia’s
multiple award-winning Jade Mountain, is offering cruise ship
couples arriving on the island a daytime excursion like no other.
The resort’s “Whisk Her Away to Jade Mountain” promotion entices shipboard couples to grab an opportunity to escape the
hordes of fellow passengers to an exquisite luxury daytime encounter. The cruise couple will be taken to the enchanting former
French colonial capital of Soufrière to experience the unique Jade
Mountain resort hideaway with its world class cuisine and breathtaking views of the iconic twin peak Pitons mountains, a UNESCO
World Heritage Site. Often listed among the top three resorts in the
Caribbean, Jade Mountain is an architectural marvel created to celebrate Saint Lucia’s magnificent scenic beauty. Visit www.jademountainstlucia.com or www.stluciaviptours.com
2799
$
BERMUDA
Whether it’s a honeymoon or an anniversary,
guests are sure to enjoy The Reefs Hotel in Bermuda with a
very special romance package. If truth be known, many a
guest needs no occasion, the only thing that matters is the romance. The Reefs takes care of the details so that the couples can take care of each other. Offer price includes
6-days/5-nights in an ocean view room, champagne and chocolate covered strawberries upon arrival, two 60-minute massages, daily breakfast, afternoon tea and gourmet dinner,
round-trip airport transfer for two guests and all taxes and service charges. Visit www.thereefs.com
2490
$
Rosalie Bay Resort Offers Agent FAM Rates
Rosalie Bay Resort, an eco-luxury and wellness retreat on Dominica, invites travel agents with current credentials to experience
the resort’s unparalleled setting, spacious accommodations and
organic cuisine at special rates. Agents who visit the resort in 2012
will receive a FAM rate of $75 per night (non-commissionable) in
run-of-house accommodations for the first three nights of a stay.
Rosalie Bay’s 28 rooms and suites feature local hand-crafted hardwood furniture, luxurious bathrooms with rain showers, and patio
with views of the garden, ocean or river. Rate includes welcome
fruit basket from Rosalie Bay’s garden, Continental breakfast, yoga
and Pilates class, guided nature trail, onyx-lined natural saltwater
pool, secluded black sand beach, kayaks for use in the Rosalie
River and expansive fitness center. Rosalie Bay Resort also features an oceanfront spa. Visit between March and October to see
three species of endangered sea turtles. Call 877-397-0257 email
at info@rosaliebay.com
MARCH 2012
NEWS & BEST BUYS
Eastern Caribbean Cruise
Guests on Celebrity Cruises can gaze out over
crystal-clear waters as they relax on the Caribbean’s iconic
sandy beaches, explore the ocean’s hidden treasures while
snorkeling, feel rush of the wind on a catamaran or be immersed in the native cultures. A Celebrity Cruises Caribbean
vacation takes travelers far away from the ordinary. Onboard,
guests stay in airy spaces with all the right tasteful details, dine
in restaurants where the ambience is just as important as the
cuisine, experience intuitive service with a keen eye for detail
and do as much or as little as they choose. On this 7-night
Eastern Caribbean cruise with ports of call including Puerto
Rico, St. Thomas and St. Maarten, everyone can experience
the Caribbean in luxury. Visit www.celebritycruises.com
649
$
Teachers Stay for Free for Spring Break
Bolongo Bay Beach Resort in the US Virgin Islands is recognizing the hard work of teachers nationwide with a special Spring
Break offer of a free all-inclusive vacation. From March 1 through
April 30, teachers can stay, eat and drink for free on a five-night
Spring Break getaway when traveling with another adult on the AllInclusive plan. All-Inclusive plan features premium cocktails and all
dining a la carte at two popular beachfront restaurants with menu
items including filet mignon and lobster. The two adults just pay the
single rate for a savings of $525. The Teacher Spring Break package also includes: two complimentary catamaran sails, the half-day
Swim with Turtles snorkel trip and the Sunset Cocktail Harbor
Cruise, on board Bolongo’s 53’ catamaran Heavenly Days (a $240
value); and a $50 gift certificate to the Bolongo Bay boutique to
stock up on supplies or souvenirs. Package rate is $2,775 for two
people for a five-night all-inclusive stay in Oceanview room. To receive the discount, teachers have to show valid ID upon check in.
The offer is subject to availability and available on new bookings
only. No passports are needed for US citizens to travel to the US
Virgin Islands. Call 800-524-4746 or visit www.BolongoBay.com
25 Percent Off at Choice Hotels
In an unusual Caribbean promotion, guests staying at the majority of Choice Hotels Caribbean resorts receive 25 percent off their
stay of at least four nights. “It’s like getting four nights for the price
of three,” said Bill Clegg, Regional Vice President, Brand Performance and Programs of Choice Hotels International. Underscoring
Choice’s unwavering commitment to the Caribbean region, Clegg
declared, “We’re excited about these promotions. This is the first
time we’ve rolled out region-wide promotions like these, and we’re
sure that guests will appreciate the extra savings on top of the
value our popular brands offer already.” Call 800-4CHOICE or visit
www.ChoiceHotels.com
Aruba Convention Bureau’s New Manager
The Aruba Convention Bureau (ACB) is pleased to announce that Hal Davis has recently joined the ACB team as
sales manager for North America and Canada. Davis brings to
the ACB team over 20 years of professional sales, marketing
and operational experience. He first joined the Aruba Convention Bureau in 2008 as regional director of group sales. During
his two years in this position, Davis worked closely with meeting planners to promote Aruba as a premier destination for
groups. Visit www.ARUBA.com or call 800-TO-ARUBA
WWW.JAXFAX.COM
CARIBBEAN & BERMUDA
59
U.S.A.
Andros
771 miles S.E. from New York
Great Exuma
St. George
Clarence Town
Havana
Long Island
BERMUDA
Crooked
Hamilton
Mayaguana
Acklins
Gulf of Batabanó
TURKS & CAICOS
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Little Inagua
Grand Turks
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Atlantic Ocean
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71
PAGE
Eleuthera
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Mexico
Tobago
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO
Tortuga
Is de Margarita
Port of Spain
www.skylinkus.com
DEPARTING
TRIP
TYPE
#
DAYS
ROUND TRIP PRICE
MIN
MAXSUPPLIER
DETROIT
DAILY
SKED AIR
$
LOS ANGELES
DAILY
SKED AIR
$
MIAMI
DAILY
SKED AIR
$
NEW YORK
DAILY
SKED AIR
$
WASHINGTON DC
DAILY
SKED AIR
$
878
Net
517
Net
432
Net
499
Net
320
Net
To:ARUBA
SKYBIRD TRAVEL & TOURS
To:ARUBA
To:ARUBA
To:ARUBA
To:ARUBA
$ 706
Net
To:NASSAU
$ 796
Net
$ 367
Net
$ 271
Net
$ 263
Net
To:PORT AU PRINCE
TO 3/31/12
To:PORT AU PRINCE
TO 3/31/12
To:PORT AU PRINCE
TO 3/31/12
To:PORT AU PRINCE
TO 3/31/12
Net
To:SAN JUAN
ARUBA
BOSTON
DAILY
SKED AIR
BAHAMAS
ATLANTA
DAILY
SKED AIR
LOS ANGELES
DAILY
SKED AIR
MIAMI
DAILY
SKED AIR
NEW YORK
DAILY
SKED AIR
HAITI
NEW YORK
DAILY
SKED AIR
PUERTO RICO
60
CARIBBEAN & BERMUDA
VALIDITY
PERIOD
$ 883
TO 3/31/12
WWW.SKYBIRDTRAVEL.COM;888-SKY-BIRD
TO 3/31/12
TO 3/31/12
TO 3/31/12
TO 3/31/12
TO 3/31/12
TO 3/31/12
WWW.JAXFAX.COM
MARCH 2012
FamiliarizationTrips
CHINA
8-day Eastern China Deluxe FAM Tour
Priced at $349 ppdo for agents; ($399 for companions). Departing on April 12, May
19, June 1. Highlights include visiting 5 cities, Shanghai, Wuzhen, Hangzhou, Wuxi,
and Suzhou. Price includes accommodations at 5* luxury hotels, meals, sightseeing spot admissions, activities per itinerary, professional English-speaking tour
guide, deluxe air condition motor coach and Government taxes & fees, and more.
13-Day Classic China (Beijing, Xian, Shanghai, Wuzhen, Hangzhou, Suzhou, Wuxi)
Deluxe Tour at $ 1199. Limited seats available.
HEE Travel info@heetravel.com 1-732-662-2998 www.heetravel.com
taxes and service charges. The 4 day / 3 nights Galapagos Cruise aboard the M/V
Explorer. Meals as noted.. Airfare from Miami, Quito, Guayaquil and San Cristobal
Island, Galapagos. Tips to tour guides, bus drivers and transfer persons. Also included are the tips to the naturalist guide & crew in Galapagos.
Tara Tours Inc., 305-278-4464; FamTrips@TaraTours.com
GREECE & TURKEY
7-nights Istanbul, Olympia, Delphi, Kalambaka, and Athens.
March 19, 2012. Includes all airport transfers, 4 star hotel accommodations,
daily breakfasts, guided tours, all entrance fees, all local taxes and service
charges. Land only agent rate $1,599 pp in dbl. Single sup. $480 and companion sup: $199. Airfare from NYC from $460. Airfare from other cities as
well as day trips to Ephesus and Cappadocia are available upon request.
FLO USA: 888-435-6872 ext.709; shebby@flo-usa.com; www.flo-usa.com
COLORADO, UNITED STATES
GALAPAGOS ISLANDS
4 Days Wilderness Trails Ranch and South West Colorado
May 19th through May 22nd, 2012. One night at the historic Strater hotel
in downtown Durango CO. Historical tour and dinner upon arrival. The next
morning take the Durango Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad to Silverton Colorado and return to Durango. Transfer to the ranch for 2 nights, all meals,
horseback riding, Middle Mountain tour, evening entertainment and transportation provided. Explore the western way of life in Southwest Colorado.
Depart May 22nd - transfer back to the Durango (DRO) airport for flight home.
$500 per person. Fam trip is limited to 10 participants.
Wilderness Trails Ranch; www.wildernesstrails.com; 970-247-0722;
Sandy@wildernesstrails.com
COSTA RICA
Departure date May 5th 2012 for this 8-day trip
Price is $499 per agent; spouse or companion supplement $300. Visit 4 of
Costa Rica's most popular vacation spots. Includes arrival transfer from SJO
airport, accommodations, 18 Meals, SLT workshop, Chachagua Rainforest
Hike/Sustainability Tour, tour of Arenal Volcano, sightseeing tour of San
Jose, all transportation within Costa Rica.
Sunnyland Tours, visit www.hotfamtrips.com
Boost your sales with a 4 and 5 day FAM Trips.
Various dates are available throughout the year, and prices start at $800.
Space is limited and companions are welcome.
Latin Trails: 800-747-0567, marketing@latintrails.com, www.latintrails.com
HUNGARY, BUDAPEST
8 Days/7 Nights Spa FAM through March 31, 2012
Stay at Danubius Health Spa Resort Helia in Budapest. Price is $ 455 per Person
based on double occupancy. Spouse or a companion is eligible for the same rate.
This 1 week basic balneotherapy package includes 7 nights accomoation, welcome drink, buffet breakfast daily, dinner or lunch daily, 6 treatments advised by
the spa physician, (mud packing, electrotherapy, hydrotherapy and max. 3 x 20
minutes massages) unlimited use of swimming pool, thermal baths, whirlpool,
sauna, aroma & steam room and the Fitness Center. Bathrobes are available.
Complimentary dental examination on request.
Tradesco Tours: 800-448-4321, www.tradescotours.com, infor@tradescotours.com
KENYA
7-Day Luxury Safari departing April 19th, 2012
EGYPT
Discovery Tour of Egypt 8-Days $399
Includes 4 Nights Cruise with all meals; 3 nights FC; Oasis hotel with breakfast; All Transfers & Tours, Select Departure dates in 2012
Sunnyland Tours, visit www.hotfamtrips.com
OSSN Member rate: $1595; non-member add $100. 7-day Luxury Safari features both traditional safari lodges and a luxury tented camp experience,
showcasing Mount Kenya, the northern Samburu district, the Masai Mara
National Reserve, Lake Nakuru, and the lakes and volcanoes of the Great
Rift Valley. Includes accommodations, transportation some meals.
OSSN: www.ossn.com/fams.asp
FIJI
PANAMA
10 Days/8 Nights • March 15-25, 2012
10-day FAM trip co-sponsored by Air Pacific and Captain Cruises. Includes
cruise of the most authentic parts of Fiji, a sevusevu ceremony. Stay at the
Plantation Resort and the Sonaisali Island Resort and the First Landing Resort for an aromatherapy massage.
Pacific Holidays: 800-355-8025, www.pacificholidaysinc.com
FRANCE
One week guided or self-guided walks along the Rivera
Apr, May & Sept, Guided or Self-Guided: $925-$995. Rates pp d/o, land only
for agents. Up to 3 guests +$100 pp. Agent page: cruisetourtravel.com/travelagent Nice, Cannes, Antibes, and Monte Carlo. Includes 7 nights hotel,
daily breakfast, welcome/farewell dinner, unlimited local train pass, guide,
customized itineraries,maps, taxes and service fees.
The Blue Walk: 619.584.4213, carloinfrance@yahoo.com, www.thebluewalk.com
GALAPAGOS
Quito and 3 nights aboard the Deluxe Galapagos Explorer II
1st Agent $3,030, 2nd Agent same Agency $3,130; Spouse or companion $3,430
Check with LAN Airlines Sales Office (866-435-9526) Depart Miami for Quito. Includes: Meeting and transfer service. Tours as noted in itinerary, English-speaking
guides. The Deluxe Hotel Colon Hilton 2 nights and Hampton Inn for 1 night, room
MARCH 2012
5 Star All Inclusive Fam for IATA/CLIA Agents
8 Day/7 Night priced at $1,999 dbl/occ; Spouse/Companion welcome at additional cost. Includes: Escort; meals; tips, guides and drivers; RT air from
Miami on AA; 2 N at the 5 star Crowne Plaza Hotel; Partial Panama Canal
Transit; 2 N at the 5 star Gamboa Rainforest Resort; Tour to Monkey Island;
Aerial Tram Tour at Gamboa Rainforest; Tour to the indigeneous Embera Tribe
with lunch; 2 N at 5 star Playa Bonita Resort; Full day tour of Panama City;
Tour to the Miraflores locks; 1 N at the 5 star Intercontinental Miramar Hotel;
Farewell dinner at a local restaurant; All transfers, entrances and
land/sea/air transportation with private English speaking guides.
Tara Tours Inc., 305-278-4464 ; FamTrips@TaraTours.com
PERU
Lima & Machu Picchu Departure: March 26-April 1, 2012
This 7 night/6 days Fam is priced at $1115 per person, double. Includes:
In/out transfers, hotel accommodations (hotel 4*), daily breakfasts, most of
lunch. (Machu Picchu, Sacred Valley, private city tour in Lima and Cusco),
vistadome train tickets. No dinner included. Companions are eligible for the
same price. Single supplements are available upon request and has additional charge. International or local air tickets not included. Flights available
at discount price upon request
Jaf Travel & Tours: 786-242-7222; Fax 786-242-7225; info@jaftravel.com
WWW.JAXFAX.COM
FAMILIARIZATION TRIPS 61
Tourism Heats up in the Sunshine State
hen winter settles into the colder states, tourism heats up in
sunny Florida. And with tourism being the state’s biggest business, employing over 1 million people, the local travel industry is
on the top of their game in bringing visitors new attractions,
resorts and events to make for a memorable vacation.
JAX FAX recently attended Florida Huddle, the state’s annual
tourism show bringing together over 300 Florida suppliers with 192
buyers from around the globe for 3 days of meetings and networking
events. Directors of regional CVBs were on hand to let the buyers
and media know about the many new developments and events taking place this year.
W
Central Florida Visitors & Convention Bureau
Visitors to Central Florida’s Polk County can save big on area attractions
and activities, restaurants, shops, accommodations, golf courses and more
with the new 2012 Passport to Adventure and Savings discount card. The
free card is part of a brochure including more than 140 special offers from
Polk County merchants. Most offers are valid through December 31, 2012.
Baseball’s spring training will start in March and with it the Tigers’ 76th
season at TigerTown in Lakeland. The club opens the home portion of the
Grapefruit League schedule against the Atlanta Braves at Joker Marchant
Stadium on Sunday, March 4. Other games include the World Champion
St. Louis Cardinals on March 17, NY Yankees on March 24, Philadelphia
Phillies on March 9. Visit www.VisitCentralFlorida.org
Sixt Rent a Car Launches New Operations
Continuing its ambitious and successful worldwide expansion,
Sixt rent a car, Germany’s number one car rental company, has
started fully-owned operations in several cities in the state of
Florida. In January, MCO joined the Sixt US network followed by
PBI on January 20th. Sixt customers can now rent cars at these
airports as well as MIA, FLL and Port Everglades with the opportunity for one-way rentals between these locations. All airport
branches are open 24 hours per day, 7 days a week and offer the
same premium features and services that Sixt customers enjoy
worldwide.
The Sixt fleet in Florida includes latest model vehicles from
Chevrolet, Ford, Chrysler, Infinity, Mustang, Jaguar, Nissan, Toyota, Volkswagen, Mini Cooper, Mercedes-Benz and BMW.
As a partner of all major international airline frequent flyer, hotel
loyalty and rewards programs, Sixt credits miles/points for car
rentals and its chauffeur services. Participating programs include
United Mileage Plus, US Airways Dividend Miles, Delta
SkyMiles, Lufthansa/Swiss/Austrian Miles & More, Air
France/KLM/Air Europe Flying Blue, SMILES, Multiplus, Hilton
HHonors, Starwood Starpoints and many more.
Sixt was founded in 1912 in Munich, Germany, becoming one
of the first car rental and mobility service providers in the world.
Today Sixt is present in over 100 countries on all continents, offering the finest vehicle selection in the market. Clients can
choose from small compact cars, convertibles, SUV’s, vans and
trucks to the largest Mercedes-Benz and BMW fleet in the
world; always at affordable prices.
In the United States, Sixt operates out of its Fort Lauderdale
headquarters. For reservations call (888) SIXT CAR (749-8227)
or visit www.sixt.com SIXT GDS code: SX
62 NORTH AMERICA & HAWAII
Florida Keys and Key West
What started as a community event to bolster tourism business
has, more than 30 years later, become one of the Middle Keys’ most
anticipated and sumptuous weekends. The Original Marathon
Seafood Festival, set for Saturday and Sunday, March 10-11, features
a feast of fish, shrimp, lobster and conch for tens of thousands of
seafood lovers. These local delicacies and more are to be available at
Marathon Community Park, mile marker 49 on the Florida Keys Overseas Highway. Festival attractions include children’s games, more
than 200 vendor booths and entertainers including country music favorite Amber Leigh. Festival hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and
11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Visit www.fla-keys.com
Fort Lauderdale CVB
Your clients can get, feel and stay fit on their next Fort Lauderdale getaway. With Blue Wave beaches as their outdoor fitness center, it is easy
to keep that New Year’s resolution. Broward’s new B Cycle bike sharing
program, lets riders from Hallandale Beach to Pompano Beach access
public bicycles for short trips around town.
On the arts scene, “Offering of the Angels: Old Master Paintings and
Tapestries from the Uffizi Gallery” from Florence, Italy, is on display at The
Museum of Art Fort Lauderdale, until April 8, 2012. Broadway Across America returns to the Broward Center for the Performing Arts with Billy Elliot
The Musical (Feb./Mar.), South Pacific (Apr.), and La Cage Aux Folles (June).
From luxury beach resorts to superior small lodgings, Greater Fort
Lauderdale boasts 34,000 hotel rooms. New hotels and recent renovations include: a new $130 million, 349-room, Margaritaville Resort along the Boardwalk at Johnson Street on Hollywood Beach.
Opening in 2014, it will include a 15,000 sq. ft. Margaritaville Café,
rooftop pool as well as pools at beach level and meeting space of
35,000 sq. ft. that can accommodate 800 people.The newly renamed
Bahia Mar Fort Lauderdale Beach - a DoubleTree by Hilton hotel is
an iconic, oceanside retreat undergoing an enhancement program of
its 296 guest rooms and suites. Visit www.sunny.org
Greater Miami CVB
As hot a destination as ever, Miami continues to invest millions in
hotels, restaurants, clubs and tourism attractions. Here is an update
on the hotel and resort news in Greater Miami and the Beaches:
Hotel Breakwater, the upscale oceanfront boutique resort on Miami
Beach’s Ocean Drive, has just completed a multi-million-dollar renovation of its 100 sleek rooms and suites, chic lounges and “unfiltered” concierge services. Four Seasons Hotel Miami is currently
undergoing a $8 million dollar renovation which includes a redesign to
all its 221 rooms and a new restaurant. The Doral Golf Resort & Spa,
recently completed a $16 million resort-wide renewal in preparation
for the resort’s 50th anniversary in 2012. This latest installment of upgrades, in addition to a grand total of $100 million invested over the
past five years, provides a high-quality resort experience for all
guests. The Eden Roc Renaissance Miami Beach recently completed a 220 million dollar renovation. With the addition of the sleek
new 21-story Ocean Tower, farm-to-table steakhouse 1500º, pool-side
bar Aquatica, and ELLE Spa, the resort has almost doubled in size
from 349 guest rooms to 63. Visit www.miamiandbeaches.com
Orlando
Orlando is an exciting vacation destination that is ever changing and
growing. From exhilarating attractions and gourmet restaurants to fashion-savvy boutiques and unexpected cultural venues, Central Florida is always introducing something new to entertain and amaze visitors.
Universal Orlando Resort announced details for their 2012 developments,
WWW.JAXFAX.COM
MARCH 2012
which will include a new lagoon show, daytime parade, Despicable Me ride,
miniature golf course, retooled Blue Man Group Show and upgrades to The
Amazing Adventures of Spiderman ride. Meanwhile, Busch Gardens Tampa
Bay welcomes guests to closely observe and experience their new Animal
Care Center. From nutrition to treatments, X-rays to surgeries, much of
Busch Gardens’ animal care will be conducted in guest view in this new
state-of-the-art facility. Visit www.visitorlando.com
St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches VCB
Florida’s Historic Coast has been welcoming vacationers for more than
125 years. Located midway between Daytona Beach and Jacksonville,
spring and summer visitors to these special 42 miles of northeast Florida
coastline will quickly find there is much that is new and exciting. Whether
visiting the nation’s oldest city of St. Augustine, playing the golf courses of
Ponte Vedra or soaking up the sun at one of the beach communities, new
CALIFORNIA
With Caravan Tours, anyone can see the very
best of the Golden State on a fun-filled one-week vacation. Beginning in San Francisco, the romantic city by the bay, highlights include Union Square, Chinatown and Nob Hill, the Golden Gate
Bridge and a cruise on San Francisco Bay. The tour then moves on
to the wonders of Yosemite Park. On a sightseeing drive, visitors
look for waterfalls, including Yosemite Falls and Bridalveil Falls, and
marvel at the two towering granite monoliths known as Half Dome
and El Capitan. In Santa Barbara, home to many stars and celebrities, there will be free time for shopping and exploring. Finally, the
tour ends in Hollywood and Beverly Hills, with highlights such as
Sony Studios, Grauman’s Chinese Theater, the Walk of Fame,
Kodak Theatre, Sunset Strip, Rodeo Drive, and the Santa Monica
Pier. Price includes accommodations, most meals, domestic travel
and sightseeing as per itinerary. Visit www.caravan.com
1095
$
attractions and amenities await. Including: Crocodile Crossing where visitors traverse a challenging zip line above the canopy of trees and swamps
that are home to hundreds of alligators and crocodiles at the St. Augustine
Alligator Farm Zoological Park. This adventure includes more than 50 platforms scattered throughout the seven-acre course and is the world’s first
zip line located above a zoo.
The St. Augustine Pirate and Treasure Museum not only houses the
world’s finest private collection of pirate artifacts, it features a Disney-like approach to history that is both educational and entertaining.
Interactive exhibits bring the Golden Age of Piracy to life while clearly
separating the reality of pirate life from the Hollywood version of the
Rogues of the Sea. Visit www.floridashistoriccoast.com
St. Augustine will also be the host of the 2013 Florida Huddle. Visit
www.floridahuddle.com
NEWS & BEST BUYS
largest expanse of ice in the Canadian Rockies and the Pacific
Coast, sailing across the Strait of Georgia to Victoria. Price includes
accommodations and domestic travel. Visit www.cosmos.com
Save in Florida
With Delta Vacations, travelers will enjoy money-saving hotel
offers and free rental car upgrades when they purchase a flight and
hotel vacation to sunny Ft. Myers, Naples, Clearwater, Marco Island, St. Petersburg, or Sarasota, Florida. Anyone can stretch that
vacation dollar with free nights, resort credits, and more. Plus, kids
eat free at many hotels. There is also a chance to earn up to 1,000
bonus miles, in addition to credited flight miles, through the
SkyMiles program. Visit www.deltavacations.com
USA
EagleRider’s World famous Route 66 motorcycle tour travels the original Route 66, known as the “Mainstreet of America” or “Mother Road.” It is 2,400 miles long
from Chicago to Los Angeles, crosses three time zones and 8
States: Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California. Route 66 has been the path of migrants, dreamers, desperadoes and an entire generation of
vacationers discovering the way west. The 1950’s were the
Route 66 glory days, when thousands of cars rode bumper to
bumper behind each other to experience the Western frontier.
Hotels, motels, gas stations, classic restaurants, and the
“new” America sprang up everywhere. Much of Route 66’s
classic roads, restaurants, gas stations, and nostalgic landmarks are preserved just as they were in the 1950’s, perfect
for motorcycle touring. Price includes all accommodations,
daily breakfast and some other meals, all fuel and oil, equipment, and all taxes and fees. Visit www.eaglerider.com
7365
$
CANADA
Cosmos invites guests to explore Canada’s national parks on their wonderful Canadian Rockies vacation. The trip
begins in Vancouver with a sightseeing tour of Vancouver’s major
sites. Then, guests journey through the Okanagan Valley to
Canada’s Glacier National Park for panoramic vistas and to Yoho National Park with its Natural Bridge. Enter Alberta and Banff National
Park, the scenic heart of the Canadian Rockies. There will be visits
to Jasper National Park, Lake Louise and a ride aboard an Ice Explorer, an all-terrain vehicle that travels on the Columbia Icefield, the
1799
$
MARCH 2012
WWW.JAXFAX.COM
63
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Regina
MONTANA
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Brandon
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Charlottetown
Moncton
Fredericton
Amos
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Omaha
Cleveland
Trenton
Fort
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Boulder
ILLINOIS Wabash
Des Moines
Fresno
NEW JERSEY
Lincoln
Grand Junction lorado R.
Harrisburg Philadelphia
Lafayette
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Denver
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Cedar City
Baltimore
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St. Joseph Springfield INDIANA Columbus
DELAWARE
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Santa Maria
Marble Canyon
Kansas City
Indianapolis Ohi
MARYLAND
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Bakersfield
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St. Louis
Washington D. C.
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ARIZONA
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Los Angeles San Bernardino
Wichita
Dodge City
Norfolk
MISSOURI
Needles
Gallup
Owensboro KENTUCKY
Roanoke VIRGINIA
Winfield Parsons
Palm Springs
Santa Fe
Flagstaf f
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Raleigh
San Diego
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TENNESSEE
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Phoenix
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NORTH CAROLINA
Oklahoma City
Nashville
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Scottsdale
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Charlotte
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Chattanooga
Memphis
OKLAHOMA
Greenville
Tucson
Huntsville
Roswel l
Little Rock
Columbia
Birmingham
Wichita Fall s
Bisbee
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Carlsbad
Atlanta
MISSISSIPPI
Kauai
Greenville
Macon
Charleston
Dallas
El Paso
Big Spring
Oahu
Montgomery
Shreveport
Jackson
Savannah
LOUISIANA
Waco
Albany
TEXAS
Molokai
ALABAMA
Honolulu
Brunswick
Temple
Natchez
GEORGIA Jacksonville
Maui
Pensacol a
Baton Rouge
Austin
Tallahassee
San Antonio
Medford
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Anchorage
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Tuktoyaktuk
Fairbanks
Trail
WEBSITE
Banks
Island
Shetla
Faroe Island
Melville Island
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Ellesmere
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Queen Elizabeth
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Axel Heiberg
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Patrick Island
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FLORIDA
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195
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348
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195
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176
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212
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278
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320
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212
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AIRLINE INTELLIGENCE
—
Air Mauritius Adds Capacity to Shanghai
Profile: VP of EL AL Israel Airlines
Air Mauritius is increasing its capacity to Shanghai by over
100% (from 14,300 seats to 31,200 seats annually) from
March 26th 2012. The current weekly Airbus A330 flight to
Shanghai will no longer stop over in Kuala Lumpur and will be
operated by the larger Airbus A340 aircraft. The airline will
maintain its three weekly operations to Hong Kong and two
weekly operations to Kuala Lumpur / Singapore, offering the
Chinese market 6 weekly options to Mauritius. Air Mauritius is
the national carrier of the Republic of Mauritius. Founded in
1967, it operates a fleet of four A340-300, two A340-300E,
two A330-200, two A319-100 and two ATR72-500. Air Mauritius serves twenty-six destinations in Europe, Asia, Australia,
Africa and the Indian Ocean. Visit www.airmauritius.com
Danny Saadon (right) is Vice President/General Manager of EL AL Israel Airlines for North and Central
America, the largest and most important operation for the airline (outside
of Israel) that generates the most
tourism to the country. In this position, Saadon oversees all operations
for EL AL throughout the region and
is based at EL AL's North American
Headquarters in New York City. Saadon has been with EL AL
for more than four decades in several managerial positions,
including Airport Operations Manager in a variety of countries. Most recently, from 2006 through 2011, Saadon was
Vice President and General Manager of the EL AL branch in
Tel Aviv. This office brings in the largest volume of business
for the airline with sales of $1 billion annually. Saadon has
held upper management positions with EL AL including General Manager in the United Kingdom and Ireland, as well as
Ground Operations Manager in the United States. EL AL, Israel's national airline, offers the most nonstop flights between New York (JFK/Newark) and Israel as well as the only
nonstop service from Los Angeles. Worldwide, EL AL flies
to more than 40 destinations from Israel and serves dozens
of other destinations throughout the world (including the
USA) via partnerships with many other leading carriers. Only
EL AL has first class service on nonstop flights between the
U.S.A. and Israel. Visit www.ELAL.com
Etihad Airways Wins Top WTA Honors
For the third year in a row, Etihad Airways, the United Arab
Republic’s national carrier, has won “World’s Leading Airline”
at the World Travel Awards. The airline also reaped WTA honors as “World’s Leading First Class” and as “World’s Leading Airline to the Middle East.” In other news, Etihad ramped
up its European presence with the recent purchase of a 29.2
percent stake in Air Berlin. With more than 30 code-share
partners, Etihad Airways flies to over 80 destinations in 52
countries from its Abu Dhabi hub. From the U.S., there are
daily flights to Abu Dhabi from Chicago and New York’s JFK
Airport, and three times weekly from Toronto. In Europe,
gateways include Berlin, Brussels, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt,
Geneva, London, Munich and Paris. Middle East gateways
include Cairo and Dubai. Among India gateways are Bengaluru (Bangalore), Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai and Hyderabad.
In Africa, Etihad flies to Casablanca, Cape Town, Johannesburg, Nairobi and the Seychelles. Asian gateways include
Bangkok, Beijing, Jakarta, Seoul and Tokyo. There also are
flights to Minsk and Moscow in Russia, and to Australia’s
Melbourne and Sydney.
Visit www.etihad.com or call 866-6-ETIHAD
Air Astana Orders New Planes
Air Astana, the national flag carrier of Kazakhstan, has
agreed to order four new Boeing 767-300ERs and three Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners. The Boeing 767-300ERs will be delivered in 2013 and 2014 and the Boeing 787s in 2017 and 2019.
Peter Foster, Air Astana’s president, said the new Boeing 767s
will be equipped with blended winglets and will replace the
two 767-300ERs the carrier is currently leasing, as well as progressively replacing its leased Boeing 757s.
Foster said the Boeing 767-300ER has proved capable of operating efficiently on all of Air Astana’s present routes without
restrictions. He also said the Boeing 787-8, with its superior
range, will enable the airline to launch non-stop routes to the
United States, Australasia and Africa as its business plans develops. During 2011 Air Astana introduced its first three Embraer 190 regional jets and one additional Boeing 757. It
launched new services to Samara in Russia and Tbilisi in Georgia and increased frequencies on most of its other routes.
Air Astana’s USA offices can be reached by calling 888-8551557 or email: usa.sales@airastana.com
68 INDUSTRY NEWS
New Service From Thailand to Malaysia
Thailand’s regional carrier, Bangkok Airways, has announced a new flight service from Koh Samui, Thailand to
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia effective March 31, 2012. Bangkok
Airways became Thailand’s first privately owned airline in
1986 when they began regularly scheduled flights from
Bangkok to Krabi, Korat and Surin. Presently, the airline has
obtained permits to operate flights over 20 different major
routes covering nearly all major resort destinations in Thailand. The Bangkok Airways fleet is composed of five Airbus
A320s, four Boeing 717-200s and eight ATR72-500s, 17 aircraft in total.
For conditions and special fares, please check your GDS,
call 866-226-4565 or visit www.bangkokair.com
New Service From Tokyo to Bali
Garuda Indonesia, has announced a new flight service
from Tokyo Haneda Airport to Bali Denpasar Airport effective April 28, 2012. Garuda Indonesia, Indonesia’s largest
carrier, is based in Jakarta Indonesia, at the Soekarno-Hatta
International Airport. The airline currently serves 50 domestic and international destinations. The Garuda Indonesia fleet
is composed of three B-747-400s, six A-330-300s and 39 B737s (300, 400, 500 and 800 series). Garuda Indonesia flies
to19 international destinations in Asia, the South Pacific, the
Middle East and Europe.
For conditions and special fares, please check your GDS,
call 800-342-7832 or visit www.garuda-indonesia.com
WWW.JAXFAX.COM
MARCH 2012
Kenya Airways to fly a Boeing 737 in SkyTeam colors
In a move that
signifies
their
partnership with
an alliance that
flies to 926 destinations and 173
countries, Kenya
Airways has painted one of its Boeing 737-700 aircraft in
SkyTeam livery, announcing its position as Africa’s representative to the global airline alliance. The aircraft will have SkyTeam
branding on its tail and fuselage in addition to the Kenya Airways
logo thus symbolizing the mutual benefits of the partnership.
SkyTeam partner airline passengers can access the Kenya Airlines’ expansive destination network in Africa. Kenya Airways
Chief Executive, Dr Titus Naikuni, noted that “Our partnership with
SkyTeam will enable us to consolidate our presence in the African
and global markets in line with our 10-year Growth Plan.”
The SkyTeam livery on the Kenya Airways’ aircraft is also a
symbol of the airline’s commitment not only to the alliance but
also to delivering high quality service to its customers. The
design was inspired by the alliances logo and features a dark
blue SkyTeam logo on the tail fin, the blue SkyTeam ribbon
wrapped around the back portion of the white fuselage, the
SkyTeam name in large, dark blue letters along the front side
of the aircraft fuselage Kenya Airways placed below it.
Besides Kenya Airways, other SkyTeam partner airlines are
Air France, Aeroflot, Alitalia, Air Europa, Aeroméxico,
China Airlines, China Eastern, China Southern, Czech Airlines, Delta, KLM, Korean Air, TAROM and Vietnam Air-
lines. With approximately 14,500 daily flights, the SkyTeam
network offers more destinations and more connections from
the best hubs in the world. Sky Team member airlines offer
customers over 490 lounges worldwide.
Kenya Airways is the flag carrier of Kenya established in 1977
and headquartered at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. The airline operates to over 46 scheduled destinations throughout Africa,
Europe, Indian subcontinent and Asia. Visit www.kenyaair.net
Grand Circle Corporation Joins USTOA
The United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA)
kicks off 2012 with the addition of a new Active Member.
Grand Circle Corporation has joined the association, bringing
USTOA’s current total to 45 corporate members and more
than 150 brands. “Grand Circle’s commitment to providing
U.S. travelers with impactful and intercultural experiences is
highly aligned with our association values,” said Terry Dale,
president, USTOA. “They are a very welcome addition to our
membership.” Grand Circle Corporation is a leading international travel and adventure provider for Americans over 50.
Through its award winning sister brands, Grand Circle Travel,
Overseas Adventure Travel, and Grand Circle Cruise Line,
the organization offers more than 70 escorted tours, small
group adventures by land and sea, and river cruises to 85
countries. For more information on Grand Circle Travel and
Grand Circle Cruise Line, visit www.gct.com or call 800-2212610; for information on Overseas Adventure Travel, visit
www.oattravel.com or call 800-955-1925. For information on
USTOA, visit www.ustoa.com
TRAVEL TRADE SHOWS
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Evening Programs 5:30-7:30 pm (arrive anytime).
2012 SCHEDULE
MARCH
13: Memphis, TN
14: Birmingham, AL
15: Atlanta, GA
20: Charlotte, NC
21: Greensboro, NC
22: Raleigh/Durham, NC
APRIL
16: Albuquerque, NM
18: Colorado Springs, CO
19: Denver, CO
MAY
7: Indianapolis/Carmel, IN
9: Grand Rapids, MI
10: Detriot/Livonia. MI
15: Albany, NY
16: Rochester, NY
17: Buffalo, NY
21: Chicago/Orland Park, IL
22: Chicago/Oakbrook, IL
24: Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN
JUNE
25: Honolulu, HI
SEPTEMBER
11: San Diego, CA
12: San Clemente, CA
13: Huntington Beach, CA
17: Santa Monica, CA
18: Anaheim, CA
19: Riverside, CA
w w w. Tr a v e l - S h o w s . i n f o
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MARCH 2012
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INDUSTRY NEWS 69
BEEN THERE HAVEN’T DONE THAT
By Prof. Barry Goldsmith
t’s spring! My specialty is urban travel since cities are the
main depositories of culture. However, I also love the
country, especially when flora begin to bloom. I’m revived
when I’m surrounded by trees, flowers, lakes and the
fresh country air beneath an ever-changing sky. That’s
why I love a vacation in the country that’s in a city – Paris.
With every generation, Paris becomes greener in both the ecological sense and the botanical. In the mid-19th century, four major
parks were created from quarries and garbage dumps: Bois de
Boulogne, Bois de Vincennes, Parc les Buttes Chaumont, Parc
Montsouris. Parc Montsouris’ architect committed suicide when
the artificial lake dried up on opening day.
Paris is a gardener’s paradise with every style park imaginable.
Paris’ earliest existing garden is the Tuileries, the 17th-century formal garden with flowers and clipped-boxwood parterres symmetrically planted around fountains splashing into their basins. The
Tuileries was designed by the great LeNotre (of Versailles and Vaux
le Vicomte fame) — but it’s right in the center of Paris.
The Left Bank is not left behind. It has the charming formal gardens of the Luxembourg Palace, which are perfect for weekend
lolling. The Eiffel Tower towers above its own great expanse of formal-bordered garden, the Champs de Mars. There’s the Jardin des
Plantes with its newly restored greenhouses and botanical gardens. Delightful smaller formal gardens abound surrounding many
famous buildings such as the Invalides. The Invalides’ other facade
faces a long green esplanade in axis with the Pont Alexander III. A
surprise awaits in interior courtyards of many grand Parisian buildings: small formal garden, such as the gardens of the Palais Royal.
If you’re a fan of the late 18th-century English-style natural garden, you’ve got your share in Paris. Two of the earliest natural gardens are the 18th-century Park Monceau and the early
19th-century Champs Elysées Gardens (on the Champs
Elysées from the Place de la Concorde to the Rond-Point – the
intersection with 6 fountains).
The four new mid-19th-century parks were commissioned
by Napoleon III and designed by Baron Haussmann in this
“natural style,” which in many cases is more artificial than formal gardens, requiring the addition of gigantic boulders and
the creation of artificial lakes. A Floral Park was added to the
English style Bois de Vincennes in 1969.
Parks created in the late 20th century combine unorthodox gardens with whimsical fountains such as the Stravinsky fountain in
Les Halles Park. The use of fountains and water paths in the
new André Citroën Park are (to me) a modern interpretation of
the water paths in Islamic gardens of Granada’s Alhambra and
a Old Delhi’s Humayan’s Tomb. The new Park Bercy includes
a new sports stadium semi-hidden by sod walls. Park Bercy
keeps up the Parisian tradition of parks as centers of entertainment be it Longchamps race track in the Bois de Boulogne
or the Zoo in Bois de Vincennes. And when you want a little
culture, Park Bercy borders Frank Gehry’s Museum of French
Cinema – a great, rarely visited museum.
The Parc de La Villette, a former slaughterhouse, was transformed by Bernard Tschumi. La Villette is dotted with his whimsical pavilions, which are the modern interpretation of fake Roman
ruins/follies such as those found in Parc Monceau.
I
70 BEEN THERE HAVEN’T DONE THAT
BARRY GOLDSMITH
Park Yourself In Paris – Spring!
Paris Luxembourg Gardens
Let’s visit museums in or near parks, so you can experience
nature and culture in the same visit. Parc Villette is home to the
Museum of Science and Industry – a great literally hands-on museum for children. The Cité de la Musique (music museum) has
instruments used by great French composers.
Paris’ botany spills out from its parks onto its major boulevards.
The trees lining the Champs Elysées (accompanying its newly
widened, new-granite sidewalks) are a bucolic buffer from traffic.
New York has its Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center. London, its
Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square. Paris, the city of trees, tops
them all — hundreds of trees’ glittering white lights from the Place
de la Concorde all the way to the Arc de Triomphe.
New York now has the High Line – old train tracks converted
into an elevated park. Paris’ Promenade Plantee — a generation older and more than twice as long as New York’s — still is
the trendsetter.
In the Bois de Boulogne, in the middle of the fragrant Bagatelle
Rose Garden, stands the Bagatelle Pavilion. It was built on a bet by
Marie Antoinette with her brother-in-law (the future Charles X) that
it could be built in 100 days. (It took just 63.) Don’t miss the Bois
de Boulogne’s most famous water lillies — Monet’s — in the
nearby Musee Marmottan.
A sunny day in Paris (in any season) is, of course, the best time
to visit Paris’ parks. It’s also the best time to visit my favorite church
(now a museum) – Ste. Chappelle. Ste. Chappelle’s upper chapel
is like a jewel box. The stone piers between its stained-glass windows visually disappear, leaving the visitor surrounded by dazzling
colors – the sunnier the day, the more impressive.
The Rodin Museum is not part of a park; it’s in the 18th-century
Rococo Hotel Biron (“hotel” meaning “mansion”), which is surrounded by its own park. The hotel’s formal garden has reflecting
pools and fountains. Add Rodin sculpture and you have the world’s
most beautiful sculpture garden.
The Hotel de Soubise - another elegant Rococo mansion, is
France’s Museum of History, displaying the Edict of Nantes. It
also has what many consider the world’s most exquisite Rococo room. Plus, it has a long green esplanade — welcome in
the densely built Marais district.
Feel like escaping the city for gourmet dining in the country?
Head to a Parisian park. The Bois de Boulogne has two temples of
gastronomy in bucolic settings — the elegant Pre Catelan restaurant (3 Michelin stars) and La Grande Cascade (2 Michelin stars). Or
try the Laurent (1 Michelin star) or Ledoyen (3 Michelin stars), both
hidden in the Champs Elysées Gardens just a few steps from urban
Paris. Or try the 18th-century Le Grand Vefour (2 Michelin stars), it’s
in the Palais Royal’s formal interior garden.
The perfect Parisian evening all under one roof is dining at Le
Grand Vefour, strolling the covered arcade past the formal gardens
and attending a performance at the Comédie Française Theater.
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494 Eighth Avenue, Suite 2200, New York, NY 10001; 800-662-5406; Fax: 212594-7073 ; helpdesk@etafricanjourneys.com; www.etafricanjourneys.com
ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES
336 E. 45th St., New York, NY 10017; 800-445-2733; 212-867-0095; Fax: 212692-9589; nycsm@ethiopianairlines.com; www.ethiopianairlines.com
EXTRA VALUE AIR
1155 Warburton Ave. Suite 6P, Yonkers, NY 10701; 800-758-1382; Fax: 914966-1979 ; sales@extravalueair.com; www.extravalueair.com
TOURIST OFFICE FOR FLANDERS, BELGIUM
620 Eighth Ave, 44th floor., New York, NY 10018,212-584-2336; F: 212-5753606; www.visitflanders.us
®
MAGAZINE
MAGAZINE
®
MAGAZINE
®
®
®
FOREIGN INDEPENDENT TOURS
2125 Center Avenue, Suite 209, Fort Lee, NJ 07024 800-248-3487; 201-5851549; Fax: 201-585-2298 www.fittours.com
GOWAY TRAVEL
400 North Brand Blvd, Suite 920, Glendale, CA 91203; 800-387-8850; Fax: 800665-4432; res@goway.com; www.goway.com; www.gowayagent.com
GREAT SAFARIS, L.L.C.
400 North Brand Blvd. Suite 920, Glendale, CA 91203; 800-409-7755, Fax: 818637-2750; daveh@greatsafaris.com; www.greatsafaris.com
GERMAN NATIONAL TOURIST OFFICE
122 East 42nd Street, New York, NY 10168; 800-651-7071, 212-661-7200; F:
212-661-7174; info@gntonyc@d-z-t.com, www.cometogermany.com
G.T.T. INTERNATIONAL
• 4100 Spring Valley Rd., #202, Dallas TX 75244; 800-485-6828; F: 972-239-5068
• 900 Fourth Ave., #555, Seattle, WA 98164; 800-827-5882; F: 206-381-5996
• 3250 Wilshire Blvd., #1908 Los Angeles CA 90010; 866-868-8890; F: 213-2519967
• 4810 Beauregard St., #224, Alexandria, VA 22312; 703-354-9288; F: 703-3549567
• 9449 Balboa Ave., #212, San Diego, CA 92123; 858-614-0260; Fax: 858-6140312
• www.gttglobal.com; airfares@gttglobal.com
HOME-BASED AGENTS SHOW
Travel Industry Shows, 4615 First St. Suite 230, Pleasanton, CA 94566; 925249-2233; www.homebasedagentshow.com
IMPRESSA CLUB LTD.
2307 Coney Island Ave, New York, NY, 11223; 347-429-3332, 718-645-8578Fax.
718-336-6708
ISRAEL MINISTRY OF TOURISM
800 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10017; 888-77-ISRAEL; 212-499-5660; F:
212-499-5665; www.goisrael.com, info@goisrael.com
JBTI TOURS LLC
118 E 28 St., Suite 375, New York, NY 10018; 212-696-2058. 800-9672345, F:
212-696-2057: info@jbti.com; www.jbti.com
KENYA AIRLINES
• 450 7th Avenue, Suite 705, New York, NY 10123, F: 212-279-6602, Kirti Surendran, nyc@kenyaair.net; 866 KENYA AIR (536 9224); www.kenyaair.net
• 401 North Michigan Avenue, Ste 3320, Chicago, IL 60611-4255; F: 312-8220048, Kazim Ghouse, chi@kenyaair.net;
• 3050 Post Oak Boulevard, Suite 1320, Houston, TX 77056-6569, F: 713-6261905; ; Ravin Mehra, hou@kenyaair.net
• 16250 Ventura Boulevard, Suite 115, Encino, CA 91436-2204, F: 818-5012098, ; Sam Kordi, lax@kenyaair.net
• 1235 Bay Street, Suite 601, Toronto, ON M5R 3K4, F: 416-972-0185. ; Shekhar
Ramamurthy, toronto@kenyaair.net,
• 1166 Alberni Street, Suite 1406, Vancouver, BC V6E 3Z3, F: 604-681-8953; ;
Mable Tang, yvr@kenyaair.net
LEGEND TRAVEL & TOURS
1730 South Military Trail West Palm Beach, FL 33415; 800-295-3436, F: 561965-5482 ; www.mylegendtravel.com
LOT POLISH AIRLINES
14350 N 87th Street, Suite 265, Scottsdale, AZ 85260; 800-528-7208; 212-8520240; F: 212-852-0293
LOUIS CRUISE LINES
2801 NE 183rd Street, Suite 2204, Aventura, FL 33160; 877-568-4787, 786-2078429, F: 786-207-8430; www.louiscruises.com, nfilippidis@comcast.net
MARNELLA TOURS
5171 Glenwood Avenue, Suite 111, Raleigh, North Carolina, 27612; 866-9930033; 919-782-1664, Fax 919-782-1664; info@marnellatours.com; www.marnellatours.com
MISSION VALLEY TRAVEL, INC.
112 Cooperative Way, Kalispell, MT 59901; 800-321-8069; 406-758-4848; F:
406-758-4828; www.mvti.com
PACIFIC HOLIDAYS
12 W. 32nd St., 6th Floor, New York, NY 10001; 800-355-8025; 212-629-3888;
Fax: 212-629-8882; www.pacificholidaysinc.com;
sales@pacificholidaysinc.com
PANORAMA TRAVEL, LTD.,
989 Avenue of the Americas, 21 Fl., New York, NY 10018; 212-741-0033;
mail@panoramatravel.com; www.panoramatravel.com
POLISH NATIONAL TOURIST OFFICE
5 Marine View Plaza, Hoboken, NJ, 07030 tel. 212-338-9412, 201-420-9910; F:
201-584-9153; www.polandtour.org
PRECISION AIR
201-526-7845; Fax 201-526-7846; PW@groupsystemsamerica.com; www.precisionairtz.com
PREMIUM TRAVEL INC.
1080 Mcdonald Avenue #199, Brooklyn NY 11230; 888 424 9252 4; Fax:
888.924.9329; sales@premiumtravelinc.com
PRIME TRAVEL
2200 NW 92nd Avenue, Doral, Florida 33172; 800-447-4013; 305-441-0622; F:
305-441-0853; reservations@primetvl.com;
www.latinamericantravelclub.com.
ROATAN CHARTER
12251 Curley Street, San Antonio Fl 33576; 800-282-8932; 352-588-4132; F:
588-4158; info@roatan.com; wwwroatan.com
RUSSIAN AMERICAN CONSULTING CORP.,
45 W. 34th St, Ste 703, New York, NY 10001; 877-268-2677; 212-268-9336; Fax:
212-268-9368; racc@russianconsulting.com; www.russianconsulting.com
SBA AIRLINES
877 496 9894; SBA_Venezuela@apg-usa.us
SITA WORLD TRAVEL
16250 Ventura Blvd., Suite 300, Encino, CA 91436; 800-421-5643; 818-990-9530;
F: 818-990-9762; www.sitatours.com
SKYBIRD TRAVEL & TOURS INC
24701 Swanson Rd., Southfield, MI 48033; 888-SKY-BIRD; 248-372-4800; Fax:
248-372-4810; info@skybird-travel.com, Fax.248-372-4806 • 104 S. Michigan
Ave., Ste 1425, Chicago, IL 60603; 312-606-9600; Fax 312-606-0925 • 370 Seventh Ave, Suite 306, New York NY 10001; 212-563-0300; Fax 212-563-2056 •
3913 Old Lee Highway #32B, Fairfax, VA 22030; 703-934-8999; Fax. 703-7348157 • 360 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Suite 2050, El Segundo, CA 90245: 310-6473400:; Fax. 310-647-5800 • 305 S. Andrews, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33301,
888-759-2473 x 2010, F: 954-467-5703• 2825 Wilcrest Dr, Suite 502, Houston,
TX 77042; 713 292-9600, F: 713 292-9601
SKYLINK TRAVEL
• 980 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 401, New York, NY 10018; 800-247-6659;
212-573-8980; F: 212-573-8878
• 1025 Connecticut Avenue, Suite 213, Washington, DC 20036; 202-822-6666;
F: 202-755-8046
• 3525 West Peterson Avenue, Suite 301, Chicago, IL 60659; 773-463-4667, F:
773-478-2501
• 8383 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 430, Beverly Hills, CA 90211; 323-653-6718, F: 323655-4393 • www.skylinkus.com
SUNNYLAND TOURS
21 Old Kings Rd. N, Suite B-212, Palm Coast, FL 32137; 800-783-7839 , 386449-0059; Fax 386-449-0060, www.sunnylandtours.com
TAIWAN TOURISM BUREAU
1 East 42nd Street, 9 Floor, New york, NY 100017; www.go2taiwan.net
TATRA TRAVEL / CZECH VACATIONS
12 East 33rd St., 12th Floor, New York, NY 10016; 212-486-0533;i nfo@tatratravel.com; www.czechvacations.com
327 E. 2nd St, Ste 223, Los Angeles, CA 90012; 213-680-3545; F: 213-488-9206
• 4222 King Suit, Ste 130, Alexandria, VA 22302; 703-998-7676; 800-822-7600;
F: 703-824-8190; hdq@transamtravel.com;
• 5200 W. Century Blvd., Ste 330, Los Angeles, CA 90045; 310-670-2111; F:
310-670-1875; www.transamtravel.com
TRAVEL RESEARCH ONLINE- TRO
www.travelresearchonline.com
TRAVEL TRADE SHOWS
P.O. Box 102458, Denver, CO 80250; 303-758-7166; F: 303-504-0232;
www.travel-shows.info
UNITED TOURS
701 7th Ave., #1000, New York, NY 10036-1505; 800-245-0203; 212-245-1100;
F: 212-245-0292
XL AIRWAYS FRANCE
205 West Side Avenue, Suite 277-9 Jersey City, NJ 07305; 877-496-9889;
xlairways_fr@apg-usa.us
This directory is provided as a free service for our advertisers and listers.
JAX FAX Travel Marketing Magazine makes every effort to provide correct & current contact information However, JAXFAX does not guarantee
the accuracy or validity of the information contained in this directory. Any
changes to the above information should be submitted in writing to :
doug@jaxfax.com. — Doug Cooke, CTC, Publisher/Editorial Director
DISTRIBUTE YOUR 2012 BROCHURE TO
OVER 90,000 TRAVEL PROFESSIONALS
CALL US AT 800-952-9329
MARCH 2011
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NOTICE TO TRAVEL AGENTS: The listings displayed in JAX FAX may or may not include all of the government taxes/fees, fuel surcharges, airport facility and
airline security charges, since these will vary depending upon the airline(s) used and the specific route flown for the ticket(s) actually purchased. Travel agents
are hereby advised that the U.S. Department of Transportation requires that consumers be advised of the total amount of applicable taxes, fees and charges
before the ticket sale is consummated. Be sure to determine from the wholesaler what the applicable amount is and advise your clients.— The Publisher
EUROPE
EGYPT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
46
SINGAPORE
FINLAND . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39
ARGENTINA . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54
ETHIOPIA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
TAIWAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
FRANCE
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39
BRAZIL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55
ISRAEL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
THAILAND . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
GEORGIA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40
CHILE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
KENYA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
VIETNAM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
GERMANY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40
COLOMBIA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
NIGERIA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
GREECE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40
SOUTH AFRICA . . . . . . . . . . . .49
CARIBBEAN & BERMUDA
60
HUNGARY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40
TANZANIA
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
ARUBA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60
ITALY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES . . . . .49
BAHAMAS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60
KAZAKHSTAN . . . . . . . . . . . . .41
HAITI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60
KYRGYZSTAN
PUERTO RICO . . . . . . . . . . . . .60
LATVIA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41
24
LITHUANIA
AFGHANISTAN . . . . . . . . . . . .25
. . . . . . . . . . . . .41
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41
54
COSTA RICA . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
GUATEMALA . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
HONDURAS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
NICARAGUA . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
PANAMA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
PARAGUAY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
AUSTRALIA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
EUROPE
38
MOLDOV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41
PERU . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
CHINA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
ARMENIA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38
POLAND . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41
URUGUAY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
HONG KONG . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
AZERBAIJAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38
RUSSIA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41
VENEZUELA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
INDIA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
BELARUS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38
SPAIN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42
JAPAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
BELGIUM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39
SWITZERLAND . . . . . . . . . . . . .42
KOREA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
BRITAIN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39
TURKEY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42
CANADA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65
NEW ZEALAND . . . . . . . . . . . .26
CZECH REPUBLIC . . . . . . . . . . .39
UKRAINE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42
PHILIPPINES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
ESTON
UZBEKISTAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39
COMING NEXT MONTH...
APRIL COVER FEATURE
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Africa & Middle East
South Africa
Asia & S. Pacific
Caribbean
C. & S. America
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Honeymoons and Destination Weddings
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Cruise Honeymoons
Europe
Industry News
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March 2
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MARCH 2012
Toll Free Reservations Number: 1-866-536-9224
www.kenya-airways.us
FALL IN LOVE
WITH
FLANDERS
With delightful chocolates and divine Belgian beers as the local specialty, a visit to Flanders feels like a match made in heaven.
Situated in the North of Belgium, Flanders boasts six beautifully preserved historic cities: Antwerp, Brussels, Bruges, Ghent,
Leuven and Mechelen. From medieval splendor to mouthwatering dishes, it’s hard to find fault with this pint-sized destination
in the centre of Europe. Start your love affair with Flanders. Go to www.visitflanders.us and find great deals and packages.
FLANDERS, IT’S IN BELGIUM.
WWW.VISITFLANDERS.US