PinkChoice is very excited to announce that Nelson House B & B located in Vancouver, Canada has been added to our listings!
If you have stayed at Nelson House B & B recently post a review about your experience.
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Nelson House B & B in Vancouver, Canada
PinkChoice is very excited to announce that Nelson House B & B located in Vancouver, Canada has been added to our listings!
If you have stayed at Nelson House B & B recently post a review about your experience.
Friday, June 29, 2007
Club Tucanes Playa in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands
PinkChoice is very excited to announce that Club Tucanes Playa located in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands has been added to our listings!If you have stayed at Club Tucanes Playa recently post a review about your experience.
Thursday, June 28, 2007
twentytwo in Cape Town, South Africa
PinkChoice is very excited to announce that twentytwo located in Cape Town, South Africa has been added to our listings!If you have stayed at twentytwo recently post a review about your experience.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
CHECK OUT BEFORE YOU CHECK IN - HOTEL SURCHARGES CAN UP YOU BILL
Hidden hotel surcharges is one thing PINK CHOICE strongly resents. This article by Diane C. Lade explains.
Summer travelers who don't check out hotel charges before they check in might get an unpleasant surprise at the end of their stay.
The hotel industry is finding new ways to slip automatic surcharges, along with other additional fees, onto the bill. They range from $1 or $2 for a room safe to a $40 daily resort fee covering poolside towels, golf courses or tennis courts -- whether you use these amenities or not.
"You truly have to be careful. By the time you're done, your $50-a-day hotel turns out to be $100 a day," says Miggy Hunt of Identity Travel in Hollywood, which books large groups into South Florida resort hotels.
That adds up to big money. PricewaterhouseCoopers, the accounting firm that tracks hospitality trends, estimates hotel fees and surcharges will net a record $1.75 billion this year, more than triple the x $500 million they brought in five years ago.
The Florida Attorney General's Office is investigating two hotel companies over automatic charges and fee disclosures, said spokeswoman Sandi Copes: Tri-State Hospitality Inc. in Orlando -- operators of Sleep Inn & Suites as well as Choice Hotels International -- and the Boulevard Motel Corp., which runs a Comfort Inn in West Palm Beach.
The Attorney General's Office, which started a deceptive-trade practice investigation in 2001 after state employees traveling for business noticed unexpected charges on their bills, settled with three major hotel management companies and owners since 2005, the latest being what was then called Wyndham International.
Wyndham, purchased by LXR Properties in 2005, agreed last year to list automatic charges as rates were quoted upfront and reservations made. The company also will refund a total of $560,000 to hotel guests who stayed at 37 Wyndham Florida properties between May 29, 1998, and July 28, 2006.
Most hotels involved in the settlement were in South Florida, Sanibel, Orlando and the Florida Keys. For more information and to file a claim, call 800-930-0057 or go to www.myfloridalegal.com and put the words "Wyndham restitution" in the search field. Claims must be received or postmarked by Oct. 27.
While federal law requires guests be notified about add-on fees, experts say how and when that happens will vary between hotels and the type of charge or service.
"A lot of times, the hotels are pretty sneaky. They put Perrier and snacks in a basket in your room and you think, 'Oh, that's nice.' You don't see the little card next to it that says you'll be charged for it," said Anne Banas, executive editor of SmarterTravel.com.
Travelers can protect themselves from sticker shock by asking upfront whether a rate quote is all-inclusive -- and if not, determining in advance what taxes, fees and automatic surcharges will be added, said Tod Marks, senior editor at Consumer Reports, which published an investigation on hotels this month. "Once you book, it's hard to get charges erased," Marks said.
And stay away from extras such as the minibar, the telephone and in-room meals if you want to save, as these hotel money-makers may cost more than guests realize. For example, Marks said, a resort may levy an automatic tray charge or delivery fee for room service on top of the expected gratuity.
Automatic hotel fee complaints filed with the Florida Attorney General's Office have been up in recent years, going from one in 2003 to 10 last year. Eight already have been lodged this year. Resort fees and other automatic charges have come under increased scrutiny, as these costs are added to the bill regardless of the services a consumer uses.
In 2005, Marriott International and Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, whose brands include Westin and Sheraton, agreed to disclose automatic charges and change its policies after an investigation by the Florida Attorney General's Office, but did not have to pay guests restitution.
Joe McInerny, president and CEO of the American Hotel and Lodging Association, said the major hotel chains now are complying with disclosure rules and no longer assess an energy surcharge, which was found illegal in California several years ago.
"They understand the ramifications. They want to have happy guests, who will go back and tell their friends what a good time they had at their hotels," said McInereny, whose association represents about 10,000 hotels.
But smaller operators "may be confused or not understand," McInerny added. "Or they think that because they are a small property, no one will pay attention." Hotels are allowed to impose automatic surcharges but must "clearly and conspicuously" show them prior to someone booking, said Karen Hobbs, staff attorney with the Federal Trade Commission's marketing practices division.
"I think the industry is sensitive to this but is trying to figure out at what point they disclose," Hobbs said.
Automatic surcharges and add-on fees have become more popular as hotels struggle to recoup the in-room phone revenue they lost when more guests started carrying cell phones, said Joseph J. West, dean of the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at Florida International University in Miami.
Waiting to tack on charges until right before a booking is made can keep a lower, more attractive base rate in front of hotel shoppers longer, West said. Consumers always can ask for resort and other "automatic" fees to be waived.
"Everything at a hotel is negotiable. How negotiable it will be just depends on if it is high or low season, and how many vacant rooms the hotel has," West said.
By Diane C. Lade
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Posted June 22 2007
Summer travelers who don't check out hotel charges before they check in might get an unpleasant surprise at the end of their stay.
The hotel industry is finding new ways to slip automatic surcharges, along with other additional fees, onto the bill. They range from $1 or $2 for a room safe to a $40 daily resort fee covering poolside towels, golf courses or tennis courts -- whether you use these amenities or not.
"You truly have to be careful. By the time you're done, your $50-a-day hotel turns out to be $100 a day," says Miggy Hunt of Identity Travel in Hollywood, which books large groups into South Florida resort hotels.
That adds up to big money. PricewaterhouseCoopers, the accounting firm that tracks hospitality trends, estimates hotel fees and surcharges will net a record $1.75 billion this year, more than triple the x $500 million they brought in five years ago.
The Florida Attorney General's Office is investigating two hotel companies over automatic charges and fee disclosures, said spokeswoman Sandi Copes: Tri-State Hospitality Inc. in Orlando -- operators of Sleep Inn & Suites as well as Choice Hotels International -- and the Boulevard Motel Corp., which runs a Comfort Inn in West Palm Beach.
The Attorney General's Office, which started a deceptive-trade practice investigation in 2001 after state employees traveling for business noticed unexpected charges on their bills, settled with three major hotel management companies and owners since 2005, the latest being what was then called Wyndham International.
Wyndham, purchased by LXR Properties in 2005, agreed last year to list automatic charges as rates were quoted upfront and reservations made. The company also will refund a total of $560,000 to hotel guests who stayed at 37 Wyndham Florida properties between May 29, 1998, and July 28, 2006.
Most hotels involved in the settlement were in South Florida, Sanibel, Orlando and the Florida Keys. For more information and to file a claim, call 800-930-0057 or go to www.myfloridalegal.com and put the words "Wyndham restitution" in the search field. Claims must be received or postmarked by Oct. 27.
While federal law requires guests be notified about add-on fees, experts say how and when that happens will vary between hotels and the type of charge or service.
"A lot of times, the hotels are pretty sneaky. They put Perrier and snacks in a basket in your room and you think, 'Oh, that's nice.' You don't see the little card next to it that says you'll be charged for it," said Anne Banas, executive editor of SmarterTravel.com.
Travelers can protect themselves from sticker shock by asking upfront whether a rate quote is all-inclusive -- and if not, determining in advance what taxes, fees and automatic surcharges will be added, said Tod Marks, senior editor at Consumer Reports, which published an investigation on hotels this month. "Once you book, it's hard to get charges erased," Marks said.
And stay away from extras such as the minibar, the telephone and in-room meals if you want to save, as these hotel money-makers may cost more than guests realize. For example, Marks said, a resort may levy an automatic tray charge or delivery fee for room service on top of the expected gratuity.
Automatic hotel fee complaints filed with the Florida Attorney General's Office have been up in recent years, going from one in 2003 to 10 last year. Eight already have been lodged this year. Resort fees and other automatic charges have come under increased scrutiny, as these costs are added to the bill regardless of the services a consumer uses.
In 2005, Marriott International and Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, whose brands include Westin and Sheraton, agreed to disclose automatic charges and change its policies after an investigation by the Florida Attorney General's Office, but did not have to pay guests restitution.
Joe McInerny, president and CEO of the American Hotel and Lodging Association, said the major hotel chains now are complying with disclosure rules and no longer assess an energy surcharge, which was found illegal in California several years ago.
"They understand the ramifications. They want to have happy guests, who will go back and tell their friends what a good time they had at their hotels," said McInereny, whose association represents about 10,000 hotels.
But smaller operators "may be confused or not understand," McInerny added. "Or they think that because they are a small property, no one will pay attention." Hotels are allowed to impose automatic surcharges but must "clearly and conspicuously" show them prior to someone booking, said Karen Hobbs, staff attorney with the Federal Trade Commission's marketing practices division.
"I think the industry is sensitive to this but is trying to figure out at what point they disclose," Hobbs said.
Automatic surcharges and add-on fees have become more popular as hotels struggle to recoup the in-room phone revenue they lost when more guests started carrying cell phones, said Joseph J. West, dean of the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at Florida International University in Miami.
Waiting to tack on charges until right before a booking is made can keep a lower, more attractive base rate in front of hotel shoppers longer, West said. Consumers always can ask for resort and other "automatic" fees to be waived.
"Everything at a hotel is negotiable. How negotiable it will be just depends on if it is high or low season, and how many vacant rooms the hotel has," West said.
By Diane C. Lade
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Posted June 22 2007
PAMPERING THE GAY TRAVELER
PINK CHOICE applauds this trend by hotel chains to pamper the gay traveler.
In a world where hotel guests increasingly crave pampering, upscale hotel chains are turning club floors into over-the-top retreats where members can choose their pillow, groove to a free iPod and pour a cappuccino day or night.
Hotel "clubs," members-only floors with special perks not available to standard guests, have been used for decades to reward good customers. But now hotel chains are trying to raise the bar to justify higher rates and boost revenue. Ritz-Carlton is adding fireplaces and barista coffee service, Sheraton's installing new computers that let users download music, while Hilton plans more late-night snacks.
The chains are in various stages of launching new club concepts, but many expect to start in the next year. Some examples:
•Sheraton will start providing free wireless Internet and the new Microsoft Surface tabletop computer that lets people order songs or download photos. It's considering Starbucks single-serve coffee machines and self-service refrigerators to let guests help themselves to drinks or yogurt. New lounges are being tested at Sheratons in Chicago, Overland Park, Kan., and Toronto.
•Wyndham is planning a new look and feel for club levels in 2008 that will emphasize an allergen-free environment and more ways to personalize one's visit, by, say, pillow type or fruit request, says Peter Strebel, president of Wyndham Worldwide. The new concept can soon be seen at Wyndham O'Hare, now under renovation. Club rooms will cost 5% to 25% extra, depending on the market.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: Sheraton | Lounge
•Hyatt plans free wireless Internet and cappuccino machines on club floors. It's testing oversize, marble-topped tables to make it easier to work on laptops, hold small meetings and squeeze more people into small lounges, says John Wallis of Hyatt. Hyatt's trying new lounges at the Hyatt Baltimore and Hyatt Regency O'Hare in Chicago.
•Hilton is launching night club food and drink offerings plus concierge services for members. Test lounges will open this year at Dallas Lincoln Center, St. Petersburg, Fla., and Villahermosa, Mexico.
•Ritz-Carlton is offering free lunch foods such as sandwiches and salads and is considering more sophisticated adults-only club lounges after seeing the success of the adult lounge at its Cancun, Mexico, resort. A new club lounge is being tested at the San Francisco Ritz-Carlton, which has a fireplace and automated cappuccino machine, pet-walking services and free use of music-filled iPods.
Fancy services aim to justify higher rates
The focus on club floors — also called concierge or executive floors — comes as nightly rates are rising and hoteliers are seeking ways to justify higher rates. Furthermore, the chains face growing demand from leisure travelers willing to pay extra for VIP room assignments, as well as loyalty club members expecting them as free upgrades.
Guests who stay on club floors expect restricted key-card access to their floor, better bedding, fewer children, concierge service and a lounge that offers a free breakfast buffet and evening snacks. Some offerings are better than others, and inconsistency leaves some people leery of the premium rate.
Now, chains across the price spectrum — from $200 a night to more than $1,000 — are brainstorming new formats to make club floors seem more like a hotel-within-a-hotel and worth the price.
As chains launch their new club concepts in the next year, travelers will see them pitched as clubby, exclusive retreats for the well-heeled or just affluent-minded, says Chekitan Dev, an associate marketing professor at Cornell University's hotel school.
Sheraton, which expects to launch its revised club later this year, plans to market floors to non-loyalty members for an extra $25 to $100 per night, depending on the market, says Hoyt Harper, a Starwood brand executive. Frequent guests of Sheraton or parent company Starwood will be able to confirm them at special rates, using points or taking a chance they'll land a free upgrade, he says. Today, Sheraton collects a premium from 28% of club-floor guests.
The club-floor concept took off in the 1970s, when hotel chains started mimicking the airlines' new loyalty programs. The concept became the hotel industry's version of a first-class upgrade. By the early 1980s, most of the major chains offered a club floor.
Club floors cater to niche markets
By modernizing club floors, giving them some uniformity and aggressively marketing them, hoteliers also hope to appeal to fast-growing niche markets including:
•Women. Many women traveling alone on business like staying on a floor with restricted access and may appreciate relaxing in a more exclusive lounge instead of the bustling lobby bar.
•Generation X. Younger business travelers have shaped innovations in lobbies, bathrooms and bars, and this is no different. They tend to like to work and hang out in public spaces instead of their rooms.
•Families. With more business travelers bringing families along for extended weekend getaways, hotels are seeing more demand for club lounges on weekends, which had been traditionally quiet times. Lounges present value to families, because they can feed the kids breakfast for free.
By Barbara De Lollis, USA TODAY
In a world where hotel guests increasingly crave pampering, upscale hotel chains are turning club floors into over-the-top retreats where members can choose their pillow, groove to a free iPod and pour a cappuccino day or night.
Hotel "clubs," members-only floors with special perks not available to standard guests, have been used for decades to reward good customers. But now hotel chains are trying to raise the bar to justify higher rates and boost revenue. Ritz-Carlton is adding fireplaces and barista coffee service, Sheraton's installing new computers that let users download music, while Hilton plans more late-night snacks.
The chains are in various stages of launching new club concepts, but many expect to start in the next year. Some examples:
•Sheraton will start providing free wireless Internet and the new Microsoft Surface tabletop computer that lets people order songs or download photos. It's considering Starbucks single-serve coffee machines and self-service refrigerators to let guests help themselves to drinks or yogurt. New lounges are being tested at Sheratons in Chicago, Overland Park, Kan., and Toronto.
•Wyndham is planning a new look and feel for club levels in 2008 that will emphasize an allergen-free environment and more ways to personalize one's visit, by, say, pillow type or fruit request, says Peter Strebel, president of Wyndham Worldwide. The new concept can soon be seen at Wyndham O'Hare, now under renovation. Club rooms will cost 5% to 25% extra, depending on the market.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: Sheraton | Lounge
•Hyatt plans free wireless Internet and cappuccino machines on club floors. It's testing oversize, marble-topped tables to make it easier to work on laptops, hold small meetings and squeeze more people into small lounges, says John Wallis of Hyatt. Hyatt's trying new lounges at the Hyatt Baltimore and Hyatt Regency O'Hare in Chicago.
•Hilton is launching night club food and drink offerings plus concierge services for members. Test lounges will open this year at Dallas Lincoln Center, St. Petersburg, Fla., and Villahermosa, Mexico.
•Ritz-Carlton is offering free lunch foods such as sandwiches and salads and is considering more sophisticated adults-only club lounges after seeing the success of the adult lounge at its Cancun, Mexico, resort. A new club lounge is being tested at the San Francisco Ritz-Carlton, which has a fireplace and automated cappuccino machine, pet-walking services and free use of music-filled iPods.
Fancy services aim to justify higher rates
The focus on club floors — also called concierge or executive floors — comes as nightly rates are rising and hoteliers are seeking ways to justify higher rates. Furthermore, the chains face growing demand from leisure travelers willing to pay extra for VIP room assignments, as well as loyalty club members expecting them as free upgrades.
Guests who stay on club floors expect restricted key-card access to their floor, better bedding, fewer children, concierge service and a lounge that offers a free breakfast buffet and evening snacks. Some offerings are better than others, and inconsistency leaves some people leery of the premium rate.
Now, chains across the price spectrum — from $200 a night to more than $1,000 — are brainstorming new formats to make club floors seem more like a hotel-within-a-hotel and worth the price.
As chains launch their new club concepts in the next year, travelers will see them pitched as clubby, exclusive retreats for the well-heeled or just affluent-minded, says Chekitan Dev, an associate marketing professor at Cornell University's hotel school.
Sheraton, which expects to launch its revised club later this year, plans to market floors to non-loyalty members for an extra $25 to $100 per night, depending on the market, says Hoyt Harper, a Starwood brand executive. Frequent guests of Sheraton or parent company Starwood will be able to confirm them at special rates, using points or taking a chance they'll land a free upgrade, he says. Today, Sheraton collects a premium from 28% of club-floor guests.
The club-floor concept took off in the 1970s, when hotel chains started mimicking the airlines' new loyalty programs. The concept became the hotel industry's version of a first-class upgrade. By the early 1980s, most of the major chains offered a club floor.
Club floors cater to niche markets
By modernizing club floors, giving them some uniformity and aggressively marketing them, hoteliers also hope to appeal to fast-growing niche markets including:
•Women. Many women traveling alone on business like staying on a floor with restricted access and may appreciate relaxing in a more exclusive lounge instead of the bustling lobby bar.
•Generation X. Younger business travelers have shaped innovations in lobbies, bathrooms and bars, and this is no different. They tend to like to work and hang out in public spaces instead of their rooms.
•Families. With more business travelers bringing families along for extended weekend getaways, hotels are seeing more demand for club lounges on weekends, which had been traditionally quiet times. Lounges present value to families, because they can feed the kids breakfast for free.
By Barbara De Lollis, USA TODAY
AUSTRALIA MOVES TOWARDS RECOGNIZING GAY MARRIAGE
PINK CHOICE applauds the rising trend in Australia. In a dramatic lift in support, new research reveals that Australians are now strongly in favour of equal marriage rights for lesbian and gay Australians.
The Australian GetUp! civil rights organisation, commissioned Galaxy research that shows 57% of Australians now believe that gays and lesbians deserve the right to marry.
In related news, the Australian Human Rights and Equal Opportunities Commission released a long awaited report on same sex rights in Australia: Same-Sex: Same Entitlements that proceeds on the basis that all Australians have the right to expect equal treatment before the law.
The report quotes Article 26 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights:
"All persons are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to the equal protection of the law. In this respect, the law shall prohibit any discrimination and guarantee to all persons equal and effective protection against
discrimination on any ground..."
It seems obvious that all Australian citizens ought to be considered entitled to equal treatment before the law and we hope this report might see the Australian government move towards the position being adopted by progressive governments all over the world.
An Australian general election is scheduled for later this year and conservative leader, John Howard currently trails his opposition counterpart, Kevin Rudd in the latest opinion polls. (Now that's a positive move - Pink Choice)
Reported by Ian Johnson - OutNews - June 2007
The Australian GetUp! civil rights organisation, commissioned Galaxy research that shows 57% of Australians now believe that gays and lesbians deserve the right to marry.
In related news, the Australian Human Rights and Equal Opportunities Commission released a long awaited report on same sex rights in Australia: Same-Sex: Same Entitlements that proceeds on the basis that all Australians have the right to expect equal treatment before the law.
The report quotes Article 26 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights:
"All persons are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to the equal protection of the law. In this respect, the law shall prohibit any discrimination and guarantee to all persons equal and effective protection against
discrimination on any ground..."
It seems obvious that all Australian citizens ought to be considered entitled to equal treatment before the law and we hope this report might see the Australian government move towards the position being adopted by progressive governments all over the world.
An Australian general election is scheduled for later this year and conservative leader, John Howard currently trails his opposition counterpart, Kevin Rudd in the latest opinion polls. (Now that's a positive move - Pink Choice)
Reported by Ian Johnson - OutNews - June 2007
TORONTO PITCHING FOR GAY U.S. TRAVELERS
PINK CHOICE picked up this piece of news regarding Toronto.
Tourism Toronto plans to launch an advertising campaign aimed at making the city a top destination for gay travellers from the U.S.
The campaign will focus on four major cities - New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles. It will include ads in gay restaurants, bars and local publications, as well as event sponsorships and other promotional activities.
"Toronto has things to offer all year round--we've got a number of festivals outside of Pride that we can market," said Bruce MacDonald of the Canadian Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce.
The ads are still being finalized, but CTV's John Musselman reported that one of them will read: "Just think--in Toronto, you would be the hot and sexy foreigner." The tag line will say "Toronto--as gay as it gets."
Tourism Toronto also established a new group to help with gay marketing that includes more than a dozen local community leaders. The association is also helping hotels in the city and region gain status as 'gay-friendly' establishments through Travel Gay Canada.
City councillor Kyle Rae said Toronto needs to sell itself to gay and lesbian travellers who have plenty of disposable income.
"Toronto has the sense of gateway, so if you come to Toronto you can go to Niagara Falls, you can go to the wine district, and you can go to Muskoka," Rae said.
Tourism officials increased its gay-targeting advertising budget by 50 per cent to $300,000. Business owners in Toronto's gay and lesbian village said it is money well spent.
"I think it's important to get more people to the city, there's a lot of disposable incomes...tourism is huge," said Jimmy Georgoulis with Fuzion restaurant.
"I think it's a great thing for this city to finally focus on this demographic," said Gerry Pergolesi, a bed and breakfast owner.
The new campaign is designed to market the entire city and surrounding region to gay travellers.
Recent research shows that U.S. gay travellers:
* Travel more frequently - 98 per cent have taken at least one overnight trip in the last twelve months, compared with 72 per cent for heterosexual Americans;
* Stay longer - they stayed an average of 15 nights in hotels last year, compared with an average of about three nights for all U.S. travelers;
* Spend more - gay men spend $800 on average per trip, compared to $540 by non-gay travelers.
* More likely to be passport holders- 71 per cent of travelers who identify themselves as gay hold a valid passport, nearly three times the overall U.S. average of 24 per cent and;
* Travel throughout the year - With an average household income of $85,000 and an average age of 44, this market tends to travel throughout the year, not just during peak seasons.
Tourism Toronto also announced Friday that city has won the bid to host the 2009 Annual Convention of the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association.
With a report from CTV's John Musselman
Tourism Toronto plans to launch an advertising campaign aimed at making the city a top destination for gay travellers from the U.S.
The campaign will focus on four major cities - New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles. It will include ads in gay restaurants, bars and local publications, as well as event sponsorships and other promotional activities.
"Toronto has things to offer all year round--we've got a number of festivals outside of Pride that we can market," said Bruce MacDonald of the Canadian Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce.
The ads are still being finalized, but CTV's John Musselman reported that one of them will read: "Just think--in Toronto, you would be the hot and sexy foreigner." The tag line will say "Toronto--as gay as it gets."
Tourism Toronto also established a new group to help with gay marketing that includes more than a dozen local community leaders. The association is also helping hotels in the city and region gain status as 'gay-friendly' establishments through Travel Gay Canada.
City councillor Kyle Rae said Toronto needs to sell itself to gay and lesbian travellers who have plenty of disposable income.
"Toronto has the sense of gateway, so if you come to Toronto you can go to Niagara Falls, you can go to the wine district, and you can go to Muskoka," Rae said.
Tourism officials increased its gay-targeting advertising budget by 50 per cent to $300,000. Business owners in Toronto's gay and lesbian village said it is money well spent.
"I think it's important to get more people to the city, there's a lot of disposable incomes...tourism is huge," said Jimmy Georgoulis with Fuzion restaurant.
"I think it's a great thing for this city to finally focus on this demographic," said Gerry Pergolesi, a bed and breakfast owner.
The new campaign is designed to market the entire city and surrounding region to gay travellers.
Recent research shows that U.S. gay travellers:
* Travel more frequently - 98 per cent have taken at least one overnight trip in the last twelve months, compared with 72 per cent for heterosexual Americans;
* Stay longer - they stayed an average of 15 nights in hotels last year, compared with an average of about three nights for all U.S. travelers;
* Spend more - gay men spend $800 on average per trip, compared to $540 by non-gay travelers.
* More likely to be passport holders- 71 per cent of travelers who identify themselves as gay hold a valid passport, nearly three times the overall U.S. average of 24 per cent and;
* Travel throughout the year - With an average household income of $85,000 and an average age of 44, this market tends to travel throughout the year, not just during peak seasons.
Tourism Toronto also announced Friday that city has won the bid to host the 2009 Annual Convention of the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association.
With a report from CTV's John Musselman
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Dalyan Queens Hotel in Dalyan, Turkey
PinkChoice is very excited to announce that Dalyan Queens Hotel located in Dalyan, Turkey has been added to our listings!If you have stayed at Dalyan Queens Hotel recently post a review about your experience.
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Stonehurst Place in Atlanta, USA
PinkChoice is very excited to announce that Stonehurst Place located in Atlanta, USA has been added to our listings!
If you have stayed at Stonehurst Place recently post a review about your experience.
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Le Domaine aux Quat'Saisons in Rieux-Minervois, Carcassonne, France
PinkChoice has just added Le Domaine aux Quat'Saisons located in Rieux-Minervois, Carcassonne, France as a new property in France!If you have stayed at Le Domaine aux Quat'Saisons recently post a review about your experience for others to share.
Friday, June 15, 2007
Flying Cloud Hotel in Xcalak, Mexico
PinkChoice is very excited to announce that Flying Cloud Hotel located in Xcalak, Mexico has been added to our listings!If you have stayed at Flying Cloud Hotel recently post a review about your experience.
Royal Villa II in Phoenix, USA
PinkChoice is very excited to announce that Royal Villa II located in Phoenix, USA has been added to our listings!If you have stayed at Royal Villa II recently post a review about your experience.
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Finca Leria in Alora, Nr Malaga, Spain
PinkChoice is very excited to announce that Finca Leria located in Alora, Nr Malaga, Spain has been added to our listings!If you have stayed at Finca Leria recently post a review about your experience.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Little Inn of Bayfield in Bayfield, Canada
PinkChoice is very excited to announce that Little Inn of Bayfield located in Bayfield, Canada has been added to our listings!If you have stayed at Little Inn of Bayfield recently post a review about your experience.
Saturday, June 09, 2007
Berney/Fly Bed and Breakfast in Mobile, USA
PinkChoice is very excited to announce that Berney/Fly Bed and Breakfast located in Mobile, USA has been added to our listings!If you have stayed at Berney/Fly Bed and Breakfast recently post a review about your experience.
Sunday, June 03, 2007
The Town House in Glastonbury, U.K.
PinkChoice is very excited to announce that The Town House located in Glastonbury, U.K. has been added to our listings!If you have stayed at The Town House recently post a review about your experience.
Saturday, June 02, 2007
PINK CHOICE CONGRATULATES NEW HAMPSHIRE
Pink Choice is delighted to report that gay couples in New Hampshire can start applying for many of the rights and responsibilities of marriage as early as January under a law Gov. John Lynch signed Thursday establishing civil unions.
"We in New Hampshire have had a long and proud tradition taking the lead in opposing discrimination," Lynch said. "Today that tradition continues."
Couples who enter civil unions will have the same rights, responsibilities and obligations as married couples. Same-sex unions from other states also would be recognized if they were legal in the state where they were performed.
Legislators who gathered for the bill signing packed the governor's chambers and overflowed into an adjoining sitting room. They snapped photos and burst into applause as he signed it.
"I've listened and I've heard all the arguments," said Lynch, a Democrat. "I do not believe that this bill threatens marriage. I believe that this is a matter of conscience and fairness."
Episcopal Bishop V. Gene Robinson was among those attending. Although his consecration in 2003 as the first openly gay bishop in the Episcopal Church divided the worldwide Anglican Communion to which it belongs, Robinson and his longtime partner plan to take advantage of civil unions.
"This is not a radical departure," Robinson said of the bill. "This is a real confirmation of what New Hampshire has always been about: the freedom of its own citizens and fairness for everyone."
Robinson said he will not direct Episcopal priests in the state to bless same-sex unions, letting priests decide that individually. Such blessings have been another divisive issue for Episcopalians and the Anglican union.
"That authority belongs to them and I would not in any way ask them not to do that. ... Just like in marriages, every priest will have the option to bless or not to bless," Robinson said.
Massachusetts alone among the U.S. states allows gay marriage. Connecticut, Vermont, New Jersey, Maine, California and Washington allow either civil unions or domestic partnerships, and Oregon will join the list with New Hampshire in January. Hawaii extends certain spousal rights to same-sex couples and cohabiting heterosexual pairs. (Beverley Wang, AP)
"We in New Hampshire have had a long and proud tradition taking the lead in opposing discrimination," Lynch said. "Today that tradition continues."
Couples who enter civil unions will have the same rights, responsibilities and obligations as married couples. Same-sex unions from other states also would be recognized if they were legal in the state where they were performed.
Legislators who gathered for the bill signing packed the governor's chambers and overflowed into an adjoining sitting room. They snapped photos and burst into applause as he signed it.
"I've listened and I've heard all the arguments," said Lynch, a Democrat. "I do not believe that this bill threatens marriage. I believe that this is a matter of conscience and fairness."
Episcopal Bishop V. Gene Robinson was among those attending. Although his consecration in 2003 as the first openly gay bishop in the Episcopal Church divided the worldwide Anglican Communion to which it belongs, Robinson and his longtime partner plan to take advantage of civil unions.
"This is not a radical departure," Robinson said of the bill. "This is a real confirmation of what New Hampshire has always been about: the freedom of its own citizens and fairness for everyone."
Robinson said he will not direct Episcopal priests in the state to bless same-sex unions, letting priests decide that individually. Such blessings have been another divisive issue for Episcopalians and the Anglican union.
"That authority belongs to them and I would not in any way ask them not to do that. ... Just like in marriages, every priest will have the option to bless or not to bless," Robinson said.
Massachusetts alone among the U.S. states allows gay marriage. Connecticut, Vermont, New Jersey, Maine, California and Washington allow either civil unions or domestic partnerships, and Oregon will join the list with New Hampshire in January. Hawaii extends certain spousal rights to same-sex couples and cohabiting heterosexual pairs. (Beverley Wang, AP)
FUTURE TRENDS ABOUT SAVVY TRAVELERS
Understanding consumers’ expectations is paramount to delivering the type of hospitality experience that will bring repeat business and earn excellent world-of-mouth recommendations. These expectations are being driving by five major cultural trends, according to Daniel Levine, founder, Avant-Guide.
Whether you call them Gen Y, the Millennials, Echo Boomers, the Net Generation or Worlders, the currently generation of 12 to 27 year olds is information savvy and media-oriented. To reach this segment of the market, the Hotel Distribution Industry will need to employ strategies that meet the needs of this hyper-technological group, say speakers at the 2007 Hotel Electronic Distribution Network Association (HEDNA) Conference held on 22 May 2007 at the Burlington Hotel in Dublin, Ireland.
The Millennial’s view of the world is that “life is to be shared, displayed and lived on the world stage,” says Dr. Lalia Rach, associated deal of the New York University’s (NYU) Tisch Center and HVS International Chair at NYU. Millennials feel they share music, media and movies with others around the world, leading to shared experience. This generation feels that cultural differences have only a secondary impact on their lives. Millennials have high expectations, expect to receive recognition for their achievements and place a great deal of importance on peer-to-peer experiences. In addition, they are considered to be unconventional – this is the generation that wears flip-flop sandals in the middle of winter in the Northern Hemisphere. Yet, this is the group that is schedule sensitive and still close to parents.
Marketing to this segment of travelers calls for different approaches. According to Rach, marketing needs to be on the Millennial’s schedule, which is based on a 24/7 availability – this generation won’t accept that brick-and-mortar businesses close when the Internet is open all the time. The Hotel Distribution Industry should look at using social networks to get their messages to the Millennials. The ideal technological tool for this generation is the Apple iPhone, which encompasses all the tech changes in one device. “It’s all about the experience, lifestyle and personalization,” Rach says.
Reaching an emerging segment – the Chinese traveler
The Millennials aren’t the only up-and-coming consumer segment that needs to be addressed by the Hotel Distribution Industry. More and more Chinese are traveling. Hotels can and should be marketing to them – especially hotels in Europe, advises Tom Jenkins, executive director, European Tour Operators Association. Jenkins believes this is a potentially huge market although at the moment, 75% of Chinese travelers visit only Hong Kong and Macao due to credit card and visa issues.
The Association recently surveyed travel agents in three Chinese cities – Guangzhou, Shanghai and Beijing. The survey found the number one travel destination is France, followed by Italy, Switzerland and Germany. Europe is attractive due to shopping, scenery, its culture, dining and outdoor activities. On the plus side, the Chinese find Europe to be modern, civilized and cultured. On the negative side, the Chinese feel Europeans are arrogant and discriminatory, and that the region is expensive and dirty.
Marketing in China is difficult, says Jenkins, noting that the Chinese will research hospitality information online but still use travel agents for bookings.
The changing face of online booking
Until about five years ago, online booking wasn’t available on many websites in the West. But that’s changed dramatically. A panel composed of Google, Marriot Hotels, Lastminute.com, TripAdvisor and FlairView reviewed the progress of consumers in researching, choosing and booking hotels online.
Typically, consumers start a search on Google and then drill down for detail, with particular emphasis on other consumers’ reviews and comparison shopping for the best deal. Referral sites, such as TripAdvisor, allow consumers to get the good and bad news about a hotel before deciding to book. Meta search products like Kayak.com are useful for checking prices.
In addition, consumers want to see the complete experience a location has to offer in terms of sights of interest, the hotel’s accommodations, and other amenities. Consumers want to “be able to experience the vacation before arriving” at the destination, says panel moderator Bruce Speechley, business unit leader/Travel and Transportation, IBM Global.
The five cultural trends affecting the hotel distribution industry
Understanding consumers’ expectations is paramount to delivering the type of hospitality experience that will bring repeat business and earn excellent world-of-mouth recommendations. These expectations are being driving by five major cultural trends, according to Daniel Levine, founder, Avant-Guide. These trends are:
Exclusivity through personalization and localization—consumers expect to be catered to for their hospitality needs.
Upscale design—Design no longer is viewed as a luxury, but a trend to be honored.
Control and consumer transparency – consumers want to feel they are in control of their hospitality experience, whether it be using price comparison sites, placing live phone pictures online for others to see at websites like ComVu.com, or posting reviews of services on a website like Consumerist.com.
Empathy and social networking 2.5 – This is the intersection between real and virtual worlds. Various companies are offering networking opportunities from choosing your cab-sharing partner to IM-ing another passenger on the same plane to invitation-only ‘meet spaces’ designed to bring like-minded travelers together. Hotels, particularly, “are a natural and organic place for social networking.”
Abundance – The wealth of opportunities to service micro niches – whether it be the Millennials or over 50s—allows personalization of services and offerings.
Finally, Levine points out that hotels need to be seen as being dedicated to green initiatives in order to appeal to travelers.
Whether you call them Gen Y, the Millennials, Echo Boomers, the Net Generation or Worlders, the currently generation of 12 to 27 year olds is information savvy and media-oriented. To reach this segment of the market, the Hotel Distribution Industry will need to employ strategies that meet the needs of this hyper-technological group, say speakers at the 2007 Hotel Electronic Distribution Network Association (HEDNA) Conference held on 22 May 2007 at the Burlington Hotel in Dublin, Ireland.
The Millennial’s view of the world is that “life is to be shared, displayed and lived on the world stage,” says Dr. Lalia Rach, associated deal of the New York University’s (NYU) Tisch Center and HVS International Chair at NYU. Millennials feel they share music, media and movies with others around the world, leading to shared experience. This generation feels that cultural differences have only a secondary impact on their lives. Millennials have high expectations, expect to receive recognition for their achievements and place a great deal of importance on peer-to-peer experiences. In addition, they are considered to be unconventional – this is the generation that wears flip-flop sandals in the middle of winter in the Northern Hemisphere. Yet, this is the group that is schedule sensitive and still close to parents.
Marketing to this segment of travelers calls for different approaches. According to Rach, marketing needs to be on the Millennial’s schedule, which is based on a 24/7 availability – this generation won’t accept that brick-and-mortar businesses close when the Internet is open all the time. The Hotel Distribution Industry should look at using social networks to get their messages to the Millennials. The ideal technological tool for this generation is the Apple iPhone, which encompasses all the tech changes in one device. “It’s all about the experience, lifestyle and personalization,” Rach says.
Reaching an emerging segment – the Chinese traveler
The Millennials aren’t the only up-and-coming consumer segment that needs to be addressed by the Hotel Distribution Industry. More and more Chinese are traveling. Hotels can and should be marketing to them – especially hotels in Europe, advises Tom Jenkins, executive director, European Tour Operators Association. Jenkins believes this is a potentially huge market although at the moment, 75% of Chinese travelers visit only Hong Kong and Macao due to credit card and visa issues.
The Association recently surveyed travel agents in three Chinese cities – Guangzhou, Shanghai and Beijing. The survey found the number one travel destination is France, followed by Italy, Switzerland and Germany. Europe is attractive due to shopping, scenery, its culture, dining and outdoor activities. On the plus side, the Chinese find Europe to be modern, civilized and cultured. On the negative side, the Chinese feel Europeans are arrogant and discriminatory, and that the region is expensive and dirty.
Marketing in China is difficult, says Jenkins, noting that the Chinese will research hospitality information online but still use travel agents for bookings.
The changing face of online booking
Until about five years ago, online booking wasn’t available on many websites in the West. But that’s changed dramatically. A panel composed of Google, Marriot Hotels, Lastminute.com, TripAdvisor and FlairView reviewed the progress of consumers in researching, choosing and booking hotels online.
Typically, consumers start a search on Google and then drill down for detail, with particular emphasis on other consumers’ reviews and comparison shopping for the best deal. Referral sites, such as TripAdvisor, allow consumers to get the good and bad news about a hotel before deciding to book. Meta search products like Kayak.com are useful for checking prices.
In addition, consumers want to see the complete experience a location has to offer in terms of sights of interest, the hotel’s accommodations, and other amenities. Consumers want to “be able to experience the vacation before arriving” at the destination, says panel moderator Bruce Speechley, business unit leader/Travel and Transportation, IBM Global.
The five cultural trends affecting the hotel distribution industry
Understanding consumers’ expectations is paramount to delivering the type of hospitality experience that will bring repeat business and earn excellent world-of-mouth recommendations. These expectations are being driving by five major cultural trends, according to Daniel Levine, founder, Avant-Guide. These trends are:
Exclusivity through personalization and localization—consumers expect to be catered to for their hospitality needs.
Upscale design—Design no longer is viewed as a luxury, but a trend to be honored.
Control and consumer transparency – consumers want to feel they are in control of their hospitality experience, whether it be using price comparison sites, placing live phone pictures online for others to see at websites like ComVu.com, or posting reviews of services on a website like Consumerist.com.
Empathy and social networking 2.5 – This is the intersection between real and virtual worlds. Various companies are offering networking opportunities from choosing your cab-sharing partner to IM-ing another passenger on the same plane to invitation-only ‘meet spaces’ designed to bring like-minded travelers together. Hotels, particularly, “are a natural and organic place for social networking.”
Abundance – The wealth of opportunities to service micro niches – whether it be the Millennials or over 50s—allows personalization of services and offerings.
Finally, Levine points out that hotels need to be seen as being dedicated to green initiatives in order to appeal to travelers.
CHINA TO BECOME 3rd BIGGEST TRAVEL DESTINATION
China is likely to replace the United States as the world's third most popular tourism destination next year, a United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) official said.
At present, China ranks fourth, after France, Spain and the United States.
Last year, China accounted for 5.8 percent of the global tourism market, a growth of 0.3 percent compared with two years ago.
Twenty-nine percent of tourists who traveled to Asia and the Pacific last year also visited China.
Xu Jing, regional representative for Asia and the Pacific of UNWTO, said the market share percentages of China and the U.S. last year were very close.
"I am confident China will overtake the US next year," he said at the 2007 China (Qingdao) International Olympics & Tourism Forum, which concluded on Friday.
UNWTO forecast last year that China would become the most popular destination by the year 2020. At the beginning of this year, it revised its forecast to 2015. Xu said the forecast was revised because of the rapid development of the country's tourism industry.
The number of overseas travelers to China has increased from 10.5 million in 1996 to 49 million in 2006. The 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing and the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai, will further boost China's tourism market.
The Pacific and Asia Travel Association said inbound tourism to China will increase by 5 percent year-on-year between 2007 and 2009.
(China Daily)
At present, China ranks fourth, after France, Spain and the United States.
Last year, China accounted for 5.8 percent of the global tourism market, a growth of 0.3 percent compared with two years ago.
Twenty-nine percent of tourists who traveled to Asia and the Pacific last year also visited China.
Xu Jing, regional representative for Asia and the Pacific of UNWTO, said the market share percentages of China and the U.S. last year were very close.
"I am confident China will overtake the US next year," he said at the 2007 China (Qingdao) International Olympics & Tourism Forum, which concluded on Friday.
UNWTO forecast last year that China would become the most popular destination by the year 2020. At the beginning of this year, it revised its forecast to 2015. Xu said the forecast was revised because of the rapid development of the country's tourism industry.
The number of overseas travelers to China has increased from 10.5 million in 1996 to 49 million in 2006. The 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing and the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai, will further boost China's tourism market.
The Pacific and Asia Travel Association said inbound tourism to China will increase by 5 percent year-on-year between 2007 and 2009.
(China Daily)
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