June 11, 2012 - 07:05 AM ET
Former HRG executive Paul Salvatore joined Altour as vice president of sales in its meetings managementdivision. The 37-year industry veteran was CEO ofRobustelli World Travel when HRG bought it in 2006, after which he became head ofHRG's events division.
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CHICAGO, June 11, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Orbitz Worldwide tops the list as America's favorite travel company to work for, according to Glassdoor's new Annual Travel Industry Report Card. Glassdoor is the leading social jobs and career community that offers an inside look at jobs and companies with more than 2.5 million pieces of employee-generated content, including company reviews, salary reports, interview questions and reviews, office photos, and more.
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20070813/AQM125LOGO)
Orbitz ranked number one among nearly 35 leading travel employers outpacing companies such as Expedia, Ritz-Carlton, Disney Parks & Resorts and Southwest Airlines, based on reviews by employees. Over the past twelve months, the company rates 4.0 out of 5, with CEO Barney Harford receiving an 88% approval rating, up from 81% in 2011, making Harford the highest rated CEO on this list. To view the full report visit the Glassdoor blog.
The Orbitz overall rating is up slightly this year from 3.9 in 2011, with anonymous employee reviews applauding everything from the solid management team to a stimulating work environment. "There are tons of interesting initiatives going on all the time - makes you feel proud to work for a company that is on the leading edge in its industry," states one employee, while another says, "The senior management team is very accessible, and they actually take part in and contribute to meetings with people of all levels." Orbitz employees also called out the opportunity for advancement, relaxed and fun culture and employee travel discount as pros to working for the company.
Orbitz Worldwide employs almost 1500 employees, including nearly 800 at its Chicago corporate headquarters. It is one of the world's leading online travel sites, operating in over 140 countries and last year generating more than $11 billion in travel bookings.
Glassdoor's Annual Travel Industry Report Card is based on companies within the travel industry that received at least 15 verified company reviews during the past year (5/23/11-5/22/12). Company ratings are based on a 5-point scale: 5= very satisfied, 3=OK, 1= very dissatisfied. CEO approval ratings are calculated similar to Presidential approval ratings and are based on employee responses to how well they feel their CEO is leading the company.
About Orbitz.comOrbitz.com (www.orbitz.com) is a leading online travel company that enables travelers to search for and book a broad array of travel products, including airline tickets, hotel rooms, rental cars, cruises and vacation packages. Since launching its Web site to the general public in June 2001, Orbitz.com has become one of the largest online travel sites in the world and has led the industry with innovations including Flight Price Assurance, Hotel Price Assurance and Total Price hotel search results. On Orbitz.com consumers can search more than 80,000 suppliers worldwide including airlines, hotels and car rental companies. Orbitz.com is owned by Orbitz Worldwide. Stay connected to Orbitz.com with sale alerts, exclusive promotions and engaging conversations by following Orbitz on Facebook (www.facebook.com/orbitz), Twitter (www.twitter.com/orbitz) and the Orbitz Travel Blog (www.orbitz.com/blog).
About Orbitz WorldwideOrbitz Worldwide is a leading global online travel company that uses innovative technology to enable leisure and business travelers to research, plan and book a broad range of travel products. Orbitz Worldwide owns a portfolio of consumer brands that includes Orbitz (www.orbitz.com), CheapTickets (www.cheaptickets.com), ebookers (www.ebookers.com), HotelClub (www.hotelclub.com), RatesToGo (www.ratestogo.com) and the Away Network (www.away.com). Also within the Orbitz Worldwide family, Orbitz Worldwide Distribution (http://corp.orbitz.com/partnerships/distribution) delivers private label travel solutions to a broad range of partners including many of the world's largest airlines, and Orbitz for Business (www.orbitzforbusiness.com) delivers managed corporate travel solutions for corporations. For more information on partnership opportunities with Orbitz Worldwide, visit corp.orbitz.com. Orbitz Worldwide uses its Investor Relations website to make information available to its investors and the public at http://corp.orbitz.com/investors. You can sign up to receive email alerts whenever the company posts new information to the website.
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LONDON, June 11, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Limited Edition is an innovative new trade show set to shake up the high-end travel industry and is dedicated to the thriving contemporary travel market. Present will be a curated selection of the world's hottest, on-trend, original, high-end travel suppliers and the world's most productive travel trade buyers (leisure, media/entertainment, business, corporate and MICE) who have exclusive connections with the 'Creative Class' - a new generation of lifestyle tastemakers traveling in a way which is more innovative and sophisticated.
The Guest List of exhibitors will include:
Art & Design led Hotels / Couture Palaces / Prestige Boutique Hotels / Entertainment Hotspots / Funky High-Tech Hotels / Luxury Beach Pads / Stylish Snow Retreats / Foodie Hideouts / Spa Voyages / Uber Boating / Private Aviation Services / In-The-Know Ground Operators / Cool Venues
Serge Dive, CEO of Beyond Luxury Media and Founder of Limited Edition, says: "Our intention with this new show is to respond to the dramatic changes that our industry is facing and be the first to consolidate the high-end contemporary travel market. We want to create a much needed, fresher and more vibrant show that will act as a cure to boring travel and an antidote against large travel trade shows which may sometimes lack focus and still give too much importance to uninspiring and unsurprising suppliers."
Dive and Ball are the creative minds behind the launch of arguably the world's two most successful high-end travel markets, International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM - now owned by a global exhibition company) and more recently, PURE Life Experiences (PURE).
About Limited Edition, Miami Beach:
The inaugural show will take place on the 10th - 13th June, 2013, South Beach Miami.
Limited Edition will be a dedicated marketplace for high-end contemporary travel serving the Creative Class - a target market that already dominates the focus of many high-end travel marketers. And rightly so. Indeed, the Creative Class now represents 30% of the workforce in western societies and is growing by 7% every year* and they are considered to be the driving force behind the world's innovation, growth and wealth. The shift of affluence and influence from traditional old money customers to the Creative Class is single handedly changing the dynamics of the supply and demand of the high-end travel market.
Serge Dive, has this to say of the Creative Class: "Those in the Creative Class are increasingly turning their backs on traditional luxury travel suppliers often seeing them as too traditional, standardised, conformist and stuffy. They crave the latest travel products and services designed to be unique, on-trend, cultural, design-oriented, personalised, and in tune with the local neighbourhood."
The show will feature a format that is tailored to the needs of those in the industry: a hosted buyer programme, three days of trade show divided between pre-scheduled appointments (chosen individually by each attendee) and free networking time, three networking lunches, two glamorous evening parties and a series of workshops dedicated to new media, new technologies, branding, sales & marketing and design.
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Submitted by Douglas Macherey / UGC
We love all the beautiful travel photos from our readers this week, from colorful Santorini in Greece to towering rocks in Arches National Park to stunning sunsets.
Scroll through this impressive set of images and vote for your favorite at the bottom.
Submitted by Holly Borstad / UGC
Dusk on the A-62 Autobahn in Germany
Submitted by Larry Twait / UGC
Submitted by Christen McWilliams / UGC
Monument at Bonaventure Cemetery in Savannah, Ga.
Submitted by Rich Briggs / UGC
The Courthouse Towers in Arches National Park on a beautiful morning in June.
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09-06-2012 08:35 8 June 2012 - 'Cloudbreak', Fiji The Best Big Wave Surfers Take the Show at the Fiji Mega Swell The Best Big Wave Surfers in the world take over the show when the Fiji ASP World Tour is called on hold because the 20 to 30 foot waves were considered by contest directors to be too dangerous and extreme. Australian Big Wave Surfers, Jeff Rowley and Todd Rosewall flew into Fiji from Torquay, Victoria for the opportunity to surf at the super swell of the year at Cloudbreak, Fiji on 8 June 2012, when the ASP World Tour Event in Fiji was put on hold. Rowley and Rosewall, alongside international big wave surfers including Greg Long, Dave Wassel, Kohl Christensen, were in the water as soon as the competition was called off, when the ocean swell picked up to create giant barrelling waves. The swell at Fiji was caused by a series of low pressure systems in the Southern Ocean which also caused severe storm damage to Victoria and New South Wales in early June 2012. In preparation, Rowley said "When I saw this swell develop on the weather charts, I was prepared for the biggest and best day of the year". Cloudbreak is a reef break approximately 10 kilometres out to sea, and surfers charter private boats to get to the waves. "Its such a full-on expedition to get to Cloudbreak but it's worth it", Rowley said. After breaking two new surfboards, Rowley exudes "Cloudbreak is a powerful wave and it destroyed two of my surfboards and lost one out to sea". At 21 years of age, Rosewall was one ...
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Cloudbreak Mega Swell Jeff Rowley Todd Rosewall during Volcom Fiji Pro 8 June 2012.mov - Video
07-06-2012 23:40 A travel gear tip about using waterproof float bags to keep electronics/ travel documents in when traveling. For more travel gear tips, tune in each Friday to
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Using U.S. credit cards abroad still can be tricky. Here are some ways to avoid currency headaches.
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By Mark Orwoll, International Editor, Travel + Leisure
updated 11:03 AM EDT, Fri June 8, 2012
Explore the Great Wall of China
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
(CNN) -- One of the oldest existing man-made structures, more than 2,000 years old and a world-travel icon that ranks alongside the pyramids of Egypt and Stonehenge -- the Great Wall of China should be on every traveler's bucket list.
To make the most of your visit, take some advice from these dos and don'ts.
DO choose a section of the wall that's right for you.
Most travelers visit one of these sections from their hotel base in Beijing: Juyongguan (closest to Beijing but less interesting than most other sections); Badaling (close but crowded); Mutianyu (farther away but less crowded and set among gorgeous mountains); and Jinshanling and Simatai (farther away still, but perfect for adventurers). Note: Simatai is currently closed for site improvements.
Travel + Leisure: World's most-visited ancient ruins
DON'T spend less than two or three hours exploring the wall. You'll need at least that much time to get the true flavor of the centuries-old structure.
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The world's largest pride festival gets underway this weekend in Sao Paulo, with millions expected to join the festivities. It kicks off pride season, with the focus then shifting to London and the World Pride Festival, which runs for the rest of the month.
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By Mark Orwoll, International Editor, Travel + Leisure
updated 11:03 AM EDT, Fri June 8, 2012
Explore the Great Wall of China
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
(CNN) -- One of the oldest existing man-made structures, more than 2,000 years old and a world-travel icon that ranks alongside the pyramids of Egypt and Stonehenge -- the Great Wall of China should be on every traveler's bucket list.
To make the most of your visit, take some advice from these dos and don'ts.
DO choose a section of the wall that's right for you.
Most travelers visit one of these sections from their hotel base in Beijing: Juyongguan (closest to Beijing but less interesting than most other sections); Badaling (close but crowded); Mutianyu (farther away but less crowded and set among gorgeous mountains); and Jinshanling and Simatai (farther away still, but perfect for adventurers). Note: Simatai is currently closed for site improvements.
Travel + Leisure: World's most-visited ancient ruins
DON'T spend less than two or three hours exploring the wall. You'll need at least that much time to get the true flavor of the centuries-old structure.
Read more:
06-06-2012 22:17 This series is the story of Sl1pg8r and his journey through Minecraft. We started our journey on a single island named Fortress. We've been keeping things small and simple. Recently we journeyed away from Fortress and found a new land to settle and make our home. In this episode I show you more of the Nether Mine-cart station and we travel back in time to see some footage that happened before my crash tonight. Link to Docm77's video: Please go let him know we need a channel shout-out! Seed: 4897710486329984032 Theme song for Surviving Sliptopia: Track: Danse Macabre Copyright holder: Kevin MacLeod Link to Link to License:
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Minecraft - Surviving Sliptopia Ep.45 - Nether Time Travel - Video
NEW YORK (Reuters) — If you're heading on holiday in the United States and enjoy a bit of eccentricity, then you're in luck because summer turns to silly season with these off-the-wall events chosen by online travel adviser TripAdvisor for its top 10 list of wacky U.S. summer events. Reuters has not endorsed this list: 1. Great Texas Mosquito Festival - June 26-28, Clute, Texas Located 55 miles ...
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HEMEL HEMPSTEAD, England, June 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --
Honoured as a Highly Rated Holiday Park as Reviewed by Travellers on the World's Largest Travel Site
Haven Family Holidays announced today that Weymouth Bay holiday park has received a Tripadvisor Certificate of Excellence award. The accolade, which honours hospitality excellence, is given only to establishments that consistently achieve outstanding traveller reviews on TripAdvisor, and is extended to qualifying businesses worldwide. Approximately 10 percent of accommodations listed on TripAdvisor receive this prestigious award.
To qualify for the Certificate of Excellence, businesses must maintain an overall rating of four or higher, out of a possible five, as reviewed by travellers on TripAdvisor. Additional criteria include the volume of reviews received within the last 12 months.
"We are thrilled to receive a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence," said Darren Hollis, General Manager at the Weymouth Bay Park. "Our team are focused on delivering positive memorable experiences to our guests, and this is a fantastic reward for all their hard work. To see all the positive traveller reviews on TripAdvisor is a really motivational."
"TripAdvisor is pleased to honor exceptional businesses for consistent excellence, as reviewed by travellers on the site," said Christine Petersen, president of TripAdvisor for Business. "The Certificate of Excellence award gives highly rated establishments around the world the recognition they deserve. From exceptional accommodations in Beijing to remarkable restaurants in Boston, we want to applaud these businesses for offering TripAdvisor travellers a great customer experience."
Haven Family Holidays have 35 parks around the UK for information call 0871 230 1900 or http://www.haven.com 23 parks have touring and camping areas http://www.haventouring.com or call 0871 230 1933 Holidayhomes are also available for sale on Haven parkshttp://www.havenholidayhomes.com
About Weymouth Bay
This beautifully landscaped Holiday Park with a relaxed and rural atmosphere offers plenty of green space to play. Key Features include: Lagoon-side location near to Chesil beach, close to a selection of local beaches, heated indoor and outdoor fun pools with Lazy River. Guests can also take advantage of facilities at sister park, Seaview which is accessible via a short nature walk.
About TripAdvisor TripAdvisor is the world's largest travel site, enabling travelers to plan and have the perfect trip. TripAdvisor offers trusted advice from real travelers and a wide variety of travel choices and planning features with seamless links to booking tools. TripAdvisor-branded sites make up the largest travel community in the world, with more than 50 million unique monthly visitors*, and over 60 million reviews and opinions. The sites operate in 30 countries worldwide, including China under daodao.com. TripAdvisor also includes TripAdvisor for Business, a dedicated division that provides the tourism industry access to TripAdvisor's millions of monthly visitors.
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Haven Holiday Park, Weymouth Bay, Earns 2012 Tripadvisor Certificate of Excellence
HONG KONG, June 8 — Australia has this week become the latest nation to announce plans to try to tap into China’s growing outbound tourism market — and the move makes perfect sense, too. An estimated 78 million Chinese are expected to travel overseas this year — up 16 per cent year on year — and while the majority of them will be targeting ...
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Australia has this week become the latest nation to announce plans to try to tap into China's growing outbound tourism market -- and the move makes perfect sense, too.
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World of travel adjusts to suit the needs of Chinese tourists
06-06-2012 07:45 Subscribe to Furious Pete - AWESOME new Furious Pete shirts!! - More World Tour Episodes - Polish language lessons - Furious Pete Shirt CLEARANCE - My place for all my Fitness and Supplement Needs - Check out everything Furious Pete - Follow Me Facebook - Twitter - Google+ Check out my other Channels: Vlogs - Supplement Reviews - The Furious Dog - Furious Eats - Furious GamePlay - Thanks for subscribing! For Bookings - info [@]
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Furious World Tour - Furious Pete in Warsaw - Abenteuer Leben - Video
1:20 p.m. EDT, June 7, 2012
GLASTONBURY
The parks and recreation department is offering summer camps for children and their imaginations as campers explore America, participate in Disney adventures and travel around the world.
Department officials said the program is "designed to meet the needs of working parents while providing a fun-filled day for children." Campers will participate daily in swim lessons, sports, games, arts and crafts and free swim. Campers will also have the option of taking a tennis lesson. Special events and field trips will take place weekly.
The themes will vary during the two-week sessions and include: "Exploring America" June 26-July 6;
"Disney Adventure" July 9-July 20; and "Around the World" July 23-Aug. 3. The program meets Monday-Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Each session is $299 and begins and ends each day in the Glastonbury High School cafeteria. Parents can register online at http://www.glastonbury-ct.gov or call the department at 860-652-7679 for more information.
Peter Marteka
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Glastonbury Day Camps To Explore America, Disney And Travel Around The World
Just because you?re a frequent flier doesn?t mean you have a global mindset, says Gregory Unruh, co-author (with Angel Cabrera) of Being Global: How to Think, Act, and Lead in a Transformed World: ?You can have the same Hilton experience in Shanghai as you can in Sao Paolo. It?s very possible to travel internationally without really becoming global.? If you want to get the most out of your ...
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BAMRUNG AMNATCHAROENRIT THE NATION June 8, 2012 1:00 am
The move will follow the concept used for the World Travel Market in London and the ITB in Berlin, the world's leading trade travel market.
The two local fairs are held annually in June, but serve different purposes. The Thailand Tourism Festival (TTF) is aimed at encouraging local tourism, while the Thailand Travel Mart Plus (TTM+) is a trading platform for international buyers to shop for local tourism products.
Combining them will help strengthen the Kingdom's claim to be a major tourism destination in the region in the lead-up to the Asean Economic Community in 2015, which will fan competition in the industry, TAT says.
Thawatchai Arunyik, TAT's deputy governor for domestic marketing, said at the TTF yesterday that the highlight of the new travel mart would be partly the pooling of the two fairs to demonstrate the diversity of local tourism products, especially to foreign eyes. Prominent products from communities across the nation will be exhibited and their economic potential displayed.
The venue will also serve as a platform for foreign buyers and local sellers to negotiate deals, while for domestic tourism, interested people will be welcomed.
The duration will be extended to seven from five days. In fact, the TTF is being held from June 6-10, while TTM+ runs from June 6-8. The location will remain the same - Muang Thong Thani.
The bigger event is expected to cost about Bt500 million to organise, up from between Bt60 million and Bt80 million at present. The increase comes from partly subsidising local operators and also spending on marketing campaigns to promote it internationally via TAT's 27 overseas offices.
Changing travel habits among consumers have prompted the change in structuring the travel fair. Keeping the fair traditional will no longer attract people's interest. To become a truly regional tourism hub, Thailand will have to open its platform even wider to welcome both business-oriented people and overseas tourism agencies to share knowledge so that the industry can progress.
At TTM+, the three-day event has attracted more than 473 buyers from 60 nations globally, while 381 local vendors are offering domestic tourism products and services in 12 categories.
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