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Given Priceline's recent purchase of Kayak for $1.8 billion in a cash-and-stock deal, the question is either completely relevant or incredibly irrelevant.

But it's a fascinating question, and Hotelmarketing.com was bold enough to ask it.

Their disclaimer was that the question was probably "nonsensical," but their point is that Online Travel Agents (OTA), like the giants mentioned above, are under attack by airlines, hotels and car rental companies who simply don't want to share their booking rev

Every year, when spring and the Tet  holiday come, if you go on an excursion to highlands and the northern mountainous provinces, you will be glad to see blooming peach trees and plum and to discover the mysteries in the Hmong minority’s customs and habits, to welcome New Year, usually celebrated in early January in the lunar calendar.

The Tet holidays last 12 days, with many community activities, and the most typical is the Gau Tao festival, one of two important events each year to pray for good

by Andy Jarosz

Double agents, high drama, betrayal and plenty of high-tech gadgetry. The Good Shepherd, directed by Robert De Niro and released in 2006, had all the magic ingredients of a classic spy film. With Matt Damon and Angelina Jolie providing the obligatory glamor it was no surprise that the movie became a box-office success. What is perhaps less obvious, even to those who may have watched The Good Shepherd on more than one occasion, is that many of the scenes were shot in the Dominic

Simply step outside any five-star hotel, and take the taxi which awaits at the doorstep to anywhere you'd want to go in Cairo. Unfortunately, there is perhaps no more expensive way to get about in this great city. Common taxis are much more affordable, and better yet, take the longer trips on the metro and leave the taxis for short hops.

There are three main types of taxis in Cairo. The first type is the old black and white taxis. These have no meter, and the price of the trip depends on the le

What is Vin de Pays d'Oc?

Wines of Pays d’Oc are simply more adventurous bucking French wine making convention. Elevated worlds above table wine (Vin de Table) but perhaps not entirely conforming to AOC (origin of control) standards...there is plenty of room for distinctive creativity in the Vin de Pays category. Grown in the South of France's Languedoc Roussillon, over 56 Pays d'Oc grape varieties thrive in world renown terrain stretching from the Spanish border to the Rhone delta. Growing condi

Before I left Mt. Cook, I took one last look at the amazing view. Staying longer was no option, because there was so much more to see in the South. Early in the morning, when my car windows were still frozen, I decided to drive more south, towards Oamaru.

I drove along a few beautiful lakes that New Zealand has to offer: Lake Aviemore, Lake Benmore and Lake Waitiki.

Around noon I arrived in Oamaru. Best described as a sweet little town. I rang the doorbell at the hostel, that was situated just off

After having been closed in mid-June, the Dhikala Safari Zone will again open for tourist form 15^th of November as scheduled every year. It is the most famous tourist zone among all the four tourist zones of Corbett Park. One can perform jeep safaris and canter safaris here but having jeep safari here one needs to have a night-stay permit and canter safari can be done staying outside the core area of national park.

The biggest tourist attraction in the area is Dhikala Forest Lodge. The forest lod

One of the most amazing things I’ve learned how to do is scuba dive. It’s the closest thing to flying I’ve ever felt, and given my fear of heights (or, rather, falling from them), it feels a whole lot safer. When you get your buoyancy worked out right, being weightless under water, drifting here and there looking at cool sea life and them looking at you is pretty cool in my book.

If you don’t know how to scuba dive, or don’t have the equipment, snorkeling is just as fun. Besides, most of the colo

Route map through the Canadian Southern Gulf Islands and the San Juan Islands of Washington.
(map modified from the original on Wiki Commons)

I went to one of the top 1,000 places to see before dying. As I keep coming back, there are probably still 999 to go. Seeing the San Juan Islands of Washington automatically includes memorable activities such as sighting eagles, fishing, crabbing, beach walking, nature parks, sailing, kayaking… you get the idea. What I like to do in the San Juan Islands

We’re pleased to welcome back to the InsureMyTrip blog a great friend of ours, travel writer and icon Johnny Jet!  This week, Johnny is sharing his thoughts on cruising, a very popular travel choice among InsureMyTrip’s clients.  Next week, stay tuned for Johnny’s post about navigating the sometimes stressful experience of holiday travel.

In 2008 I went on my first cruise (Celebrity Solstice) in almost 1

Despite the flight disruptions caused by Hurricane Sandy, 75 travel professionals will convene at the second Family Travel Conference (FTCDallas) to be held at the Omni Dallas Hotel at the Convention Center Nov. 9-11, 2012. You may recall my New Media Travel post about FTC1, in which I raved, "This group of bright, engaged mothers (and some dads) who travel with their kids and run homes and blogs, now run the family travel market and drive some of the most exciting conversations on line."

The tw

The current building, and second hotel on the site, was built in 1908 on the site where Andrew Jackson had his military headquarters during the War of 1812.  In the lobby, above a plush, circular banquette, is a beautiful domed Tiffany skylight.  The ornate molding has the portraits in the corners of the four leaders who ruled over Mobile: Louis XIV of France, English king George III, Spain´s Ferdinand V, and our very own George Washington. 

The Four Diamond hotel has been a favorite of entert

  I promised several people a trip report and blog entry from my latest travel adventure so here's an abbreviated entry.....


Friday, June 17:

My 5th annual group trip of FantasyFesters and KrewedeKrazyLife friends to Hedonism II resort in Negril, Jamaica is now within 24 hours. This will be my 7th trip to a SuperClubs Hedonism all-inclusive, clothing optional beachfront and tropical resort.

I’m so excited and packing my 3 luggage bags and 2 carry-ons only adds to the excitement as I try to

Provided by WineFoodGuide.com       
Barili Cellars of Washington State

Sometimes “smaller is better” when it comes to crafting limited amounts of premium wine. Serious wine lovers and connoisseurs are focusing their palates towards small producers who craft superior wines in small lots, using old world techniques, with limited non-commercial technology. Barili Cellars in downtown Spokane, Washington is one of those artisan venues who create “rare treasures of bottled delights.” A visit to their u

When you travel to Hanoi, Vietnam, do not miss try the transportation unique to Hanoi: the cyclo, A cyclo tour takes you around Hanoi's old quarter or around Hanoi Kiem lake, that will give you the different impression in Hanoi, Vietnam.

In a modern life, high-tech transportation seems determined to surpass the ancient rickshaws, even though the rickshaw remains a favorite with tourists. After wandering around Dong Xuan and Hanoi markets, I took a walk to the ancient town and reached Hang Du

Get in a cab and take a short taxi ride from Playa Del Carmen for a truly unique experience. Alux Restaurant & Lounge Noy is an underground bar, where you might need to go by a candlelight. Overcoming the stairsis half the battle and brings you to the hall, filled with stalactites and stalagmites. Alux (pronounced “ah-LOOsh») – a whole system of caves, which are now established into a restaurant, bar, VIP-lounge. People are thinking that those who will be ready to spend here a lot of time will

For those times when life doesn't have you exploring new territory, there are certain qualities of travel that need to be cultivated regularly or they are quickly lost to the comfort zone that becomes your familiar routine. Trouble is, routine is the antithesis of rewarding travel. To make sure that you're best prepared for your next trip, here are some ways to maintain your travel fitness while immersed in a work-a-day lifestyle.

1. Exercise and Stretch Regularly

Travel often involves sharp cont

This morning I looked out off the window. It was mostly grey, but on the bright side....it didn't rain. Yeah, just another day in the fall. Falls here in the Netherlands are mostly like that. You are lucky when it doesn't rain and really, really lucky when you see some sunshine.

But the weather doesn't get me down, or at least i'm trying, but this make me also realise that I was really lucky in New Zealand. Even in the winter I got lots of sun. On the westcoast it was raining, buy hey...when does

It’s been a good year so far for Nataly Bernold. The 19-year-old from Jaco Beach, Costa Rica, was just crowned Costa Rica’s National Surfing Champion in the Women’s divisionin August (2012), making it her third national surfing title.

In May, she won the Quicksilver Cup on the Olympus National Surfing Circuit in Dominical, placing more than 8 points higher than her second-place competitor in the Women’s Open division. And Nataly is already ranking Central American Women’s Surf Champion.

Not bad co

Tourism security professionals and managers often (and justly) complain that they are considered expendable due to the fact that the other parts of the tourism industry perceive them as adding nothing to the bottom line.  In fact often tourism officials believe that security is simply and added and required expense that must be accepted, be that expense a burden. This month's Tourism Tidbits focuses on the other side of the coin, and emphasizes that not only is tourism security not simply a nece