07Jul 2009 by admin No Comments

While on Vacation, Tweet with Caution

Travel

Article written by Gear Up 4 Nature Most of us know what precautions to take before going on a long vacation. We ask a neighbor to collect the mail and watch the house; maybe we even leave on a light or two so as to give the appearance of being home and not tip off burglars to our absence. But when it comes to the newer world of social media, most of us would think nothing of sharing the news of an extended trip. Why, we’d just as soon tweet that we were spending a week in the Bahamas as we’d tweet the news of discount airline ticket sales. But as one Mesa, Arizona couple found out recently, the tendency to overshare on Twitter can have serious ramifications. The Dallas…

When to Book Your Airfare

Travel

Booking discount air travel can be hit-or-miss. Either you hit that one deal or you miss out on a low fare altogether. Blink at your computer screen, and the $79 special between Los Angeles and Denver might be gone. So what can you do to beat the fickle airlines and secure the best deal? According to some travel experts, the day of the week that you book your airfare is important. As with gas prices, airfare almost always goes up on weekends. Mid-week, however, after major airlines release new sales and other airlines match the lower prices, can be advantageous. Monday may be too early to capitalize on the lowest prices, and Thursday may be too late. Tuesday evenings and early Wednesday mornings are generally the best windows in which…

Pink-Dollar Travel Remains High Despite Recession

Travel

According to the Chicago Tribune, the recession has done little to curb the so-called “pink dollar”—the currency wielded by the nation’s gay and lesbian communities, who have refused to relinquish their travel plans, much to the delight of the nation’s travel industry. Now, hotel chains, destination cities, and airlines are all ramping up their efforts to woo pink dollars through gay-and-lesbian-targeted marketing programs. Chasing the pink dollar can pay high dividends. In 2006, a U.S. Travel Association survey found that gay men spend an average of $800 per trip. Their straight counterparts, on the other hand, spend only about $540 per trip. The reason for the discrepancy has much to do with the “double income, no kids” effect that so many gay and lesbian couples enjoy, although adoption rates are…