In a mid-year financial check up, three-quarters (75 percent) of Americans say their debt has not increased over the past six months and in fact more than a third (38 percent) say their debt has actually decreased, according to the latest American Express Spending & Saving Tracker. While consumers are focused on keeping their debt at bay, they also expressed positive long and short-term spending intentions. For example, more than one-quarter (26 percent) of the general population say that the summer weather specifically encourages more spontaneous spending.

This month’s American Express Spending & Saving Tracker surveyed consumers about their spending and saving patterns and intentions midway through 2010 compared to the beginning of the year. The research sample of 2,004 adults included the general U.S. population, as well as two subgroups -- the affluent and young professionals.

Seventy-five percent of the general population reports no increase in their debt over the past six months. More Americans say they have been focused on paying down debt (46 percent) than saving (29 percent) this year, and 57 percent of consumers with debt have been moving forward with a specific plan to reduce or stabilize their debt. An impressive number of consumers say they have decreased their debt over the last six months: the majority of affluents (52 percent), almost half (46 percent) of young professionals, and more than a third (38 percent) of the general population. Travel is one of their top five “wants,” as opposed to “needs” such as clothing, housing and education. For more information, visit www.americanexpress.com/aboutus.

Luxury travel network Virtuoso announced nominations for the fourth annual Virtuoso “Best of the Best” hotel awards. Virtuoso Live magazine’s editorial director, Elaine Srnka, and Virtuoso’s vice president of hotels, destinations and tours, Albert Herrera, announced the nominees, which represent the highest standards in their given category and are considered some of the world’s finest properties.

Virtuoso’s Hotels & Resorts Program has a portfolio of more than 800 world-class properties. Editors of Virtuoso Live magazine, Virtuoso network’s publication, collaborated with the organization’s travel advisors to select hotel nominees that demonstrate service, design, room product and social responsibility. A total of 10 categories, ranging from best architecture and design to top hotel and hotelier of the year, will establish which hotels continue to excel. Winners will be revealed during Virtuoso’s 22nd annual Travel Mart Conference at the Hotels & Resorts Dinner on Aug. 18, 2010. Award categories and nominees include:

Best Achievement in Design: Recognizes the significance of outstanding architecture and design of a hotel or component therein, whether in new construction, renovation or historic restoration. Nominees are Canella, Singapore; Aria Resort & Casino, Las Vegas; Mandarin Oriental, Barcelona; Armani Hotel Dubai; and Taj Falaknuma Palace, Hyderabad.

Best Culinary Experience: Recognizes the hotel restaurant that offers exemplary food, service, ambience, wine list and even views. Nominees are Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester, Dorchester Hotel, London; Yoshi, Hotel Métropole Monte-Carlo; Café Gray, The Upper House, Hong Kong; The Mark by Jean Georges, The Mark, New York; and Pierre Gagnaire pour Les Airelles, Hôtel de Charme Les Airelles, Courchevel.

Best Bar: Recognizes the hotel bar that offers a lively, convivial and entertaining social meeting spot where innovative drinks and an enticing atmosphere create a “must see and be seen” buzz. Nominees are Xiu, Park Hyatt Beijing; Sir Elly’s, The Peninsula Shanghai; The Cigar Bar, Alvear Palace Hotel; Mandarin Bar, Mandarin Oriental Las Vegas; and Principe Bar, Principe di Savoia.

Best Family Program: Recognizing the family friendly environment, this award acknowledges special programs and activities for children of all ages, from creative activities and services to educational endeavors and active adventures. Nominees are Awasi, San Pedro de Atacama, Chile; Presidente InterContinental Cozumel; Bristol Buenaventura, Panama; The Ritz-Carlton, Naples; and Rocco Forte Verdura Golf & Spa Resort, Sicily.

Best Spa: Recognizes the hotel spa that offers the most alluring environment for rest and rejuvenation, creative and therapeutic treatments, and highly skilled and knowledgeable therapists. Nominees are Le Spa Metropole, Sofitel Legend Metropole, Hanoi; The Spa at Grand Velas All-Suites & SPA Resort, Riviera Maya; The Spa at La Reserve Ramatuelle, France; The Anantara Spa at Kempinski Ishtar Dead Sea, Jordan; and To B. Wellbeing & Spa, Grand Hotel Quellenhoff & Spa Suites, Bad Ragaz, Switzerland.

Most Innovative Guest Experience: Recognizes a hotel that continually raises the bar by featuring clever and meaningful guest experiences that move the industry forward. Nominees are Hoshinoya Kyoto; Amanfayun, Hangzhou, China; The St. Regis Deer Crest Resort, Park City; Evason Ma’in Hot Springs & Six Senses Spa, Ma’in, Jordan; and Hotel das Cataratas, an Orient-Express Hotel, Foz do Iguacu, Brazil.

Most Socially Responsible: Recognizes a hotel dedicated to making a difference through innovative local or global environmental programs that make the world a better place, whether a green initiative or a community education program. Nominees are Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa, Lithgow, Australia; Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo; Le Quartier Français, Franschhoek, South Africa; Inkaterra Machu Picchu; and Fairmont Scottsdale.

One to Watch: A forward-looking nod to those shaping the future of the hotel world, recognizes an individual making an impact on the hotel and resort industry. Nominees are Liam Lambert, Oberoi Hotels & Resorts; Alan Fuerstman, Montage Hotels & Resorts; Brian Williams, Swire Hotels; Omer Acar, Ritz Paris; and Andrea Filippi, Orient-Express Hotels.

Hotelier of the Year: Honors an experienced hotel manager with an unrelenting passion for the industry, an astute appreciation for detail and a keen sense of how to lead and manage a dynamic team of professionals. Nominees are Nigel Pace, Cape Grace; Michel Jauslin, Park Hyatt Paris – Vendôme; Offer Nissenbaum, The Peninsula Beverly Hills; Torsten van Dullemen, The Oberoi Udaivilas; and Claudio Ceccherelli, Park Hyatt Milano.

Hotel of the Year: Recognizes a hotel that continually epitomizes excellence in the categories of design, ambience, service, food and beverage, spa, family programs, innovation and social responsibility. Nominees are The Goring, London; The Gleneagles Hotel, Auchterarder, Scotland; Amangiri, Canyon Point, Utah; Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek, Dallas; and Rocco Forte The Augustine, Prague. For more information on Virtuoso, visit www.virtuoso.com.

The HBTACommunity now has more than 5,000 members after being in operation for two years. The forums and groups created by members have already generated thousands of different conversations of interest to travel professionals, and more than 100,000 messages in the forums, groups and comment walls.

Threads are posted by the minute and responses build each hour. The conversations actually start a discussion, solve a business issue and complete an entire thought process. As an example, a recent post started on July 2 at 12:57 p.m. generated more than 20 responses in two days as business was traded from one agent to another who was more specialized to help the client, reading materials were recommended and business plan strategies were exchanged.

“The discussions are all free, all colleague to colleague, all honest, all open,” said Tom Ogg, HBTA’s founder. Within this new community site, travel agents have built geographic networks for conversation and advice as well as target and special interest market networks.

And as agents join the travel business from other industries, this board gives them a collective of peers to share and exchange ideas. Regional travel agents groups have formed including Southern; Washington, D.C. area; California; Florida; Gulf Coast; Colorado; Midwest; and Tri-State agents. Global groups have formed for Australia, Egypt, Greece, Italy, South America, India, Costa Rica, Asia, Canada, Argentina and other areas of the world. Among the topics of discussions are cruise-only agents, Internet marketing, special needs travel, groups, marketing destination wedding, luxury travel, gay and lesbian travel and river cruises. For more information, visit www.HBTACommunity.com.
 

Travel Leaders has made substantive changes to its award-winning Postcards magazine, which that is sent on a complimentary basis to nearly a half million of its top customers quarterly. Now published in-house, each edition includes more profiles of Travel Leaders members and their expertise in its pages, but it also allows members more options to further customize their content before it is sent to their clients as their premier customer-retention tool. Agents can produce their own four-page inserts with the sponsorship of a vendor. The insert can hold the vendor’s product as well as articles by clients and agents about their own travel experiences.

Each issue of Postcards includes three major features and a section of short articles on a variety of travel topics, including a feature educating consumers on a unique experience in a specific destination, a feature highlighting a distinctive neighborhood or city, often a preferred destination of Travel Leaders, a family travel column and a travel insider column that gives consumers information about what’s new and happening in the world of travel. It also includes advertisements from preferred suppliers. For more information, visit www.TravelLeaders.com.
 

InteleTravel, a host agency, and Sustainable Travel International (STI) are partnering to promote responsible travel and tourism development worldwide. InteleTravel hosts thousands of agents in all 50 United States, Canada, Mexico and 40 other countries, and has a nearly 20-year history of innovation.

When it launches Aug. 1, InteleTravel’s Intele will have several practical components located in a new “green” area of its consumer websites and agent intranet. A custom web-based carbon calculator will allow conscientious consumers to easily measure and manage the CO2 emissions resulting from their travel, including air, hotel and other trip components. Want to reduce your travel carbon footprint or become vacation carbon neutral? Choose from a variety of high-quality carbon offset portfolios worldwide, including renewable energy, energy efficiency and forestry-related projects -- all verified or certified by independent third-party authorities -- and make the modest donation corresponding to your travel arrangements.

InteleTravel has added a charitable, community-focused element to the program as well, addressing recent powerful consumer trends, like “buying with your heart as well as your head.” Customers will find responsible travel options and volunteer vacations from top travel brands, like Sandals’ Giveback Getaways, Ritz Carlton Volun-Tourism opportunities, Royal Caribbean Cruises For Charity, Abercrombie & Kent Philanthropic Journeys, and for agents, promotions for industry efforts like membership in TourismCares and STI.

Behind the scenes, InteleTravel Independent Travel Agents will be encouraged to become “green entrepreneurs,” with educational programming designed by InteleTravel and STI, including a series of exclusive webinars resulting in a Sustainable Travel Counselor certification. Agents can also search a directory of green getaways, featuring certified eco-destinations, eco-credentialed hotels, hybrid car rentals and more.

The final piece is a travel philanthropy engine that connects travel agents and their clients to more than 850 pre-screened grassroots charity projects around the world, quality philanthropic initiatives in the destinations InteleTravel sells. Projects are searchable by country or type: children, health, women, disaster recovery and similar categories. For more information, visit www.InteleTravel.com  or www.sustainabletravelinternational.org.

Cruise Planners/American Express, the largest home-based travel agent franchise, has launched eREZSM, the company’s first web-based customer relations management program that allows agents to organize and store in-depth client information in an easy to navigate system accessible from any computer or smart phone with Wi-Fi.

Created exclusively for franchise owners by the company’s information technology team, eREZSM was developed to improve productivity by providing agents with the convenience of managing client reservations for cruise travel, air travel, car rentals, land tours and hotel bookings from any computer. eREZSM is replacing CP Software, a desktop-based system for agents’ personal computers.

The system’s navigational tools help agents generate client lists, add new client information as well as changing or editing reservations. A calendar reminds agents of important dates such as payment deadlines and client birthdays, and with the new program, agents can send personalized e-cards promoting new travel packages and cruise deals. eREZSM is integrated with the cruise lines’ systems for dispensing commission payments electronically to agents.

Cruise Planners created more than 20 informational webinars, posted on the Cruise Planners University website, to teach agents how to use the system, and a dedicated group of coaches are available at Cruise Planners’ Home Office to assist with questions or concerns. For more information, visit www.cruiseplannersfranchise.com.

CruiseOne & Cruises Inc. was recently honored as top luxury travel specialists at Crystal Cruises’ 20th annual Sales Achievement Gala aboard Crystal Symphony. The event was a forum for the latest product updates and educational seminars, as well as exclusive parties honoring the award-winners. Only 75 qualifying worldwide travel agencies were recognized for their expertise selling luxury cruises. CruiseOne is a franchise with more than 600 locations. Cruises Inc. is a host agency with more than 600 locations. For more information, visit www.CruiseOneFranchise.com  or www.SellCruises.com.

More than half of Americans appear to have put off their plans for this year"s summer vacation. And many of those who do plan to take vacation, will likely spend less money than last year. StrategyOne, a public opinion polling firm, recently surveyed more than 1,000 Americans about a range of topics and found that less than 3 in 10 Americans (28 percent) plan to take a summer vacation this summer. Sixteen percent say they have not decided whether they will take a summer vacation or not, and more than half, 56 percent, have already ruled out taking a summer vacation.

The vast majority of those who are taking a summer vacation plan to stay within the U.S. (76 percent), compared with 13 percent who will travel internationally. A lucky few -- 12 percent -- plan to have summer vacations that include time off in the United States and somewhere abroad.

One area of concern is the impact of the rising price of fuel. Nearly three of four Americans (72 percent) say they are concerned about gas prices this summer as it relates to their family vacation. With the vast majority (88 percent) of those who are traveling domestically for vacation reporting they are traveling more than 100 miles away from home, fuel prices will likely stay top of mind.

Additionally, with the troubled economy continuing to dominate Americans" minds, travelers are undoubtedly acting more frugally this summer -- nearly half of those planning on taking a summer vacation (48 percent) say they are spending less than they spent on their last vacation. For more information, visit www.strategyone.net.
 

AAA has launched the truvle customized trip itinerary planner. The new trip planner will replace traditional, text-based, agent email itineraries with a Web-empowered e-mail itinerary that gives travelers instant access to a full gamut of destination information and travel products and services.

The interactive itinerary was developed by truvle Ltd. for travel agents, hotels, tour operators, airlines and more. It features a bright, contemporary design. It will make travel planning easy for clients by providing travelers with links to a full array of useful information, including restaurants, shopping, entertainment, tours, weather, maps, directions and more.

The technology allows clubs to use their own banners and ads to market AAA and preferred partner services and to promote AAA products. Agents create email itineraries with the AAA logo and contact information to send branded e-itineraries with targeted ads to travelers, who can click through the links, make purchases and receive more information.

Truvle technology links travelers to his or her own Personal Trip Planner (PTP) – a customized website with information on things to see and do in the destination. For AAA, truvle also created an exclusive AAA Services and Maps section, allowing the organization to leverage the products for which it is famous, such as AAA Travel Guides and Maps.

Additionally, this Services and Maps special section links to AAA.com/travel for air, hotel, car and cruise bookings. The Itinerary Trip Planner keeps travelers in the AAA family, enabling clubs to create a comprehensive AAA Experience for every client. For more information, visit www.truvle.com/movie.  For more information, visit www.aaa.com . 

More than 50 top selling Signature Travel Network members joined Michelle Morgan, president of Signature, along with the Signature executive team to celebrate the 17th annual Horizons Club Cruise recognizing the highest sales achievers of 2009.

The cruise departed from New York on May 21 and arrived at Southampton, England, on May 28. Guests enjoyed the Queen Mary 2"s stunning accommodations and amenities such as: sumptuous meals at Todd English"s onboard restaurant, treatments at the Canyon Ranch SpaClub, enlightening talks held by Cunard Insights lectures, and much more. Cunard President and Managing Director, Peter Shanks, joined the group.

Morgan gave a summary on the overall state of the industry and Signature Travel Network. Karryn Christopher, director of marketing services, outlined changes in Signature"s 2010 marketing such as providing members 1000 free publications and a marketing credit for increased direct mail distribution. Michael Von Wittenau, vice president of strategic business development, discussed Signature"s strategic partnerships with the Food Network, Bon Appétit, and Conde Nast. Michael Von Wittenau, vice president of strategic business development, discussed Signature"s strategic partnerships with the Food Network, Bon Appétit, and Conde Nast. For more information, visit www.signaturetravelnetwork.com.  

In a mid-year financial check up, three-quarters (75 percent) of Americans say their debt has not increased over the past six months and in fact more than a third (38 percent) say their debt has actually decreased, according to the latest American Express Spending & Saving Tracker. While consumers are focused on keeping their debt at bay, they also expressed positive long and short-term spending intentions. For example, more than one-quarter (26 percent) of the general population say that the summer weather specifically encourages more spontaneous spending.

This month’s American Express Spending & Saving Tracker surveyed consumers about their spending and saving patterns and intentions midway through 2010 compared to the beginning of the year. The research sample of 2,004 adults included the general U.S. population, as well as two subgroups -- the affluent and young professionals.

Seventy-five percent of the general population reports no increase in their debt over the past six months. More Americans say they have been focused on paying down debt (46 percent) than saving (29 percent) this year, and 57 percent of consumers with debt have been moving forward with a specific plan to reduce or stabilize their debt. An impressive number of consumers say they have decreased their debt over the last six months: the majority of affluents (52 percent), almost half (46 percent) of young professionals, and more than a third (38 percent) of the general population. Travel is one of their top five “wants,” as opposed to “needs” such as clothing, housing and education. For more information, visit www.americanexpress.com/aboutus.

Luxury travel network Virtuoso announced nominations for the fourth annual Virtuoso “Best of the Best” hotel awards. Virtuoso Live magazine’s editorial director, Elaine Srnka, and Virtuoso’s vice president of hotels, destinations and tours, Albert Herrera, announced the nominees, which represent the highest standards in their given category and are considered some of the world’s finest properties.

Virtuoso’s Hotels & Resorts Program has a portfolio of more than 800 world-class properties. Editors of Virtuoso Live magazine, Virtuoso network’s publication, collaborated with the organization’s travel advisors to select hotel nominees that demonstrate service, design, room product and social responsibility. A total of 10 categories, ranging from best architecture and design to top hotel and hotelier of the year, will establish which hotels continue to excel. Winners will be revealed during Virtuoso’s 22nd annual Travel Mart Conference at the Hotels & Resorts Dinner on Aug. 18, 2010. Award categories and nominees include:

Best Achievement in Design: Recognizes the significance of outstanding architecture and design of a hotel or component therein, whether in new construction, renovation or historic restoration. Nominees are Canella, Singapore; Aria Resort & Casino, Las Vegas; Mandarin Oriental, Barcelona; Armani Hotel Dubai; and Taj Falaknuma Palace, Hyderabad.

Best Culinary Experience: Recognizes the hotel restaurant that offers exemplary food, service, ambience, wine list and even views. Nominees are Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester, Dorchester Hotel, London; Yoshi, Hotel Métropole Monte-Carlo; Café Gray, The Upper House, Hong Kong; The Mark by Jean Georges, The Mark, New York; and Pierre Gagnaire pour Les Airelles, Hôtel de Charme Les Airelles, Courchevel.

Best Bar: Recognizes the hotel bar that offers a lively, convivial and entertaining social meeting spot where innovative drinks and an enticing atmosphere create a “must see and be seen” buzz. Nominees are Xiu, Park Hyatt Beijing; Sir Elly’s, The Peninsula Shanghai; The Cigar Bar, Alvear Palace Hotel; Mandarin Bar, Mandarin Oriental Las Vegas; and Principe Bar, Principe di Savoia.

Best Family Program: Recognizing the family friendly environment, this award acknowledges special programs and activities for children of all ages, from creative activities and services to educational endeavors and active adventures. Nominees are Awasi, San Pedro de Atacama, Chile; Presidente InterContinental Cozumel; Bristol Buenaventura, Panama; The Ritz-Carlton, Naples; and Rocco Forte Verdura Golf & Spa Resort, Sicily.

Best Spa: Recognizes the hotel spa that offers the most alluring environment for rest and rejuvenation, creative and therapeutic treatments, and highly skilled and knowledgeable therapists. Nominees are Le Spa Metropole, Sofitel Legend Metropole, Hanoi; The Spa at Grand Velas All-Suites & SPA Resort, Riviera Maya; The Spa at La Reserve Ramatuelle, France; The Anantara Spa at Kempinski Ishtar Dead Sea, Jordan; and To B. Wellbeing & Spa, Grand Hotel Quellenhoff & Spa Suites, Bad Ragaz, Switzerland.

Most Innovative Guest Experience: Recognizes a hotel that continually raises the bar by featuring clever and meaningful guest experiences that move the industry forward. Nominees are Hoshinoya Kyoto; Amanfayun, Hangzhou, China; The St. Regis Deer Crest Resort, Park City; Evason Ma’in Hot Springs & Six Senses Spa, Ma’in, Jordan; and Hotel das Cataratas, an Orient-Express Hotel, Foz do Iguacu, Brazil.

Most Socially Responsible: Recognizes a hotel dedicated to making a difference through innovative local or global environmental programs that make the world a better place, whether a green initiative or a community education program. Nominees are Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa, Lithgow, Australia; Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo; Le Quartier Français, Franschhoek, South Africa; Inkaterra Machu Picchu; and Fairmont Scottsdale.

One to Watch: A forward-looking nod to those shaping the future of the hotel world, recognizes an individual making an impact on the hotel and resort industry. Nominees are Liam Lambert, Oberoi Hotels & Resorts; Alan Fuerstman, Montage Hotels & Resorts; Brian Williams, Swire Hotels; Omer Acar, Ritz Paris; and Andrea Filippi, Orient-Express Hotels.

Hotelier of the Year: Honors an experienced hotel manager with an unrelenting passion for the industry, an astute appreciation for detail and a keen sense of how to lead and manage a dynamic team of professionals. Nominees are Nigel Pace, Cape Grace; Michel Jauslin, Park Hyatt Paris – Vendôme; Offer Nissenbaum, The Peninsula Beverly Hills; Torsten van Dullemen, The Oberoi Udaivilas; and Claudio Ceccherelli, Park Hyatt Milano.

Hotel of the Year: Recognizes a hotel that continually epitomizes excellence in the categories of design, ambience, service, food and beverage, spa, family programs, innovation and social responsibility. Nominees are The Goring, London; The Gleneagles Hotel, Auchterarder, Scotland; Amangiri, Canyon Point, Utah; Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek, Dallas; and Rocco Forte The Augustine, Prague. For more information on Virtuoso, visit www.virtuoso.com.

Cruise Planners/American Express, the largest home-based travel agent franchise, has launched eREZSM, the company’s first web-based customer relations management program that allows agents to organize and store in-depth client information in an easy to navigate system accessible from any computer or smart phone with Wi-Fi.

Created exclusively for franchise owners by the company’s information technology team, eREZSM was developed to improve productivity by providing agents with the convenience of managing client reservations for cruise travel, air travel, car rentals, land tours and hotel bookings from any computer. eREZSM is replacing CP Software, a desktop-based system for agents’ personal computers.

The system’s navigational tools help agents generate client lists, add new client information as well as changing or editing reservations. A calendar reminds agents of important dates such as payment deadlines and client birthdays, and with the new program, agents can send personalized e-cards promoting new travel packages and cruise deals. eREZSM is integrated with the cruise lines’ systems for dispensing commission payments electronically to agents.

Cruise Planners created more than 20 informational webinars, posted on the Cruise Planners University website, to teach agents how to use the system, and a dedicated group of coaches are available at Cruise Planners’ Home Office to assist with questions or concerns. For more information, visit www.cruiseplannersfranchise.com.

In a mid-year financial check up, three-quarters (75 percent) of Americans say their debt has not increased over the past six months and in fact more than a third (38 percent) say their debt has actually decreased, according to the latest American Express Spending & Saving Tracker. While consumers are focused on keeping their debt at bay, they also expressed positive long and short-term spending intentions. For example, more than one-quarter (26 percent) of the general population say that the summer weather specifically encourages more spontaneous spending.

This month’s American Express Spending & Saving Tracker surveyed consumers about their spending and saving patterns and intentions midway through 2010 compared to the beginning of the year. The research sample of 2,004 adults included the general U.S. population, as well as two subgroups -- the affluent and young professionals.

Seventy-five percent of the general population reports no increase in their debt over the past six months. More Americans say they have been focused on paying down debt (46 percent) than saving (29 percent) this year, and 57 percent of consumers with debt have been moving forward with a specific plan to reduce or stabilize their debt. An impressive number of consumers say they have decreased their debt over the last six months: the majority of affluents (52 percent), almost half (46 percent) of young professionals, and more than a third (38 percent) of the general population. Travel is one of their top five “wants,” as opposed to “needs” such as clothing, housing and education. For more information, visit www.americanexpress.com/aboutus.

Luxury travel network Virtuoso announced nominations for the fourth annual Virtuoso “Best of the Best” hotel awards. Virtuoso Live magazine’s editorial director, Elaine Srnka, and Virtuoso’s vice president of hotels, destinations and tours, Albert Herrera, announced the nominees, which represent the highest standards in their given category and are considered some of the world’s finest properties.

Virtuoso’s Hotels & Resorts Program has a portfolio of more than 800 world-class properties. Editors of Virtuoso Live magazine, Virtuoso network’s publication, collaborated with the organization’s travel advisors to select hotel nominees that demonstrate service, design, room product and social responsibility. A total of 10 categories, ranging from best architecture and design to top hotel and hotelier of the year, will establish which hotels continue to excel. Winners will be revealed during Virtuoso’s 22nd annual Travel Mart Conference at the Hotels & Resorts Dinner on Aug. 18, 2010. Award categories and nominees include:

Best Achievement in Design: Recognizes the significance of outstanding architecture and design of a hotel or component therein, whether in new construction, renovation or historic restoration. Nominees are Canella, Singapore; Aria Resort & Casino, Las Vegas; Mandarin Oriental, Barcelona; Armani Hotel Dubai; and Taj Falaknuma Palace, Hyderabad.

Best Culinary Experience: Recognizes the hotel restaurant that offers exemplary food, service, ambience, wine list and even views. Nominees are Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester, Dorchester Hotel, London; Yoshi, Hotel Métropole Monte-Carlo; Café Gray, The Upper House, Hong Kong; The Mark by Jean Georges, The Mark, New York; and Pierre Gagnaire pour Les Airelles, Hôtel de Charme Les Airelles, Courchevel.

Best Bar: Recognizes the hotel bar that offers a lively, convivial and entertaining social meeting spot where innovative drinks and an enticing atmosphere create a “must see and be seen” buzz. Nominees are Xiu, Park Hyatt Beijing; Sir Elly’s, The Peninsula Shanghai; The Cigar Bar, Alvear Palace Hotel; Mandarin Bar, Mandarin Oriental Las Vegas; and Principe Bar, Principe di Savoia.

Best Family Program: Recognizing the family friendly environment, this award acknowledges special programs and activities for children of all ages, from creative activities and services to educational endeavors and active adventures. Nominees are Awasi, San Pedro de Atacama, Chile; Presidente InterContinental Cozumel; Bristol Buenaventura, Panama; The Ritz-Carlton, Naples; and Rocco Forte Verdura Golf & Spa Resort, Sicily.

Best Spa: Recognizes the hotel spa that offers the most alluring environment for rest and rejuvenation, creative and therapeutic treatments, and highly skilled and knowledgeable therapists. Nominees are Le Spa Metropole, Sofitel Legend Metropole, Hanoi; The Spa at Grand Velas All-Suites & SPA Resort, Riviera Maya; The Spa at La Reserve Ramatuelle, France; The Anantara Spa at Kempinski Ishtar Dead Sea, Jordan; and To B. Wellbeing & Spa, Grand Hotel Quellenhoff & Spa Suites, Bad Ragaz, Switzerland.

Most Innovative Guest Experience: Recognizes a hotel that continually raises the bar by featuring clever and meaningful guest experiences that move the industry forward. Nominees are Hoshinoya Kyoto; Amanfayun, Hangzhou, China; The St. Regis Deer Crest Resort, Park City; Evason Ma’in Hot Springs & Six Senses Spa, Ma’in, Jordan; and Hotel das Cataratas, an Orient-Express Hotel, Foz do Iguacu, Brazil.

Most Socially Responsible: Recognizes a hotel dedicated to making a difference through innovative local or global environmental programs that make the world a better place, whether a green initiative or a community education program. Nominees are Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa, Lithgow, Australia; Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo; Le Quartier Français, Franschhoek, South Africa; Inkaterra Machu Picchu; and Fairmont Scottsdale.

One to Watch: A forward-looking nod to those shaping the future of the hotel world, recognizes an individual making an impact on the hotel and resort industry. Nominees are Liam Lambert, Oberoi Hotels & Resorts; Alan Fuerstman, Montage Hotels & Resorts; Brian Williams, Swire Hotels; Omer Acar, Ritz Paris; and Andrea Filippi, Orient-Express Hotels.

Hotelier of the Year: Honors an experienced hotel manager with an unrelenting passion for the industry, an astute appreciation for detail and a keen sense of how to lead and manage a dynamic team of professionals. Nominees are Nigel Pace, Cape Grace; Michel Jauslin, Park Hyatt Paris – Vendôme; Offer Nissenbaum, The Peninsula Beverly Hills; Torsten van Dullemen, The Oberoi Udaivilas; and Claudio Ceccherelli, Park Hyatt Milano.

Hotel of the Year: Recognizes a hotel that continually epitomizes excellence in the categories of design, ambience, service, food and beverage, spa, family programs, innovation and social responsibility. Nominees are The Goring, London; The Gleneagles Hotel, Auchterarder, Scotland; Amangiri, Canyon Point, Utah; Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek, Dallas; and Rocco Forte The Augustine, Prague. For more information on Virtuoso, visit www.virtuoso.com.

The HBTACommunity now has more than 5,000 members after being in operation for two years. The forums and groups created by members have already generated thousands of different conversations of interest to travel professionals, and more than 100,000 messages in the forums, groups and comment walls.

Threads are posted by the minute and responses build each hour. The conversations actually start a discussion, solve a business issue and complete an entire thought process. As an example, a recent post started on July 2 at 12:57 p.m. generated more than 20 responses in two days as business was traded from one agent to another who was more specialized to help the client, reading materials were recommended and business plan strategies were exchanged.

“The discussions are all free, all colleague to colleague, all honest, all open,” said Tom Ogg, HBTA’s founder. Within this new community site, travel agents have built geographic networks for conversation and advice as well as target and special interest market networks.

And as agents join the travel business from other industries, this board gives them a collective of peers to share and exchange ideas. Regional travel agents groups have formed including Southern; Washington, D.C. area; California; Florida; Gulf Coast; Colorado; Midwest; and Tri-State agents. Global groups have formed for Australia, Egypt, Greece, Italy, South America, India, Costa Rica, Asia, Canada, Argentina and other areas of the world. Among the topics of discussions are cruise-only agents, Internet marketing, special needs travel, groups, marketing destination wedding, luxury travel, gay and lesbian travel and river cruises. For more information, visit www.HBTACommunity.com.
 

Cruise Planners/American Express, the largest home-based travel agent franchise, has launched eREZSM, the company’s first web-based customer relations management program that allows agents to organize and store in-depth client information in an easy to navigate system accessible from any computer or smart phone with Wi-Fi.

Created exclusively for franchise owners by the company’s information technology team, eREZSM was developed to improve productivity by providing agents with the convenience of managing client reservations for cruise travel, air travel, car rentals, land tours and hotel bookings from any computer. eREZSM is replacing CP Software, a desktop-based system for agents’ personal computers.

The system’s navigational tools help agents generate client lists, add new client information as well as changing or editing reservations. A calendar reminds agents of important dates such as payment deadlines and client birthdays, and with the new program, agents can send personalized e-cards promoting new travel packages and cruise deals. eREZSM is integrated with the cruise lines’ systems for dispensing commission payments electronically to agents.

Cruise Planners created more than 20 informational webinars, posted on the Cruise Planners University website, to teach agents how to use the system, and a dedicated group of coaches are available at Cruise Planners’ Home Office to assist with questions or concerns. For more information, visit www.cruiseplannersfranchise.com.

CruiseOne & Cruises Inc. was recently honored as top luxury travel specialists at Crystal Cruises’ 20th annual Sales Achievement Gala aboard Crystal Symphony. The event was a forum for the latest product updates and educational seminars, as well as exclusive parties honoring the award-winners. Only 75 qualifying worldwide travel agencies were recognized for their expertise selling luxury cruises. CruiseOne is a franchise with more than 600 locations. Cruises Inc. is a host agency with more than 600 locations. For more information, visit www.CruiseOneFranchise.com  or www.SellCruises.com.

More than half of Americans appear to have put off their plans for this year"s summer vacation. And many of those who do plan to take vacation, will likely spend less money than last year. StrategyOne, a public opinion polling firm, recently surveyed more than 1,000 Americans about a range of topics and found that less than 3 in 10 Americans (28 percent) plan to take a summer vacation this summer. Sixteen percent say they have not decided whether they will take a summer vacation or not, and more than half, 56 percent, have already ruled out taking a summer vacation.

The vast majority of those who are taking a summer vacation plan to stay within the U.S. (76 percent), compared with 13 percent who will travel internationally. A lucky few -- 12 percent -- plan to have summer vacations that include time off in the United States and somewhere abroad.

One area of concern is the impact of the rising price of fuel. Nearly three of four Americans (72 percent) say they are concerned about gas prices this summer as it relates to their family vacation. With the vast majority (88 percent) of those who are traveling domestically for vacation reporting they are traveling more than 100 miles away from home, fuel prices will likely stay top of mind.

Additionally, with the troubled economy continuing to dominate Americans" minds, travelers are undoubtedly acting more frugally this summer -- nearly half of those planning on taking a summer vacation (48 percent) say they are spending less than they spent on their last vacation. For more information, visit www.strategyone.net.
 

Cruise Planners/American Express, the largest home-based travel agent franchise, has launched eREZSM, the company’s first web-based customer relations management program that allows agents to organize and store in-depth client information in an easy to navigate system accessible from any computer or smart phone with Wi-Fi.

Created exclusively for franchise owners by the company’s information technology team, eREZSM was developed to improve productivity by providing agents with the convenience of managing client reservations for cruise travel, air travel, car rentals, land tours and hotel bookings from any computer. eREZSM is replacing CP Software, a desktop-based system for agents’ personal computers.

The system’s navigational tools help agents generate client lists, add new client information as well as changing or editing reservations. A calendar reminds agents of important dates such as payment deadlines and client birthdays, and with the new program, agents can send personalized e-cards promoting new travel packages and cruise deals. eREZSM is integrated with the cruise lines’ systems for dispensing commission payments electronically to agents.

Cruise Planners created more than 20 informational webinars, posted on the Cruise Planners University website, to teach agents how to use the system, and a dedicated group of coaches are available at Cruise Planners’ Home Office to assist with questions or concerns. For more information, visit www.cruiseplannersfranchise.com.

CruiseOne & Cruises Inc. was recently honored as top luxury travel specialists at Crystal Cruises’ 20th annual Sales Achievement Gala aboard Crystal Symphony. The event was a forum for the latest product updates and educational seminars, as well as exclusive parties honoring the award-winners. Only 75 qualifying worldwide travel agencies were recognized for their expertise selling luxury cruises. CruiseOne is a franchise with more than 600 locations. Cruises Inc. is a host agency with more than 600 locations. For more information, visit www.CruiseOneFranchise.com  or www.SellCruises.com.

More than half of Americans appear to have put off their plans for this year"s summer vacation. And many of those who do plan to take vacation, will likely spend less money than last year. StrategyOne, a public opinion polling firm, recently surveyed more than 1,000 Americans about a range of topics and found that less than 3 in 10 Americans (28 percent) plan to take a summer vacation this summer. Sixteen percent say they have not decided whether they will take a summer vacation or not, and more than half, 56 percent, have already ruled out taking a summer vacation.

The vast majority of those who are taking a summer vacation plan to stay within the U.S. (76 percent), compared with 13 percent who will travel internationally. A lucky few -- 12 percent -- plan to have summer vacations that include time off in the United States and somewhere abroad.

One area of concern is the impact of the rising price of fuel. Nearly three of four Americans (72 percent) say they are concerned about gas prices this summer as it relates to their family vacation. With the vast majority (88 percent) of those who are traveling domestically for vacation reporting they are traveling more than 100 miles away from home, fuel prices will likely stay top of mind.

Additionally, with the troubled economy continuing to dominate Americans" minds, travelers are undoubtedly acting more frugally this summer -- nearly half of those planning on taking a summer vacation (48 percent) say they are spending less than they spent on their last vacation. For more information, visit www.strategyone.net.
 

AAA has launched the truvle customized trip itinerary planner. The new trip planner will replace traditional, text-based, agent email itineraries with a Web-empowered e-mail itinerary that gives travelers instant access to a full gamut of destination information and travel products and services.

The interactive itinerary was developed by truvle Ltd. for travel agents, hotels, tour operators, airlines and more. It features a bright, contemporary design. It will make travel planning easy for clients by providing travelers with links to a full array of useful information, including restaurants, shopping, entertainment, tours, weather, maps, directions and more.

The technology allows clubs to use their own banners and ads to market AAA and preferred partner services and to promote AAA products. Agents create email itineraries with the AAA logo and contact information to send branded e-itineraries with targeted ads to travelers, who can click through the links, make purchases and receive more information.

Truvle technology links travelers to his or her own Personal Trip Planner (PTP) – a customized website with information on things to see and do in the destination. For AAA, truvle also created an exclusive AAA Services and Maps section, allowing the organization to leverage the products for which it is famous, such as AAA Travel Guides and Maps.

Additionally, this Services and Maps special section links to AAA.com/travel for air, hotel, car and cruise bookings. The Itinerary Trip Planner keeps travelers in the AAA family, enabling clubs to create a comprehensive AAA Experience for every client. For more information, visit www.truvle.com/movie.  For more information, visit www.aaa.com . 

Cruise Planners/American Express, the largest home-based travel agent franchise, has launched eREZSM, the company’s first web-based customer relations management program that allows agents to organize and store in-depth client information in an easy to navigate system accessible from any computer or smart phone with Wi-Fi.

Created exclusively for franchise owners by the company’s information technology team, eREZSM was developed to improve productivity by providing agents with the convenience of managing client reservations for cruise travel, air travel, car rentals, land tours and hotel bookings from any computer. eREZSM is replacing CP Software, a desktop-based system for agents’ personal computers.

The system’s navigational tools help agents generate client lists, add new client information as well as changing or editing reservations. A calendar reminds agents of important dates such as payment deadlines and client birthdays, and with the new program, agents can send personalized e-cards promoting new travel packages and cruise deals. eREZSM is integrated with the cruise lines’ systems for dispensing commission payments electronically to agents.

Cruise Planners created more than 20 informational webinars, posted on the Cruise Planners University website, to teach agents how to use the system, and a dedicated group of coaches are available at Cruise Planners’ Home Office to assist with questions or concerns. For more information, visit www.cruiseplannersfranchise.com.

CruiseOne & Cruises Inc. was recently honored as top luxury travel specialists at Crystal Cruises’ 20th annual Sales Achievement Gala aboard Crystal Symphony. The event was a forum for the latest product updates and educational seminars, as well as exclusive parties honoring the award-winners. Only 75 qualifying worldwide travel agencies were recognized for their expertise selling luxury cruises. CruiseOne is a franchise with more than 600 locations. Cruises Inc. is a host agency with more than 600 locations. For more information, visit www.CruiseOneFranchise.com  or www.SellCruises.com.

In a mid-year financial check up, three-quarters (75 percent) of Americans say their debt has not increased over the past six months and in fact more than a third (38 percent) say their debt has actually decreased, according to the latest American Express Spending & Saving Tracker. While consumers are focused on keeping their debt at bay, they also expressed positive long and short-term spending intentions. For example, more than one-quarter (26 percent) of the general population say that the summer weather specifically encourages more spontaneous spending.

This month’s American Express Spending & Saving Tracker surveyed consumers about their spending and saving patterns and intentions midway through 2010 compared to the beginning of the year. The research sample of 2,004 adults included the general U.S. population, as well as two subgroups -- the affluent and young professionals.

Seventy-five percent of the general population reports no increase in their debt over the past six months. More Americans say they have been focused on paying down debt (46 percent) than saving (29 percent) this year, and 57 percent of consumers with debt have been moving forward with a specific plan to reduce or stabilize their debt. An impressive number of consumers say they have decreased their debt over the last six months: the majority of affluents (52 percent), almost half (46 percent) of young professionals, and more than a third (38 percent) of the general population. Travel is one of their top five “wants,” as opposed to “needs” such as clothing, housing and education. For more information, visit www.americanexpress.com/aboutus.

Luxury travel network Virtuoso announced nominations for the fourth annual Virtuoso “Best of the Best” hotel awards. Virtuoso Live magazine’s editorial director, Elaine Srnka, and Virtuoso’s vice president of hotels, destinations and tours, Albert Herrera, announced the nominees, which represent the highest standards in their given category and are considered some of the world’s finest properties.

Virtuoso’s Hotels & Resorts Program has a portfolio of more than 800 world-class properties. Editors of Virtuoso Live magazine, Virtuoso network’s publication, collaborated with the organization’s travel advisors to select hotel nominees that demonstrate service, design, room product and social responsibility. A total of 10 categories, ranging from best architecture and design to top hotel and hotelier of the year, will establish which hotels continue to excel. Winners will be revealed during Virtuoso’s 22nd annual Travel Mart Conference at the Hotels & Resorts Dinner on Aug. 18, 2010. Award categories and nominees include:

Best Achievement in Design: Recognizes the significance of outstanding architecture and design of a hotel or component therein, whether in new construction, renovation or historic restoration. Nominees are Canella, Singapore; Aria Resort & Casino, Las Vegas; Mandarin Oriental, Barcelona; Armani Hotel Dubai; and Taj Falaknuma Palace, Hyderabad.

Best Culinary Experience: Recognizes the hotel restaurant that offers exemplary food, service, ambience, wine list and even views. Nominees are Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester, Dorchester Hotel, London; Yoshi, Hotel Métropole Monte-Carlo; Café Gray, The Upper House, Hong Kong; The Mark by Jean Georges, The Mark, New York; and Pierre Gagnaire pour Les Airelles, Hôtel de Charme Les Airelles, Courchevel.

Best Bar: Recognizes the hotel bar that offers a lively, convivial and entertaining social meeting spot where innovative drinks and an enticing atmosphere create a “must see and be seen” buzz. Nominees are Xiu, Park Hyatt Beijing; Sir Elly’s, The Peninsula Shanghai; The Cigar Bar, Alvear Palace Hotel; Mandarin Bar, Mandarin Oriental Las Vegas; and Principe Bar, Principe di Savoia.

Best Family Program: Recognizing the family friendly environment, this award acknowledges special programs and activities for children of all ages, from creative activities and services to educational endeavors and active adventures. Nominees are Awasi, San Pedro de Atacama, Chile; Presidente InterContinental Cozumel; Bristol Buenaventura, Panama; The Ritz-Carlton, Naples; and Rocco Forte Verdura Golf & Spa Resort, Sicily.

Best Spa: Recognizes the hotel spa that offers the most alluring environment for rest and rejuvenation, creative and therapeutic treatments, and highly skilled and knowledgeable therapists. Nominees are Le Spa Metropole, Sofitel Legend Metropole, Hanoi; The Spa at Grand Velas All-Suites & SPA Resort, Riviera Maya; The Spa at La Reserve Ramatuelle, France; The Anantara Spa at Kempinski Ishtar Dead Sea, Jordan; and To B. Wellbeing & Spa, Grand Hotel Quellenhoff & Spa Suites, Bad Ragaz, Switzerland.

Most Innovative Guest Experience: Recognizes a hotel that continually raises the bar by featuring clever and meaningful guest experiences that move the industry forward. Nominees are Hoshinoya Kyoto; Amanfayun, Hangzhou, China; The St. Regis Deer Crest Resort, Park City; Evason Ma’in Hot Springs & Six Senses Spa, Ma’in, Jordan; and Hotel das Cataratas, an Orient-Express Hotel, Foz do Iguacu, Brazil.

Most Socially Responsible: Recognizes a hotel dedicated to making a difference through innovative local or global environmental programs that make the world a better place, whether a green initiative or a community education program. Nominees are Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa, Lithgow, Australia; Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo; Le Quartier Français, Franschhoek, South Africa; Inkaterra Machu Picchu; and Fairmont Scottsdale.

One to Watch: A forward-looking nod to those shaping the future of the hotel world, recognizes an individual making an impact on the hotel and resort industry. Nominees are Liam Lambert, Oberoi Hotels & Resorts; Alan Fuerstman, Montage Hotels & Resorts; Brian Williams, Swire Hotels; Omer Acar, Ritz Paris; and Andrea Filippi, Orient-Express Hotels.

Hotelier of the Year: Honors an experienced hotel manager with an unrelenting passion for the industry, an astute appreciation for detail and a keen sense of how to lead and manage a dynamic team of professionals. Nominees are Nigel Pace, Cape Grace; Michel Jauslin, Park Hyatt Paris – Vendôme; Offer Nissenbaum, The Peninsula Beverly Hills; Torsten van Dullemen, The Oberoi Udaivilas; and Claudio Ceccherelli, Park Hyatt Milano.

Hotel of the Year: Recognizes a hotel that continually epitomizes excellence in the categories of design, ambience, service, food and beverage, spa, family programs, innovation and social responsibility. Nominees are The Goring, London; The Gleneagles Hotel, Auchterarder, Scotland; Amangiri, Canyon Point, Utah; Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek, Dallas; and Rocco Forte The Augustine, Prague. For more information on Virtuoso, visit www.virtuoso.com.

The HBTACommunity now has more than 5,000 members after being in operation for two years. The forums and groups created by members have already generated thousands of different conversations of interest to travel professionals, and more than 100,000 messages in the forums, groups and comment walls.

Threads are posted by the minute and responses build each hour. The conversations actually start a discussion, solve a business issue and complete an entire thought process. As an example, a recent post started on July 2 at 12:57 p.m. generated more than 20 responses in two days as business was traded from one agent to another who was more specialized to help the client, reading materials were recommended and business plan strategies were exchanged.

“The discussions are all free, all colleague to colleague, all honest, all open,” said Tom Ogg, HBTA’s founder. Within this new community site, travel agents have built geographic networks for conversation and advice as well as target and special interest market networks.

And as agents join the travel business from other industries, this board gives them a collective of peers to share and exchange ideas. Regional travel agents groups have formed including Southern; Washington, D.C. area; California; Florida; Gulf Coast; Colorado; Midwest; and Tri-State agents. Global groups have formed for Australia, Egypt, Greece, Italy, South America, India, Costa Rica, Asia, Canada, Argentina and other areas of the world. Among the topics of discussions are cruise-only agents, Internet marketing, special needs travel, groups, marketing destination wedding, luxury travel, gay and lesbian travel and river cruises. For more information, visit www.HBTACommunity.com.
 

Travel Leaders has made substantive changes to its award-winning Postcards magazine, which that is sent on a complimentary basis to nearly a half million of its top customers quarterly. Now published in-house, each edition includes more profiles of Travel Leaders members and their expertise in its pages, but it also allows members more options to further customize their content before it is sent to their clients as their premier customer-retention tool. Agents can produce their own four-page inserts with the sponsorship of a vendor. The insert can hold the vendor’s product as well as articles by clients and agents about their own travel experiences.

Each issue of Postcards includes three major features and a section of short articles on a variety of travel topics, including a feature educating consumers on a unique experience in a specific destination, a feature highlighting a distinctive neighborhood or city, often a preferred destination of Travel Leaders, a family travel column and a travel insider column that gives consumers information about what’s new and happening in the world of travel. It also includes advertisements from preferred suppliers. For more information, visit www.TravelLeaders.com.
 

In a mid-year financial check up, three-quarters (75 percent) of Americans say their debt has not increased over the past six months and in fact more than a third (38 percent) say their debt has actually decreased, according to the latest American Express Spending & Saving Tracker. While consumers are focused on keeping their debt at bay, they also expressed positive long and short-term spending intentions. For example, more than one-quarter (26 percent) of the general population say that the summer weather specifically encourages more spontaneous spending.

This month’s American Express Spending & Saving Tracker surveyed consumers about their spending and saving patterns and intentions midway through 2010 compared to the beginning of the year. The research sample of 2,004 adults included the general U.S. population, as well as two subgroups -- the affluent and young professionals.

Seventy-five percent of the general population reports no increase in their debt over the past six months. More Americans say they have been focused on paying down debt (46 percent) than saving (29 percent) this year, and 57 percent of consumers with debt have been moving forward with a specific plan to reduce or stabilize their debt. An impressive number of consumers say they have decreased their debt over the last six months: the majority of affluents (52 percent), almost half (46 percent) of young professionals, and more than a third (38 percent) of the general population. Travel is one of their top five “wants,” as opposed to “needs” such as clothing, housing and education. For more information, visit www.americanexpress.com/aboutus.