Focus Page 290

Book on Priceline and then get canned? No Problem!
Today, Priceline announced a new insurance product which protects against, among other things, job loss due to a layoff or involuntary termination.

Cuba Travel Ban’d – New York Philharmonic
As far as opening up Cuba for travel is concerned, the US Treasury is distinctly off-key with the notes being sounded by the White House and Congress.

Travel Writers: Why your DMO needs tech savvy story tellers
Your destination marketing organization (DMO) benefits from the stories your guests tell about their experiences in your region. That’s part of what makes tech savvy travel writers and content creators of all sorts (think video, audio, photos too!) such an important part of your marketing effort.

Are you coming to the Adventure Travel World Summit?
The Adventure Travel World Summit is on October 19-22, 2009 in historic Quebec City. I’ll be attending this year as a speaker focusing on Social media and distribution systems for the adventure segment.

Cranky Concierge – Personalized Air Travel Assistance
This is a time when check-in desks at airports are being eliminated in favor of online check-in and hotels tout virtual concierge systems where guests don’t have to deal with any human staff during the stay, from check-in to checkout. But one man apparently didn’t get the memo.

PhoCusWright’s Hot Topics - August 2009
It’s the third quarter of a turbulent 2009 and PhoCusWright subscribers are looking to keep an eye on the financial performance of the online travel market.

United: All you can check for $249 a year
United has come out with their latest offering in the ever creative world of airline fees: the all-you-can-eat plan for checked baggage. For $249 a year, United will allow you to check up to two bags (normally $20 and $30 for the 1st and 2nd bags) for a whole year. Any hangers-on (up to eight) in the same reservation also benefit from the deal. Think of how much the Eight-is-Enough family would have saved had this been around in their day.

American Airlines teams up with the next iron chef
As recession conditions linger, the travel industry continues to seek out ways to reach, and excite, its audience into parting with discretionary dollars. American Airlines thinks food could be that special ingredient.

US entry hassles blamed for Chicago’s botched olympic bid
The hunt for an official scapegoat to blame for Chicago’s botched bid for the 2016 Olympics is over, and the villians of the story are now Homeland Security and the TSA.

AsiaRooms and LateRooms complete merger of operations - my guess from reading between the lines
Here at BOOT central (even while on holidays) we are always on the look out for information about the TUI owned AsiaRooms.

Orbitz blogger day
Orbitz Worldwide hosted their first annual Blogger’s Day early this week at their headquarters in the beautiful city of Chicago.

The Olympic effect – Chicago Lost, but Chicago tourism strikes gold
Chicago has been eliminated in the first round in it’s bid to host the 2016 Olympics, inspite of a spirited team effort by the Chicago delegation – including President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. But there may still be a consolation prize in something called the Olympic Effect.