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| October 2004 |
Time For A Smile
Book review: You’ll be tickled by the tongue-in-check but detailed descriptions that fill the pages of Molvania: A Land Untouched By Modern Dentistry, an enjoyable spoof of travel guides. Consider, for example, this place to stay: “The entrance to this stately, brick residence is all about muted style and comfort. In the lobby of Jze Petra a grand piano player greets guests with Molvanian show-tunes while discretely armed security guards move about keeping gypsy beggars at bay. The Petra is big on historical ambience (Emperor Vladzjic III’s son Rzemec is said to have used the toilets here in 1856) and numerous antiques are on display including paintings, sculptures and the hotel’s computer reservation system.” Hungry? Read about local dining: “Shared tables are a common feature of Dzrebo dining and it’s not unusual for couples enjoying a romantic meal out to find themselves joined by a large party of boisterous and often drunk locals. This is considered quite an honour and to complain could cause offence, if not severe personal injury. One other point worth remembering – vegetarian meals are hard to find in Dzrebo and dishes described as ‘meat free’ may legally contain up to 23% pork.” More information from the Molvania website; order copies online from Amazon.com.
Travel TrendsBroadband more popular than dial-up for home usage: According to research firm Nielsen//NetRatings, customers in the U.S. are now connecting from home via broadband more than by dial-up. Market data shows the balance tipped in July, 2004. This is significant because other studies have shown that consumers with an “always-on” connection use the Internet more frequently than those who have to dial-up.
Fall travel increases:: A high interest in leisure travel and a solid return to business travel bodes well for this fall travel season, making it one of the strongest in years. According to the Fall 2004 forecast from the Travel Industry Association of America (TIA), “Americans will take 278 million person-trips during September, October and November 2004, an increase of 3.1 percent over last fall. Leisure travelers will be out in full force this fall as they take advantage of long weekends, fewer crowds at parks and attractions and a wide array of travel bargains. Americans plan on taking 224.8 million leisure person-trips in fall 2004, up 2.6 percent from last fall. As continuing evidence that business travel is firmly on the road to recovery, TIA is forecasting that Americans will take 43.2 million business person-trips this fall, a solid 3.4 percent increase over last fall. However, this volume is still well below the high seen in fall 2000.”
“The number of Americans using the Internet for travel planning remains stable at 63.8 million, reflecting slower growth in general Internet use among the traveling population. Still, the number of travelers who actually book airline tickets, hotel rooms and other travel services online continues to grow. TIA’s new report shows that nearly 45 million people—nearly three-quarters of all online travel planners—booked travel over the Internet in the past year, up nearly six percent from one year ago. And the number of online bookers doing all of their travel booking online continues to grow, with 40 percent now doing so, versus 29 percent a year ago.” “Airline tickets continued to be the most frequently purchased travel products online, reported by 82 percent of all online travel bookers, up from 75 percent in 2003. This was followed by accommodations at 67 percent and rental cars/RVs at 40 percent.” |
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Gift Certificates
BedandBreakfast.com Gift Certificates have changed to an electronic format. Funds for redeemed certificates will be transferred directly into your bank account within four business days! No more certificates to mail! Don't miss out! To join the 3500 participating inns, just log in to your home base with your property ID and password, or click here for more information. Traffic statisticsLog in with your property ID and password for details on the number of page impressions and click-throughs your B&B has received as a result of all BedandBreakfast.com online marketing, including property listings, Featured Property, and Inn of the Month advertising. More information Member InformationTo update your entry, post specials, and renew your membership, please log in with your property ID and password. Can't remember your password? Click here, then enter your property ID and we'll email it to you. Don't like your password? Once you're logged in to Home Base, just click "Membership," select "change password" (#7 in dropdown menu), and choose another that's easier to remember. More information Inns for Sale
Online BookingsTaking real-time, online reservations is the most effective way to transform your Internet presence from an informational resource into a 24/7 sales engine. Read more Innkeepers Information CenterNeed more info? You’ll find lots of educational articles on our site for your convenience.
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"We advertised
our B&B in your Inns for Sale section in January, and
started getting inquires a week later. In February,
a couple came from Florida to visit us in Cat Spring, Texas. We made a deal, and
they begin officially on April the 5th as the new owners. What you are doing
really works." Sunny and John Snyder.
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