Jetsettersblog

Arguably Britain’s most iconic attraction, Stonehenge has achieved even greater prominence thanks to a new collectable £5 coin by The Royal Mint imprinted with an image of the site. Furthermore it has also been chosen as the first British attraction to feature on Google’s Street View.

The coin is part of a small special edition collection created to honour Great Britain’s heritage and the arrival of the Olympic Games in 2012.

Each coin will feature an iconic image along with a new quotation from a British poet or wordsmith. The Stonehenge coin reads “When men and mountains meet.”

The Stonehenge coins are currently on sale and can be purchased from www.royalmint.com/london2012

The coin closely follows Stonehenge becoming one of the first UK attractions to be placed on Google Street View – meaning millions of people from around the globe can now view the amazing structure.

Bryn Jones, VisitWiltshire Tourism Partnership is delighted with the news: “Stonehenge has been the centre of attention for well over 5000 years, but it’s good to see that the Wiltshire megalith has achieved even greater prominence as new and old and technology pay homage to the stones. Both the coin and Google Street View really put Stonehenge onto the international stage and will hopefully encourage new visitors.

“The coins are especially great news for Wiltshire as it will help promote the county prior to and during the Olympics. Given how close Stonehenge is to London, it is the perfect escape for visitors after all the hustle and bustle of the Olympics.”

For more information about Stonehenge and Wiltshire visit www.english-heritage.org.uk or www.visitwiltshire.co.uk

For All The Little Treasures…Treasure Beach Appoints A Kids Concierge To Take Care Of The Little Ones

Barbados has appointed a Kids Concierge to take care of the children during the school holidays. Traditionally on beck and call for the hotel’s adult guests, Trish Blenman, has been assigned the additional role of Kids Concierge to ensure children of all ages enjoy their holiday at Treasure Beach. New duties include arranging the following:

- Family picnics on the beach
- Treasure and lizard hunts
- Sand building competitions on the beach
- Garden and bird walks
- Free Babysitting service (maximum of 4 hours per minimum 7 night stay)
- A children’s cocktail hour (at 4pm every day during school holidays, the bar team will mix up a selection of delicious fruit cocktails)
- Boat trips to see the hawksbill turtles or informative turtle talks during the nesting season by the Barbados Sea Turtle Project
- Tours to the Barbados Wildlife Reserve to see the famous Bajan Green Monkey
- Family meal times (the restaurant offers a special children’s menu or they can eat from the A La Carte menu at half price)
- A selection of children’s DVDs for watching back in the room.

Trish will also be kept busy booking family activities such as the unique Atlantis Submarine trip which gives kids the chance to follow in Nemo’s footsteps and learn about marine life, coral reefs and exotic fish; Harrison’s Cave, where they will love the electric trains (Thomas fans or not) that drive deep down into the islands core, stopping off at caves where nature has created fascinating stalactites, stalagmites and emerald lakes; or a trip on the Jolly Roger where kids can become true Pirates of the Caribbean for the day, enjoying rope swinging, planning their next raid or plunder mission and feasting on the pirate’s buffet lunch – the heartiest on the seas!

When it comes to family facilities, Treasure Beach offers large family suites on the ground floor, all with a private terrace opening up onto the tropical gardens. The hotel is located on the best beach on the island. Paynes Bay boasts a wide stretch of white sand and a gentle sea, making it a perfect playground for the little ones.

To celebrate this new offer, Treasure Beach (www.treasurebeachhotel.com ) is offering ‘kids stay free’ places until 21 December 2009:

Virgin Atlantic from Gatwick or Manchester including all taxes (0844 557 3859; www.virginholidays.co.uk)

Sample package for October Half Term

Prices start from £3,288 per family of four for seven nights at Treasure Beach based on two adults and two children sharing a garden view suite on a room only basis. Price includes return flights with Virgin Atlantic from Gatwick or Manchester including all taxes (0844 557 3859; www.virginholidays.co.uk)

Britain’s leading escorted walks holiday operator, Ramblers Worldwide Holidays, is offering a one week or 12 day tour of the spectacular hill villages of Andalucia, Southern Spain.

Perched on steep hillsides, and following the natural contours of the landscape, these traditional white-washed villages provide superb walking and sightseeing opportunities.

From the three star Balcon de Competa (the holiday hotel) one can see the church tower set against the magnificent Sierra Almijara and Sierra Tejeda.

This relatively undiscovered area provides a great walking holiday with unpolluted air, a maze of fascinating footpaths that meander through olive groves and orchards, charming villages and historic churches and architecture.

There is also the opportunity to explore further afield via bus which takes one to Malaga – approximately a 90 minute ride away.

Price from £ 599 per person includes return flights, transfers, half board accommodation and the services of a tour leader.

www.RamblersHolidays.co.uk 01707 331133

Africa Travel Association (ATA) and the World Religious Travel Association (WRTA) renewed their partnership agreement in an effort to promote both organizations’ endeavors in the religious travel trade. Religious travel and hospitality is present throughout the continent and is defined in four ways by WRTA: visiting a religious destination, attending a religious gathering, traveling for missionary or humanitarian purposes, or leisure traveling with fellowship intent.

“Faith-based tourism attracts 300 million travelers worldwide, who spend $18 billion annually,” said WRTA President Kevin Wright.

“We look forward to once again working with ATA, especially as Africa has long served as a top destination for people of faith.” Under the new partnership agreement, ATA and its members will participate in the WRTA World Religious Travel Expo and Educational Conference 2009 to be held Nov. 14 to 16, 2009, in Reno, Nev., and WRTA will participate in ATA’s upcoming events in the United States and across Africa, most notably the 35th Annual Congress in The Gambia in May 2010.

The Africa Travel Association (ATA) was established as an international travel industry trade association in 1975. ATA’s mission is to promote travel, tourism and transport to and within Africa, and to strengthen intra-Africa partnerships.

For more information, visit ATA online at www.africatravelassociaton.org  or call 212-447-1357. WRTA is the leading global network for the $18 billion faith tourism industry.

For more information, call 859-219-3529 or visit www.WRTAreligioustravel.com  or www.WRTAexpo.com

V
isitDenmark’s website is employing a tactic involving a web-based Denmark Game that is designed to provide inspiration for travelers planning a trip to Denmark. Players begin by selecting a vacation type — urban, seaside, or a blend of both.

Clicking on the game opens an interactive game board where they shake the dice cup, roll the dice and move around the board. Each square presents an option: a question to answer, a situation to experience or a scenario to see.

With each successful encounter, the player moves closer to the goal of a Danish vacation. Besides reminding travelers of Denmark’s primary destinations and activities, such as biking in Copenhagen or visiting Odense, the birthplace of Hans Christian Andersen, the Denmark Game is an excellent vehicle to introduce both first-time and long-time travelers to parts of the country they might not have visited yet.

Featured areas include North Jutland and the artsy city of Aalborg; East Denmark and the islands of Sealand, Møn and Lolland-Falster; South Denmark, including the island of Funen and the southern Jutland peninsula; and more. Not only will the game help travelers plan their visits, it will help them brush up on their Danish geography and trivia. At the end of the game, players can register their high scores, challenge a friend to play, sign up to receive VisitDenmark’s newsletter or play again.

For more information, visit www.visitdenmark.com/denmarkgame

Southwest Airlines and Row 44 are continuing plans to roll out Wi-Fi beginning in the first quarter of 2010.

Beginning this fall, Southwest will be moving to the next step of certifying Southwest’s full fleet with plans to begin fleetwide rollout of the Row 44 satellite service in the first quarter of 2010.

The airline has been testing the service on four aircraft since February 2009 and has received fantastic customer feedback on the product.

During the testing phase, customers have been utilizing the service for anything from email to streaming video.

Those interested in using the service during the test period have had the opportunity to log on to the service via their own personal Wi-Fi-enabled device (laptops, iPhones, Wi-Fi-enabled smart phones, etc).

Additionally, the airline has been testing a variety of price points for the service and will continue testing price points through the end of 2009.

Capella Pedregal, in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, made its debut . Boasting a secluded cliffside setting where the Pacific Ocean meets the Sea of Cortez, the oceanfront hideaway, with just 66 guest accommodations, is offering introductory rates and packages that start at $475 per room, per night and include extras such as daily resort credits, complimentary spa treatments and more.

Upon arrival, guests emerge from a 1,000-foot private tunnel carved through the mountainside to find a breathtaking expanse of azure sky and sea — an exclusive haven just minutes away from lively downtown Cabo, yet seemingly worlds apart.

Each of the 66 guest rooms features a private plunge pool and direct ocean views.

Guestrooms range from 600 square feet to a 4,000-square-foot Presidential Suite.

A staff of personal assistants — a Capella brand signature — contact each guest prior to arrival and are on hand to arrange everything from dining reservations to yacht excursions.

The hotel also boasts a signature Auriga spa — a Bajan vision that represents the first Mexican spa by spa designer Sylvia Sepielli.

The 12,000-square-foot Auriga features treatment pods that float on a private pool; two deluxe couples suites with private tub and direct pool access; ladies and gentlemen’s active and relaxation areas; steam, sauna and ice rooms; a private spa pool; and a private 24-hour fitness facility, complete with personal training consultations. Restaurant choices include Don Manuel; the al fresco El Farallon, with cliffside tables plus 24-hour in-room dining — all showcasing the culinary talents of Per Se-trained Executive Chef Marco Bustamante.

For reservations or more information, call 877-247-6688 or visit www.capellapedregal.com

Express by ExecuCar (formerly Express Shuttle LA) has introduced a 24-hour, non-stop service available from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Burbank Airport (BUR), John Wayne Airport (SNA), Ontario Airport (ONT) and Long Beach Airport (LGB).

Express also is available to and from the cruise terminals of Los Angeles and Long Beach and local Amtrak stations.

Clients booking the new Express airport transportation service can earn airline miles on Delta Airlines SkyMiles, Frontier Airlines EarlyReturns, Northwest Airlines WorldPerks, United Airlines Mileage Plus or U.S. Airways Dividend Miles programs when reservations are booked online.

For more information, call 800-427-7483 or visit www.execucarexpress.com

The Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau (HVCB) has introduced its online meetings guide translated into Asian languages for groups from Japan, Korea, China and Taiwan.

The HVCB’s Meeting, Incentive, Convention & Exhibitor Magazine is a comprehensive, one-stop shopping resource of Hawaii accommodations and meeting facilities, activities, products, and services offered statewide for group events. The online guides are customized to address the meeting needs of organizations in each of the four Asian countries and include information regarding visa, customs and shipping policies.

For more information, call 888-424-2924 or visit www.businessaloha.com

Kaanapali Golf Resort’s “Golf Plus” deal offers golfers staying at either The Whaler on Kaanapali Beach or Aston Maui Kaanapali Villas a gift voucher.

On top of receiving preferred green fees, guests booking a tee time between 10 a.m. and noon will receive a $50 gift voucher at participating shops and restaurants in the Kaanapali Beach resort area.

Preferred green fees at the Kaanapali Golf Resort are $150 for the Kaanapali Kai Course and $190 to play the Royal Kaanapali Course.

The starting room rate $195 per night at The Whaler and $119 per night at the Aston Maui Kaanapali Villas.

These rates are valid for travel through Dec. 21.

For more information, call 866-774-2924 or visit www.AstonHotels.com