Jetsettersblog

Rain Forest Aerial Trams St. Lucia, a St. Lucia eco-adventure company, launched the new Adrena Line Zip-Line tour a half-hour drive from the port of Castries and the island’s major hotels.

Upon arriving to Rain Forest Aerial Trams St. Lucia, visitors participate in an orientation and safety briefing.

It starts with a short hike through the rainforest, then a climb across the Floating Stairs suspended above the ground past the Eagle’s Claw — so named for the grip of the root system that has consumed the volcanic boulder — that delivers them to the first of 14 platforms.

Trained rainforest sweeper guides hitch riders up to a series of cables to zip from platform to platform, finally swaying from the Tarzan Swing onto the Tarantula’s Nest.

Then riders enjoy a heart-dropping slide off a platform down the Boa Rappel to terra firma and their land legs.

After the action, visitors can wind down, enjoy refreshments, and indulge in some shopping at the Duty Free Gift Shop.

All riggings are on a triple redundancy system to ensure safety, and the activity is certified by the Association for Challenge Course Technology (ACCT).

Groups of eight are guided with two experienced “rainforest sweepers” guides. Rain Forest Aerial Tram St. Lucia in the highland community of Chassin offers visitors an opportunity for full immersion in St. Lucia’s rainforest, located at approximately 2,000 feet above sea level at the base of La Sorciere.

The original Rain Forest Aerial Tram Atlantic was established in 1994 in Costa Rica by H.J. Von der Goltz.

It was built in the middle of 1,200 acres of dense jungle without impacting the forest.

Today, five Rain Forest Aerial Trams located in Costa Rica (Pacific and Atlantic), Saint Lucia, Dominica and Jamaica serve as wildlife reserves and eco-tourism attractions.

For more information, call 866-759-8726 or visit www.rainforestrams.com

The Brazilian Tourist Board, Embratur, partnered with Google Brazil to produce the first Google/YouTube brand channel, combining videos and Google maps to provide an interactive online Brazilian tourism experience.

Now accessible at www.youtube.com/visitbrasil  the site currently features more than 85 videos from Brazil.

This is the first convergence of its kind involving Google Maps into YouTube.

The site provides experiential reviews for travelers integrated with Google Maps.

Videos are subtitled in several languages.

More than six months of work with YouTube and Google’s teams went into building the site, and it will evolve with additions and modifications, including a new functionality allowing user-uploaded videos in early spring.

Alex Dias, general manager of Google Brazil, called it the “first mash-up of Google Maps and YouTube videos.”

Brazil is trying to leverage its high profile status as host of the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympic Games to promote itself as a global tourism destination before, during and after the events.

To help define tourism goals for 2010 and beyond, Embratur has created the Aquarela Plan 2020, setting forth objectives over the next 10 years.

Goals of the Aquarela plan include a 113 percent increase in international tourism from 2010 to 2020, bringing 11.1 million foreign visitors to Brazil; increase foreign spending by 304 percent within Brazil, totaling $17.6 billion; an increase totaling 500,000 tourists in Brazil in 2014 and a 15 percent year-over-year increase in 2016, the year of the Olympic Games in Rio; maintain sustained growth of at least 1 percentage point above the average growth rate in South America; and consolidate tourism leadership in South America, with 27 percent share of the tourists on the continent.

Americans are main targets of Brazil’s tourist promotion.

The United States is the second-largest source of tourists to Brazil behind Argentina.

In 2008, 625,506 American tourists visited Brazil. Sun and beach were named as the top reason for leisure travelers at 33.7 percent.

Culture was also an important driver at 27.3 percent and 94.6 percent of American visitors noted they intend to return.

The mission of the Brazilian Tourism Board, Embratur, is to promote Brazil in the international market as a destination for travelers.

The Brazilian Federal Government and Embratur have implemented the Aquarela Plan which calls for generating consumer awareness about Brazil and attracting more tourists.

The established target for the U.S. sector is increasing the annual numbers for tourists entering the country to 9 million, and attracting a total amount of $8 billion in revenue by 2010.

There are nine Embratur offices globally including Lisbon, Portugal; Paris, France; London, U.K.; Frankfurt, Germany; Madrid, Spain; Milan, Italy; and Tokyo, Japan.

There is also a Bureau for Tourism for Latin America, based at the Embratur office, in the city of Brasilia. For more information visit www.braziltour.com

MSC Cruises is introducing an e-ticket program on March 15. The e-tickets feature an enhanced format and graphics.

If a guest requests a paper ticket, a $35-per-ticket charge will be levied and must be ordered prior to seven days in advance.

Travelers unable to access email are advised to get e-tickets from their travel agent.

Guests can obtain luggage bag tags at the pier.

For more information, call 800-666-9333 or visit www.msccruisesusa.com

AMA Waterways is installing a new complimentary information and entertainment experience on its ships on the Danube, Rhine, Main and Mosel rivers in Europe. The new infotainment system includes enhanced Internet connectivity via newly installed 3G high-speed service.

The new system will result in fewer interruptions due to location, bridges and weather. Internet service is available via 3G signal, and will include convenient Wi-Fi access throughout the ship.

The system will feature a complimentary video-on-demand system featuring movies from Disney, Warner Bros., Universal, Paramount and Sony in staterooms.

A regularly changing selection of classic films will also be available as will television travel programs from Rick Steves and Samantha Brown, chosen to coincide with the cruise itinerary.

The new system will offer more broadcast television options, special interest channels, and music in different styles and genres.

In addition, the TV screen can be turned into a computer screen using a remote control, allowing passengers to surf the Internet via Microsoft Internet Explorer, send emails, post blogs, and create documents using word processing or spreadsheet programs. Passengers also will be able to view their bills through the system.

Guests will be able to print boarding passes on a dedicated guest laser printer in the Aft Lounge.

Also, a broadcasted Google map will trace the route of the ship. However, the company said not all features are currently available on every ship.

“Today’s travelers expect a full array of Internet and entertainment options and do not want to pay extra for them,” said AMA Waterways President Rudi Schreiner.

For more information, call 800-626-0126 or visit www.amawaterways.com

The McCall Lodge and Suites in McCall, Idaho, has joined the Best Western brand.

The newly named Best Western McCall Lodge and Suites is non-smoking and offers 66 guest rooms, including 21 suites.

Hotel amenities include an indoor, heated swimming pool; a hot tub; a dry sauna; a 24-hour fitness center; and a complimentary full breakfast.

Each room is equipped with a refrigerator, a microwave oven and a large work desk area. For the business traveler, the hotel offers meeting space to accommodate up to 60 people, complimentary newspaper available daily in the lobby, and wired and wireless high-speed Internet in all guest rooms and public areas.

Nightly room rates start at $75.50. 

The rural county of Wiltshire is proclaiming itself as an eco holiday destination thanks to the number of guesthouses, B&Bs and hotels offering eco-friendly and sustainable accommodation.

Among those on offer are:

Rosemundy Cottage

Located alongside the Kennet & Avon Canal on the outskirts of Devizes, Rosemundy Cottage is a four star bed and breakfast, offering four en-suite rooms.

The property prides itself on its green credentials, where its eco friendly measures include heating water via solar panels, energy monitoring, recycling, an innovative garden watering system and means of drying laundry outside.

The B&B has won a number of awards for its commitment to sustainable tourism. Double rooms start from £65 per night, including breakfast.

www.rosemundycottage.co.uk , 01380 727122.

Willow Tree Barn

Located in Worton, near Devizes, is a new state of the art self-catering property accommodating up to six people.

The property, which is the brainchild of an architect, is very light and airy with huge windows all around.

Features include two wet rooms, flat screen TVs, a roll back skylight extending across the entire living area and adjustable full colour spectrum mood lighting.

Created with the environment in mind, the property is heated via water sourced under-floor panels which heats the ceramic tiles and hot water comes from the solar panels. Hire rates start from just £550 per week.

www.willowtreebarn.co.uk  01380 724550.

Poulton Grange

Poulton Grange is a relatively new farmhouse set within acres of farmland on the Marlborough Downs.

The property is ideal for walkers and cyclists due to its direct access to nearby paths.

The property features two spacious guestrooms in the main house where bed and breakfast accommodation is available, plus a three bedroom Finnish log cabin for self-catering or serviced stays.

The property has its own water supply from an aquifer, laying 150’ below the chalk downland and is heated by a geo thermal source.

Rooms cost from £80 per night.

www.poultongrange.com

01672 516888.

The Pear Tree at Purton

This lovely hotel near Swindon is the area’s most eco friendly hotel having taken a number of measures including only using locally sourced food, a commitment to fair-trade products, an on-site wetland which has recently been planted with hundreds of indigenous wild flowers and trees, and a new ‘Rocket’ kitchen composter.

In addition to this the hotel offers elegant rooms and a two AA rosette winning restaurant. Accommodation costs £110 per night for a double room, including breakfast.

www.peartreepurton.co.uk ,

01793 772100.

For general information about Wiltshire or a copy of the Where to Stay guide which lists other Green Tourism properties, visit www.visitwiltshire.co.uk or call 0845 602 7323.

Private Rail Cars, carriages for privacy and comfort in Australia, Brazil, Russia, the UK and the USA, is now featured on the Luxury Train Club website.

Train Chartering’s Luxury Train Club is now offering the hire or charter of Private Rail Cars in various countries around the world, on 4 continents.

Simon Pielow of Train Chartering believes private rail car hire is largely unknown amongst those fortunate enough to be able to consider this form of travel. “A simple truth in few words: a private rail car is the best way to travel on Earth”.

The greatest number of private rail cars for charter or hire is in the United States – around 50 – but there are rail cars or carriages available for the use of corporate or individual clients in other countries. With various categories of rail car on offer, based on capacity and client need, train travel becomes an individualised journey.

This new entry in the Luxury Train Club covers the following key areas:

- What is private car hire?
- What types of private rail car are there?
- Where are the rail cars available for private hire?
- Who generally hires private rail cars?
- Why hire a private rail car?
- Who can supply a rail car or carriage for private use?

The Luxury Train Club is the concierge service for luxury train travel. The Club offers Train Chartering’s ground-breaking guest and project management services for all private charter trains and private carriages. Our project directors are great communicators, both to clients and suppliers.

They liaise with station staff and train crew. The Luxury Train Club also organises private waiting facilities at or near stations as well as other tailored catering, theming, and entertainment options, according to specific client requirements.

With a plethora of Spring weddings in the Rock and Polzeath areas of Cornwall, great accommodation can be scarce for those seeking the flexibility of self catering.

Cornish Horizons (www.cornishhorizons.co.uk  01841 533 331) are offering two fabulous neighbouring cottages in nearby St Kew for parties of up to twelve.

Lowena is a contemporary 4 star cottage that welcomes pets and 200 yards away gold award winning November Cottage has bags of character and style.

Properties can be booked individually or together with seven nights starting from £347 in low season to £948 for peak weeks.

Lowena details and graphics: details and graphics:

November Cottage details and graphis.

CONTACT:

Debbie Skyrme, on behalf of Cornish Horizons (Holiday Cottages)

TELEPHONE:

+44 (0) 1841 533 331

FAX:

+44 (0) 1841 533 933

WEB:

www.cornishhorizons.co.uk

EMAIL:

cottages@cornishhorizons.co.uk

WRITE:

Cornish Horizons, The Cottage, 19 New Street, Padstow, Cornwall PL28 8EA

Los Angeles-based hotel representation company K Hotels announced a joint venture with the Austrian subsidiary of JJW Hotels & Resorts, a collection of more than 60 hotels in Europe and the Middle East.

In an effort to provide hotel members the best service possible, as well as an extended system of sales and marketing support, K Hotels and JJW Hotels & Resorts will join forces starting this spring.

This partnership will expand K Hotels’ presence in the European market under the moniker K Hotels Europe.

Properties will benefit from new services previously unavailable to K Hotels members made possible by the joint venture with JJW Hotels & Resorts, an exponential increase in overall sales and marketing expertise and a larger outreach. K Hotels will establish a sales office in Vienna and will augment European sales and operations personnel.

For more information, visit

www.k-hotels.com

or visit www.jjwhotels.com

Be inspired by vast landscapes and a palette of colours at a unique artists’ camp in Outback Queensland.

Annabel Tully’s Outback artists’ camps, held on Bunginderry, a cattle and sheep property near Quilpie in south-west Queensland, are a week of creativity, relaxation, rejuvenation and shared passion.

Beginners and experienced artists are invited to stay in authentic shearers’ quarters, discover life on the land and create their own Outback inspired masterpieces.

Each day Annabel and her guest tutor will accompany visitors to a stunning place in the Bunginderry area to create in the open air, drawing inspiration from an abundance of wildlife, birdlife and Queensland’s best Outback vistas.

Enjoy wholesome homestyle cuisine, bushwalking trails, art workshops and plenty of fresh air on this one-of-a kind outback retreat.

Group artists’ camps are being run May 23-30, July 11-17 and 25-31, and there are opportunities for self-catering camps and artists-in-residence.

www.annabeltully.com