Jetsettersblog

 Cultural Immersion

Latin America offers endless opportunities to get off the beaten path, experience exotic landscapes and cultures in active, adventurous and exciting ways. Aventouras specializes in active and unusual trips such as a multi-day camping and hiking trip through the jungle of northern Guatemala to reach the spectacular Mayan ruins of Tikal, sea kayaking the highest navigable lake in the world in Peru to reach a remote island community, or snorkeling among the islands of the indigenous San Blas archipelago of the Caribbean in Panama.

Other activities include biking trails and roads in parts of the Sacred Valley of the Incas that most tourists never see, climbing an active volcano in Guatemala, and flying through the canopy on zip lines in Costa Rica and Panama.

Small group sizes of twelve or less allow Aventouras adventurers access into lodges and communities that are simply not available to larger tourist groups. There is always a personal touch - largely in getting to know the guides, communities, and lodges in each destination country.

 Thorough planning maximizes time for activities and top-notch remote locations, while minimizing travel time. Aventouras trips depart each month to Peru, Galapagos, Panama, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Belize, and Ecuador, with additional new destinations planned. Trip lengths generally range from a week to ten days, and prices range from $1798 - $2698 with a supplement for single occupancy.

Prices include all activities, meals, lodging, guides, and in-country transportation.

http://www.aventouras.com

 In response to growing consumer demand and ease of travel, Avanti Destinations has added new programs to Latin America. “The increase in consumer vacations to South and Central America reflects the great sightseeing, amazing cuisine and wonderful accommodations that are available at a very affordable cost,” said Harry Dalgaard, president of Avanti Destinations. The destinations are featured in Avanti’s new Essence of Latin America brochure, which is now off the printing presses and is arriving at travel agencies. For 2009, Avanti has added FIT programs for Chile, Brazil, Argentina, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru and Guatemala. “Reflecting the increase in traffic to Latin America, airlines have been adding capacity. It is now easier than ever to fly from either Atlanta or Miami,” Dalgaard said.

Dalgaard noted that the interest in vacations to Chile has been especially strong. On that basis Avanti has added five new FIT programs for that country. One example is the 13-Day Ultimate Chile RVP. It features Santiago; the mountains, lake, glaciers and unique flora and fauna of Patagonia; the beautiful Lake District; the pristine scenery of the Atacama; and picturesque Valparaiso. Priced from $3,868, the package includes all ground transfers, accommodations, daily breakfast and select meals. Also new for Chile is a self-drive program focused on Chile’s wine country with bookends in the exciting cities of Santiago and Valparaiso. It includes two nights in a charming Colchagua area inn, nestled between the Andes and the coast.

The Central Valley Self-Drive Tour is a six-day package with an airport arrival transfer, compact manual car rental, accommodations and daily breakfast, priced from $889. Argentina continues to be a favorite for Avanti in South America.

 One of the most popular choices has been Avanti’s eight-day Argentine Food and Wine package in Buenos Aires and Mendoza. It features fine dining, cooking classes and visits to wineries with tastings. It is priced from $4,052 and includes roundtrip airport transfers, accommodations, daily breakfast and featured meals. Avanti’s new Ultimate Argentina RVP is an 11-day package that includes cosmopolitan Buenos Aires, a stay in Southern Patagonia, the famous Lake District and Iguassu Falls.

The program includes three nights in Buenos Aires, three nights in Calafate, two nights in Bariloche and two nights at Iguassu. Ultimate Argentina is priced from $1,756.

For more information, call 800-422-5053 or visit www.AvantiDestinations.com

This February, Honduras will host the first annual Mesoamerican Birdwatching Festival, organized by the Mesoamerican Ecotourism Alliance (MEA). Honduras was selected by MEA as the first country to host this event, during the fourth annual Mesoamerican Sustainable Ecotourism Conference in Antigua, Guatemala in December 2007.

The event will feature three program segments: a guide training/certification course (Feb. 13 to 20), a Birdwatching Festival (Feb. 22 to 27), and a post-tour for birdwatching company representatives and nature writers (Feb. 27 to March 5). While only 740 species (and counting) have been registered in Honduras, along with one endemic, many are very desirable and easy to observe. In the Mosquitia region nearly 500 species have been recorded, the north coast more than 400, the Lake Yojoa basin over 400, and 400 within the department of Copan. The principal objective of this annual festival is to elevate interest in birdwatching in Mesoamerica on a national and international level in an effort to increase sustainable tourism. This will then create employment, and most importantly, help preserve the ecosystems where the birds live and nest. The festival will subsequently be held in a different Central American country each year.

Bird lovers, tour operators, local guides and non-governmental organizations are encouraged to visit www.travelwithmea.org  for more information and to register for the guide training course or festival.

Registrations fees for the Birdwatching Festival are $365 per person based on double occupancy, or $460 per single occupancy. A 10 percent discount will be given for two or more people from the same organization who book by Dec. 31 The registration fee includes airport transfers from San Pedro Sula; accommodations for five nights; all meals for five days; a trained guide at each field trip; a copy of the Bird Guide to Lake Yojoa; the opportunity to attend nightly seminars; ground transportation during the festival; and other miscellaneous materials.

 For more information ,visit www.travelwithmea.org  or www.letsgohonduras.com

TACA, the international airline with a 77-year history in Central, South and North America, unveiled a new brand image and a series of new services on board and on the ground as it seeks to provide a new customer experience and compete in a demanding and competitive airline industry. The new brand identity was developed by TACA’s marketing team with the help of New York-based Lippincott, one of the world’s leading brand management consulting firms. With 39 destinations to 22 countries in North, Central and South America, as well as the Caribbean, TACA will begin to offer passengers a new experience that includes improvements to onboard services, fleet upgrades and an overhaul of the airline’s customer service philosophy.

This new repositioning strategy has been a collaborative process. The new brand identity was developed by TACA’s marketing team with the help of New York-based Lippincott, one of the world’s leading brand management consulting firms. The new uniforms were created by Colombian designer Isabel Henao. TACA’s fleet is made up of the latest aircraft available in the Americas and includes 38 Airbus 319s, 320s and 321s, as well as two Embraer E190 jets, with the latest in aerospace technology, safety features and amenities for its passengers.

For more information, visit www.TACA.com

TROPICAL ADVENTURES
CONTACT: Scott Pralinsky
TEL: 800-832-9419
E-MAIL: info@tropicaladventures.com
WEB: http://tropicaladventures.com

CARTAGO, Costa Rica—Multi-tasking is a part of everyone’s daily life. Trying to spend time together and also learn life lessons can happen on family voluntour vacations. Tropical Adventures offers ready-to-go itineraries or customized volunteer vacation packages. Families will spend a portion of their trip living and volunteering in a community and the rest of their time traveling the country sightseeing, participating in adventure activities and relaxing on the scenic beaches.

The Coast-to-Coast itinerary encompasses two whirlwind weeks of fun and good community work. Among the experiences is the chocolate tour, where travelers will meet an indigenous woman who makes organic chocolate based on her family’s indigenous traditions. Taste 10 flavors of chocolate and hear incredible stories.

 Cycle south of Puerto Viejo, stop for scenic views and beautiful beaches. Explore an Iguana Refuge on the Kekoldi Indigenous. Take a kayak tour in Punta Uva and see iguanas, different kinds of sloth, many birds, turtles and other incredible wildlife. Journey to the tropical Talamanca Indigenous Reservation and the Bambu Cultural Center, built using ancient traditional Bribri methods, with notable architecture.

Take a Panama waterfall tour, visit an indigenous organic banana farm, an Arenal Volcano Hike and Baldi Hot Springs Tour and see the Arenal Hanging Bridges, all just a few highlights of the vacation. Taking the family to an international, un-commercialized locale that will excite and leave a positive and profound impact on not just the travelers, but the destination as well.

Included in all voluntour vacations: private transportation to-and-from the airport and each destination, accommodations, three meals daily when with a host family, in-country support, medical insurance, assistance in booking excursions and activities, 24 hour in-country emergency service, regional airline transportation (when applicable), and a personal guide.

For more information on exciting learning vacations, contact Tropical Adventures at 800-832-9419 or log on to the web at www.tropicaladventures.com

Trips in Central America offer unique opportunities to explore Guatemala, Costa Rica and Panama. Antigua’s Multi-Sport Adventure takes travelers through the ancient land shared by Mayan descendants and Spanish Conquistadors.

Volcanic peaks give way to flat valley floors, making this tour one of the most diverse and exciting terrain on the planet. Costa Rica’s Multi-Sport in Paradise Adventure challenges body and soul with exhilarating hiking, biking, rafting and canyoneering adventures in the Talamanca Mountains and on the Pacura River.

Experience “Pura Vida” in Costa Rica! Panama’s Ultimate Multi-Sport Aquatic Adventure combines mountain biking with sea kayaking, snorkeling and personalized rafting trips down the Chagres River. Whether on land or water this is the ultimate aqua themed multi-sport adventure! Trips are available throughout Winter and Spring 2009; prices begin at $1490 per person depending on trip.

www.escapeadventures.com

Sweet, a new lesbian travel company, has finalized an agreement with Norwegian Cruise Line to charter the 1,972-passenger Norwegian Spirit.

The Sweet Caribbean Cruise, Nov. 8-15, 2009, is the company’s first travel offering. The ship will depart from New Orleans and call on Costa Maya, Belize City, Roatan and Cozumel. Sweet will offer a two-day, pre-departure package in New Orleans including city tours, voluntourism and ecotourism programs in conjunction with a local Katrina relief organization, as well as a kick-off celebration. Sweet is working with local agencies to leave each port better than they found it.

Projects will address local needs like education, wildlife and natural resource preservation, as well as helping with school construction or renovation, beach clean-ups, and wildlife habitat restoration.

In the evening, Sweet guests will enjoy entertainment by performers such as comedian Suzanne Westenhoefer, musical artist Jen Foster, comedian Erin Foley, and singer Edie Carey.

Additionally, Sweet is working with the country’s largest lesbian party promoter, Club Skirts, makers of The Dinah Shore Weekend, to host tea dances and parties onboard. Recently, Sweet introduced the Sweet 100 Rewards program. It gives early-booking guests VIP privileges, such as cocktail parties with entertainers and an express line at embarkation, regardless of which stateroom they purchase.

For more information, call 877-SWEET-30 or visit www.discoversweet.com

Explore Egypt with a tourist guide

Hailed as “the travel service innovation of 2008″ by the Irish Times

OurExplorer facilitates with ease the on-line booking of professional tourist guides from all over the world. Save time and money while you explore your next destination with the wisdom and guidance of a local.

Have you ever thought whilst visiting a new destination, “I wonder where the locals eat, drink, fish, ski, shop or party?” OurExplorer suggests its time for us all to stop simply sight-seeing but rather start exploring with the local wisdom and knowledge of a professional tourist guide.

OurExplorer has launched a new travel concept in BETA, a user-rated tourist guide booking tool created exclusively for your personal travel needs.

As the global financial crisis still looms, OurExplorer can save travellers hassle and money by getting the maximum out of their overseas adventure with a private tourist guide.

Enjoy the insight of the best shopping and value for money dining experiences in a city, directly from a native. Some tourist guides are currently offering special discounted rates and free tour hours on OurExplorer.

OurExplorer promote professional tourist guides only. Pre booking, the traveller can view their experience, license, past client testimonials or even chat with the tourist guide.

OurExplorer launched in July 2008 with now over 400 private tourist guides covering more than 80 countries worldwide — making it the biggest professional tourist guide directory in the world and growing all the time!

Make your trip overseas unique and full of adventure.
You book your flight and accommodation on-line, why not your tourist guide?
Get a tourist guide for land (city guide, mountain guide) or sea (diving guide).

Purpose of OurExplorer:

1. To help tourist guides increase their income thereby benefiting the local community - especially those in poor countries e.g. Kenya, Mexico and Cambodia.

2. Increase cross cultural awareness and acceptance via direct connection with locals e.g. people in USA get the chance to understand those in Pakistan and Israel

“Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry but it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends,” said Mahatma Gandhi.

“Less than 9.7% of overseas travelers interact in meaningful discussion with a local,” according to the Tourism 2020 Vision reported by WTO.

The IMF concluded in March 2007 that “direct support of independent local businesses when you travel has the most positive results on local economy”.

“Rather than just donating money, OurExplorer is a sustainable long term solution to help low income families globally,” said David Cunningham (Chief Exploring Officer).

The World, the only private residential community at sea, has announced its itinerary for 2009, which includes a stop in Seoul, South Korea, the ship’s first visit there.

The itinerary features several stops in the Caribbean, including Bridgetown, Barbados; Castries, St. Lucia; and Roseau, Dominica in January.

In February, The World’s ports will include its first visit New Orleans, as well as stops in Mexico and Central America, including Cozumel and Belize City. In March and April, the ship will visit Roatan, Honduras, Colombia, Nicaragua, and other South and Central American destinations.

The ship will spend the month of May in Mexico, where it will visit cities and towns like Huatulco Acapulco and Zihuatenejo.

The vessel will revisit North America and Canada in June and July, with stops in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Vancouver, Victoria and Nanaimo, among other cities. In August, the ship visit locations like Icy Strait Point, as well as a stop in Anchorage and a 13-day Bering Sea Expedition.

The ship will visit Russian and Japanese ports throughout September, including stops in Petropavlovsk and Vladivostok, Russia as well as Otaru, Aomori, Tokyo, Yokohama, Kobe and Nagasaki, Japan. In October,

The World continues its journey southward to South Korea, China and Vietnam. In November, the ship will visit the Philippines and embark on a 23-day journey through Papua New Guinea. The World ends 2009 with a month-long visit in Australia.

Call 954-538-8400 or visit www.aboardtheworld.com

Abercrombie & Kent is offering early booking savings on 2009 Journeys to Latin America.

Clients who reserve January-March 2009 travel by Sept. 30 can save $350 per person single occupancy or $250 per person double occupancy. Clients can explore Machu Picchu in the company

of its resident archeologist, dance the night away in Buenos Aires during a private tango lesson, or encounter penguin in their natural habitat on Magdalena Island.

The offer does not apply to the Galápagos, Costa Rica, or extensions.

For more information, call 800-554-7016

 or visit www.abercrombiekent.com