Honeymoon Hot Destinations

Ahh, the honeymoon, whether it be a trip to Vegas or a quiet beach hideaway it will always be remembered as one of the best and most important vacations you’ve ever gone on. Here’s the Wedding Wonderful hotlist of great honeymoons.

NORTH AMERICA AND CARRIBBEAN

Las Vegas, Neveda– Las Vegas is like nothing else in this world. The lights, the gambling, the shows, the $4.99 prime rib, you’ll find it all here in Las Vegas like nowhere else. For the couple who enjoys gambling, seeing shows, and the night life this is the perfect trip.

Orlando, Florida– Orlando is not just for kids, Walt Disney World and the newer Universal Studios rank as one of the top honeymoon destinations in the world. Not only does Central Florida have the draw of the theme parks, but also plenty of beaches and other attractions. This is the perfect trip for the couple who enjoys roller coaster fun in the sun.

Niagara Falls, New York/ Canada– Once the classic honeymoon destination, Niagara Falls is still a great choice for couples interested in sightseeing rather than laying on the beach. Both the American and Canadian sides are great, but most of the action, including gambling, occurs on the Canadian side and you have a better view of the falls.

Hawaii– The main destination of choice for today’s honeymooners, Hawaii offers the perfect combination of sightseeing and beach fun. We selected the Big Island of Hawaii for a place on our top ten honeymoon beaches list, but Maui, Oahu, and Molokai are great options too.

New York City– The everything capitol of the world. New York is full of exciting cultural and sightseeing opportunities. Our pick for the most romantic NYC activity? A moonlight horse and buggy ride in Central Park.

Hilton Head, South Carolina– Long known for being a golfing mecca, Hilton Head is quickly developing into one of the biggest northeast honeymoon destinations. The Old South is alive and kicking here both architecturally and in terms of hospitality and the white sand beaches are some of the prettiest you’ll find in this part of the country.

Poconos, Pennsylvania–Nothing screams heart shaped hot tub more than the Poconos. This once premiere honeymoon destination is still a wonderful choice for couples who want to relax and enjoy the great outdoors mountain style.

Puerto Rico– Puerto Rico has long been a hot spot for beach loving couples and buffs of history. San Juan is the oldest US-owned capitol city and the whole island is rich in Spanish culture. Nightlife including dancing and casinos abounds.

The Bahamas– The Bahamas is a string of 700 islands, the most popular of which are located just off the coast of Florida. Nassau, the capitol and any of the beaches on Grand Bahamas Island or Paradise Island are popular with honeymooners. Our Bahamas beach pick? Pink Sands.

Bermuda– The island of Bermuda and it’s infamous “triangle” are located about 500 miles off the coast of North Carolina. This string of 150 islands is famous for it’s pink sand beaches and unique pastel architecture. St. George is the main honeymoon destination.

Caymen Islands– The Caymens are located about 430 miles south of Miami and although these islands have become popular lately, they are much less commercialized than many other Caribbean destinations. This is the perfect trip for the couple who prefers quiet days in the sand and snorkeling to a wild nightlife. Grand Caymen Island is the most popular island.

Jamaica–Jamaica is famous for it’s white sand beaches and waterfalls as well as it’s regee culture. Although it is not quiet as popular as some other Caribbean destinations due to concern about crime this is still a great vacation for those who enjoy a tropical setting. Nergil Jamaica made our list as one of the top ten honeymoon beach sites.

The Virgin Islands– Half US owned and half British owned, the most popular Virgin Island destinations include St. John, St. Thomas, St. Croix, and Tortola. St. Thomas and St. Croix, both US owned are huge tourist destinations while St. John and Tortola are popular but less touristy. We picked the island of St. John as one of the ten best honeymoon beaches in the world.

Mexico– The beaches of Mexico are said to be some of the best in the world and like many of the Caribbean islands very snorkeling and SCUBA diving friendly. The most popular honeymoon spots include Acapulco, Cancun, and Puerto Vallarta. Acapulco made our list of the top ten honeymoon beaches in the world.

EUROPE

Italy– Italy has long been the world center for romance and Italy is generally one of the most popular Europen honeymoon destinations. Want romance? Spoleto, Bellagio, and Todi are recommended by Frommer’s. For historical sites we recommend the Coliseum, the Roman Forum, Pompeii, the Vatican Museums, and the Academy Galley art museum.

France– Whether it’s hitting the beach at the French Rivera or seeing Paris from the Eiffel Tower, France offers a great deal of romance. For history buffs, Chteau de Versailles is said to be the most opulent palace in the world and the Louvre contains some of the world’s most famous artwork. The vineyards of Bordeaux and the French Alps are terrific options for couples looking for a more serene scene.

London, England– London offers the cosmopolitan couple almost everything they could want in a honeymoon destination– culture, history, scenery, and a kicking nightlife. Westminster Abby, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, and the Houses of Parliament are must sees.

Prague, Czech Republic– A piece of the Old World in modern Europe, Prague is an exotic and deeply historical city. This is the place where Mozart lived (the movie Amadeusreally was primarily shot in Prague) and is famous for it’s hundreds of spires. Romantic ideas include visiting the Prague castles and taking your own dinghie for a row at night on the Vltava.

About the Author

Heather Greene is the head writer for Wedding Wonderful, a wedding planning site and online supplies store located at www.weddingwonderful.com. This article orginially appeared on Wedding Wonderful.

Holland - The Keukenhof Gardens

Holland is the land of tulips. When it comes to seeing tulips, no place in the world outdoes the Keukenhof Gardens.

Keukenhof Gardens

The Keukenhof Gardens are located to the southwest of Amsterdam. I know this because I was visiting Amsterdam with an old friend and his wife. He and I had talked about taking the tour at the Heineken Brewery for days. Unfortunately, we only had two days in Amsterdam and had missed the tour on the first day. This was due to his wife having wet hair because of a blow drier, which meant we had to sit around until nature ran its course. This was not a woman willing to rough it.

I arose on the second morning with visions of beer mugs in my mind. I knew that I was in trouble as soon as he walked through the door. He had that look. You know. The one that says I have bad news, but am going to try to make it sound like good news. The powers that be wanted to go to the word famous Keukenhof Gardens.

This was disappointing for two reasons. First, I had never heard of the “famous” Kuekenhof Gardens, thus bringing into doubt the claim in my mind. Second, the weighing of the scales of justice were producing results decidedly in favor of a location that encompassed the word “beer” versus one that highlighted “gardens.” For the love of God, we were in Amsterdam!

An argument ensued and, of course, I lost. Off we went for a day in the gardens. Oh, fun.

As happens more often than not, I was wrong in my assumptions. In a one in a million occurrence, “gardens” definitely outweighed the “beer” option. The Keukenhof Gardens definitely deserve the fame moniker, even if you’ve never heard of them.

Keukenhof is perhaps the biggest collection of flowers I have ever seen. Located on 70 acres outside of the town of Lisse, the gardens are surreal. There are over 7 MILLION flowers on the grounds with Tulips in full display. The location was previously the home of a castle and accompanying lands, which gives you an idea of the layout. Essentially, you pay $20 to enter and just start strolling. It is like standing in the middle of a landscape painting. The place is so big, you can rent bikes to put around the grounds. To this end, the best time to go is in April when everything is in bloom.

Against all my inherent male attributes, I have to admit visiting the gardens outdid anything the Heineken Brewery could offer. I also felt a heck of a lot better the next morning!

Rick Chapo is with NomadJournals.com - makers of travel journals. Visit NomadJournalTrips.com to read more articles on travel in Holland and Adventure Travel.

Working During Your Vacation

You have a vacation coming up, but you’ve been everywhere and seen everything that you wanted to see. Maybe you have a lot of vacation time amassed and you know you’ve been blessed with material assets that others don’t have. If so, maybe you should consider going on a Volunteer Vacation. There are many opportunities available to take an interesting vacation and still make a difference in your world. You can work in a partner program where you will work side by side with local people to improve their community. You might work in the area you are most interested in. Do you have building skills? Are you a medical professional? You can be used in various communities both here and abroad to help the disadvantaged get the medical care they need.

Other opportunities are offered all over the world. You could volunteer in an orphanage, a school, caring for the elderly, or working with people with disabilities. What ever your interests, there are opportunities for you to make your vacation a volunteer experience. It will inspire you and make you thankful for all you have been blessed with.

With the natural disasters we have experienced in the past year, many places could use help in rebuilding and cleaning up. The tsunami relief is still far from being completed. Many miles of beaches still need to be cleaned and many are still without shelter. Put your building skills to work to help the unfortunate countries that were affected.

Do you lean more toward ecological projects? Those can be found as well. In the past 12 months, a volunteer group has spent many hours rehabilitating sick penguins so they can be released into the wild in South Africa. Released turtle hatchlings in Costa Rica and cleaning vast amounts of beach area in Sri Lanka. Other projects include, erecting a fence to protect wildlife in Australia, replanting over 2000 saplings to restore a forest in Kenya and helped preserve Griffon Vultures in Croatia.

If you prefer to work with people, you may be able to help with teaching English as a second language. One organization has organized a camp to help children fight drug addiction. Another has taught basic sports skills and helped with educational development for children in underprivileged countries.

Meaningful volunteer vacations can be a worthwhile project for anyone wanting to help the world become a better place. To promote goodwill and let other countries know that we as Americans care.

The Church I belong to takes a missionary trip every year. They have fund-raising events, and those that go work to raise the money for their travel. They may go and finish a project started by another church, or start a new project. The Church that is sending the group often supplies building supplies. Teens have gone on mission trips to conduct one-week Bible Schools. My son had the opportunity to go on one of these mission trips and that one trip changed his life forever. He learned that volunteer work could be rewarding and unforgettable. There was time for him to visit the local sites and work with the locals on something that was important to them. He used his experience on that trip to go to a large city here in the States to minister to inner city youths during one of his summer college breaks.

I found many different sites on the Internet that gives you the choice of where you want to volunteer. Is there an area you have never thought of visiting? Maybe a news story has made you curious about an area, or stirred your heart, making you want to make a difference. Can one person make a difference? The answer is a resounding YES. You can take projects for as short as one week to as long as 12 weeks. You choose what will interest you and where you would like to go.

Why not take advantage to see a part of the world you would not have the occasion to visit and change the lives of people in that area. You can have a life changing experience, a vacation to remember and do your part in working for peace and understanding around the world.

David is an experienced internet entreprenuer with over 7 years of experience. He owns and operates the site www.florida-bound.info. Visit the site for more info and specials on visiting Florida, plus other exciting places.

Fuel Alternatives

Being climate and green friendly is a thing that is going to influence us all in the next 15yrs. We have Environmental Travel, Electric Cars & Biological Fuels to look at now.

There are also several forms of Bio Fuels. Biological Fuels are many in essence plant based alternatives to oil- based fuels such as petroleum, diesel & cooking oil. Burning biodiesel gives out C02, still this is balanced with the fact that the crops used to generate it uses CO2 emissions from the atmosphere to grow. Yet the environmental gains of Bio Diesels are hotly debated, with some climate and green friendly consultants maintaining that Bio Fuels cause more harm than good. There is 2 prime types of Bio Diesel and Ethanol.

As the type implies, biodiesel is planned for use in diesel engines. Biodiesel is highly alike to vegetable oil & is constructed from the identical types of plants- oil rich sources such as sunflower, palm, rapeseed & groundnut. Biodiesel will often also be produced from animal fat or oils recycled from Moroccan cuisine restaurants. Biodiesel will be tried smart in some diesel engines, even so, at present Bio Diesel is more ordinarily apparent in a mix with regular diesel- commonly sixteen % biodiesel with regular diesel fuel. This mix will be consumed by any regular diesel car.

Ever thought about purchasing a environmentally friendly car? There is 2 types the G WIZ electric car & the Mega City electric car. The above mentioned are genuinely climate and green friendly machines; in fact they are many an environmental daydream. Electric cars do not produce any carbon dioxide emissions in fact more to the point Biological Diesel cars don’t even have an exhaust pipe. Because if you power an electric car from renewable energy, it creates zero emissions. Though this environmentally friendly car has lots of advantages it does have some cons as well. The noticeable one being it is an eco friendly car and it can only only do 96 miles before you have to top up the car battery and this usually has to be completed over the course of the night, if you’re preparing on doing an extensive tour, this may have to be charged over the course of a few days.

The undiscovered paradors of Spain

No matter which season you choose for travelling, there is
nothing more delightful than a Spanish vacation. This is truly a
top destination providing something for everyone, whether you’re
after beaches or sweeping plains, lively clubs or impressive
cathedrals.

It is much more than just bull fighting, bull running, flamenco
and tomato fights that make this small country so exotic.
Spaniards have always tried their best to make the country
attractive and unforgettable for tourists.

Spain has the usual selection of modern hotels and hostels, but
if you travel off the beaten track you can easily discover many
alternative kinds of tourist accommodation. Within this
category, the Spanish paradors particularly stand out.

The word “parador” literally means “stopping
place”. Paradors form a chain of historic buildings
converted into lodging places all around the country. They
stretch from Galicia in the North West through Catalonia to
Andalusia in the south, the Canary Islands and to the Spanish
cities of North Africa.

It was the idea of the Royal Tourist Commissioner Marques de la
Vega-Inclan in 1926 to set up paradors in places of special
interest or remote locations with two purposes. Firstly, it
would help provide inexpensive accommodation to travellers in
remote areas. Secondly, it would keep all the run-down monuments
and historic buildings in good condition which would otherwise
be left to fall apart.

You can call it an irony of fate, but nowadays paradors are
respectable high-standard hotels with all mod cons. They
preserve their previous elegance and at the same time ensure
your absolute comfort. The Spanish parador is also where you
will discover Spanish cuisine of the highest calibre.

So, if you like to be pampered and realise that staying at one
of Spanish paradors is just what you have always wanted, the
next step is deciding what kind of parador will make the most of
your holidays.

Below are just a few of the many options available to tourists.
Each suggestion is accompanied by an example - one of paradors
offered by Keytel International, the UK’s only official
representative for the Spanish Paradores.

1) Perhaps you wish to enjoy the atmosphere of Medieval Spain,
staying in a medieval castle.

Example: Cardona - the fortified 9th century
enclosure, conceals a 2nd century tower and an 11th century
church along with spectacular bedrooms, some with four-poster
beds. Located on a vantage point of the fortified town and
inside the solid stone walls, we find furniture inspired from
medieval times in the drawing rooms.

2) Then, it may be a Monastery or a Medieval Hospital, where
walls have been oozing religious spirit for many centuries.

Example: Guadalupe - the 15th century hospital of
St. John the Baptist reflects religious spirit of absorption and
reflection on the former Monastery of Nuestra Seňora de
Guadalupe. The unique orchard forming the garden, its secluded
swimming pool, arcade and white walls, announce the spacious
interior, whose bedrooms recall the original religious function.

3) You may prefer a stay in the Spanish countryside with
colourful views of Spanish landscape and fresh country food.
This option is gaining in popularity as tourists wish to leave
the busy city life behind.

Example: Keytel Int. offers a great number of
country-side paradors. One of them is located in
Albacete, in central Spain, near to Madrid Airport, La
Mancha Country House. The stamp of Cervantes influences the
character of this Parador, the calmness of its luxuriant garden,
its swimming pool, and attractive corridor. Its décor offers the
privacy and calm necessary to escape from daily routine in
relaxed working sessions in the Sancho Panza and Dulcinea rooms.
The local cuisine covers everything from “pisto manchego” (fried
vegetables), partridge in “escabeche” sauce and a puff-pastry
sweet, “Miguelitos de la Roda”.

4) If you are not a fan of history and ancient architecture, you
are free to choose a parador built in the modern style. Located
in areas of great natural beauty, close to entertainments and
shopping centres they are built to accommodate modern
requirements and convenience.

Example: El Hierro - The Parador is located on the most
recent and least populated of the Canary Islands. This is
also the place, where up until a century ago, the “O” meridian
line passed through. The Parador rises up, by the sea, with
whitewashed walls and wooden balconies. Comfortable bedrooms
complement an interior with an elegant, colonial tone along with
a garden with a swimming pool.

These unique buildings create the perfect atmosphere for your
holiday, matched only by the welcome you will receive from the
Spanish people. For further reading on the paradors of Spain, go
to http://www.keytel.co.uk/parador.php where
you can browse over 100 Spanish paradors to suit all tastes.

I wish you a great time during your holiday. Good luck!

Northern Jersey car lots

It surprises some people when they hear that one of the most controversial topics in the travel business lately revolves around Newark Airport parking. Perhaps this is because so many travelers have been turned away at their favorite lots of the holiday season in 2007. Newark Liberty International Airport is a favorite among seasoned travelers in the Tri-state area, but for some people the parking situation leaves something to be desired.

The best advice travel pros give for this situation is to reserve a spot in advance on the internet. There are several parking lots at or near Newark that offer this feature, and this comes at no additional cost so it’s definitely worth it. So many people are late for their flight as it is, partly due to increase security screening procedures at all US airports, so setting yourself up for parking complications is a big mistake. Fortunately, most people learn this lesson quickly after they nearly miss their flight, but others aren’t so lucky and they literally have to cancel their vacation because instead of being at the gate they are driving around in circles trying to ditch their car. If you are the type who likes to wing it for things like this, then fine, but I’ll be down in Miami sipping a margarita while you are trying to get on the next flight.

Travel in Menorca Spain

Menorca is the second largest of the Balearic Islands and is smaller and quieter than its main neighbour Mallorca, but bigger than it’s other neighbour Ibiza. It is only 9 miles (15km) wide and 32 miles (52km) long and located just 34 km / 21 miles from Mallorca, the island has many family-friendly resorts and almost as many beaches as Mallorca and Ibiza combined. Peaceful holiday resorts line the south coast of the island and sleepy fishing villages are dotted along its rocky north shore.

Menorca has escaped much of the effect of package holidays and the island’s small towns and villages offer a fairly quiet and relaxed holiday, even during the peak season, with many wonderful attractions. There are plenty of tourism and tourist information offices situated in the towns of Menorca and these provide up-to-date information about Menorca tourist attractions, museums, events, Menorca festivals, Menorca travel, Menorca sightseeing and general Menorca tourism and tourist information.

Largely protected from development, Menorca is a real haven for nature-lovers. Menorca is a very green island, with pinewoods and many fields for the islands 25,000 grazing cattle. Cycling tracks meander vigorously across the meadows and scrublands, offering some spectacular views of the island and the seafront. The north coast of Menorca is rocky and rough, whilst in contrast; the south coast of Menorca is full of sandy coves, with fine, golden sand, sheltered by cliffs. Menorca is littered with prehistoric remains, giving much evidence of a bygone sophisticated culture. Little is known of those weather beaten stone monuments, but it is thought they are linked to those of Sardinia and date around the second millennium BC Talayotic period.

The oldest and largest towns in Menorca are Mahon on it’s eastern side, the walled capital of the island, which is at the end of an enormous natural harbour and Ciutadella, Menorca’s ancient and co (western) end of the island. Mahon is a particularly busy port and has many impressive acrchitectural features whilst Ciutadella is a more graceful town, full of winding streets and characteristic old buildings, reminiscent of the Moorish and Spanish influence, including several churches.

The town does not offer much in terms of sightseeing, but it has excellent eateries, shops and a very relaxed ambience for wandering around. Mahon itself is a sedate and conservative town, consisting of classical Georgian houses from its British past (Admiral Nelson once lived at the Golden Farm Mansion) For sightseeing, a trip to the famous Xoriguer Gin distillery is well worth a visit.

Menorca is the greenest and least developed of the Balearic Islands. It has a slightly gentler feel than neighbouring Mallorca and is the perfect holiday destination for couples and families: everything is easy, peaceful and close by. The best part of Menorca is its abundance of beautiful beaches - it has more beaches than the rest of the Balearics put together. The coastline ranges from pristine coves to long, sandy beaches separated by rocky headlands.

Inland, Menorca remains essentially rural with restful scenery of rolling fields and wooded ravines Fiercely protective of its natural beauty and fully aware of the potentially damaging consequences of selling out to mass tourism, Menorca has clearly demarcated most of its holiday areas.

Resort villages are dotted around the coast and characteristically amount to just a small selection of hotels and self-catering apartments, with enough quality shops, bars and restaurants to provide fully for visitors. As such the resorts are safe, modern and sympathetically designed to complement the surroundings. A proud island, Menorca is clean and uncluttered, with an excellent climate - qualities that promote a sense of space and well being for everyone.

Menorca is not expensive and a daily budget of around $35 is enough for a good time. However splashing out and experiencing everything can be done within a daily budget of $80. The museum of Menorca is easily the biggest building on the island and the best museum.

It holds a wide array or prehistoric artefacts from 4000BC and Talayotic times. Another well-known sight is the Naveta Dels Tudons, also known as the cathedral of prehistoric monuments. It is shaped like an upturned boat and is one of several Navetas on the island. Navetas were old funeral structures and are surrounded in mystery and legend.

Travel by Taxis
Taxis in Menorca are a useful way to travel around the towns and visit nearby sights and attractions. The taxi meters starts at a basic fare, but additional charges are usually made for luggage, night time driving and travel on public holidays in Menorca.

Driving Tips
Citizens of EU member countries require a national driving licence to drive cars in Spain

Citizens from non-EU member countries need an International Driving Permit, as well as their national driving licence. You must be at least 18 years old to drive a car in Spain and have a valid driving licence and car insurance.

It is compulsory for the driver and all passengers to wear seat belts and children under 14 years old are not allowed to travel in front seats. In Spain, cars drive on the right-hand side of the road. Give way to traffic coming from the right at junctions and roundabouts
Beware of what appear to be shortcuts on maps - these often turn out to be unpaved roads or mountain passes.

Unless indicated, other major routes are 56 miles per hour / 90 km per hour and slower speed limits of 30 miles per hour / 50 km per hour are enforced in urban areas
It is an offence not to carry some form of identification, such as passport or driving licence

Travel by Car Hire/Rental
Driving in the centre of busy towns and popular resorts is best avoided if possible, as many of the streets and narrow, with one-way traffic. Cars parked alongside the pavements can also making driving conditions difficult. However, a car in Menorca provides a useful way to travel around the island and a current map of Menorca’s roads is essential. There are many winding roads around the island that offer some truly spectacular views.

For information on car hire or car rentals visit Every Car Hire at Car Hire Menorca Spain.

Think About Taking A Tour To African safari - Serengeti National Park

If you’re planning your next vacation, and want something on the fun and wild side, you may want to think about taking an African safari to the Serengeti. Serengeti National Park is one of the most amazing wildlife parks in the world. Not only is this area of Africa beautiful it’s also full of scientific information and data that will keep you busy for many days. There are many animals that you’ll find living in this part of Africa, which include zebra, gazelle, wildebeest, and lions. The wild plains of the Serengeti will keep you mesmerized for the entirety of your safari.

Any African safari that you plan will be well worth your trip to Africa, however it’s the Serengeti that should be at the top of your list. The Serengeti National Park is over 12,950 square kilometers in size, which makes it as large as the country of Northern Ireland. The name “Serengeti” is from the Maasai language and translates to mean “the extended place”. You’ll find the Serengeti near Lake Victoria (west area) and the Great Rift Valley. This large ecosystem breathes with a life of its own and is the source of many scientific documentaries,

There are many other locations which are great for your African safari. If you travel to Southern Africa you’ll need to remember that the rainy season occurs from November until sometime in the middle of April. Since the popular time to go on an African safari is from the months of June to September you’ll have to book your trip well ahead in advance so that you are ensured of a space during that time. No matter what time of year that you travel to Africa the weather can always change in just a few minutes. You may experience a lot of rain even when you’re traveling outside of the rainy season. This is why when you travel you need to be as prepared as possible for anything that can happen.

James Hunt has spent 15 years as a professional writer and researcher covering stories that cover a whole spectrum of interest.
Read more at http://www.african-safari-guide.com

Travelers with Disabilities: The Untapped Market

When most people think about accommodating people with
disabilities in their business they get a scared feeling in
their gut and their mind scrambles to search for that
all-important date when the Americans with Disabilities Act
(ADA) went into effect. It doesn’t have to be that way! When
business owners open their eyes and start to realize that there
are literally billions of dollars to be made in the accessible
travel market, I believe we will start to remove the fear
associated with the ADA.

There are currently more than 50 million people with
disabilities in the United States and 180 million worldwide,
representing the single largest untapped tourist market in the
world. According to a recent Harris Poll conducted in
conjunction with the Open Doors Organization and the Travel
Industry Association of America, the 50 million people with
disabilities in our country have a combined income of more than
$175 billion. In 2002, these people took 32 million trips and
spent more than $13.6 billion on travel ($4.2 billion on hotels,
$3.3 billion on airfare, $2.7 billion on food and beverage, and
$3.4 billion on retail, transportation, and other activities).
This study suggested that these travelers would double their
spending if some minor amenities were made available. Meet and
greet programs at airports, preferred seating on airplanes,
hotel rooms closer to amenities, and employees who go out of
their way to accommodate guests with disabilities topped the
list.

The current trends in adaptive travel show most of these
travelers taking advantage of destinations that they know are
already accessible such as cruise ships, Florida, and Las Vegas.
The visitors bureaus and businesses at these destinations that
have gone to great lengths to ensure their visitors that there
will not be any accessibility issues during their stay. From
personal experience and years of traveling in a wheelchair, I
can guarantee that these locations have built and will continue
to build strong relationships with travelers with disabilities.
This group is a very loyal one, who will often return to the
same city, hotel, or activity provider year after year if they
have a good experience. If everyone were to catch on to this we
would see growth in the tourism industry like we have never
seen!

With this in mind, it is a wonder that more business owners have
not taken steps to make their accommodations more accessible and
even start marketing to these travelers. If the staggering
numbers listed above aren’t proof enough, the U.S. Census Bureau
recently stated that nearly 16.5% of all people with
disabilities in the U.S. leave their home two days per week or
less. That constitutes nearly 11 million people that are not
traveling at all. Also keep in mind that there are millions of
people in their golden years that are looking for accessible
travel accommodations. Many of these people use canes or
walkers, travel with oxygen tanks, or have other mobility
impairments, and are not included in disability statistics.

With millions of people in need of accessible travel options,
and with our Baby Boomers (almost 25% of our population)
starting to reach retirement age as well now is the time to
start thinking about improving marketing efforts to include
people with disabilities and about better overall accessibility
in general. By educating business owners on the benefits of
marketing to people with disabilities and educating travel
agents who are fighting a losing battle with the internet, we
can begin to focus on this new target market.

If you want to take advantage of the rapidly growing adaptive
travel market, get started now! I recommend hiring an expert to
get your business rated and start removing barriers to access as
soon as possible. Think about accessibility anytime you’re
planning a remodel or addition. These improvements will benefit
everyone, not just people with disabilities. For those of you
who have already taken steps to improve accessibility, start
bragging about it.

Craig Kennedy is a published adaptive travel author,
accessibility consultant, and motivational speaker with almost
ten years of adaptive travel experience and more than 15 years
of tourism and service industry expertise. He specializes in
resort business growth and customer attraction through better
overall accessibility, education, and marketing, and works with
businesses who wish to become leaders in accessible travel and
accommodation.

Craig P. Kennedy, Steamboat Springs, Colorado, CK Consulting:
Setting Standards for Accessibility www.CKConsultingonline.com.
* Please visit our Web site to take a FREE accessibility quiz to
find out if you are on the right track.

Baby’s Christmas Wish - Let Me Live Another Day

Christmas the jolly festive season for good will gestures kindness and happiness is upon us once again.

December 25th the lord’s birthday is a day for family gatherings where relatives even strangers unite to celebrate his invisible presence. If Christmas were every day where the atmosphere is filled with joyous and harmonious people? What a wonderful world this would be.

Children prepare for Santa’s arrival with a thank you plate of biscuits and a glass of milk. The bigger kid’s like mum/dad intend to over excite themselves too watching the kids unwrap their presents. Then we have the belly bursting feast of turkey with all the trimmings followed by apple pie and custard. But sadly to say all the joys that Christmas brings is not bestowed on every one.

Unfortunately some children celebrate Christmas from a hospital bed due to saddening events which may have taken place where instead of receiving a kiss and a cuddle on Christmas day they received a merciless beating. No joyous moments for babies on a mortuary slab.

Innocent of any crime the weakest links will suffer more pain under the hands of their abusers. This ongoing torture for toddlers/wife’s partners etc is escalating out of control causing an epidemic of sadism which has to stop. To many merciless beatings have caused death to a victim all because the abuser needs his/her daily fix of fulfilment where they celebrate Christmas with blood on their hands and a smile.

Help is out there for those looking for the reason behind why they cause so much sorrow and pain on their defenceless loved ones. Talk to someone and by doing this you have taken the first step in your quest to make every Christmas from now on happy ones.

Then we have the inhabitants of famine stricken countries suffering from starvation seeking to survive on flour and milk alone. Our flour comes in the shape of a loaf, our milk churned into butter/cheese.

Before keeping up with tradition where you get to stuff your self with roast parsnips and turkey be sure to say grace and to take in the meaning of every word. “Bless us O Lord for what we are about to receive, may the Lord make us truly thankful. Amen”

Far from our thoughts are the less fortunate so remember to say a prayer. And for the innocent victim of abuse who’s cry for help go unheard. I ask you as a friend or neighbour to be extra vigilant of any situation that may give you reason for concern for a child’s safety.

By doing this you may be giving that child the best Christmas gift ever and that is to live for another day.

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