Travel News You Can Use
By Judy Newell
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Mexico Travel News |
Take advantage of hotel and resort deals
All across Mexico, resorts and hotels, airlines and tour operators are running specials and promotions. Here are a few:
The Grupo Posadas hotels, which include AQUA Cancun and Fiesta Americana in Cancún, Los Cabos, Cozumel, Puerto Vallarta and Acapulco, are offering 35 percent off the nightly rate, as well as a daily breakfast buffet, for stays through September 8.
RIU Hotels & Resorts has 40 percent off rates at several of its all-inclusive resorts in Cancún, Playa del Carmen, the Riviera Nayarit, Cabo San Lucas and Mazatlan. Until June 25, rooms can be as low as US$73 a person.
The luxury Tides Riviera Maya and Tides Zihuatanejo offer a second room free until September as well as airfare reimbursements for stays of more than four nights.
Palace Resorts, with 11 properties in Mexico, is giving air credits of US$100–$400 a room from June 30 to September 30, depending on the number of booked nights. Guests who stay three or more nights also can use other summer specials, including a Kids Stay & Eat Free promotion.
Occidental Hotels & Resorts, which run the highly rated Royal Hideaway Playacar as well as five other all-inclusive resorts throughout Mexico, have promotions including complimentary nights and kids free through December.
Apple Vacations is now offering what it dubs the “Biggest Mexico Vacation Sale Ever,” with seven-night all-inclusive hotel packages and air from the US starting at $69.99 a night. See
www.applevacations.com.
It’s definitely time for a beach vacation.
Riu Hotels top-selling chain in Mexico
For the second consecutive year, Expedia has ranked Riu Hotels & Resorts as number one among chain hotels in Mexico by number of room nights booked in 2008.
The 15 Riu resorts in Mexico, with a total of 8,098 rooms, are all-inclusive with signature amenities and services including 24-hour food and beverage service, in-room liquor dispenser and mini-fridge with refreshments, gyms, tennis courts, children’s club, sports bars and casual and fine dining restaurants. The newest resort, Riu Emerald Bay, opened in Mazatlan on May 29.
International News
Free summer weekends at US national parks
For two more weekends, 147 national parks are waiving admission fees (typically US$3–$25) for July 18–19 and August 15–16. The National Park Service hopes to inspire families to get outdoors—and give an economic boost to local communities in the process. Concessioners, who provide services like lodging and food, have pitched in with their own Welcome to Your Parks promotions.
Cotswolds literary festival
The Times Cheltenham Literature Festival celebrates its 60th year in 2009 as the longest-running literature festival in the world. The festival showcases the talents of the world’s leading novelists, poets, humorists, historians, philosophers, actors and politicians as they bring the written word dynamically to life October 9–18.
The festival is led by 10 Guest Directors—including Monica Ali, Sandi Toksvig and Rageh Omar—who each bring their own unique flavor to the program. Added to this is the children’s festival “Book it!” and a festival fringe with a maverick style of its own.
Airline News
Mexico grounds Aviacsa
Mexico has temporarily grounded Aviacsa airline after officials reported irregularities in the maintenance of its planes. The Transportation and Communications Department said the low-cost airline has 60 days to fix the problems or the suspension will become permanent.
The action on June 2 effectively shut operations at the airline, which has a fleet of 26 planes serving 17 Mexican cities and Las Vegas. The department said the problems put passengers at risk, but Aviacsa issued a statement denying any safety problems.
Aviacsa is the third oldest carrier in the country after Mexicana and Aeroméxico. Its tariffs generally are considerably lower than its larger competitors. In recent months, Aviacsa has fallen behind in payments for landing fees and fuel, leading to speculation that it might be obliged to ground itself due to financial difficulties. The government order focusing on safety matters was not expected.
American Airlines posts summer bag limits
If you’re flying on American Airlines you need to be aware of this. Due to heavy summer loads and high volumes of checked baggage, passengers will not be able to check extra bags or boxes during the embargo period. The baggage embargo applies to Guadalajara, Aguascalientes, San Luis Potosi, Chihuahua and León in Mexico and other airports in Central and South America, the Caribbean and the Bahamas.
A year-round box embargo is in effect for flights originating from, and passing through, New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to all Caribbean and Latin America destinations. Oversize, overweight and excess baggage will not be accepted for flights to the destinations covered by the bag and box embargo.
Airlines to lose US$9 billion this year
Airlines are estimated to collectively lose US$9 billion this year—nearly double the previous projections—and face a slow recovery as the economic crisis saps air travel and cargo demand. The International Air Transport Association (IATA), which represents 230 airlines worldwide, increased its loss estimate from the US$4.7 billion it forecast in March, reflecting a “rapidly deteriorating revenue environment.”
Although the recession shows growing signs of bottoming out, IATA said the industry was severely hit in the first quarter. Revenues are expected to decline by US$80 billion—an unprecedented 15 percent from a year ago—and the weakness will persist into 2010. IATA said that some 100,000 jobs worldwide are at risk.
Ryanair CEO: “We are serious” about a toilet fee
It may not have been a publicity stunt after all. Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary says the European low-cost giant will indeed start charging customers one pound (about $1.65) to use the toilets on its flights, according to The Guardian of London.
He told reporters the toilet charge is expected to be in place on Ryanair planes within two years. O’Leary added that he’s asking Boeing to look into putting credit-card readers on toilet locks for new jets.
He’s also proposing to rip out two of the three loos on a Boeing 737 to make way for an additional six seats, claiming passengers can learn to cross their legs on flights of only an hour or so. The London Daily Mail quotes O’Leary as saying: “We are flying aircraft on an average flight time of one hour around Europe. What the hell do we need three toilets for?”
That’s not all—Ryanair says it may also begin charging customers for sick bags, if they’re needed. There’s still more—the Daily Mail says one of Ryanair’s more controversial ideas is to introduce new baggage measures, so that passengers would load their own luggage onto aircraft, replacing baggage handlers.
But, O’Leary did stand firm against the possibility of one new fee. The Telegraph says he “has ruled out proposals to charge obese passengers more for their flights because he regards the idea as impractical.”
Cruise News
Silver Spirit’s inaugural voyage features John Cleese
Silversea Cruises’ new Silver Spirit will depart on its inaugural voyage with actor/comedian John Cleese of Monty Python and Fawlty Towers fame. The 91-day Grand Inaugural Voyage departs Fort Lauderdale on January 21, 2010, visiting more than 20 countries and 45 ports. Cleese is one of several celebrity guest speakers booked for portions of the cruise.
Recording studio debuts on a cruise ship
American Idol wannabes will have their chance to sing on Costa Cruises’ newest ship, the Costa Pacifica, which will introduce the cruise industry’s first onboard recording studio for passengers.
As part of the Costa Pacifica’s overall theme of music, the line installed a fully equipped recording studio for passengers. The Music Studio, manned by a sound engineer, promises that its high-tech engineering will make even the worst singer sound good.
For 35 euros per hour (about US$50 at current exchange rates), passengers can record up to three songs. At the end the cruise, they receive a CD of the tracks they made.
Windstar Cruises might need a lifeline
Revenue on Windstar Cruises decreased by US$4 million during the first quarter of this year due to fewer passengers. Its parent company, Ambassadors International, said that if it doesn’t get additional financing, it could declare bankruptcy.
Until last fall, Ambassadors operated seven US-flagged riverboats under the now-defunct Majestic America Line, as well as the Windstar fleet. The company tried to sell its riverboat assets, but aside from giving the Empress of the North and the American Queen to the US Department of Transportation’s Maritime Division, it has been unable to shed its remaining vessels. Ambassadors said without a cash infusion, it might have to suspend or curtail its operations or seek bankruptcy protection.
Deal of the Week
Free mountain gorilla permit
Volcanoes Safaris, a unique great ape ecotourism business that specializes in mountain gorilla safaris to Uganda and Rwanda, has a special offer to encourage great ape tourism. To celebrate 2009 being named the United Nations “Year of the Gorilla,” it is offering a free second gorilla permit (a US$500 value) for travelers who book a safari of six days or longer.
Every gorilla permit purchased promotes the protection of the gorilla national parks and benefits the surrounding communities while supporting the conservation of the extremely threatened mountain gorilla. Sensitive tourism is central to the survival of the gorillas and supports the conservation of this delicate ecosystem.
Sources: TRO Travelgram, Travel Pulse Daily, Budget Travel, Niche Britain, Mexico Travel News, The Associated Press, USA Today, Media Kitty
Judy Newell heads the travel company Perfect Journeys that specializes in discounted rates for airfare, hotels, tours and cruises worldwide, as well as luxury and adventure travel. Contact her with comments or suggestions at
judynewell@perfectjourneys.net
or go to her website www.perfectjourneys.net.
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