Travel Agent - March 17, 2008 - (Page HS5)

UP AND DOWN THE ISLES St. Lucia’s dramatic beauty is reminiscent of the steep volcanic peaks and lush landscapes of the South Seas. It also offers a wide array of accommodations, water sports, eco-tours and cultural activities. All-inclusive resorts include three Sandals properties plus the 100-room Rendezvous Resort and the wellness oriented Le Sport. The island also has top-notch boutique properties. Two feature perfectly framed views of the landmark twin peaks of the Pitons: Anse Chastenet, 49 suites nestled into the lush mountainside and along the beach; and Ladera, with 21 suites and six villas perched high between the Pitons. The Bahamas comprises 700 low-lying islands—30 inhabited, and all rimmed by sugary white- or pink-sand beaches and water so clear you can see coral and ﬁsh as though through air. Excellent diving and water sports are a given on all these islands. The main islands, Grand Bahama, home to Freeport and Lucaya, and New Providence, home to the capital city of Nassau and the Cable Beach and Paradise Island resort areas, have casinos and plenty of lively resorts and nightlife. Here, the One & Only Ocean Club offers seclusion seekers a romantic oasis within the mega-resort of Atlantis, with its casinos, walk-through aquarium and theme-park style water slides. On the less-developed, laid-back Out Islands, luxury hideaway options include the Four Seasons Resort Great Exuma at Emerald Bay. The U.S. Virgin Islands offer three distinct experiences. St. Thomas draws sophisticates with the duty-free shops and restaurants along its picturesque waterfront capital, Charlotte Amalie, and upscale resorts such as the Frenchman’s Reef & Morning Star Marriot Beach Resort and the Ritz- Carlton, which nestle into the ﬂower-ﬁlled hillsides and cove beaches that scallop the island. A short ferry ride from St. Thomas, pristine Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman St. John has two-thirds of its land set aside as a U.S. National Park and accommodations range from the luxe Caneel Bay Resort to upscale camping at the Maho Bay Camps. St. Croix is dotted with historic plantation houses, sugar mills, and intriguing accommodations such as The Buccaneer, a sprawling estate with a great house where Alexander Hamilton lived as a child. These are just some of the honeymoonAmericans tend to feel right at home in the friendly islands of the Caribbean. Whatever Cayman Islands, where honeymooners with the interest, the Caribbean can probably an active lifestyle will appreciate its coral pair it with a great beach, a frothy drink and reefs, whose steep “walls” attract divers from friendly service. around the world. Grand Cayman has everything from a Ritz-Carlton and a Hyatt to the * Source: The Condé Nast Bridal Media 2006 American modest yet romantic Turtle Nest Inn. Wedding Survey. In Aruba, party-hearty couples can club- and casino-hop along the resorts that line Seven Mile Beach. For those who want to be near but not in the scene, the Golden Tulip Bucuti Beach Resort, which banishes motorboats along its stretch of the beach, is a good alternative. The Allure of All-Inclusives A BIT OF BRITAIN British-toned Barbados is sometimes called “little England.” Polo and cricket matches are part of the island experience and elegant resorts such as Sandy Lane have hosted notables from Queen Elizabeth II to Jennifer Lopez. British charm also reigns in Bermuda, where ferries and motorbikes replace cars as the main mode of transportation, people dress up for dinner at intimate boutique resorts such as Pompano Beach Club and The Reefs, and the island’s pink sands, hibiscus-lined roads, white roofs and stone-arch “honeymoon gates” make the island picture perfect. A Sandals destination wedding GREEN HONEYMOON Lush, mountainous Grenada is a dream island for eco-adventurers, offering hikes through rainforests and mountains planted with nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger and other spices. Charming inns and guesthouses vie for attention with a few larger resorts, and the new Paradise Bay Resort & Spa offers a “carbon free” honeymoon. Grenada Board of Tourism A continuing trend in the Caribbean is the move toward all-inclusive pricing; about 40 percent of today’s couples opt for allinclusive honeymoons, accoding to the Condé Nast Bridal Media 2006 American Wedding Survey. After all the details of planning their wedding, many couples appreciate having everything they want for their honeymoon taken care of without having to worry about costs or logistics. The concept has morphed into everything from the deluxe and friendly ambience of Sandals’ growing family of resorts to tranquil, intimate hideaways such as Galley Bay and Jumby Bay on Antigua and The Caves in Jamaica. www.tauniv.com A Travel Agent Specialist Program 5 http://www.tauniv.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Travel Agent - March 17, 2008

Travel Agent - March 17, 2008 Online Now Contents From the Editor Contributors Africa: Lodges that will Make your African Safari through Tanzania Unforgettable Special Supplement: Honeymoon Specialist Africa News and Briefs Caribbean: The Hyatt Regency Aruba Resort and Casino is a Perfect Choice for all Types of Clientele Hawaii: The Less-Visited Island of Molokai Provides a taste of Old-Time Hawaii Central and South America: Where to Enjoy the Reefs, Rainforest and Ruins in Belize’s Maya Country Hotels: Properties that Cater to the Growing Trend of “Girlfriend Getaways” Cruises: Increasingly, Cruisers are Choosing Outside Companies for their Off-Ship Excursions Barbados: A Caribbean Travelers' Dream Airline Update: Several European Airlines Offer New Nonstop Service Ski/Snowboard: Three New Hotels Hit the Slopes in Wyoming, Utah and British Columbia Multi-Generational Travel: Cavallo Point: the Lodge at Golden Gate is a New “Green” Hotel Outside of San Francisco Agent Profile: Lynda Turley of Alpine Travel of Saratoga in Saratoga, CA Agency Profile: Largay Travel’s Company Retreat Cover Story: Barbados Technology: Open Travel CRM Agenda: Fam Trips, Deals & Incentives, Calendar Onsite from Jordan Travel Mart Harrah’s Draws Younger Clients to Atlantic City Cruise News India’s New Hotels and Nonstop Flights Saluting Travel Industry Contributors Report from Travel South In the Spotlight Editorial Index Advertising Index Classified Marketplace Trendwatch

Travel Agent - March 17, 2008

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