Travel Agent - March 17, 2008 - (Page HS7)

HIGH ON THE ISLANDS Hawaii was #1 on the list of the “Top Honeymoon Destinations” for 2007 as ranked by Honeymooner’s Review Guide [HoneymoonersReviewGuide.com]. The site touts Hawaii’s dramatic coastlines, volcanoes, green forests, native Hawaiian culture, tropical breezes, white-sand beaches and spectacular resorts as “the magic that brings couples to Hawaii for the best in honeymoon getaways.” The London NYC, New York Walk, displays museum-quality artifacts and original works. More Hawaiian culture beckons just outside of Waikiki, at the Iolani Palace and Polynesian Cultural Center. Kauai is a favorite with nature lovers and adventurers. On its navigable rivers—the only ones in Hawaii—idyllic kayak treks often include a hike to a waterfall and a dip in a mountain pool. Waimea Canyon and Kokee State Park offer dramatic trails with scenic overlooks to the ocean, 4,000 feet below. The Na Pali coast, accessible only by sea, helicopter or hiking trails, is a dramatic stretch of sea cliffs that soars to two thousand feet. Popular honeymoon resorts include the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort and Spa, the Kauai Marriott Beach Club and the Princeville Resort. The Big Island’s Hawaii Volcanoes National Park has a well-marked driving route that circles to overlooks and hiking trails that lead to amazing sights such as a still-steaming crater and a hardened walk-through lava tube. Across the island, the Kohala and Kona coasts are dotted with romantic resorts such as the Fairmont Orchid at Mauna Lani and Hilton Waikoloa Village. MAINLAND U.S. While Hawaii has always been synonymous with romance, there is no shortage of options for honeymooners on the U.S. mainland. Northern California’s Napa Valley wine country is gaining favor as a honeymoon destination, with elegant properties such as the Tuscany-inspired Villagio Inn & Spa in Yountville catering to couples. Villagio’s “Wine Country Romance Getaway,” for example includes a deluxe room with a cozy ﬁreplace and oversize sunken bathtub, chilled bottle of champagne upon arrival and bottle of wine in room. For couples who want a Napa Valley wedding, too, a new 16,000square-foot outdoor event facility, The Pavilion at The Vintage Estate, is nearby. About 45 miles south along the California coast is San Francisco, truly one of America’ most romantic and charming cities. Farther south lies Los Angeles, with the lure of Hollywood and getaway enclaves such as Venice and Catalina Island, and perpetually sunny San Diego, where the Hotel del Coronado, with its distinctive Victorian architecture, beautifully landscaped grounds, and seaside location, has welcomed lovers for 120 years. Las Vegas is the most popular U.S. destination for weddings—some 100,000 a year—and for fun-loving couples there are ample reasons to stay in town for their honeymoon as well. New hotel choices include the new Signature at MGM Grand—with private balconies that command stunning views of the Strip and mountains—and the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, where couples can enjoy gaming, ﬁne dining, pampering at the Spa by Mandara and shopping at the 170 Miracle Mile of Shops retail outlets — all without ever having to step outside. On the East Coast, Florida’s 825 miles of beaches included stretches along lively Miami, elegant West Palm Beach, idyllic islands such as Sanibel and Marco, colorful Key West, and the serene towns of the Panhandle. Great beaches, historic inns, cozy B&Bs and award-winning cuisine are just a few of the reasons that for the last 30 years the Old Commonwealth has rightfully boasted that “Virginia is for Lovers.” For couples who are more in an “I Love New York” state of mind, there is everything from restaurant and theater packages in “the city that never sleeps” to traditional honeymoons in Niagara Falls. For couples who met on a ski holiday, suggest a ski honeymoon at a quaint Colorado village or a cozy Vermont chalet. The possibilities are endless—and there are 42 more states whose tourist ofﬁces will gladly tell you why you should send your honeymoon couples to their neck of the woods. Romance in the U.S.A. Forbes magazine’s 2007 list of the “Top Ten Most Romantic Hotels in the World” features no less the four diverse U.S. properties: • Little Palm Island Resort and Spa in the Florida Keys is ideal for sun and sea worshippers and privacy-seekers. • Scottsdale Hyatt Regency Resort and Spa at Gainey Ranch near Scottsdale, Arizona, appeals to golfers, tennis players and stargazers. • New York City’s The London NYC offers theater-goers and other urbanites the culinary creations of famed Michelin chef Gordon Ramsay. • The Blantyre in Lenox, Massachusetts, is a castle, complete with turrets and gargoyles, set on a sprawling estate in the Berkshires. www.tauniv.com A Travel Agent Specialist Program 7 http://HoneymoonersReviewGuide.com 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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