Travel Agent - October 15, 2007 - (Page 20)

Insider What’s your favorite restaurant? Agent CONTRIBUTORS DAVE EISEN covers the cruise and hotel beats for Travel Agent. He most recently visited the Crystal Symphony—postrenovation—and was lucky enough to snag a photo with Bill Smith, Crystal’s senior vice president of sales & marketing. Up next, he’s headed for Europe, specifically the Netherlands, to cover the arrival of the new “It” girl. No, not Hayden Panettiere; Norwegian Cruise Line’s “It” girl, Norwegian Gem, which makes its U.S. debut in December. HONG KONG “Man Wah in the Mandarin Oriental in Hong Kong,” says Bob Watson of Watson and Watson/Protravel in Scarsdale, NY. “The hotel was totally redone and in general the service was really flawless. I had the Peking duck, which is one of their specialties.” MARK ROGERS, senior editor at Travel Agent, was one of a handful of journalists invited to Hong Kong in July to witness the 10-year anniversary celebration of its return to Chinese sovereignty, capped off with a magnificent display of fireworks on the Kowloon waterfront. During the same trip he visited Macau, which is seeing a tremendous amount of tourism investment. He donned a jumpsuit and protective harness (pictured) to help a photographer get a shot looking out over the ledge of the 1,109-foot-tall Macau Tower. Rogers also covers Hawaii, the South Pacific and Asia, as well as California, where he is based. Last month, he attended the PATA Travel Mart 2007 in Bali. “Mine is in Venice, where I found a family-owned restaurant named Rosa Rossa,” says Mike Kempinski of NorthStar Cruises in Caldwell, NJ. “It is inexpensive with wonderfully simple food and the best pizza in Venice. It’s not far from St. Marks Square on Calle della Mandola.” In Rome, Kempinski likes Tritone on via dei Maroniti. “It is a little, unpretentious restaurant with simple food. The spaghetti carbonara was terrific.” ITALY JOE PIKE is Travel Agent’s associate editor covering the Caribbean, Bahamas & Bermuda; Mexico; and Central and South America. Pike recently returned from Travel Mart Latin America in Cartagena, Colombia, and says his trip was a pleasant surprise. Safety wasn’t an issue there and any preconceived images were replaced by those of friendly street mimes, horses and carriages and some of the most beautiful churches and boutique hotels a destination can offer. Next, he will be heading to San Juan, Puerto Rico for Travel Agent’s coverage of the 30th Annual Caribbean Tourism Conference (CTC). NEW YORK “One of the most breathtaking views in New York City is the view from across the East River at Water’s Edge in Long Island City, Queens,” says Scott M. Kertes of Hartford Holidays Travel in Williston Park, NY. “It has a terrific, festive ambience, superb food, great service, and most importantly, the most dramatic views of Manhattan you can imagine. Be sure to get a table outside.” New York-based KAY SHOWKER has been a travel writer, photographer, and lecturer for three decades, having authored 14 guidebooks, including the 100 Best Resorts in the Caribbean, the Caribbean Ports of Call series, Outdoor Traveler’s Guide to the Caribbean, and the Unofficial Guide to Cruises. She has appeared as a travel expert on CNN, ABC, CBS, NBC, AOL, and The Travel Channel. Her travels have taken her to more than 100 countries around the world and her articles have appeared in major travel magazines and newspapers across the country. In this issue she covers Martinique for us. ERIN F. STERNTHAL is a contributing editor for Travel Agent, where she previously was a senior editor, specializing in the hotel and spa industries and covering Las Vegas, New York and Israel. In addition to her extensive travels, Sternthal has been a guest lecturer at New York University’s Preston Robert Tisch Center for Hospitality, Tourism and Sports Management; she has also been a panelist at hotel forums. After spending more than eight years on staff, Sternthal left her full-time position in January 2007 to conquer her most challenging role yet: as mom to new son Brandon. 20 | TravelAgent October 15, 2007

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Travel Agent - October 15, 2007

Travel Agent - October 15, 2007 Online Now Contents From the Editor From the Publisher Contributors Europe Central & South America Special Supplement: Ski University Pacific/Asia Las Vegas Caribbean Romantic Getaway and Honeymoon Packages Jamaica’s New Minister of Tourism Talks About the Country’s Future Special Package Deals Cruises Hotels Ski Multi-Generational Travel Tours Cover Story: Luxe Life of the Stewart Clan Business Operations - Agent Profile Technology Transportation The Industry - Agenda Caribbean News PATA Travel Mart ITME Report Latest Cruise and Hotel News Travel Week In the Spotlight Editorial Index Advertising Index Classified Marketplace Trendwatch

Travel Agent - October 15, 2007

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