The questions they ask!

THE American Society of Travel Agents has published some of the strangest – and stupidest – questions asked by customers planning vacations. Here are some of them:

‘It’s clear that some travellers need a little more hand-holding than others,’ said Zane Kerby, the society’s president.

• Do they speak English in Britain?

• Can you please book the honeymoon suite for us and another couple?

• Can you please plan a honeymoon for me, my bride and my mother?

• Can you guarantee that no pet has ever been in the hotel room?

• Can you book two rooms in different parts of the resort: one for me and my wife, and the other for my girlfriend?

• Does the crew actually sleep onboard the cruise ship?

• Don’t tell my fiance that this is where I took my first wife for our honeymoon.

• I would like to go somewhere where there are NOT a lot of men.

• Are there toll roads on the way to Hawaii?

• How can I get to Europe without going by air or sea?

• I’d like to visit Scotland and Denmark on the same trip. (The agent tells the client that he does not have time in his schedule to travel the distance). But they’re only an inch apart on the map!

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Picture Credit: ASTA logo by Source. Licensed under Fair use via Wikipedia

Americans ‘too busy’ for vacations

RESEARCH by Alamo Rent A Car found that 40 percent of US workers who received paid holiday as a job benefit did not use all of their available vacation days. 

When asked why they didn't use all of their days, 47 percent said they were too busy at work. 

‘Our research indicates that work increasingly remains top of mind for many people, even when they're vacationing with their families,’ said Rob Connors at Alamo Rent A Car.

The research revealed that younger American workers are finding it increasingly difficult to leave work behind, with 35 percent of millennials reporting that they work every day while on vacation.

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Picture Credit: GoHoliday via Wikimedia Commons

Beer geeks' rev up for the New England craft beer weekend

FROM the Ginga' Ninja to the Big Claw Pilsner, New England takes its beer seriously. 

The weekend of June 26-28 marks the 10th annual New England Brewfest, a weekend of beer-infused social events. 

Think you know good beer? Prove it! 

With 33 breweries and over 100 beers, we can all but guarantee you’ll try something new at Saturday Night: ON TAP at the New England Brewfest. 

Along with great beers to try, there will be vendors selling all things beer-related, a homebrewing demonstration, a variety of food for purchase, and live music.

Here’s the Deal:

What does my admission ticket include?

Every ticket includes admission into the event, an official tasting glass, all beer samples during the event, live entertainment, and free parking. VIP ticket holders can enter the festival at 3pm (along with other great perks) and General Admission ticket holders can enter the festival at 4pm. 

Regardless of whether you choose to partake in beer sampling or not, a VIP or General Admission ticket is required to enter the event.

What should I bring?

Folding/camp style chairs.

Your ID! This event is 21+ and ID is required to enter.

Your dancin’ shoes. Great live music will be playing throughout the event.

For visitors wanting more of New Hampshire's breweries, the Granite State has published a map of its finest breweries.

Tickets for Brewfest – in New Hampshire’s White Mountains – go on sale in April 2015. The minimum age limit for visitors is 21.

Nebrewfest.com
Discovernewengland.org
Discoveramerica.com

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Picture Credit: Courtesy Nebrewfest.com 

American choices for 2015: Australia tops, Spain slumps

IN a New Year travel resolutions survey from Fly.com, Australia has trumped Italy to become North America's most desired destination for 2015. 

Islands in the South Pacific dominate the list this year, with New Zealand and Fiji ranking third and fourth respectively.

In Europe, the rising destination is Greece – a country that finished a very close sixth behind perennial favorite France. Conversely, South Africa and Spain are no longer trending as top destinations compared with two years ago.

2015 Top Most Desired Countries

•  Australia

•  Italy

•  New Zealand

•  Fiji

•  France

•  Greece

•  Britain 

•  Ireland

•  French Polynesia

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Picture Credit - From Top: "HarbourBridge0011 - Sydney - Australia" by Sardaka via Wikimedia Commons; "Tasman Valley - Aoraki Mount Cook - Canterbury - New Zealand" by David Briody from Edinburgh, Scotland via Wikimedia Commons

Malta bloggers target US

MALTA has traditionally been recognized as a sun-and-sand destination for Brits and Europeans, with little exposure of its treasures to the North American traveller. 

A big push to change this perception is underway through a variety of efforts geared to engage the more cultured tourist. 

That English is a national language, in addition to Maltese, bodes well for any English-speaking visitor.

Visit Malta has created the #MaltaisMore project which brings together 70 bloggers over 12 weeks from all over the world.

Damon Allan of MAXIMA Tours has been chosen as the North American travel blogger for the second session of the #MaltaisMore campaign. ‘We've started to make a big push in the United States and Canada for tours to Malta. We believe that through efforts such as the #MaltaisMore project, we'll be able to open up so many possibilities for the discerning and cultured traveller to Malta.’

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Picture Credit: Malta Tourist Association / Go Holiday

Holidays good for lurve …

A SURVEY of 53,000 travellers by Ipsos for TripAdvisor has revealed that holidays strengthen the bond between UK lovers, who are twice as likely as the average global traveller to get married or engaged when they go home.

Perhaps this post-holiday love-drunkenness could also explain findings that revealed that Britons were in the top five most charitable travellers – the fifth most likely to donate while on holiday.

The hunt for new cultural experiences is why many of us travel, especially, it seems, Americans, 66 per cent of whom said they were looking for unique and uncommon experiences on holiday.

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Picture Credit: From Top -  "Gozo-harbour-hotels" by Myriam Thyes via Wikimedia Commons; "Wiedil-MielahWindow" by Wusel007 via Wikimedia Commons