The WAYFARER
NORTH AMERICAN
TRAVEL JOURNALISTS' ASSOCIATION
3579 East Foothill Blvd., Ste 744, Pasadena, CA 91107-3119.
Published bimonthly except March and August.
Fax 201-791-3349. E.mail dan@natja.org.
Helen Hernandez, Publisher. Dan Schlossberg, Editor-in-Chief.
NATJA encourages input from both members and others in the travel/hospitality industry but reserves the right to edit material for brevity, clarity, and good taste.
IN THIS ISSUE
Cleveland theme: ‘Let the Good Times Roll'
Board previews ‘New NATJA' on Jekyll Island
Prez: Tough economy demands creative solutions
Hawkins PR lone repeat winner of 5-Star Award
Diverse panel of judges picked prize winners
NATJA needs prizes for 2009 Annual Awards
The inconvenient shrink: Continental squeezes fliers
‘70s stew yearns for good old days
Kal: Extra fees for bags raise writer's ire
Carla: Media Bistro provides networking heaven
Trips: Spring flings for winter-weary writers
Cleveland theme: ‘Let the Good Times Roll'
Because the eighth annual NATJA conference will be held in the home of the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame, the theme of the three-day gathering will be "Let the Good Times Roll."
That applies both personally and professionally.
The convention will not exactly be in the museum itself, although a planned evening event in the hallowed hall has a good chance to be a convention highlight.
This year's conference is slated for Cleveland, named one of the most livable cities in the United States by The Economist in 2005. The magazine also ranked Cleveland as the best city for business meetings.
Located in Northeastern Ohio and the southern shore of Lake Erie, Cleveland is 60 miles west of the Pennsylvania border but within easy reach of most American cities. It has Amtrak service, a major airport connected to downtown by light-rail service, and a myriad of spectator and participation sports. NATJA delegates hoping to see the Indians play at Progressive Field will have to arrive in time for the June 1 night game against the Yankees.
Even if they miss the game, they will certainly be exposed to two of the city's major musical institutions: the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame, where plans are taking shape for a Sock Hop after the Wednesday Dine-Around, and the House of Blues, where gospel singers will serenade NATJA's final-night dinner on Thursday.
The Opening Night dinner will take place at the headquarters hotel, the Doubletree. That Tuesday evening event will include a welcome, a layout of the conference, a keynote address, and presentation of NATJA awards.
NATJA's new websites will be revealed after breakfast on Wednesday, June 3.
The conference will also have sessions on surviving new media, culinary travel writing, tax & business issues, and how members can utilize NATJA tools in building their business.
There will also be workshops on the new economics ("Thrive, Don't Survive") and getting the attention of an editor. Negotiations are underway with potential seminar speakers.
NATJA's first "green" marketplace will headline conference activities on the final day. To ensure participation by more CVBs and tourism bureaus, workshops for publicists will be included in the daily conference schedule. They include pitching and working with writers and better packaging for cost control.
The conference follows the format of previous NATJA meetings: seminars in the morning, local sightseeing in the afternoon, and social activities in the evening.
Most delegates will arrive and check in on Tuesday, June 2, and depart on Friday, June 5, although announcements are pending regarding pre and post-conference tours.
Local sightseeing options range from Playhouse Square Center, the nation's second-largest performing arts center after New York's Lincoln Center, to the Great Lakes Science Center and Cleveland Museum of Art. One Playhouse Square, now the headquarters of Cleveland public broadcasting, once housed the studios of WJW radio, employer of disc jockey Alan Freed. Because he coined the phrase "rock ‘n roll," Cleveland claimed the right to host the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame when the institution was looking for a home.
NATJA delegates will also enjoy Euclid Avenue, a downtown artery once described as "the most beautiful street in the world," and Terminal Tower, a 1930 Beaux Arts skyscraper that was the tallest building outside New York until 1967. Another local treasure is the five-story Arcade, erected in 1890 but converted into a Hyatt Regency Hotel in 2001.
Previous NATJA conferences have been held in Newport, RI (2003), Chicago (2004), Santa Fe (2005), Stowe, VT (2006), Little Rock (2007), and Oklahoma City (2008).
Watch http://www.natja.org/ and future issues of The Wayfarer for Cleveland conference updates.
Board previews ‘new NATJA' on Jekyll Island
Radical redesigns of The Wayfarer, Travel World International, and the overall NATJA website were revealed to members of the NATJA Advisory Board during their January meeting at Jekyll Island Club, a historic Georgia resort.
The designs were created primarily by board member Jerri Hemsworth, unable to attend the three-day meeting for personal reasons but connected to the meeting by computer technology from her California home.
The Wayfarer's ultra-modern redesign will present headlines and short ledes, allowing viewers to click on articles or items they want to read. Its time-tested format of news items, opinion columns, and bargains and trips for members will remain basically unchanged but the changes in graphics, from the Page 1 flagg to the extensive use of color, will be striking.
NATJA members will also see an immediate dramatic upgrade in the look of Travel World International, edited by board member Kim Foley MacKinnon. Color and striking design concepts will appear with the January/February 2009 issue of TWI.
Changes are also coming to the overall NATJA website, according to Ben Root, executive vice president of the group. He said various versions of the new site will pass alpha and beta testing stages before going live on the internet.
Also discussed at the annual winter meetings were a Code of Ethics, with a draft submitted to the advisory board for comment by VP of marketing Brian Hemsworth, and the agenda and theme of the upcoming Cleveland conference, scheduled for June 1-5.
Ideas for seminar topics and specific speakers were solicited from board members.
The group also voted to award full membership status to publicists who represent convention and visitors bureaus, state tourism offices, and transportation companies, as well as their international colleagues.
Several will be invited to join the advisory board and pave the way for regional meetings in their jurisdictions. The goal, according to NATJA CEO Helen Hernandez, is to expand awareness and membership of the organization by reaching out to travel journalists throughout North America, including Canada and Mexico.
Also attending the Jekyll Island meetings were NATJA president and co-founder Dan Schlossberg, who edits The Wayfarer and runs the annual awards competition; David Rottenberg, a travel and food writer based in San Diego; Kathryn Farrington of the Newport (RI) CVB; and Michelle Ruedy, NATJA's director of member services.
One advisory board spot remained open following the resignation of Candy Harrington. Michael DeFreitas has been apponted her successor.
In addition to many hours of meetings, members of the board were hosted by three island restaurants, Saydees, Latitude 31, and Seejay's, and flown from their hometowns to nearby Jacksonville as guests of Southwest Airlines.
The Jekyll Island Club, a member of Historic Hotels of America, is a 157-room Victorian structure that was once a winter hunting retreat for business barons J.P. Morgan, Joseph Pulitzer, and the Vanderbilts, Goulds, Astros, and Rockefellers. Built in 1886 and restored a century later, it sits on a narrow barrier island between the Intracoastal Waterway and Atlantic Ocean. Perched just off the southeastern tip of Georgia, Jekyll Island is alive with fauna and flora, including oak trees dripping with Spanish moss, maritime forests, miles of beaches, and animal life that ranges from waterfowl to wild deer and turkeys. There's even a sea turtle rescue center steps from the croquet lawn in front of the hotel.
The Jekyll Island National Historic Landmark District spans 240 acres and includes 34 historic structures and 53 archaeological sites. The island's 11-mile stretch of coastline is owned, preserved, and protected by the State of Georgia.
Tough economy demands creative solutions
By DAN SCHLOSSBERG
Barack Obama took office Jan. 20 with the promise of remaking America.
For freelance travel writers, his message had plenty of meaning.
Those of us who freelance fulltime have been hit especially hard by the economic downturn, while those who freelance to supplement paychecks from regular jobs may be able to manage more easily.
For both groups, the best immediate objective is finding alternative ways to make ends meet.
Some freelancers are now substitute teachers, able to juggle the demands of their new part-time employers while still maintaining the freedom to travel.
Others have broadened their base, branching out into such things as technical writing, textbook writing, and broadcasting.
One prominent publicist, seeing his client base shrinking, now accepts public speaking engagements. Another does barters, such as coaching writing in exchange for personal training.
Jobs may be harder to find but they're out there. Word-of-mouth works wonders, not to mention Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and similar services unheard of when the century started.
Blogging helps too - especially if the blogger knows how to promote his product and manages to attract advertising to his blog.
The March issue of US Airways magazine, for example, contains a "Best of the Blogs" feature that will include links to the blogs of each selected author. Since the monthly inflight has an average readership of 3,000,000, those blog authors will get visibility they never had before.
Unfortunately for the freelance community, inflights may soon follow the buffalo nickel and Sunday doubleheader into the dustbin of history.
United Hemispheres, winner of more than a dozen NATJA awards, leaves the Pace Communications family after February - and leaves award-winning editor Randy Johnson out of a job. Its new publisher won the contract by promising to attract more ads and keep more revenue - primarily by cutting the fee for freelancers in half.
US Airways, though still with Pace, has already pulled the plug on paying for freelancers, according to long-time editor Lance Elko.
JetBlue even turned down the chance to launch an ad-supporting inflight, claiming that it would add too much extra weight to its aircraft - and therefore cause more fuel consumption.
Even before the economy tanked, reading was becoming a lost art. People of the 21st century demand the instant access of audio and video services and prefer the internet to print publications.
The solution? Make publications brighter but smaller and easier-to-read. USA TODAY has proven that formula still works.
PR PRODDERS BUG WRITERS
Are publicists demanding too much private information from writers invited on press trips? Bob Nesoff, NATJA co-founder and first president, seems to think so.
After spotting a International Travel Writers Alliance listing for a Riviera Maya press trip, he wrote the following letter and copied The Wayfarer:
"I noted that there is a listing for Riviera Maya trips in Mexico. Writers should be aware that the information they demand before approving participation is both unethical and quite intrusive.
"We were invited and when we responded they sent a form asking for detailed information. Among the items demanded were:
- A list of publications the article would appear in (a reasonable request)
- The cost of advertising in such publications and the trade value the space the article would provide (very unethical because it smacks of a trade-off for positive reviews)
- Name of medical insurance provider
- Description of coverage from medical insurance provider
- Policy number of medical insurance (most intrusive)
"We politely declined the invitation.
"First, we will not do trade-offs for advertising because we feel it obligates us to provide positive coverage even if we find the destination/accommodations to be less than expected.
"Secondly, it is none of their damn business who our health/accident insurance provider is, much less what our coverage is.
"And it most certainly is none of their business as to what our policy number is."
Bob and Sandy Nesoff write a syndicated travel column for Metro Publishing Group.
CONFLICTING DATES MAKE US CRAZY
Schedule conflicts are inevitable. But sometimes it doesn't just rain - it pours.
Because of a long-planned press trip to Phoenix in February, this columnist missed two of the best Manhattan travel events - the California Media Marketplace and The New York Times Travel Show. A new media event worth attending, Taste of DC, somehow sandwiched itself between California and The Times, and also fell into the "regrets" rather than "RSVP" category.
But that's not all: the annual Society for American Baseball Research conference, ideal for those of us who dabble in sportswriting too, picked a great venue - the J.W. Marriott near the White House - but a terrible time - late July into early August.
The SABR convention has never been that late, but perhaps the national group is taking a cue from the New York and New Jersey chapters. The former scheduled its annual meeting on Valentine's Day, forcing many to skip it or leave early, while the latter planned its conference on March 7, later than last year and further away from the populous North Jersey area where most members live (the Lakeland Blue Claws ballpark instead of the Yogi Berra Museum in Montclair). In winter, that's just bad planning - and virtually guaranteed to reduce the crowd.
It was just dumb luck that the 2008 SABR national coincided with NATJA's Oklahoma City conference - making it impossible to attend the former. Ironically, last year's SABR was in Cleveland, site of this year's NATJA event. Had NATJA's venues been reversed, it would have been possible to attend both events last June.
Scheduling for NATJA events, including the annual conference as well as the advisory board meetings, is also a delicate event.
We bend over backwards to avoid conflicts with such events as International PowWow, scheduled for May 16-20 (Miami) this year, May 15-19 (Orlando) next year, and May 21-25 (San Francisco) in 2011. PowWow not only attracts many of the exhibitors who also come to the NATJA conference but a lot of the writers as well.
We also try to avoid Mother's Day, Memorial Day Weekend, Father's Day, and July 4 weekend. We don't want to make members choose between a business conference or spending a holiday with friends and family.
No planner in his right mind would schedule an event between Christmas and New Year's or around Easter weekend. But Good Friday, Easter, and the Jewish holidays of Passover, Rosh Hashanah, and Yom Kippur fall on different dates every year, complicating the problem. Plus Jewish holidays start at sundown the previous night, making those days off-limits too.
The American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA), which always holds its annual meeting on an April weekend, has done a reasonably good job working around them.
In 2002, when NATJA first started planning an annual conference, the hierarchy decided to aim for May - before Mother's Day and Memorial Day - but not pick dates too close to PowWow.
It's never possible to please everyone but we hope we've done a good job in pleasing as many of you as possible. We'd love to hear your comments. E.mail dan@natja.org.
BELIEVE IT OR NOT
While researching a piece on Ripley's Believe It Or Not! for The History Channel Magazine, these items from the Ripley's website merited reprinting:
- Christopher Columbus was paid $300 for making his historic voyage in 1492
- Columbus crossed the Atlantic at a speed of 2-8 miles per hour
- In Australia, a hurricane is called a Willy! Willy!
- In the 1800 election, Aaron Burr and Thomas Jefferson tied in the electoral college, forcing 36 ballots before the latter was elected
- Madison Square Garden hosted an indoor charity softball game on May 9, 1940 with Mayor LaGuardia as the umpire and W.C. Fields, Jack Dempsey, Teddy Roosevelt, and Babe Ruth among the players. Lowell Thomas was the manager of the BIONs (short for Believe It Or Not!), which also included Robert Ripley
NATJA president Dan Schlossberg of Fair Lawn, NJ was co-founder of the association in 1991. He is also a fulltime freelance writer and broadcaster, specializing in travel and baseball.
Hawkins PR lone repeat winner of 5-Star Award
Hawkins International, a New York public relations firm, was the only repeater in the NATJA's annual 5-Star Awards, given to travel suppliers by a vote of the membership.
Three former winners also recaptured awards they relinquished last year. They were JetBlue, which had been voted Best Domestic Airline four years in a row before AirTran took the category last year; Virgin Atlantic, which finished second to Qantas in balloting for Best Foreign Airline in 2007; and Rocky Mountaineer Vacations, a Vancouver-based rail tour company that specializes in trips through the Canadian Rockies.
Hyatt Hotels had a double victory in the voting: its Kansas City property, the Hyatt Regency Crown Center, was named the Best Individual Hotel, while the Chicago-based Hyatt Corp. won as the Best Hotel Group.
Enterprise beat Avis, last year's winner, and Alamo in a three-way race for Best Car Rental Firm and Cruise North, a four-year-old company that specializes in Arctic cruises, took a surprise victory in the Best Cruise Line or Ship category.
The Wedgwood Inn, a Victorian bed-and-breakfast based in New Hope, Pa., was named Best Inn or B&B, but was not alone among winners from the East Coast.
NATJA members named Maine the Most Hospitable State, the Smithsonian museums as the Best Attraction, and Washington-based Nationals Park the Best New Attraction. The riverfront stadium was the only new park in Major League Baseball last year.
London took Best International Destination, while Jack London's hometown of San Francisco won for Best North American Destination. Voting was hotly contested in both categories.
One year after media relations director Enid Atwater was named Best Friend to Travel Journalists, her Palm Beach County CVB was voted the most media-friendly by the writers.
Toronto, named Most Hospitable City in a surprise decision, joined Rocky Mountaineer Vacations as Canadian 5-Star winners for 2008.
Pink Jeep Tours, a company founded in Sedona but expanded to Las Vegas, was named Best Tour Operator while the Boston-based Legal Seafoods won for Best Restaurant Chain.
California's collection of big cities, national parks, and Pacific coastline overpowered other contenders in the competition for Most Media-Friendly State Tourism Bureau. Its annual Media Marketplace in Manhattan, held every winter, was cited as a factor by several voters.
Another new 5-Star winner was Stephanie Heckathorne, former media relations director of the Greater Phoenix CVB. She and Doug MacKenzie, who previously won in that category, are regulars at NATJA conferences. She is now the top publicist at Sheraton White Horse Pass, an upscale Phoenix-area property.
The complete list of 2008 winners:
- Best domestic airline: JetBlue
- Best foreign airline: Virgin Atlantic
- Best cruise line or ship: Cruise North
- Best rail tour company: Rocky Mountaineer Vacations
- Best car rental firm: Enterprise
- Best individual hotel: Hyatt Regency Crown Center
- Best hotel group: Hyatt
- Best inn or B&B: The Wedgwood Collection (New Hope)
- Best North American destination: San Francisco
- Best international destination: London
- Best tour operator: Pink Jeep Tours
- Most hospitable city: Toronto
- Most hospitable state: Maine
- Most media-friendly CVB: Palm Beach County
- Most media-friendly state tourism bureau: California
- Best attraction: Smithsonian museums
- Best new attraction: Nationals Park (Washington)
- Best restaurant chain: Legal Seafood
- Best travel PR firm: Hawkins International PR
- Best friend to travel journalists: Stephanie Heckathorne (Phoenix)
Diverse panel of judges picked prize winners
Pub Note: The Judges awarded 3 NATJA Crystal Globes to Grand Prize Winners, 37 Crystal Rounds to First Place Award Winners and 100 Merit Awards and Certificates. A complete list of Winners is posted at http://new.natja.org/awards/.
A panel of ten judges sifted through more than 400 entries before naming the winners of the 17th Annual NATJA Travel Journalism Awards competition. Judges deliberated into March before making their final decisions.
Those judges were, in alphabetical order:
- Neil Adelman, CEO, Calabasas Magazine
- Tim Gallagher, consultant and former publisher, Ventura County Star
- Brian Hemsworth, president, NewmanGrace, Inc. and a Pepperdine University faculty member
- Jerri Hemsworth, graphic designer and photographer
- Helen Hernandez, CEO of NATJA
- Marguerite Hernandez, former Secretary, Publicist Guild of America
- Ben Root, executive vice president, NATJA
- Lorin Shields-Michel, author and copywriter
- Kurt Smith, art director, Outdoor Photography Magazine
- Terry Sutherland, photographer and owner of Sutherland Photodesign
Winners then selected their prizes by listing their top 10 prize preferences, taken from a list of 47 first prizes and three grand prizes.
NATJA needs prizes for annual awards
The 18th Annual NATJA Travel Journalism Awards, open to all journalists worldwide, is looking for resort rooms, airline tickets, or trips it can provide as prizes.
The competition, open to all travel writers, authors, and broadcasters worldwide, produced more than 1500 entries over the past three years.
LONG LEAD TIME
Although grand prizes have considerably greater value, most first prizes are space-available, three-night stays for two people sharing luxury accommodations, valid only during the following calendar year (Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 2010). Gift certificates marked "valid one year from date of issue" cannot be accepted unless the date of issue is listed as Dec. 31, 2009. That is because winners will not receive prizes and accompanying certificates of excellence until the end of this year, after judges tally the Top 10 prize preferences of first-prize winners.
Potential sponsors are invited to submit a Gift Certificate, e.mail, or letter detailing their prize so that it may be announced in The Wayfarer. Entries are accepted from July 1-October 1.
HOW DONORS BENEFIT
Hotels, resorts, airlines, cruise lines, and rail tour companies that supply non-cash prizes for the 2009 awards competition will receive a plethora of free publicity. That publicity will include prominent mention in NATJA print, broadcast, and internet outlets as well as the publications, broadcast venues, and/or hometown newspapers of winners .
Prize donors should send confirming e.mails by June 1 (followed by gift certificates detailing the prize) to Dan Schlossberg, NATJA Awards, 10 Ballard Place, Fair Lawn, NJ 07410-3601 (Fax 201- 791-3349, e.mail dan@natja.org).
The inconvenient shrink: Continental squeezes fliers
By BOB NESOFF
The tale of the scrimping airlines gets curiouser and curiouser. And shiftier and shiftier.
Continental has reduced the maximum size of carry-on baggage by a full six inches. Its new rule says domestic carry-ons can't measure more than 45 inches.
Gee, Continental, this stricter rule wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that you started charging $15 for the first checked bag and $25 for the second, would it? After all, there are lots of people whose bags fit in the overhead bin just fine today but might now be forced to shell out.
You wouldn't be taking advantage of consumers, would you? You won't take these new rules as an opportunity for the extra-charge police to stop passengers with a poorly-timed gotcha, right?
In fairness to Continental, which has replaced all of its in-terminal measuring templates to enforce the new standard, the new size is pretty much what all the majors require. So it's not as if it's being unusually unfair.
The one big airline that's still generous with its dimensions, Southwest, actually permits two checked bags without charge. US Airways, which charges, still allows for 51-inch carry-ons but bleeds passengers in other ways.
Let's not fool ourselves. The airlines are doing anything they can get away with to make more cash, including legally getting out of paying taxes through extra fees. It's pointless to keep complaining about that. But is it pointless to point out that we seem to be watching an airline needlessly alter its rules to railroad passengers into extra fees?
The fact that each carry-on's weight limit, 40 pounds, will stay exactly the same tells me that heaviness is not the issue here. At the same time, I have a hard time believing that those six inches are going to make any perceivable difference in the overhead compartments, particularly because they don't have to come from any specific side of the luggage. Passengers can just make their bags six inches shorter, not wider, and potentially take up the same amount of space.
Makes no sense to me. But this is what air travel has come to in 2009.
Bob Nesoff of New Milford, NJ was the co-founder of NATJA in 1991 and its first president. He and his wife Sandy now write a syndicated travel column.
‘70s stew yearns for good old days
By ANN HOOD
When I stepped off the plane from Miami into the Charlotte airport for a connecting flight back home, I immediately knew something was wrong: hordes of desperate people crowded the terminal.
I quickly learned flights to the northeast were cancelled because of a storm. The earliest they could get us out of Charlotte was Tuesday. This was Friday. A gate agent stood on the counter and shouted, "Don't ask for help! We cannot help you!"
I joined a mob that ran from terminal to terminal in search of a flight out. Eventually, I found six strangers willing to rent a van with me. We drove through the night to Washington, where I took a train the rest of the way to Providence.
The real problem, of course, is that incidents like this happen every day, to everyone who flies, more and more often. It really gets to me, though, because for eight years I was on the other side - as a flight attendant for TWA.
I know the days are gone when attendants could be written up if we did not put the linen napkins with the embossed TWA logo in the lower righthand corner of the first-class fliers' trays. As are the days when there were three dinner options on flights from Boston to Los Angeles - in coach. When once, stuck on the Newark tarmac for four hours, a planeload of passengers got McDonald's hamburgers and fries, courtesy of the airline.
I have experienced the decline of service along with the rest of the flying public. But I believe I have felt it more acutely because I remember the days when to fly was to soar. The airlines, and their employees, took pride in how their passengers were treated. A friend who flew for Pan Am and I have a friendly rivalry over which airline was better. Friendly, yes. But we each believe we worked for the best.
We tell stories about cooking lamb chops and dressing them in foil pantaloons; we bate the beauty of my Ralph Lauren uniform versus her Oleg Cassini. I like to tell her how we would have the children on board serve the after-dinner mints - delicious pale-green circles with TWA stamped on them - arranged on a silver tray. We remember the service we provided - dare I say cheerfully? Happily? Proudly? And when my friend and I part ways, although we hold on to our allegiances, we know that all of our passengers were served well.
Now, passengers aren't served at all. During the meal-less flights, with scowling flight attendants who have snickered when I asked for a blanket and the seat pockets crowded with trash, I cannot help but remember how we passed out magazines, offered playing cards to bored passengers, refilled coffee cups. If we didn't, passengers complained. We had a stack of complaint cards at the ready, right next to the dry-cleaning vouchers we handed out if we spilled anything on anyone.
Our names were embroidered on our aprons and the passengers used them. At TWA, there was a rumor about a flight attendant who had her apron embroidered with the name O. Miss, as in "Oh, miss, I need more 7-Up" or "Oh, miss, may I have a pillow?" But that was an airborne legend. We couldn't get away with something like that.
I remember the first time I stepped onto a Lockheed L-1011 as a flight attendant in 1979. I marveled at the beauty of that plane. I put on my apron with my name across the top and smiled at the people who had saved their money, put on their Sunday best, and chosen TWA. It was not so long ago that flying had that civility, that glamor, when flying through the sky really felt like something special.
Airlines offer valid excuses for cutting back service. But what are they gaining when passengers leave a flight disgruntled, mistreated, and hungry? It is surprising how easy it is to please passengers. Cereal and lots of coffee in the morning can do wonders for someone who had to leave home at 4 a.m. Pretzels and peanuts handed out with drinks make a difference in an era of flight cancellations and long security lines.
What works best, of course, is a smile. I trained for six weeks to become a flight attendant. Although the main focus was safety, I spent almost as much time learning good service. Airline employees' frustration and exasperation are all too evident to their passengers.
When I was hired, we had a joke that to get the job we had to answer every question with, "I love people and I love to travel." But it was true. I loved bantering with businessmen and talking about books with passengers. I looked forward to them telling me where they had been and where they were going.
I know times are tough for the airlines but things weren't any better when I was flying. The oil crises of the ‘70s brought not just long lines at the pump but mandatory unpaid furloughs for us in the air. And then came deregulation - our jobs felt as precarious as airline jobs do today.
Yet even so, we had dignity - passengers and crew alike. We were together up there at 35,000 feet and for those hours in the clouds and stars, all of our worries stayed on the ground below.
Ann Hood of Providence is the author of The Knitting Circle and Comfort.
Extra fees for bags raise writer's ire
By KAL LONDON
My letter to Travel Weekly, a publication for the retail travel trade, was published in the Jan. 5 issue. I'd like to share it with readers of The Wayfarer:
"I don't have to tell you how much the tourism industry is suffering during this recession. Tourism is very important to our economy. Maybe with the help of key elements of the tourism industry, our economy could get some help.
"I am talking about the airline industry. I encourage the major airlines to immediately eliminate their fees on checked bags, which usually amount to $80 per person flying roundup on his or her vacation.
"Anyone taking a cruise, or going to Hawaii, or going for a week's vacation, or going skiing or going on a golf trip probably will be taking at least two bags. I know of potential travelers deciding not to take that vacation because of the extra checked bag fees.
"If Southwest Airlines is flying out of that person's destination and flying to that person's destination, travelers might still be taking their trips flying on Southwest. I hope all the leaders in the travel industry support Southwest's policy of charging no fees for up to two checked bags per person. Maybe if the other airlines see that Southwest is taking some of their customers, they would eliminate these fees.
"One other thing airlines can do immediately to encourage flying is to give bonus miles during the winter months. I would suggest airlines double them. Let's see if that increases the number of people flying. Instead of increasing fares and adding fees, the airlines should be offering incentives to the traveling public."
A couple of additional comments:
- Southwest has started flying to Minneapolis in March. Hello, Mall of America.
- One good thing about a recession: I just got a comped hotel room in New York City.
Kal London of Wethersfield, CT is the host of Travel With Kal, heard daily by 500,000+ listeners on simulcasting Connecticut AM stations WLIS Old Saybrook and WMRD Middletown. He formerly owned the largest travel agency in the Nutmeg State.
Media Bistro party provides networking heaven
By CARLA RUPP
There's nothing like a high-profile, trendy Media Bistro book party in New York City to get the literati - freelancers and editors - together and talking.
"People will always want a book," freelancer Andy Seccombe said to Random Hosue staffer Elizabeth Lewis and her friend Lisa Ha. "It's tough now, with everyone getting laid off. Things are happening but in the wrong direction."
Seccombe, who writes for the New York Press and Paris Review, was obviously talking about the economic climate, which plunged last year like the sled in Disney World's Matterhorn Mountain ride.
"You're right," Ha told Seccombe. "It's really hard times now."
Another freelancer, Media Bistro columnist Joe Ciarallo, offered another perspective.
"In a down economy, why not have a little fun once in awhile?" he said. "We've got the government wanting everyone to cut back on spending so we have to enjoy the parties while we can."
I was in the middle of the buzz and camaraderie at midtown Manhattan's swank, chandelier-filled Butterfield 8, where the popular author of the night was Stephen Baker (The Numerati).
"I'm grateful to Media Bistro for setting this up and getting such an interesting crowd here," said Baker, whose promotional book tour also included Boston, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Chicago, Austin, Washington, and Philadelphia.
Journalists came from Hearst magazines, Fox News, Woman's Day, Fast Company, McGraw-Hill, Conde Naste, Wiley Publications, Scholastic, TimesSquare.com, Manhattan Media, and more. Reporters and editors not only met their peers but felt the vibes of the industry.
Media Bistro not only throws parties in New York but in other American and Canadian cities.
Jack Craver, an editorial page editor from Madison, WI, was in the city on media business from the obscure Badger Herald. "It's great, I love it," said Craver, who was busy making contacts and talking about the benefits of networking in the Big Apple.
Lisa Lacy, a writer, raved about the size of the crowd. "It's a really good turnout," she said.
According to Media Bistro coordinator Stephanie Mack, "This is a way to see the bright side of things. There might not be that many opportunities out there but there are some - and Media Bistro is a great resource for writers and anyone else who works in the media."
She added that her organization also offers classes for travel writers, both online and in person.
Mack said Manhattan is the world's best place to network. "It's a melting pot here. It's one of the greatest cities in the world, definitely the media capital. We do have editors come to our parties and it doesn't hurt to meet them.
"People in the media know their jobs and their assignments are always changing. These events help people build their careers. They can catch up with old friends and meet new ones - including some that can turn out to be essential contacts."
Celebrating the release of The Numerati gave the editorial profession an excuse to party. As I moved in to shake hands and congratulate the author, I was surrounded by a sea of media people - many of them from Business Week, where Baker is a senior writer. A magazine assignment led to a further investigation and resulted in the book 15 months later, he revealed.
Asked how the term ‘numerati' applies to travel journalists, he said there are thousands of people in the ‘numerati' field. He cited cruise lines and casinos as companies that would compile comprehensive customer data in an effort to ascertain which patrons might use their services and facilities.
"You should be aware how people interpret you from the data you produce," he said. "The whole idea is to get you to spend more money.
"I got into this topic when I was pitching a story for Business Week and my editor urged me to look more into the subject. The ‘numerati' are harvesting our data as shoppers, voters, lovers, and also as travelers and writers."
I also learned at the reception that opportunities still remain for freelancers even though many media people have lost their jobs.
"We all have to work harder," said Lisa Lucy, one of those freelancers.
At least Carol J. Kelly has a fulltime job. The assistant news editor of The Wall Street Journal obviously enjoyed the Media Bistro event.
"I found plenty of people to talk with in the business and it was good to socialize rather than go right home," she said.
Tatiana Ridley, Media Bistro events manager, suggested that it's good for writers and editors to keep on top of developing trends. "The media world is constantly changing in this economic climate," she noted.
Media Bistro, started by Laurel Touby, offers its 800,000 members an online newsletter on general media news plus interviews with members of the profession. Rebecca Fox is editor.
The group facilitates networking in Boston, Chicago, London, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sydney, Toronto, Washington in addition to New York plus multiple courses. See http://www.mediabistro.com/ for more information.
Stephen Baker can be contacted at Stephen_baker@businessweek.com or http://www.theliterati.net./
Long-time NATJA member Carla Rupp is a freelancer living in Lower Manhattan. Her e.mail is ruppcarla@hotmail.com.
We offer spring flings for winter-wary writers
ALBANY: In honor of the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson's discoveries and settlement of the Hudson River Valley, the historic Thayer Hotel is offering a Quadricentennial Getaway packages for both corporate and leisure travelers. Built in 1926, the Thayer is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is the only full-service hotel on the Hudson between the George Washington Bridge and Albany. It was originally built to accommodate West Point personnel, it has been the home-away-from-home for Douglas MacArthur, Dwight D. Eisenhower, President Kennedy, Luciano Pavarotti, Gregory Peck, and James Earl Jones. The Orange County property has proximity to many historic Dutch sites that trace their roots to Hudson. The explorer anchored his ship, The Half Moon, in Newburgh Bay during his 1609 voyage. To learn more, contact press rep Mary Prenon, Thompson & Bender (Tel. 914-762-1900, mary@thompson-bender.com).
ALEXANDRIA: The $50 million Lorien Hotel & Spa, Kimpton's crown jewel in the Washington metro area, opened Feb. 12 in George Washington's hometown. The 107-room property, in Old Town Alexandria, has three dining venues and a full-service spa. Press rep is Sarah C. Horner (Tel. 202-661-2702, sarah.horner@kimptonhotels.com). The city of Alexandria also has a new publicist in Emily Hellewell. She can be reached at 703-838-4200 x207 or ehellewel@visitalexva.com. Laura Overstreet, who previously had the position, is at 703-403-7172 or lauraoverstreet@cox.net.
ASCEND COLLECTION: This elite network of historic, boutique, and unique American and Caribbean lodgings - part of Choice Hotels International - made its debut late last year with 24 members, ranging from Hawaii to Puerto Rico, Florida, and New York. Journalists wishing to visit any of these properties can check the membership list at http://www.ascendcollection.com/ and contact press rep Claire Kunzman, Ypartnership, Suite 100, 423 S Keller Rd., Orlando, FL 32810-6121 (Tel. 407-875-1111, Fax 407-875-1115, claire.kunzman@ypartnership.com).
ATLANTA: The 151-room St. Regis Atlanta will open this spring in suburban Buckhead. The property also includes 51 exclusive residences, a state-of-the-art fitness center, and the signature St. Regis butler service. To arrange a stay, contact Mary Reynolds, The Reynolds Group, 566 Dutch Valley Rd., Atlanta, GA 30324 (Tel. 877-231-1568, Fax 404-888-9349, mary@thereynoldsgroupinc.com).
AUSTRALIA: Two luxury resorts - Peppers Spiecers Peak Lodge and Orpheus Island Resort - have teamed to offer food and travel lovers a blend of mountain country and tropical indulgence on the Great Barrier Reef. Contact Susan Herrick (Tel. 931-924-5253, usoffice@orpheus.com.au).
BANFF: The Douglas Fir resort & Chalets have made improvements to their popular waterslides. To find out what they are, contact Karen Tocher (Tel. 403-763-2209, karen@douglasfir.com).
THE BAHAMAS: Guests who leave a winter coat behind will receive a free night the next time they visit the 694-room, seven-acre Sheraton Nassau Beach Resort. The "Warm Coats Warm Hearts" drive for needy people runs through March 19. Collected coats will be shipped to the One Warm Coat organization, which provides free warm coats to people in need. To learn more, contact Rebecca Lewis, M. Silver Associates (Tel. 954-765-3636, rebecca@msilver-pr.com).
BIKING ABROAD: Ciclismo Classico, a boutique bicycle touring company based in Massachusetts, has announced the only gelato-eating bicycle tour on the planet. Participants cycle through Italy, enjoying gelato every day but never gaining an ounce. The company also has a Tour de France trip that allows guests to follow the same route as Lance Armstong at the same time. The itinerary calls for morning bike rides and afternoon viewing of the great race. Also on their 2009 schedule is biking in Vietnam, New Zealand, and Chile/Argentina. Press rep for all these and more is Janet Prensky, Aigner/Prensky Marketing Group, 214 Lincoln St., Allston, MA 02134 (Tel. 617-254-9500, jprensky@aignerprenskymarketing.com).
BOSTON: Opening dates for popular events include Boston Duck Tours (March 24), first Red Sox game in Fenway Park (April 6), Boston Common Swanboats (April 18), Boston Marathon (April 20), Boston-Provincetown fast ferry service (first week of May), Chowderfest (July 5), aaand Tall Ships Boston (July 8-13). The $14 million House of Blues opens Feb. 22 and JetBlue begins San Francisco-Boston flights May 1. Already open is the 150-room Fairmont Battery Wharf Hotel, to be followed by the W Boston Theater District and Ames Hotel. To arrange a stay, contact Larry Meehan, VP, Media & Tourism, Greater Boston CVB, Suite 105, Two Copley Place, Boston, MA 02116 (Tel. 617-867-8231, Fax 617-424-7664, lmeehan@BostonUSA.com).
MORE BOSTON: Kimpton's Nine Zero Hotel, just off the Boston Common, was named "Boston's Best Boutique Hotel" by Boston Magazine three years in a row. To arrange a stay, contact Jessica Danforth, Kortenhaus Communications (Tel. 617-778-5756, jdanforth@kortenhaus.com).
CAPE COD: Crowne Pointe Historic Inn and Spa, an upscale Provincetown property, can be found on Facebook under "Leading Inns of Provincetown." Owner David Sanford says roaring fireplaces and whirlpool baths keep his winter guests warm. Contact him at crowne Pointe Historic Inn & Spa, 82 Bradford St., Provincetown, Cape Cod, MA 02657 (Tel. 508-487-6767, welcome@crownepointepointe.com).
CHICAGO: The only hotel with a front entrance on the Magnificent Mile, the 792-room InterContinental Chicago has come a long way since its 1929 opening as the Medinah Athletic Club. Now a prominent historic landmark, the hotel is known for its junior Olympic-size indoor pool, lobby bar, and dining venues. Press rep is Jim Lee, Wagstaff Worldwide, Suite 309, 311 W. Superior St., Chicago, IL 60654 (Tel. 312-943-6900, jim@wagstaffworldwide.com).
CRUISE NORTH: Inuit-owned Cruise North Expeditions - the only cruise line to specialize in Canadian Arctic cruises - is among the Best Adventure Travel Companies 2009, according to the editors of National Geographic Adventure. The magazine's survey of 248 adventure travel firms and their clients considered service, sustainability, spirit of adventure, client satisfaction, and education Cruise North travels exclusively to the Canadian Arctic, beginning the season in Labrador and finishing with a tour of the Northwest Passage. Its ice-class-rated, 122-passenger ship, the Lyubov Orlova, provides a comfortable, relaxed venue for Arctic cruising. Expeditions afford endless wildlife encounters with polar bears, whales, seals, caribou, muskox, and a wide variety of birds. To learn more, contact Jillian Dickens, marketing & communications manager, Cruise North, 1920 Avenue Road, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5M 4A1 (Tel. 416-789-3752, Fax 416-789-1974, jillian@cruisenorthexpeditions.com).
HAWAII: Napili Kai is a laid-back, romantic resort that sits on crescent-shaped Napili Bay in West Maui, while Tropical Villa Vacations is a Maui-based firm that rents luxury homes and villas while providing hotel-style concierge services. They are represented by Candy Alulu, whose clients also include the Mauian (Maui), Makalei Golf Club (The Big Island), and Hanalei Colony Resort, Poipu Bay golf course, and Princeville golf courses - Prince and Makai (Kauai). To arrange a visit, contact her at Aluli Public Relations, 117 Hui F Road, Napili, HI 96761 (Tel. 808-669-1993, Fax 808-665-9863, alulipr@hawaii.rr.com).
OBAMA'S HAWAII: Visitors to Hawaii can explore the sites and favorite places the shaped the foundation of President Obama's life. A special microsite at GoHawaii.com/Obama highlights some two-dozen places tied to Obama's boyhood in the 50th state, which remains his favorite vacation spot. For more information, contact Michael M. Ni, McNeil Wilson Communications, 9th floor, 1003 Bishop St., Honolulu, HI 96813-6429 (Tel. 808-539-3409, Cell 808-722-9660, michael.ni@mwc-anthology.com).
HAYWORTH CREATIVE PR: Florida clients include Amelia Island Tourist Development Council, Bahama House, Best Western Aku Tiki Inn, Daytona Beach International Festival, Hilton Garden Inn Palm Coast at Town Center, The Inn on Fifth (Naples), InterContinental Hotel Tampa, Jupiter Beach Resort & Spa, Shores Resort & Spa (Daytona Beach Shores), Steinhatchee Landing Resort, TradeWinds Island Resorts,and Universal Orlando Resorts. Contact Gentry Baumline, director, Hayworth Creative PR (Tel. 386-677-7000, gentry@hayworthcreative.com).
IRELAND: The g hotel not only landed on Conde Naste Traveler's 2009 Gold List for ambience and design but scored an amazing 96.01 out of 100 among the magazine's readers. The five-star property ranks as one of the world's top three hotels, according to Conde Naste. To arrange a visit, contact Ruth Moran or Bernard McMullan at Tourism Ireland (rmoran@tourismireland.com, bmcmullan@tourismireland.com).
ISRAEL: With Easter just around the corner, Israel has created the "Pilgrim's Route," a hiking trail to Christian holy places. The route, which leads from Jerusalem to the Dead Sea, includes the New Testament parable of the Good Samaritan, the Qumran caves, and the point in the Jordan River where Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist. The Good Samaritan site is home to a Byzantine church built more than 1700 years ago. To learn more, contact Mark Liebermann, Geoffrey Weill Associates, Suite 305, 27 W. 24th St., NY, NY 10010 (news@geoffreyweill.com, Tel. 866-PR-WEILL) or Gail Barzilay, Israel Ministry of Tourism - Northeast Region (Tel. 212-499-5647).
JERSEY CITY: The 429-room Westin Jersey City Newport, part of Starwood Hotels & Resorts, opened in February with panoramic views of Manhattan, the Hudson, and Newport Marina. Just a block from the Pavonia-Newport PATH station and light-rail connections, the hotel is adjacent to Newport Centre Mall, a riverside park, and local restaurants. It is less than 15 minutes from Ellis Island, the Liberty Science Museum, and the Statue of Liberty. To arrange a stay, contact Eric Rayvid, M. Silver Associates (Tel. 212-754-6500 x225, Eric@msilver-pr.com).
KENNEBUNKPORT: The 5th annual Arts in the Inns Festival is scheduled for the coastal village of Kennebunkport from June 3-7. The festival features chef/artist signature dinners in private homes and a twilight sioree that is a highlight of the community's social calendar. The festival also showcases such elite chefs as Jonathan Cartwright of the White Barn Inn. To learn more, contact Sara Widness (Tel. 347-882-1143, sara@widnesspr.com).
MAINE: Clients of IMS-21 include more than a dozen inns and hotels; five vacation and chambers of commerce; three resorts and campgrounds; three ski clients; three golf clients; and more. The list includes the York Harbor Inn, Nonantum Resort in Kennebunkport, and the Ogunquit Resort Motel. For more information, contact Greg Burke, IMS-21, 207 Brown St., Kennebunkport, ME 04043 (Tel. 207-985-1766, Fax 207-985-3175, information@ims-21.net).
MANHATTAN: Jumeirah Essex House is an upscale historic property sandwiched between Central Park and Columbus Circle. To arrange a stay, contact Dara R. Sloan, Jumeirah Essex House, 160 Central Park South, NY, NY 10019 (tel. 212-484-5139, Fax 212-484-4614, dara.sloan@jumeirah.com).
MARYLAND'S EASTERN SHORE: Upcoming events in Talbot County, which calls itself "the Hamptons of the Chesapeake Bay," include Oxford Day (April 25), St. Michaels Food & Wine Festival (April 24-26), Plein Air Festival (July 20-26), Chesapeake Film Festival (Sept. 18-20), and Waterfowl Festival (Nov. 13-15). To learn more, contact Debi Dodson, Talbot County Office of Tourism, 11 S. Harrison St., Easton, MD 21601 (Tel. 410-770-8000, Fax 410-770-8057, ddodson@talbgov.org).
MELTING POT TOURS: The only food tour company offering scheduled food-tasting tours in Los Angeles, this firm features the original Farmers Market on Fairfax in its weekend itineraries. Every Friday and Saturday morning, its Food Tasting Walking Tour, limited to 12 people, starts at 9:30 a.m. and last 3-5 hours. It includes 11 food samples, such as French macaroons, Chinese chicken salad, and Japanese soba noodles, and costs $49 per person. Private tours for parties of six of more are available at other times. To learn more, contact Lisa Scalia, Melting Pot Rours (Tel. 424-247-9666, lisa@meltingpottours.com).
MONTANA: The 320 Guest Ranch, begun in 1898, is an 87-room, year-old vacation destination along two miles of the Gallatin River near Big Sky. Located 52 miles from Bozeman, 12 miles from Big Sky, and five miles from Yellowstone, the ranch has proximity to more than 220 ski runs and 15 lifts at Big Sky Resort and Moonlight Basin. Summer activities range from rafting to hiking, riding, mountain climbing, and fly fishing. Guests enjoy dining on big-game cuisine at 320 Ranch Steak House. Press rep is the congenial Ken Ellens, Ken Ellens Communications (Tel. 201-758-2864, Fax 201-758-2865, KenEllens@aol.com).
NANTUCKET: The Shipwreck & Lifesaving Museum starts its first full season May 15 with a new exhibit called "Madaket Millie," a local character who took over Coast Guard patrols of Madaket Harbor. The museum's collection includes 5,000 objects, from photographs and beach carts and surfboats. Special events, including book signings and Family Days, will be scheduled throughout the season. To learn more about the museum, which is 3.5 miles from Nantucket Town, contact Rina Peselman, CM Communications, Inc., Suite 821, 20 Park Plaza, Boston, MA 02116 (Tel. 617-536-3400, Fax 617-536-3424, rpeselman@cmcommunucations.com).
NEW ORLEANS: Historic Bienville House has reopened following a $3 million facelift. The upscale French Quarter property features Louisiana specialties in its award-winning Restaurant Iris, a heated saltwater pool, and indoor valet parking. The eye-opening rates start at $79 a night and include continental breakfast. To learn more, contact Bienville House, 320 Decatur St., New Orleans, LA 70130 (Tel. 800-535-9603 or info@bienvillehouse.com).
MORE NEW ORLEANS: Vanessa Mayfield, formerly VP of Quinn & Company in New York, has joined the PR division of Peter A. Mayer Advertising in her hometown. Clients include W New Orleans French Quarter, W New Orleans Hotel, New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corp., Canal Barge Company, New Orleans Armstrong International Airport, and Catholic Cultural Heritage Center, among others. Contact Vanessa Mayfield, Peter A. Mayer Public Relations, 324 Camp St., New Orleans, LA 70130 (Tel. 504-210-1304, Fax 504-581-23009, Cell 504-444-6746, MayfieldV@PeterAMayer.com).
NEW YORK: Trump International Hotel & Tower has won five stars from Mobil Travel Guide. It is one of only five Manhattan hotels with that designation but the only five-star hotel that also has a five-star restaurant. The hotel is part of the Trump Collection. Press reps Jay Austin and Nick Valente of Middleton & Gendron, Inc. can be reached at 212-284-9939 or 212-284-9942, jaustin@mg-pr.copm, nvalente@mg-pr.com.
ORLANDO: The world's only Nickelodeon-themed hotel, Nickelodeon Family Suites by Holiday Inn, features 13 water slides, two pool complexes with interactive shows, live Nickelodeon entertainment and character parties, an arcade, and family-friendly competition in poolside billiards, mini-golf, and multi-level basketball. Media contact for the 24-acre resort, which also has Nickelodeon-themed KidSuites, is Ashley Pinder, Curley & Pynn, Suite 430, 258 Southhall Lane, Maitland, FL 32751 (Tel. 407-423-8006, apinder@thestrategicfirm.com).
PITTSBURGH: After celebrating its 250th birthday in 2008, this scenic river city isn't resting on its laurels. The $36 million August Wilson Center for African American Culture, an 80,000 square foot facility with a 500-seat theater, opens this year, along with "Roboworld," a $3.4 million Carnegie Science Center exhibit that will be the country's largest and most comprehensive permanent robotics exhibit. To learn more, contact Kristin Mitchell, PR liaison, VisitPittsburgh, 30th floor, Regional Enterprise Tower, 425 Sixth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15219-1834 (Tel. 412-281-0482 x2550, Fax 412-644-5512, kristin.mitchell@visitpittsburgh.com).
QUEBEC: Continental's seasonal nonstop from Newark to Mont-Tremblant runs through March 29. The closest international ski resort to New York (90 minutes by air), Mont-Tremblant has also been rated the best ski resort in the East. Quebec City's Winter Carnival runs through Feb. 15. Press info is available from Erin Levi, sales and marketing coordinator, Destination Quebec, 4th floor, 33 W. 19th St., NY, NY 10011 (Tel. 646-619-1236, erin@dqmpr.com).
SALT LAKE: Proximity to four major ski resorts helps: Men's Fitness has named the capital of Utah "the fittest city in America" after considering 50 U.S. communities. The new award follows citations as "best city for women" by Women's Health and third-best city for men in Men's Health. Press rep is Meaghan Calnan, Conran Communications, Suite 805, 192 Lexington Ave., NY, NY 10016 (Tel. 212-447-1010, mcalnan@conrancommunications.com).
SANTA FE: The 23-suite Inn of the Five Graces, in the heart of old Santa Fe, has been awarded membership in the Relais & Chateaux collection. One of only two Santa Fe properties in the group, the Inn of the Five Graces joins two Garrett Hotel sister properties in membership: The Point and Lake Placid Lodge. Press rep is Simone Rathle (Tel. 703-534-8100 or 703-534-8102, mailto:simone@simonesez.com). or mailto:simonepr@aol.com.
SCOTTSDALE: The spring home of the San Francisco Giants, Scottsdale Stadium will host 21 home games from Feb. 25-April 1. The best seat in the house can be found at the Charro Lodge, adjacent to the bullpen. Complimentary food and beverages are part of the game pass price. Several nearby resorts, including the Chaparral Suites Resort, FireSky Resort & Spa, and Hotel Valley Ho, offer special spring training package plans. To learn more, contact Laura McMurchie, VP of communications, Scottsdale CVB (Tel. 480-429-2253, LM@Scottsdalecvb.com).
SEDONA: This photogenic community, two hours north of Phoenix and 30 miles from Flagstaff, features a benign climate, stunning scenery, and a maze of boutiques, galleries, and inns. The 16-mile drive through Oak Creek Canyon, where streams and waterfalls are surrounded by sheer rock walls, has been called one of America's eight most scenic drives by Rand McNally. Artists, writers, and spiritualists have long called Sedona home, and Hollywood film crews come often. Want to see for yourself? Contact Heather Hermen, public relations manager, Sedona Chamber of Commerce, 45 Sunset Drive, Sedona, AZ 86336 (Tel. 928-204-1123, Fax 928-204-1064, hhermen@sedonachamber.com).
SOUTH BEACH: The 63-room Betsy Hotel reopened in December after a total facelift. With a new interior and refurbished suites and guestrooms, the Betsy claims it is the freshest face in Miami Beach. Opened in 1942, the hotel is on the National Register of Historic Places. It was designed by L. Murray Dixon, dean of the Tropical Art Deco style prevalent in South Beach. To arrange a stay, contact Kathleen Duda, managing director, KVD Communications (Tel. 646-723-4338, kathleen@kvdcom.com).
SOUTH CAROLINA: Because of its benign climate, huge territory, and plethora of pastimes, this state has multiple press reps. The Charleston contact is Liz Rennie [lrennie@charlestoncvb.com]. For Hilton Head Island, contact (Ms.) Charlie Clark [mailto:cclark@hiltonheadisland.org). At Myrtle Beach, the PR is Kimberly Miles [Kimberly.Miles@VisitMyrtleBeach.com], while the rep for Marina Inn at Grand Dunes is Patti Williams [patti.williams@burroughs-chapin.com]. For additional South Carolina information, contact Kirsty Dillury [Tel. 208-460-8693, kirsty@ttmworld.co.uk].
SPOLETO FESTIVAL: This 33rd annual festival, which starts its 17-day run May 22, features a wide variety of musical performances, from opera and ballet to chamber music and dance. The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, now in its 50th year, is on the schedule. To learn more, contact Paula Edwards, Spoleto Festival USA, P.O. Box 157, Charleston, SC 29402-0157 (Tel. 843-722-2764, Fax 843-723-6383, paulaedwards@spoletousa.org).
SUN VALLEY: After celebrating February with the 2009 Special Olympics and the Women's Alpine Clinic, this Idaho mountain town will focus on its upcoming Wellness Festival. The 13th annual festival, slated for May 22-25, will feature speakers and practitioners dedicated to "inspire positive change." More than 50 programs will address mind, body, and spiritual wellness, with the Hands on Hall - with ongoing sessions in massage, acupuncture, biofeedback, and more - open through the entire festival. A featured guest will be New Thought minister Michael Beckwith, founder of the 8,000-member Agape International Spiritual Center of Culver City, CA. To learn more, contact publicist Bronwyn Patterson, Sun Valley/Ketchum CVB, P.O. Box 2420, Sun Valley, ID 83353 (Tel. 208-725-2101, bpatterson@visitsunvalley.qm4.net).
UTAH: The home of five national parks, seven national monuments, 42 state parks, and "the Greatest Snow on Earth," Utah represents both the best of the Rocky Mountains and desert southwest. From five-star resorts to cozy B&Bs, the state has an abundance of accommodations as well as activities. It also has a new press rep, as Lou Hammond & Associates has taken over its publicity. To arrange a visit, contact Katie Barr Cornish, Lou Hammond & Associates, 39 E. 51st St., NY, NY 10022 (Tel. 212-308-8880, mailto:katieb@lhammond.com). or Anna Bocchi (Tel. 212-891-0244, Fax 212-891-0200, AnnaB@lhammond.com).
VIRGINIA: The Goodstone Inn & Estate, a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, is an elegant but rustic country inn with 18 rooms, dispersed among six guest cottages. Located less than an hour from Washington, the Goodstone sits in the heart of horse & wine country. It blends the charm of an 18th century country estate with the service and luxury expected by 21st century guests. To learn more, contact Ken Ellens of Ken Ellens Communications (Tel. 201-758-2864, Fax 201-758-2865, KenEllens@aol.com).
WASHINGTON: Now that the inaugural crowds have dispersed, it's a great time to see what's new - and what's old - in the nation's capital. Contact Rebecca Pawlowski, director of communications, Destination DC, 4th floor, 901 7th St. NW, Washington, DC 20001 (Tel. 202-789-7099, rebecca.pawlowski@destinationdc.com) or Carla Barry-Austin, media relations manager (Tel. 202-789-7072, carla.barry-austin@destinationdc.com). Chris Gieckel (Tel. 202-789-7053, chris.gieckel@destinationdc.com) handles international and trade media relations.
WHISTLER: This British Columbia community, 75 miles north of Vancouver, will be the host mountain resort of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, hosting more than half the events in the Olympics. Tourism Whistler, with more than 7,000 members, handles marketing, sales, and media relations for the area. Contact Breton Murphy, manager, corporate & member communications, Tourism Whistler (Tel. 604-935-3356, mailto:bmurphy@tourismwhistler.com). or Patricia Westerholm (pwesterholm@tourismwhistler.com).
WHISTLER POSTSCRIPT: The area's hottest new property is the Adara Hotel, which marks its first anniversary this summer. A mountain lodge with a contemporary interior and hip new attitude, Adara is represented by Norah Lawlor, Lawlor Media Group, Suite 1008, 443 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10016 (Tel. 212-967-6900, Fax 212-967-9123, norah@lawlormediagroup.com).
PR FIRMS: Mention in this column is free. Please send short blurbs, plus complete contact information, to dan@natja.org or fax 201-791-3349.
Long-time NATJA member Mike Schuman of Keene, NH reports that his Barack Obama biography is selling "like hot dogs at a tailgate party." He signed the book contract early in 2007, when Obama was an obscure first-term U.S. Senator . . .
Book Audio, the book channel of Sirius XM Satellite Radio, aired a live baseball preview featuring NATJA president Dan Schlossberg, author of 34 baseball books, on Feb. 13. The show aired on XM Ch. 163 and was repeated several times . . .
Several NATJA members plan to attend the 38th annual ASJA Writers Conference at New York's Roosevelt Hotel April 24-26. The members-only first day features Personal Pitch, 10-minute "speed-dating" sessions with top editors, and various panels of interest to journalists. Travel writers Keith Bellows (National Geographic Traveler editor) and Hilary Nangle are scheduled panelists. The hotel, at 45th & Madison on the city's East Side, is a new venue this year, replacing the Grand Hyatt. See ASJA.org for more information . . .
The 10th annual edition of Travel Media Showcase is scheduled for Montgomery, AL from Sept. 8-11 at the Renaissance Montgomery Hotel & Spa. Although media registration does not open until April, new TMS media coordinator Kim Ernst can answer questions. Contact her at J. Vero & Associates, Suite 6, One Dag Hammarskjold Blvd., Freehold, NJ 07728 (Tel. 800-211-5161, Fax 732-845-0412, journalists@travelmediashowcase.com). . .
Brookstone continues to produce quality travel products. Its Dash Hardside Carry-On Suitcase, priced at $79.95, weighs less than eight pounds, features multi-directional wheels that pivot and spin, comes in six different colors, and fits in conventional overhead compartments. A digital luggage scale helps packers plan properly, while a Travel ePad Laptop Desk make it easier to work on a laptop while traveling. Another worthwhile travel product is Brookstone's Sona Pillow, designed by neurologist Najeeb Zuberi, is designed to stop snoring and mild sleep apnea. To learn more, contact Kristina Lynch, TARA, Ink., Suite 703, 1666 Kennedy Causeway, Miami Beach, FL 33141 (Tel. 305-864-3434 x153, Fax 305-864-3432, mailto:kristina@taraink.com). . .
NATJA CEO Helen Hernandez and Travel World International editor Kim Foley McKinnon attended the presidential inauguration in Washington. . .
Publicist Molly Cahill Blaisdell, whose clients include Hyatt at the Wharf and San Francisco Ducks, has moved. She can now be reached at Hook, Line & Thinker, P.O. Box 6625, Moraga, CA 94570 (Tel. 925-388-0164 or Cell 925-300-7252, mocahill@aol.com).
Send News for NATJA to dan@natja.org or fax 201-791-3349.
PLANE THOUGHTS
I'm a brand-new NATJA member so I'm just now getting around to all the interesting things on the website. I came across the "Things We'd Like to See" column in The Wayfarer and was particularly interested in the item about using bigger aircraft to hail more passengers to reduce flight delays.
Here's another thought: something like 40 per cent of all flights in and out of most major hubs - O'Hare, for example - involve destinations that are 300 miles away or less. That's a two-hour ride by high-speed rail and - from city center to city center - there's no way you can do that by air. Wouldn't it be nice if we could get the feds to understand the value of a serious passenger rail network in this country? Especially if it would bring about a serious reduction in air traffic congestion which would in turn reduce all those delays?
JIM LOOMIS
Maui, Hawaii
FROM HEMISPHERES EDITOR
Pace Communications has ceased publishing United Airlines' Hemispheres after the February 2009 issue. After 16 years of industry-leading honors for editorial and design excellence and kudos from many of our more than two million loyal and responsive readers, United has chosen another publisher in these challenging economic times.
I'd like to thank all the writers, photographers, illustrators, and the multitude of other super-skilled and multi-talented contributors - many of them NATJA members - for helping the Hemi staff create what has become an iconic inflight publication. My team has worked diligently to make Hemispheres a highly-respected magazine. It has been an honor and a pleasure. I also hope Pace will be able to continue its relationship with you through our many other titles.
I also want to say thanks very much for the many awards Hemispheres has won from the North American Travel Journalists Association, including last year's Grand Prize for "Three Perfect Days" and an honorable mention for my own 2007 article "Protected by the Past." It was also an honor to keynote NATJA's first convention (in Newport, RI in 2003).
As I leave Pace to write a handful of new books, do some freelance writing, and entertain many new projects that are coming my way, I'm gratified by Hemispheres' good reputation and the satisfaction of having given my all for the benefit of United and high-quality journalism.
Part of that is always respecting writers, their work, and their need to be paid well and promptly. I welcome freelance assignments and ideas from colleagues, so please check out my website (http://www.randyjohnsonbooks.com)./
Thanks again.
RANDY JOHNSON
Greensboro, NC
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