Archive for June, 2008

Beat the Dollar This Summer with a 20% Off From Starwood Hotels & Resorts in Italy: Great Travel Vacation Deals From the U.S. to the Grand Destinations of Rome, Florence, Milan, Venice, Asolo and Sardinia

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

MILAN, Italy, June 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. in Italy is pleased to announce a limited time offer with special rates to the legendary cities of Rome, Florence, Milan, Asolo, Venice and the island of Sardinia. Guests will receive a 20% discount on best available room rates including 20% off on food and beverage at the following hotels and resorts amongst famous brands such as Westin, Sheraton, Le Meridien, The Luxury Collection and St. Regis:
— ROME: The St. Regis Grand Hotel; The Westin Excelsior Rome; Sheraton
Roma hotel & Conference Center and hotel Eden (20% off food and
beverage not applicable at hotel Eden)
— VENICE: hotel Danieli; hotel Gritti Palace; The Westin Europa & Regina;
The Westin Excelsior Resort, Venice Lido; hotel Des Bains, Venice Lido
Resort
— MILAN: The Westin Palace; Sheraton Diana Majestic and Le Meridian
Gallia
— ASOLO: hotel Villa Cipriani
— FLORENCE: The Westin Excelsior Florence and The Grand Hotel
— SARDINIA: hotel Pitrizza, hotel Cala di Volpe, Cervo hotel and Hotel
Romazzino

This online offer is valid for bookings made from now until July 31st 2008 for reservations up until October 31, 2008. Potential guests must visit and book through the website. Payment for reservations will be charged at time of booking. All reservations are non- changeable and non-refundable. Additional terms and conditions may apply.
Enjoy a wide choice of restaurants that offer diverse menus based on Mediterranean cooking and regional specialties. New to travelers are the totally restyled h club>diana restaurant at the Sheraton Diana Majestic in Milan and the Terrazza Danieli Restaurant at the hotel Danieli in Venice.
About Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.
The Luxury Collection brand counts 55 properties all over the world.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with approximately 900 properties in more than 100 countries and 155,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood(R) Hotels is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels and resorts with the following renowned brands: St. Regis(R), the Luxury Collection(R), Sheraton(R), Westin(R), Four Points(R) by Sheraton, W(R), Le Meridien(R) and the recently announced aloft(SM) and ELEMENT(SM) Hotels. Starwood Hotels also owns Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., one of the premier developers and operators of high quality vacation interval ownership resorts. For more information, please visit .
For More Information:
Paul Burditch/ Brian Garrido
Burditch Marketing Communications, Inc
Los Angeles/ San Francisco

(415) 874-9696 PH (San Francisco)
(323) 932-6262 (Los Angeles)

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.

Country Inn & Suites By Carlson Opens in Sumter, S.C.

SUMTER, S.C., June 26 /PRNewswire/ — A new 65-room Country Inn & Suites By Carlson has opened its doors for business at 2491 Broad Street in Sumter, S.C.
“We’re very excited to bring the Country Inns & Suites By Carlson concept to this region,” said Steve Mogck, executive vice president of Franchise Operations for Country Inns & Suites By Carlson. “All employees will participate in the Country Inns & Suites ‘Be Our Guest’ service training program, to ensure consistent delivery of quality customer service at our hotels.”
“This new Country Inn & Suites By Carlson is a wonderful addition to our community. We are confident that this recognized brand and lodging concept will help us grow and prosper in the future,” said Priscilla Keyes, general manager of the Country Inn & Suites By Carlson in Sumter. The owner of the hotel is PSM Hospitality Group, LLC.
The hotel features an indoor pool and fitness center with elliptical equipment, tread mill, stationary bike, stair stepper and TV. Other amenities include a complimentary hot continental breakfast and valet laundry service. The hotel offers a variety of guest rooms including studio suites, one bedroom suites, Jacuzzi rooms and an extended stay suite. All rooms feature complimentary wireless high-speed Internet access, hair dryer, 32″ flat panel television, microwave and refrigerator. This Country Inn & Suites property is conveniently located on Highway 378, just five miles west of downtown Sumter and the Sumter County Airport. The hotel is also in close proximity to a variety of Sumter attractions such as golf courses, museums, city parks and outdoor recreation facilities.
Country Inns & Suites offers locations that feature traditional architecture and sophisticated residential interior design with hardwood flooring, lobby fireplace and front porch. Each hotel welcomes guests with traditional furnishings that blend rich woods and a contemporary color palate throughout the hotel.
Country Inns & Suites locations offer many amenities often found at higher-priced hotels such as complimentary hot breakfast, in-room coffee maker, in-room iron and ironing board, and weekday morning newspaper. Country Inns & Suites By Carlson(SM) embraces the love of reading through their Read It & Return Lending Library. A variety of adult and children’s titles are available for guests to borrow and read at their leisure at more than 400 locations in the U.S. and Canada and Country Inns & Suites supports literacy efforts through charitable donations. For reservations and information, visit or call toll-free 1-800-456-4000.
Country Inns & Suites By Carlson(SM) is part of Minneapolis, Minn.-based Carlson Hotels Worldwide, whose operations also include Regent Hotels & Resorts; Radisson Hotels & Resorts(R); Park Plaza(R) Hotels and Resorts and Park Inn(R).
Country Inn & Suites By Carlson

AAA Predicts Slight Decrease in Fourth of July Travel

WASHINGTON, June 26 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — For the first time this decade, AAA estimates a decline in the number of Americans traveling during the Fourth of July holiday travel period. However, AAA projects 40.45 million Americans will still travel during the July 4th holiday weekend, down 1.3 percent, or nearly 550,000 Americans, from the 41 million who traveled last year. This is the second consecutive travel holiday in 2008 where a year-to-year decrease was forecasted. AAA projected a nearly one percent drop in holiday travelers for the Memorial Day travel holiday in May. The forecast includes U.S. residents traveling 50 miles or more from home.
“While the numbers of travelers are a bit off from last year’s levels, it is important to note that there are still millions of Americans that plan to travel,” said AAA President and CEO Robert L. Darbelnet. According to AAA, more than 13 percent of the U.S. population will be on the road this holiday weekend despite record gas prices. Many will be taking advantage of travel bargains that are being offered by hotels hoping to boost last minute business.
More than 34.2 million Americans (almost 85 percent of all holiday travelers) intend to travel by automobile, a 1.2 percent decrease from the 34.6 million people who drove to their holiday destinations last year.
Approximately 4.54 million Americans (11 percent of holiday travelers) expect to travel by airplane, a 2.3 percent decrease from the 4.64 million who flew last year. Nearly 1.7 million plan to travel by train, bus or other mode of transportation.
“Clearly gas prices are continuing to take a toll on the traveler’s budget, but the travel industry is responding, as they have in the past, with discounts, promotions and other incentives to get people traveling this holiday,” Darbelnet said. “For instance travelers should look out for free gas card offerings, breakfast promotions, kids-eat-free deals, car rental discounts and, of course, always ask about AAA member discounts.”
Automobile travelers across much of the country will have to contend with gasoline prices at or above $4 a gallon. The national average for self-serve regular is $4.07 a gallon. That is 13 cents a gallon more than last month and $1.09 a gallon more than a year ago. Nationwide, more than half of all states (30 out of 50) and the District of Columbia are averaging more than $4 a gallon.
AAA’s Leisure travel Index (LTI), which is based on available rates this holiday, reveals that Fourth of July holiday travelers can expect increases in other travel costs when compared to last year. For instance, air fares over the holiday weekend have increased 13 percent over last year. In addition, AAA advises travelers that many airlines now charge fees for checked baggage and other services that were previously complimentary, so travelers should check with the airline or their travel counselor about any additional fees for their trip. Hotel rates for AAA 3 Diamond hotels are unchanged from last year’s Fourth of July holiday travel period.
AAA’s LTI shows an average increase in car rental prices of 12 percent. However, car rental rates vary from location to location, with some cities in AAA’s index showing significant increases, while others show decreases compared to a year ago. AAA’s index for car rentals is based on the average lowest intermediate size car daily rate in 20 U.S. airport locations. The rates do not include sales tax, insurance or other miscellaneous charges.
The greatest number of Fourth of July holiday weekend automobile travelers will originate in the Southeast with 8.7 million, followed by the West with 8.5 million; Midwest, 6.5 million; Northeast, 5.7 million; and Great Lakes, 4.7 million.
The West is expected to produce the largest number of air travelers with 1.78 million, followed by the Southeast with 813,000; Midwest, 727,000; Northeast, 695,000; and Great Lakes, 518,000.
The AAA Fuel Gauge Report Web site () lists average daily prices for the nation, all 50 states and more than 250 localities for all grades of gasoline.
Research for Fourth of July weekend holiday travel projections are derived from the travel Industry Association’s (TIA) Holiday travel Forecast Model. The model was developed based on consumer travel intentions and TIA’s quarterly travel forecast data. The travel intentions data are collected through an online survey of over 2,000 adults nationwide, supplemented by an additional 6,500 Americans surveyed from the top 10 states of travel origin in the United States. Historical travel volume and other economic data such as GDP, disposable income, employment and travel costs (including fuel prices) are also incorporated into the model. Analysis of the data and the forecasts are produced by the travel Industry Association, which conducts special research for AAA.
As North America’s largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides more than 51 million members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services. Since its founding in 1902, the not-for-profit, fully tax-paying AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers. AAA clubs can be visited on the Internet at .
(Logo: )
Available Topic Expert(s): For information on the listed expert(s), click appropriate link.
Mike Pina
HYPERLINK “”
Troy Green

AAA

Video: The Trump Organization and Nakheel to Sell Most Expensive Penthouse in Dubai

NEW YORK, June 24 /PRNewswire/ — Two of the world’s leading developers — Nakheel and the Trump Organization — have come together to announce the Trump International hotel & Tower in Dubai on the Palm Jumeirah, the iconic man-made island in the Arabian Gulf. A grand celebration occurred at Park Avenue Plaza in New York City … with a red-carpet reception under a 60-foot dome erected for the event. Donald J. Trump, Melania Trump, Ivanka Trump, Demi Moore, Naomi Watts, Heidi Klum, Al Roker & Deborah Roberts, Thom Filicia, Amy Sacco, Denise Rich, Ann Jones, Jonathan Tisch, Aby Rosen & Samantha Boardman, Marvin Traub, Kelly Bensimon, Dylan Lauren, Eric Villency & Kimberly Guilfoyle, Sante D’Orazio are a few of the many celebrities who were in attendance at the larger-than-life event.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to:
The premier luxury hotel and residential tower — one of the most anticipated new builds in Dubai and Trump’s first in the region — is poised to become a stunning landmark on the skyline of Dubai. The international launch of the exclusive residences began June 23, 2008.
To celebrate this project, Trump and Nakheel also commissioned Nathan Sawaya, Lego Master to the Stars (remember Ashley Simpson’s Bee?), to build a 14-foot replica of this newest development in New York City’s Columbus Circle.
A masterpiece of architecture, the 62-story, stainless steel and glass Trump International hotel & Tower will be the tallest structure on Palm Jumeirah and is expected to be completed in summer 2011. The property will be comprised of two freestanding towers that straddle the centerline of Palm Jumeirah, making it the gateway to the heart of the development. The towers stand on a four-story bisected podium structure converging at the 40th-floor to create the building’s glazed diamond shaped pinnacle. This distinctive design will offer residents and guests unobstructed panoramic views of the Arabian Gulf and beyond.
A highlight of the spectacular Trump International hotel & Tower will be the two expansive penthouse residences designed by one of Architectural Digests Top 100 interior designers, Kelly Hoppen. Hoppen is best known for introducing the “East Meets West” philosophy to interior design, which has remained her signature over the years. The classic Kelly Hoppen look is defined by using straight lines, symmetry and a neutral and subtle color palette to create balance within the home.
For more information please visit: nakheelmediacenter.com

About Nakheel:

Nakheel is one of the world’s largest privately held real estate developers, and a key player in realizing the vision of Dubai for the 21st century: creating a world class destination for living, business and tourism. Nakheel is developing an iconic portfolio of innovative landmark projects in Dubai, and now in key markets around the globe, across a range of sectors — residential, commercial, hotels, retail and leisure. Nakheel’s projects are conservatively estimated to be worth US$80 billion. Upon completion Nakheel’s waterfront projects will have added more than 1000km of shoreline to Dubai’s coastline. Nakheel’s Dubai portfolio currently includes The Palm Jumeirah, The Palm Jebel Ali, The Palm Deira, The World, Waterfront, The Universe, Jumeirah Islands, Jumeirah Village, Jumeirah Park, Jumeirah Heights, The Gardens, Discovery Gardens, Ibn Battuta Mall, Al Furjan, International City, and Dragon Mart. Nakheel is a key entity within Dubai World. Dubai World is one of the world’s largest holding companies and supervises a portfolio of businesses and projects for the Dubai government across five continents and more than 100 countries.
About The Trump Organization:
The Trump Organization is a global leader in real estate development, sales and marketing, and property management representing the highest level of excellence and luxury in residential, commercial, hotel and golf properties. With over 70 projects current and upcoming, The Trump Organization is responsible for many of the world’s most recognized developments, and is renowned for commanding a sizeable premium on saleable real estate relative to the markets that it enters.

Nakheel

TripSpot.com Makes Travel Planning Easy and Enjoyable With an Expanded Set of Online Resources

EVANSTON, Ill., June 25 /PRNewswire/ — Discover the best travel planning resources the Web has to offer with an expanded set of indispensable, freely available travel planning resources on TripSpot.com. Our editors have combed through myriad resources to deliver the most useful travel information sources in a single, convenient spot. Whether planning the trip of a lifetime, a family vacation, or a quick business trip, TripSpot.com allows consumers to save time and money.
By providing easy access to a wealth of online travel gems in categories such as Must See Sites, Bargains, Getting There, Where to Stay and What to Do, along with feature articles, travel tips, traveler reviews, shortcuts and a travel library — TripSpot.com has raised the bar on providing consumers with the most useful travel resources available on the Web.
The leisure or business traveler can explore the globe’s most interesting travel destinations with more than 100 country-specific guides and more than 160 city-specific online guides. Each guide features the best resources available on the Internet for everything you need to learn about your destination and to plan your visit. Country Guides include easy online access to official tourism information, various in-depth country-specific guides, major city guides, embassies, transportation services, traveler reviews, major attractions, maps and more. City Guides provide easy online access to in-depth city-specific guides, lodging choices, transportation services, traveler reviews, local news & weather, local attractions and events, maps and more.
Using an unbiased approach to selecting the most useful travel resources, TripSpot.com provides a valuable service to travelers. Making all these resources easily accessible in one single spot, TripSpot.com is a must-see Internet destination for those planning and taking trips.
About TripSpot.com
Published by StartSpot Mediaworks, Inc. (), TripSpot is part of the StartSpot Network, award-winning vertical information portals designed to make finding the best topical information on the Internet a quick, easy and enjoyable experience. Current sites in the StartSpot.com network include GiveSpot.com, LibrarySpot.com, MuseumSpot.com, HomeworkSpot.com, CinemaSpot.com, GovSpot.com and more. Headquartered in Evanston, Ill., StartSpot Mediaworks strives to create exemplary, high-utility Web resources that engage, enlighten and inspire. For more information, visit .
TripSpot.com

TripIt Adds Event Tickets to Travel Itineraries

SAN FRANCISCO, June 24 /PRNewswire/ — TripIt, the online travel organizer, has added support for adding event tickets to travel itineraries. Travelers can now book events in advance, such as dinner and a show, a sporting event, or even family night at the movies, and simply forward the confirmation emails to to have them automatically added to their TripIt itinerary.
TripIt is the only travel site that automatically reads confirmation emails from many of the top ticketing websites, including Tickets.com, TicketMaster, TicketWeb, StubHub, Broadway.com, LasVegas.com, Vegas.com, Fandango, Eventful and Eventbrite.
“We’re constantly adding new features and working to make TripIt as useful as possible,” said Gregg Brockway, co-founder of TripIt. “Our goal is to help travelers take better trips by enabling them to focus more on the fun and less on the details. Adding event tickets to TripIt itineraries gives people one thing less to worry about on their trip and brings us yet another step closer to eliminating those overflowing manila travel folders.”
About half of U.S. travelers do all or most of their trip planning online and the majority of online travel planners use travel supplier (airlines, hotels, etc.), travel destination (states, cities, etc.), and online travel agency websites (Expedia, Travelocity, etc.) when booking travel, according to the travel Industry Association (TIA.org.) In addition, a recent TIA survey showed that more than 25% of people now purchase event tickets online.
TripIt is an online travel organizer and social network that helps business and leisure travelers manage all of their plans and stay in touch with fellow travelers, colleagues and family. Travelers just forward their flight, hotel, rental car and event confirmation emails, and automatically receive a combined master itinerary with all of their plans in one place, which can be printed, viewed online, accessed from a mobile device, and easily shared with friends and fellow travelers in their TripIt social network. And like a good personal travel assistant, TripIt searches related websites to automatically add helpful details like daily weather, local maps, driving directions and city guides.
In addition to event tickets, recent updates to TripIt include support for limo, town car and shuttle confirmation emails as well as a more user-friendly interface and smoother editing capabilities. “These improvements are in response to feedback from travelers, which we find invaluable and work hard to incorporate as quickly as possible,” said Brockway.
TripIt is a free service. Travelers can get started by visiting to learn more, or by simply forwarding a travel confirmation email to .
About TripIt
TripIt helps people organize their online travel plans-flights, hotels, rental cars, trains, shuttles, cruises, restaurant reservations and events-no matter where they booked. Travelers just forward their travel confirmation emails to . TripIt processes these emails and automatically creates a master itinerary with travel plans, daily weather, local maps, city guides and more. With TripIt, it’s easy for travelers to access all their trip plans online or from a mobile device-and to share itineraries and see when their trips overlap with friends and colleagues in their TripIt social network. TripIt has been honored by TechCrunch, Under The Radar, Web 2.0 Summit and was a 2008 Webby Nominee. More at .
TripIt

2009 CruiseTours: Experience Alaska’s Wilderness by Land and Sea With Holland America Line

SEATTLE, June 23 /PRNewswire/ — Recognized as a leader in Alaska tourism for more than 60 years, Holland America Line’s diverse selection of CruiseTours showcase the grandeur of the 49th state from the tip of the Kenai Peninsula, to the fjords of the Inside Passage, across the Arctic Circle, and through the rugged Yukon Territory. With 29 CruiseTours ranging from 10 to 20 days in length, Holland America Line combines a cruise of the scenic Inside Passage with land tours into the expansive wilderness of Alaska.
Celebrating 50 years of statehood in 2009, Alaska’s wilderness, wildlife, native culture and eventful history are center stage on the CruiseTour itineraries. Many tours also delve into Canada’s Yukon Territory tracing the history of the Klondike Gold Rush.
“For many people, a cruise or CruiseTour to Alaska is the trip of a lifetime,” said Richard D. Meadows, CTC, executive vice president, marketing, sales, and guest programs. “We have designed the CruiseTours to be a comprehensive tour of the best there is to see and do in Alaska via land and sea. The myriad natural wonders and vastness of the state calls for exploration by many modes of transportation — ship, train, motor coach, boat — and Holland America Line owns the infrastructure to smoothly combine all these elements together into one unforgettable CruiseTour.”
Holland America’s comprehensive CruiseTours indulge guests with a relaxing cruise aboard five-star ships and exciting land travel via the luxury, domed McKinley Explorer(R) railcars and comfortable coaches. Great Land cruise tours 1-10 feature travel on custom-built, highway Explorer Coaches(TM). The coaches have just 45 seats with extended legroom and first-class amenities: leather seats, battery-charging stations for guests traveling with electronic equipment, LCD monitors and a mini-galley serving beverages and snacks. Every seat is equipped with a headset and eight-channel audio.
Itineraries and optional excursions encompass 14 national parks and wilderness areas. In addition to Denali, Glacier Bay, Kluane and Tombstone, they include the Kenai Fjords, Gates of the Arctic, Klondike (Skagway), Wrangell-St. Elias and Sitka national parks, plus the Klondike Historic Site (DawsonCity), Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve, Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, Misty Fjords National Monument and Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge.
A total of 20 Holland America CruiseTours feature “Double Denali” — two nights at a classic wilderness lodge near the gates of Denali National Park, plus a guided Tundra Wilderness Tour offering the best wildlife and Mt. McKinley viewpoints.
“Wildlife sightings are at the top of most people’s wish list in Alaska,” said Meadows. “You’ll have a good chance of spotting wildlife if you give yourself enough time. Moose and bear aren’t on the payroll. We encourage people to give themselves time — two days if they can — in Denali so they have plenty of opportunities for spotting wildlife.”
Great Land CruiseTours
Ten Great Land CruiseTours include three- or four-day Inside Passage cruises between Vancouver and Skagway. New for 2008, northbound Great Land Tours include a glacier cruise experience with a trip into Tracy Arm to see the twin Sawyer Glaciers. Southbound CruiseTours visit Glacier Bay National Park.
Six Great Land Klondike CruiseTours offer 11- to 15-day adventures to Denali National Park; Dawson City with optional excursions to Tombstone Territorial Park; Fairbanks; an exciting Yukon River cruise aboard the mv Yukon Queen II; and Whitehorse, capital of the Yukon Territory. Some CruiseTours also include Kluane National Park and the White Pass & Yukon Railroad with Lake Bennett excursion.
Four Great Land Wilderness CruiseTours range from 10 to 13 days and provide a more affordable wilderness experience. They feature Denali, Whitehorse, Kluane, the White Pass & Yukon Railroad, Beaver Creek and Fairbanks, with travel along the most scenic stretch of the Alaska Highway.
Glacier Discovery CruiseTours
Travelers wanting more time on the ship may choose a Glacier Discovery CruiseTour which combines a seven-day cruise with a land tour. These CruiseTours range from 11- to 20-days. In addition to a tidewater glacier experience at either the Hubbard Glacier or Glacier Bay National Park, most offer two-night “Double Denali” stays, the Denali Tundra Wilderness Tour and tour directors.
Nineteen different itineraries include options to travel above the Arctic Circle, cruise the Kenai Fjords National Monument, explore the Kenai Peninsula or stay two nights at the Alyeska Resort near Anchorage.
The leader in Alaska Cruises and CruiseTours
Holland America Line has been leading tours in Alaska for 60 years and has eight premium ships offering a total of 156 cruises in 2009. These include 59 sailings on three ships home-ported in Seattle and 98 cruises on five ships based in Vancouver, BC.
CruiseTours start at $1,299 per person, double occupancy. For more information about booking an Alaska cruise or CruiseTour, contact a travel agent or call 1-877-SAIL-HAL (1-877-724-5425) or visit .
- -
About Holland America Line [a division of Carnival Corporation and plc ]
Holland America Line’s fleet of 14 ships offers nearly 500 cruises to 358 ports of call in over 100 countries, territories or dependencies. Two- to 108- day itineraries visit all seven continents, including Antarctica, South America, Australia/New Zealand and Asia voyages; a Grand World Voyage; and popular sailings to ports in the Caribbean, Alaska, Mexico, Canada/New England, Europe and Panama Canal.
World’s Leading Cruise Lines
The highest-rated premium cruise line in the world, Holland America Line is a member of the exclusive World’s Leading Cruise Lines alliance, which also includes Carnival Cruise Lines, Princess Cruises, Cunard Line, Seabourn Cruise Line and Costa Cruises. Sharing a passion to please each guest and a commitment to quality and value, these lines appeal to a wide range of lifestyles and budgets. The World’s Leading Cruise Lines offer exciting and enriching cruise vacations to the world’s most desirable destinations.
CONTACT: Rose Abello / Sarah Scoltock
PHONE: 800-637-5029
FAX: 206-262-5934
EMAIL:
Holland America Line

MultiVu Video Feed: NAKHEEL AND DONALD TRUMP INTRODUCE THE TRUMP INTERNATIONAL HOTEL & TOWER DUBAI

*** EMBARGOED: This is embargoed until 1 AM / ET on Monday, June 23 ***
On Monday, June 23rd, two of the world’s leading developers - Nakheel and the Trump Organization - will come together to announce the global celebration of the premier luxury hotel and residential tower in Dubai on the Palm Jumeirah, the iconic man-made island in the Arabian Gulf. Trump International hotel & Tower, one of the most anticipated new builds in Dubai and Trump’s first in the region, is poised to become a stunning landmark on the skyline of Dubai. The celebration will occur at Park Avenue Plaza in New York City…with a red-carpet reception under a 60-foot dome erected for the event.
SATELLITE FEEDS:
Monday, June 23rd, 2008 Tuesday, June 24th, 2008
2:00 PM - 2:15 PM ET 3:00 AM - 3:15 AM ET
Galaxy 25 Galaxy 25
C-Band C-Band
Transponder 14 Transponder 14
Downlink Freq. 3980 Horizontal Downlink Freq. 3980 Horizontal

Tuesday, June 24th, 2008
1:00 PM - 1:15 PM ET
Galaxy 26
C-Band
Transponder 24
Downlink Freq. 4180 Horizontal

NEWS: Trump International hotel & Tower Set to Transform the Dubai Skyline

FORMAT: B-roll and Soundbites

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: Video, contact information and more available at:
SOUNDBITES:
* Donald Trump
* Ivanka Trump
* Chris O’Donnell, CEO, Nakheel
* Manal Shaheen, Director, Nakheel (Soundbites in English and Arabic)

B-ROLL INCLUDES:
* Event Footage and footage of Lego Replica of Trump International Hotel
and Tower Dubai (will be available ONLY on 3am and 1pm feeds - 6/24)
* Dubai / NYC Beauty Shots
* CGI Footage of Trump International hotel & Tower Dubai

VIDEO PROVIDED BY: Nakheel

Contact: FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CALL: MultiVu Media Relations, 1-800-653-5313 EXT. 3

Nakheel

Be Your Own Travel Agent With New Trip Watcher Alerts From Hotwire

SAN FRANCISCO, June 23 /PRNewswire/ — Hotwire(R), a leading discount travel site, today announced Trip Watcher, the newest addition to the Hotwire family of cost- and time-saving travel planning tools. Trip Watcher gives customers better control, value and flexibility when booking trips by allowing them to “watch” specific itineraries, through both email alerts and a personal “My Account” page on Hotwire.com(R).
Trip Watcher acts as a user’s own travel agent. It takes into consideration dates, destination, and (if flying) possible airports and compares them with Hotwire itineraries. If there’s a way to save money by moving the trip a day, or using another airport, Hotwire notifies the customer through an email and by updating their “My Account” page. Additionally, Trip Watcher allows more travel choices by providing customers the ability to specify destinations they would like to go within any 60-day range and then monitors the dates and finds the lowest available Hotwire prices on hotels, airfares and car rentals.
Via email, Trip Watcher notifies customers when rates on a hotel room, car rental or airfare drop on and around their preferred travel dates. With a single email, Trip Watcher updates travelers on the trips that they’ve been watching — up to 25 trips at a time. Customers can also login to their “My Account” page on the Hotwire website to manage their account and see the latest updates to their searches. The customer’s Trip Watcher page keeps a running history of their requested dates and destinations, indicating changes in price and offering alternatives.
“As car, plane and hotel rates continue to skyrocket, consumers want a tool that can help them find low prices without the hassle,” said Clem Bason, vice president of merchandising and travel expert at Hotwire.com. “With a convenient email, Trip Watcher gives our customers updated rates, along with alternate-date savings and bonus days that will help stretch their travel dollars.”
Trip Watcher is the latest addition to the line of Hotwire planning tools that help consumers find deep discounts with the most convenience. The portfolio of planning tools also includes Flexible Date Search, TripStarter, the Hotwire travel Value Index and Local Trips. Hotwire makes travel planning simple by providing everything travelers need to know about their favorite destinations in one place so they can kick start their trip planning.
For more information about the Hotwire Trip Watcher, visit .
About Hotwire
Hotwire.com(R) is a leading discount travel site with low rates on airline tickets, hotel rooms, rental cars, cruises and vacation packages. Launched in 2000, Hotwire(R) negotiates deep discounts from its travel suppliers to help travelers book unsold airline seats, hotel rooms and rental cars. J.D. Power and Associates 2007 Independent travel Web Site Satisfaction Study(SM) recognized Hotwire for ranking “Highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Independent travel Web Sites, Two Years in a Row.” Hotwire is an operating company of Expedia, Inc. . CST: 2053390-40. NST: 20003-0209. For more information, visit .
Hotwire, Hotwire.com and the Hotwire logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Hotwire, Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. Other logos or product and company names mentioned herein may be the property of their respective owners. (C) 2008 Hotwire, Inc. All rights reserved.
Press Contact:

Rachel Rogers
Atomic PR for Hotwire

310-689-7585

Hotwire

Travel Advantage Network Sponsors BBB Charity Golf Classic

MILLERSVILLE, Md., June 20 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — travel Advantage Network (TAN), one of the nation’s fastest growing wholesale travel companies, was a major sponsor of Better Business Bureau (BBB) of Greater Maryland’s recent Charity Golf Classic. Over 100 golfers participated in the much-anticipated golf tournament, held June 9 at the Greystone Golf Course in White Hall, MD. The event raised over $15,000 for BBB’s Educational Foundation, whose mission is to enhance consumer confidence through education and information.
TAN not only sponsored the event, they also participated in the festivities. The TAN golf foursome consisted of managers Dave Vernier, Property Management; Fred Windholz, Resort Sales; Alex Golder, Information Technology and George Joosten, Resort Operations. In addition, TAN donated prizes for the raffle and silent auction, including a week at Tuscany Manor Resort in Palm Springs and Lifestyle Tropicale Resort & Spa in the Dominican Republic.
“We are proud to help make such a fun and worthwhile event like the BBB Charity Golf Classic possible,” said Brad Callahan, TAN President. “BBB is an asset to our community and TAN is thrilled to not only provide sponsorship of the event, but also to participate in the tournament and donate stays at two of our finest resorts. We can’t wait until next year.”
TAN has been a BBB accredited business since 2000. “The golf tournament is a continuation of our ongoing partnership with BBB,” Callahan says. TAN is a 2003 recipient of BBB of Greater Maryland’s Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics and has participated in a number of BBB events and programs, including Auction for Action and Scam Jam, an event aimed at protecting seniors from fraudulent scams. Callahan presently serves as a BBB board member, a position he has held for the last three years.
“TAN has been a champion for BBB,” says Angie Barnett, president and CEO, BBB of Greater Maryland. “We are pleased that despite the extreme heat and economic downturn, the golf tournament was able to raise money in support of the Foundation’s mission to deliver critical consumer programs and services. Generous sponsors like TAN helped make this possible.”
TAN’s vacation program is founded on a unique style of travel: wholesale priced condominium vacations. This concept of customized, prepaid vacation blocks has remained the company’s focus since its inception in 1992. The program includes properties in 25 states, from Maine to Hawaii, as well as Mexico, Canada and the Caribbean. Over 75,000 families are currently committed to vacationing with TAN.
For information, contact Lorena Andon at 410.729.1133 ext. 145 or . To find out more about TAN’s exciting vacation program, visit .
ABOUT travel ADVANTAGE NETWORK (TAN) Since 1992, TAN, a wholesale priced vacation accommodations program, has helped families and individuals create lifelong vacation memories. TAN is the proud recipient of the Better Business Bureau of Maryland’s prestigious Torch Award for exemplifying high business standards and professional integrity and the Maryland Chamber of Commerce’s Philanthropy in Business Award for outstanding and innovative commitment to local and national charities. TAN is a recipient of Baltimore CEO Magazine’s 2008 Future 50 Award, recognizing the fastest growing companies in the greater Baltimore area. TAN was the only travel company to make this year’s Future 50 list. To learn more visit .
Travel Advantage Network