Sandals & Beaches Resorts Names ID Media AOR for DRTV and Digital Media

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NEW YORK, June 19 /PRNewswire/ — ID Media, the largest direct and digital media services company in the country, has been selected by Florida’s HH Advertising to handle DRTV and online media planning and buying for Sandals & Beaches Resorts, a diverse collection of all-inclusive vacation destinations in the Caribbean. ID Media’s Chicago office will handle the account, working closely with HH Advertising, the agency of record for Sandals & Beaches Resorts for over 15 years.
Sandals Resorts has set the industry standard for the “luxury included” vacation and has been voted the Caribbean’s Leading Hotel Brand at the World travel Awards for 14 years in a row, and World’s Leading All-Inclusive Company for 12 years in a row. While Sandals targets couples, Beaches all-inclusive resorts focus on fun, adventure, and luxury for families. Both Sandals & Beaches Resorts have been also awarded the coveted Green Globe Award for environmental stewardship.
ID Media was selected as media AOR based on their creative media strategies, DR expertise, travel experience and strong negotiating skills. “Sandals and Beaches pride themselves on setting the highest standards, from their properties’ locations to environmental stewardship. In choosing ID Media, we believe we are similarly selecting the best-in-class media partner to get the best possible returns on media investments. Throughout the industry, ID Media has an excellent reputation working with today’s leading advertisers and we look forward to a long and profitable partnership,” says Tracey Hunter, Executive Vice President and co-founder of HH Advertising.
“We are thrilled to have been selected to work with such a forward thinking company and are confident that our unique approach to planning, buying and reporting will help Sandals and Beaches continue their strong growth,” says Michael Comins, SVP, Director of Client Services, who heads ID’s Chicago operation.
ABOUT SANDALS & BEACHES RESORTS

Sandals Resorts:

Sandals Resorts has earned a worldwide reputation for providing two people in love with the most romantic vacation experience in the Caribbean. Currently, there are 12 Luxury Included(R) Sandals Resorts located in Jamaica, Antigua, St. Lucia and The Bahamas. Each offers stunning beachfront locations; a choice of a la carte restaurants, from white-glove dining to barefoot elegance; all premium brand wine and spirits, including an exclusive partnership with California’s legendary Beringer Vineyards; luxurious accommodations in a range of categories; unrivaled watersports including the Caribbean’s largest PADI certification program; Butler Service for truly indulgent pampering; Preston Bailey Signature WeddingMoons(R) and signature Red Lane(R) Spas, with services and treatments inspired by the region. In July 2007, the five-star, all suite Mediterranean Village debuted at Sandals Grande Antigua Resort & Spa, offering two people in love the ultimate romantic getaway.
Sandals Resorts has set the industry standard for the Luxury Included(R) vacation and has been voted the Caribbean’s Leading Hotel Brand at the World travel Awards for 14 years in a row, and World’s Leading All-Inclusive Company for 12 years in a row. For more information, call your local travel agent or 1-800-Sandals (1-800-726-3257) or visit .
Beaches Resorts:
When it comes to family vacations, no other resort company in the world offers more than Beaches Resorts. With four spectacular locations on the most beautiful beaches in Jamaica and Turks & Caicos, Beaches Resorts is the Luxury Included(R) family getaway and the most comprehensive vacation available in the Caribbean including gourmet meals, all premium brand wine and spirits, including an exclusive partnership with California’s legendary Beringer Vineyards; luxurious accommodations, and even gratuities. Fun for the whole family means outrageous water theme parks, Xbox 360(R) Game Garage Video Game Centers; Crayola Art Camps; and exclusive Kids Camps with a full schedule of age-appropriate activities and childcare provided by expertly trained Nannies. As a proud sponsor of Sesame Street, Beaches offers another exclusive for families — the Beaches Resorts Caribbean Adventure with Sesame Street, where kids can spend their vacation with their favorite friends from the Sesame Street gang with daily activities and weekly stage shows. With additional amenities including Butler Service for truly indulgent pampering, Red Lane(R) Spas with services and treatments inspired by the region, and the WeddingMoons(R) and FamilyMoons(R) programs to make that special day just perfect, Beaches offers something for everyone.
Beaches Resorts is part of the Sandals’ family, the Caribbean’s largest operator of Luxury Included(R) resorts, and has been voted the World’s Leading Family All-Inclusive Resort for ten years in a row. For more information about Beaches Resorts, call 1-800-BEACHES (1-800-232-2437) or visit the Web site at .
ABOUT HH ADVERTISING
HH Advertising is a full-service, award-winning advertising agency located in Miami, FL founded by Cheryl Hamersmith and Tracey Hunter. Over the past 20 years, it has established itself as South Florida’s preeminent marketing force in the travel and hospitality industries, helping to create brands for major resort chains, airlines, and tourism boards. It provides a full spectrum of client services, including print and broadcast advertising, promotions, new media, and partnership marketing.
ABOUT ID MEDIA
ID Media helps leading advertisers profit in today’s fast-changing media marketplace. The company, which is the largest direct and digital media services company in the country, delivers the best possible return on media investments because of its superior rates, research resources, and reporting systems. ID Media serves clients including American Express, Brink’s Home Security, CA, HBO, DeVry, Johnson & Johnson, Kaiser Permanente, Nautilus, Nikon, SC Johnson, and Verizon from locations in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. ID Media is part of The Interpublic Group of Companies .
ID Media

Global Hotel Alliance Announces JurysDoyle as Tenth Member

IRVING, Texas, June 18 /PRNewswire/ — At a signing ceremony in Dublin, as part of its bi-annual CEO Committee meeting, Global hotel Alliance today announced that it will welcome JurysDoyle as its tenth member later this year, after JurysDoyle has completed a re-launch process, which will include a comprehensive revamp of its brand identity. GHA thus celebrates the arrival of its tenth member, by adding the Dublin-based international hotel company and expanding its reach to several new destinations.
JurysDoyle hotel Group is a collection of 11 unique luxury hotels in 6 key cities in Ireland, the United Kingdom and the United States. Each of its hotels is different — some boutique style, some modern and some classical. All offer superbly appointed bedrooms, excellent meeting facilities, convivial bars and great restaurants. A genuine warm welcome and an intuitive understanding of guest requirements are at the heart of the group’s approach.
JurysDoyle has already started a significant renovation program of its hotel portfolio, and later this year will launch a new brand direction, which will support the repositioning of its portfolio of luxury hotels.
Bill Walshe, JurysDoyle’s CEO, comments:
“2008 is a landmark year for our company. We are re-positioning as a luxury hotel brand dedicated to the creation of a portfolio of truly individual luxury hotel experiences. We will launch a new brand direction and subsequent image campaign later this year, and expect our comprehensive renovation program to be completed by Spring 2009. All of this will culminate in us joining GHA later in the year, which is an exciting and important step for us as we seek to gain new customers and a broader reach for our new brand. GHA will enable us to gain visibility in new markets, talk to more customers and upgrade our distribution and CRM technology more cost-efficiently, and faster than we could do on our own.”
Walshe is also pleased to have the opportunity to showcase one of his group’s newly renovated hotels to the GHA member CEOs. “We’re proud to be hosting GHA’s CEO Committee at one of our flagship properties, the recently refurbished Westbury hotel in Dublin. This is an opportunity for us to showcase our approach to luxury to some of the most experienced and high profile luxury hoteliers in the world, who we will soon proudly call peers within the Global hotel Alliance.”
Chris Hartley, GHA’s CEO, says that reaching ten members is an impressive milestone for such a young alliance: “A few years ago we started as a good-will venture between brands to reduce technology costs. Today we are ten companies working dynamically in all areas of sales, marketing and distribution, not just to reduce costs, but to attract new revenue streams through joint sales offices, common partnerships, CRM and many other activities. Bringing in such a reputable and traditional company as JurysDoyle demonstrates that our alliance has matured enough to attract the top brands from around the world.”
GHA’s members are all regional brands, offering truly local experiences, and an attractive alternative to the standardized, chain experience. “JurysDoyle is another member that exemplifies our positioning,” Hartley added.
JurysDoyle will switch, within the next twelve months, to GHA’s central reservations system, gha.net, powered by the technology of its partner Micros-Fidelio. Since its launch in 2007, gha.net has enabled members to grow their CRS business by over $15m, while reducing their cost of distribution by over $1.5m. Brand member web-sites cross-sell each other’s hotels and shared voice reservations services will soon be offered to members using GHA’s technology platform.
About Omni Hotels
Omni Hotels creates compelling, memorable guest experiences by tempting the senses in innovative ways, surrounding them with a balanced blend of scents, sounds, sights, textures and tastes. Omni Hotels offers luxury accommodations at 45 hotels and resorts in leading business gateways and leisure destinations across North America. From exceptional golf and spa retreats to dynamic business settings, each location features four-diamond services, including award-winning signature restaurants, Wi-Fi connectivity and unique fitness and spa options. Omni’s mission for total customer service is further supported by its “Power of One” program that empowers associates to make on-the-spot decisions to meet or exceed guest expectations. Guests can locate hotels and book accommodations by visiting or by calling 1-800-THE-OMNI.
About Global hotel Alliance
Based on the airline alliance model, Global hotel Alliance is the world largest alliance of independent hotel brands. It uses a common technology platform to drive incremental revenues and create cost savings for its members, while offering enhanced recognition and service to customers across all brands. GHA currently comprises Anantara, Cham, Dusit, Kempinski, Landis, Leela, Marco Polo, Omni and Pan Pacific, encompassing 160 upscale and luxury hotels with over 46,000 rooms in 41 different countries.
About JurysDoyle hotel Group
A collection of 11 centrally located luxury hotels in the following cities: Dublin, Cork, London, Bristol, Washington DC and Boston.
Omni Hotels

America’s Vacation Center Named Finalist for the Best Travel Agency Web Site

MIAMI, June 18 /PRNewswire/ — America’s Vacation Center (AVC), one of the leading travel agencies in North America and beyond, today announced that TravelAge West magazine selected the company as a finalist for the “Best Agency Web site” 2008 Trendsetter Award.
TravelAge West chose AVC as a finalist for the “Best Agency Web site” Trendsetter Award to recognize the company’s exceptional accomplishments in regards to its cutting-edge, industry-leading Web site, .
AVC’s consumer Web site serves travelers’ needs in numerous ways by providing consumers with information directly from the company’s experts on various vacation suppliers and destinations. Serving as an easy-to-use booking resource for planning dream getaways, offers clients the ability to be connected with an AVC Personal Vacation Planner based on individual needs and interests.
David Anderson, CIO of AVC, accepted the award on Thursday, June 5, 2008, at the TravelAge West WAVE Awards Gala at The Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles in Beverly Hills.
“At AVC, we believe that an online travel Web site should be a source for information, and the best way to plan a vacation is by combining those resources with the assistance of an experienced Personal Vacation Planner,” said David Anderson, CIO of AVC. “We are extremely honored to receive this recognition from TravelAge West and plan to continue to improve the quality of our technology and our Web site in order to provide the best vacation planning experience possible.”
AVC is respected in the industry for its network of hundreds of professional Independent Affiliates and is one of the top-producing travel agencies in the American Express travel Representative Network. The company was also recently recognized throughout the industry as the “Travel Agency of the Year” by Carnival Cruise Lines, Royal Caribbean International, Oceania Cruises, and Norwegian Cruise Line — an accomplishment no other travel agency has ever achieved.
Travelers interested in booking their next trip with America’s Vacation Center, an American Express travel Representative, should call 800-753-1463 or visit . Professional travel agents interested in affiliating with America’s Vacation Center should call 800-521-2597 or visit .
About America’s Vacation Center (AVC):
America’s Vacation Center(R) (AVC), , is one of the leading travel agencies in North America and beyond. As an American Express travel Representative, America’s Vacation Center (AVC) is deeply committed to integrity, quality service, and success in every aspect of professionally planning vacations and cruises. AVC is a leading seller of cruises and vacation packages from suppliers such as American Express Vacations, Brendan Worldwide Vacations, Carnival Cruise Lines, Celebrity Cruises, Crystal Cruises, Holland America Line, Insight Vacations, Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean International, Trafalgar Tours, Uniworld Grand River Cruises, and more. With hundreds of independently owned and operated affiliates in its network, AVC provides travelers worldwide with exclusive discounts, amenities, and first-class customer service.
Logo:

Contact:
Ashley Wolf
PR Manager
America’s Vacation Center
760-305-5060 x267

This release was issued through eReleases(TM). For more information, visit .
America’s Vacation Center

Last Minute Hotel Booking Model Facing Extinction? After the Acquisition of Travel.com.au, Wotif.com To Go 365 Days.

SYDNEY, Australia, June 17 /PRNewswire/ — - Research by
It has become evident in recent times that there has been a shift away from the last minute model with sites such as Wotif.com to go 365 days. Moreover, according to a recent study by HotelsCombined.com these last minute distribution sites including Wotif.com, NeedItNow.com and LastMinute.com.au are no longer offering the best available rates.
Much hype was created in the hotel industry with the launch of Wotif.com in March 2000 when it offered a 14-day booking window. Before this time, hotels relied on global distribution systems (GDS) to assist in selling their hotel rooms with dynamic pricing not yet coming into existence. Wotif.com gave hotels what they needed, offering a simple system to effectively yield manage their distressed inventory. Wotif.com capitalized on this for several years then in October 2005 they extended to 28-day booking window. At present, according to an ASX announcement published on May 8, 2008 it is confirmed that a 365-day model is coming. It is interesting to note that Wotif.com is in reality one of the few remaining last minute websites entirely using the last minute model with NeedItNow.com and LastMinute.com.au previously making the move to a 365-day model.
Clearly we can see that there is a movement away from the last minute model, so the question needs to be asked if these sites are no longer distressed inventory sites, are they just another distribution channel? HotelsCombined.com has taken this question to see if there are any points of difference that these last minute sites have against other third party intermediaries.
After taking a sample of twenty-five hotels within five major Australian capital cities ( Sydney - Melbourne - Brisbane - Adelaide - and Perth - ) the results indicate that Wotif.com, NeedItNow.com and LastMinute.com.au are just another distribution channel with non last minute providers on HotelsCombined.com offering better available rates. For a full copy of the results please refer to .
About HotelsCombined.com
HotelsCombined.com is a hotel search engine containing the largest hotel database worldwide. Featuring hotels in 20,000 destinations across 195 countries, with over 800,000 hotel deals from direct hotel listings and over 30 of the most visited travel websites including AsiaRooms.com, Booking.com, Cheaptickets.com, Expedia.com, Hotel.info, HotelClub.com, Hotels.com, InterContinental.com, Obitz.com, Priceline.com, ReserveTravel.com, Venere.com.
For more information go to

For further information please contact:
Vicki Byrne
Business Development
Hotels Combined Pty Ltd
Phone: 61 2 8011 4192

Website:
Hotels Combined Pty Ltd

Intrepid Travel Announces New Arctic Adventures from the Travel Lab

BOULDER, Colo., June 17 /PRNewswire/ — Intrepid Travel’s new research and development division, The travel Lab, announces the launch of five new Arctic adventures. These trips will take adventurers to the ends of the earth on an unforgettable offbeat adventure.
By creating these new Arctic adventures, The travel Lab has created travel without limits, true off-the-beaten-path exploration. These Arctic adventure tours present travelers with an opportunity to experience Antarctica and the Arctic like never before.
Taking adventure travelers way beyond the confines of a cruise ship, The travel Lab’s Polar journeys are the extreme of polar exploration, offering airborne travel to the North Pole and expeditions into the largely unexplored mountains of Antarctica.
Some of The travel Lab’s new Antarctic and Arctic adventure travel trips include:
Polar bears and belugas up close
Swim with beluga whales, experience polar bear country, trek amongst caribou, experience solitude like nowhere else,
Canadian arctic dogsled adventure
Discover the sheer joy of mushing across Arctic planes, learn of the Inuit lifestyle, experience life as it once was in the far North,
Remote mountain expedition
Learn to kite-surf across the endless Polar planes of Antarctica, rappel down enormous ice cliffs, wake up in an igloo,
Land of the emperor penguin
See the emperor penguins closer than you ever imagined, ride in a DC3 plane, ice-climb previously unclimbed mountains,
Intrepid’s Arctic adventure travel tours last from 7-13 days and range in price from $3,810 to $50,635. To learn more about Intrepid Travel’s Arctic adventures please visit:
With over 19 years of experience, Intrepid travel is one of the world’s leading small group adventure tour operators. Intrepid offers over 400 itineraries in more than 90 destinations worldwide. Intrepid trips are designed to go off the beaten track, meet the locals and travel in an unconventional way, joining locals on their transport, in their markets and even in their homes.
For more information, contact Alexia Nestora at Lasso Communications, 303-898-3376,
This release was issued through eReleases(TM). For more information, visit .
Intrepid Travel

Lenox Hotel Deploys Colubris to Provide Superior Wireless Access

AUSTIN, Texas, June 16 /PRNewswire/ — HITEC 2008 — Colubris Networks, the leading global provider of intelligent wireless LANs (WLANs) for enterprises and service providers, today announced that the Lenox Hotel, one of Boston’s premier hotels, has deployed a Colubris wireless network to provide its guests with high-quality, always-available Internet access. The Lenox hotel deployed the Colubris wireless solution through Safety NetAccess, a leading national high-tech solutions company that provides a broad range of technology products and services.
The Lenox hotel is a 214-room luxury hotel located in Boston’s exclusive Back Bay neighborhood. The company had been providing wireless access to its guests, but during a recent renovation of the hotel, decided to upgrade its wireless network to make it more secure and more consistently available to its guests. The Lenox hotel enlisted Safety NetAccess, a longtime integration partner, to help with the installation. Safety NetAccess designed an entirely new wireless infrastructure for the Lenox hotel and recommended that the hotel install a wireless network from Colubris Networks.
“We have worked with Colubris for a long time and believed that its products were ideal for the new wireless network that the Lenox hotel wanted to install,” said Sean Gorman, CEO of Safety NetAccess. “Colubris provides an extremely secure and reliable wireless solution that is ideal for hotels that have a wide variety of guests logging on to the network who need always-available Internet access.”
“Safety NetAccess has been a trusted partner of ours and they provide us not only with fantastic service, but also with a strong technology solution through Colubris,” said John Malenfant, director of information technology at Saunders hotel Group, which owns the Lenox Hotel. “We went from having a decent guest access network to having a very robust guest access network. Our guests and staff alike have been very pleased with the upgrade.”
The Lenox hotel has installed 42 Colubris MultiService Access Points (MAP-320s) throughout all floors to provide wireless access to its guests. Safety NetAccess designed the implementation so that all access points would be hidden behind walls for the best possible aesthetics. The hotel is able to set up secure, password-protected guest access through Colubris so that only property guests and meeting attendees are granted online access. Using its rich multiservice feature set, the Lenox hotel can easily add new business applications as needed over the wireless network. In addition, Colubris’ optimized WLAN architecture eliminates the need for extensive upgrades when migrating to 802.11n, providing the Lenox hotel with investment protection.
“Hotels across the world have deployed Colubris wireless networks for guest access because they want the highest level of availability and security for discriminating guests,” said Tom Racca, vice president of marketing of Colubris Networks. “Colubris is ideal for the Lenox Hotel, as it is easily upgradeable should the hotel decide to add business applications in the future, such as curbside check-in, registration kiosks or workflow management.”
About Colubris
Colubris Networks is the leading global provider of intelligent wireless networks (WLANs) for enterprises and service providers. Its optimized WLAN switching systems deliver unmatched bandwidth efficiency, seamless mobility and secure, easy access for thousands of organizations and 40 million users worldwide. With its “future proof” architecture, Colubris provides organizations with the most cost-effective migration from legacy standards to 802.11n. Its systems unify and integrate with existing network infrastructures, as well as security and management systems. Colubris’ numerous recognitions include Red Herring’s top 100 private companies in North America, Fierce Wireless Fierce 15, CRN’s Emerging Tech Vendors and Mobile Trax Mobility Award. For more information, visit Colubris on the Web at .
About Safety NetAccess
Safety NetAccess, Inc., (SNA) is a leading national high-tech solutions company that has been providing a broad range of technology products and services since 1999. All SNA products and services are exclusively designed for the most discriminating client and include security, wireless and wired high-speed networks that are managed, monitored and maintained with 24/7 LIVE support. Our support team is made up of experienced technicians to insure superior service for SNA clients and their end users. Today SNA has installed a variety of network environments for hundreds of clients in some 26 states across the country. For more information, visit Safety NetAccess on the Web at .
MEDIA CONTACTS: Carl Blume Kathy Sucich
Colubris Networks, Inc. Davies Murphy Group, Inc.
781-547-0325 781-418-2409

Colubris Networks

Intrepid Travel Announces New Antarctic Adventure from the Travel Lab

BOULDER, Colo., June 16 /PRNewswire/ — Intrepid Travel’s new research and development division, The travel Lab, announces the launch of its new luxury Antarctic adventure: an expedition to the remote mountains of Antarctica.
Travelers on this Antarctic adventure will explore Antarctica by foot and by plane as they follow in the footsteps of the great explorers Scott and Amundsen. They will soar over the largely unexplored Orvin mountain ranges in a turbo prop DC3 airplane, abseil into open crevasses, explore ice caves and get close to Adelie Penguins.
The luxury Antarctic adventure begins when travelers depart Cape Town aboard a private jet. They will watch night turn to day as they cross over the Antarctic Circle and into the land of the midnight sun. After landing on a specially prepared ice runway, travelers settle in at a luxury eco camp — the first of its kind in Antarctica. Adventurers will gaze out their tent window at incredible views over a massive ice cliff and down to the immense blue ice waves on the horizon.
The highlight of the luxury Antarctic adventure is Intrepid’s expedition into the Orvin Range. Adventurers are given the chance to experience what a journey to the Antarctic once meant. They will have the opportunity to ski in virgin snow, try some technical ice and rock climbing, and will learn the basics of crevasse rescue.
Intrepid’s luxury Antarctic adventure itinerary includes:

— A two-hour aerial tour over the Orvin Range
— Living in the tents of early explorers
— Rappel over huge ice cliffs
— Observe penguins in their natural habitat
— Wander between mighty ice blocks and sleep in igloos
— Camp at Dronning Maud Land

This luxury Antarctic adventure is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for those travelers looking for a new and unusual adventure into the wild.
Antarctic adventure travelers with Intrepid will experience one of the most exclusive and most rarely seen locations on the planet. The Remote Mountain Expedition adventure lasts for 11 days and costs $44,350. To learn more about exciting Antarctic adventure travel visit:
To find out more about Intrepid Travel’s travel Lab and its new Antarctic adventure travel please visit:
With over 19 years of experience, Intrepid travel is one of the world’s leading small group adventure tour operators. Intrepid offers over 400 itineraries in more than 90 destinations worldwide. Intrepid trips are designed to go off the beaten track, meet the locals and travel in an unconventional way, joining locals on their transport, in their markets and even in their homes.
For more information contact Alexia Nestora at Lasso Communications, 303-898-3376,
This release was issued through eReleases(TM). For more information, visit .
Intrepid Travel

Windstar Cruises Offers Guests ‘White Glove’ Luggage Service With Monogram Valet

SEATTLE, June 13 /PRNewswire/ — Windstar Cruises, which operates a three-ship fleet of luxury yachts that explore hidden harbors and secluded coves of the world’s most treasured destinations, offers guests convenient Monogram Luggage Valet Service which transports guests’ luggage directly between their home and ship stateroom. Now getting to and from the ship can be as luxurious as a Windstar cruise.
Windstar Cruises recognizes that traveling with luggage is not an easy task with current airline baggage size, weight and fee parameters, check-in lines and baggage claims. With Monogram Luggage Valet Service, guests are able to travel to and from their cruise effortlessly without luggage hassles knowing that their luggage will arrive at their selected destination on time. With one phone call, Monogram Valet will arrange guests’ shipment of luggage to be delivered to their stateroom on board the ship and returned to their home after the cruise.
Rates for the service vary depending on luggage pick up and delivery locations. Windstar guests can find more information about Windstar’s Monogram Luggage Valet Service by contacting their travel agent, by contacting Windstar’s reservation department by phone at 1-800-258-7245 or by visiting .
A leader in defining the small ship luxury cruise experience for the last 20 years, Windstar has won the allegiance of a new generation of contemporary travelers who appreciate the line’s casual attire, alternative dining venues, rich mix of shore excursions, complimentary water sports program, deluxe spa facilities and luxurious accommodations.
Windstar’s award-wining reputation for sophisticated, yet casual elegance has been recognized by some of the most notable names in the travel world. Celebrated Living, American Airlines’ prestigious publication for first class passengers, named Windstar Cruises “Best Small-Ship/Mid-Ship Cruise Line” on their 2008 Platinum List for the second time in a row. Readers of Porthole Cruise Magazine awarded Windstar “Most Romantic Cruise Line” and “Best Tall Ship” in the 9th Annual Readers’ Choice Awards. Windstar has also earned top honors in travel Leisure’s World’s 2007 Best Awards and was lauded among “The World’s Best Small Ships” by Conde Nast Traveler readers in 2007.
About Windstar Cruises
Windstar Cruises operates three sailing yachts known for their pampering without pretense and their ability to visit the hidden harbors and secluded coves of the world’s most treasured destinations. Carrying just 148 to 312 guests, the luxurious ships of Windstar cruise to nearly 50 nations, calling at 100 ports throughout Europe, the Caribbean and the Americas. For more information including brochures, rates and itineraries contact a professional travel agent or call Windstar at 1-800-258-7245. Visit Windstar Cruises online at .
Windstar is a division of Ambassadors International Cruise Group, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ambassadors Cruise Group, LLC.
For More Information:
Vanessa Bloy
Amy MacIver
Windstar Cruises
206.292.9606

Windstar Cruises

Look Forward to Fall Harvest Week at the Hawthorne Hotel

SALEM, Mass., June 12 /PRNewswire/ — It may only be summer, but we want you to plan ahead for fall in historic Salem, Massachusetts. With cooler temperatures and vibrant leaves, the Hawthorne hotel () brings its guests “Fall Harvest Week” and soon after, their acclaimed Fall Harvest Wine Dinner.
During the last week of August, the Hawthorne hotel will be creating a new menu every day using locally-grown and offered ingredients available during this special week. They use as much local produce as possible, ensuring quality and total freshness along with making an eco-friendly statement. Fall Harvest week is August 25-August 31 and concludes with a celebratory Sunday Brunch. You don’t want to miss it so make your reservations now at
The Hawthorne hotel extends its fall events calendar with the Fall Harvest Wine Dinner, just three weeks later on September 17th. This exquisite feast will feature Executive Chef Steve Nelson’s culinary delights paired with award-winning wines from Michael and David winery of Lodi, California. Though the menu has not yet been revealed, be prepared for a bounty of fresh-picked items from local farms: showcasing meats, seafood, cheeses, fruits and vegetables. There will be five courses, including hors d’oeuvres, all matched perfectly to the wines. Price is $85 per person including tax and gratuities!
When asked about the menu, Chef Nelson said, “Since the menu is composed of freshly harvested products at their peak quality, we will be sourcing … tasting, and creating a menu for you, and we will confirm the menu closer to the date. You will not be disappointed. It will be a fun and informative evening. An excellent way to kick off autumn in Salem and relax with friends, food and wine before the Halloween madness begins.”
Dinner commences at 6:30. Contact (978) 825-4311 for reservations or visit: before tickets are sold out!
About Hawthorne Hotel:
This historic Salem, Massachusetts hotel provides 93 rooms including 6 suites all individually furnished and tastefully appointed. Since 1925 the Hawthorne hotel has been the select destination for business and leisure travelers and recognized throughout Salem and the North Shore region as the premiere wedding location. For more information visit: .
Editorial Contact:
Kristie Poehler
Director of Sales & Marketing
Hawthorne Hotel
Phone: 978-825-4364
Email:
Hawthorne Hotel

Kayak.com Launches Targeted Display Advertising

NORWALK, Conn., June 12 /PRNewswire/ — Kayak.com, the world’s largest travel search site, today announced the launch of an innovative display advertising platform optimized for the travel industry. The new ad platform is a major improvement on technology developed by Sidestep.com, which Kayak.com purchased in December 2007.
Similar to the text ads that are already available through the Kayak Publishing Network (KPN), the new display ad system helps travel marketers target their ads based on search criteria including destination, origination, trip dates, length of stay, specific airline/hotel/car brands and car type. Referrals generated by either ad type can pass consumers’ search information (destination, travel dates, etc.) through to the advertiser’s Web site, allowing the advertiser to display relevant search results instead of a generic landing page.
Kayak.com and its affiliated Web sites generate nearly 200 million targetable ad impressions per month on air, hotel and rental car search result pages. Display advertising units are available in three IAB standard ad units of 180×150 pixels, 160×600 pixels and 300×250 pixels. There are more than 30,000 active text placements on the Kayak Publishing Network from more than 2,000 travel brands.
Reflecting Kayak.com’s commitment to usability, consumers can turn off display ads indefinitely by simply clicking on a “hide display ad” link below each advertising unit.
“Our advertisers have repeatedly told us that display ads can communicate travel services in a way that text ads cannot,” said Steve Hafner, Kayak.com co-founder and CEO. “Yet we know that some consumers dislike these ads and find them distracting. I believe we’ve found the right balance by allowing our registered users to suppress or view them, whichever they prefer.”
Travel marketers interested in learning more about advertising on Kayak.com or SideStep.com should contact: Todd Skelton, 408-207-1903, .
Kayak.com Welcomes Kristina Davis
Kristina Davis joins the Kayak.com team as Vice President of Sales, responsible for advertising sales for Kayak.com, its affiliated Web sites and the Kayak Publishing Network. Davis will be based in the worldwide headquarters in Norwalk, Conn. She’ll manage sales teams on the West and East Coast and will be charged with expanding the U.S. sales force.
Prior to joining Kayak.com, Davis spent nine years at Travelzoo, Inc., the Internet’s most popular list of weekly travel deals, most recently as Senior Director of Sales. As a founding member of Travelzoo, Davis helped launch the company’s well-known Travelzoo Top 20.
About Kayak.com
Kayak.com, the largest travel 2.0 site in the world, is a global Internet media company operating Kayak.com, Sidestep.com, TravelPost.com and TravelSearch.com. Kayak.com and SideStep.com display results from more than 400 travel sites, providing prices and itineraries for hundreds of airlines, more than 100,000 hotels, all leading rental car companies and 18 cruise lines. Kayak.com has won more awards since launch than any other travel site including “100 Best Products of 2007″ by PC World; “25 Sites We Can’t Live Without” by TIME Magazine; “Best Search Engine” by the Associated Press; and “Best of the Web” by BusinessWeek, Forbes.com and US News & World Report. Launched in 2005 by co-founders of Orbitz, Travelocity and Expedia, Kayak.com’s investors include General Catalyst Partners, Sequoia Capital, Accel Partners, Norwest Venture Partners, Trident Capital, Oak Investment Partners, Lehman Brothers Venture Partners and America Online, Inc. Kayak.com has sites in the UK, France, Germany, Spain and Italy. For more information, visit .
To speak to Kristina Davis or learn more about Kayak.com, please contact:

Kellie Pelletier Tiffany Fessler
Kayak.com Edelman
203-899-3111 404-832-6359

Kayak.com