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Kaleel Sakakeeny's Blog – April 2011 Archive (9)

Snapshot: Egypt, Tourism and Islam

Snapshot: Egypt, Tourism and Islam

In spite of the apparent calm in Egypt after the historic "overthrow" of the Mubarak regime, travel, a major source of income for the country, has not recovered.

While some cruise lines have reinstated Egypt as a port of call, travel to the North African country is stagnant.

Veteran… Continue

Added by Kaleel Sakakeeny on April 27, 2011 at 11:48pm — 5 Comments

Can Shopkick Kick the Travel Industry into Action?

Can Shopkick Kick the Travel Industry into Action?

Imagine if a travel destination or property rewarded you for just visiting it, or just walking through the door of a hotel or B and B, or setting foot on an island.

Would that encourage a more loyal following and generate more business?

Probably.

By any…

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Added by Kaleel Sakakeeny on April 25, 2011 at 2:30pm — No Comments

Airlines Give Passengers a Badly Needed Break

Airlines Give Passengers a Needed Break

The airlines don’t give up easily, nor do they give much away.

So when U.S. Transportation Secretary, Ray Lahood,) announced that starting in August , airlines will be required to protect their passengers’ interests much more than they have, there were smiles on the… Continue

Added by Kaleel Sakakeeny on April 21, 2011 at 8:54am — No Comments

“T2,” A Stunningly Modern New SFO Terminal With Foursquare

You have to see it to believe ii.

The brand new, much touted new Terminal 2 that just opened at San Francisco’s International Airport.

The…

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Added by Kaleel Sakakeeny on April 18, 2011 at 10:57am — No Comments

Marriage, Italian Style

Marriage, Italian Style

The town of Mondovi in northern Italy, is barely mentioned in most guide books.

But we went there to see our good friends Giovanna and Antonio get married in a small mountain village near the…

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Added by Kaleel Sakakeeny on April 14, 2011 at 1:01pm — No Comments

LivingSocial Adds Hotels and Dealradar Delivers Deals

LivingSocial Adds Hotels and Dealradar Delivers Deals

Not so long ago, the new, travel “catch term” in a struggling travel economy was the “Staycation”.

The idea that people could really vacation in their own back yards, getting to know, appreciate and experience their own neighborhoods was novel, and widely accepted.

It made… Continue

Added by Kaleel Sakakeeny on April 11, 2011 at 3:57pm — No Comments

Why We’re Unhappy With Travel Booking Sites

To most, “travel agent” means the company on the corner with a couple of big glass windows, lots of fading brochures lying around and inside, a faint whiff of yesterday.

But the term “Travel Agent” also refers to giants like Expedia, Travelocity, Orbitz, Thomas Cook, AAA and lots of others, referred to as OTA, or Online Travel Agents.

And while a recent… Continue

Added by Kaleel Sakakeeny on April 7, 2011 at 7:00pm — 5 Comments

GPS Travel: Treasure Hunting With Geocaching

GPS Travel: Treasure Hunting With Geocaching

Welcome to the addictive, fast-growing sport of Geocaching.

On May 3rd, 2000, a container of goodies was hidden by a someone outside of Portland, Oregon.

By May 6th the treasure, or “cache” in the parlance of the game, was… Continue

Added by Kaleel Sakakeeny on April 4, 2011 at 6:53pm — No Comments

Report Says Travelers More Influenced by Traditional Media Than Social Media

Social Media In Travel:Over-Hyped, Under-Hyped Or Who Knows

So began the HotelMarketing.com headline, more or less.

We’ve often chided the travel industry for not moving fast enough into the world of social media.… Continue

Added by Kaleel Sakakeeny on April 1, 2011 at 1:35pm — 3 Comments