Despite leaving three vacation days unused, 92 percent of employed U.S. adults believe they are entitled to take all the vacation days they earn, and 67 percent believe their employer encourages them to use all of their allotted vacation time
For the eighth consecutive year Americans(1) were found to receive and use the smallest amount of vacation time among their counterparts abroad. Expedia(R), the world’s leading online travel agency, recently commissioned its eighth annual Vacation Deprivation(TM) survey. Despite reporting an average of 14 paid vacation days again this year, the same as 2007 and two more than in 2005, an estimated 47.5MM Americans(2) (31 percent of employed U.S. adults) — almost as much as the entire population of California and Illinois, combined — will not use all of their vacation days. Again this year, employed U.S. adults will leave an average of three vacation days on the table, in essence giving back more than 460 million(3) vacation days in 2008.
Despite these statistics, Americans do see the value in vacation, with more than one-third (39 percent) reporting they feel more productive and better about their job upon returning from vacation and 52 percent claiming to feel rested, rejuvenated and reconnected to their personal life. Work responsibilities are one of the biggest deterrents to taking vacation, with 18 percent of U.S. adults responding that they’ve cancelled or postponed vacation plans because of work and 29 percent admitting they have trouble coping with stress from work at some point in the vacation cycle. Additionally, nearly one quarter (24 percent) report that they check work e-mail or voicemail while vacationing. That figure is up from only 16 percent in 2005.
“The research is clear, despite leaving vacation days unused, Americans believe in the restorative power of taking time off, as well as their employers attitudes around taking the days they earn,” said Paul Brown, president, Expedia.com. “Regardless of the number of vacation days Americans receive or how they want to take them, Expedia aims to provide travelers with planning tools that allow them to book their perfect trip at the right price backed by our Best Price Guarantee.”
Americans Lose the Global Tally
Expedia analyzed the vacation habits of employed workers in the U.S., Canada, Great Britain, Germany, France, Spain, Italy and for the first time, the Netherlands and Austria. Canadians receive an average of 17 annual days, two less than 2007 but still three more than Americans. Among the European countries studied in the past, all workers receive more vacation days in 2008 than 2007. Great Britain has a two day increase over 2007, with 26 days, and Germany, Spain and France all saw increases of one day, receiving 27 days, 31 days and 37 days respectively. Employed workers in the Netherlands and Austria are awarded an average of 28 days in 2008.
Gender Differences
When it comes to making vacation a priority, Expedia research saw a shift in attitudes toward taking time off among women and men. In 2007, men were more likely to feel guilty about taking time off from work (39 percent versus 30 percent of women). However, in 2008, women are more likely than men to feel guilty about taking time off from work (38 percent women versus 28 percent men), and men are more likely than women (16 percent versus 11 percent) to take a 2-week vacation.
For complete survey results visit http://www.expedia.com/vacationdeprivation.
Source: Expedia, Inc.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
One travel company sticking to its commitment to affordable travel, Austin-Lehman Adventures (ALA), set its rates last year and they’re holding to these in 2008, even though the cost of gas, lodging and meals, among others, has sky-rocketed.
”This makes traveling with one of our small groups to, for example, British Columbia, a value compared to piecing the same components together by you,” says Dan Austin, founding partner and Director.
“But there is some fleece, the warm fuzzy kind, involved,” he says. “We’re giving away fleece vests to folks who book any of our Canadian adventures from now through the end of May. The North End “all climate wear” vest retails for $65.”
“We’re using this as a booking incentive to remind folks that you need not cross an ocean for a truly exotic vacation with an international feel,” he says.
Matt Delany, the companys British Columbia specialist, says that this easy-to-access, culturally and naturally textured region is an emerging destination for ALA who specializes in immersive, multi sport adventures for families and adults.
His favorite highlights on trips in and around the Whistler region include:
- Hiking through the coastal temperate rainforest into Joffre Lakes to witness the hanging Matier Glacier melting into aquamarine waters of the lake below.
- Rafting the Elaho River in the Paradise Valley, fed by cascades and waterfalls from four pristine glacial systems.
- Gazing out from the alpine heights of Whistler to the distant Coastal Range, surrounded by massive ice fields, towering peaks and vibrant wild flowers.
For details please see Whistler British Columbia Wilderness Adventure and Whistler Family Mountains, Meadows & Wildlife Adventure .
Another one of ALAs BC destinations is Vancouver Island. The programs include kayaking, biking, wine-tasting and touring the world-class Butchart Gardens in Victoria. Follow these links to: Vancouver Island Beaches, Black Bears, & Boreal Forests and Vancouver Island Family Northwest Family Adventure.
All of these 6-day / 5-night multi-sport vacations that combine adventure with high-end accommodations are fully guided and nearly all-inclusive. The per person, double occupancy rates, exclusive of air to/from Vancouver (Whistler trips) or Victoria (Vancouver Island trips), start at $1,998 with child and single supplements available.
ALA manages all of the arrangements in its selected destinations. Small groups are held at just 12 guests with a generous 1:6 guide-to-guest ratio. Rates include first-class accommodations, meals, expert guides, all necessary equipment, entry fees, ground transportation and more.
Austin-Lehman Adventures (ALA) is also the go-to company for planning and setting up a private, custom vacation throughout the Americas and Southern Africa.
To get a copy of the 2008 catalog as well as information on ALAs 40 unique luxury, multisport, adult and family active adventure travel itineraries call toll-free 1.800.575.1540, or e-mail info@austinlehman.com. To review current trips, schedules and itineraries you can log onto www.austinlehman.com.
Source: Widness & Wiggins PR
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
For the fisherman at heart, what could be better than hanging out with the boys, casting your reel, kicking back with a drink in hand and waiting for the perfect catch? Add in a boat trip along B.C.’s rugged coastline, staying in a 110-foot luxury boat with nothing but gourmet food, cigars, a hot tub, and plenty of fish to be caught, and you have the “Guys Ultimate Fishing Getaway.” Ocean Explorer Sportfishing’s three-night “Guys Ultimate Fishing Getaway” package is priced at $2929 USD per person and includes roundtrip airfare from Vancouver International Airport, single stateroom accommodation, meals, Cuban cigars, guides, fishing gear and bait.
Available from from June through September, the 110-foot MV Ocean Explorer takes the boys and their tackle through the famed Inside Passage between Port Hardy and Prince Rupert, depending on where the fish are biting. Four fully rigged 17-foot skiffs take keen fisherman directly from anchorage to the top secret fishing spots along the coast. Whether it’s trophy chinook salmon, king-size halibut, northern coho, dungeness crab, jumbo prawns, lingcod or red snapper you’re after, the crew aboard the Ocean Explorer guarantees your catch or the next trip is free!
While taking a break from fishing, the boys are invited to climb into one of the kayaks provided to explore the nearby inlets and bays and watch for some of the local wildlife that inhabit the area. Pristine water, towering mountains, deep fjords and a temperate climate make the area prime habitat for bald eagles, whales, dolphins and sea lions.
The only fishing experience of this kind in the area, the Ocean Explorer boasts nine private staterooms, lounge, a state-of-the-art galley and hot tub ensuring all the luxuries of a home away from home. After a long day on the open water, the men are welcomed with the culinary talents of Executive Chef David Weslowsky. David, the on board chef, serves up unforgettable meals that feature the finest and freshest of Pacific seafood, fruits and vegetables and fresh baked pastries. After a gourmet meal, the “Guys Ultimate Fishing Getaway” is wrapped up with all hands on deck for a nice long soak in the hot tub under the stars and to share fish stories.
For more information or reservations for the “Ultimate Guys Fishing Getaway” package, call Adventure West Resorts at 1-877-GO-WEST (1-877-346-9378) or visit www.adventurewestresorts.com/ocean.
Adventure West Resorts is a multi-faceted destination experience provider that delivers an authentic Canadian adventure. Experience the unexpected with Ocean Explorer Sportfishing, Adventure Fjord Heli-skiing and Elkin Creek Guest Ranch. For more information and reservations, call 1-877-3-GO-WEST (1-877-346-9378) or visit www.adventurewestresorts.com.
Source: Ki Communications
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
Ready to Go Green? EC3 Global, an internationally recognised environmental advisory group offers responsible travel tips for the eco-conscious traveler.
THINGS TO CONSIDER…BEFORE YOU GO
When planning a holiday, don’t ask your travel agent for a lot of different brochures as all of the same information is available online. In fact, most travel companies have a website which will contain an electronic version of the brochure you are interested in. Travellers can utilise the internet for their research and this will provide a broader range of information about your destination.
Select hotels based on their demonstrated green credentials – many internet booking engines now offer information on eco-friendly hotel options. These accommodations have introduced eco-friendly practices and have made efforts to reduce their energy and water consumption and waste production.
If you intend to visit areas of natural or cultural significance, ensure you plan the visit with tour guides who have environmental accreditation – this will ensure that the visit does not have any negative impact on the surroundings.
Speak to your travel agent or visit the tourism website of your destination to learn more about their public transport system – in some destinations it is easier (and certainly less expensive) to use public transport than to rent private vehicles or hire taxis.
When booking your flight, ask your travel agent to organise an electronic ticket. It saves paper and ensures you are less likely to lose your documents when you travel.
Remember to unplug all of unnecessary electrical appliances (TVs and audio visual equipment, kitchen appliances such as kettles, microwaves and toasters) in your home prior to departing. These items still use energy when they are in off or standby mode. By unplugging them, you will decrease your home’s energy usage as well as reduce your electricity bill.
THINGS TO CONSIDER…WHILE YOU TRAVEL
Use the online check-in counter at the airport – most major airports offer this service, saving time in long queues and unnecessary paper.
Take advantage of public transport air transfers that are available upon arrival in your destination. Most major airports have this as an option, and in some instances (see London Heathrow www.heathrowairport.com for an example) coach transfers take you directly to your hotel.
When checking in to your hotel, ask the staff about the hotel’s environmental policies and what they can do as a guest to assist them (not having your sheets and towels changed every day to cut down on water usage etc).
Always turn off the lights in the hotel before you go out and explore the area.
Use a digital camera for photos – you can review the image instantly and decide whether they wish to keep it or need to shoot the photo again. Using traditional film-reliant cameras can lead to excess paper use, and often results in photos that you don’t want to keep.
Rather than send postcards from your destination, email friends and family e-cards. Most national tourism boards have e-cards available on their websites with images of significant landmarks. Doing this saves paper, postage and the CO2 emissions from the postcard’s journey.
Take advantage of the local restaurants in the area you are visiting. It is a fantastic way to experience the authentic culture of a destination, ensures you are supporting the local population, and assists the environment as the food was produced locally and hence hasn’t required excess transportation.
THINGS TO CONSIDER… WHEN YOU HAVE COMPLETED YOUR TRIP
Take advantage of the public transport options available upon your return home – most new airports are equipped with efficient transport services that will take you at least part of the way home.
If you struggled to find eco-friendly options at any of the accommodations you stayed in, send an email to let them know that you think they should consider adopting some of the other practices you have seen – it is only when customers take a stand that organisations start to change their practices!
Encourage others to take advantage of the responsible travel options you discovered – there are several good travel blogs where delegates can post their thoughts and recommendations.
Inform your travel agent of any positive/negative behaviour you witnessed while travelling – they are an invaluable source to people booking their trips and when it comes to accommodation, flight and tour options they encourage or dissuade travellers based on their former clients’ recommendations.
Source: EC3 Global
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
Every successful person has an insatiable thirst for challenge. Much more than just a motivation, it’s who they are. They satisfy that thirst in boardrooms and at negotiating tables, in backcountry ski bowls, on fairways and in personal goals. The more adventurous even take it a step further, spending their free time challenging themselves by taking it up a notch in the grand and awe-filled theater of nature. On their behalf, the legendary travel company Abercrombie & Kent has created an entirely new portfolio of 15 Extreme Adventures.
Forget your preconceptions of “adventure travel.” These expeditions blow the lid off the box by combining the most spectacular regions, the finest wilderness guides and A&K’s trademark mix of privileged access, air-tight organization and outstanding service. The result is nothing short of extraordinary: a collection of expeditions in the true Amundsen, Hillary, Shackleton and Burton sense of the word, all guaranteed to take you to the outer boundary of experience and, in the process, to the edge of yourself.
It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves.
…Edmund Hillary
Shut your eyes just for a moment and imagine the taiga forest in Northern Norway, the silence broken only by the scrape of the runners as you lean your sled into the turns, guiding your team of five dogs as they bound and bark their way through a world still with snow. Feel your heart race as you click your harness closed and settle back in the cockpit of a fighter jet, bracing for the G-forces from a vertical climb to 60,000 feet. Imagine standing on a glacier hundreds of miles from the nearest road, surrounded by a colony of 15,000 Emperor penguins. Consider the look on your son’s face as you turn the safari clock back a hundred years, walking along, and floating down, Tanzania’s wild Rufigi River.
“How many things have you done that you know, with absolute certainty, you will remember for the rest of your life? In the end, that’s what these experiences are all about,” says Peter Boese, vice president of Extreme Adventures, “providing the kind of memories that change the way you think about the world.”
“We each interpret ‘challenge’ in different ways,” Boese continues. “Test your mettle against the implacable forces of nature in the mountains or the desert, harness the raw power of thoroughbred machines and open the door to the most awe-inspiring places on Earth.”
The first of these extraordinary new adventures will begin in the fall 2008, starting with an Extreme Safari on foot in the Selous, Africa’s largest protected wilderness and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Challenge yourself with Mountain Trekking to Everest Base Camp or climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. Follow in the footsteps of Lawrence of Arabia on Desert Expeditions in Egypt and Jordan. Satisfy your need for speed in South Africa with Man & Machine Extreme. Meet nature at its most challenging by Conquering the Final Degree and skiing to the South Pole.
Abercrombie & Kent guides are experienced, educated and supremely qualified. Their first priority is your safety. They have mastered the necessary bush and survival skills, and know how to keep you motivated in tough conditions to bring out your best.
With Extreme Adventures, Abercrombie & Kent comes full circle. Its pioneering tented safaris were born from an insatiable desire to experience the world in ways that few dare, to consistently deliver journeys that defy all expectations. When you find yourself at the ends of the earth, you want exceptional experience, knowledge, skills, support and reputation at your back.
For details on these trips and the specific challenges offered, go to www.akextremeadventures.com.
About Abercrombie & Kent (A&K):
Born as a safari outfitter in 1962, A&K’s unparalleled travel services now extend around the globe to more than one hundred countries on all seven continents. The company built its award-winning reputation by being the first to bring unexpected comforts and amenities to remote destinations. Small group or tailor made private travel with A&K combines the convenience, service and security of a U.S.-based company with support 24/7 from a network of 50 on-site offices that ensure “by invitation only” access to inspiring experiences in A&K’s personalized, low-profile and intelligent style. www.abercrombiekent.com
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
India is emerging as one of the worlds must-see travel destinations. Asia Transpacific Journeys, a luxury Asia travel company specializing in Custom Travel to India and in-depth Small Group Trips throughout India, sheds light on how to make sense of travel to India and its complexities.
Q: Where does one begin in India?
A: India is so vast and varied its best experienced on three different journeys. Begin with central India to explore stunning Rajasthan, sacred Varanasi and the sublime Taj Mahalthat classic India that you hold in your minds eye. On subsequent trips explore the tropical south and rugged northern Himalayan regions.
Q: How are the south and the north different?
A: The south feels like a different country, tropical and lush. This is the spice mecca Columbus sought. There is a languorous feel, and the ancient temple architecture is stunning. By contrast, the stark, snow-capped northern Himalayan region is home to ridge-top monasteries and contrasting Buddhist, Sikh, Hindu and mystic religious traditions.
Q: What are the accommodations like throughout India?
A: Not only is luxury travel to India possible, its superlative in every sense. In central India its possible to stay at restored maharajahs palaces that rank among the worlds greatest hotels, breathtaking in scope and form. In the south most properties are traditionally appointed boutique hotels and converted private mansions. In the Himalayan region expect rustic lodges and a few luxurious spa retreats.
Q: What are the benefits of private, custom travel to India with Asia Transpacific Journeys?
A: Going with a knowledgeable, reputable travel company will assure consistently excellent quality in lodging, transport, logistics and local guides. Additionally, a custom journey can be crafted around a travelers unique interests, such as the arts, yoga, cuisine, trekking, wildlife, tribal cultures, spas or schools.
About Asia Transpacific Journeys
Asia Transpacific Journeys is a Boulder, Colorado based Asia travel company and Asia tour operator specializing in Custom Journeys and Small Group Trips to Asia and the Pacific region since 1987. Outstanding service, long-standing connections in Asia and deeply insightful cultural interpretation make them the Asia travel company of choice for the American Museum of Natural History, The Harvard and Yale alumni associations, the World Wildlife Fund, as well as discerning individuals, their families and friends. The recipient of three Top Travel Specialists awards for 2007 from Condé Nast Traveler magazine. Journey Beyond the Ordinary http://www.AsiaTranspacific.com
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".