Chill Out on Dubious Dubai's First Refrigerated Beach

It's hot in Dubai, averaging 40C (104F) and often hitting 50C (122F) in summer. Perhaps tourists visiting this desert locale don't check this out before they book their junket. Or perhaps if you can afford to stay at the new Palazzo Versace you expect nature to be bent to your will. You expect cool sand. That is what Soheil Abedian, founder of the hotel, thinks...

I came across this article and just had to share it with you! Pretty cool. huh? ;-)

Best Affordable Ski Resorts

Savvy skiers, listen up: This could just be your year to find great deals at some of America’s best ski resorts.
That’s because these winter hot spots are bracing for a rough season: the rising price of everything from fuel to food means it will cost the resorts a bundle to run their lifts and keep their hotels open. And because of the softening economy, resort bookings are down 20 percent or more this winter. The silver lining? This combination is spurring the mountains to create irresistible ski deals.

You can read the rest of the article HERE. How many skiers are reading this blog? Let me know.

What are the latest airline fees?

Two dollars for a soda? Ten bucks for an aisle seat? If you're confused about which airlines are charging for which "perks," we can help.
The editors of SmarterTravel.com, Airfarewatchdog.com, and SeatGuru.com have teamed up to bring you this Ultimate Guide to Airline Fees, a one-stop reference chart for every major fee from every major domestic airline.
Best of all, you can download the chart in PDF format at no charge. Because unlike the airlines, we don't make you pay for things that ought to be free.

(Editor's Note: The Ultimate Guide to Airfare Fees was last updated on December 15, 2008.)

TSA Expands Popular Family Lanes to Every Airport in America

The lanes, part of TSA's Diamond Self-Select program currently at 48 airports, allow families, individuals unfamiliar with air travel procedures and travelers with special needs to go through security at their own pace. Individuals carrying medically necessary liquids, aerosols and gels in excess of three ounces will also be directed to these popular lanes. Individuals traveling with liquids, gels and aerosols within 3-1-1 limits will experience no change to their screening procedures. You can read the whole article HERE.

Where Do America's Happiest People Work?

Career isn't the only factor in determining someone's overall happiness, but it's certainly a major contributor.

So, what kind of jobs do the happiest people in the U.S. have? And, what about these jobs contributes to overall happiness in life?

A University of Chicago study, "Job Satisfaction in the United States," offers some insight. The study says the occupations where people report being happy overall, not just in terms of job satisfaction, involve helping others, technical and scientific expertise, or creativity. Here are the top three:

1. Clergy

2. Firefighters

3. Transportation, ticket, and reservation agents such as travel agents. Job Description: Travel agents plan and sell transportation and accommodations for travel agency customers.
Very happy: 56.5%

I'm definately part of the 56.5%! The best part of this job is hearing all the great stories from people who have have waited so long to take their dream vacation and knowing that you were a part of making that happen! The worst part is when you just have to take a cruise or visit a resort to get first hand knowledge to pass on to your customers. ;-)

OH, and by the way we're hiring!

Airline crew restrains unruly flier with duct tape

An airline crew used duct tape to keep a passenger in her seat because they say she became unruly, fighting flight attendants and grabbing other passengers, forcing the flight to land in North Carolina.

Maria Esther Castillo, 45, of Oswego, N.Y struck a flight attendant on the buttocks with the back of her hand during Saturday's flight, FBI Special Agent Peter Carricato said in a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Charlotte. She also stood and fell onto the head of a blind passenger and later started pulling the person's hair, the complaint stated.

You can read the whole article HERE. Has anybody ever seen an unruly passenger on a flight? You can find better uses for duct tape HERE. Let me hear your duct tape stories!

Norwegion Cruise Lines in New Orleans

Now you have a choice of cruise lines within driving distance. Norwegian Cruise lines will begin sailing out of New Orleans in November of 2008. The itinerary will be a 7-Day Exotic Western Caribbean, Round-trip out of New Orleans that will include the ports of Costa Maya, Santo Tomas De Castilla, Belize City and Cozumel. Contact me for more information.

7 NIGHT RESORT VACATION CERTIFICATES

The Resort Vacation e-certificate program consists of a one-week (seven night) vacation rental stay at your choice of thousands of Group RCI affiliated properties worldwide. Whether buying for personal use, a family member, a travel or a business customer for incentives the Resort Vacation e- Certificates offer a world* of vacation options all at an affordable price of just $379 USD*. Attendance at a sales presentation is NOT required!

This is one of the new things announced at our travel trade show last week! You gotta check this out! Just go to my WEBSITE and click on the picture in the lower left hand corner. You can read the info and click on "Search Properties" to just kind of give it a test drive. Contact me if you have questions. My family is gonna do it! For $379 you can't beat it!

Looking for a Restaurant on your next Vacation?

Restaurant.com serves as the community matchmaker, introducing great restaurants to great people. From appetizers to dessert, from wine to dinner, Restaurant.com helps restaurant owners promote the new and unique aspects of their restaurants while providing diners with great value in a fun, new and cost effective way. Your favorite restaurant is in your neighborhood – maybe you just don't know it yet. Restaurant.com is here to help.

It’s so easy. Just use our search to find a restaurant. Many of our participating restaurants have different offers, so pick the place that suits you best. We provide handy descriptions and even menus to help you decide. Follow the instructions for purchasing a gift certificate and print it out. In minutes you're all set for a night out for less!

If you've ever met me, you know I love to eat! I thought this would be a great way to find out about new places to eat when you go on vacation and also save save some money doing it. By the way that's Woodys in Tupelo in the picture. If it was good enough for the King it's good enough for me!

Disney to offer free admission on birthdays!

The Walt Disney Company said on Thursday its U.S. parks will offer free tickets to parkgoers on their birthdays in 2009 to capitalize on a consumer trend for marking important life events with vacations.
The Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resorts also will offer new park experiences geared to the celebration theme, including street parties, video dance parties and barbecues, the company said.
Holders of annual passes can receive other incentives, such as FastPass tickets for rides, which cut down the time spent waiting in lines, or a "birthday fun card" of a value equivalent to a free admission ticket.

Grand Turk Cruise Center to Re-open in Early October

The Grand Turk Cruise Center, which is operated by Carnival Corp., will resume its cruise schedule October 8 after sustaining no damage from Hurricane Ike to its ship pier according to a completed engineering study. The facility's restaurant and retail complex did incur minimal damage.
"We believe we can complete repairs to the cruise center within a 30-day period and bring cruise ships back to Grand Turk," said Giora Israel, Carnival’s vice president of strategic planning and port development. "We will be investing millions of dollars in the coming months to help Grand Turk quickly re-build its cruise-focused tourism. Bringing tourists back to the island as quickly as possible will play a major role in driving the island’s overall recovery."
The Grand Turk Cruise Center was built to withstand the blows of a Category 5 Hurricane. It opened in 2006 at a cost of $60 million.

Hotels in New Orleans in good shape after Gustav

New Orleans hotels escaped the pounding they took from Katrina, due to Gustav's lesser force and to better preparation, those cleaning up after the hurricane say.

Damage is slight compared with 2005, says Kelly Schulz of the New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau. Many lodgings aim to reopen by early next week, depending on repairs, government re-entry guidelines and the return of evacuated staffers.

Meanwhile, damage to casino hotels in Biloxi, Miss., was minor compared with the beating they took from Katrina, says Mary Perez, Biloxi Sun Herald casino reporter. They were closed Tuesday, awaiting gaming commission permission to reopen, she says.

Let's support our own Gulf Coast and our neighbors in New Orleans by staying in one of their beautiful hotels. You can find great deals here!

Passport Cards are Now Valid for Land and Sea Travel

U.S. travelers can now use a new passport card for land and sea travel to Canada, Mexico and some other countries.

More than 450,000 people already have applied for the passport card, said Brenda Sprague, deputy assistant Secretary of State for passport services, which federal officials started issuing last month. The passport card is cheaper than the traditional passport and intended to be useful to those who live close to the border and drive or take ferries between countries. It can't be used for air travel; a passport is required for all airline flights between the United States and other countries.

The new document — which looks like a driver's license — can be used by U.S. citizens returning to the United States from Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean and Bermuda at land and sea border crossings.

The cost of the Passport Card is $45 for travelers 16 and older, and $35 for travelers under 16 years of age.

For passport/passport card info: www.travel.state.gov/passport/

Please note that the Passport Card CAN NOT be used for air travel. If you're on a cruise and you have one too many at Senor Frogs in Cozumel and get left behind you won't be able to fly back to the US without a passport.

Have You Ever Seen the Great Lakes?

If you want to travel to Canada but are at all nervous about flying, or drowning for that matter, you might want to think twice about booking a flight on Air Canada's regional carrier Jazz. The Associated Press reports that Jazz is removing life vests from all of its planes.

The reason? Fuel costs, of course. The airline is looking to lighten the load of its aircraft, thereby making the aircraft more fuel efficient. An airline spokesperson told the Associated Press that Transport Canada regulations allow airlines to use flotation devices (a fancy term for a passengers' seat cushions) instead of life vests, if the planes remain within 50 miles of shore.

The spokesperson also noted that because Jazz is a transcontinental carrier it doesn't fly over the ocean, it only flies over the Great Lakes. Hence, the chances of crashing in water are minimal compared to the probability of crashing on land. Of course, although not as large, there are other lakes, ponds, reservoirs and rivers along the Eastern seaboard from Halifax, Nova Scotia, to Boston and New York— the airline's flight route.

A commercial-style life vest weighs nearly one pound, which means at 50 seats per Dash-8 aircraft for Jazz that 50 pounds would be saved by removing the flotation devices.

NEW LOGO and TRAVEL WEBSITE!

Ladies and Gentlemen, I'm proud to present my new logo and website! I always liked the tan, antique look of the old maps and globes. For Dare 2 Explore I borrowed a little from the look and feel of the Indiana Jones movies. (Now I have the Indy theme in my head!)

Travel is all about what parts of the world you want to explore and what adventures you want to have!

I have created a new website that allows me to personalize and create my own brand while still linking to my booking engine. Please visit and let me know what you think: WWW.D2ETRAVEL.COM Contact me if I can help with any of your travel needs. Let's plan your next adventure together!

The Cruise Ship Shuffle!

Carnival Cruise Lines will replace the 2,056-passenger Carnival Fantasy with the 2,758-passenger Carnival Triumph in New Orleans in 2009, increasing its capacity in the Big Easy by 34 percent. Carnival operates the only year-round cruise program from New Orleans.

In addition to providing an exciting new “Fun Ship” cruise option from New Orleans, Carnival Triumph will also introduce new seven-day eastern and exotic western Caribbean schedules to complement the line’s four- and five-day cruises to Mexico.

The Carnival Triumph’s Western Caribbean voyages will visit Belize City; Isla Roatan, Honduras; Cozumel. Eastern Caribbean voyages will dock at Key West, FL, and Freeport and Nassau in the Bahamas.

The 102,000-ton Carnival Triumph features a 14,500-square-foot spa, a jogging track, ship-wide Wi-Fi access and cell phone service, a duty-free shopping mall, and three restaurants, including twin two-level main dining rooms with extensive menus and wine lists and a 1,200-seat casual eatery with full breakfast, lunch and dinner buffets and a 24-hour pizzeria. Also featured are 18 themed lounges and bars, plus a golf program with professional instruction. Family-friendly amenities include “Camp Carnival” for youngsters, “Circle C” for 12- to 14-year olds, and “Club O2” for older teens.

This is great news! Not mentioned in the article is that the Triumph has an additional category of balcony rooms! And the Fantasy will be moving to Mobile giving that port a bigger and better ship especially since the Fantasy will be undergoing the "Evolutions of Fun" upgrade this fall. Look for these changes in November 2009!

Smart Gas!

Are you buying Regular gas? Premium gas? or 'Smart Gas'?

IF YOU ARE A 'SMART BUSINESS PERSON'- YOU WILL USE 'SMART GAS'

With the cost of gasoline at $4, you need to set up a plan to survive. Let's assume your little Mercedes gets 20 miles per gallon. If you traveled 100 miles, you would need 5 gallons of gas. At $4 per gallon, your total cost would be $20.

If you turned that 100 mile drive into a business trip, those miles become tax deductible business miles.

The US government now allows you to write off - 58.5 cents per business mile. If you travel 100 business miles, your deduction is $58.50.

If you are in a 40% tax bracket, the tax savings you would receive would be ($58.50 x40%) = $23.40. (paid for 'Smart Gas').

The only way you can get this business mileage deduction is by owning your own traditional business or easily starting your own home based business (HBB).

Our business sense tells us that with your next 5 to 7 tank fulls of gas you are going to be spending $500. So it makes perfect business sense to start your own HBB and have your business paid for with your next 5 to 7 tank fulls of gas.

After that - you are running on 'Smart Gas,' at no cost!

***PLEASE talk to a Tax Professional about the deductions available to you ***

Oil Mishap Forces Carnival Fantasy To Move

The residual effects of a Mississippi River oil spill July 23 are still reverberating. Carnival Fantasy is being forced to withdraw from its normal New Orleans homeport, instead operating its four- and five-day Western Caribbean program from Mobile, AL. Carnival is saying that the move will stick through September 1. The 2,056-passenger Carnival Fantasy will conduct six cruises out of Mobile before dry docking for 28 days to receive "Evolutions of Fun" upgrades.
The move is dire for the Port of New Orleans, which will lose nine total cruises and $315,000 in dockage, wharf and parking fees, said the port's CEO, Gary LaGrange. This is in addition to the money the city stands to lose from passengers in New Orleans both pre- and post-cruise.

Don't worry folks I believe that the Fantasy will be back in New Orleans after her upgrade!

CONVENTION UPDATE

Hello everybody! I think I'm recovered from the convention now and ready to share some great memories with you.

The opening ceremonies of the 2008 YTB International Convention were simply breath taking! It started with everybody on their feet as Ron Head sang the National Anthem acappella! Ron has a beautiful voice and I know I wasn't the only one who had goose bumps. And as he sang a majestic, trained American bald eagle flew over the crowd!

Then the screens and the veil over Lady Liberty were illuminated with clips of great American leaders such as John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King and others as they spoke so many memorable quotes.

Then a spotlight came on the stage and there was a piano and a Ray Charles impersonator! The crowd went wild again as "Ray" began to sing America! And this guy was good! He had the voice and the mannerisms down pat. Then a young lady from the home office (I think her name is Kari) came out and joined Ray in a duet. She has a beautiful voice too and at this point I was just overwhelmed with patriotism!

And just when you thought it couldn't get any better the stage lights came on and there was a 300 person choir in red, white and blue robes! Then the choir, Kari, Ray Charles, 18,000 people and me started singing America and I don't think there was a dry eye in the whole place!

OH! And then the veil dropped on the nearly life-size Statue of Liberty and it was just an awesome, emotional, heart touching event. They even had fireworks going off inside the dome and for a moment you felt like you were there in New York looking at the real thing. The detail was amazing and her torch was really just like a beacon!

I wish you could have been there. But now you can watch the opening ceremonies! Enjoy it and let me know what you think.

OFF TO CONVENTION!

Hello Everybody! The 2008 YTB Convention is this week in St. Louis! Wednesday and Thursday is classroom training. Tips for selling more travel, vendor training and business building. Friday and Saturday are the General Sessions with blockbuster announcements, awards and recognition!

The opening ceremonies on Friday will be spectacular as a nearly life-size Statue of Liberty is unveiled with fireworks and a 300 person choir singing patriotic songs! Getting goosebumps already! You can find out more about Lady Liberty HERE.

Well folks it is almost time for me to head out the door but I will be back on Sunday and look for a huge blog update on Monday! In the meantime you can still book travel 24/7 on my WEBSITE and by the way it will be even better next week since a newly improved website is scheduled to be unveiled at convention! I love this company!

Update on Carnival Fantasy in New Orleans

Fantasy to End Current Voyage in Mobile; Next Voyage Also Departs From Mobile Fri Aug 01 2008, by TravelTrade Staff Due to the ongoing issue on the Mississippi River, the current voyage of the 2,056-passenger Carnival Fantasy will end in Mobile, AL on Monday, Aug. 4, instead of its regular homeport of New Orleans. Disembarking guests will be provided complimentary motorcoach transportation back to the Port of New Orleans or the New Orleans airport.
Carnival Fantasy's next five-day cruise, set to depart on Monday, Aug. 4, will also depart from Mobile. Carnival will provide complimentary motorcoach transportation from New Orleans' Erato Street cruise terminal to Mobile.
All guests for the next voyage are instructed to proceed to the Port of New Orleans to board a motorcoach to Mobile, because at the end of the cruise, the Fantasy is expected to return to New Orleans. The only exception would be individuals who are being dropped off without leaving a car and prefer to proceed on their own to Mobile.

Dining Out For A Cure

McAlister's Deli is partnering with the American
Cancer Society to fight back against cancer.
Visit a McAlister’s location listed below on Tuesday, July 29th for “Dining Out For A Cure” from 5pm-close, and McAlister’s will donate 10% of all sales to the American Cancer Society.
Here are the locations participating in “Dining Out For A Cure”:
Brandon
Byram
Canton
Clinton
Dogwood Mall
Downtown - Jackson
Madison

Magee
Maywood Mart – Jackson
Northpark Mall
Richland
Ridgeland
River Oaks – Flowood
Vicksburg

And while you're planning your summer vacation on my WEBSITE, don't forget these tips from the American Cancer Society:

Beach vacations, cookouts, festivals - summer is the time for fun in the sun. But sun exposure can cause skin cancer and premature aging. Are you safe every day? Test your Sun Safety IQ. You can learn more about developing sun-safe habits for all ages in the Sun Safety area of www.cancer.org. Below are some sun safety tips and recommendations from the American Cancer Society.
PROTECT YOURSELF:
•
Try to limit the time you are in the sun, especially between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when UV light is most intense.
•
Use a sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher on all skin exposed to the sun, even on hazy or partly cloudy days.
•
Apply sunscreen generously at least 20 to 30 minutes before going outside, and wear sunglasses.
•
Reapply sunscreen every two hours or after swimming, sweating, vigorous activity, or towel drying.
•
Wear hats with broad brims, shirts with long sleeves, and tightly woven clothing.
CHECK YOURSELF:
Become familiar with your birthmarks, moles, and blemishes so you know what they usually look like.
If you find anything that looks different, see your doctor. This includes any changes in size, texture, shape, and color of blemishes, or a sore that does not heal.
Check your skin monthly so you'll be more likely to notice any changes or even find a skin cancer when it's still small. Also, ask your doctor to check your skin during regular check-ups.
Examine all areas. Although most skin cancers develop in areas that get lots of sun exposure, tumors may also affect your palms, fingernails, and feet, too. Ask a loved one to help you check any hard-to-see places

Big Finish!

All good things must come to an end. But, it's how you finish that counts. It's true our Endless Summer Celebration concludes July 31st, but you still have time to save on cruises sailing all the way through March 31st 2009. Book your cruise this week, and you'll receive the best available stateroom upgrade* absolutely FREE! It's the perfect way to end the Summer Celebration and feel like the VIP that you really are. You can see the flyer HERE. Just contact me for more information and together we can plan your Fun Ship vacation!

ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS!

Week three of Carnival's Endless Summer Celebration is here and our red hot cruise deals have the mercury rising. This week, you'll receive up to $100 FREE onboard credit* when you book any of a variety of "Fun Ship" cruises from only $299. It's free money, and it's yours to use however you like aboard your ship.You must hurry though. This offer is sizzling and won't last more than seven days. Book your cruise by July 26th.

$100 Onboard credit is a great deal!

Use your FREE onboard credit anywhere on board for:

• Duty-free shopping

• Celebrating at the bars and lounges

• Playing at the casino

• Relaxing at Spa Carnival

• Booking shore excursions

• And so much more!

I'm your Carnival Cruise Specialist and I'm ready to help you make it happen!

Golf in St. Louis Anybody?

The Lou Brock Hall of Fame Golf Classic, the longest running celebrity tournament in St. Louis, benefits the ECHO Foundation Fund, and is a major annual event that helps children and their families in the St. Louis area.

In 2007, this event raised more than $100,000 and this year the goal is even greater! ECHO has been serving the needs of St. Louis area children since it opened in 1889 as an orphan's home and its mission has not changed in the intervening years - equipping children and their families with the tools necessary to lead productive and self-sufficient lives.

YTB considers it an honor to be the title sponsor of the Lou Brock Hall of Fame Golf Classic.

Lou Brock is on the Board of Directors at YTB. I just wanted to share this with you because YTB is such a great company to be a part of!

July Summer Celebration Continues!

Carnival's Endless Summer Celebration continues with amazing savings on sailings from our nation's most celebrated cities. This week, you can save up to $200 per stateroom on a variety of cruises sailing from New York, Los Angeles and sunny San Diego. We'll even help make your 2008 holiday celebrations extra special with discounts on the hottest tickets in town -- our Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years cruises! Just remember, big savings on fun-filled cruises sailing from these incredible ports can't last forever. Book your cruise by July 19th! You can view the flyer HERE and visit my WEBSITE for more great cruise deals!

As your Carnival Cruise Specialist I am here to help you plan your Fun Ship Vacation!

YTB's Lady Liberty Story Airs Tonight!

Television station WGN AMERICA (Chicago WGN show News at Nine -local, satellite, and cable) will air a story on YTB's amazing Lady Liberty being built for the 2008 YTB National Convention!

SEE IT TONIGHT!10 pm Eastern, 9 pm Central, 8 pm Mountain, 7 pm Pacific
Check your local listings!

DIRECTV Channel 307, DISH NETWORK Channel 239, COMCAST is Channel 9

Check out this earlier POST too!

UPDATE:

Television station WGN AMERICA decided that YTB's amazing Lady Liberty being built for the 2008 YTB National Convention was important enough to make it their Cover Story. The video is now available via this direct link and it's something that those of us in YTB should be proud of.

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While this is purely speculation at this point, I have to wonder if UPS will take advantage of being the "Official Transporter" of Lady Liberty from Lake County to St. Louis with a 3 mile long caravan of 80 UPS trucks the first week in August. There is already word of all three Major networks having press boxes at the Convention along with more than 20,000 Reps and RTA's. Twice the amount of last year and from the looks of it, in 5 years, YTB won't even be able to fit in the Edward R. Jones Dome.

ENDLESS SUMMER CELEBRATION!

Celebrate summer through the fall with up to $100 FREE onboard credit!
Summer is in full swing and, thanks to our Endless Summer Celebration, it never has to end. This week you can receive up to $100 FREE ON BOARD CREDIT per stateroom when you book any of a variety of fall sailings.

And, because this offer is too good not to share, invite your friends and family to come along and receive up to $260 in savings for 3rd and 4th guests. It's a great way to extend your summer fun and create memories that'll last forever.

Carnival will be featuring a new special every week during the month of July! You can learn more about this weeks special HERE. And when you're ready to book your own Funship Cruise you can go to MY WEBSITE or contact me and lets plan your vacation together!

CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE NIGHT!

YTB is Going Live for Carnival Cruise Night! Be sure to listen this call tonight and hear Ann Sedgewick of Carnival Cruise Lines tell you why a Funship Cruise is your best vacation value!

Join the YTB conference line at one of these convenient times:
Just dial 641-594-7505 and enter Pin 601340#

6:30 CST

7:30 CST

9:30 CST

*Each call will last approximately 45 minutes. Carnival Cruise Night is being broadcast at the above times in your time zone for your convenience. Each presentation is identical.

Be sure to pass this on to your friends and family. They may even announce some specials! You can learn more about cruise deals HERE.

WELL, WE'RE MOVING ON UP...!

Hello Everybody! As you can see by the picture, Travel Weekly has just posted its new 2008 Power List of the top selling travel companies! Last year we were number 35 but this year we are number 26! This just confirms everything I learned during my visit to Red Carpet Day last week.

Some of the 2007 Developments about YTB in Travel Weekly Include:

• ARC sales of $29.7 million
  $211 million fulfilled by third parties, known as Referring Travel Agents
• 85% of sales from business, 10% leisure, 5% meetings and conventions
• Admitted as a member of the Direct Selling Association.
• 
  Launched into Bahamas, Bermuda and Canada.
• Acquired Sunrise Travel in Canada
• August 2007 National Convention in St. Louis had attendance of more than 10,000, up from 3,200 in previous year
• Launched YTB E-Campus
• Launched YTB Cars
• Held Funshine Traval Trade Shows in Orlando and San Diego with attendance of 5,000 and 3,000 respectively
• Acquired American Destinations, a tour operator specializing in educational travel.
• Formed relationship with Shanghai Spring Travel in China to develop China and European tour programs

Thanks to all of you who booked travel through my website. I'm proud to know that DARE TO EXPLORE TRAVEL was a small part of these incredible numbers. YTB is a real business. You should check it out...

RED CARPET DAY

Hello Everybody! This past Tuesday I took a trip up to the St. Louis area to visit the new headquarters of YTB International. They had outgrown the old office building and with an eye toward the future began looking for something big! And they found it in the way of a closed Super K-Mart store. Check out the PICTURES here.

They gave us a tour of the building which is still under rennovation and then we drove to a convention center for a great luncheon, great speakers and great training!

I am more excited than ever about my business and it would be selfish of me not to at least share it with everybody and give you the opportunity to see it for yourself and make your own decision. So go to my website and watch the 10 MINUTE PRESENTATION and then contact me to get your questions answered.

This an exciting, fun business and from what I saw this past week YTB is here to stay!

Carnival on the Travel Channel!

Be sure to watch this tonight! The Carnival Fantasy out of New Orleans is scheduled to undergo the Evolutions of Fun upgrade in early September!

Take a dive deep into fun on Thursday night with Emmy Award-winning Travel Channel personality Samantha Brown. Samantha’s just back from a four-day cruise on board the CARNIVAL INSPIRATION where she combined relaxation with the excitement of Carnival’s imaginative multi-million-dollar enhancement program: Evolutions of Fun.

Complete with Carnival WaterWorks, a tropical resort-style pool, and the Serenity adult-only retreat, this floating resort is more fun than ever before.

Evolutions of Fun also features expanded youth programs for kids and teens ages 2-17, plus refurbished staterooms, spectacular stage shows, 9-hole mini golf course, and much, much more.
Tune in on Thursday, June 19th at 9:00 PM CST and join the fun!

China, the Olympics and Earthquake Relief

The Olympics are being held in China this year and YTB has partnered with Spring Worldwide Tours to put some great packages together. They have also done this:

Due to China’s devastating earthquake on 05-12-08, YTB/Spring Worldwide Tours will donate $100 from every ticket sold to China throughout the rest of the year to aid the earthquake victims. Your tour will take you to the Red Cross Organization in Beijing to give you the same opportunity to donate something toward the recovery efforts.

So if you or anybody you know wants to visit China go HERE and scroll down and you will see the link for China Tours.

Things You Should Know...

Hello Everybody! I like to keep my Blog positive but there are some crazy things happening in the airline industry! The fuel charges have hit everybody hard and the airlines have to find ways to keep up. But don't stop flying. We all gotta support the economy when we can. Here are some interesting articles:

US Airways to charge for beverages, adds fee to frequent-flier awards

American Airlines responds to critics of $15 bag fee

10 clever luggage tips from a flight attendant

Lady Liberty at Convention!

A Griffith, Ind., company does things up big. Real big. Craftsmen at the Beryl Martin company are sculpting a replica of the Statue of Liberty. It won't stand on Ellis Island, but it looks like it could. The piece will be used at a convention this summer in St. Louis.

And that will be the YTB Convention in the Edward Jones Dome also known as the home of the St. Louis Rams! You gotta watch this VIDEO!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!

Today is my one year anniversary! That pretty little redhead is my wife Tonia. She is truly a blessing from God. We met in church and she captured my heart every Sunday when I would listen to her sing on the Praise team. I was just a baby Christian then going through a rough time in my life when God sent me an angel with a soft, sweet voice and strawberry blonde hair. She has been right here beside me ever since. This past year has been filled with highs and lows but we have faced every challenge together and our love and our faith have only grown stronger. I love you Honey! You're the best!

Song of Songs 3:4 - I have found the one my heart loves!

The NFL and YTB!!!

I actually posted this in my first blog article but I just don't think it got the attention it deserves. This is exciting stuff people!

Chiefs, YTB International, Inc. Launch Innovative Travel Partnership

Fans Already Book Travel Online - Now Chiefs' Travel Site Provides Competitive Rates and Allows Loyal Fans a Unique Opportunity to Make Dreams Come True

ST. LOUIS, May 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --

The Kansas City Chiefs have launched an innovative travel partnership with YTB Travel Network, Inc. -- a wholly owned subsidiary of YTB International, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: YTBLA) ('YTB' or the 'Company').

YTB will administer the Chiefs on-line and fan-based travel. The Chiefs travel website, http://www.chiefstravel.com/, will provide the Chiefs loyal fans with the opportunity to book all their business and personal travel while offering multiple entry opportunities to win Game Day Packages, a 'Suite Experience,' autographed memorabilia, the opportunity to become a 'Chief for a Day,' a cabin on a Chiefs celebrity cruise and more.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080513/NYTU007 )

'We at YTB and our outside representatives are excited by our partnership agreement with the Kansas City Chiefs and the opportunity to enhance the fans' travel experience throughout the year,' stated J. Kim Sorensen, President, and CEO of YTB Travel Network, Inc. 'There are Kansas City Chiefs season ticket holders across the country and Chiefs fans throughout the world. We welcome the opportunity to serve all the travel needs of every Chiefs fan and to further strengthen the Chiefs relationship with their loyal fans.'

Now ain't that cool!

INDIANA JONES!

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull opens today! Is anybody else as excited as I am? Indy is a true adventurerer and he does Dare To Explore! I'm going with some friends tommorow night and I can't wait! Here is a LINK to an interesting article about the exciting destinations in the Indiana Jones movies. You can read the article there but be sure to book your own adventures HERE! ;-)

Carnivals One Day Sale!

Hello again everybody! Just a quick update with the details on the ONE DAY SALE happening tommorow! Keep in mind that a Funship Cruise is your best vacation value. Included are delicious meals, spectacular entertainment, childrens programs and exciting destinations! On a Funship cruise you can do it all or nothing at all. Contact me and together we can plan your Carnival cruise vacation!

Welcome to my BLOG!

Hello everybody and welcome to my travel blog! My hope is that this will be a place where you can come to learn more about travel news, tips, tricks and destinations. I also look forward to hearing from you and learning from your own unique experiences.

How many of you have booked travel online? Most people have these days. My host agency is YTB. Last year we were ranked #35 overall by Travel Weekly and #11 in leisure travel. We are an online booking engine just like Expedia or Orbitz with one big difference. YTB has solved the customer loyalty problem every internet travel company faces by adding the personal touch of thousands of local home-based travel agents. That's what seperates our online booking engine from the others. So the next time you book travel please check out my SITE. Our prices are always competitive and I would really appreciate your business.



CARNIVAL CRUISE LINES

Let the fun begin! A "Fun Ship" cruise is more than a great vacation. It's your best vacation value. Tonia and I just returned from our first Funship cruise and I can tell you that it won't be our last! I plan to post pics and an article of our adventures in my next update. I will also include details of Carnival's One Day Sale this Thursday, May 22nd!


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