Do you have the expectation that a certain level of etiquette will be observed by airplane passengers? The Wall Street Journal recently ran a great article on this topic, highlighting the views of different types of travelers. Check it out here.

What do you think: who gets the armrests? Is it rude to recline your seat? We’d love to hear your take on these common airplane scenarios.

It’s almost April and you know what that means … snow is melting (at least in most cases), we are close to crowning a national champion in college basketball, and quarterly forecasts are looming!

The year has provided no shortage of news with regard to the travel industry.  Most notably, oil prices are on the rise again and airlines are managing capacity aggressively to deal with this price sensitivity (see this recent article from The New York Times).  In fact, I’m writing this on a crowded aircraft somewhere between Vancouver and Minneapolis: not an empty seat in sight.

As a result of this volatility I guarantee your own organizations are re-visiting their own strategies to manage the cost of travel.  Data collected from CWT clients shows that some of travel managers’ top priorities for 2011 include improving travel policy compliance and optimizing online booking adoption. As a traveler, you may soon be hearing reminders from your travel manager about the importance of following the company travel policy, if you haven’t already. Here are some ways you can help your company make the most of its travel spend and be a key element of your organization’s success.

• Become familiar with your corporate travel policy. Your company has likely spent significant time developing it, and it’s only effective if travelers follow its guidelines.
• Book travel well in advance to secure lower fares. With ticket prices rising, this can make a big difference in the total cost of your trip.
• Book travel through the approved travel management company. By doing so, your organization can better track its overall spending with different suppliers, and can better track your location in the event of an emergency
• Book with preferred suppliers. This helps your company improve its negotiating leverage with key suppliers, and also meet any volume goals they are trying to achieve. As an added benefit, your company may have negotiated deals or hotel amenities such as free breakfast or free Internet you can take advantage of.
• If applicable, use your company’s approved online booking tool for simple itineraries. Make sure you know how to access and use your online booking tool – which is generally a more cost-effective booking method for your company.

 

Don’t forget: while travel managers may provide the map to success, you hold the keys to the car.  Your own behaviors have a direct impact on the bottom line and understanding these behaviors could be the difference between making the forecast or not!

A popular saying and one of the best ways to describe the Galapagos Islands is “If you’re looking for a true adventure, this just might be the next destination to cross off your bucket list!”

This group of volcanic islands has, for centuries, captured the interest of people throughout the world.  Important from a scientific viewpoint, these islands were instrumental in Darwin’s Theory of Evolution.  Over five million years old, the Galapagos is one of the perfect places to see nature in action.  Often referred to as the ‘laboratory of evolution’ these tiny islands are playing an enormous role in helping us to better understand our planet.


The Galapagos is a nature haven, and a must-visit destination for those interested in a wildlife adventure vacation.  Indeed, these islands are the perfect place to see nature at its best.  Animals roam free and unafraid, giving visitors plenty of opportunity to capture incredible photos – and it’s home to some of the most endangered animals on the planet. On a Galapagos vacation, catch a glimpse of the gracefully swimming marine iguanas, the only equatorial penguins, the famous Darwin Finches, the Flightless Cormorant and the Waved Albatross, all of which call this home.

Visitors to the Galapagos quickly become accustomed to being surprised.  Nothing quite compares to the joy of observing animals in the wild, or to the sense of wonder felt while spending time with animals that don’t run or fly away when humans approach.  You can scuba dive with sharks, snorkel with sea lions, watch the almost comical blue-footed boobies and walk with giant tortoises—magical moments that will live in one’s mind for a lifetime.


The Galapagos are easy to visit, even for a quick week away. And for travelers who genuinely love nature, this is not to be missed!

Savvy Traveler here to introduce today’s guest blogger, Lynn Hayes, who works in leisure travel for Carlson Wagonlit Travel and was named one of Travel Agent magazine’s Top 25 Agents for 2010. Lynn shares the highlights of her recent travel adventures in Peru and Chile.

I just returned from a trip of a lifetime: ten days in Peru and Easter Island.

I started my adventure by flying into Iquitos, Peru and boarded the luxurious M/V Aqua River Boat.  Capacity: 20 passengers. Staff: 22 members.  Over the next four days we sailed along the largest tributaries of the Amazon as well as the mighty Amazon itself.  This area is known as Peru Amazonia.

For three days we were on 10-passenger skiffs on the river at sunrise and sunset, looking for wildlife, birds, reptiles and flora of Amazonia.  Our naturalist guides were extremely knowledgeable and there was one on each skiff.  We fished for piranha on Charo Lake.  I caught two, but the guide took them off the hook and tossed them back into the water.  The teeth on these fish are vicious!

We visited the Maranon River/Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve.  On the way up to the Park Ranger Station 2 (five-hour boat ride) we saw Iguanas, three different species of monkeys, sloths, turtles, 39 different kinds of birds and enormous lizards.  The most awesome water animals were the pink dolphins and gray river dolphins.  The pink dolphins were as pink as watermelon.  Absolutely gorgeous!  This is the only place in the world with pink dolphins.

The highlight of the trip was visiting the Puerto Miguel native village.  We were welcomed as if we were lost relatives.  Everyone was so friendly.  They gave us gifts of fruit and we participated in one of their native dances.  We went to the school to see the children and to give them the gifts that we brought with us.  I took small writing tablets, colored pens and little packages of M&M’s.

From Peru we flew another 2250 miles to Easter Island, Chile, and our home for the next five days was Explora Rapa Nui.  The Explora Lodges combine interaction with nature and local cultures with relatively demanding physical activity, which is necessary if you want to see the best of what each lodge has to offer.  Then, at the end of the day they provide the physical comforts and pleasures of a deluxe hotel.

Easter Island, or Rapa Nui, is the farthest island from any populated land on the planet.  This tiny triangle of land was the birthplace of a fascinating civilization.  Hundreds of moai – giant statues sculpted from rock – play silent witness to this fascinating history.  Many of the statues today have been re-erected above their ceremonial platforms called ahu.  Many were left half-finished in the rock quarry of the Rano Raraku Volcano.  When looking at pictures of Easter Island you see just the standing Moai.  There are Moai all over the island that have not been restored to the standing position.  These sculptures weigh upwards of 65,000 tons.  How were these moved 500 years ago?

This trip should be on everyone’s “Bucket List.”  If you can’t do these two destinations together, then do them separately.  Peru and Chile have so much to offer the traveler.

Although some of us are feeling it more than others, spring has officially arrived. Spring is a time of new beginnings, growth, and—most importantly—the beginning of the warmer temperatures some of us have been craving for months. This spring why not consider taking up a new outdoor activity? Biking, hiking, walking, and running may already be in your repertoire, but have you considered some less-common outdoor activities? Archery, bird watching, horseback riding, and bocce ball are other ways to enjoy the spring season.

Maybe you’re tired of waiting for the warm weather and are planning an outdoor travel adventure. Spring is a great time of year for travel, it seems nearly everyone agrees. And sometimes it may feel like nearly everyone is waiting in the same security line at your local airport. Especially around spring break time, it’s best to allot extra time during peak travel periods. Typically, it’s a good rule to arrive at the airport between 1½ and 2 hours before your flight leaves for domestic travel, but keep in mind that peak travel seasons and the traffic levels at your departing airport may mean you will need more time. Additionally, make sure you check your flight status before leaving for the airport to make sure everything is still running on schedule.

No matter what you choose to do, spring is a fantastic time of year to spend outside. So get out there and enjoy!

Safe travels!