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E L L I O T T' S TRAVEL NOTES
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December 12, 2003

Hotel Rates: Going Up — Read between the lines in the two latest hotel industry reports, and the news isn't good for guests. In a report published yesterday, PricewaterhouseCoopers predicted the hard-hit U.S. hotel business will make a strong recovery next year. Room revenues, it said, will rise about 0.3 percent in 2004. Another survey by Maritz Hospitality echoed the PWC findings, noting that some of the improvement would come from meetings. But the hotel industry's good fortune doesn't necessarily translate into our ours. During periods of high demand, room rates tend to rise — and service goes slack, in my experience. So let's hope the recovery isn't too strong.

December 11, 2003

And We're Rude, Too — A new survey suggests rudeness and bad behavior are major sources of stress and aggravation for both passengers and transportation workers. The poll, conducted by the nonpartisan opinion organization Public Agenda, comes just as the second leg of the busy holiday travel season is about to begin. About half of the travel workers questioned by the group say they have personally seen a situation where disrespectful behavior threatened to escalate into physical confrontation. Nearly two-thirds of the passengers said being uncivil is a serious problem in travel. Topping passengers’ list of rude behaviors? Uncontrolled children. > Got wine: The Wine Spectator reports Air New Zealand is testing a new wine bottle specifically designed for aircraft. And it's (gasp!) plastic.

December 10, 2003

Traytable Ads — America West will begin selling tray-table advertising to the likes of Visa, Mercedes-Benz USA, The History Channel and Bank of America, according to the AP. But I think there are other sponsorship opportunities that have been overlooked. Why not rename the airline after an advertiser (hey, sports stadiums do it; why not airlines?). Imagine the Visa America West airline. Too commercial? How about repainting the planes to incorporate an advertiser's logo? Shamu would be in good company with that Bank of America logo next to it. Too much? Well, how about something smaller — like luggage tags "EWR — sponsored by the History Channel." Hey, just trying to help.

December 9, 2003

You're a Star, Baby — Russia's Economic Development and Trade Ministry yesterday unveiled a new hotel classification system to help bring an end to what the Moscow Times calls "the star-ratings lottery" and to attract new visitors. It's no secret that tourists are often thrown for a loop when they visit a so-called "five-star" property, only to have to share a bed with insects. But it does make you wonder if the U.S. government — or, at the very least the American Hotel & Lodging Association — should establish their own "star" system. > Baby blog is back: Aren's blog is updated at long last. And let's be honest, it's a lot more fun than reading about the demands of a dying airline on an amoral media conglomerate. LATE UPDATE: Get the lowdown on the US Airways/Expedia tiff.

December 8, 2003

It's the Fares, Stupid — A soon-to-be released survey of frequent travelers has found that the number-one reason people switch airlines is — drumroll, please — the fares. A poll by Innovation Analysis Group says more than one-third of all air travelers have recently ditched their airline because they were finding lower prices elsewhere. Another 13 percent said they took their business elsewhere because they were unhappy with the service they were getting. Are the high-cost carriers paying attention? Don't bother answering that.

Note: This Web log represents my personal views at the time of their writing. My views are subject to change without notice. Further, I can't vouch for the accuracy or integrity of links to source information.

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