Now Boarding at Gate 1…
Last Train to Clickville. Owners and managers of travel agencies spend an average of 17.4 hours on the Internet each week, according to a survey by the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA). Frontline agents spend an estimated 16.4 hours online, and nearly 83% of ASTA agencies report booking directly on suppliers’ Web sites. Tour packages are the number one product booked online by agents, followed by airline tickets and hotel reservations.
Fairy GodMartha. Domestic diva Martha Stewart has been selected by Princess Cruises to serve as ” godmother” for the line’s newest ship, the Crown Princess. Stewart is set to preside over the vessel’s official naming in New York on June 14. That night, the 3,080 passenger Crown Princess will depart on her maiden voyage to the Caribbean.
Bonjour, Paris! About 12.6 million U.S. arrivals in Europe were logged in 2005, up four percent from 2000, reports the European Travel Association. Why are U.S. visits on the rise? The ETA credits the influence of blockbuster movies, like the new released ” The Da Vinci Code.” Indeed, Da Vinci themed trips are being offered by Eurostar, the highspeed train connecting London and Paris.
On the road again.Travel will be up this Memorial Day holiday, despite high gas prices and increasing vacation costs, according to AAA. The association estimates that 37.8 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home this weekend, a 0.9% increase from last year. Approximately 31.4 million travelers expect to go by car, while 4.3 million will fly. A projected 1.9 million will make their way by train, bus or another mode of transportation.
World travelers. Gay and lesbian adults are more likely than heterosexual adults to say they plan to spend their next vacations overseas, according to a survey by Harris Interactive and Witeck-Combs. Fourteen percent of gays and lesbians surveyed said they plan to go overseas, compared to seven percent of heterosexuals. According to the study, 27% of gays and lesbians also said they were likely to choose a major U.S. city for personal travel, versus 21% of heterosexual respondents.
