Adventures in Affluence: How the Billionaire Vacations (AFFLUENT)

Recent market performance notwithstanding, the return of glitzy globetrotting for the super wealthy is back, travel connoisseurs say, as the days of cutting back to seem “recession-chic” slowly become a thing of the past.

According to the American Affluence Research Center, 35% of America’s wealthiest households plan to spend more on domestic vacations this year, and 31% plan to spend more on vacations abroad. That means the rich are planning to do some serious spending on everything from private jets to private islands.

If you have ever wondered how the most affluent travelers go about planning their perfect summer getaway, you can be sure they don’t sit online and compare hotel suites like the rest of us. When money is no object, the rich and famous call a high-end travel agency, or concierge service, as it's more appropriately dubbed, which specializes in fulfilling the sometimes bizarre, always lavish travel and service demands of the elite. These service-providers boast having achieved near-impossible feats in order to accommodate their clients’ needs, and achieving the impossible doesn’t come without a price. Bill Fischer, long-known as the coveted New York travel advisor with the famously unlisted number, charges new clients a one-time initiation fee of $100,000, and annual service fees of $25,000; he says business is booming.

Trend 1: Avoiding the Airport
Airport security, both at home and abroad may be a necessary evil for most of us, but for the super rich, it’s just another inconvenience money can avoid. “A lot of people who can afford it will go by private plane because it’s getting more and more difficult to go through the airports—not only in the U.S., but especially coming from overseas back to the U.S.,” says Rudi Steele, a sought-after Naperville, Il.-based travel specialist. Even if flying by private plane is not an option, affluent jet setters will often go the “meet-and-greet” route, where they are met by someone at the airport who expedites processing through airport security and customs, says Dallas-based luxury travel consultant Jim Strong. “We make sure we have on-arrival or on-departure, someone there to hold their hand and expedite them through the customs lines and the diplomatic lines and there are services offered to get this done,” Strong says.

Trend 2: The Multi-Generation, Multi-Room Requirement
More of the rich and famous are bringing the whole family along when they take a trip, creating quite the booking task for travel advisors. Virtuoso, a network of high-volume travel agents, reports in its January survey that 63% of its 6,000 members in North America predicted the biggest travel trend for 2011 would be “family and multi-generational travel.” Depending upon the size of the client’s entourage, a three to four-bedroom suite at the Four Seasons may not fit the bill. “We do a lot of private islands, but what our clients like the most is staying at a villa with butler service that is attached to a hotel,” Fischer says. “In other words, there is a hotel component, but the villa is separate and private so you’re getting all the accoutrements of the luxury hotel, but are staying in your own private space.”

Trend 3: Exclusivity and Privacy is Paramount
Because the super rich are often in the public eye, planning a getaway that is extremely private is of the utmost importance. This sometimes means staying away from big name-brand hotels and having back-up hotels booked in case the guest-in-question needs a quick escape from prying eyes. The desire for privacy is also the driving force behind the popularity of renting a private island, experts say; it’s easier to guarantee privacy, and top-notch service when you know you’re the only guest there. “When you are at a resort, you always wonder if you’re being treated as well as the other guests,” Strong says. “But when you buy the whole island, you know you’re king of the hill.” He says one of the more intriguing ideas to help provide that sense of seclusion and intimacy has come out of the Alessandro Rosso Group, which has been creating “one-room hotels” in some of the best cities around the world. “Your key combination is sent to you, there’s a cell phone where you dial one number and you get your butler, and you actually have your own hotel,” Turen explains. "It’s a very interesting thing because you can stay in the best part of Paris or Rome and have it all yourself."

Trend 4: Once-in-a-Lifetime? Yes, please.
A mundane vacation just won't cut it for the super rich. Travel advisors say their clients are seeking once-in-a-lifetime experiences, like diving with sharks off the coast of Australia or a traditional Italian meal cooked by a famous chef in her home on the Amalfi Coast. “These people want authenticity; they don’t want something that’s manufactured, or pushed upon them,” Strong says. “They want it to be natural, authentic, in a memorable scenario that they will treasure forever.” Fischer says he’s coordinated parties where famed-tenor Andrea Bocelli gave a private performance, and just last weekend, he managed to get a client special tickets to the Grand Prix in Monte Carlo, along with entry to F1 Paddock Club and after parties.

Trend 5: Safety First
In some cases, travel advisors need to accommodate not just a client and the client’s multi-generational family, but the security detail as well. “People when they have quite a bit of money, the most important thing they want is security," says Fischer." So we have people who work for us that we will send to take care of the families. They know the destinations; these are former CIA that work for governments and know the inner workings of the countries.” In addition to sending the best private security personnel available, Fischer has sent top-notch doctors with clients on trips. For some destinations he has ordered armored vehicles for clients and registered them with the local police departments so they can be provided with a local police escort.

Trend 6: Access—to Any Place in the World
A luxury travel advisor has to be ready for last-minute requests to visit some of the planet’s most exclusive locales. While no corner of the globe is out of reach, the clear standout among this summer’s most popular destinations is Europe, with Italy being the top destination for the wealthy elite. “You have the parents of teenage children who are very much aware of the educational value of travel, and they definitely want to take advantage of traveling to destinations where children are getting some education,” Strong says. In addition to travel mainstays on the Mediterranean, safaris are also all the rage.
"Africa is one of those amazing destinations, especially east Africa and southern Africa, mainly for game viewing,” Steele says. “If you go on safari once, you would think you would get it out of your system, but when it comes to Africa and safari, it pulls you back; people go over again.” Strong says more exotic destinations such as Morocco, China, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia are all still very popular with clients.
For the beach-going set, places like Fiji and Bali are back and bigger than ever, according to Turen and Steele. Fischer expect travel to Brazil to ramp up as the country readies itself for the 2016 Olympic Games. For the indecisive industrialist, a cruise may prove a better option, offering the flexibility of multiple port stops. Private yachts that sleep up to 30 people are popular with Fischer’s clients because they can accommodate multiple generations and an entourage. Finally, for the wealthy with the most severe case of wanderlust, there’s The World. This seafaring sanctuary was referenced by both Fischer and Turen for clients that have the time to travel for longer periods. Turen calls it “the world’s top-rated ship,” and the 644-foot yacht, which launched in 2002, plans itineraries based upon the input of the owners, offering the utmost in luxury service and accommodations. The World boasts itself as the “largest privately owned yacht on the planet,” with 165 private residences, valued between $1.4 and $7.9 million, with about $240,000 in annual fees.

Jetsetter to Target Affluent Travelers with UK Launch (AFFLUENT)

Jetsetter, the US based private travel deals and discovery site, is launching in the UK. The new site will offer UK customers access to Jetsetters hand selected travel deals, flash sales, exclusive Jetsetter 24/7 prices and its new personal travel planning service.

Having established itself as a leading private travel sales site in the US, Jetsetter is hoping its UK expansion can tap into what it sees as a gap in the British market. Kellie Macdonald, director of PR and communications at Jetsetter, said: “Sophisticated affluent UK travellers don’t have a great website to go and discover new destinations or be introduced to new brands. Looking at most websites, they all look the same. If you know where you are going and you want to get from point A to point B there are lots of great websites that help you do that. If you want to read about new places there are lots of great magazines for that, but there is no website that does both. So that is the gap that Jetsetter fills.”

The company is currently making adjustments and prepping the Jetsetter UK site for its beta launch in a few weeks. It plans a full launch this autumn. The company is also putting together its UK team and actively seeking new hotels and resorts to partner with. It already has a catalogue of more than 325 hotels and resorts available on its site. Jetsetter also has over 2 million members, 10% of whom are international customers.

Macdonald said that it hopes to further this success by providing the UK with the same level of personalisation and exclusivity Jetsetter is known for in North America. As the UK is already the second largest user base for Jetsetter, the company is in a strong position to enter the private travel market, she said.

Stars Come Out For VisitBritain Campaign (COMPETITORS)

VisitBritain is to employ the acting talents of a raft of British celebrities to promote the destination abroad.

Quintessential Brits Dame Judi Dench, Twiggy, Rupert Everett and Jamie Oliver will feature in the agency’s campaign – the first of its type in a decade. Shot in locations around the UK, the adverts will air on BBC World News in Europe and on BBC America. They will also be shown on bbc.com and as an app on the iPad.

By homing in on foreign markets, VisitBritain hopes to capitalise on the exposure afforded the UK by the Olympics and Paralympic Games and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and build on the interest created by the royal wedding. Chief executive of VisitBritain Sandie Dawe said: “With the eyes of the world on us, we have an unprecedented opportunity to showcase Britain and then to close the sale with great travel deals and offers from our partners. “Over four years, we aim to attract 4M extra overseas visitors, who will spend £2 billion across Britain.”

Rihanna Becomes Barbados Ambassador (COMPETITOR)

Rihanna has become an ambassador for her home country Barbados it has been revealed, to encourage tourism to the Island.

The singer has agreed to a three-year partnership with the Barbados Tourism Authority in a bid to encourage visitors to the popular Caribbean island. She is expected to appear in advertising campaigns, whilst also actively promoting the destination to her millions of fans. Rihanna is expected to begin her role as ambassador on August 5 with a concert in Bridgetown, Barbados.

Barbados' minister of tourism, Richard L. Sealy, said: "Rihanna is a great source of national pride to Barbados and we are thrilled to enter into this formal partnership to promote Barbados as a leading tourist destination."

Airbus ‘Invisible’ Concept Plane Revealed As Future of Commercial Flight (TRAVEL)

Invisible planes? Not quite Wonder Woman invisible plane, but Airbus released media galore of their future tech transparent plane concept for 2050 as reported by the Telegraph.co.uk.

On the newly launched Future Airbus Website, "A third of the people that took part in our global Passenger 2050 survey of 10,000 people said that they want the flight itself to feel like a holiday experience and to be able to access all the technological advances which fill their daily lives during the flight."

Who doesn't want a flight to feel like a holiday instead of the often cramped and uncomfortable haul usually associated with flying these days? At least if you're flying cattle class. Regardless lets hope Airbus paves the way with designs like these instead of Ryan Air and their "standing room only concepts," which thankfully haven't seen the light of day yet.

From a report on FOX, according to Airbus the plane won't have a bad seat (believe it when it happens) and will be divided up by first class, business, and economy, and "is divided by the individual needs of the passenger such as relaxing, playing games, and interacting with other passengers or people on the ground."

"Our research shows that passengers of 2050 will expect a seamless travel experience while also caring for the environment," said Charles Champion, Airbus Executive Vice President Engineering quoted in the Daily Telegraph. He continued, "The Airbus Concept Cabin is designed with that in mind, and shows that the journey can be as much a voyage of discovery as the destination."

Some of the future tech involved in the Airbus transparent plane concept are walls that change according to light conditions, holographic pop-up gaming displays and passenger's body heat powering in-flight entertainment.

Airbus is mum on the actual technology needed to make the transparent material, which the Daily Mail says is to be a plant-based skin.

Maybe some of the $5.7 billion airlines made on baggage fees could go into researching some technology actually geared towards the comfort of passengers, or invisible plane walls.

One can dream.

VIDEO

Super Fly – Innovation in the Air Travel Industry (TRAVEL)

Innovation is ready for take-off in the air travel industry

New methods of identifying the best flight deals aren’t the only changes taking place within the air travel industry. A fresh crop of services and airlines is making flying the friendly skies increasingly more agreeable, whether it’s by making private planes more accessible, offering new seasonal routes, or infusing air travel with good design.

Social Flights: In this era of pervasive environmentalism, using private planes may be even more un-P.C. than not recycling. Regardless, given the excruciating state of commercial air travel, some travelers still choose their sanity over the earth’s wellbeing. Social Flights is a collective buying startup and charter broker that facilitates private jet bookings at affordable prices. Members form shared interest groups, called Travel Tribes, through which they can request and reserve private charter flights. The per passenger cost for such flights reportedly runs as low as $150. However, the carbon offsets that some passengers will likely buy to assuage their guilt may add up.

Peach Aviation: It may not be as affordable as European budget airlines like EasyJet or Ryanair, but new airline Peach is poised to become Japan’s answer to JetBlue. The country’s first low-cost air carrier, Peach may prove to be one of the most stylish airlines in the world as well as its most gently priced. With branding designed by starchitect Neil Denari (of HL23 fame), the airline’s color scheme is defined by brightly hued shades of pink and purple. Similarly modern, the cabin crew’s uniforms evoke a casual aesthetic akin to that of Uniqlo—a look that should appeal to the Gen Y demo the airline is hoping to woo.

StndAIR: For many New Yorkers, the payoff for braving an East Coast winter is a summer calendar packed with beach getaways. However, five months of blizzards and downpours isn’t the only thing that Northeasterners must endure before they can lay their weary heads on a sun soaked beach. Weekend traffic can be just as brutal. Enter StndAIR, a service from The Standard Hotels, in partnership with Shoreline Aviation, which allows the waterfront-bound to bypass gridlock. Consisting of one Cessna 208 Caravan Amphibian aircraft that seats eight passengers, the “airline” is essentially a private seaplane that is open to the public for booking. The airfare isn’t cheap…but neither are the destinations.

Dorms Around the World Offering Cut-Rate Housing for Tourists (TRAVEL)

I feel very good about the recent chance discovery of a remarkable resource for finding university dorms around the world offering cut-rate housing for visitors: University Rooms.

This site (part of TravelBookingNetworks, much of which is devoted to various dorm-stay operations) acts as a broker for many colleges and universities looking to pad out their endowments by renting unused dorm space to passing tourists in the summer.

The savings are phenomenal: from a $32 single in London to a $78 double room by Lake Como in Italy to a $315 two-bedroom apartment in Barcelona that includes Wi-Fi and breakfast. Rates start as low as $30 to $50 for a single room, or $50 to $120 for a twin or double room (usually, the cheaper end is if you are willing to share a bathroom down the hall in true dormitory style).

Many include breakfast in the rates; some throw in dinner as well. A few have a two- or three-night minimum requirement, but most are available by the night -- though weekly stays can often result in even better rates, as little as $150 per person for a full week.

Now these are not fancy accommodations -- at least not for the most part. The vast majority are what you would expect from a dorm room: small, simple, with slightly tattered modular furnishings designed to withstand semester after semester of undergraduate abuse. However, some are located in historic castles, villas, or townhomes, and there are many that break the mold, offering flashy modern flats with full kitchens and other facilities.

This site offers one-stop booking for short-term dorm stays, mostly in Europe (the U.K., Ireland, Spain, France, Italy, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Belgium), but also a few choices in the United States (Worcester, MA), and Canada (Calgary, Montreal, Toronto), with Australia and South Africa to be added soon.

Free Greeters Programs & Pay-What-You-Wish Tours (TRAVEL)

At last count, no fewer than 21 major cities have created "greeters programs" operated by persons who volunteer to lead visitors around the town they love. These are officially sponsored civic programs in which the tour guide receives nothing for his or her services (and would be offended if offered payment), although the visitor is supposed to pick up any costs of transportation or snacks consumed en route. The number of such cities has rapidly grown in the last two years and they presently amount to 21. In addition to the U.S. cities of New York, Chicago, Houston, and San Francisco, they include Toronto, Melbourne and Adelaide in Australia, Paris, Moscow, Belgrade, The Hague, Buenos Aires, Brussels, Marseilles, Brighton and Kent in England, and several others.

But travelers should know that several other, somewhat similar programs are offered by individual entrepreneurs in a slowly growing group of other cities. These, quite frankly, have only recently come to my attention, and it should be stressed that people taking such tours are expected to pay something for their tour -- an amount which they, the visitors, determine, and which usually should be about $10. In effect, you accept a free-of-charge tour, but tip the tour guide at the conclusion of the tour.

Examples? D.C. by Foot runs what it characterizes as "free, tip-based walking tours," two hours in length, of the nation's capital, on which participants are expected to slip about $10 to the guide. Tour Guys operate free-of-charge walking tours in both Toronto, Ontario, and Vancouver, British Columbia -- they rely on tips for their remuneration and charge no fee for their basic tour in each city. And finally, RunnerBeanTours of Barcelona does the same, and provides an excellent tour by highly-motivated young graduate students of local universities; currenly they offer a "Free Gaudí Walking Tour" and a "Free Old City Walking Tour", and they are working on a free "Kids & Family Walking Tour" to be offered at some time in the future.

Ireland is the Least Expensive Euro Travel Destination Right Now (TRAVEL)

As we approach the high season for trans-Atlantic travel, it is becoming more and more apparent that Ireland is a top destination this year for European travel. Ireland suffered greatly from the financial crisis of 2008-09, the assets and earnings of the Irish people are badly down, and prices are therefore also down for lodgings, meals and sightseeing.

All that can best be seen in the prices charged by leading Irish tour operators for air-and-land packages to Ireland this summer. Though the very lowest warm-weather prices for Ireland are in June and September, and prices spike upward in July and August, even those peak season rates are less than travelers will be paying to go elsewhere in western Europe.

From June 1-15, and again from September 1-30, a payment of $829 (in June) to $839 (in September) for the Emerald Package of Sceptre Tours, that long-established company's most popular travel program, will buy you round-trip mid-week airfare on Aer Lingus between the U.S. and Dublin or Shannon, a night upon arrival in a four-star hotel in Dublin or Shannon, a car (stick shift) with unlimited mileage for a week, and five nights of accommodations with full Irish breakfast daily in your choice of farmhouse B&B's all throughout Ireland. You can extend the number of nights of your stay for only slightly more. Government fees and taxes add about $180 more.

That $829-to-$839 is considerably less than you would pay for airfare alone to London during similar dates. And even though the price goes up to $999 in the latter part of June, to $1,129 in most of July, and to $1,069 in the latter part of August, all those prices are again considerably less than you'd pay for trans-Atlantic airfare alone between the U.S. and England. Yet to Ireland, you receive not simply airfare but also accommodations with breakfast throughout and a car for the week.

It is possible that even these low costs may be further reduced as a result of a government announcement this week that Ireland will soon reduce the VAT tax on travel-related expenditures (hotels, restaurants, museums) from 13.5% down to 9%. It also announced that it will eliminate the air travel tax, thus reducing a great deal of the $180 in air taxes referred to above. These steps indicate the importance that travel has in the judgment of the present government of Ireland, and will surely do much to further reduce the cost of an Irish holiday.

If you haven't yet enjoyed the profound pleasure of a self-drive motoring vacation through Ireland, you might now consider doing so.

Globe Tripper (MISC/FUN)

Globe Tripper is a new travel game available on iPhone and iPad. Challenge yourself and your friends to travel the world in this fast-paced trivia and puzzle game. Completing challenges will earn you points that unlock other destinations until you’ve covered the entire world.

Virtual frequent flyer miles add up as you complete each trip around the globe. Upload your points to the global leaderboard and compare your status with players all over the world.

Unlock a virtual collection of souvenirs as you travel through 30 countries. There are 90 to collect.

QR Codes on TV (MISC/FUN)

QR codes are proliferating quickly across print and outdoor advertising -- promising extra info or content to readers who photograph them with their smartphones -- but CNN gave the tactic new visibility during its Republican presidential debate Monday night.

"You'll see an electronic code on your screen," CNN's John King told his viewers. "You can snap a picture of that code. You'll get some exclusive access about our debate, some behind the scenes video, some analysis and content."

Last night Jon Stewart at "The Daily Show" took issue with the effort and countered with an on-screen QR code of his own. "Don't do it now though," he said, "because, you know, we're doing a show."

CNN was not able to say by deadline how many people activated the debate's QR code.

The QR code discussion begins at the 2:45 mark, after Mr. Stewart considers CNN's claim that including questions from Facebook and Twitter users would make its debate "different than any presidential debate you've ever seen."

The Latest Digital: Landrover’s Being Henry & Hg2 for Intelligent Travelers (MISC/FUN)

As the digital world evolves, it’s becoming more and more exciting to see the ways in which brands and service providers are enhancing the customer experience and attracting those outside their traditional base. As Range Rover launched an interactive video, where the viewer dictates the story’s path. Promoting the Evoque model by Range Rover, Jaguar Land Rover has developed an Internet film called “Being Henry” that allows users to interact with the film to ultimately reveal their own personal perfect car. The choices that the viewers make in terms of direction, colour and other choices will ultimately lead them to the ideal Range Rover at the end of the story, where there are a possible nine different scenarios with 32 possible endings.

A Hedonist’s guide to… released an application to act as a city guide on iPhone. Covering 41 cities and ski resorts around the world, Hg2 have launched just one application for the iPhone, incorporating a guide to each city’s best bars, hotels and restaurants. The application incorporates Augmented Reality (on devices with a compass), integrated Foursquare check-in and the option to download from iTunes a handpicked ‘soundtrack to the city’. All Hg2 travel content is stored on the device, only using data connections for features such as maps, check-in and sound track to the city to minimise data roaming costs.

Virgin Mobile Canada Uses Rewards to Inspire Volunteers (MISC/FUN)

Trying to make life better for Canada's youth, Virgin Mobile Canada is working to encourage people to volunteer to help at-risk and homeless teens through its RE*Generation program. People who donate their time can earn rewards such as concert tickets and events across Canada -- starting with the Katy Perry California Dreams tour.

Virgin is using technology from Los Angeles-based Causecast, which offers Volunteer Tracking and Rewards, a cause integration platform for nonprofits and brands that lets companies incorporate volunteer opportunities into their campaigns and digital media efforts. The technology enables potential volunteers to find opportunities in a specific area and to track their activities and earn rewards points while giving Virgin Mobile control over which nonprofits are supported and allowing the company to track the program's impact.

So far, RE*Generation has raised more than $800,000 for youth-serving agencies in Canada.

"Programs like this help engage youth to give back and learn more about the issues facing their generation. Causecast has made it easy to track and manage the volunteer efforts on a massive scale, giving us the ability to help more at-risk and homeless youth than we would have otherwise been able to impact through the RE*Generation program," says Andrew Bridge, director of brand and communications, Virgin Mobile Canada, in announcing the effort.

According to Virgin, more than 2 million youth in North America between the ages of 12 and 24 will be homeless at least once each year, while more than 100,000 will be homeless for six months or more. Youth homelessness -- usually the result of such problems as poverty, drug abuse, homophobia, mental illness and domestic violence -- leads to adult homelessness, Virgin says.

Why Do Affluent Consumers Connect with Brands on Social Networks? (AFFLUENT)

A survey conducted by Affluence Collaborative in February 2011 showed that wealthy internet users connect with brands on social networks for significantly different reasons than the general population. The social networks they use are different too.

Among the general population, the main reason cited for connecting with brands on social networks was to receive deals and discounts. But according to Affluence Collaborative, this was a much lower priority for the wealthy. Their top reasons for following brands were due to a preexisting affinity for and a desire to be kept informed about the brand. The least-cited reason mentioned by all groups surveyed was to be entertained, suggesting that social media marketers still need to provide fans with value, even if it isn’t directly in the form of a coupon or sale.

Affluents, in their “love of the brands” they connect with, are largely acting as brand ambassadors. Any marketer targeting affluent consumers needs to know not only where to reach that audience, but what appeals to them. For wealthy internet users, connecting with a brand is largely about the brand itself, not gimmicks and offers. Affluents need to see a consistent message that makes following a brand meaningful for self-expression, just like when buying a brand in real life. Watering down the brand in order to gain a large social following may drive away the very people trying to be reached.

Truths About Baby Boomer Travel (BOOMERS)

Baby boomers today are between 35 and 53 years of age. They are in their peak earning years, and the oldest of them have reached the prime age for travel. Boomers, however, are significantly different travel consumers than their parents, and experts expect them to maintain those differences as they age. To help marketers more effectively target boomers today and in the future, Travel Marketing Decisions interviewed a series of experts to gather insight into this enormous and potentially lucrative segment.

Boomers have traveled more than their predecessors. As experienced travelers, boomers seek out more exotic destinations or more in-depth ways of experiencing familiar places. "You're not likely to see them on bus tours of the U.S. because they already did that on their bikes or with backpacks," said Courtney Day, senior vice of the Senior Network, a New Jersey research and marketing firm that specializes in the older consumer. 

Been-there-done-that is one reason adventure travel appeals to them, Day said. She defined adventure travel as either physically-challenging outdoor activity or an off-the-beaten-path destination. Because boomers are interested in bettering themselves, intellectually stimulating travel also holds appeal.

Boomers think they are special. Always been a force to be reckoned with, they are very demanding consumers. "Whether they go budget or luxury, boomers tend to want the best," said Day. 

Boomers like things that reinforce their feelings of specialness, so they are attracted to credit cards that offer preferred theater seats or tours that give them after-hours access to a museum. They also want products designed to fit their individual needs, so customization, or the illusion of it, is important.

What boomers definitely do not want is herding. To many boomers, group travel has the faint aroma of a cattle drive. This has prompted some operators to drop tours from their names. Others have pared down group size, either by forming smaller groups or breaking larger groups into subsets which engage in different activities simultaneously. 

Day suggested tour operators offer products that provide group transportation and accommodations, but impose a less rigid structure on travelers' daily movements. "I can see a much more à la carte approach that allows more independence," she said. The experts also recommended promotional materials down play the group aspect of tours and emphasize the benefits to individuals.


Boomers are time deprived. To get relief from their stressful schedules, boomers vacation at spas where they can do absolutely nothing but be pampered. Or they may go to the opposite extreme, choosing adventures that are physically or mentally challenging - or both. 

"Group travel is turnkey travel," noted the Senior Network's Day, so the boomers' time deprivation can be a boon for tour operators. Letting somebody else deal with all the details is very appealing, she said, but the hang-up for boomers is trust. They wonder whether they can rely on somebody else to plan their kind of trip. 

When booking travel, boomers also need time-saving devices. They like 800 numbers, the Internet, videos and virtual reality because they offer convenience and interactivity. Their predilection for technology can reduce travel suppliers' costs for agents' commissions and printing and mailing brochures. However, it also means call centers must be staffed to meet whenever boomers call.

Internet use is so common among Mature Traveler readers, editor Malott automatically lists website addresses along with phone numbers. Day pointed out that boomers use the Internet more for information gathering than booking. "It's human nature to want to feel connected to what you're about to sign up for," she said. However, she added, boomers also like the freedom of not involving other people when they are exploring a subject. Their attitude is, "When I've decided, I'll initiate the next move."

Boomers will pay for luxury, expertise and convenience. ATM fees, nannies and bottled water prove boomers are willing to pay for what they want. Mancini noted, "Boomers are willing to do things for themselves, if it's a hobby or if they think it won't require too much effort, but they really like to hire others to do it for them because it implies status." 

Day added, "When boomers travel, they want to do it right. They still look for a bargain, but a bargain to them means getting a good price on something of great value."

Organized group travel becomes valuable to boomers when it's a physically or mentally challenging adventure, but they don't have the skill level to do it themselves. Or when safety and cost make traveling with a group more practical. "You get to an impasse where you need the experts to facilitate the experience," noted Day.

To attract boomers, tour operators must emphasize their expertise. They must add value boomers can't get on their own. Guides must become like personal trainers and demonstrate the skill and knowledge boomers will respect and pay for.

Boomers want to have fun. It's not surprising that adult teenagers put a premium on having a good time. Although fun, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder, Day said companionship, stimulation and the cultural/social experience make travel fun for boomers. She added, "Part of the enjoyment of the experience is knowing it's unique -that's part of the rush."

Day said tour operators and destinations can increase the fun factor by encouraging boomers to bring friends with them. A group isn't a negative when it's a group of their own friends, she said. 

Day also pointed out, "Fun that is too difficult to obtain isn't fun at all." This again underscores the importance of making the travel purchase quick, easy and convenient. 

Finally, boomers desire to have fun and make money is driving some career changers into the travel industry. According to Marc Mancini, president of Marc Mancini Seminars and Consulting, these entrepreneurs are carving out niches that will have a major impact on the business.

British Airways Launches Ad Campaign Around 2012 Olympics (COMPETITORS)

British Airways is launching their new advertisement campaign as a primary sponsor for the 2012 Olympics in London, but you won't be seeing it on television. The official airline of the 2012 Olympics will not allocate any of their advertising budget toward television ads. Instead, they are using national print media and online advertising.

The first advertising segment will feature notorious English chef Heston Blumenthal, actor Richard E. Grant, and artist Tracey Emin encouraging aspiring chefs, actors and artists to enter a competition to work with one of the three "celebrity mentors."
The contestants will compete for the opportunity to design an Olympic menu to be used during British Airway flights, write a script for a short film that will be shown on BA flights and in the Olympic ceremony, or create a piece of artwork for the "celebration aircraft."

"We decided to use press and online to sustain the campaign for a long period of time," British Airways head of brands, Abigail Comber said. "We will support it with YouTube and virals. We have got the budget [for TV advertising]; it is not about that. It is about targeting the right place at the right time and there wasn't the flexibility with TV."

Interactive McDonald's Billboard (MISC/FUN)

McDonald's recently created a billboard that allows customers to play a game using their iPhone while also being sold fast-food, another example of increasingly tying smartphones into marketing.

A McDonald's billboard in Stockholm, Sweden, allows iPhone users to compete against a computer in the arcade game Pong by connecting wirelessly to the billboard. The contest, titled "Pick 'n Play," has users choose a menu item before the game begins. After choosing, the contestant plays a game of Pong on the large screen, controlling their paddle with the phone's touch screen. If they can last for 30 seconds, a coupon is sent to their phone.

Players don't need to download an app to take part in the challenge. The iPhone relates a user's location to the billboard and allows them to sign into PickNPlay.se via the iPhone.

Pick 'n Play isn't the first non-traditional ad campaign put forth by McDonald's in Sweden. A year ago, McDonald's introduced a billboard game in which several different menu items quickly bounced along the screen. If customers had quick trigger fingers and were able to snap a picture of an item with their smartphone camera, they could bring the photo to a near-by McDonald's location and receive the pictured item for free.

Other companies have also taken an interactive approach to advertising. Mobile advertising start-up company Kiip, pronounced "keep," introduced a mobile phone game that rewards players with real-life coupons to retail stores like Sephora, Dr. Pepper and GNC.

McDonald's strategy to tie in whimsical advertising games with free food items is one way to make sure they keep "Lovin' It." The billboard was a creative execution of DDB Stockholm.

QR Codes Flourish as Sun-Maid Puts Them on Packaging (MISC/FUN)

Those ubiquitous QR codes (short for Quick Response) are popping up just about everywhere these days — on print and television ads, on outdoor billboards, in store windows, and on product packaging.

While QR code usage is widespread in Japan, where it was invented, the concept is still gaining traction in the US. But as smartphones proliferate, product marketers like the 99-year old Sun-Maid brand are leveraging the new technology in the hopes of gaining a competitive edge.

In a promotional tie-in with Dreamworks' animated movie Kung Fu Panda 2, which debuts May 26, Sun-Maid is plastering its canisters and six-packs of raisins with the QR code, which take consumers to a mobile website where they can enter a contest to potentially win the grand prize — a trip for four to Zoo Atlanta. Naturally, the top winners will get VIP treatment at the Giant Panda center at the zoo. The company will also give out Kung Fu Panda 2 toys to 100 other sweepstakes winners.

Rick Bruno, VP of brand management for Sun-Maid, tells MarketingDaily, "By keeping the promotion entry simply and easily accessible by mobile devices, we anticipate a lot of entries and overall site activity." In addition to the sweepstakes, the mobile site will include movie trailers, computer wallpaper, and other features. Sun-Maid is pitching the QR code and the contest on its Facebook page as well.

Sun-Maid raisins are a favorite of kids, so the Kung Fu Panda 2 cross-promotion is a natural tie-in. Last year, Sun-Maid ran a promotional tie-in with another DreamWorks Animation character, Shrek.

How to Customize Your iPad for Travel (MISC/FUN)

Now that you’ve arrived at your travel destination, it’s time to put your iPad to use while you travel. Depending on your style of travel, there are plenty of apps from which to choose. If you’re in an urban setting, then you’ll definitely want to download All Subway HD ($0.99). AllSubway compiles comprehensive metro and light rail maps for more than 100 cities around the world and puts them at your fingertips. People love this app because you can quickly and easily access a transit system map without being online and without looking like a tourist. Many have used this app around the world and love its ease of use and convenience.

If you’re in a foreign country, then you’ll need the XE Currency app (Free). Frequent travelers always use the XE currency conversion site whenever they need to find the latest rates, so we’re thrilled to find their iPad app which brings the same high quality of their site to the mobile app. XE is very simple and straightforward. You simply select the currencies you want to convert, the amount and you’re done. It’s a must have app for anyone planning a trip overseas.

Regardless of how far technology advances, I still love having my handy guidebook with me when I’m traveling. There are a couple of areas though where guidebooks stumble: local events and restaurant recommendations. When traveling I always like to know what special events are going on while I’m there, from concerts to special museum exhibits. This is where Goby (Free) enters the scene. In addition to being a great general travel resource with information on popular sites and attractions, it provides current information on local events. Goby also succeeds where guide books fail by providing great dining information. The “Where to Eat” sections in guidebooks are usually too small, too incomplete and many times totally off the mark. I don’t think I’ve ever been happy with a restaurant recommended by a guidebook. Goby, on the other hand, lists all dining options in the area, making aimless wandering in search of good eats a thing of the past. Their listings also provide reviews, contact information and directions.

Airline Gets Creative to Improve Customer Experience (MISC/FUN)

When airline customers think about flying they often focus on flight schedules and possible delays, damaged or lost luggage, and making connections. Its not exactly a happy place for their minds to be. Now, one airline gets creative and is making changes to move beyond that.

Delta Airlines, the one that not long ago added Seattle Best Coffee, will make Apple iPads available to rent on flights from Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP) when the airline upgrades its Concourse G terminal at the airport beginning in January 2012. Using "virtual newsstands" at "Media Bars" throughout the terminal, customers will be able to download their choice of content, including publications, movies, music and apps. Once customers reach their destination, a prepaid postage box they got at the time of rental will be used to return the iPad.

Jetstar, an Australian domestic airline, also offers iPads as a form of in-flight entertainment.

Travel Decisions – Dominated By Women (MISC/FUN)

Women—young, old, single, married, and widowed—are fueling an explosive growth in the travel industry. More women are traveling, for business and for pleasure, and they’re calling the shots. Just look around in a restaurant, how many tables are occupied by groups of women?

Of those who currently take nature, adventure or cultural trips, 75% are women. Ten years ago, there were no such statistics. Now we know that the average adventure traveler is not a 28-year old male, but a 47-year-old female. And she wears a size 12 dress.

Last year women travelers spent over $95 billion in Outdoor Equipment, from hiking boots to specialized bike seats designed for the female anatomy. The number of women-only tour operators has increased 230% in the past six years.

According to the LA Times, 80% of all travel decisions are made by women, regardless of who they travel with, pays for the trip, or where they go.

Mom researches and then books the summer vacation for the entire family.

Grandma surfs the Internet, collects brochures, books tickets and accommodations for a multi-generational family reunion at a resort.

A middle-aged empty-nester books a five-day hiking trip with friends while her husband is golfing.

The Viddy (MISC/FUN)

If a picture is worth a thousand words, how many tweets can you get for video footage? Viddy, a new, free app for your iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad allows you to shoot, stylize, and share your vacation videos with friends and followers. You know, just in case they're not envious enough that you're off traveling, this little gizmo can really rub their noses in it...real time.

Viddy makes it easy to share your travel experiences on Twitter, Facebook, and your Viddy profile (see footage of England's Stonehenge and San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge courtesy of two budding Viddyographers). And if it gives you the filmmaking bug, you can add visual effects and a soundtrack to your mini masterpiece, too. Phone, camera, action!

Affluency: Being 'Technology-Infused' Proves Taxing for Affluent (MISC/FUN)

As people of means acquire more technological devices to simplify their lives, their lives have actually become more complicated.

The prior decade was a decade of tremendous change, most of it undeniably bad -- 9/11, Iraq, Afghanistan, economic boom years that ended in the Great Recession, the rise of China, massive deficits, political polarization and more. When we asked Affluents in January 2011 how their lives had changed in the previous decade, the top answer -- selected by 79% -- was that they'd become "technology-infused." And it is easy to see why.

Consider that:

• Fully 98% of Affluents are online, averaging over 25 hours of internet use a week.
• Affluents own an average of 3.5 TVs, and three-fourths have at least one high-definition TV.
• Two-thirds have a digital video recorder, of which 58% report always or frequently fast-forwarding through commercials.

The most dramatic changes have been seen in the adoption of "new" media platforms. Smartphones barely qualify as "new media" any more, having gone decidedly mainstream -- 52% of the Affluents own them, rising to 92% if we broaden the scope to those with any kind of wireless or cellular phone.

The newest of the new -- tablets and e-readers -- are seeing explosive growth among the Affluents (who, of course, are not only enthusiastic about media and technology, but also have the discretionary income to buy such devices). Our monthly Mendelsohn Affluent Barometer survey shows that e-reader ownership doubled between September 2010 and April 2011 from 12% to 23%. Tablet growth has been just as dramatic, and it is poised to continue. Consider that 14% of Affluents now have a tablet, and an additional 15% plan to buy one in the next 12 months. Put another way, nearly one-third of the Affluents may own tablets within the next 12 months.

But technology, seemingly like everything else from the last decade, is viewed by the Affluents as something of a mixed blessing. When we asked how their lives had changed over the past decade, "infused with technology" was the most widely cited answer. But equally telling are the phrases coming next on the list -- "more complicated," "more stressful" and "focused on finding ways to do more with less." In contrast, fewer than half said their lives had become "more fun" or "easier."

Expect another trend to continue: Life will continue to get more complicated for those of us in advertising and media. We must understand the growing adoption and use of new technology, as well as the evolving "topography" of platforms and occasions. At each point in this topography, we must understand consumers' level of engagement, receptivity to advertising, preferences for apps vs. web-based content, unmet information needs and much more. And we must do it all in an environment in which consumers feel they are facing more complex and stressful decisions than ever before.