Vacations Blog

UpTake is a great place for researching your next trip. After all, our slogan is “Your first step to a great trip.” But I wanted to share my two cents of what I found useful in other online resources so that you could have a more pleasant trip, especially during this Holiday Season.

All of us are experiencing slower (and consequently longer) wait lines at airports as the result of heighten security measures. And to avoid any surprises at the airport of what you can bring on board in your carry-on bag, it’s always a good idea to check with TSA to get the latest scoop. This way you will know how many ounces of your favorite perfume you can bring or whether or not your snappy nail clipper will be better off with the check-ins.

To get a more comprehensive list of travel recommendations for you and your family - covering everything from best travel tips for getting the lowest airfares to determining the world’s best cruises - it would be a good idea to visit the Perrin Post. If you feel the itch to travel to Europe, check out Rick Steve’s tips on European vacations; they are both great resources in providing a comprehensive view of what you ought to know before you go (travel tip wise).

Finally, if you are looking for a great deal to get you on your way, I can think of no better sites than Travelzoo and ShermansTravel. They are both fantastic resources for saving your budget!

Safe Travels,

Steve

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In Part I, we learnt a bit about LEED certification, along with facts and statistics about LEED certified hotels, and the resultant benefits for the hoteliers. In this part, we’ll consider the hassles and problems associated with constructing and running a green hotel.I also asked Mr. Yuan-Sing Chang, who runs the green development wing of the Gaia Napa Valley, that if LEED certification is all that its made out to be, with potential benefits of millions of dollars in additional income, cost savings, and tax rebates, then why are so few hotels interested in it?

He says that a lot of developers build the hotels and then flip them off when they are complete, and that it does not make sense for them to pursue LEED certification because of the extra costs and time factor. This would make sense from a business angle even if the company that built the hotel is planning on running it.

According to a presentation by the Green Building Finance Consortium (GBFC), the actual costs of LEED certification (not including the certification fees) go up as per the certification level sought. The base level of LEED certification pushes up the initial cost by 0.8%, while initial costs for Silver ratings is 3.5% higher, LEED Gold buildings have a 4.5% premium and Platinum buildings can push up costs by as much as 11.5 percent.

So what it comes down to is the initial extra investment of time and resources necessary to get the certification, as opposed to the many benefits once you get the certification. Hopefully, this balance will tilt in favor of certification as more and more hotels need it, and the costs go down.

One way to streamline the certification process and speed it up is to hire some LEED Accredited Professionals (LEED AP). As of date, there are more than 43,000 accredited professionals. You can search for LEED APs in your area in the Green Building Certification Institute’s directory.

There are also companies like the San Francisco based Simon & Associates, who act as ‘green building consultants’. Their roster of clients who have achieved LEED certification include Berkeley City College, University of California - Merced Campus, and the Gaia Napa Valley, among others.

As of today, LEED is the definitive proof that consumers are looking at to decide whether a hotel is green enough. I’d like to add that a very influential group - The Global Partnership for Sustainable Tourism Criteria - comprising of 27 major travel industry companies and non-profit environment groups, have come together and developed a new expansive standard for sustainable tourism, which was unveiled at the recently concluded 10 day IUCN World Conservation Congress in Barcelona, attended by delegations from 177 countries.

The standard (GSTC for short), takes into account all existing major standards already in use, and was developed after extensive consultation with experts, academics and private industry.

Its still a work in progress, but if you look at some of the players involved - The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH &LA), American Society of Travel Agents (ASTI), United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), Choice Hotels, Conde Nast Traveler, Expedia, Inc., Hyatt Hotels and Resorts, Travelocity/Sabre, and many more, I can tell you for sure that this is going to be the future of the travel industry.

Photo of the LEED Platinum Certified Proximity hotel courtesy Quaintance-Weaver Restaurants and Hotels.

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There’s tremendous buzz about green business, even in the somewhat hidebound hospitality industry, where sustainable tourism is now a catchword.

Most every hotel is making at least a token effort to create an appearance of being green. This is, of course, a reaction to the groundswell of concern among consumers about global warming and climate change.

So I thought I’d look into what LEED certification actually means for hotels, from a business point of view. Let’s go through a bit of background before we get to the details. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification provides independent, third-party verification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) that a building project meets the highest green building and performance measures.

According to details provided to me by the USGBC, there are 14 hotels which have earned LEED certification so far. The Kandalama Hotel in Sri Lanka was the first hotel in the world to receive LEED certification, while Len Foote Hike Inn, Dawsonville, GA was the first in the U.S., the Palazzo in Vegas is the biggest green building in the world, the Gaia Napa Valley, CA was the first to get LEED Gold certification, and the Proximity Hotel, Greensboro, NC is the only one so far to get Platinum LEED certification.

The USGBC also says that there are 437 other hotels whose LEED certifications are currently in the pipeline. My point here is to point out the disparity between the small number already certified, and the relatively large number of hotels who are now trying to get certified. Basically, we have a rising trend here, and you’re going to hear a lot more about this in the near future.

USGBC spokesperson Lauren Connelly says that “LEED certification is especially important for hotels because it not only saves energy and reduces operating costs, it says to the customer that this hotel is green and has received third party verification, and we’re finding eco-minded consumers really value that.”

I asked Mr. Yuan-Sing Chang, Vice President of Atman Hospitality Group, Inc., who is in charge of the green development wing for the Gaia Napa Valley and two other Gaia properties in Redding and Merced, about the benefits of LEED certification, and here’s what he had to say.

“We were lucky to be the first and only LEED Gold rated hotel in the world. That alone sparked numerous articles and media for the hotel and our company. Just from the PR standpoint we calculated that we achieved over $2 million dollars worth of advertising for free. We are saving about 25% in our electricity savings and 45% in water savings as well. These types of savings go directly to the bottom line. There are more and more products that are coming out i.e. amenities and design products that help lower the costs. Other advantages include fast track through the city planning department and TOT tax credit from the city.”

The Proximity Hotel in Greensboro, NC, which earned Platinum LEED certification earlier this month, has a 100 solar panels installed on the hotel’s rooftop, and Dennis Quaintance , the CEO of Quaintance-Weaver, which built and operates the hotel, says that “When we started the design process four years ago, I would have never believed that we could use 39% less energy and 33% less water without one iota of compromise in comfort or luxury and with minimal additional construction costs.”

I’d like to add here that some cities are giving extra incentives for green buildings. For example, starting Jan 1 2009, building owners in New York City who install green rooftops on at least 50 percent of available rooftop space can apply for a one-year property tax credit of up to $100,000.

In the second part, we’ll take a look at the negative aspects and problems faced by hotels trying to get LEED certified, and also solutions to ease that pain, plus a look at some new developments in sustainable tourism standards.

Proximity Hotel photo courtesy Quaintance-Weaver Restaurants and Hotels. USGBC logo courtesy USGBC.

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By Thomas Brown of UpTake Networks

UpTake, as everyone knows by now, is all about who you’re traveling with and why you’re traveling - if you’re taking a trip with that special someone in your life, we’ll help you find a romantic place to stay and the perfect things to do.  Or if you’re planning a family vacation with your kids, then we’re the site for you.  But what about old-fashioned deals that are based on price?  UpTake has our Feelin’ Broke listings, but what if I want to start my vacation planning based exclusively on price?  At the risk of offending our Prez (sorry, Yen!), I recently took a trip using exactly this approach.

There are lots of players in the travel deals space - Sherman’s Travel and Dunhill to name but two; but I wound planning my recent trip to Seattle with our friends at Travelzoo.  Their Top 20 lists travel deals that would be aptly described as travel steals, as evidence by this gem that I booked:  A three-night stay at the oh-so-hip Hotel Max for just $139 per night.

If you’ve been to Seattle lately, you know this is a fantastic rate, particularly in the fall. But to appreciate what a sweet deal it was, consider what I got:  Located downtown, the Max is just a ten-minute walk from Pike Market.  It follows an approach similar to the Kimpton brand - take an otherwise ordinary hotel and transform it into something chic and avant-garde, simply by taking chances with style, art and design.  Think tons of tomato-red fabric.  Think original works by Seattle artists throughout the hotel.  Think touches that are simultaneously thoughtful, whimsical, and provocative; such as an in-room “Spiritual Menu” that lists not only the predictable King James Bible, but also the Tao Te Ching and the Bhagavad Gita.  Or the “Pillow Menu” I found on my bed, allowing me to choose from close to a dozen varieties.  And tucked away near the mini-bar, I stumbled across an “Intimacy Kit,” complete with (ahem) . . . batteries.

Rates at the Hotel Max are normally around $200 this time of year, so my Travelzoo deal was just that - a real deal.  It so happens that the Hotel Max could also qualify as a romantic hotel, especially for the younger set.  Hmm . . . do I sense a “romantic deals” category emerging?

(From top - the door to my room; more artwork at the Hotel Max, Photo Credit: Eyeliam )

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By Guest Blogger, Carly Mills

I work for STA Travel, and we live and breathe sending students into the world to experience it in any way they choose.

Unlike the business traveler or the older leisure travelers, students have the luxury of time - and we’re not talking just 2 weeks of vacation time.  When times get tough, students aren’t saying NO to travel.  They’re just changing the way they do it to save a buck.

Two weeks ago, we sent a survey to our customers just to find out if they are still going on Spring Break this year.  78% said “Yes, of course.,” just 3% said “No”.  Amongst those going on Spring Break the majority are budgeting between $500 and $1000.   So this year, STA Travel is packaging trips to meet these budgets.  We have a Bahamas cruise package starting at $310 and a combo volunteer-beach package to Dominican Republic for only $700.   We’ve done the same thing with winter holiday trips and weekend packages to make it easier for students to choose from what falls within their budget.Photo Credit: International Festival

Students are notorious for saving money, and we can all learn a lot from how they travel. Maybe stay at a hip hostel or the B & B down the road instead of that 5 star hotel?  Maybe this year, go to Asia or Latin America, where the dollar goes further once you get there?  There are things we can all do to keep traveling without breakin’ the bank.Here are 5 tips from the student travel experts that we can all use for holiday and spring break travel…

1.    Be flexible with your travel dates.  If taking a day off work or skipping just one class (not on a test day, of course) knocks $50 off your flight, it’s worth it.
2.    Eat & Stay Cheap- Choose a hip hostel or 2-Star hotel and stop at the local joints and food stands – delicious and cheap.
3.    Travel in Groups- 4 or 5 to a room is way cheaper than 2.  Some companies, including STA Travel, offer discounts- and free trips- when you have large groups.
4.    Book Early!-  Space fills up, and if you want the cheapest deals for holiday and spring break you’ve got to book early.

Last, but not least…

5.    If you’re gonna go, go big!  Student traveler pick: The ‘Round the World Ticket. Pack your bags for one super-size trip.  It will save you money on airfare and help you put off that thing called the real world for a while.

Happy Travels!

Carly Mills

Carly is the Marketing Manager for STA Travel.  Her favorite country is Spain, and if she could go anywhere in the world, she’d go to Argentina to learn to Tango dance.

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In a world of unwritten rules, one would never attempt to eat sushi with a fork or show up to a job interview wearing a costume unless you happen to be applying for a position as a clown (or wanting to be clowned).

One particular travel site, however, is taking a different approach than the rest of the players in an elite group of meta search engines in the online travel space. Mobissimo has embraced social networking and personalization tools to a degree that far exceeds its competitors (Kayak, Sidestep and Farecast).

I checked out Mobissimo’s Share Space called MobiShare (available directly on a tab on Mobissimo’s home page). Powered by Plum, this area of the site allows visitors to create a space to share all their travel-related urls, images, videos, notes or documents. It’s like a scrapbook of travel ideas. With MobiShare you can create shared folders where friends can contribute and anyone on the site can comment on the content or discover new places to visit.  MobiShare adds to Mobissimo’s MobiFriends travel community where you can meet travelers from around the world and share the fares you find on Mobissimo.

Other than including a “Deals” section on their sites, true meta search engines have been known to keep a minimalist’s approach in design so that the main focus is on their bread and butter – search. However, with travelers taking fewer trips this year, consumers want to make sure they’re getting the most out of every trip so Mobissimo’s strategy to differentiate by adding a fully integrated social networking component may well pay off.

Historically, Kayak/Sidestep and Farecast (with much greater funding) have had stronger overall U.S. traffic growth than Mobissimo, whereas Mobissimo has had stronger international brand awareness. As a result, Mobissimo’s social networking initiative to grow organically within its own ecosystem may also prove to be a good sticking point for its worldwide user base, keeping visitors engaged longer and driving incremental customer acquisition.

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I’m scratching my head here to find out exactly why Ryanair, Europe’s largest low fares airline, is duking it out with hotel booking giant Expedia. They’re not only in the middle of a verbal slanging match in the media, but the two of them have also landed up in court in a legal mess of claims and counterclaims.

Ryanair (Nasdaq: RYAAY) just announced that it has given 30 days notice to Expedia (Nasdaq: EXPE) that its hotel contract, which gave Expedia exclusive rights to sell hotel accommodation on Ryanair.com, will end following Expedia’s failure to honour payment terms. As things stand, the contract will be terminated on the 8th November 2008.

In a press statement, Ryanair’s Deputy CEO Michael Cawley, said that “Ryanair offered Expedia the unique opportunity to exclusively access its 58 million passengers through Europe’s largest travel website, Ryanair.com. Regrettably, Expedia has failed to honour key obligations under this agreement, in particular its payment terms, and our attempts in recent months to get Expedia to resolve these breaches, have failed so we now have no alternative but to give them notice. Should Expedia remedy its breach within the 30 day period, Ryanair will continue the partnership.”

In response, Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO of Expedia, Inc., says that “We are disappointed by the statement made by Ryanair earlier today, as we believe that Expedia has complied in every respect with the terms of our agreement with Ryanair, including all payment terms, and that Ryanair has failed to honor its obligations under that agreement. We have a long history of solid relationships with our partners and take our contractual obligations seriously; we expect our partners to do the same. We strongly believe that Ryanair does not have the right to terminate our agreement.”

The matters in dispute are the subject of legal proceedings that have been pending since May 2008 before the Commercial Court in London. On Friday, October 10, 2008 the Court gave directions to the parties for an orderly resolution of this dispute with a view to a trial of the claim and counterclaim in November 2009 if the matter is not settled before then.

The Ryanair press statement also says that Ryanair entered into the agreement with Travelscape LLC (the parent of Expedia) on the 21st March 2007.

Couple of points I’d like to note here. Firstly, that Bellevue, Wash. based Expedia Inc. is the parent of the Nevada based Travelscape, not the other way round. And secondly, that this problem probably has more to do with Ryanair than with Expedia. That’s because Expedia has similar agreements with many other airlines, including Air China, and the Denver based Frontier Airlines. And also with a huge number of other travel service providers other than airlines.

In fact, this Expedia contract is actually more a standard software - Expedia Private Label Worldwide Travel Exchange (WWTE) - which plugs itself into any website, offering the website’s visitors a choice to book flights, vacation packages, rental cars and Expedia’s list of hotel properties. It’s a simple enough process, like an affiliate program. Even Expedia uses WWTE to offer flight bookings from airlines like American Airlines and Virgin America on its own and its subsidiaries’ websites.

The point is that it’s not something which Expedia and Ryanair cooked up exclusively for their partnership. It’s the same arrangement (broadly speaking) that Expedia has with other airlines and travel service providers.

In the press statement announcing the termination, Ryanair’s Michael Cawley also adds that “We have already received approaches from a number of other hotel providers across Europe and expect to have a replacement partner up and running before the end of the year.”

In my opinion, the real issue here is that Ryanair wants more out of hotel sales from their website than what they’re getting now, and some European hotel provider must have offered them a bigger cut of the hotel booking pie.

Be that as it may, this ain’t over yet, and you can expect a lot more fireworks from both sides in the coming months.

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We are looking for extraordinary individuals who enjoy working in collaborative, results-driven teams. If you are creative problem-solver, collaborative and eager to push the edge on where web search and travel planning will evolve, please email us your CV concerning one of our open positions:

• Application/ UI Engineer
• Data Extractor / Web Data Miner
• Natural Language Engineer
• Business Intelligence and Data Analytics Lead

Why Join UpTake?

• Travel is the largest e-commerce sector
• We are addressing a significant unmet consumer need in that sector
• We have a leadership team with prior entrepreneurial success and deep travel and search experience
• We have proven our unique technology, our complementary approach and our business model
• We are centrally located, 1/2 block from the Caltrain station in Palo Alto
• We don’t have so much free food that you’ll put on 15 pounds during your first month
• We are a results-driven, fun and collaborative team
• We are fully funded to profitability with proven top-tier investors

Our “Week at the Ritz” (or $5K) Referral Program

To thank you for introducing us to an engineering candidate we add to the UpTake team, we will send you to the Ritz. Any Ritz, anytime for a week (our President is a Canuck who is partial to the Four Seasons and can recommend a few personal favorites, so we’d be happy to send you to a Four Seasons for a week instead)! We’ll pay for your room, breakfast for a week and a daily spa treatment too, if you wish.

-or-

If you prefer, we’ll pay you a referral fee of $5,000.

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Donate $7,500 in your name to the Bay Area chapter of Big Brothers Big Sisters. To be eligible, please send your referrals to jobs@uptake.com before this Thanksgiving (and be the first to send us the candidate). If candidates come to us directly as a result of your introduction, please make sure they mention your name in the subject line of their initial email.

Thanks!

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