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January 24, 2010

The Tourism Impact of the January 2010 Earthquake in Port-au-Prince, Haiti

Filed under: Personal Post, Uncategorized — Tags: , , — myroadtotravel @ 10:43 pm

Article by Robert Curley – About.com Guide

HaitiThe January 2010 Port-au-Prince earthquake is not only a humanitarian catastrophe, it also is a devastating blow to recent efforts to put Haiti back on the tourism map. Part of the bitter irony of this unforeseen natural disaster is that it comes just as Haiti was starting to show signs of recovering from its myriad political, criminal and natural crises and achieving enough stability that visitors could safely be welcomed again. Just recently, Choice Hotels had announced plans to bring the first Comfort Inn to Haiti, which also would have been the island’s first property from an international hotel chain.

Now, Haiti will have to cope with the loss of thousands of lives and the destruction of public infrastructure (roads, buildings, utilities) that was far from ideal even before the earthquake. A wall at the famous Hotel Oloffson has collapsed (though the property is reportedly otherwise intact), as has the Haitian National Palace and the Port au Prince cathedral, according to witnesses. The Hotel Montana has been destroyed, with many people trapped inside; the same is true of the Karibe Hotel and doubtless many others.

The one piece of good news so far is that the airport in Port au Prince is operational and capable of receiving relief flights, despite the loss of its control tower. Also, while travel to the Port au Prince area will obviously be affected for many years by this tragedy, it’s worth noting that other areas of the country did not experience the same level of destruction, leaving open the possibility of a revived tourism industry at some point in the future.

Both the Hotel Olaffson and the Hotel Villa Creole in Port au Prince are reportedly being used as shelters for quake victims.

American Airlines and Delta Air Lines have cancelled its flights to Haiti. JetBlue is allowing passengers traveling to Puerto Plata, Santo Domingo, or Santiago in the Dominican Republic whose travels are affected by the quake to rebook at no charge. Check with your airline for more details. Some Dominican airports are being used as staging grounds for relief flights to Haiti; the Dominican Republic occupies the eastern half of Hispaniola, while Haiti occupies the western half of the island.

Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines said that no visible damage has been reported at the cruise port of Labadee, Haiti. Cruise lines are reportedly waiting for permission from the Haitian government before resuming stopovers in Labadee.


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January 17, 2010

Google Crisis Response to the Earthquake in Haiti

Filed under: Personal Post, Uncategorized — Tags: , , — myroadtotravel @ 4:44 pm
Google Crisis Response to the Earthquake in Haiti

Google Crisis Response to the Earthquake in Haiti

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January 4, 2010

Maui Vacation Rentals from Rugged to Royal

Filed under: Hawaii Travel — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , — myroadtotravel @ 1:30 pm

Maui Vacation Rentals

You’re facing a dilemma.  On one hand, you want to do everything you can to ensure that your vacation in Maui will be a dream-come-true.  On the other hand, you don’t want to return from your Maui vacation having spent so much money that it will be a very long time before you can afford another visit.

The ideal Maui vacation will be a combination of relaxation and adventure, but even lying on the beach at Maui comes at a significant cost.  When you add in other expenses like sightseeing tours, snorkeling or horseback riding, a visit to the Maui Ocean aquarium, a traditional luau–any of the things which will make your Maui vacation and unforgettable one, you’re almost certainly looking to economize where you can.  One of the most obvious places to economize is on your Maui accommodations.  Maui vacation rentals are never cheap, but there are nonetheless ways for you to ensure yourself the best deal when you find a place to stay.

You’ll have your choice among hotels, condominiums, and private homes for rent.  Because Maui is such a magnet for tourists, there may be stiff competition for beachfront hotel rooms from other vacationers who realize that this may be the only visit they have to Hawaii and want to enjoy themselves to the hilt.  Should you decide to join them and pay for a top-of-the-line luxury hotel suite, you’ll be guaranteed outstanding service and pampering during your stay.

The large number of vacation rentals in Maui, however, also means that you will have an opportunity to find accommodations which put less of a strain on your budget.  The cheapest way to vacation in Maui, without a doubt, is to take advantage of the many campsites located throughout the island in all sorts of settings.  You can camp on the beach, in an open meadow where you can wash each morning in a waterfall, in the middle of a rain forest, or sheltered from those afternoon rainstorms by a grove of trees.

Some of the camping areas in Maui offer cabin rentals, and while the cabins are primitive, they do solve the problem of lugging around tents and sleeping bags.  Cabins in Haleakala National Park, for example, cost $75 a night and have room to sleep as many as twelve people.  If your idea of the perfect Maui vacation is one that is spent in the saddle, you won’t do better than to rent the vacation home available at the Mendes Ranch in a Kahakuloa in the West Maui Mountains. 

For more traditional Maui vacation rental alternatives, think about staying in a condominium.  Maui is famous for its condo resorts, and condos are ideal lodgings for family vacations or if you are traveling with a group of friends.  Many condo resorts offer access to a variety of attractions for an extra fee.  You may find one which has golfing or tennis privileges, and almost all condos have pools and shuttle service to the beach.  Choosing a Maui condo for your vacation rental will also save you money on your meals, because you’ll be able to prepare your breakfast and a snack to take with you during the day, and splurge at one of Maui’s outstanding restaurants for dinner. Another advantage of using a condo as your lodging is that it will probably have laundry facilities.  You can reasonably expect to spend between 100 and $300 a night for a condo depending on its size and location, as well as the time of year.

No matter how, or where you spend your time in Maui, you are guaranteed the vacation of a lifetime.

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