Now three more all-inclusive resort brands are offering a flu free gauarantee. Karisma, Palace and Real resorts in the Riviera Maya area offer a 3 year vacation replacement if a guest contracts H1N1 while staying at the property. None of these have had any cases traced back to a stay at one of their properties.
Rates are also awesome to entice travelers to come back...as low as $89 pp/pn at Real in Cancun and Playa del Carmen. .
Friday, May 15, 2009
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Here are exerpts from I letter I just receiveved from AM Resorts regarding the situation in Mexico.
...
There has been an overwhelming amount of negative media coverage reported these past few weeks and we are sad to say that the majority of reporting is considered to be a lot of hype and misinformation.
It is very important to understand and focus on the facts under these circumstances and our goal is to help you do just that.
The Facts:
According to Mexico’s Health Minister, José Angel Córdova, of the 159 deaths reported during the flu outbreak in the country, only 16 were confirmed to be associated with the swine flu.
Only 10% of the number originally stated by the media
Population of Mexico City: 26.7 million people
Relative percentage of people infected in Mexico City: 5 ten millionths of one percent
The United States reports 38,000 deaths per year to the regular flu
According to Quintana Roo State Secretary of Tourism, no fatal cases of influenza have been reported in the main tourism destinations:
Cancún, Riviera Maya, Los Cabos, Puerto Vallarta, Riviera Nayarit and Huatulco
The BBC has reported the influenza is in decline, according to Mexican Health Minister, Jose Cordova.
CNN reports, the health alert drop in Mexico City is a sign that Mexico City is successfully overcoming the influenza and the preventative actions taken are producing positive results, states Mexico City Mayor, Marcelo Ebrad.
The World Health Organization is NOT recommending travel restrictions. Scientific research indicates that restricting travel will be of limited or no benefit in stopping the spread of disease, according to the WHO.
CNN’s travel expert, Peter Greenberg states the H1N1 reporting has been blown out of proportion and has created an unnecessary ‘abundance of fear’.
Watch the interview here.
Listen to what guests currently in Mexico are saying:
“If you watch the national media, you are misinformed.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsCL-WAdLSo
“If you're thinking about coming to Mexico, the rates are down, the airfare is cheap, so get down here before the rest of the country finds out.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sAw9ud5ZDs
Even with the negative reports, Mexico tourism remains active and all restaurants, cafes, libraries, museums, churches and archaeological sites are open.
While some airlines have reduced scheduled flights to Mexico, we would like to point out that tour operators such as Apple Vacations have maintained and will continue to maintain charter flights to Mexico. Their current $99 flight special in combination with our Spring Escape promotion - 55% savings, resort credits and kids stay free - is just something your clients can’t pass up. It’s actually the best time to travel.
Am Resorts operates Zoëtry Wellness & Spa Resorts, Secrets and Dreams Resorts & Spas. This is a public relations effort I applaud! Of course, they have a vested interest in promoting tourism in Mexico, but it is so nice to see some facts to put the numbers in perspective.
...
There has been an overwhelming amount of negative media coverage reported these past few weeks and we are sad to say that the majority of reporting is considered to be a lot of hype and misinformation.
It is very important to understand and focus on the facts under these circumstances and our goal is to help you do just that.
The Facts:
According to Mexico’s Health Minister, José Angel Córdova, of the 159 deaths reported during the flu outbreak in the country, only 16 were confirmed to be associated with the swine flu.
Only 10% of the number originally stated by the media
Population of Mexico City: 26.7 million people
Relative percentage of people infected in Mexico City: 5 ten millionths of one percent
The United States reports 38,000 deaths per year to the regular flu
According to Quintana Roo State Secretary of Tourism, no fatal cases of influenza have been reported in the main tourism destinations:
Cancún, Riviera Maya, Los Cabos, Puerto Vallarta, Riviera Nayarit and Huatulco
The BBC has reported the influenza is in decline, according to Mexican Health Minister, Jose Cordova.
CNN reports, the health alert drop in Mexico City is a sign that Mexico City is successfully overcoming the influenza and the preventative actions taken are producing positive results, states Mexico City Mayor, Marcelo Ebrad.
The World Health Organization is NOT recommending travel restrictions. Scientific research indicates that restricting travel will be of limited or no benefit in stopping the spread of disease, according to the WHO.
CNN’s travel expert, Peter Greenberg states the H1N1 reporting has been blown out of proportion and has created an unnecessary ‘abundance of fear’.
Watch the interview here.
Listen to what guests currently in Mexico are saying:
“If you watch the national media, you are misinformed.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsCL-WAdLSo
“If you're thinking about coming to Mexico, the rates are down, the airfare is cheap, so get down here before the rest of the country finds out.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sAw9ud5ZDs
Even with the negative reports, Mexico tourism remains active and all restaurants, cafes, libraries, museums, churches and archaeological sites are open.
While some airlines have reduced scheduled flights to Mexico, we would like to point out that tour operators such as Apple Vacations have maintained and will continue to maintain charter flights to Mexico. Their current $99 flight special in combination with our Spring Escape promotion - 55% savings, resort credits and kids stay free - is just something your clients can’t pass up. It’s actually the best time to travel.
Am Resorts operates Zoëtry Wellness & Spa Resorts, Secrets and Dreams Resorts & Spas. This is a public relations effort I applaud! Of course, they have a vested interest in promoting tourism in Mexico, but it is so nice to see some facts to put the numbers in perspective.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
H1N1 part 2
I had a nightmare about swine flu yesterday that made me realize just how anxious I am about all the hysteria and panic. In my dream, I was on a plane that the government had decided should crash because there was a possibility that passengers were infected. Everyone onboard gathered around the cockpit begging the pilot not to do it, but he said he had no choice. The government told him he had to crash and he already had a spot picked out. People continued to talk to him and the 'government' on speakerphone and just when they were softening up...I coughed. Of course the mob turned on me and were about to throw me out of the plane when I woke up with my heart racing and sweating like I was doing yardwork.
On the Tripadvisor message boards someone posted pictures and wrote about how odd it is to see Cancun so quiet right now. That still makes me sad that many people will potentially lose their jobs over this and an already shaky economy will get worse for even more people, in Mexico and the United States.
They also noted that people aren't walking around with masks on and freaking out like we are here. Those just returning from trips are raving about what a great time they had with resorts at only 30% capacity. The service was over the top, pools and beaches are not crowded etc. If I could go right now, I would definitely be there.
Those that have chosen to change their plans seem to choose Aruba or Punta Cana as alternates. Cruises are also a favorite summertime vacation, but with the numerous 'kids stay free' promotions all-inclusives are pricing very competitively this summer for families.
They also noted that people aren't walking around with masks on and freaking out like we are here. Those just returning from trips are raving about what a great time they had with resorts at only 30% capacity. The service was over the top, pools and beaches are not crowded etc. If I could go right now, I would definitely be there.
Those that have chosen to change their plans seem to choose Aruba or Punta Cana as alternates. Cruises are also a favorite summertime vacation, but with the numerous 'kids stay free' promotions all-inclusives are pricing very competitively this summer for families.
Thankfully the wave of panic is subsiding a little, but once you've opened the gate it's hard to get all the cows back in. Now the pork industry is out in full force setting things straight. The President and media are more commonly referring to the swine flu as H1N1 to allay the public's fears about pigs. They are finally saying the masks are silly and ineffective if you are not sick.
I am over the cold I had last week thank goodness, so I hope there will be no more witch hunt dreams. My son however, has had a chronic runny nose and cough for months so we do get a few nervous glances at the playground. We've been playing in the backyard a little more than usual. I don't want one of the panic victims to freak out and throw him in the duck pond. (On a side note, he is having his adenoids removed at the end of the month, so please keep us in your thoughts and prayers. It is a very minor surgery, but it's still scary to us!)
Friday, May 1, 2009
Swine Flu Fever
I have resisted posting about the swine flu all week to see how things would unfold. Now we have our first confirmed case in the area, so it's a great time to address it. Warning: This post is heavy on my opinion so please go to the links provided for up-to-date information.
I have counted my blessings that this does not affect any of my current clients' itineraries, so I have not received one call about it! Thank goodness, because I happened to be sick and could barely talk. No matter what I said I am sure it would not have sounded very convincing since Cancun was my last trip. Never mind that was almost three months ago...CNN seems to think if you have ever thought about Mexico, been in a school or public place you are possibly infected. Can you tell I am a bit irritated?
The media coverage has just been unreal surrounding this! I have always looked at the media with a critical eye by training (my former career before travel was public relations) and lately they have just made my blood boil. The facts of this virus are buried beneath alarming headlines and dire warnings. Irresponsible reporting has been the real epidemic in my opinion and it has reached epic proportions the last year. Today I read in the AJC that Cancun was the epicenter of the outbreak. Really? Thought that was Mexico City. Do they realize that there are more cases in the U.S. than Mexico now? Are we now advising travelers to avoid New York? I monitor news updates from reliable sources who are not seeking ratings to get the most accurate information and still make sure to add a little common sense to that. I have yet to see the CDC advocate face masks as an everyday precaution. (But boy, those mask manufacturers must be doing a happy dance right now) The precautions they do suggest are things we should do anyway! Namely, wash your hands frequently. Use sanitizer, stay away from other people if you are sick. These simple little things will go much further in preventing infection than panic. You would be amazed at the number of people who know they are sick, yet go on about their day because they don't want to ruin their vacation or miss out on their cruise. People with some kind of bug are always around, not just when there's a catchy name for the virus of the moment.
Now that cruise lines are altering itineraries I am getting nervous, but not about the flu. Not everyone has decided Mexico is purgatory and some do look forward to specific ports of call on their cruises. I also feel for the local communities that depend so heavily on tourism. The faltering economy, drug violence at the border (another example of sloppy reporting) and natural disaster have already done a number on tourism. Real people depend on jobs that depend on tourists. We don't travel, they don't eat. I hope this will blow over soon once the next big thing in news comes along.
http://cdc.gov/h1n1flu/
I have counted my blessings that this does not affect any of my current clients' itineraries, so I have not received one call about it! Thank goodness, because I happened to be sick and could barely talk. No matter what I said I am sure it would not have sounded very convincing since Cancun was my last trip. Never mind that was almost three months ago...CNN seems to think if you have ever thought about Mexico, been in a school or public place you are possibly infected. Can you tell I am a bit irritated?
The media coverage has just been unreal surrounding this! I have always looked at the media with a critical eye by training (my former career before travel was public relations) and lately they have just made my blood boil. The facts of this virus are buried beneath alarming headlines and dire warnings. Irresponsible reporting has been the real epidemic in my opinion and it has reached epic proportions the last year. Today I read in the AJC that Cancun was the epicenter of the outbreak. Really? Thought that was Mexico City. Do they realize that there are more cases in the U.S. than Mexico now? Are we now advising travelers to avoid New York? I monitor news updates from reliable sources who are not seeking ratings to get the most accurate information and still make sure to add a little common sense to that. I have yet to see the CDC advocate face masks as an everyday precaution. (But boy, those mask manufacturers must be doing a happy dance right now) The precautions they do suggest are things we should do anyway! Namely, wash your hands frequently. Use sanitizer, stay away from other people if you are sick. These simple little things will go much further in preventing infection than panic. You would be amazed at the number of people who know they are sick, yet go on about their day because they don't want to ruin their vacation or miss out on their cruise. People with some kind of bug are always around, not just when there's a catchy name for the virus of the moment.
Now that cruise lines are altering itineraries I am getting nervous, but not about the flu. Not everyone has decided Mexico is purgatory and some do look forward to specific ports of call on their cruises. I also feel for the local communities that depend so heavily on tourism. The faltering economy, drug violence at the border (another example of sloppy reporting) and natural disaster have already done a number on tourism. Real people depend on jobs that depend on tourists. We don't travel, they don't eat. I hope this will blow over soon once the next big thing in news comes along.
http://cdc.gov/h1n1flu/
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Happy Earth Day!
As we focus on ways to go green in our lives at home don't forget that you can stay green on vacation as well! Make an effort to look for sustainable tourism, buy carbon offsets for your air or car travel and make sure you mind your trash to leave the destinations as beautiful as you found them.
According to the Caribbean Alliance for Sustainable Tourism, the region boasts the largest concentration of Green Globe certified resorts in the world. http://www.cha-cast.com/GGproperties.html
I am particularly impressed at the efforts of Sandals and Beaches properties, which are all Green Globe certified.
http://www.beaches.com/general/greenglobe.cfm
http://www.sandals.com/general/greenglobe.cfm
When choosing shore excursions, try to look for activities that do not harm the very environment you are enjoying. Some areas do not encourage jet skis or water skiing to protect the fragile coral reefs and sea life. The Riviera Maya area near Cancun offers many excellent activities outside of Chichen Itza that showcase the lush jungle and archaeological sites surrounding the resorts. (Xel-Ha, Tulum, Xcaret) There's so much more than partying!
Buy local products and craft souvenirs whenever possible. Sure those 3/$10 t-shirts from China are tempting, but something unique will bring back great memories of your trip later.
Eat local food. OK, this may be difficult for some, but at least stay away from MacDonald's. Just as we should support local farmers at home, support those in the countries you're visiting. (Where do you think those patties are coming from when you don't see any cows?) I bet you'll be surprised at how many fruits and vegetable varieties seem exotic to us, but are staples in other countries...and you just might like it.
It seems to be a little harder to cruise green, but Holland America has made a commitment to do what they can from using low flow toilets to non-hazardous cleaning products.
If you have some other tips, or tourism companies that you feel do a great job protecting the environment comment and let us know!
According to the Caribbean Alliance for Sustainable Tourism, the region boasts the largest concentration of Green Globe certified resorts in the world. http://www.cha-cast.com/GGproperties.html
I am particularly impressed at the efforts of Sandals and Beaches properties, which are all Green Globe certified.
http://www.beaches.com/general/greenglobe.cfm
http://www.sandals.com/general/greenglobe.cfm
When choosing shore excursions, try to look for activities that do not harm the very environment you are enjoying. Some areas do not encourage jet skis or water skiing to protect the fragile coral reefs and sea life. The Riviera Maya area near Cancun offers many excellent activities outside of Chichen Itza that showcase the lush jungle and archaeological sites surrounding the resorts. (Xel-Ha, Tulum, Xcaret) There's so much more than partying!
Buy local products and craft souvenirs whenever possible. Sure those 3/$10 t-shirts from China are tempting, but something unique will bring back great memories of your trip later.
Eat local food. OK, this may be difficult for some, but at least stay away from MacDonald's. Just as we should support local farmers at home, support those in the countries you're visiting. (Where do you think those patties are coming from when you don't see any cows?) I bet you'll be surprised at how many fruits and vegetable varieties seem exotic to us, but are staples in other countries...and you just might like it.
It seems to be a little harder to cruise green, but Holland America has made a commitment to do what they can from using low flow toilets to non-hazardous cleaning products.
If you have some other tips, or tourism companies that you feel do a great job protecting the environment comment and let us know!
Friday, April 3, 2009
Family Friendly Travel
As you're starting to look forward to summer break and family vacations take a look at some trips you may not have thought of. The first thing that usually pops up for families with young children is Disney world or other amusement parks. I do sell Disney packages as well, so I'm certainly not bashing them, but many parents have not thought of bring their kids to the Caribbean. When you add up the cost of food and everything you'll spend, most of the time it's comparable to an all-inclusive or cruise...and there are no line mazes!
Most cruises, resorts and large hotels offer daily activity programs for children. The particulars will vary, but in general most will have qualified staff supervising and leading children in activities related to the destination. They'll have fun learning about new animals, the ocean and other cultures all while you kick back with a nice tropical cocktail. The price of these is most often included with your rate.
Some of my favorite kid's programs include:
Norwegian and Carnival Cruise Lines: Their program starts with 2 year olds and they change diapers! The other major lines do not. Kids are divided up into age appropriate groups to keep everyone interested.
Dreams Resorts: Their program runs until 10 p.m. for kids 3-12.
Movies on the beach and rock climbing are also fun for everyone. This summer some of their properties are offering kids free!
Beaches Resorts: They have partnered with Sesame Street and Crayola offering shows, character visits and activities the young ones are sure to love. The nursery is even available with US certified nannies for babies. For the older set they offer 'night clubs' and the Scratch DJ Academy.
These are just a few of the kid-friendly vacations out there. If you have a specific hotel or destination in mind let me know.
While you will have a blast once you reach your destination I do recommend packing plenty of patience in your carry on. About the only thing TSA is consistent on is being annoying. I hate to say that because I do have a friend who works there, but airport security can be daunting for a parent.
Check here for current regulations http://www.tsa.dhs.gov/travelers/airtravel/children/index.shtm
Arrive early and pack lightly, but be prepared. I usually stock up on some dollar store toys before a trip. That keeps my son busy with things he hasn't seen before. I might even bring some snacks he doesn't usually have for when times get rough. Flight attendants are usually great at offering extra plane snacks to kids too. Your stroller will have to go on the x-ray machine, so keep that in mind when deciding between the umbrella and the big one. If you have a little one, just use a carrier instead. (I've had a patapum and a maya wrap) I also found one of those document holders that goes around your neck invaluble for the 10 times you get asked for your ID and tickets. No need to fumble in your pockets or back while trying to keep a hand on a little one.
Atlanta has a mini toddler playground in the Delta concourse to burn off some energy before your flight.
Make sure they are drinking something during takeoff and landing and bring Tylenol just in case they still get an earache. My 3 year old had been on lots of flights but has only had one big meltdown. Just like in everyday life with babies and toddlers sometimes it's unavoidable and you just have to grin and bear it. I have noticed that those with small children who were obviously nervous and very anxious had kids that just cried louder the more they shushed them. Figure out what it is and the meltdown will probably last a few minutes instead of an hour. Most people are understanding and won't give you the evil eye for the entire trip like I feared.
When it Rains it Pours!
The clouds are finally parting here after almost a week of rainy weather. The weather just echoed my mood with much of my time devoted to solving communication problems. Pouring meaning I had issues with snail mail and e-mail at the same time! It's times like these that make me afraid of our dependence on computers for just about everything.
I completely stopped recieving mail and after a long talk with the post office found out someone mistakenly directed my mail in the postal system computers 'return to sender'! I had no idea it was that easy to comletely screw up someone's mail. Apparently things don't even go to your local office before being rerouted anymore. It's all computerized. A wrong keystroke by an employee entering someone else's forwarding or mail stop order can send your things clear across the country without you ever knowing the difference. I had no idea that the postal system was even that advanced. Reminds me of that scene in the movie Eagle Eye where the packages were rerouted by the big computer. I thought only FED EX and UPS tried to be efficient =) Who knew the government could too!
My ISP, AT&T decided to have a problem communicating with other servers at the same time this week. In particular I could not send or recieve anything from hotmail addresses. This then spread to emails coming from GSG as well as my personal address. As of today it looks like all of the problems are fixed. Now I'm going to enjoy the sunshine this weekend!
If you sent me anything recently that was not replied to or recieved any returned mail please let me know. Most likely I never got it. I always respond to e-mails within 24 hours or you'll get an away message.
I completely stopped recieving mail and after a long talk with the post office found out someone mistakenly directed my mail in the postal system computers 'return to sender'! I had no idea it was that easy to comletely screw up someone's mail. Apparently things don't even go to your local office before being rerouted anymore. It's all computerized. A wrong keystroke by an employee entering someone else's forwarding or mail stop order can send your things clear across the country without you ever knowing the difference. I had no idea that the postal system was even that advanced. Reminds me of that scene in the movie Eagle Eye where the packages were rerouted by the big computer. I thought only FED EX and UPS tried to be efficient =) Who knew the government could too!
My ISP, AT&T decided to have a problem communicating with other servers at the same time this week. In particular I could not send or recieve anything from hotmail addresses. This then spread to emails coming from GSG as well as my personal address. As of today it looks like all of the problems are fixed. Now I'm going to enjoy the sunshine this weekend!
If you sent me anything recently that was not replied to or recieved any returned mail please let me know. Most likely I never got it. I always respond to e-mails within 24 hours or you'll get an away message.
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