Pop-ups prompt drop in Internet travel planning
An annual survey called the 2007 National Travel Monitor, conducted by two large travel marketing firms, reported that the use of the Internet for travel planning is down from previous levels in the last few years.
The reason seems to be pop-ups, ads and bothersome links that appear during the planning process. The study found that in the first part of 2007, the percentage of increase of all travelers in using the 'Net was down 3 percent, and for business travelers, actual use dropped 2 percent after rising 14 percent in 2004. It appears travelers don't like to wade through commercial pitches that clutter the top part of the screen to get to the objective information sites.
If you are 70 or older, you may find it difficult to rent a car while traveling in Europe. Many countries do not have any age limit, but Denmark, Poland, Slovakia, Turkey, parts of the United Kingdom, Ireland, Israel and Romania all have restrictions on varying ages, with some charging an extra fee for those over 70 or 75. Others won't rent a car at all for those over 75. Be sure to ask your car-rental agency specific questions about age rules when you book.
You can also go through Auto Europe, www.autoeurope.com, a wholesaler that deals with many rental companies and may be able to intervene to allow you to rent no matter your age.
Farecast, www.farecast.com, can help you decide whether to buy your airline ticket now or wait, anticipating a drop in price. It gives current fares from 75 airports to major travel destinations, then predicts whether the price will hold steady, go up or go down in the next seven days. It uses comparison information from previous years in various markets to come up with its predictions. On another money-saving front, the accepted wisdom that booking a flight on a Tuesday often gets you a slightly lower fare than booking on Saturday appears to be true. It's worth a try.
A good source of information about dude ranches is www.duderanch.org. It represents more than 100 ranches in the Dude Ranchers' Association, formed in 1926. If you wonder if the ranch you are considering is run professionally, you can trust this organization. Before it is accepted for membership, a dude ranch must go through a rigorous two-year inspection and approval process.
In print
"Zagat: New York City Gourmet Shopping and Entertaining 200," published by Zagat at $14.95, reviews more that 1,600 places that offer everything from waffles to wine, including caterers, florists, butchers and cheese shops. It covers small mom and pop delis, five-star society restaurants where The Donald might be spotted, and every ethnic possibility in between.
It also deals with trends in food in New York, including the rise of the cupcake, the still powerful lure of gourmet chocolates and the importance of organic and locally grown foods. A section on gourmet shopping services online can help many of us get our foodie fix in between trips to the Big Apple.