AUSTRALIA, A Questionable Destination?
by: Nicole N. Dime.

As seen on: PressBox | EzineArticles.com | Dadooda | Amazines

It seems timely, that coincident with the release of the movie 'Australia', with superstar Nicole Kidman, the great unwashed are starting to ask questions about Australia as a destination for travellers. Past movies such as Crocodile Dundee, Quigley DownUnder and The Man From Snowy River have produced bonza coverage for Australian Tourism. Now it is time to ask searching questions about this big island and who better to ask than the sheila from Gundagai, the less than well known scribe (scribess), Nicole N. Dime.

To help readers with this in-depth look at the questionable aspects of Oz you may need to refer to a map, atlas or search engine to fully understand this sun-burnt country known as Down Under. You can make geography fun by seeking the answers to the questions in this important treatise. Some excellent places for maps and information are the websites of tourism offices and tour operators which are listed for your convenience at the end of this diatribe (if you actually get to the end, that is).

Our first searching question is:

Where did Sydney Harbour the Prisoners Of Mother England on that maiden cruise with the First Fleet who were already ashore and looking for B&B’s in Botany Bay? Check out the names of the First Fleet cruise passengers and crew, you may have a convict as a long lost relative and may get called a hingeing pom for your efforts.

What made the Blue Mountains blue? It could be that it was Windeyer on the other side or that they lost the Circular Quay.

When does Wollongong? Every time a sheep is sheered to make the soon to be famous brand of Wool-loomoo 'loo' covers in Woolloomooloo.

Moving along we ask the following:

Why did the Great Australian Bight, Ayers Rock and the Rock Wave? Because the 12 Apostles helped Freycinet some Barra on Mundi and then found a Cook that did not Taree.

What did Darwin and Didjerido when they heard about the Bungles of Katherine and Emma when they helped Windjanner Gorge? They told Ballarat Tunnel Creek who picked up the Broome to clear away the Rottnests.

Did Coral Sea the Great Barrier Reef in some shrimp for the barbie? No, because he could only hear the Norfolk Pine.

Some Australian literature questions:

Was it Mudgee when Neville Shute wrote On The Beach In The Wet? Yes, because when Clancy came down from the Overflow to meet The Man From Snowy River he was Beyond The Black Stump in A Far Country.

Enough is enough, try finding some of your own from the wonderful place names found in this wonderful country by asking tourism offices and operators in the Northern Territories, Western Australia, Queensland, New South Wales, Tasmania, South Australia, Victoria, ACT and The Top Travel Club who arranged this unique interview with Nicole N. Dime.

G'day to all future mates, cobbers, jackaroos and jillaroos. Please remember to seek out a language course in 'Strine' before jumping on the flying kanga. And, strewth, did you know that in the Australian version of the new James Bond movie he has changed his name to James Bondi?

Contact: Anthony Francis / nomad@toptravelsites.com / www.thetoptravelclub.com

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Direct Booking Discounts Boosting Travel.

A new online travel club is adjusting prices for the new ways of buying travel. It allows members free access to thousands of travel vouchers that offer direct booking discounts for travel in over 70 countries covering many different types of travel activities. It is now seeking to build more travel selections for members and visitors to the club.

Quality travel operators around the world that do not get wide coverage are able to present their websites, at no cost, to members and visitors. The Club is seeking to expand the travel selections and is inviting B&B's, Hotels, Lodges, Day Tours, Extended Tours, Restaurants and Retail Outlets to showcase their websites and offer TopTravelVouchers to members and visitors to The Club.

The club requires travellers to pay a membership fee in order to obtain preferential prices but it is not a travel agent and does not sell travel or make bookings and reservations for members and does not charge travel business clients for listed links. All travel information and payment transactions are handled between the traveller and the travel operator.

The club requests that operators offer direct booking discounts to travellers handling their own arrangements and payments directly with them. Travel operators that offer direct prices may join the voucher program and get free quality links for their websites. The site does not have any other form of advertising that could detract from their own client products and services offered in the voucher program.

A spokesman for The Top Travel Club states: "We are inviting travel operators from around the world, including those who rarely get the opportunity to reach out to global travellers via the retail community, but who would nevertheless be prepared to pay commissions to travel sellers. The only difference is that we give one hundred percent of that commission back to our members if they book directly with our travel trade clients. We invite all travel-related businesses such as small local B&B's, Hotels and Tour Operators to consider offering their services directly to our members and visitors."

This is a first of a kind internet travel site that is in reality a travel agent that does not sell travel, but advertises, markets and promotes travel at no cost to travel operators who offer net of commission travel prices for travellers who handle their own arrangements.

Travel operators now have two options. They may choose to pay commissions and fees to travel agents or allow the same fees to be given back to members of this new travel club who book their own arrangements using the direct links on the club website.

The development of this voucher program has now enabled travel operators to offer direct booking discounts by linking the club affiliation on their sites, both supporting and maintaining sales through the agency system and the internet.

You can find out more at the website of TheTopTravelClub.com.

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Pay For Performance (P4P) Advertising.
By Anthony Francis.

As seen on pressbox, Articlesbase, Amazines, GoArticles.com, free- articles-zone, EzineArticles.com

Businesses around the world invest - or to be more precise, spend - untold numbers of dollars to advertise, market and promote their products and services in order to make sales and gain new clients. In an economic downturn these expenditures may be reduced because of cost constraints and consumer reluctance to buy.

For example, it costs around $1000 usd for a small classified advertisement in the weekend editions of major USA newspapers. It can cost $2000-3000 usd for a similar placement in monthly travel magazines. Radio spots can range from 'cheap and nasty' during the hours when nobody is really awake to prime time messages to thousands of listeners, many of whom may not be interested in the product being advertised. In effect, business advertisers may often pay for 'lack of performance'. Either the advertising copy was ineffective or the reach of the medium and quality of the audience was ineffective.

In other fields of endeavour we work, perform, produce and then get paid. Why not in advertising?

It may be time to rethink the effectiveness of our advertising spending and rethink who we spend it with, what we spend it on, when we spend it, where we spend it, why we are spending it, how we should spend it. Or even, ‘if’ we should spend it.

In other words, how can we get more value from our advertising spend? Is there a better way?

The internet affords everyone exceptional opportunities to showcase our wares, while presenting a problem: how do small businesses let the world know about their own websites when contending with the major players who are always able to buy more 'googling' stuff than they can?

As well as being approached by media reps from local and national newspapers and magazines, small businesses now get inundated with internet offers such as: 'top 10 search engine rankings for your website; 50,000 hits guaranteed; increased visits assured with our email programs to our double opt-in email clients.' And so on and so forth. The emails arrive daily to inboxes around the world.

Businesses do not want looky-loos clogging up their websites. They want committed buyers to review and compare their products to others. They do not want to give their hard-earned money to advertisers who simply want to sell advertising space. They want advertising partners.

Businesses should be given the opportunity to work with a 'pay for performance' option for their own advertising spend. In other words, "work with me, perform with me, produce with me, get results with me and then bill me." The P4P partnership could generate more advertising revenue than the old system of "just pay, shut up, wait and be thankful for what you get."

Let's consider a P4P arrangement where a percentage of sales is given to advertisers who produce sales. Many businesses might welcome such an opportunity to partner with forward-thinking advertisers. Just consider how much more advertising copy could be placed.

An example:
A business that operates websites that offer travel in over 70 countries and with products available to travellers in all countries. This company needs to advertise in every country, in all traditional media and in all e-commerce media such as e-newsletters, ezines and websites, plus tv, radio, and of course the electronic social media. To do this would take an enormous budget, which is not available. But to do this on a P4P arrangement could lead to sales growth that could never be realized with the traditional methods. There could be many similar businesses around the world that could also grow more quickly. Advertisers who are willing to accept a radical change in their business practices by operating a P4P option could also benefit from the business growth of the thousands of global businesses that would embrace this innovative new concept. Sharing the risk of both success and failure.

The way we now advertise, market and promote business must change. Advertisers should consider P4P and share the risk and greater rewards for performance. The advertising industry could experience more business, more profits and lead global economic recovery.

More global businesses will readily accept a P4P partnership. Businesses and advertisers can perform together and make better returns for both by sharing the risk and producing improved sales. However, the P4P format should only be implemented when both parties agree that it could produce better incomes for both parties. If advertisers consider that there would be no benefits for them with a P4P arrangement, the business has to also rethink their own advertising methods and lack of confidence of the advertiser for declining the arrangement. A catch 22, but real world.

Although most businesses do not want window shoppers, looky-loos, timewasters, or those who unfortunately cannot afford to buy, they must also be aware that, in travel anyway, "today's backpacker may be tomorrow's luxury travel buyer". These potential clients should be nurtured and developed as future customers. A P4P partnership of media and business could develop improved campaigns leading to healthier long-term business growth for all partners.

A recent real case example for internet advertising is as follows:
An internet marketing company stating that they had ‘a list of 3,000,000 enthusiastic travellers’ recently approached a local business. Before even asking for the cost of using their services the business owner switched the tactics by offering them the opportunity to send their message to this list over a period of months, but on a P4P basis (at their cost). The business owner offered to pay them $10usd per sale (out of a $35 total sale). Their comments, "we do not do business that way."

The retort from the business owner: "if you are not prepared to try and get 1% (yes one percent) of your database to buy my offer (30,000 x $10 = earnings of $300k), it appears to me that you do not have any confidence in your own database, my offer, or my product. You would, however, take my money upfront even though you have no belief in the success of the mailing. This is not the way I want to do business and you are not the company I want to do business with."

If advertisers believe that your advertisement will work for you why would they not want to earn a better income from a P4P arrangement? Or do they really have an in-house ethical conflict between editorial and advertising departments? If so, what are advertorials and the published press releases sent from public relations agencies?

Over the years all types of businesses have been convinced by all forms of media to advertise but rarely are they asked to assess the results of the advertisement. Advertisers keep taking the money. Businesses keep on doing the same thing because they have been convinced that they need to be seen and to "do it this way." Well, maybe it's time for a change.

The present economic climate is causing stress and strife around the world. Advertisers could find that they have so much white space available forcing them to print thinner newspapers and to offer discounted rates to their recession-proof clients. But what if these advertising agencies and media outlets started to work on a P4P basis with all types of businesses to create new partnerships of media and frontline operations from restaurants to who knows what? A win for the media, a win for the businesses and a win for the buyers who stay informed and are kept aware of local, regional or international opportunities. And maybe full staffing, thick papers and magazines, robust ezines and e-newsletters that will make us all feel more confident about the economy.

Not all situations will allow a p4p partnership but there are enough out there to reward all parties and all we need to do is develop simple operating systems to make this new way attractive and secure for all participants.

The business in the example above could operate on a P4P basis. It could have a P4P arrangement with many different partners in many different countries at the same time. Any downside for the media partners would be minimized by their thorough understanding of the business services and products. They would know the wants and needs of the business and be in a position to not just accept an advertisement but to be totally involved in the generation of leads and buyers. All partners could get the maximum benefit from the opportunity because the only way to earn revenues is to produce results by better use of skills, creativity, contacts and advertising reach.

A simple method for internet businesses is for unique pages or URLs to be set up for each P4P operation so that accurate assessments can be made of the specific promotion and the fees based on the same statistics and buyers. Another 'comfort-zone' action could be for the media P4P partner to collect the 'gross takings' and to remit the net after deductions, to the other partner. Vouchers can be created giving all parties an audit trail. Trust is paramount in P4P partnerships.

Many small businesses will survive and help save the global economies. Big business will continue heavy layoffs, cutbacks and corrections until the good times roll again, which could be a long way into the future. Let's take action now.

Small business together with Small Internet Media (e-newsletters, ezines) and other Smart Media can try new ways to pull us all out of the economic mire. If they seriously consider this new way of advertising, marketing and promotion 'with' their clients, not 'for' their clients, they can "get going now, or they can sit back, take no risks, take no chances, ignore P4P opportunities, downsize, get laid off, change careers, move away or just keep doing the same old thing and stagnate."

Thousands of businesses around the world would welcome approaches from all forms of media to advertise, market and promote within a P4P partnership arrangement. This could be a simple way to not only help business survival in the recession but will enable us to prepare for future growth.

We go to work, perform our duties, finish the job, produce results and then we get paid. Why then should we not expect to pay only for the 'results' of' our advertising and not just 'for' advertising?

Imagine the global acceptance of P4P. Businesses would be able to advertise anywhere and would never again have budgetary restrictions to advertise, market and promote sales. Media businesses would be getting new clients from places that they would never have considered and at the same time, helping their own clients to expand. Why don't we do it?

Just because: "We don't do business that way" is unacceptable!

The positive side of an economic downturn is that new opportunities arise for creative and progressive entrepreneurs to start new ventures such as P4P advertising. They are out there.

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Truth in Travel Pricing
By Anthony Francis.

None of us should be surprised at these quotes from a travel article in the TimesOnline.co.uk (Oct 2008) by Stephen Bleach:

"Massive discounts on cruises were exposed as a con last week after leading line Fred Olsen admitted it had not sold a single cruise at full price for a year."

A further quote from the managing director of the line, Mike Rodwell:

"the big American operators started it and the rest had to follow."

Another surprise. On the same laptop page as this excellent article were three Google ads offering:

"Cruise Deals. Search The Top Online Cruise Deals. Read Reviews & Book Online Today."

Followed by:

"Cruise Discounts 75% Off, All cruise lines, all destinations."

And another:

"Huge Alaska Cruise Sale, Free Upgrades, Exclusive Deals & More with Guaranteed Lowest Prices!"

The travel operators behind these advertisements must think the travelling public is naive or even stupid but they would probably not use them if they did not work.

Also, these Google ads were run against a very negative, but truthful article about misleading advertising for cruises.

The travelling public continues to be treated with disdain by travel operators and advertising companies, not only by cruise lines and airlines but by all types of travel suppliers. What could be more misleading and false advertising than an airline advertising their fares in headlines that shout out:

"$49. one-way to Smithville" IN LARGE PRINT, and then:
'based on return purchase, plus all taxes, surcharges for fuel, surcharges for security, checked baggage is extra, seat selection fees, and on and on and on.'

And by the way, have fuel surcharges been reduced enough?

Not only cruise prices and airfares but also consider hotel pricing that often requires much investigation as regards the offered discounts:

"75% off! But off of what? A rack-rate that is rarely charged?

And, why can you often get cheaper rooms at an online reservation office than at the hotel front desk even when you are in their lobby and ready to book?

Next in line for pricing questions could be the packaged holiday market. How many of these are sold at the brochure price? Or, as with the above cruise line, are packaged tour operators simply following the lead of others?

Not only is the public being mislead by questionable advertising and pricing practices but once captured by a cruise line, airline or packaged resort operator they can be open to additional gouging whilst onboard the ship, aircraft or resort.

Apart from the onboard costs of alcoholic drinks which should be at duty-free prices (i.e. cheaper than onshore). Extras, such as shore excursions can also be more expensive when purchased onboard rather than ashore or even pre-departure using the internet. Similarly with resorts that have onsite booking agencies for off-resort activities. The prices are often cheaper when purchased directly from the operators or again at pre-departure directly over the internet. Airlines however, who are charging for all sorts of basic amenities from blankets, pillows, soft drinks and soon even water may not be free, have a more captive audience (the movie, ConAir comes to mind) and will continue to be the most reviled part of the travel experience.

There is hope for the future but so far only in Europe. In 2009 new rules for advertising standards will come into effect offering more protection for travellers. We must hope that these new rules will eventually spread to the rest of the world with further improvements to protect consumers worldwide.

In the travel industry. Where has the originality and creativity gone? Where are the leaders? Where has "lead, follow or get out of my way" gone? Only the followers know.

Another aspect of travel pricing is when consumers want to handle their own travel arrangements directly with the operators of hotels, lodges, tours and transportation. The pricing should reflect the fact that the products are being purchased directly from the source and not at the retail level. In other words, reduce the price by the commission that would have been paid to an agent, broker or retailer and give the traveller a direct booking discount. This action could encourage more travellers to make their own direct bookings, leading to more business and a competitive edge for the operator.

Of course, the traditional distribution channels have to be protected as many consumers require help and assistance and as yet not everyone has or wants the internet.

Travel providers do not normally show different prices on their websites as this could lead to potential clients seeking advice at the retail level and then booking directly with the operator to get a discounted price. It is unfair for retailers to lose their commissions when they have performed services for their travel-trade clients.

Consumers on the other hand, if they do not need expert advice or booking services, should have the opportunity to go directly to the source and get a direct booking discount.

Originality and creativity has returned to the travel industry. Travel providers are now able to offer travellers a direct booking discount service by using a new travel voucher system that has been introduced. With a website and the internet they can now reach out to the global travel community, not just travel agency or local traffic.

Any travel operator, from the smallest b&b to the grandest lodge or luxury tour, can offer this service. The voucher values represent the normal commissions that would have been paid out to sellers of travel but now will be given back to the buyers of travel. And, the discounted price does not have to show on their websites.

The service is leading with this new initiative and now wants to promote the thousands of small travel providers and other businesses around the world that do not use selling agents and therefore do not have sales commissions built into their pricing. The operators of the voucher service suggest that lower yields with higher volumes of direct booking discount travellers may achieve better overall returns.

Members of a new online travel club can get these vouchers free with membership and non-members can purchase them at deep discounts to their face values at another similar website. At present there are vouchers covering travel in over seventy countries from b&b's to adventure and luxury tours.

The Club operators say that they do not charge businesses for listing their services as long as they participate in issuing vouchers enabling members to get direct booking discounts.

There are many directories linking the world of travel to the world of travellers but this new concept offers a directory with discounts on every travel selection if you are willing and able to handle your own travel bookings and arrangements directly with the listed operators.

The club operators are aware that many travel operators will continue to adhere to the business style of Mike Rodwell of Fred Olsen Lines and will continue to follow rather than lead and it is unlikely that they will ever be represented by this travel club. They are also aware that there are enough independent travel businesses that will find that their new business style of expanded selections and direct booking discounts is a better way of offering travel directly to consumers around the world.

You can find out more at the website of TheTopTravelClub.com.

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PRESS RELEASE from TopTravelSites.com dated Sept 3, 2008

Internet Direct Bookings

Launched in 2008, TheTopTravelClub.com is offering thousands of travel vouchers enabling members to buy travel at net of commission prices if they handle their own travel arrangements directly with the operators listed on the club website - from B&B's and Day Tours to Grand Lodges and Luxury Tours.

Developed by website veterans TopTravelSites.com, LastMinuteDirect.net and TheTravelInsider.net, it is aimed at consumers who are comfortable with handling their own travel arrangements directly with travel operators around the world using the internet. Many operators pay commissions and fees to sellers of their services but with this club that amount is returned to the members when they make their own bookings. Operators that do not normally pay commissions also have the opportunity to join the program using the voucher as an incentive and encouragement to make a direct booking.

With around 500,000 new internet users per day and the statement from the Travel Industry Association (USA) that over 79 million Americans use the internet when planning travel, the Club is focused on growing the membership and getting discounted direct prices for members from travel operators around the world.

The club charges an annual membership fee of $85usd per family, but for this fee members are able to access thousands of free travel vouchers, called TopTravelVouchers, to be used in over 70 countries enabling them to get travel at net prices. Some vouchers are worth more than $1,000usd but generally represent a commission saving of between 10 and 20 per cent.

There is no limit to the number of TopTravelVouchers available for use by members throughout their membership year except for normal space availability limitations but all members are advised to contact the travel operators to confirm reservations. All payments are made directly to the operators as the club does not sell travel or take reservations.

The Club offers an excellent selection of travel choices and a spokesman for the club says that more travel operators are joining the program every week. Expansion is underway to invite the thousands of small travel businesses such as day-tours, city tours, b&b's, small hotels, restaurants together with air ticket consolidators, travel gear, clothing and insurance to advertise, market and promote their services at no cost, other than the normal commissions which are given back to members and visitors by way of the toptravelvouchers.

As travel operators do not pay for promotional services, they must participate in offering vouchers for net prices that are unique to the members and not available to the general public.

The Club is also seeking travel agents with knowledge, experience and expertise for members who need such assistance but does not necessarily accept that the term, 'specialist agent,' meets the qualifications required of an expert. Travel agents who offer expertise on destinations and activities or who operate their own in-house tours are being sought to join the program but must offer discounted direct booking prices.

A quote from the Club Marketing Team, "when members handle their own travel arrangements directly with travel suppliers, we feel that they should get fairer fare prices as would be expected when buying directly from the outlet or source."

An affiliate program is also offered to other organizations, clubs, loyalty programs and subscriber-based publications who wish to offer travel savings to their own members.

Full details of the benefits of membership are available at TheTopTravelClub.com.

Contact: Club Marketing Team: Tony Humphrey nomad at toptravelsites dot com, Vancouver,BC.

Distribution: Recommended for both consumers and travel & tourism businesses.

PRESS RELEASE from TopTravelSites.com dated Aug 26, 2008

Why Not Direct Booking Discounts for Travel?

TheTopTravelClub.com, Launched in 2008, offers thousands of travel vouchers that allow members to buy travel at a price that is net of commissions, if they handle their own travel arrangements directly with the travel operators listed on the travel club website.

Developed by website veterans TopTravelSites.com, LastMinuteDirect.net and TheTravelInsider.net, the travel club is aimed at consumers who are comfortable with handling their own travel arrangements directly with travel operators around the world, primarily using the internet. Many operators pay commissions and fees to sellers of their services, but with this new travel club, the commission amount is returned to the members when they make their own bookings. Operators that do not normally pay commissions also have the opportunity to join the program, by using the voucher as an incentive and encouragement to make a direct booking with them.

With around 500,000 new internet users per day and the statement from the Travel Industry Association (USA) that over 79 million Americans use the internet when planning travel, the Club is focused on growing its membership and getting discounted, direct prices for members from travel operators around the world.

The club charges an annual membership fee of $85usd per family. For this fee members are able to access thousands of free travel vouchers, called TopTravelVouchers, to be used in over 70 countries, thus enabling them to get travel at net prices. Some vouchers are worth more than $1,000usd, although most travel vouchers generally represent a commission saving of between 10 and 20 per cent.

There is no limit to the number of TopTravelVouchers available for use by members during their membership year, except for normal space availability limitations. All members are advised to contact the travel operators to confirm reservations. All payments are made directly to the travel operators, as the club does not sell travel or take reservations. The Club offers an excellent selection of travel choices and a spokesman for the club says that more travel operators are joining the program every week.

Expansion is underway to invite the thousands of small travel businesses around the world - such as day-tours, city tours, b&b's, small hotels and restaurants, together with air ticket consolidators, travel gear, clothing and insurance - to advertise, market and promote their travel services at no cost, other than normal commissions, which are given back to members and visitors by way of the toptravelvouchers.

As travel operators do not pay for promotional services, they must participate in offering vouchers for net prices that are unique to the members and not available to the general public. The Club is also seeking travel agents with knowledge, experience and expertise to assist members, but does not necessarily accept that the term 'specialist agent' meets the qualifications required of an expert. Travel agents who offer expertise on destinations and activities, or who operate their own in-house tours, are being sought to join the program. They must, however, offer discounted direct booking prices.

A quote from the Club Marketing Team - "when members handle their own travel arrangements directly with travel suppliers, we feel that they should get fairer fare prices, as would be expected when buying directly from the outlet or source."

An affiliate program is also offered to other organizations, clubs, loyalty programs and subscriber-based publications who wish to offer travel savings to their own members.

Full details of the benefits of membership are available at TheTopTravelClub.com.

Contact:
Club Marketing Team
Tony Humphrey
nomad@toptravelsites.com
Vancouver, BC.

PRESS RELEASE from TopTravelSites.com dated May 18, 2008

Travel: Pre and Post Internet.

I've been travelling for over 40 years - by thumb in my early days, by boots in the Scouts, a Lambretta came next and then my first old banger followed by newer old bangers to the beaches of the Costa Brava.

My thumb, boots, bikes and bangers took me all over Europe and the UK before finding that a charter flight to Spain on an old 'Connie' could get me to the beaches and bars a lot quicker and allow more time to enjoy the local travel opportunities by horse and cart and the occasional bus and train.

'Go West and Prosper' seemed to be a good idea so instead of taking an 8 hour flight I took an 8 day transatlantic crossing from Tilbury to Montreal on the Stephan Batory of Polish Ocean Lines ensuring that jet lag did not trouble my travel plans. Some years later I crossed the pond again on a ship but this time it was 5 times bigger and I travelled in style on the QE2 and dined in the Queen's Grill somewhat removed from my earlier experience. I highly recommend ocean voyages but cannot see myself on one of the modern cruise ships going from port to port with constant line-ups to get on and off to buy t-shirts. However, I have done 10 Windjammers and a Star Clipper cruise in the Caribbean which were all memorable (let's hope Windjammer Barefoot Cruises recover from their woes). But I digress.

I had read that Canada is a spectacular country, from sea to shining sea, and my entrance into the St. Lawrence River to Montreal and then heading west in an old Econoline van from the Great Lakes, across the Prairies to the Rocky Mountains before ending up whale watching off of the Pacific Coast of Vancouver Island was a trip of wonder to a bloke from London. Today the scenery is still spectacular and the best way to go is still by road so rent or buy a car, motorhome or motorbike, take the train or tour bus but remember the maps, a fly rod, good boots and take your time.

My favorite part of Canada / USA for adventure travel has to be Northern BC / Alaska, to hike the Chilkoot Trail in the steps of the goldseekers of 1898. The Northwest Territories to canoe the Nahannie River and the Yukon to drive from Dawson City to Chicken, Alaska. If you like the outdoors and can put up with a few bugs, cast a fly and scale a few hills or drive on endless dirt roads sharing the space with moose, caribou, elk, bears and eagles, then these are the places to put on your list. The pleasures and experiences in driving to Inuvik on the Dempster Highway or to Prudhoe Bay on the Dalton Highway or even the Canol Road can only be felt by doing them. I would have mentioned the Alaska Highway but now it is an easy drive unlike the aforementioned.

Today the costs of driving these distances may mean that sharing the journey with others is required, but RVing or simply vanning and camping is a great way to see beyond the horizon. Some enroute adventures now need to be booked in advance whereas when I hiked Denali and the Chilkoot Pass it was just a case of turning up, registering with the local ranger office and heading on out. A little more forward planning is needed for today's traveller and cost considerations of lengthy flights or drives have to somehow be countered with more careful planning. In the days of reasonable gas prices I would not even consider the driving or flying costs and have driven to Key West from the northwest coast, down the west coast to the Baja and to the west coast from New York. I once even flew my 1946 Fleet taildragger from the Pacific to the Atlantic and back using around 5 gallons an hour of avgas. Before the oil and credit crisis I drove from Rio de Janeiro to Lima, down to Tierra del Fuego and back to Rio covering over 15,000 miles of spectacular scenery and with no consideration about the cost of gas. South America should be on your itinerary too! Some other memorable drives that may now require a mortgage with the gas companies include London to The Nordkapp, Norway, Skippers Canyon in New Zealand and the loneliness of the far north of Australia and the amazing coast of Western Australia stopping by at Monkey Mia and Wave Rock.

We tend to forget that the real cost of travelling is often less today than over the 40 years of my travels. In 1977 my round-trip airfare from Canada to Australia cost over $1700 in 1977 dollars so today it is far cheaper to fly, even with the airlines gouging for fuel, extra baggage, no service and no pleasure. The 'Big Mac' method of price comparison as developed by The Economist newspaper gives us a good gauge for most expenditures of today compared to yesterday but my $1500 cost to get a private pilots licence in the 1970's seems cheap by comparison to today, but obviously not when using this Big Mac principle. Other travel costs are also far cheaper today but this should not mean that travellers should disregard the many methods of saving costs that can then be put to extended or improved travel experiences

Travel Post-Internet:

In my 40 years of travel I have had to use travel agents to make even the simplest of reservations and buy tickets, not even thinking to ask them if they had "been there, done that?" It was just a case of there being no other options to buying travel. Now we have unlimited choices and can seek out better travel agents, better prices, better selections and information about anywhere in the world for our travels - without even leaving home.

The Internet now gives travellers ideas and options of Where to go, When to go, Why to go, What to do, Who to book with and How to save money and offset costs. We can search and find experts for every travel option. If we are comfortable with the Internet we no longer have to go to a travel agent to make reservations and buy tickets except to book with some of the larger travel companies that still produce glossy brochures and offer all inclusive packages or tours that only sell through the agency system. The Internet also allows those of us who are smart enough to know when to seek out a top travel agent with knowledge, experience and expertise (KEE skills) of destinations and activities about where to find them. There is no longer any need to only use our local agents when we can find one somewhere else in the world. When we do not need 'the knowledge' and can do it ourselves we simply surf the web so that we can book directly with tour and travel operators wherever we have decided to go.

Some travel agents operate their own tours, some are both wholesale and retail, some limit consumer selection by only selling their 'preferred' suppliers and some have professional consultants with years of experience invested in gaining knowledge, experience and expertise and are worth their weight in gold to the savvy traveller. Beware though, as some are also called destination specialists and some of these designations merely require the agent to take a rudimentary test offered by tourism offices, destination marketing groups or even tour operators and in my opinion can harm the reputation of the travel industry. A specialist is not necessarily an expert.

Travel is probably the most used commercial aspect of the Internet and if retail agents want to harness this exciting medium to offer 'the knowledge' and their 'kee' skills to a global audience, not just their local community, they must embrace the changes that are happening. Travellers now have the ability to seek answers to the 5 W's of travel and the important 'How to' save money and offset costs by having information just a click away.

And then it occurred to me that even internet travel prices often include a commission element even when sold directly to the consumer. If we book directly with operators we should not have to pay full retail prices as we are doing for ourselves what a retail agent would normally do for us. A dilemma for the operator is that to show a both a retail and a cost price option could deter many agents from selling the services as travellers could use an agent for free advice and book directly with the operator to get a 'net of commission' price. Obviously this two tier pricing is not often available but travellers who do not need advice should also not be penalized by retail pricing. A new way had to be found and I think I have found it!

The need for fairer fare prices is why I developed the Top Travel Voucher program at The Top Travel Club and I even found a dot com for it. All travel selections on the site are at 'net of commission' prices for members who handle there own travel arrangements directly with the operators linked on the club website using our voucher program.

I am inviting travel operators from around the world to join this program, from B&B's, Motels, Hotels, Luxury Lodges, Eco Resorts, Beach Resorts and Tour and Adventure Operators who want to promote their products and services to travellers who are comfortable with direct bookings and reservations.

I am also inviting Travel Agents with knowledge, experience and expertise of destinations and activities to showcase their skills to a global audience of travellers and to the members of this new travel club. I am leery of 'specialist agents' and only want experts to showcase their services.

This opportunity is available to the travel trade at no cost except for them to offer net, wholesale or outlet prices to club members and visitors to the website using top travel vouchers. I believe this program offers fairer fare prices to direct-booking travellers. The operator would normally be paying commission anyway but now travellers get the savings because they make their own arrangements.

The Top Travel Club opened in mid-April 2008 offering thousands of top travel vouchers for travel in over 70 countries with around 150 travel operators onboard. Every week we add more travel operators with more choices for members. Currently you can get savings on accommodations, adventure travel, boat charters, culinary tours, hike, bike and dive tours, auto and RV rentals fishing lodges and guides, safaris, vacation rentals, single travel, women only and dude ranches. Members get the vouchers free of charge by paying an annual membership fee and non-members can buy the vouchers on the internet at Top Travel Sites at deeply discounted prices to the face-value. The future growth will include restaurants, travel clothing, travel insurance and the opportunity to access air ticket consolidators who want to deal directly with consumers.

The way I have travelled and the way I see travel is that consumers should have unlimited access to every travel opportunity with the ability to do their own due diligence or to find a professional who can offer quality advice and services at fair prices, and to find all of this without needing endless hours of searching.

To find out more about the new way of cost offsets for travel please go to The Top Travel Club and my apologies for some of the spelling (traveller / traveler) but that is what I was taught. As long as we all understand the meaning, vive le difference!

Contact: thetoptravelclub.com
nomad @ toptravelsites . com

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PRESS RELEASE from TopTravelSites.com dated April 12th, 2008

A New Type of Internet Travel Club.

A new type of internet travel club was launched on April 12th 2008 to the global travel community.

Developed by website veterans TopTravelSites.com, LastMinuteDirect.net and TheTravelInsider.net, the new website is aimed at consumers who are comfortable with handling their own travel arrangements directly with travel operators over the web.

The club charges an annual membership fee of $85usd per family, and for this fee members are able to access thousands of free travel vouchers to be used in over 70 countries, enabling them to get travel at prices net of the normal commissions. Some vouchers are worth in excess of $1,000usd.

There is no limit to the number of vouchers available for use by members throughout their membership year, except for normal space availability limitations. All members are advised to contact the travel operators to confirm reservations.

The club offers an excellent selection of travel choices. A spokesman for the club says that more travel operators are joining the TopTravelVoucher program every week. Expansion to include the thousands of small travel businesses worldwide, including, but not limited to, day-tours, city tours, b&b's, small hotels, restaurants and air ticket consolidators is underway.

At the present there are no costs for travel operators to join the voucher program. The only requirement is that they offer toptravelvouchers that are unique to the members and are not available elsewhere to the general public.

The Club Marketing Team states that "when members handle their own travel arrangements directly with travel suppliers, we feel that they should get fairer fare prices"

A 100% money-back guarantee is offered on the club dues if members are not satisfied with any of their toptravelvouchers.

Full details of the benefits of membership are available at thetoptravelclub.com.

Contact:
Club Marketing Team
nomad at toptravelsites dot com

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