Going Green with Summer Travel

By Mattie Walker, Assistant Account Executive, Consumer

Being eco-friendly has been trendy for a few years now. We know Leonardo DiCaprio and U2’s Bono are leading the way on the celebrity front. Johnson & Johnson, Dell and HP boast some of the greenest policies by Fortune 500 companies. And, not to be outdone, the fashion industry is well represented by the likes of American Apparel and TOM Shoes and, in addition to being eco-friendly, both of these companies help children in need around the world. So what industry is missing from this list? It came to my attention recently that travel is often left out in green discussions.

The world recently celebrated Earth Week and my colleague Meredith and I were busy coordinating an eco-friendly trip to New York for our client Travelocity’s Roaming Gnome. When conducting research and brainstorming with the client, it amazed me all the green options available to travelers these days. Hybrid rental cars, green hotels and volunteer opportunities for guests to give back to the environment while on vacation. Green travel has truly come along way.

Now, if you’re like me lying on the beach with a peach margarita in hand easily beats out hiking to the top of a mountain to plant a tree. But that’s the point. Traveling green has never been easier and you don’t have to sacrifice your five-star hotel for a bed made out of a bale of straw. (Although there is a hotel that offers this … if you’re interested let me know.) From all-inclusive resorts to luxury boutique hotels, green travel possibilities are endless.

For example, Travelocity alone has more than 2,900 eco-friendly hotels flagged on its site indicating each hotel that has implemented rigorous green standards and policies. And, many vacation hot spots are now inviting guests to partake in their green programs. Traveling this summer? Here are a few easy ways to get started and go green on your next vacation:

• Use real glassware and silverware when possible
• Conserve water and don’t have your bedding changed every night 
• Opt for a paperless checkout
• Check out local sights by public transportation or by walking to them

These are just a few of the small, but important steps to protect our favorite destinations so we can still enjoy them in the future.

Deals, Fees and Kermit the Frog: Travel predictions for 2011

 By Meredith McKee, Senior Account Executive, Dallas

I like to think ahead when it comes to travel. In fact, I’ve already started planning a few trips for 2011. I’m heading to Los Angeles in March to see my sister and newborn nephew, Europe later in the spring and a few couch-surfing trips sprinkled throughout the year to visit friends who live around the country.

As someone who works with the travel industry every day and who loves to travel, I spend a lot of time keeping up to speed on the latest travel trends.

Here are a few things that are already on our radar at Edelman Southwest:

1. Private Sales, Hidden Discounts – As it has been the last couple of years, it’s still all about finding a deal when traveling. The trend known as opaque hotel pricing, which only allows the traveler to see the name of the hotel after they have purchased, is still available from various sites, including Top Secret Hotels from our client Travelocity. This type of pricing can offer savings up to 55 percent. Also, more sites such as Jetsetter and Rue La La are offering private sales with deals on hotels. These sites are invitation only so that only members can take exclusive advantage of the savings.

Expect to see more of these sites pop up in 2011, and more people taking advantage of them as the word spreads of their offerings. The trick is keeping track of all these sites and figuring out if you are getting a good deal or not. If you need some help, HotelChatter, a blog about all things hotels, does a great job of providing lots of info on different private sales and opaque offerings.

2. Social Media and Travel – Tweets. Check-ins. Status updates. We can’t travel anymore without virtually acknowledging it. The travel industry is getting in on the act by offering deals on Twitter, sending out updates and engaging with travelers. For example, our client, Texas Tourism (@TexasTourism), keeps travelers informed of happenings and promotions available across the state.

In addition, travelers will find more travel companies are offering their followers and fans exclusive deals available only through social media platforms. So there is value in becoming a fan of, following or “checking in” at your favorite airline, hotel or travel site.

3. Going Green – Kermit had it wrong – it’s easy to be green! At least it is when it comes to travel. Whether you want to purchase a carbon offset while flying Virgin America, book a green hotel in Vegas or volunteer on vacation, there really is a way for every traveler to give back.

4. Airline Fees – The Transportation Department recently announced that the U.S. carriers combined made $4.3 billion in fees for checked bags and changing tickets. While the fees may have annoyed customers, it’s a revenue generator and clearly not a deal-breaker for travelers as they continue to fly. Just be aware that baggage fees are here to stay, so pack accordingly to carry on or check your airline’s website for the latest on current fees and how to pay as some offer discounts for pre-paying online. Airfarewatchdog also provides an updated list for many airlines all in one place.

As we head into 2011, it will be interesting to see what’s next for the airlines and the travel industry overall and how travelers will react. Either way, you can’t keep me off a plane this year!

Gobble Gobble, It's Time for Holiday Travel

By Meredith McKee, Senior Account Executive, Dallas

UPDATE: The original entry of this blog post ran on Monday, November 22 and follows below.  Following the Thanksgiving holiday, results from the annual Travelocity Thanksgiving Task Force include:

With hundreds of tweets from Travelocity and its spotters and more than 150 media interviews conducted by the Thanksgiving Task Force team, Travelocity was able to keep travelers informed of what was happening at the 12 airports where they were stationed and beyond. We hope you had good travels!


Are you boarding a plane next week? Our client, Travelocity, has a program that may help make the process a little easier.

The Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving are two of the busiest travel days of the year. The Air Transport Association is predicting that about one million more people will fly this Thanksgiving than last year. Once again Travelocity will help travelers navigate the airports with the 10th Annual Thanksgiving Task Force, stationing spotters at 12 airports across the country to update travelers via Twitter on security wait times, cancellations, delays, crowd conditions and even the occasional celebrity spotting.

Travelocity looks to you, a fellow traveler, to help provide updates as well. All you have to do is tweet your travel updates, including your location and the Twitter hashtag #TravelocityTTF on November 23 and 24, and you’ll be eligible for giveaways from the Travelocity Roaming Gnome.

To see the real-time status reports, flight tracking tools and holiday travel tips from Travelocity and other travelers from across the country, you can check in at Travelocity’s travel blog, The Window Seat or follow Travelocity airport spotters on Twitter from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on November 23 and 24 from the following airports:

• Atlanta Hartsfield (ATL) - @fly_from_ATL http://twitter.com/fly_from_ATL
• Charlotte Douglas (CLT) - @flyCLT http://www.twitter.com/flyCLT
• Chicago O’Hare (ORD) - @flyfromchicago http://www.twitter.com/flyfromchicago
• Dallas / Fort Worth International (DFW) - @flyfromdallas http://www.twitter.com/flyfromdallas
• Denver International (DEN) - @flyfromdenver http://www.twitter.com/flyfromdenver
• Las Vegas McCarran (LAS) - @flyfromvegas http://www.twitter.com/flyfromvegas
• Los Angeles International (LAX) - @flyfromla http://www.twitter.com/flyfromla
• New York La Guardia (LGA) - @flyfromnewyork http://www.twitter.com/flyfromnewyork
• Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX) - @flyfromphoenix http://www.twitter.com/flyfromphoenix
• San Francisco International (SFO) - @flyfromsf http://twitter.com/flyfromsf
• Tampa International (TPA) - @flyfromtampa http://www.twitter.com/flyfromtampa
• Washington Reagan (DCA) - @flyfromdc http://www.twitter.com/flyfromdc

Have a specific question about your Thanksgiving travel plans?

Travelocity will host a Twitterview on Monday, November 22 from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. EST, where Contributing Editor Jennifer Gaines will be on hand to answer any and all of your Thanksgiving travel-related questions. Tweeps should direct their questions to @windowseatblog http://www.twitter.com/windowseatblog and include the Twitter hashtag #TravelocityTTF.