InadequateLegRoom

Fewer books indicate fewer people plan to travel this year?

Major retailers tend to have their fingers on the pulse of what people want. You can get a pretty good idea of what people are buying by looking at the amount of real estate a store allocates to a particular product category or subject area. Using this measure, it looks like the travel industry is in for a long year.

The other evening I was waiting to have dinner with a friend, who was running late, as usual. With some extra time on my hands I went across the street to Borders to kill some time. My normal first stop is the travel section, where I tend to browse through the titles and see if anything catches my eye. I was surprised to see that the section that previously spanned three rows had been reduced to a single aisle.

As I was scanning the reduced selection of books, it occurred to me that this was just the latest sign of the downward trend in travel. With fewer people planning to travel this year, it seems logical that less people would be buying travel books. Further, it is logical that the types of trips that require extensive research are most affected by an economic downturn. Most people I know are putting that big trip of a lifetime on hold for a shorter trip to a destination near by. Who needs a guide book for a driving destination to visit your wife’s family?

Well, we may not be planning as many big trips, but we can always read about travel. My favorite bookstore is Globe Corner Bookstore, located in Harvard Square in Cambridge, MA. If you are looking for a few recommendations to get you through until your next trip, the store’s web site has an excellent set of Staff Picks organized by region. Check it out.

Real Planes Come to Bar Harbor Airport

This past week the MDI Islander newspaper reported that Colgan Air was introducing new, larger planes for routes between Boston’s Logan Airport and Bar Harbor Airport (BHB). ("Larger planes are now in service at airport") The larger 34 seat Saab turboprop planes replace the smaller 19 seat flights the airline has been operating.

The Hancock County-Bar Harbor Airport (BHB) is located in Trenton, on the mainland side of the bridge that connects Bar Harbor with the rest of the state. The single runway airport’s terminal is reminiscent of the ‘80’s television show Wings. Car rental counters flank a single check-in desk and an almost non-existent security lane leading to the runway. The airport survives on the influx of private jets that makes the airport one of the busiest in the state for the summer months, fueling rumors among locals of everyone from John Travolta to Martha Stewart arriving in town.

Growing up, most flights I took left from Bangor International Airport, about an hour drive from downtown Bar Harbor. After moving to the Boston area I took advantage of flights to Bar Harbor on several occasions, typically for last minute situations when I needed to get home quickly. While the closer airport is more convenient than flying into Bangor, the 19 seater flights left little to be admired in the way of comfort. I remember flying up on a brutally cold January day several years ago. Prior to take off, the flight attendant carefully rearranged the three passengers on the turbo prop aircraft ensuring proper weight distribution. After a bumpy take off, I enjoyed a clear view along the entire coast of Maine, marveling at how cold the iced over bays appeared below me.

Most people consider the Bar Harbor and the Acadia region to be a driving destination. Clearly, driving along the coast of Maine is a highlight of any summer vacation. But Bar Harbor has emerged as an excellent car free destination. The free Island Explorer bus service provides regular connections between the airport and downtown. Once in town, tourists can use the Explorer for transportation throughout the Acadia National Park, including most popular hiking trails, beaches, and campgrounds on the island. Rent mountain bikes at one of several locations in town and you can spend a week exploring the park’s carriage paths without ever visiting a gas station.

It will be interesting to see if the introduction of largely planes will lead to an increase in passengers flying to Bar Harbor.

More Information and Resources:
The Hancock County-Bar Harbor Airport (BHB)
Island Explorer
Maine Coastal Flight Center
Scenic Biplane & Glider Rides Over Bar Harbor

Strategies to Save Money and Travel Smarter

Concierge.com’s Condé Nast Traveler blog has an interesting artice on saving money on travel in 2009 ("The World on Sale: 25 Surefire strategies for saving money and traveling smarter in 2009"). Everyone seems to be fixated on saving money this year. Last week I posted about the Top Travel Trends in 2009, and saving money seems to be the recurring theme.

My favorite strategy was the first; redraw your mental map of where your dollar stretches furthest. This is a great tip. The world changed rapidly over the past year, especially in areas directly affected by the economy. Yet, we all have a tendency to keep our impressions of travel destinations. I know I fall into this trap. Some destinations that people assume are expensive have emerged as relative bargains in the new economic climate.

Iceland is a great example. Over the past decade, the country has been considered on of the most expensive destinations in Europe. Rajkovic was once on par with London and Paris. However, following the economic collapse ("Iceland’s Meltdown") in Iceland this past year the destination can be visited for a fraction of the cost of a few years ago. Not only is Iceland relatively cheaper, but with short, direct flights from Boston, the destination offers a quick getaway alternative for an international trip. With a trend towards shorter trips, Iceland could be an affordable alternative for a while. The post lists 10 other destinations that are 20 to 40 percent more affordable, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Hawaii, and South Africa.

Some other tips I found interesting include the following:

1. Pay in the local currency (#3) and avoid currency exchange fees (#22)

2. Consider resorts that normally cater to corporate meetings (#17)

3. Plan on transatlantic fare wars this spring and summer (#10)

4. Call the resort directly and speak to the reservations manager (#19)

5. Don’t lose your miles to mergers (#24) or expiration (#25)

Original Article: The World on Sale: 25 Surefire strategies for saving money and traveling smarter in 2009.

Travel Trends for 2009 (and beyond)

January is a time when everyone is compelled to come out with their top travel trends for the year.  Travel is no different.  Everyone from American Express to Travel + Leisure have come out with their list of predictions.

 

As you look through most of the predictions this year, you will notice a common theme.  Travelers are predicted to get cheap.  The economy is on everyone’s minds these days and it seems that this will be a primary factor this year.  People will be staying closer to home and choosing more affordable destinations.  Weekend getaway locations should be a popular alternative as travelers avoid costly flights. American Express predicts that travelers will choose destinations closer to home rather than overseas destinations. For example, a trip to Montréal instead of Paris. The staycation has also emerged as the most affordable alternative to a trip.  Nothing can be cheaper than a week relaxing at home.

While I agree with these frugal predictions, I'm going to make a bold prediction. I think at some point, a new travel trend is going to emerge. Maybe not this year, but maybe for 2010. I expect a small segment of travelers will say the hell with the economy and plan with luxurious trips anyway. While everyone is at home fearful of losing their jobs, these select few will take advantage of the fewer travelers and look for bargains at their dream destinations. We'll see. Maybe this will be at the top of one of those many travel trend lists for 2010.

The Texting Masses Are Overtaking Airports Everywhere

Walk through any airport these days and you can't help but notice an interesting trend. Everyone waiting for a flight seems to be deeply focused on a tiny screen as they tap away feverishly with their thumbs. Text messaging and mobile e-mail have clearly made it to the masses.

When I first started traveling more than 20 years ago, cell phones were bricks, owned by elite businessmen. Few would consider taking their phone with them on a flight. Most cell phones were installed in cars anyway. In those days, as soon as a flight landed, the self-important would run to the nearest payphone to check in with their assistant. Eventually, these assistants were replaced by voicemail, but communication was still limited to executives and neurotic parents checking in with the babysitters whom they entrusted with the lives of their precious children.

In the mid-1990s I started traveling for business on a regular basis. In those days cell phones were becoming more common, but they only did one thing, make phone calls. The waiting areas in airport terminals nationwide started filling with these status symbols. However, most people saved them for emergencies and rarely wasted money on the exorbitant roaming fees.

By the late 1990s, stiff competition and nationwide roaming plans helped cell phones expand to the masses. Teenagers started talking endlessly on ever shrinking devices. Meanwhile, a new symbol of the all-too-important emerged, the Blackberry. The obsessive professional that once hunted all corners of the airport for an available payphone could attempt to survive another day in the never ending battle to keep up with the overwhelming flood of e-mail.

A similar evolution occurred in the halls of high schools and college campuses everywhere. American teens and young adults became obsessed with text messaging, a mere half decade after a similar trend with their peers in Europe. With a dexterity not possible among older adults, the younger generation triple tapped with their BFFs and LOL’d until they needed to be BRB. OMG it was GR8.

Today, our society has become completely obsessed with the need for constant communication. Text messaging and mobile e-mail have become so pervasive that even soccer moms and empty-nesters can be spotted tapping away on their phones. Yet somehow it seems like people have forgotten how to speak. Walking through the airport you can't miss it as entire groups sit together with their heads cocked at a 45° angle, eyes fixed on the screen, and thumbs flailing away.

So the next time you're waiting for a flight, sit down next to a crazy texter, ask their number, pull out your cell phone, and text away. Maybe you’ll join the texting masses. But please try not to forget how to speak.

End Discrimination of the Vertically Excessive

I think most people agree that discrimination is wrong. Well then, why is it acceptable to discriminate against the poor, unfortunate, tall people in our society? Let's call them vertically excessive. As you may know, I'm one of those vertically excessive individuals. So I know the pain well. The time has come to end this inappropriate abuse of vertically excessive people.

Recently, I had the misfortune to fly cross-country to California. Now, don't get me wrong, I love to travel and some my favorite destinations require a 6+ hour flight. But after spending six and a half hours sausaged into a seat in the back of a United Airlines flight, I am beginning to wonder if travel by doggie cart would be more comfortable.

I boarded the flight for San Francisco and was quickly ushered to the back of the craft. I squeezed into the cushion covered metal designed to fit the maximum number of pygmies into the back half of the plane. After a bit of twisting and turning, I finally found a position that was tolerable. This was disrupted when the friendly lady in front of me decided to test how quickly her seat could recline. 27 milliseconds I believe. I narrowly avoided a black eye as her head rest came to a stop 13 inches from my face. For the rest of the flight I attempted to contort myself into a position where I could find enough room to read the screen of my iPod.

On the return flight I broke down and chose to pay the extra $39 for the privilege to have enough room to place my knees in front of me. Apparently, my $1500 ticket didn't contemplate the need to keep my legs attached during the flight.

I understand times are tough for the airlines. Rising fuel costs and cutthroat pricing tactics have stretched the capabilities of barely competent executives to their limits. CFOs must love the idea of extorting a premium out of those willing and able to pay a fee for the privilege of walking when they arrive at their destination. And the punishment for those too cheap to shell out the extra cash is immediate. A vacation with throbbing knees is enough to make the most frugal among us pull out their credit card for the flight home.

Isn't it time for the airlines to start thinking about the vertically excessive? After all, some slight improvements would make everyone more comfortable. Do the two extra rows in the back really make the difference between profit and bankruptcy?

Join me in my campaign to end the unfair discrimination of the vertically excessive.

Fourth of July on the Coast of Maine

Small town life and a sense of community comes alive in Bar Harbor on the coast of Maine

Sirens approach from the distance. My wife and I hurry into the street, already filled with people rushing for a view. As we approach the corner, the steady thumping of a bass drum becomes audible as the annual Fourth of July parade approaches.

Nestled between the mountains of Acadia National Park and the rocky coast of Maine, Bar Harbor is an idyllic New England town. For most of the year, the village is a sleepy community of fewer than 3,000 residents. However, each summer, starting with the Fourth of July, the population swells to ten times the year-round population as day trippers and tourists flood the region to enjoy the festivities. Each year, my wife and I return to my hometown to join the excitement.

Day Trip: Rockport Massachusetts

Rockport Massachusetts offers an in-person view of classic images of the New England coast a short drive north of Boston

Covering the tip of Cape Ann, an hour north of Boston, Rockport is the definition of picturesque.  The coastal community has attracted a steady stream of artists since the mid 19th century when it was home to one of the original artist communities on the New England coast.  Generations of painters have made this stretch of rocky coast and worn fishing shacks icons that represent how many people imagine New England.  Today, the town has an gallery filled downtown along the town’s small harbor.

Gas Prices Are Out Of Control, But Will Anyone Change?

Gas prices are out of control!  Anyone who has turned on a TV, opened a newspaper, or passed by a water cooler knows that.  It seems that people are obsessed with the rising price of gas, and if you believe the evening news the out of control gas prices are going to destroy everyone’s summer vacations and decimate the economies of small resort towns all over the New England coast.

Escaping to the New England Coast

Enjoying the first warm day of the year in Marblehead on Boston’s North Shore

“I love the change of seasons.”  Each year New Englanders repeat the phrase ad nauseam in an effort to convince ourselves that the long winters are worth it.  But then, each year, there comes that first warm weekend day of the spring and the phrase seems truly justified.  Dressed in fleece pullovers and sandals everyone rushes to coastal towns for our annual first glimpses of the ocean.