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Tropical Storm, TravelBloggers.ca

Get Ready For An “Extremely Active” 2013 Hurricane Season – Travel Protection Insurance Advised

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(PRWEB) July 25, 2013 – Hurricane season began June 1 and runs through November 30. It generally peaks in August and September, not including Superstorm Sandy’s destruction late last October. With the hurricane season already upon us, climate experts at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) advise of an “active or extremely active” hurricane season this year. NOAA scientists have predicted a 70 percent chance of between 13 to 20 named storms this year, with 7 to 11 that could develop into hurricanes, and of those, 3 to 6 could become major hurricanes of Category 3 strength or higher, with top winds of 111 mph or greater. The average number of storms during hurricane season is 12 named storms and 6 hurricanes, with 3 developing into major hurricanes. Extreme weather conditions are prone to causing trip cancellations, delays, and interruptions. The US Travel Insurance Association advises that, in addition to inconvenience, hurricanes and storms can cost travelers unforeseen expenses. Expenses including meals and transportation, unexpected hotel stays, lost or delayed baggage, and lost prepaid …

Travelzoo Celebrates 15th Birthday: Gives Away 15 Dream Vacations

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NEW YORK, July 22, 2013 /CNW/ – Travelzoo Inc. (NASDAQ: TZOO), a global Internet media company, today marked its 15th birthday by launching a “Golden Giveaway” campaign on social media in the United States and Canada. The giveaway, one of a number of events planned to celebrate the company’s 15th birthday, offers travelers the chance to win one of 15 dream vacations, including a luxury seven-night Tanzania safari, a five-night Cook Islands break, a vacation to Paris with a posh chateau stay in the French countryside, and an all-inclusive St. Lucia beach getaway. “We’re excited to kick off our 15th birthday celebrations by offering travelers a chance to win one of 15 dream vacations,” said Chris Loughlin, chief executive officer for Travelzoo. “Since 1998 we have inspired millions of travel and leisure experiences and saved our subscribers billions of dollars. Our brand is trusted by our subscribers because we deliver on our promise of high-quality deals. We look forward to welcoming many more subscribers as we continue to grow.” Travelzoo is giving away 15 vacations …

TravelBloggers.ca

10-Year ePassport Now Available For Canadians

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CALGARY, July 2, 2013 /CNW/ – Canada’s new and more secure 10-year ePassport is now available to Canadians, Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney announced today. “The new, 10-year ePassport provides more convenience for Canadians, and facilitates safe, secure travel which, in turn, helps create jobs, growth and long-term prosperity for Canadians,” said Minister Kenney. “The Canadian passport is not only a privilege of citizenship, but a reflection of the rights and responsibilities of citizenship.” ePassports are  the international norm in travel documents. They contain technologically-advanced features, including an embedded electronic chip, to prevent fraud. The chip stores the same personal information as that which is recorded on the second page of the passport (except for the signature) as well as a photo and a digital security feature that proves that the passport was issued by the Government of Canada. To combat fraud, once the personal information is stored on the chip, it cannot be modified without invalidating the passport.

SafeHarness – The First And Only Portable Seat Belt For Coach Buses

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SafeHarness is all about saving lives and providing a safer environment for those engaging in motor coach travel—particularly the safety of our children and those with special needs. Although new regulations have been envisioned requiring all new motor coach buses to be outfitted with seatbelts in the future, these regulations will not be fully implemented until 2017 at the earliest.  Note, these are merely regulations and not laws.  In addition, these regulations do not include the addition of seat belts on older models of coach buses.  These older buses, estimated to be on the road, in some instances for as many as 10 to 15 years, don’t have an option for basic seatbelt safety…until now. SafeHarness, the first and only personal, portable seatbelt for motor coach buses, has launched a 50-day campaign on crowdfunding platform Indiegogo.com. The creators hope to raise $50,000 to help bring these innovative products to market in order for all to have a choice in basic motor coach safety. Donate to the cause and receive your very own SafeHarness as a thank you!! Read More..

TravelBloggers.ca

Heading Off On A Trip? Don’t Forget To Do These 8 Things BEFORE You Leave Home

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Whether you’re planning a long or a short trip – planning on hitting the road or taking to the skies we have a travel checklist you should look at before you go… 1. Make it easy for friends and family to reach you. Leave your mobile phone number and an email address with a trusted neighbor, friend or relative. You could also include your vacation destination phone number/email address 2. Make your home look like its being lived in. Use timers to turn on/off lights around your home, leave a radio on, and ask a neighbour to use your garbage bins as well as their own on garbage collection day. Ask a friend or relative (hire someone if you have to) to mow your lawn while you’re away. Nothing says “I’m not home” more than long grass or a driveway that hasn’t been cleared 5 days after a snowfall.

Aeroplan Transforms Program – Listens To Customers

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Aeroplan Transforms Program to Deliver Outstanding Loyalty Experience MONTREAL, June 27, 2013 /CNW Telbec/ – Aeroplan, Canada’s premier coalition loyalty program, announced today groundbreaking enhancements to the program that will be implemented on January 1, 2014, including: The launch of Distinction, a new tiered recognition program that rewards top accumulating members, earned across all coalition partners, with preferential mileage levels for redemption, bonus mile offers and exclusive privileges; New Market Fare Flight Rewards to replace ClassicPlus Flight Rewards, offering significantly improved value, with all members having access to mileage levels reduced by up to 20%, and Distinction members enjoying reductions of up to 50%; and The Cancellation of the seven-year mileage redemption policy, with Aeroplan Miles no longer expiring for members active in the program each year. “The enhancements we’re announcing today are the most significant changes we’ve made in the Aeroplan program’s history,” said Vince Timpano, President and Chief Executive Officer, Canada, Aimia.  “2014 will mark a new era for Aeroplan as we take the program to a whole new level, providing members with …

Winners Unveiled For Australia’s ‘Best Jobs In The World’

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An American finance graduate, a Brazilian travel photographer, an Irish internet entrepreneur, a French tourism graduate, an English film costume designer and a Canadian adventure tour guide have beaten off more than 330,000 competitors from 196 countries to be awarded Tourism Australia’s ‘Best Jobs in the World’. The global competition drew to a finale in Sydney today (Friday 21 June) with job offers made to: Andrew Smith (USA): Chief Funster (New South Wales) Roberto Seba (Brazil): Lifestyle Photographer (Melbourne, Victoria)  Allan Dixon (Ireland): Outback Adventurer (Northern Territory) Elisa Detrez (France): Park Ranger (Queensland) Rich Keam (England):  Taste Master (Western Australia) Greg Snell (Canada): Wildlife Caretaker (South Australia) A seventh job was awarded by Virgin Australia to Cameron Ernst from the USA, who will fly the length and breadth of the country as the airline’s new ‘High Flyer’, championing Australia’s best customer service experiences. The 18 finalists in Tourism Australia’s global competition have spent the past week in Australia undertaking a series of adventure, nature-based, culinary, social media and photography challenges and assessments, as part of a …

Between Los Angeles & San Francisco Is A Picture-Perfect Piece Of Paradise - The Monterey Peninsula, TravelBloggers.ca

Between Los Angeles & San Francisco Is A Picture-Perfect Piece Of Paradise – Monterey

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Cannery Row, Fisherman’s Wharf, Monterey & Carmel-by-the-Sea – California Have you ever gone on a holiday and wondered if you’d really booked the right hotel? What if it’s in a bad area in a dodgy part of town? Sometimes you just have to hold your breath and hope you’ve got it right. We were visiting the Monterey area of California to do some touristy stuff like whale watching, and we booked a hotel in a town called Seaside. Ever heard of it? Us neither. On the map it looked fine, but what does a map tell you about a town other than it has roads and parks.

Pet Restraints - Think About Your Fur-kid's Safety On Your Next Vacation, TravelBloggers.ca

Pet Restraints – Why You Should Think About Your Fur-kid’s Safety On Your Next Vacation

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On The Road Again … With Man’s Best Friend!  We Chime In On Pet Restraints And Safety For You And Them. Remember the old days when you’d see a mother holding her newborn baby on her lap as the family went off on a day trip? Thankfully those days are long gone. While most of us – either by choice or by the threat of a fine – wear our seatbelts at all times. But what about our dogs (or cats)? Most people don’t even think about restraining their dogs when they’re in the car. If you’re a dog-lover I know you take Fido everywhere you go – I take my dog with me every chance I get, to introduce him to new places and keep his mind stimulated. But if you’re going to take your dog along on long or even short trips around town, doing so safely is very important. Unfortunately, many people don’t realize that these outings can spell danger for their four-legged friends. Maybe you’ve never even thought about it before …