TravelLeisureNews

Proving it is possible to take a summer vacation this year without breaking the bank, Expedia just announced its largest ever hotel promotion, with discounts of up to 50 percent. As part of the last days of summer "Half Off Hotel Sale," more than 125 participating hotels are offering 50 percent off stays of four nights or more. Additionally, hundreds of other hotels and all-inclusive resorts are offering at least 30 percent off in popular vacation destinations all over the U.S., including Las Vegas, Lake Tahoe, Chicago, Orlando, Hawaii and San Francisco, as well as properties in Mexico, Canada, South America and the Caribbean.

Just a few examples of the deals found only in Expedia's Half Off Hotel Sale include: Read more

July 29, 2008—The Reno-Tahoe Blues Fest is giving blues fans an unforgettable experience during its fourth annual festival with ticket packages that put the stars literally within reach. Celebrating two days of the blues Aug. 16 – 17, 2008, and featuring artists including Gladys Knight, The Whispers, Jonny Lang and seven others, the festival’s new Platinum Table and Blues Cabana packages offer a true VIP experience. Attendees can access exclusive seating, dining and beverage options and even backstage passes to meet the artists.

Just 20 feet from the stage, Platinum Table packages are the ultimate front row seats. Each table of eight includes backstage passes for the entire group, photo opportunities with the artists as available, two signed commemorative festival posters and premium parking on-site. Throughout each day Platinum Table guests receive complimentary lunch and four-course dinner, four bottles of wine, complimentary non-alcoholic beverages and cocktail service to the table. Platinum Tables, valued at $11,500 each day, are just $4,500 per day or $8,000 for both days of the festival. Read more

July 25, 2008– Briggs & Riley Travelware, a leader in innovative, high-quality luggage and business cases, will release SpeedThru, the first-ever Travel Sentry Approved, checkpoint-friendly laptop sleeve. On August 15th consumers will be able to purchase @work and verb laptop cases that incorporate the new SpeedThru sleeve. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) recently gave the go-ahead to manufacturers to release checkpoint-friendly laptop sleeves after a careful review of design proposals and prototypes. Briggs & Riley played a key role in the development of checkpoint-friendly laptop cases that will allow airline passengers to travel through airport security with greater speed, ease and efficiency. In partnership with Travel Sentry, Briggs & Riley approached the TSA in 2004 with a proposed solution that would eliminate the need for travelers to remove laptops during the security check process.

Travel Sentry has now released its standards for laptop friendly bags and Briggs & Riley is the first to have completed the design and testing required to be Travel Sentry Approved. Travel Sentry creates and manages standards which improve travel security in cooperation with government security agencies, airlines, airports and the travel goods industry. Read more

July 24, 2008 -- Access to luxurious houseboats, the heat of the Southwestern sun, miles of pristine open water, rising lake levels…

What more could any houseboat enthusiast want when planning a trip to America’s favorite houseboating destination? How about the nation’s best gas deal on Lake Powell Resorts & Marinas’ top houseboats!

Travelers who rent a houseboat between August 15th and December 31st can get their final fueling for free*! PLUS, GET A 20 PERCENT DISCOUNT FROM PEAK SEASON on Voyager, Adventurer, Discovery or Expedition houseboat rentals.

The rising waters have changed life at Lake Powell this year! Castle Rock Cut, a passage that cuts off 12 miles of travel to up lake destinations, is open first the first time in five years. Travelers will experience a double-win when enjoying new ways to explore Lake Powell at low costs. Read more

July 21 /PRNewswire/ -- From Hawaii to Hong Kong and Atlanta to Aruba, Marriott International, Inc., has great travel deals and packages. The packages listed below are just a small selection of the thousands of travel packages offered at Marriott's 3,000 hotels around the world. For more information about what is offered at Marriott's family of hotels, visit www.marriott.com/specials and search by city or hotel name.

Marriott Offers the Following International Travel Deals

A Peach of a Deal in Atlanta: Get away to Georgia this summer and rediscover Atlanta's premier destination hotel -- Atlanta Marriott Marquis which recently completed a stunning $138 million dollar hotel transformation. Stay a weekend night between July 25 - August 24, 2008 and take advantage of $138 per night weekend rate. Plus, as an added bonus, pay with a Visa card and receive a $25 Visa gift card that can be used for anything from gasoline to gifts. The vibrant new hotel is only footsteps from the world's largest and most engaging aquarium experience at the Georgia Aquarium and the New World of Coca Cola. For more information, or reservations please call (404) 521-0000, (888) 855-5701, or visit www.atlantamarquis.com. Read more

July 21, 2008 – The all-new Sheraton Cable Beach Resort in Nassau, Bahamas, has launched the new “Love Your Family” program, which offers a variety of creative and fun activities catering to children and parents alike. The resort is also the only international Sheraton property to currently feature the brand’s signature “Love Your Family” guest program.

Families will be able to enjoy a number of family-friendly activities, such as fireside storytelling, stargazing and ‘dive-in’ movies. In addition, the Sheraton Cable Beach Resort offers a variety of exclusive experiences indigenous of its location, including Junkanoo Jamboree, a festival featuring authentic foods, dance and music; cultural dance lessons for guests who want to learn native dances of the island; Bahamian Idol, a talent competition featuring local folk songs; and Bahamian Spelling Bee where guests will be tested on the spelling of native words. Read more

July 17, 2008 -- Digital Foci, Inc. announced today Photo Safe II, the ultimate photo companion for travelers. Photo Safe II provides portable on-the-road digital photo storage with 80GB and 160GB hard drives and built-in memory card readers, so you can quickly and securely save your digital photos wherever you go. Photo Safe II lets you keep snapping away without worrying about losing important photos or running out of memory card space while on the road.

Essential Digital Camera Companion

Perfect for business travelers and summer vacations, Photo Safe II lets you go away without the need of a laptop to download your photos for safe-keeping. Based on the previous version of Photo Safe (winner of American Photo 2007 Editor’s Choice Award), Photo Safe II brings together its award-winning portable storage technology with a new compact design and additional features, such as support for MS Duo and miniSD; a safer card slot with rubber covers for more protection from dust; and a battery slot that makes it easier to insert/remove the rechargeable battery.

No cumbersome cabling or computer is ever needed to save photos in Photo Safe II. Just insert the digital camera’s memory card directly into Photo Safe II to free up expensive memory card space and reuse your card. When you get home, simply connect Photo Safe II to your computer to retrieve your saved pictures. Read more

June 20, 2008 -- The Regent Bal Harbour, recently named one of the 30 Best New Hotels in the World on Travel + Leisure’s coveted “IT LIST” 2008, is celebrating the Fourth of July in style. To honor the country’s independence, the Regent Bal Harbour will feature all-day oceanfront festivities, with tantalizing food from the hotel’s Cordon Bleu-affiliated restaurant, 1 Bleu, and oceanfront access to the finest fireworks display in South Florida.

In addition to fine food and festive fireworks, The Regent Bal Harbour will offer signature cocktails, like the lavender sidecar, at The View Bar, a casual setting that bursts with style and sophistication. A DJ at Aqua Soleil will spice up The Regent Bal Harbour’s poolside dining area, offering breathtaking views overlooking the Haulover Inlet. Read more

June 17, 2008 – The new Nikki Beach Resort Turks & Caicos Islands is getting ready for a steamy summer by offering the hottest savings in the islands.

The resort is offering 50 percent off room rates through August 31, 2008, and guests who use promotional code ADDNIKKI to book three nights or more will receive a choice of complimentary room upgrade or an additional night free. To take advantage of these exceptional rates and obtain more information, visit www.nikkibeachhotels.com or call (866) 720-2613. Read more

June 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Traffic.com, a NAVTEQ brand and a leading source of traffic solutions for consumers, provides a free all-in-one commute management solution for traveling this Fourth of July weekend. Three million drivers have already processed nearly seven million routing requests to help them make the best decisions about the best time to leave and the fastest route to take.

Traffic.com's launch of the popular "check your drive time" feature earlier this year provides customizable traffic information during this travel weekend and beyond. With "check your drive time," drivers simply type in where they are and where they want to go. The real-time traffic solution processes nearly 1.5 million routes per month and instantly presents the driver with two options: the fastest route based on real-time traffic data and the shortest route based on distance. Included with route details are complete door-to-door driving directions with current conditions, accidents, construction, and delays along each roadway. Read more