There was a cliché that says, “when in Rome do what the Romans do”. And in our modern world, I can say that this is still very true. Rome, in itself, is a museum city where you can find endless ancient monuments and timeless architecture of church buildings and ruins.

If it’s your first time to travel or visit Rome, there’s a big possibility that you might get lost in this ancient jungle. I bet you can’t even choose which Ristoranti Roma you will have your dinner. Bed and breakfast rome are also everywhere. So in order to make your vacation more relaxed and comfortable, I highly recommend to hire a local tour guide or better yet, check your travel agency if they have a travel package for Rome. Tour agencies offer discount packages combining airfare and hotels.

And here’s another tip, when looking for a tour agency or travel agent company, try to choose that caters to small number of tourists only. Usually, big travel agencies, specially those that are located inside Hotel rome often take out fun in the process such as walking along corridors and meeting the locals.

If you are not sure where to go, you can always approach any branches of ENIT ( Italian State Tourist Board), the Italy’s national tourist office. They’re branches are located in most major capital cities. By the way, they also offers free guided walks, usually at weekend.

For travelers, using hotel accommodations is necessary. Choosing the most affordable and comfortable amenities is a top priority for them. If you are a frequent flyer, expecting which hotels are best and worse should be always read on at the start of a year, like this January 2012.

There have been forecasts of fewer hotels to welcome this time around. With a worsening eCommerce, the industry seems to be, still, groping and building new edifices dwindle in the background over funding more important ones like environmentally friendly and energy saving programs.

Lodging Econometrics (LE) said that since last year up to present, a very much lower percentage of new hotels in the USA alone took birth compared to the last 3 years. Look below for the graph of its first forecast on new hotel openings in the Americas as well as other regions.

*Source: USA Today

In its history, the hotel industry regularly have new hotel rooms each year, but during the last 10 years, the number went into half in terms of percentage. This is alarming to consumers. Important parties, events and gatherings are always hosted in hotels, but if the room is not enough, where will the attendees all go?

“In 2011, the story will be about rate for us, the great deals that many people enjoyed over the last few years may be disappearing.” Starwood Hotels CEO Frits van Paasschen said at the Americas Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS) conference. He was encouraging hotel investors, owners, brand executives and developers to save this issue. It seems that the previous profits were not sufficed enough.

If tourism is dying, what should be the solution? Does that mean stopping traveling, no vacations and being country-based? The answer, we don’t know. Definitely it is a necessity to transfer goods from different places, but is the same with humans? For sure, there will be hotels to accommodate all travelers. It’s the number that is the problem. When demand increases for more rooms, the next thing to think of is to stay at lodging houses or cottages over hotels. Shelter is a basic necessity and a must to provide.

Tourism is booming in New York with really great spectacular shows to see at the Big Apple Circus this holiday season.

There are improved acts on juggling with fancy moves, a performing mechanical doll in a balancing act, routine hours acts, great dog shows, together with small acts from a capybara and porcupine for added amusement attractions. If you want to spend your holiday vacation in the west, this should be the best way to fun this time of the year. You can bring your children and the whole family to watch the greatest show ever and watch the whitest snow falling outside.

The World’s Greatest Circus artists also include brave acrobats, Grandma’s classic jokes and stunts, so high dances from flying trapeze actors and magnificent magicians for the grand illusions ever made. While, the music are adorned by the Ringmistress act as well as its own the Big Apple Circus Band.

This year Mr. Renaud Doucet will be the circus’ director in its 34th season. In the past, he was, as well, too has been a choreographer, ballet master, theater actor and solo dancer in various dance groups from all over the world.  Every year’s grand performance of the circus is joined by talents coming from a lot of countries. This 2011 famous artists of China, Mongolia, Russia, Bulgaria, Ethiopia, Kenya and America shared their talents to spectators.

Visit its website online to buy tickets today and dream big at www.bigapplecircus.org.

After we posted the World’s Top Budget Travel Destinations For 2012 released by Budget Travel magazine, this time the list is compiled by Lonely Planet. These destinations may not be the best when it comes to luxuries but they are the best for your pocket.

It’s the last month of the year and it’s now the best time to plan smart and get more bang for your money in these  top 10 best value destinations taken from Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2012 .

1. Northeastern USA

2. Japan

3. Tajikistan

4. Porto, Portugal

5. Lesotho

6. Iquitos, Peru

7. San Francisco, USA

8. Ohrid, Macedonia

9. Mekong Delta, Vietnam

10. Mérida, Mexico

Year 2012 is very good and joyful for visitors to come around the world visit although I think that neither New York City, Washington or Japan represent good value. For more information and why these destinations were chosen grab a copy of Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2012.

November is about to end in exactly 32 days (at least, from the  time of this post). Do you have travel plans for the year 2012 already?

Well, if you are looking for the best travel list for the coming year, Budget Travel magazine compiled not only the best places to visit, but the most practical  you can get for every penny you will spend as well. They have compiled the destinations where you can save the most from discounted tours, cheap flights, to favorable exchange rates where you can maximize the power of your money  to the cheapest five-star hotel rooms.

Some destinations that made it on the list are family-friendly favorites, some were included due to events that happened to their country and made them more affordable while some are overlooked underdogs waiting to be discovered.

Budget Travel Magazine’s Top Budget Travel Destination for 2012

1. Azores
2. Egypt
3. San Diego
4. Maritime Canada
5. Belize
6. San Antonio
7. Poland
8. Taipei
9. Kansas City
10. Athens

See why there were chosen, the suggested best time to visit, where to stay and the price check on the airline tickets at Budget Travel 10 To Watch Top Budget Travel Destinations for 2012.

If you are a Christian who loves to travel but wants to keep expenses in the low range, I highly recommend you take a look at some home exchange program or  holiday home swap.

This kind of home exchange services are getting popular nowadays and there are a lot of resources you can find now over the internet. Being able to find the best home exchange can bring a lot of benefits specially if you will travel to a foreign land and a bit tight on your budget. First, you can choose the kind of home that you want based on your budget. Second, you can also request for the picture of the house if needed.  Of course, the owners of these houses are all Christians.

If you are a Christian,  then  it’s given that you have the same belief with the owner which will make your stay more spiritually enriching. In fact, home exchanging is not only enriching for the individual need but for the church and community as well. Both parties will benefit in the process.

Home exchange program or holiday home swapping are not really new. This kind of programs were in fact started by Young Men’s Christian Association or simply called YMCA where the main objective of the organization is to provide low-cost housing in a safe Christian environment for both young men and women who travels specially those who are into an evangelization mission.

If you are searching for a home exchange program either you or your family wants to swap your home, or perhaps you are looking for a nice holiday home for your sabbatical rest then I suggest that you take a look at  ChristianHomeExchange.com. This site  is a great resource for Christians who would like to do a home exchange.

Traveling doesn’t necessarily spending a lot of money on your hotel accommodations.  The next time you plan for your next budget travel, try to consider home exchange program,  and see the difference not only in terms of how much you saved money but also experience how spiritually enriching it is.

How can you tell if it’s a very good golf course to play with your buddies? Actually, there are so many to choose from online today with a lot of special theme and attractions in golf courses all over the world. Fishing, meditation classes and other fun activities are now included in golf packages. The biggest favorites are the ones that also cover golf classes for amateurs, as well as local and international competitions or tournaments.

In the Philippines, there are really luscious green hills and healthy grass growing in its golf courses. Some of the type of trees you can find there are mango, pine and coconut. For added effects and challenge, man-made lakes and creeks are placed. This makes the scene more beautiful. Any golfer would enjoy playing in the country at all seasons. During a hot day, tropical drinks and fruits are available to freshen up guests. When there are light rains, the soil won’t be slushy, because the slopes are built according to the original mountain line or scope. Meaning to say, the land used was not dumped. This only makes golf courses in the country firmer and more solid. It is also cold during the holiday seasons from December and January. Resulting to scenes similar abroad in golf courses you can find in countries like the U.S.A., Japan or Europe.

The secret to a successful golf course is not how big or small the place that is available, but teaching golfers to always ask themselves upon starting, “Why am I here today?” Of course, amateur golf players do this for entertainment, socialization, admire the landscape and view or simply to have a good time. Yet, you are not on a million dollar tournament, so relax. When you miss a shot, don’t get so frustrated and go nuts. Just have fun and enjoy the show. Else, accidents might occur like breaking really expensive clubs. Just correct your mistake and see to it that the next shot will be perfect.

Another secret to a successful golf course is strategic planning. Get a good golfing group with at least 16 or more players and search online for the best golf vacation package from clubs and resorts. This way even if a golf friend is abroad, he or she can still know where your golf game is currently held. Budget wise, the package should also fit your wallet. Talk to the agent. Ask for arrangements like group discounts and promos. Using golf carts or hiring a caddy can add more expenses. If you have a low budget, be sure to ask these ones for free or in group discounts. Sometimes even the airfares are gotten cheaper during really good negotiations with the agent.

Being at a world renowned golf club and resort will give you the time of your life. Not only is the game great, but achieving this with a very nice milieu will be a lasting memory to you and your buddies. Make the best deal, be a real golfer and not a looser.

Best Golf Courses Philippines

Here is a sample list of the different golf courses in the Philippines and their contact details:
1. Mimosa Golf & Country Club, Angeles City (Holes: 18, Yardage: 6793, Par: 72) – Telephone: 6395
2. Camp John Hay Golf Course, Baguio City (Holes: 18, Yardage: 5428, Par: 68) – Telephone: (74) 442-7902, Fax: (74) 442-6798
3. Baguio Country Club, Baguio City (Holes: 18, Yardage: 4156, Par: 61) – Telephone: 815-3517
4. Cebu International Golf and Resort, Cebu (Holes: 18, Yardage: 6621/5974/5132, Par: 72/72/72) – Telephone: (63-32) 345-3339
5. Cebu Country Club, Cebu (Holes: 18) – Address: Gov. M Cuenco, Banilad, Cebu City, Cebu, 6000 Philippines, Telephone: (32) 2310345, Email Address: cebucountryclub@yahoo.com
6. Alta Vista Golf and Country Club, Cebu (Holes: 18, Yardage: 6034/5472/5029, Par: 72/72/72, Rating: 69.4/67.1/65.1, Slope: 126/121/117) – Address: Pardo Hills, Cebu City, Cebu, Philippines,
Telephone: 6332 272-7971 to 75
7.  Calatagan Golf Club, Batangas (Holes: 9 and an 18) – Telephone: 813-2636
8. Evercrest Golf Club and Resort, Batangas (Holes: 18, Yardage: 6704/6083/5617, Par: 72/72/72) – Address: Nasugbu, Batangas, Philippines, Telephone: 712 9293, 712 9298, 712 9299
9. Del Monte Golf Club, Bukidnon (Holes: 18, Yardage: 6390, Par: 72, Rating: 72) – Telephone: 6473, 6472, 3322, Fax: 817-4717
10. Puerto Azul Golf Course, Cavite (Holes: 18) – Telephone: (632) 521-0004, Fax: 572-201
11. Manila Southwoods Golf and Country Club, Cavite (Holes: 2-18s) – Web Site: www.manilasouthwoods.com, Address: Bo. Cabilang Baybay, Carmona, Cavite; Masters Course (Yardage: 7225/6613/6033, Par: 72/72/72, Rating: 75.8/73.0/70.3, Slope: 140/135/130); Legends Course (Yardage: 7093/6535/5895, Par: 72/72/72, Rating: 74.1/71.5/68.6, Slope: 135/130/124) – Telephone: (6346) 430-0268
12. Riviera Golf and Country Club, Cavite (Holes: 36) – Address: Tagaytay, Cavite, Philippines
13. Apo Golf & Country Club, Davao (Holes: 18, Yardage: 6787, Par: 72) – Telephone: 74-220, 81-944, 81-979
14. Club Intramuros, Intramuros (Holes: 18, Yardage: 5262, Par: 60)  – Telephone: 478-470 or 492-806
15. Canlubang Golf & Country Club, Laguna Province (Holes: 2-18s) – Telephone: 890-9321 and 897-6887; North Course (Yardage: 6929, Par: 72); South course (Yardage: 6785, Par: 72)

You can read the rest of the group at the Word Golf site (www.wordgolf.com). There is also another listing available at the Golfers Club Shares, Inc. site (www.golfersclubshares.com).

It was Thanksgiving Day yesterday, October 10 in Canada while it will be on November 24th for those who are in the United States of America.  The Thanksgiving holiday in the USA is celebrated in remembrance of the pilgrims and in order to give thanks, while the Canadian holiday comes from different traditions although it is now meant to convey thanks for their harvest.

But it doesn’t matter where you are from, either celebrating the Thanksgiving or not, CheapOAir is giving away up to 65% on Thanksgiving flight deals.  The deals will surely guaranteed to keep you warm even in a cool weather.

Throughout October, CheapOair is serving up super Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, Black Friday and Cyber Monday Flight Deals! Your will be delighted by their low priced airfares to your  favorite domestic and international destinations!  Their top-tier deals are some of the best on the market.

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When the Yellow Pages or phone directories were still popular, you will always here the saying”let your fingers do the walking”.  Today, with the proliferation of the internet, what you can hear is “let your mouse do the walking”. Meaning, do the searching over the internet.

If you want to travel to a foreign land and you don’t know anything about that place, basically all you do is visit a travel agency or search it on the internet first, right? For example, if you want to visit any of the Caribbean islands, do you know where to find villas or the antigua rentals? Honestly, I’ve searched the internet just to find where is Antigua located.

Aside from knowing the location, you can also search for special offerings of the place you want to visit. Another example, if you want to visit Portugal, do you know that apart from the hotels you can rent your own self-catered portugal villas? Of course, I wouldn’t know this without consulting Mr. G (Google).

Learn from my mistake. I was looking for some pollensa villas in Mallorca and the first thing that came to my mind was to call a friend of mine who has her own travel agency. I only mentioned “pollensa” to her. Unfortunately, she was not even aware where Pollensa is! Since her travel agency company caters to North America, Asian countries, and only to major cities around the world, she could not even find the place that I’m talking about in her map. I instructed her over the phone to open her laptop and search “Pollensa” on Google map.

Travel agencies are mostly busy in processing your plane tickets and making sure your preferred holiday package is met.  Apparently, from my own experience, there are travel agencies that are not updated with some exotic vacation destinations, specially if it’s not within their niche market – just like my friend who doesn’t know where Pollensa is.

What I want to emphasis is, before even visiting your friendly travel agency, it would be nice to gather information prior to the visit.

And by the way, with the popularity of tablets and touchscreen smartphones, the saying “let your fingers do the walking” is coming back again.  Either using your mouse or your fingers, take the advantage of the technology for your travel needs. With so much data and facts you can find over the internet, this will give you an upper hand when negotiating for your next vacation holiday.

San Franciso in the United States is only 7 miles square. It is very easy for a tourist to get around the city rather quickly. If you are a first time traveler, the best way for you to get around is by the well-known cable cars. The cable cars are operating since 1872.  A tour to San Francisco is not complete unless you’ve ridden on a cable car.

However, if you are thinking to visit some relatives or friends and you know how to drive, consider hiring or renting a car so you can visit more more popular landmarks afterwards. Of course, if you can borrow a car for a day or two from a friend then enjoy it to the max!

Driving in San Francisco is just like driving in any progressive city in the world.  All you have to do is be responsible. Follow the rules and the law of the land. Always bring your license with you,  and all your insurance information. Always drive safely.  If there’s a mechanical trouble in your car, call a professional mechanic right away. There are a lot of  shops in  San Franciso than can help you right away in fixing your car.  Nonetheless,  be wary of “fake mechanics” victimizing other people that doesn’t have much knowledge when it comes to fixing a car. If you can fix your car by your own self or with the help of your friends, then do it. If not, I suggest that you get in touch with Spectrum Auto. They’re one of the most reliable and professional mechanic in the city.

In case an accident happens, inform the owner of the car first or the rental company, if you’ve rented the car.  You can also bring your car to any progressive body shops to have it checked and repaired.

Aside from the well-known cable cars and renting a private car, there are two famous landmarks in San Franciso that you have to ride a boat in order to go there. These are the Alcatraz and Angle Island.

Visiting Alcatraz will takes you at least 2 1/2 hours of riding the Alcatraz Cruises, the authorized transport in the island. Make you to bring a coat as it could get windy and cold fast.

Angle Island is the largest island in San Francisco. Access to the island is by private boat or public ferry.