Urban Pulse

www.triplingo.com

In the real world of traveling, pocket-sized dictionaries and bulky Lonely Planet books don’t really cut it. Flipping through pages and pages of information to find a particular word or phrase screams tourist, and in the world of the smartphone, seems a bit antiquated. But now, thanks to the TripLingo app, you can avoid looking like a tourist and start speaking like a native. TripLingo makes it easier than ever to communicate during your nomadic adventures. It features a Slang Slider, where you can find formal or casual ways to say phrases. There are also customized phrase lists that tailor to your trip, whether it be vacation or work-related.  My favorite feature? The flash cards.  It makes it easy to practice, and at the end of the day, you might even be awarded a badge for your skills. TripLingo integrates a wealth of cultural information on each country and language, as well as etiquette tips and a pronunciation guide. TripLingo is currently available in Spanish, French, Portuguese, German, Italian, and Dari.  The best part is, you can try it out for free and pirate the open seas!

-Neko

I was perusing reddit.com today (what else is new) and I came across an article explaining how, for the past three years, the Maldives have been buying land in India to prepare for the day when their beloved homeland will be submerged due to global warming.  Most of the Maldives are only 1.5 meters above sea level, with the highest point a standing mere 2.5 meters over the water, so the grim reality is that, one day soon, the island nation’s 380,000 inhabitants are going to have to no choice but to relocate.  And the guilt sets in…

- Sandra

Source: blog.hotelpreston.com

Hotels are turning to Facebook and smartphone apps to compete with online travel agencies such as Kayak and Orbitz. These hotels believe the convenience and direct contact offered by Facebook and smartphones would attract these travelers back to booking directly with them. I agree with the Economist blogger who writes that when booking reservations, seeking direct contact with hotels is not high on the priority list of travelers. Rather, travelers choose hotels based on more practical factors like hotel location, habit, and most importantly, price. Online travel agencies are therefore more convenient since they offer recommendations based on these options.

I also agree with the statement that most people see hotels as “largely interchangeable,” especially in first-world countries. In other words, when booking hotels, most Americans are not loyal to one hotel brand. This makes sense for first-world countries since quality of service appears more consistent among similarly priced hotels. On the other hand, I believe that when traveling to third world countries, there is definitely more brand loyalty among tourists when choosing to book an international, established hotel brand since these hotels meet a “first-world standard” in quality of service and accommodations. Unlike hotels, airlines have cleverly responded to this popular trend of online travel agencies by offering loyalty programs (such as mileage points, which when added up can lead to a free flight).

The economist blogger suggests instead that hotels should use the services offered by social media to communicate with customers directly and solve their customers’ problems. This is definitely the strength of social media, which distinguishes it from other forms of communication. Social media essentially offers companies the power to communicate and build relationships with its customers.

For more information, please visit:

http://www.economist.com/blogs/gulliver/2011/04/hotels_and_social_media?fsrc=scn/tw/te/bl/bookinghotelsviafacebook

-My

Bardessono Hotel

Bardessono has been on a roll this year. This time, they are featured on Forbes.com as America’s greenest luxury resort and spa. Bardessono’s General Manager, Jim Treadway said that there was a lot of skepticism surrounding the hotel. Could you really be a luxury hotel and be green at the same time? Bardessono is not only succeeding at both by having private in-room spa services and being LEED certified, but is also making a profit in this difficult economy. Bravo Bardessono, Bravo!

Check out the video on Forbes.com here.

-Mukkitu

Living in today’s time crunched and money conscious lifestyle makes that trip to London, Paris, or Tahiti seem like a far-away dream. Is there such a place where discounted exotic destination deals exist? Voyage Privé is the world’s leading invitation-only travel site that carefully hand selects and negotiates the most exclusive, high-end travel deals for our members – at prices of up to 75% off. There are over five million members in the UK, France, Italy, and Spain and has now arrived in the US. Their travel events are featured in an exciting, 5 day-sale and new sales are open every day. Voyage Privé sales are limited and are first come, first served, so remember to log-in early for the best selection. Membership is free and by invitation only, so look around for a friend who could refer you or find a smart way to reach out to Voyage Privé, and get ready to shop for travel deals like never before!

-Mukkitu