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Sep 28 2013

Family Travel Niagara Falls, Mom’s Guide To Travel Investigates

Mom’s Guide To Travel was one of nearly 50 influential family travel sites that gathered this past weekend (Sept. 20-22, 2013) from around the United States and Canada at the TMS Family Travel Conference in Niagara Falls, NY. I was excited to learn about the area’s offerings for family travel, Niagara Falls and the rest of the region had more to offer than I thought. The conference was hosted by the Niagara Convention Corporation and organized by Travel Media Showcase, Family Travel Forum, and Taking the Kids.

The conference drew media along with representatives of destinations and tourism organizations that value and market to family travelers. This was the third conference event for TMS Family Travel, which also hosts an annual Family Travel Summit bringing together media and travel providers to explore ideas for better family travel experiences.

Niagara Falls Conference — Travel Media Showcase Sponsors

As a writer for 10Best USA Today and a contributor to TravelChannel.com, my goal with the Mom’s Guide To Travel site is to provide you, my awesome readers, with strategies that help reduce the stress of family travel while also promoting destinations for you to explore together with your families. This site and the other digital travel, lifestyle and parenting communities present at the conference are typical of the information resources that vacation planners turn to when researching and booking their travel; most are successful niche sites or social media channels that cater to a limited number of highly engaged users by offering exclusive content or products.

On the eve of the conference, New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo discussed initiatives to make tourism a top economic priority by developing more attractions to appeal to families and increase their length of stay.

I was excited to be in Niagara Falls, a classic tourism icon that is undergoing a major revitalization to position itself for today’s sophisticated travelers. Despite a citywide blackout which forced one workshop to be held by the glow of cellphones, more than 21 million social media impressions were generated by conference attendees who toured the Cave of the Winds, rode the Maid of the Mist, and survived a Whirlpool Jet boat ride in addition to visiting wineries, Erie Canal locks, street fairs and local farms.

John Percy, President and CEO of the Niagara Tourism and Convention Corporation, said hosting the TMS Family Travel Conference “far exceeded our expectations, especially with the social media buzz it created throughout the conference. It’s invaluable to have a group of top family travel writers from around the country and Canada visit and experience what our destination has to offer.”

The big takeaway for myself and other writers and speakers, who represented major companies like Trip Advisor, AOL, USA Today and the Los Angeles Times, was how important learning vacations have become to families. “A passport is the new diploma,” noted Keith Bellows of National Geographic Traveler, and new research from the U.S. Travel Association suggests that those who took educational trips as kids are more likely to graduate from college and earn more as adults.

By the time this group of writers is done, you’ll be hearing the words “family travel Niagara Falls” more frequently. Did you know that the family travel industry is now the leading segment of all leisure travel in the United States, with more than 100 million trips taken each year with children under 18? To see NBC’s WGRZ2 news coverage of myself and other writers in Niagara, go to: http://www.wgrz.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=226725.

Stay tuned for more in depth coverage on the blog of the range of activities I explored in Niagara Falls, relevant to family travel.

About TMS FAMILY TRAVEL
In its 14^th year, Travel Media Showcase brings together leading print and broadcast travel media with tourism representatives from around the world to showcase new regions for media to cover, and connect destinations with qualified leads. After producing both Family Travel Conference NY and Family Travel Conference Dallas, the company began presenting TMSfamily conferences and travel summits in 2013. Travel Media Showcase is a division of J. Vero Associates, an event planning and destination management company.

About Family Travel Consulting
Family Travel Consulting is the collaboration of Eileen Ogintz of Taking the Kids.com, the nationally syndicated travel column with millions of readers; and Kyle McCarthy of Family Travel Forum (myfamilytravels.com), the vacation planning resource that’s The Wall Street Journal’s “Best for Grandparents” and a Forbes “Favorite.” FTC provides strategy, marketing, digital and social know-how to travel and family products, and hosts the TMSfamily conference for media reaching the family vacation audience.

Sep 05 2013

Save Money With The Sheraton New York Times Square Renovation Special

Every once in a while I have to do my civic duty and let y’all know about a travel promotion that I think you may like. This past weekend I went home to Brooklyn to visit my family over the Labor Day weekend. Although we usually stay at my sister’s in Queens, my husband would much rather rest his head at a hotel in the city. Novel idea, and I like his thinking, but I prefer to spend my travel dollars in destinations that aren’t called “home”.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m a big promoter of staycations and staying in New York is still exciting and tons of fun. When I’m not giving advice to tourists about how to avoid being annoying tourists, I feel like a visitor myself. I’ve rested my head in some pretty nice hotels in Manhattan in the past, but these days, what I consider “nice” is the hotel that’s helping me keep dollars in my pockets.

Well, this October and November, if we decide to take a quick getaway to New York for our anniversary, we’ll have to give the Sheraton New York Times Square a twirl. They have a neat promotion going on right now where they’re rewarding guests for home and personal renovations. Different, right? But why?

Sheraton New York Times Square Gets a Face-lift

And to celebrate the completion of their $180 million top-to-bottom face-lift of their own, the Sheraton New York Times Square is offering hotel guests who have recently gone through a renovation of their own – whether a home remodeling or any type of cosmetic procedure – a $50 per stay Makeover Celebration Credit. Overnight guests simply present a valid receipt at check-in showing at least $150 in home renovation projects or personal cosmetic procedures to receive the credit.

General Manager Mark Sanders notes, “We are celebrating our hotel’s complete renovation and showing a gorgeous new face to Manhattan. The Sheraton New York Times Square wants to share the excitement by offering a $50 credit, showing our guests that we applaud their own makeover investments in their homes, apartments and personal self-improvement. We look forward to hearing many entertaining makeover stories from our guests.”

The $50 per stay credit is valid once per trip; valid on two-night stays on Friday, Saturday and Sunday in October 2013; and will be credited upon check-in at the hotel. And don’t try to get over just so that you can get the credit. Home improvements and makeover procedures must have occurred within six months of check-in date and cosmetic procedures must be in-office medical procedures.

For more details, go to www.SheratonNewYork.com and click “Offers” or call the hotel directly at 212-581-1000. You have 1,781 newly renovated rooms to choose from if you decide to go for a stay like we’re considering. As far as our makeover investment, I don’t think we’ll have any entertaining makeover stories unless our plumber decides to do something off-the-wall, like not charge us a plane ticket for his services.

Jan 16 2013

The Flu and Traveling: How to Avoid It Like The Plague

The flu season in the United States is in full effect. Over 47 states have reported flu outbreaks with two of them, Boston and New York, declaring medical states of emergency. So what does that mean for you as a traveler? Does the flu and traveling go together?

No. Traveling and the flu are like oil and water – they just don’t mix.

Bottom line, if you knowingly have the flu, you should not be traveling. But as I’ve said before, in special cases, traveling while sick can’t always be helped. In addition, we don’t always know that we have the flu until we really HAVE the flu. That tickle in the back of your throat and that slight “headiness” could be early warning signs, or they could just be symptoms of something else. If they are early signs, then you’ve just spread your contagiousness to other travelers, or the reverse, someone spread their germs to you.

So what can you do and what do you need to know?

Current Statistics

Besides the far West of the United States, the rest of the country has either experienced high levels of illness or reported flu outbreaks, as relayed by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC also reports:

The hardest hit areas are the East, South, and Midwest.

In New York alone, there have been more than 19,000 reported cases so far this season, a 250% increase as compared to last year.

At least 18 children have died nationwide.

Hospitalizations are up 169% from the same period last year.

If you walk into a major retailer like Costco, you’ll see their vitamin and nutritional stock relocated to the front entrance of the store. However, in addition to offering vitamins, many retailers with pharmacies like Costco, Target, major supermarkets, and big pharmacy chains like CVS and Walgreens, are also offering flu shots. In some states, like New York, there have been reported shortages for the vaccine.

Costco Helping Flu — Costco’s Vitamin Stock

Protection and Prevention

1. Healthcare professionals and the CDC are saying the most important step is to get the flu shot. Even though the shot is only 62% effective, the CDC feels that’s better than nothing.

2. Practice good hand washing: Germs are rampant and abundant on any surface you touch, so wash your hands frequently. In lieu of a basin and some soap, carry a small bottle of hand sanitizer. Don’t be afraid to offer a squeeze to others.

3. Personal space: As I tell my son, if you see someone coughing and sneezing, move away from them. Forget about being polite, focus on protection.

4. Be healthy: a healthy diet that includes fruits, vegetables, and vitamins is always a great first course to a healthy immune system. Couple that with plenty of fluids and rest, and you’re building great defenses.

5. Wear a surgical mask: Don’t be afraid of “looking crazy” – surgical masks are a great way to protect your system from airborne germs. Walk into any hospital and you will see workers donning masks in times like these to protect themselves from sick patients or vice versa. In Japan, it’s commonplace to see people wearing surgical masks in public to prevent the spread of disease. (It is also worn to protect against pollen in the Spring but that’s another travel and health subject.)

Although I’m not a fan of the flu shot, if I were traveling, specifically if I were boarding a plane, bus, or cruise ship, I’d get the shot. The CDC also has its HealthMap Vaccine Finder site where you can plug in your current zip code to find the nearest location to get the shot.

Nov 15 2012

Gas Rationing in New York and Potential Affects on Holiday Travel

Traveling home to New York for Thanksgiving may be more than I bargained for if gas rationing continues. Though the system was an inconvenience for residents, it eased some of the pressure on gas stations and lightened up lines in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. For non-residents, there may be a bigger issue involved. Will the city be returned to normal in time for Thanksgiving? If not, how might gas rationing in New York affect holiday travel there?

Gas Rationing Could Worsen NYC Traffic — As if travel in the city weren’t bad enough?

The way the gas rationing system works in New York is that if a license plate ends in an even number, a motorist can fill up on an even day and those with odd plates can fill up on odd days. Plates ending in a letter also fill up on odd days. Unfortunately, there’s been a bit of price gouging with pumps in parts of Queens ranging from $4.19 to $4.59 for regular gas when the average price has been around $3.49. Motorists had to pay for gas with cash, forcing them to go inside to a register, thus making the buying process (and lines) longer. In addition, residents were limited to $40 worth of gas at some stations. Compounding the issue, many of those stations were running out of fuel by day’s end.

I think people are hoping that the issue is resolved completely by the holidays. However, if the city suffers more weather issues, the gas rationing system may stay in place in New York and the term “home for the holidays” may take on a new meaning. Drivers traveling to and from New York and New Jersey should prepare themselves for a long journey and maybe even longer lines.

Photo courtesy of freefoto.com.

Current Statistics

Protection and Prevention

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