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If you haven’t made yet a decision for the destination of your vacation, you should try Benidorm Spain. Benidorm is a very popular attraction situated along the costa blanca. It is a very nice, little town that has no more than 65.000 habitants. That is during the winter, because during the summer the place is full and usually during the summer there are like 4 million tourists each year from all over Europe.
There are plenty of hotels, can online list you will find by visiting Benidorm Hotels .There are also lots of restaurants and bars, more than 1000.
You can also take in consideration also to rent one of the many Benidorm Apartments , with a splendid Sea view. When you will take a walk on the beach you will understand why Benidorm is called Manhattan of Spain. There are lots of skyscrappers on the beach, tall hotels and apartment buildings. If you are a sun and beach type ,there are three major beaches: Llevant, Ponent and Mal Pas. If you prefer mountains ,high in the mountains behind Altea, there is a beautiful waterfall called Algar Falls .Also if you like caves you can visit Canelobre Caves. So now is your turn to reserve your flight for Benidorm.

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Amsterdam is the the beautiful capital of Holland, a well know tourist attraction. Lot of people immigrate here:french,germain,protestant people.
Some attractive places of Amsterdam could be Dutch National Museum ,Rembrandt’s house,Van Gogh Museum,Erotic Museum.There’s a lot of options for funny in Amsterdam.This is the perfect place to organize one Stag weekends that you will not forget.
Dutch National Museum gives a special image to you: objects d’arts from India,visitors can also see chinese porcelain,etc.About sculpture ,there is a picture of life from the Middle Ages wich offer to you jewels,tapestries,costumes.
Rembrandt’s house is in present a kind of museum where people can also married,all things from the ex-house are the same,nothing changed,in memory of great painter Rembrandt.
Similar museum is Van Gogh,who never let his country,Holland,still being present through his 200 pictures  and more than 500 designs who permanently are exposed in museum.
Erotic Museum,is an old warehouse with erotica souvenirs,a lot of rooms with painted walls,for example with “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”,similar with his name:erotic museum pictures. You can organize some perfect Stag nights here.
A great relax represent Salsa Dancing Classe.One of the easiest latin dances,can give you comfort,power that can’t stop yourself to go on the dance floor.If you’re ready for that experience,you’ve got a hot evening.
Amsterdam won’t give up,it is prepared for you,specialy with VIP Casino Night or another casinos.If you go inside,you will risk your money,but you’ll have the chance to win more.If you think you have the lead,just proceed.You can choose blackjack,roulette,poker tables and taste from this pleasure all night.
P.S:Don’t forget your passport(No passport,no entry).
Surely,you need a golf day in Amsterdam city.A round of golf isn’t bad for you.Some trumps will be helpful.If these thing never worked four you,be confident and hit the fairways.Good luck!Don’t forget to book airplane tickets in advance, during the summer can be very hard to find an air ticket.Also you should see some great resources like Stag Weekends in Amsterdam.
This is the way when you most feel like having fun,if you’re not figured that yet.

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WARWICK, R.I., Aug. 26 /PRNewswire/ — Buying travel insurance can be complicated, but it doesn’t have to be. At InsureMyTrip.com, the leading online travel insurance comparison site, coverage is made simple with the company’s award-winning web site, and a world-class Customer Care Team providing a level of personal assistance rarely found in today’s consumer marketplace.
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Providing access to expert Customer Care via phone, email and live online chat has been a cornerstone of the company’s success since launching in 2000. “From the outset,” says Jim Grace, President and Founder of InsureMyTrip, “we knew our innovative online services would be incomplete without traditional hands-on support from real people. Our Customer Care experts make the travel insurance buying experience easy, quick, and enjoyable.”
Headquartered in coastal Rhode Island, InsureMyTrip’s Customer Care team is a knowledgeable force of licensed representatives well-versed in the complexities and nuances of travel insurance. Whether you simply need one question answered or want step-by-step help in selecting a travel insurance policy, InsureMyTrip’s Customer Care professionals can help.
InsureMyTrip’s state-of-the-art Customer Care Center is also equipped with a modern Global Monitoring System (GMS) for continuous tracking of world events that may impact consumers’ travels. The GMS works in real time so that the Customer Care representatives know of travel-related occurrences such as natural disasters, terrorist events, and transportation industry news, as they happen.
To learn more about the protection plans that best suit your travel needs, call (800) 487-4722 to speak with a Customer Care representative or visit today. Fully versed in all aspects of travel insurance, from up-to-the-minute coverage definitions to the fine print details, InsureMyTrip.com’s dependable Customer Care team is available by phone and online seven days a week, Monday through Friday 7 AM to Midnight, Saturday 9 AM to 6 PM and Sunday 11 AM to 6 PM ET.
About InsureMyTrip.com
Established in 2000, InsureMyTrip.com is the leading, consumer-oriented online travel insurance aggregator worldwide. Featuring insurance comparisons from the top industry providers, InsureMyTrip.com is a unique, one-stop resource designed to meet consumers’ comprehensive travel insurance needs all in a secure environment. InsureMyTrip.com also specializes in providing integrated technology solutions for the travel insurance industry, with over 2,000 private-labeled and co-branded travel-related websites around the globe. InsureMyTrip.com is headquartered in Warwick, RI with additional offices and data centers in Connecticut and Oregon.

InsureMyTrip.com

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MELBOURNE, Fla., Aug. 25 /PRNewswire/ — holiday Builders, Melbourne Florida’s award-winning homebuilder, now celebrating 25 years of building quality homes, today announced that it is offering first-time homebuyers excellent incentives to select either Express Move-in or new construction homes. For a limited time, holiday Builders is offering homebuyers their choice of locking-in a 5.75% fixed rate for life or receiving $7500 off the price of a new home. In addition, qualified first-time homebuyers may receive an additional $7500 Federal Home Buyer Tax Credit.
“Holiday Builders’ Employee-Owners are thrilled to be offering this flexible and timely program to first-time homebuyers,” said Kim Shelpman, CEO of holiday Builders. “The value homebuyers can receive from holiday Builders is at an all-time high, so now is the time to buy. Moreover, homebuyers will enjoy a World-class home buying experience from beginning to end when they select holiday Builders to build their home. Plus, if they act now, homebuyers can lock in a 5.75% mortgage rate for life — significantly lower than current market rates.”
Every holiday Builders home features renowned quality craftsmanship and outstanding customer service. holiday Builders offers dozens of award-winning home designs, affordable pricing and plenty of livable space. Plus, every new home comes with a 10 year Bonded Builders structural warranty and holiday Builders Two Year Transferable warranty.
Throughout the course of 25 years, holiday Builders has enjoyed the privilege of helping more than 30,000 individuals and families achieve the American Dream of owning their own home. For more information on this program, call a New Home Consultant at 800-719-4549. Realtor/Broker participation welcome.
Holiday Builders was founded in 1983 — a time when affordable, quality homes were almost out of reach for the average American. In the first year, the business plan was to sell 12 homes, instead 76 were sold. Today, holiday Builders has built more than 30,000 single-family homes throughout Florida, Texas and Alabama and has continued the strategy to provide a quality-built home of lasting value for the best possible price. Most recently, holiday Builders was selected as one of the top three places to work in the U.S. by the editors of Professional Builder magazine.
About holiday Builders
Recognized by Professional Builder Magazine as one of the top three places to work for in the U.S. and by Inc. Magazine’s “Inc 500″ for being one of the Fastest Growing Companies in the United States, holiday Builders is the largest 100% employee-owned homebuilder in the nation. The Florida-based homebuilder has received numerous awards during its 25 year history. In 2007, it was selected 28th on the Builder 100 List as ranked by Builder Magazine. That year, holiday Builders was also voted one of the ‘50 Best Builders to Work For in the Residential Construction Industry’ by the Reed Business Information, which publishes Professional Builder, Custom Builder, Professional Remodeler and Housing Giants magazine publications. For more information, visit .
Contact:
Narciso Tovar
mundayMorning PR
(972) 852-2800, ext. 119

Holiday Builders

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MCLEAN, Va., Aug. 21 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Randy Petersen, editor and publisher of InsideFlyer magazine and frequent flier expert, will join USA TODAY’s “Today in the Sky” online travel community as a forum moderator on Friday, Aug. 22. Petersen will address frequent flier issues within the forum page of “Today in the Sky,” where readers gather for lively discussions about air travel topics. He will be available to answer their frequent flier questions on a regular basis, sharing his enormous expertise and insider knowledge of the topic. Readers can go to flights.usatoday.com to ask questions and join the conversation.
“USATODAY has always been a leader when it comes to providing business travelers with useful news and online tools,” said Petersen. “The idea of creating an online forum populated both by business travelers and those of us who report on the industry is one of the most innovative online community concepts I have seen in a very long time, and I am excited to be a part of it.”
“Today in the Sky” offers a mix of enterprise reporting from USA TODAY’s travel staff and contributors; the best air travel surveillance, news and information from the Web; “Flightdex,” a feature which tracks the latest buzz about the top airlines; and includes Ben Mutzabaugh’s popular blog about air travel, also called “Today in the Sky.”"Today in the Sky” is also an online travel resource providing users with the ability to search for the best airfares online, frequent-flier promotions, a mileage calculator and flight tracking tools. The “Today in the Sky” community features forums for readers and moderators to swap advice, experiences and opinions. It also includes a place where travelers can meet up with other frequent fliers online to discuss upcoming trips, aviation news and more.
About USA TODAY
USA TODAY is the nation’s top-selling newspaper. It is published via satellite at 34 locations in the USA and at four sites abroad. With a total average daily circulation of 2.3 million, USA TODAY is available worldwide. USA TODAY is published by Gannett Co., Inc. . The USA TODAY brand also includes: USATODAY.com, an award-winning news and information Web site that is updated 24 hours per day; USA TODAY Sports Weekly, a magazine for enthusiasts of college and professional football and baseball; USA TODAY Mobile, offering up-to-the minute news and information on a variety of mobile platforms and devices; and USA TODAY LIVE, the television arm of the USA TODAY brand that brings the spirit and quality of the newspaper to television.
USA TODAY

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SEATTLE, Aug. 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — The Fareologists at Live Search Farecast () today issued an early forecast for the 2008 holiday travel season, uncovering a grim outlook for consumers hoping to travel on peak dates. Fares for Thanksgiving 2008 are up 35 percent from 2007, while Christmas and New Year’s fares are up 31 percent.
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“This holiday season may well be the perfect storm for airfare that sends travelers running for cover,” said Fareologist Joel Grus. “The combination of high fuel prices, airline capacity and route cuts means holiday travelers may easily spend upwards of $100 more per ticket than last year. There are deals out there for both Thanksgiving and Christmas, but they’re few and far between, and won’t last long.”
Nationally, the average ticket cost for the most popular Thanksgiving itinerary — Wednesday departure, Sunday return — is $490, up $66 from last year. Travelers who have flexibility will be rewarded with big savings; returning on Monday or Tuesday can save more than $90 per ticket. The landscape for Christmas and New Year’s fares is similar, with fares averaging $420.
“Don’t forget,” Grus added, “Many airlines are adding additional fees, such as baggage, on top of these fares, which can push the cost of travel higher.”
Grus offers the following tips for holiday travelers:
– Watch October for holiday price drops. During 2006 and 2007, most Christmas itineraries saw price drops in the first two weeks of October. Farecast data suggests there are 50 percent more price drops during the holidays than other times of the year, so alerts are critical to catch elusive deals.
– Travelers from big markets should wait. Travelers flying to and from major airports are much more likely to see price drops this fall and should closely monitor for lower fares before purchasing. Those flying in or out of smaller regional airports, which have been more affected by airline capacity cuts, should buy as soon as they find a fare with which they are comfortable - don’t expect major price drops this fall.
– Travelers will pay more this year. Unless a traveler finds the deal of the season, he will pay more for his holiday flights than in years past. Travelers should accept this and not hold out for a lower fare; it likely won’t come and the cost will just continue to rise.
“In 2007, travelers found the best holiday fares in the second week of October,” Grus said. “This year is a whole new game, so I recommend anyone who needs to fly on peak travel days to buy as soon as they find a reasonable fare. Those who do have flexibility in their travel dates should monitor fares closely over the next few months and look for fare drops.”
Hotels Compensate for Higher Airfare
The Fareologists also uncovered an interesting trend in hotels: Some hotels at key vacation destinations are significantly lowering rates to counterbalance a rise in airfare. In many cases, overall trip costs including air and hotel have not increased above 2007 costs.
“The intense media attention to high airfares has everyone thinking that travel this year is vastly more expensive than ever before, and that’s just not the case,” Grus said. “For example, let’s look at an eight-day trip for two to Miami in September. Airfare has increased $109 since last year, but hotels are $173 less expensive, meaning the total trip cost is actually down $64.”
The trend holds true for many destinations in Hawaii and Florida. The trend is particularly interesting for Hawaii, which this year has seen some of the steepest fare increases of any destination. Nationally, hotel rates are about even with last year, but rates at leisure destinations such as Hawaii and Florida are down as much as 20 percent.
Farecast Airfare Predictions and Hotel Rate Keys
Live Search Farecast helps save online travel shoppers money with an airfare prediction for their specific trip. The airfare prediction shows whether the lowest fares appear to be rising or dropping and provides a recommendation to buy now or wait. In April 2006, Navigant Consulting Inc. tested more than 44,000 airfare predictions and confirmed that Farecast’s predictions were 74.5 percent accurate.
Farecast’s Hotel Rate Key helps consumers know at a glance if the current rate for a hotel is a deal or not a deal. The initial beta version uses historical rates and offers Hotel Rate Keys for more than 5,000 hotels in 30 major cities across the country for up to 90 days in the future. Farecast builds the unbiased Hotel Rate Key on science, not marketing.
About Live Search Farecast
Farecast, acquired by Microsoft in 2008, is the smart travel search site that helps consumers buy with confidence. In addition to providing flight and hotel search, Farecast helps consumers know when to buy with airfare predictions and know where to stay with Hotel Rate Keys. Farecast has been recognized as the 2008 Webby Award Travel winner, named Conde Nast Traveler’s “Best Site for Knowing When to Book” in 2008, named one of Travel Leisure’s Top 25 Travel Websites in 2007, awarded Budget Travel’s 2007 Extra Mile Award, named one of PC World’s 20 Most Innovative Products for 2006, listed in “Best of What’s New 2006″ by Popular Science, named one of TIME Magazine’s “50 Coolest Websites” in 2006, and named one of the “Best Trip Planning Tools” by BusinessWeek readers in 2006. Buy travel smarter at .
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

Microsoft Corp.

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HONOLULU, Aug. 19 /PRNewswire/ — Presumptive Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama recently visited The Kahala hotel & Resort, joining a distinguished group of VIPs who have trod The Kahala’s red carpet. Since its opening in 1964, The Kahala has been the preferred hotel in Hawaii for visiting U.S. presidents, royalty and heads of state.
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Every U.S. president since Lyndon B. Johnson has stayed at The Kahala. Richard Nixon visited in 1972, Gerald Ford stayed at the hotel on his way to China, and Jimmy Carter dined here. Ronald Reagan swam in the hotel’s beach in 1984. George H.W. Bush arrived via helicopter on the neighboring Waialae Country Club golf course to avoid interrupting traffic with a motorcade. The hotel staff’s children greeted Bill Clinton with a lei. George W. Bush rested at The Kahala during a brief stopover from Asia.
VIPs stay in the 1500-square foot Presidential Suite, with views of Koko Head Crater, Pacific Ocean, and Diamond Head. It is being redesigned in an elegant Hawaiian residential style, and will have a spacious office, living room, and master bedroom when it reopens in December 2008 at $8,888 a night.
Other distinguished guests of The Kahala include Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip, Emperor Hirohito, Prince Rainier and Princess Grace, Indira Gandhi, and the Dalai Lama. Prince Charles and Princess Diana booked 100 rooms for their party’s stopover in 1985.
“The Kahala is in a secluded, prestigious residential neighborhood, and our VIP guests treasure the privacy and feeling of security at our hotel,” says managing director John Blanco. “Our endearing staff, impeccable service, luxurious accommodations, and unique beachfront location make The Kahala the perfect Hawaiian hideaway.”
About The Kahala
A secluded, exclusive retreat, the 343-room hotel is on Kahala Beach, minutes from Waikiki. The Kahala has been Honolulu’s social address for weddings and gatherings since opening in 1964.
The Kahala has five restaurants including the award-winning Hoku’s, a spa, and a lagoon with six Atlantic bottlenose dolphins. The resort is a member of The Leading Hotels of the World and is recognized internationally as an icon among luxury resorts.
Contact The Kahala at: (808) 739-8888; (800) 367-2525;

The Kahala

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LEXINGTON, Mass., Aug. 19 /PRNewswire/ — A new benchmark report from RSR Research, sponsored in part by Gomez, Inc., a leading provider of web application experience management services, finds that retailers are holding back on investing in improving consumers’ online shopping experience.
The report, entitled “Playing Well with Others: eCommerce’s Evolving Role in the Customer Experience” also found that retailers are cautiously exploring next generation eCommerce Web 2.0 technologies. The report’s co-authors, analysts Nikki Baird and Steve Rowen, urge retailers to understand the impact of these technologies on the customer experience.
“Today, retailers can no longer assume that their sites are able to easily handle increased holiday volume or that customers will stick around to wait for a web page to load,” said Nikki Baird, Managing Partner at RSR Research. “Delivering quality web experiences while using advanced web technologies is now a competitive necessity.”
The report recommends that “strategic opportunities exist within enhanced personalization, search, merchandising, and cross-channel tie-in solutions,” but also cautions retailers about their potential pitfalls.
“Bear in mind that adding new features or tools (especially those using web 2.0 technologies or delivered via third parties) can impact the performance of both the website and customers’ online experiences. Retailers looking to ensure that all users have the optimal experience, regardless of location, connection or browser, should therefore test and monitor their own site performance and benchmark against their competitors and industry leaders,” said Steve Rowen, RSR Research partner/analyst.
“Given that the holiday season is just around the corner and that online retail has been forecast as the one bright spot in our gloomy economy, now really is the time to commit to the web experience,” said Matthew Poepsel, Gomez’s VP of performance strategies. “With services like the Gomez ExperienceFirst platform available to help ready sites for the holiday rush and monitor them throughout the season, etailers can confidently deploy high impact, rich, Web 2.0-enabled shopping features such as product reviews, multiple views and zoom. It’s a race to secure the sale: only by delivering quality web experiences will shopping carts get filled and checked out.”
The full report can be found at:
Webinar
Gomez and RSR Research partner/analyst Steven Rowen will co-present a webinar entitled “Winning eCommerce Strategies: Best Practices for Delivering Web 2.0 Customer Experiences” on Wednesday, September 10 at 11:00 a.m. EDT. To register go to
About Retail Systems Research
Retail Systems Research (”RSR”) is the only research company run by retailers for the retail industry. RSR provides insight into business and technology challenges facing the extended retail industry, and thought leadership and advice on navigating these challenges for specific companies and the industry at large. To learn more about RSR, visit .
About Gomez
Gomez, Inc. is a leading provider of web application experience management services, which businesses use to test their web applications while in development and to monitor their web applications after deployment. More than 2,000 customers use Gomez’s on-demand services to improve the quality of the web experience in order to increase their revenue from web applications, reduce their operating costs, and extend their brand reputations. For more information, please visit .
Gomez and gomez.com are registered service marks and ExperienceFirst is a service mark of Gomez, Inc. All other trademarks and service marks are the property of their respective owners.
Available Topic Expert(s): For information on the listed expert(s), click appropriate link. Matt Poepsel
Gomez, Inc.

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PHOENIX, Aug. 18 /PRNewswire/ — This weekend, Best Western International and AAA sent two lucky race fans on the “Ultimate Road Trip.”
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As grand prize winners of the Best Western - AAA “Ultimate Road Trip” sweepstakes, Boyd Alldredge and his wife Nancy, of St. Joseph, Mo., began a nine-day road trip from Michigan to North Carolina on Sunday. They are traveling in style — in a street-legal version of the No. 99 Best Western Toyota Camry race car.
The trip began with Sunday’s Sprint Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway and the Alldredges continue their 1,138-mile journey through August 25, visiting the nation’s top attractions, theme parks and Best Western hotels. Their journey will be guided by a TripTik(R) Travel Planner provided by AAA.
“This is definitely different than anything we’ve ever done before — we’re huge race fans and are excited about the race in Michigan,” said Alldredge. “We look forward to driving the No. 99 car.”
The road trip concludes August 25 with a visit to Raceworld USA and tours of the Michael Waltrip Racing and Roush Fenway Racing shops near Charlotte, N.C. The Alldredges are also scheduled to appear on two-time Daytona 500 winner Michael Waltrip’s XM Radio show — Michael Waltrip “Out Loud.”
“I can’t wait for Mr. Alldredge to share with my listeners everything that he saw and experienced on the ultimate road trip,” said Michael Waltrip, long-time spokesperson for Best Western. “Everyone here at Waltrip Racing is looking forward to seeing the Best Western car pull in to town.”
The public can view video of the Alldredges as they make their way south, by accessing Best Western’s YouTube channel at . trip activities also will be documented through photos and journal entries at . The winners also received pre-paid gas cards to fuel their tour across the eastern United States. The itinerary includes:
AAA - Best Western “Ultimate Road Trip” Itinerary
Sun., Aug. 17 (59.4 miles) — Attend Sprint Cup Series race in Brooklyn, Mich. Following the race, drive south to Napoleon, Ohio; overnight stay at the Best Western Napoleon Inn & Suites in Napoleon, Ohio.
Mon., Aug. 18 (176.6 miles) — Napoleon, Ohio to Kings Mills (Cincinnati), Ohio. Visit Kings Island theme park; overnight stay at the Best Western Mariemont Inn in Cincinnati.
Tues., Aug. 19 (123.1 miles) — Kings Mills, Ohio to Louisville, Ky. Visit Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom theme park; overnight stay at the Best Western Green Tree Inn in Clarksville, Ind.
Wed., Aug. 20 (92.4 miles) — Clarksville, Ind. to Lexington, Ky. Visit Kentucky Horse Park; overnight stay at the Best Western Parkside Inn in Frankfort, Ky.
Thurs., Aug. 21 (46.0 miles) — In Lexington area, visit the Toyota Motor Manufacturing plant in Georgetown, Ky.; overnight stay at the Best Western Parkside Inn.
Fri., Aug. 22 (312.7 miles) — Lexington, Ky. to Boone, N.C. Stop en route at Cumberland Gap National Park in Kentucky; overnight stay at the Best Western Blue Ridge Plaza in Boone, N.C.
Sat., Aug. 23 (118.9 miles) — Special event in Bristol, Tenn. Overnight stay at the Best Western Blue Ridge Plaza
Sun., Aug. 24 (110.5 miles) — Boone, N.C. to Charlotte, N.C. Visit Carowinds theme park; overnight stay at the Best Western Crown Suites in Pineville, N.C.
Mon., Aug. 25 (44.7 miles) — Visit the race shops in Concord and Cornelius, N.C.; depart via Charlotte-Douglas International Airport.
ABOUT AAA
As North America’s largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides more than 51 million members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services. Since its founding in 1902, the not-for-profit, fully tax-paying AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers. AAA clubs can be visited on the Internet at AAA.com.
ABOUT BEST WESTERN INTERNATIONAL
Best Western International is THE WORLD’S LARGEST HOTEL CHAIN(R), providing marketing, reservations and operational support to over 4,000* independently owned and operated member hotels in 80* countries and territories worldwide. An industry pioneer since 1946, Best Western has grown into an iconic brand that hosts 400,000* worldwide guests each night. Best Western’s diverse property portfolio, its greatest strength, stems from a business model designed to give owners maximum flexibility to address market-specific needs. Equally committed to the business and leisure traveler, Best Western recently embarked on a five-year mission to lead the hotel industry in customer care. Since 2004, Best Western has served as the Official Hotel of NASCAR(R). For more information or to make a reservation, please visit .
* Numbers are approximate and can fluctuate.

CONTACTS:
Heather Wright Kelly Schwartz Christie Hyde
Best Western International Allison & Partners AAA
(602) 957-5752 (480) 776-6412 (407) 444-8003

Best Western International

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BROOMFIELD, Colo., Aug. 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Vail Resorts , the premier mountain resort operator and a leader in luxury destination-based travel at iconic locations, was honored today by Conde Nast Traveler as a leader in social responsibility in the travel industry as a winner of the magazine’s 2008 World Savers Awards in the category of environmental protection.
As one of only six global travel companies hand-picked from 142 applicants by an elite and prestigious judging panel for Conde Nast Traveler’s environmental leadership awards, Vail Resorts was recognized for its commitment to renewable energy, its aggressive and innovative “energy layoff” conservation program and its successful forest conservation partnership with the National Forest Foundation, a nonprofit associated with the U.S. Forest Service.
“The Conde Nast Traveler World Savers Awards recognize companies that are stepping up to the challenge of improving our world,” said Conde Nast Traveler Editor-in-Chief Klara Glowczewska. “This year’s finalists are setting standards in social responsibility in ways that we hope will become models for the entire travel industry.”
“At Vail Resorts, our product is the great outdoors and as such, we have a special obligation to protect the environment in which we live and work,” said Rob Katz, chief executive officer of Vail Resorts. “We are truly honored to be recognized as one of the leaders in sustainability in our industry by one of the icons in the publishing industry — Conde Nast Traveler. But, we’re not resting on these laurels. We are continuously looking for ways to further improve the already exceptional experience we provide our guests and to do so in a responsible and sustainable way.”
In August of 2006, Vail Resorts committed to offset 100 percent of its electricity usage with renewable energy credits that support the development of wind farms across the country. At the time, Vail Resorts had made the second largest corporate commitment to this renewable energy program in the United States. That commitment continues to this day with Vail Resorts offsetting electricity for its five ski resorts, lodging properties including eight RockResort hotels and spas and nearly 2,000 additional hotel and condominiums, the Grand Teton Lodge Company, more than 145 retail and rental operations and its office locations.
Vail Resorts also forged a partnership with the National Forest Foundation, a nonprofit partner of the U.S. Forest Service, to create one of the largest donation-based forest conservation programs of its kind, that has raised almost $1 million to date, allowing numerous miles of trails to be built and maintained, wildlife habitat to be protected and also for the improvement of the overall health of forests.
In the fall of 2007, Vail Resorts launched an energy conservation program that was then expanded in the spring of 2008 with the announcement of a companywide “energy layoff” with the goal to reduce the Company’s energy consumption by 10 percent over two years.
Today, Vail Resorts announced that it has identified initiatives across the Company that would result in a 5 percent reduction in its energy consumption for its fiscal year ending July 31, 2009 (over the prior fiscal year). New “energy layoff” measures that will be implemented this ski season include:
— Companywide implementation of a program started at Beaver Creek called
IdleWise that limits idling time on all company vehicles to five
minutes or less;
— Expansion of the employee carpool incentive program;
— Upgrades and enhancements to snowmaking systems: from energy-efficient
pumps to purchasing new, higher-tech snow guns that save energy and
water;
— Right-sizing vehicle power and optimizing vehicle routes to minimize
fuel consumption on all tasks;
— Installation of motion sensors and programmable thermostats;
— Lighting retrofits;
— Mandatory adherence to Energy Star criteria for all capital projects;
— Infra-red photo audits of the energy efficiency for Company facilities
and buildings to reduce leaks and use less energy to heat buildings;
and
— Numerous other initiatives.

“Today, reducing energy consumption should be one of the highest priorities for any U.S. company. With both the high price of oil and natural gas, as well the imperative to protect our natural environment, nothing can be more critical. I am incredibly proud of everyone at Vail Resorts for their ingenuity and dedication. While some folks may know the right thing to do, our folks went out and did it. What I am very impressed by is that our Company will accomplish these reductions and lessen our consumption of a valuable worldwide commodity, while at the same time we will be taking the experience we provide our guests up to a whole new level this year,” said Katz.
For more information about Vail Resorts’ “energy layoff” program or its other sustainable programs, visit .
About Vail Resorts
Vail Resorts, Inc. is the leading mountain resort operator in the United States. The Company’s subsidiaries operate the mountain resort properties at the Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge and Keystone mountain resorts in Colorado, the Heavenly Ski Resort in the Lake Tahoe area of California and Nevada and the Grand Teton Lodge Company in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The Company’s subsidiary, RockResorts, a luxury resort hotel company, manages casually elegant properties across the United States and the Caribbean. Vail Resorts Development Company is the real estate planning, development and construction subsidiary of Vail Resorts, Inc. Vail Resorts is a publicly held company traded on the New York Stock Exchange . The Vail Resorts company website is and consumer website is .
Vail Resorts, Inc.

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