How would you characterize the Grand Canyon Railway passenger experience?

The Grand Canyon Railway is a truly wonderful way to experience the grander, and the Grand Canyon and the Grand Canyon Region. The railway provides transportation that is 65 miles in length and 2 hours and 15 minutes in duration each way from Williams Arizona on the Classic Route 66 to the south rim of the Grand Canyon and we consider the Grand Canyon Railway the original limousine service for visitors who want to enjoy one of the seven natural wonders of the world. The opportunity to truly experience the romance of the west can be realized aboard the Grand Canyon Railway.  Because we were very much part of the western expansion of the United States Arizona, cowboys played a huge role in the development of the west.  And as part of the experience for Travel Impressions customers, you will be able to take advantage of our Wild West shoot out before you board the train, you will enjoy leisurely transportation aboard the railway, as well as, the opportunity to sit back, relax and be entertained by our on-board entertainers. We have several different types of entertainment that include banjo players, guitar players, native American flutists and passenger service attendants are very pleased to share with you stories about the history and the interesting things that have happened in the development of the old west as they relate.

What components of the limited and limited plus packages makes them so popular with families?

This is really an opportunity to shop and buy your entire Grand Canyon experience through Travel Impressions aboard the Grand Canyon Railway.  We have our Grand Canyon Railway hotels, as well as, the train in Williams Arizona, and we are also owned and operated by Vantara Parks and Resorts that operate accommodations inside Grand Canyon National Park. As a benefit of that, we can offer Travel Impressions customers an overnight stay at the lodge inside the Grand Canyon. The benefit of that is to be on site and to enjoy two things that the majority of the millions of guests and visitors to the Grand Canyon don’t enjoy, that would be a sunrise and a sunset.  In addition, meals are included.  So once you arrive at the Grand Canyon Railway hotel through your stay, it is point to point and you can relax knowing that you can enjoy your experience without giving thought to buying something or planning something on your own.

That is really good to know. In addition to the Grand Canyon, one of the world’s natural wonders, what other amazing sites will travelers experience with Grand Canyon Railways?

The interesting thing about our location in association with the Grand Canyon, is that from your departure point, whether you are coming in through Phoenix or Las Vegas, you will experience seven different geographical layers because we are at 7,000 feet. Many people don’t realize that in the state of Arizona, we do have those different latitudes and what that means to the visitor is, that when you arrive in Phoenix, for example, it could be 30 degrees cooler up in the mountain area, where we are located. So what that provides for are some of the most glorious, natural landscapes in the Southwest. That includes the beautiful Red Rock of Sedona that you can experience on your way to the Grand Canyon, Lake Powell and the Native American country area.  If you choose to do the Grand Circle in conjunction with either a Phoenix, XXX, or Las Vegas point of entry.

Well, I’m definitely ready to go. Do you have any special packages for the holiday scene?

We absolutely do. The Grand Canyon Railway operates a special Polar Express train from the first weekend in November through the second weekend in January, and we call that our Polar season. And we are very, very proud and pleased to say that USA Today designated our Polar Express train as the top holiday event in the country last year. And what that includes is a trip aboard our Polar Express to the North Pole. And as part of that experience aboard the train and our authentic Hariman cars are passenger service attendance, elves and chefs who will share the story of the Polar Express, sing songs with the families, serve cookies and hot cocoa on the way to the North Pole and on the way back, Santa boards the train and gives every single child a bell so that they can determine if they truly do believe in Santa and the spirit of Christmas.

That’s really wonderful. Finally, train journeys have a magical quality about them and are woven into the fabric of our country’s heritage, especially out West. Why do you think travelers today are so interested in traveling via your train to get to the Grand Canyon, when they can arrive faster by air?

You know, I am of the opinion, like so many of our guests are and I am sure that the majority of our country is right now that faster is not better. The pace of our lives is very, very fast and it doesn’t allow us to stop and enjoy the beautiful and finer things in life. And what the Grand Canyon Railway and the Grand Canyon Experience provides is the ability to sit back, relax and enjoy the company of your family and your friends and to share those things that really make holiday travel and travel in general rewarding.

For additional details on this Grand Canyon Railway, please check the Travel Impressions website and contact your favorite travel agent to book your Grand Canyon Railway package with Travel Impressions today.

Book the Grand Canyon Railway online at www.travelimpressions.com

Agents: To book, log on to Quest.

Travelers: To book, search our locator to find a Travel Agency.

The Cayman Summer Splash package includes:

* Kids 11 and under fly free on Cayman Airways from select departure gateways with a purchase of an adult fare (one child per adult ticket; additional children pay 75% of airfare)
* Fifth night free when booking five or more nights
* Kids 11 and under stay, play and eat free
* Kids 12 - 17 dive for free when accompanying a paying adult
* 50% off all night dive packages with the purchase of a four-day dive package
* Free Cayman Island Sea School with Sir Turtle for kids 5 to 11 years old
* Up to 25% off participating car rentals

Through the Cayman Summer Splash promotion, kids 4-17 can participate in Skate Cayman, a series of weeklong camps at Grand Cayman’s Black Pearl Skate Park, the second largest skate park in the world. The Skate Cayman camp is full-day and features skate lessons, safety and etiquette instructions, and other fun activities. At the conclusion of each week (on Friday), professional action athletes will provide campers with demonstrations, instructions and be available for autograph sessions. Families can purchase individual ($63 per day) or weeklong (Monday - Friday, $282) passes. Prices quoted are per child.

Travelers can book the Cayman Summer Splash at the following participating hotels: the Comfort Suites Cayman Islands, Grand Cayman Beach Suites, Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort, Grand Cayman Westin Casuarina Resort & Spa, The Grandview Condominiums, The Reef Resort (all-inclusive available), The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman and Sunshine Suites Resort.

Blackout, weekend and holiday peak season surcharges apply. Airfare is available from gateways nationwide and can be easily added to the cost of the hotel package.

Book the Cayman Islands online at www.travelimpressions.com
Agents: To book, log on to Quest.
Travelers: To book, search our locator to find a Travel Agency.

This year is a great time to visit Israel, as 2009marks an extraordinary historical event, as Tel Aviv celebrates its 100th anniversary with worldwide events reflecting its unique place in history as the first Hebrew city
established in more than 3,000 years. An interesting and varied selection of events are expected to take
place through 2009 that include outdoor festivals, art shows, sporting events, historic exhibitions and numerous community projects.

With so much to see and do, vacationers   will be sure to love Israel from the first shalom.

Book Israel online at www.travelimpressions.com
Agents: To book, log on to Quest.
Travelers: To book, search our locator to find a Travel Agency.

Its now easier then ever with the search tool that’s found on left top of every web on the Travel Impressions.com website. Just go to top left and enter your search term. For this example we will use the Fairmont Southampton. If your search term has multiple words in it will return all referent terms. If you want to narrow your search down just  put “quotes“ around  your term and it will only return the what’s referent. It will return “Fairmont Southampton” as your top results. Click on the most relevant term to what you’re looking for, click the link and your off!

As part of the Bye-Bye Summer, Travel Impressions is offering the following discounts when booking a minimum three nights for travel from August 1, 2009 through December 18, 2009.

30% savings at Breezes Bahamas, Breezes Resort, Spa & Casino Curacao, Grand Lido Resort & Spa Negril(Breezes Grand Resort & Spa Negril as of 11/1/09), Grand Lido Resort & Spa Braco (Breezes Rio Bueno as of 11/1/09, Hedonism II and Hedonism III.

20% savings at Starfish Trelawny Resort & Spa (from 8/1/09 through 10/31/09) and changing to 30% savings when the resort is renamed as of 11/1/09 to Breezes Resort & Spa Trelawny.
20% savings at Rooms Resorts in Negril and Ocho Rios Jamaica.

Certain restrictions and blackout dates apply as part of the SuperClubs Bye-Bye Summer, Hello Fall Sale.

Super-inclusive vacation packages at Grand Lido Resorts & Spas (which will both become Breezes Resorts as of 11/1/09), Breezes Resorts and Hedonism Resorts feature hotel accommodations, all meals available at multiple dining locations with no restrictions, all drinks including top-shelf premium brands of liquors, free roundtrip airport/hotel transfers, free land activities and watersports, nightly entertainment, free diving (there is an additional fee for resort diving certification), golf green fees (at Grand Lido Braco and Breezes Runaway Bay Resort & Golf Club), hotel tax and gratuities.

Starfish Resorts offers an all-inclusive plan featuring hotel accommodations, all meals (with some surcharges) drinks, snacks, land activities and watersports (some restrictions apply), all gratuities and hotel tax and service charges.  Starfish Resorts guests can also upgrade to the Platinum Plan which eliminates all restrictions and surcharges.   On 11/1/09 Starfish Trelawny becomes the Breezes Trelawny Resort & Spa and guests will enjoy the same Super-Inclusive features as the other Breezes Resorts.

Rooms Resorts, in Ocho Rios and the newest location in Negril, offer guests a well-appointed room and continental breakfast daily as well as the opportunity to explore all that Jamaica has to offer in dining, shopping and adventure.

Airfare is available from gateways nationwide and can easily be added to the cost of the hotel stay.

Book SuperClubs online at www.travelimpressions.com
Agents: To book, log on to Quest.
Travelers: To book, search our locator to find a Travel Agency.

Today, Tuesday, June 30th, The Barbados Tourist Authority and Travel Impressions, will partner to bring travel agents a half-hour interactive training session. This half hour session will introduce you to a series of exciting hotels & resorts in Barbados.  We will review all of the tools that are currently available for you to promote Barbados.

Please take a brief moment to sign up for this informative online training session that you will be able to access right from your desktop.

12:00 pm (est) Session Link:
Registration Link: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/233410257

Book the  Barbados online at www.travelimpressions.com
Agents: To book, log on to Quest.
Travelers: To book, search our locator to find a Travel Agency.

It’s no wonder that celebrities flock to Barbados like flies to honey. The sun is always shining, gentle breezes blowing, people smiling and the nightlife is bustling. Sounds like the perfect vacation to me. It would sure be sweet to see it for myself one day, *wink, wink*.  But I digress… From every expert I’ve interviewed, one constant remains, “Barbados is surely an epicurean paradise”.  Being the only Zagat rated island in the Caribbean, Barbados’ abundance of fabulous eateries ranks it among world-class leaders in fine dining. I’ve even heard that the roadside stands serving Flying Fish are actually tremendous! After a delicious lunch, I suggest heading over to the Welchman Hall Gully.  It is a must see attraction for nature lovers who enjoy hiking, natural history and marine life. It is a touch of tropical forest, mixed with Barbadian and other exotic tropical plants.

Although the island is relatively small, there is much to explore. Renting a car can help you to see the most during your vacation, but it is definitely not necessary. You could wander about the island viewing some of the beautiful historic homes, grand plantations or light houses. Spending the day enjoying Harrison’s Cave, the magnificent, crystallized limestone cavern, is also a visitor’s favorite. With pure clear water and beautiful stalactites and stalagmites, you’ll be amazed by this natural beauty. Why not enjoy the sunset with a glass of wine amidst fragrant Pride of Barbados’ flowers? They’re more commonly known as the Hibiscus. Take in the crystal waters, blue against the white sand beaches, and beyond that, the brown and green hills dotted white and pink with coral stone and wood buildings, roofed in grey shingles and red clay tiles. Here you’ll notice the combination of old and new, of elegance and simplicity, of history and tradition preserved and ready for you to enjoy.

Oh yeah, you might want to check out the beach while you’re there too. Just kidding! With more than 70 miles of stunning pink and white sand beaches, Barbados is a beach bum’s dream. In fact, surfers come from all over the world to enjoy the East coast’s wide, wind blown beaches. On the calmer South and West coasts, you can walk for miles stopping only to enjoy a beautiful cluster of coral rocks jutting out to sea. Weathered by the ocean’s surf, they tend to form abstract sculptures which are pleasing to an artist’s eye. In the North, coral and sandstone cliffs rise straight out of the sea reaching up to a hundred feet in height. During your stay, definitely make time for a day trip to the small neighboring island of Dominica where much of the filming was done for The Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy. You can also explore the shipwrecks that cover much of the ocean floor just off the coast on a snorkeling excursion.

Finally, a must do in Barbados is a visit to the capital city of Bridgetown where shopping, architecture and fine dining abound. The Bayshore Complex, just outside of Bridgetown is also worth a stop for its shopping and historic value. All and all, Barbados is surely worth considering as you plan your next getaway. As you vacation doctor, I prescribe at least 4 nights in this sunny paradise to cure all your ills. Don’t forget to tell me all about it when you return.

Book Barbados online at www.travelimpressions.com

Agents: To book, log on to Quest.

Travelers: To book, search our locator to find a Travel Agency.

Travel Impressions offers two distinct packages that depart from Phoenix, that include lodging, train journey to Grand Canyon National Park, Grand Canyon motor coach tour, breakfast and dinner.

You can choose from:
The Grand Canyon Limited package which includes a one night stay in Williams, Arizona, on the first evening followed by an exciting morning train ride the next day to Grand Canyon National Park complete with a live train robbery and gunfight.

Or upgrade to:
The Grand Canyon limited Plus package featuring the same itinerary but also includes an overnight stay prior to your visit, as well as, one night on your return train trip back from the national park.

Both packages include an overnight stay at the Grand Canyon, allowing travelers to explore and enjoy the beauty of this amazing natural wonder.  The packages are available in three classes of rail service including First, Dome and Parlor. Motor over to TravelImpressions.com for detailed information.

Book the Grand Canyon Railway online at www.travelimpressions.com
Agents: To book, log on to Quest.
Travelers: To book, search our locator to find a Travel Agency.

Discover the finest, most luxurious accommodations in the Caribbean. Always on the leading edge of innovation, now Sandals puts your clients even closer to the water’s edge. Introducing the new Beachfront Swim-up River Suites at Sandals Royal Caribbean & Sandals Negril, where the magic and allure of water soothes and renews. These magnificent one-bedroom suites feature a secluded patio surrounded by
lush vegetation that opens onto the resort’s lazy river, where lovers can dip their toes into the soothing waterway.

Never before has the Caribbean seen such uniquely breathtaking suites - where a chic world inside and a magnificent pool outside flow easily together right to your doorstep. Step from flowing waters into the opulent elegance of your River Suite, where rare marbles, rich mahogany and woven rattan make this a paradise within paradise. Stretch out in a lounge chair in the shallows of your wading pool, and let the island sun soak into your very soul.

The patio features an outdoor dining area for the ultimate in relaxation under the warm Caribbean sun. Indoors, the suites will feature the ultimate in luxury, highlighted by an expansive living room, complete with a 42″ plasma television, and a separate bedroom area, with a 37” plasma television. Each extravagant suite is outfitted with custom furnishings and tropically inspired décor, with a spacious bedroom with a four-poster mahogany bed, a marvelous bathroom with marble and hand-cut mosaic tile accents, plus a Jacuzzi tub and his and her vanities. Plus, these incredible suites offer the pampering attention of a personal butler! Sandals unprecedented Butler Service provides guests with an unimaginably supreme standard of service and luxury, where every need is anticipated and catered to by their very own personal butler, a graduate of the prestigious Guild of Professional English Butlers.

Sandals incredible River Suites are available at Sandals Negril Beach Resort & Spa and at Sandals Royal Caribbean Resort & Private Island

Book Sandals online at www.travelimpressions.com
Agents: To book, log on to Quest.
Travelers: To book, search our locator to find a Travel Agency.

In this AudioCast, Travel Impressions is pleased to announce Couples Resorts as this months featured partner.

With four all-inclusive properties in Negril and Ocho Rios, Jamaica. These adult-only resorts will certainly help couples  rediscover one another amidst soft-sand beaches and breathtaking Jamaican sunsets.

This past spring, Couples completed a $25 million renovation of Couples Tower Isle, formerly known as Couples Ocho Rios. This newly transformed resort now features 19 acres of beachfront property, 226 newly remodeled romantic rooms and suites, six restaurants, four unique bars and an “au natural” private island.

Now is a great time to book a romantic Couples getaway for some great specials and terrific deals. Just navigate over to  Travel Impressions.com and search “Couples Resorts” to get started.

In other Insider News: Now is the time to discover the Many Wonders of Israel & Celebrate Tel Aviv’s Centennial.

Israel is a land of many contrasts offering a multitude of leisurely possibilities. One can enjoy a walk among religiously significant historical and other archeological treasures, indulge in extraordinary cuisine and world class wine or stroll through unique nature sites and panoramas. The choices are endless. This year is a great time to visit Israel, as 2009 marks an extraordinary historical event, as Tel Aviv celebrates its 100th anniversary with worldwide events reflecting its unique place in history as the first Hebrew city established in more than 3,000 years. An interesting and varied selection of events are expected to take place through 2009 that include outdoor festivals, art shows, sporting events, historic exhibitions and numerous community projects. With so much to see and do, travelers will be sure to love Israel from the first shalom.

This months Hot Spots & Highlights is on the Grand Canyon Railway.

The Grand Canyon Railway is a fleet of vintage Pullmans and Vista coaches that allows passengers to travel in comfort through the stunning Arizona desert on their way to the Grand Canyon.

Travel Impressions offers two distinct packages that depart from Phoenix, that include lodging, train journey to Grand Canyon National Park, Grand Canyon motor coach tour, breakfast and dinner.

You can choose from:
The Grand Canyon Limited package which includes a one night stay in Williams, Arizona, on the first evening followed by an exciting morning train ride the next day to Grand Canyon National Park complete with a live train robbery and gunfight.

Or upgrade to:
The Grand Canyon limited Plus package featuring the same itinerary but also includes an overnight stay prior to your visit, as well as, one night on your return train trip back from the national park.

Both packages include an overnight stay at the Grand Canyon, allowing travelers to explore and enjoy the beauty of this amazing natural wonder.  The packages are available in three classes of rail service including First, Dome and Parlor. Motor over to TravelImpressions.com for detailed information.

Before we conclude, I want to tell you about a new feature at the Travel Insider Live…

We have new tips section that frequently updated with brief video clips on how to navigate to success at Travel Impressions.com. Just click the link on the Travel Impressions website and go to the tips section to get started.

To all of our listeners, your comments and suggestions are always welcomed. Just drop us a line at TheTravelInsider@travimp.com. We would love to hear from you.

Book online at www.travelimpressions.com
Agents: To book, log on to Quest.
Travelers: To book, search our locator to find a Travel Agency.