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October 18, 2007

WXC世界风情精选:川游经验分享

作者:桦丞

今年(2007年)九月中旬回国,去四川玩了几天,是随国内旅行社组团去的,遇上几件事,与网友分享。本文所谓“经验”者,只是我个人的经历、体验,即个人遭遇而已。我写这篇短文的本意,是想对准备回国随国内旅行社组团旅游的网友提个醒,仅供参考。国内不少事业都在进步,也许等各位网友回国时,本文所述的不足之处,已经有所改进了呢。

九寨、黄龙,我们参加的是“纯玩团”,即“无购物团”(其它四川线路,暂时还没有“纯玩团”),建议不要报“普通团”。前者是贵了些,但贵得不多,且物有所值。旅行社人员说,在九寨黄龙景区,仅国家批准的旅游购物商店就有九家。如果旅客购物不多,没有达到导游内定的消费指标,导游势必带领游客多走几家商店。逛商店是要时间的,而旅游的天数是不变的,购物时间越长,游览时间就越短。四天纯玩团,清晨从成都出发,当日大半个下午游黄龙,第二天全日、第三天大半日游九寨,第四日返回成都,不会进任何商店,不想精游的话,时间是够的。车上有个游客,他的朋友不知道有“纯玩团”,报了“普通团”,回程午餐两人碰见,那人说普通团购物时间很长,第三日上午10时左右才进九寨,没看多久就草草收兵,结束行程。

不要过分依赖什么“国家旅游局”评定的“全国国际旅行社100强”。由于常常从报纸读到国内旅行社对待游客的负面消息,所以回国之前,我做了一些准备工作,包括看了“国家旅游局”评定的2004年和2006年的“全国国际旅行社100强”的名单。我当时很信赖这个名单,我找的旅行社,是名单中排名靠前的,想想应该没问题吧,结果依然差强人意(不点这个旅行社的名,是接待人员为饭碗计不希望我点名。根据旅途中所见所闻,我想我遇到的问题在四川旅游行业是普遍存在的,点一个旅行社的名,倒象仅是这个旅行社有问题,非我本意)。我真想象不出来,诸多不在“100强”名单之内的小旅行社,其服务质量如何!

我找了“100强”名单之内靠前的旅行社,报了九寨、黄龙、乐山、峨嵋、都江堰、青城山几个团。在旅馆里谈妥价格,刚签旅游合同,旅行社工作人员的手机就响了,说停止合同,价格涨了,又要增加50元/人(九月中旬,临近黄金周,热门旅游线路的价格飞涨,一日一涨,甚至一日数涨)。但合同已签,无法加价了。越近旅游高峰,价格上涨越快,这是一条经验。
下午这个工作人员打电话说我交的款中有一张100元是假币。我断然否认,答不可能是假币,是我刚从银行提回来的,当你面拆封条付款的。他说从银行提回的钱也有假的,还举了好几个例子。银行也付假币?吓我一跳。我说银行要是付假币,我还能相信谁?(以后数次从银行提款,从未遇到过假币,可见银行是值得信赖的。朋友说国内假币纠纷常有所闻。你们持外国护照,他们不知从哪里收到的假币,想从你们处找回真币,弥补损失。)他坚持说银行付假币是真事,教我们小心。吃一堑张一智,以后我们付款就从银行转帐了。建议如果用现金付款时,应该当面叫点清楚,事后概不负责。

说个题外插曲,你说它是笑话也好,幽默也好,我听了心里很不是滋味。有个朋友,回国创业好几年了。一次宴席上他听了这假币的事,说国内现在的人啊,你防着我,我防着你,人人互相提防。上街买条香烟,买烟的拿着条香烟反复看,生怕是假烟;卖烟的拿着钱反复看,生怕是假币。连表情带动作,他表演有点夸张,说得很是风趣。假币、假烟、假酒、假食品……,假的何其多,真的何其少啊!人心不古!

“纯玩团”有四种团:贵宾团(还是叫“普通团”,忘了)、豪华团、超豪华团和双飞团。据工作人员介绍,前三者四日行程,区别仅仅是“住”:分别住所谓“二星”、“三星”和“四星”级旅馆,其它“吃”、“行(巴士)”及“游览行程”是一样的;后者来回乘飞机,三日行程。旅行社不建议我们参加“双飞团”,因为价格相差四倍左右,不值得。我们也查阅了资料,知道此段道路已修为“国道”,道路安全基本上没有问题,就选了巴士团,也好看看沿途风光。

根据旅行社的资料介绍(网上的和书面的),“二星”级指“多人间”,“三星”和“四星”级旅馆都是双人标准间,保证卫生间和热水的,区别是设施不同。由于豪华团与超豪华团的差价不大,我们本想报超豪华团的,但旅行社工作人员建议我们报豪华团,说两者区别不大,住起来差不多,没必要多花钱。我们就报了豪华团。结果问题就出在旅馆上。

旅游合同的格式是国家统一的。签字前,我倒是仔细看了旅行社工作人员手写的部分,发现“住房”栏内填写的是“2-3人”,立即提出疑问,因为我们选择的“双人房、保证卫生间和热水”的旅行团。对方解释说,九寨黄龙是边远地区,其旅馆房间绝大多数是三人间,极少二人间,因此我们很可能安排入三人房,但保证只住入我们二人,绝对不可能住进第三人。见我们有疑虑,他不断强调“保证只住二人,绝对不可能住进第三人”。我们相信了他的话。结果他的保证等于零。第一天晚上住“川主寺”镇,导游就将我们分别安排入两个三人间(一住男一住女),理由是合同上写的是“2-3人”房间。我们立即与旅行社经办人员联系,他向我们承认他的承诺,他也与导游谈了他的承诺。可是导游不买旅行社的帐。导游坚持合同上写的“2-3人”房间,就得住三人间;我们要二人间,她说必须加钱。九月中旬川主寺已天寒地冻(水已结冰了),冷得受不了,我们只得乖乖地交钱,住入二人间。交了钱,与导游谈话就轻松了。导游说我们不能答应在合同上写“2-3人”,要坚持写“两人”间,我们上了旅行社的当了,以后要找好旅行社。我说这个旅行社可是“国家旅游局”评定的“全国国际旅行社100强”名单中靠前的旅行社呢,她说不可以看这个。我坚持问她看哪个,她给我推荐了一个旅行社,是在名单中位置很靠前的。

回到成都,旅行社工作人员解释说,按四川省的规定,旅行社只有招揽游客和组团的权力,而安排旅馆、出车、派导游和司机,是另一个省属系统在操作,他们鞭长莫及。他道了歉,又保证了乐山、峨嵋(住一晚)绝对住两人间(都江堰、青城山线路是一日团),因为川中盆地没有三人间的旅馆。他解释说因为这是“纯玩团”,导游不能从购物中获得利益,也只有从“住”上动脑筋了。说实在的,我们觉得旅行社这位小伙子相当老实,印象不错。

回程路上旅客怨声连连。其中有三位中年游客(一对夫妇和他们的领导,一位女处长,结伴出游的)更是破口大骂导游“不是人”、“没有人性”云云。大家一问,原来这三位付的团费比大家高,而且在合同上注明住“二人间”,导游却将他们三人安排在一个房间里,理由是“房间不够”,也不退款。一男两女三个中年人,连续三晚同住一室,要多尴尬有多尴尬,难怪窝了一肚子火。其实房间是有的,关键是再给钱。这位女处长和她的下属的实例告诉我们:签了“二人间”的合同也不保险,即便合同上注明“二人间”,也可能住三人间的。都到藏区了,人生地不熟加上“天高皇帝远”,一切由导游安排,你有合同,他(她)有说辞,你有理也没有用。任倒霉呗。骂一顿也只是出出心头一口恶气而已。

国内旅行社组团,无论境内境外,我查询到的,都是既包食、又包住的。但去黄龙九寨旅行,对“吃”“住”之劣,要有充分的思想准备。

成都确实是“吃”的天堂,经济实惠,价廉物美,成都小吃确是名不虚传。一上巴士,导游作完自我介绍,立刻就说,这趟旅行,“吃得不如猪,住得不如狗(导游原话,形容十分贴切,我印象极深)”。到第一个休息站(仍在川中富庶地区),几乎所有旅客都下车购买食品,以备不时之需。我们买了两塑料袋食品,饼干、零食之类的,三天下来,基本吃玩(有的团友买的不够,要找食品店买东西吃,我们均出一包点心给他们)。因为不仅不好吃,而且不够吃。

吃的是差:一,黄龙九寨海拔高(黄龙海拔4000米以上,九寨海拔3000米以上),水烧不到沸点,菜和饭都没有热气,温温的,吃起来相当别扭,明明是刚出锅的,倒像放凉了的;更惨的是米饭夹生,尤其在川主寺,海拔更高,水的沸点更低,米饭更夹生;二,肉和菜主要是从山下平原地区运上去的,菜肴品种少,单调,油水不足,基本上是蔬菜;三,菜饭凉是其次,分量不足够是大问题(爬山累,饭量大)。

住的更差:边远少数地区的旅馆,设施跟不上。房间里除了床、被子和几张椅子,一个长方写字台放了一台旧电视机(遥控器还不好用),一张类似茶几的较高的小圆(或方)桌上有一个热水瓶和几个茶杯。热水瓶空了,旅客自己去饭厅灌(去晚了就灌不到了)。浴缸和洗脸盆锈渍斑斑,看上去也不太干净(这三天我没敢洗澡,胡乱擦擦身就算了)。没有洗漱用品。热水说是每晚七点至十点供应三个小时(实际也就两个小时左右,七点多到九点多,晚点水都凉了),住了三个晚上,还有一个晚上没有热水,整晚冷水伺候(服务总台的答复就四个字:没有热水)。每间房间有一根蜡烛。有一晚上半夜开始停电,摸黑如厕是小事,早上起床时,天还是黑的,服务员挨房送一支点着的蜡烛,我们就在微弱的烛光下整理行李、洗漱和拉着行李到暗淡烛光映照下的饭厅吃早饭(比欧美烛光餐厅的光照黑多了)。很狼狈。所谓“豪华团”,游览行程与普通团是一样的,就豪华在“吃”“住”上了。“豪华团”尚且这样,低一挡的贵宾团,不知住得怎样?

后来旅行社的人介绍说,原来这些导游,虽在同一系统,分属不同“操作”。旅游旺季,旅馆床位是求大于供的,一床难求,上级“操作”“抢”到那个旅馆,这个团就住这个旅馆。由此看来,什么“二星”、“三星”,别听它的,碰上什么星就是什么星,况且这些旅馆,设施本来就不太好。想想是来旅游的,看到景点就好,“住”就不要太追求了,现实情况如此。

国内旅游大巴,第一天上车你坐那个座位,整个行程,不管多少天,你就坐这个座位,不换座位的。这一点和北美完全不同。导游说国内旅行社的规矩就是这样。我们还参加了国内旅行社组织的14天欧洲团和6天泰国团,无论14天还是6天,巴士座位始终不换。长途旅行,象这14天团,运气不好坐在后座,年纪大的,真颠的够呛。还有一个怪事:旅行团乘客的飞机座位,航空公司是由姓名拼音按英文字母顺序排列的,不可变更,一家人或几个朋友参团,坐的七零八落,导游说他(她)也没办法,大家自行解决。一个团近五十人,这换座位可是个系统工程。一个环节卡住(某人不愿意换到中间座位去),就停止运作了。第二次去泰国,我在合同中附加了“飞机座位排在一起”的要求,旅行社说没问题,在机场导游还说“我给你们安排,没问题”;但安排的结果是“不行,航空公司说不可以变更座位”。我想,这些中国航空公司是为自己方便,乘客方不方便,他们是不理会的。乘客不是上帝,他们才是上帝。

还有一个情况:我在询问境外团的信息时,旅行社告诉我说,在国内参加澳新团和泰国团,孩童、未婚年轻人、合住一间房的同性旅客、老人和外籍旅客是要另加钱的,理由是这两条线路的成本低,导游的收入全靠购物,而上述几类人购物少,消费能力低,所以要另加钱。其它线路不用另加钱。

附:写完此文,见2008年1月5日《星岛日报》报道,香港“中国银行”和深圳“恒生银行”柜员机,惊现100元伪钞。我不敢说从银行取出的钱全是真币了。诸位还是自求多福吧。

August 20, 2007

"豪华"国庆游比去年普涨一成"奢侈"线路占一半 / “十一”出游 报名要趁早

摘自搜狐旅游

“哇,我没眼花吧,"玛丽莲·梦露"现身广州啊!”、“可以与我偶像蝙蝠侠合影留念,实在太难忘了!”昨天下午,第一浪国庆报名热潮在中国大酒店掀起,澳洲华纳兄弟电影城三位表演明星“玛丽莲·梦露”、蝙蝠侠以及澳洲牛仔,让他们来邀请广州市民前往旅游。

暑期旅游旺季结束,国庆黄金周旅游揭开面纱。各大旅行社的出境游长线率先“露脸”,记者发现,奢华旅游线路竟然占到了“十一”出境游长线的半壁江山。价格当然也不菲,与以往同期相比高出了好几成。

更多 ""豪华"国庆游比去年普涨一成"奢侈"线路占一半 / “十一”出游 报名要趁早" »

July 25, 2007

旅游内容雷同消费者移情别恋“驴友”要自助游

摘自新浪旅游

“暑假我们一家想去澳大利亚度假,上网查了查线路,发现名为‘阳光昆士兰’的线路就有不下10家旅行社在做,内容也是大同小异。”正打算休年假的读者张先生向记者抱怨,旅游线路实在缺乏创意。记者发现,内容雷同的旅游线路比比皆是。为此,不少被称为“驴友”的旅游爱好者表示,现在他们更偏爱自助游了。

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July 15, 2007

携程的成功引来众多对手的挑战

摘自南华早报

随着携程旅行网 (Ctrip) 专注于发展大陆在线旅行预订业务,该公司的股价大幅飙升。目前,该公司正面临酒店、航空公司乃至专业搜索引擎领域众多新对手的挑战,这些对手都对携程日益增长的利润虎视眈眈。

自携程于2003年12月在纳斯达克 (Nasdaq) 交易所上市以来,该公司的股价已经上涨了350%。携程正将其最大竞争对手艺龙旅行网 (eLong)甩在身后越来越远,吸引了众多投资者的目光。在同一段时间里,纳斯达克综合指数 (Nasdaq Composite Index) 增长了不到40%。

截至3月份的3个月,在首席执行官范敏的领导下,携程的营收规模超出艺龙3.8倍,较上年同期的3.1倍有所增长。

在此期间,携程的利润增长了35%,而艺龙则亏损了781,000元人民币。

利润持续增长的势头已经推动携程的股价今年上涨了约22%。其周二的股票收盘价上涨了5.2%,增至每股84.04美元。

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July 5, 2007

艺龙360度全景酒店系统升级

摘自环球旅讯

近日,国内领先的在线旅行服务提供商艺龙旅行网(e lon g.com)将其360度全景酒店系统进行了全面升级。

升级后的全景酒店系统拥有超过原系统近两倍的巨大浏览视窗,并且在原系统控制环视方向的按钮基础上,增加了环视速度的调节功能。今后,艺龙用户可以在一张更加巨大而清晰的酒店全景照片前,享受“身临其境”的感觉,按照自己的需要,方便地调节画面的转动方向和转动速度,更详细地了解即将入住酒店的每个细节,充分享受最新互联网科技为出行带来的巨大便利。

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June 27, 2007

Expedia.com为未集中管理的商务旅客推出新在线旅游资源

摘自环球旅讯

2007年6月18日,华盛顿贝尔维尤:全球领先的在线旅游公司Expedia.com今日宣布,为未统一管理的商务旅客推出一个全新的商务旅游资源栏目http://www.expedia.com/business。未统一管理的商务旅客指那些自行预订商务旅行,而不是通过企业差旅部门或提供全套服务的差旅管理公司预订的旅客。Expedia.com的商务旅游页面迎合了这一群人的需求,任何其它的在线旅行社均未能提供此类的工具和信息。

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June 14, 2007

无购物旅游团 - 携程挑战海外团队游潜规则

摘自DoNews.com

“游览国家不超过3个;酒店距离市中心不超过10公里;团队无购物行程。”近日,以在线旅行服务著称的携程旅行网正式推出了“海外团队游标准”,并高调宣布进军京城海外团队游市场。据悉,按照标准定制的旅游团报价比同类产品高出10%至15%。这是携程自去年12月6日在上海进军高端海外游市场之后,首次将该业务拓展到上海之外的城市。

更多 "无购物旅游团 - 携程挑战海外团队游潜规则" »

June 12, 2007

团队游便宜没好货 - 港澳低价团在京卷土重来

摘自北京商报

暑期向来是北京市场港澳游的高峰档期,各个旅行社都使出浑身解数招揽游客。借此“东风”,曾经遭到香港和内地旅游业界一致谴责的低价港澳游也乘机死灰复燃。昨天,记者在北京旅游市场调查发现,从北京出发的“港澳双飞5日游”报价竟然一落再落,最低价格仅需860元每人。

更多 "团队游便宜没好货 - 港澳低价团在京卷土重来" »

April 27, 2007

不同旅行社北京上海广州出发三亚亚龙湾豪华自由行的比较(于07年4月27日查询)

1. 出发地:北京 目的地:三亚
出发日期:07年5月9日 回程日期:07年5月13日 人数:2
酒店及房间:三亚家化万豪度假酒店豪华山景房(含双早)

所选航空公司:
游易航空网:南方航空
遨游网:中国联合航空
E龙:海南航空
携程:海南航空

去回时间(起飞时间/降落时间):
游易航空网::去:13:20/17:10 回:13:40/17:40
遨游网:去:15:30/18:55 回:19:40/23:00
E龙:去:13:25/17:25 回:18:15/22:05
携程:去:13:25/17:25 回:18:15/22:05

旅行社报价(含机场建设费与燃油附加费):
游易航空网:8000 元
遨游网:8440 元
E龙:8120 元
携程:8538 元

价格包含的额外服务:
游易航空网:接机入住酒店(限网上订单客人)
遨游网:无
E龙:三亚游览地图,接机+三亚免费一日游用车服务(有限制条件)
携程:三亚旅游地图,三亚机场-酒店接机服务,免费乘坐亚龙湾-大东海往返穿梭巴士并可以免费享受亚龙湾区域内点到点用车服务。

最佳性价比的旅行社:游易航空网(http://www.yoee.com/
注:E龙送的接机+三亚免费一日游用车服务包含不少附加条件(必须去的景点和用车里程限制在100公里之内等等),不用的话要收取接机费100元/人。实际上这四家的报价是蛮接近的。

2. 出发地:上海 目的地:三亚
出发日期:07年5月10日 回程日期:07年5月13日 人数:2
酒店及房间:三亚家化万豪度假酒店豪华山景房(含双早)

所选航空公司:
上航假期:上海航空
E龙:上海航空
携程:吉祥航空

去回时间(起飞时间/降落时间):
上航假期:去:18:05/20:55 回:21:55/00:45
E龙:去:18:05/20:55 回:21:55/00:45
携程:去:17:40/20:10 回:20:50/23:20

旅行社报价(含机场建设费与燃油附加费):
上航假期:7060 元
E龙:7140 元
携程:7841 元

价格包含的额外服务:
上航假期:旅游意外险,三亚机场接送机
E龙:三亚游览地图
携程:三亚旅游地图,三亚机场-酒店接机服务,免费乘坐亚龙湾-大东海往返穿梭巴士并可以免费享受亚龙湾区域内点到点用车服务。

最佳性价比的旅行社:上航假期(http://www.sh-holiday.com/
注:E龙上有一个航班酒店组合甚至价钱可低至6020元。但考虑到它的到达三亚(10号晚上22:15)和回到上海(14号凌晨两点)的时间不好,所以没放入评比中。另外,春秋航空旅游网的价钱和声誉都不错,但由于不能直接在网上得到准确及时的报价,也没列入评比中。

3. 出发地:广州 目的地:三亚
出发日期:07年5月11日 回程日期:07年5月13日 人数:2
酒店及房间:三亚家化万豪度假酒店豪华山景房(含双早)

所选航空公司:
芒果网:东方航空
E龙:东方航空
携程:海南航空

去回时间(起飞时间/降落时间):
芒果网:去:17:55/19:10 回:19:55/21:10
E龙:去:17:55/18:55 回:19:55/20:55
携程:去:11:25/12:35 回:21:50/23:05

旅行社报价(含机场建设费与燃油附加费):
芒果网:3600 元
E龙:3800 元
携程:4784 元

价格包含的额外服务:
芒果网:三亚机场接机
E龙:三亚游览地图,接机+三亚免费一日游用车服务(有限制条件)
携程:三亚旅游地图,三亚机场-酒店接机服务,免费乘坐亚龙湾-大东海往返穿梭巴士并可以免费享受亚龙湾区域内点到点用车服务。

最佳性价比的旅行社:芒果网(http://www.mangocity.com/
注:从航班来看,携程的最好。它第一天几乎多出半天的时间。它包含的额外服务也最多。但考虑到它的价格显著比其它两家高,所以没算是最佳性价比。另外,广之旅的价钱和声誉都不错,但由于它的网上报价系统不方便且出错,所以没列入评比中。E龙送的接机+三亚免费一日游用车服务包含不少附加条件(必须去的景点和用车里程限制在100公里之内等等),不用的话要收取接机费100元/人。

March 21, 2007

如何找到从美国飞中国及中国境内的最低价机票?

这次回中国的机票我是提早一个半月就订了.因为印象中韩亚航空(ASIANA)的机票假如在出发日期一个月内才买的话,会贵不少.可能这个跟越来越多人知道韩亚是性价比高的航空公司有关.这次的机票去从Los Angeles到北京,然后由广州回Los Angeles.连税一共是US $830.还算是不错的价钱.是通过来来(在罗蘭岗)旅行社的CC王小姐买的.她的报价比同在罗蘭岗的亚洲旅行社要便宜几十块.另外这次买票的意外收获是韩亚也可预先划位置,这真的解开了我坐国际航班的最大忧虑!以后再也不用为了拿好舱位而提早三个多小时去机场了.我划的17D(LAX - SEOUL)和18G(SEOUL - LAX)都是靠前的走道位:)
另外,我提早三个星期从南方航空的网站买的(网上支付的电子票)从北京到广州的单程票是460+130(税)总共是590元人民币.从广州到上海的双程票是730+260(税)总共是990元人民币.自从开始了预先在网上买中国国内航班的电子票后,我买的机票(就算是从北京飞广州)就很少有超过500元的(税前)!:)另外一点想提的是,南航的网上购票服务真的做的很不错!是我所见国内网站中做的最好的一个.流程简明易懂,支持的银行卡又多.其它的航空公司网上购票我还没尝试(东航的想尝试过,但它所谓的网上购票只是个摆设:)).相比之下,携程,艺龙的网上购票服务就大为逊色了.而其它的象什么快乐E行连新用户注册都有问题,试了三次才行,真的是莫名其妙!:(

January 27, 2007

在洛山矶LOS ANGELES的旅行社

因为回中国要买机票,所以与在洛山矶LOS ANGELES的华人旅行社有些来往.最近用得比较多的两个是来来(在罗蘭岗)和亚洲(MONTEREY PARK).服务总体不错.价钱也好(曾经问过同一航班的机票,给的价钱是一样的).只是每次打电话去时,她们总是很忙.试过在美国这边的旅游网站如EXPEDIA, TRAVELOCITY甚至著名的比价网站如SIDESTEP或KAYAK查到的去中国的机票都比华人旅行社贵不少.我想这也是它们赖以生存的本钱.

Blogs: The Caveat

From National Geographic Traveler Magazine Online

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/traveler/resources/st_blogs0701/blogs.html

They're changing the way travelers get information. Just take them with a grain of salt.

an you trust your travel blog? With millions of weblogs now being published online (some estimates put them at 30 million)—and many of them about travel—it's a question worth asking. The answer: Not always.

Some travel blogs are now published by people who are paid by companies to post favorable reviews—a fact that isn't always disclosed on the sites. Other bloggers agree to post a positive write-up in exchange for free airfare, hotel rooms, and meals. (National Geographic Traveler's own blog makes no such quid-pro-quo deals and adheres to the same journalistic standards as the magazine.)

"Bloggers don't have a standardized set of ethics," says blogging expert Alexander Halavais of Quinnipiac University. "You might trust something you read in a magazine because you have faith in the news organization. But when it comes to blogs, the trust is often tied up with the person." As a result, you may be accepting tainted advice from your favorite blog without even knowing it.

For example, the Netherlands Board of Tourism & Conventions in 2006 sponsored a trip to Amsterdam for 25 bloggers, which covered airfare, hotel, and admission to city attractions. In exchange, the bloggers agreed to publish a "Bloggers in Amsterdam" logo on their sites and be interviewed about the trip. "I stayed at the Lloyd Hotel and loved it!" gushed one blogger in an interview published online after the trip, adding, "All the food was great."

In 2005, Visit Milwaukee paid a blogger for a year's worth of high-speed Internet access, bought her a $1,700 laptop computer, and offered free admission to some city attractions in exchange for publishing a blog about Milwaukee called "Play in the City." "We view this as a minimal incentive, when you consider the volume of writing she is doing," says David Fantle, a spokesman for Visit Milwaukee. The results were so promising that Visit Milwaukee renewed her contract in 2006 and launched another sponsored blog called "Taste of the Town."

One of the most high-profile examples of a sponsored blog is the state of Pennsylvania's "Roadtripper" project, which followed the journeys of "real people" exploring the state in 2005. The write-ups were posted on the VisitPA.com website, although the six blogs did not clearly disclose the fact that each pair of travelers was paid a stipend ($1,000 per trip, and each pair took three trips) to write about Pennsylvania.

The outcome was impressive. "The Pennsylvania Tourism Office and its partners were able to present information in a way that resulted in an overwhelming majority of mentions being neutral or positive and containing specific position statements such as 'innovative' or 'fun,'" says Carrie Fisher, a spokeswoman for the state tourism office. The blogs are now widely hailed in the public relations industry as an example of a destination using blogging to attract visitors.

Persuading a blogger to write favorably about a destination isn't difficult. "If you manage a business that is able to accommodate me for free in return for a free, in-depth review, please get in touch," A Luxury Travel Blog offers on its site. The resulting reviews are fawning. One of an Italian hotel that apparently agreed to the arrangement concludes, "if you're in Bellagio, there's really only one place to stay: the Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni."

Advertisers are equally up-front about their intentions. A company called PayPerPost.com pays bloggers for "approved" blog entries that mention a product. Among the recent bids was an offer to pay $10 for a 300-word post that plugs a Hawaii vacation site.

Is this kind of blogging payola hurting anyone? Some bloggers insist it doesn't—that few, if any, readers complain about their free sites, let alone gripe about their arrangements with sponsors. Steve Broback, publisher of the business travel blog InFlightHQ.com, notes, "There is a line of thinking I tend to adhere to: Bloggers aren't necessarily journalists. We write about our experiences, and it follows that a blog may not meet journalistic standards."

In an era of product placements, where advertisers can buy their way into movies and TV morning shows, sponsored blogs are only going to increase. The consumer's best defense is to take a skeptic's view of blogs (and other media, for that matter). Don't base big decisions on one piece of advice. Be your own reporter and check out other sources. Your next vacation may depend on it.

Not So Cheap Clicks

From National Geographic Traveler Magazine Online

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/traveler/resources/st_travelwebsites0611/travelwebsites.html

Travel websites are getting more sophisticated and aggressive about selling you extras.

igh-pressure sales pitches used to be limited to slippery timeshare salesmen or telemarketers phoning at dinnertime with fraudulent free-vacation offers.

Not anymore. Now travel websites—once low-key booking tools that passively displayed fares and rates—are learning the art of persuasion. And they're proving to be quick studies. If you don't pay attention, you might end up buying something overpriced, unnecessary, or even unexpected when you book your next trip online.

Christopher Trott almost did. The Washington, D.C., copy editor wanted to cash in his US Airways miles for a ticket from Philadelphia to Paris recently, so he logged on to the redesigned US Airways website. It made a compelling pitch: For just 80,000 miles, he could score a seat in business class. But as he clicked through the booking screens, he noticed that the class of service had mysteriously been downgraded to economy class. Trott cancelled the transaction. "It was a bizarre quirk that was borderline deceptive," he said.
US Airways spokeswoman Andrea Rader insists it was the former. "It's a bug that we're aware of," she said. In fact, if Trott had made the reservation, then the correct number of miles would have been deducted from his account for the ticket he had requested. Rader says the airline is working on a fix.

Usairways.com is only one of several high-profile websites that have been redesigned (it did so after merging with America West). Alaska Airlines, Continental, Four Points by Sheraton, and Hyatt have also given their sites a makeover. Many other travel site redesigns—most of them made with the explicit goal of making them sell more products—are being done quietly.

Travel companies previously viewed their websites as a way to reduce the cost of booking (without a human agent, each transaction costs less). But that's not enough anymore. Those same companies now want to use their sites to help them drum up even more business.

"They're aggressively trying to monetize their sites," says Michael Roberts, president of MarketFace in Scottsdale, Arizona, which specializes in improving online interactions for companies. To monetize sites, companies are using sophisticated software that spots patterns in a reservation and tries to sell customers everything from a hotel room to trip insurance, based on those patterns.

For example, on a recent online reservation for an airline ticket from Orlando to Seattle, the final booking screen on the Alaska Airlines website displayed several options under the banner "At Your Service." Among them were pitches for a "special hotel offer" ($332 per night at the Salish Lodge), a car rental, and a 25 percent discount on rentals of portable DVD players.

The airline just wrapped up a major overhaul of the part of its site that handles vacation packages, according to Steve Jarvis of Alaska Airlines. He disputes that the reason for the changes is to lift sales. "Our customers tell us they want to be able not only to book their air travel, but also arrange for hotel accommodations, rental cars, and other products and services that will be used during their travels," he says.

But James Hering of TM Advertising in Irving, Texas, says these cross-selling opportunities are "very, very profitable." He should know. TM Advertising has done website designs for American Airlines, OneWorld Alliance, and the State of Texas Department of Tourism. "It's twice as easy to sell to an existing customer than to find a new customer."

There's a right way—and a wrong way—to do it, say Web marketing experts. One classic example of inappropriate marketing involves opt-in newsletters or fare offers. At the conclusion of a purchase, there's a small box that invites you to share your e-mail address with everyone the company does business with. It often describes them as "carefully screened companies offering products and promotions that may be of interest to you." But the box is pre-checked, opening your in-box to annoying offers from which it is virtually impossible to unsubcribe. Nonetheless, many second-tier travel sites have pre-checked boxes that sign travelers up for "optional" travel insurance, say experts.

From there, however, things quickly move to grayer areas. The newest websites hawk upgrades to better rooms or more comfortable airline seats, and any number of additional products such as rental cars or tours. And marketers and Web designers are constantly tinkering with how to display these options, and how much information is given about them.

More than ever, consumers need to pay attention when they book on travel websites (this is no time to multitask). "Watch for add-ons," says Lorraine Sileo, an analyst for PhoCusWright in Sherman, Connecticut. "Before you click on the 'Buy' button, make sure that you're buying what you want to buy."

Look Before You Book
Don't get taken by a dot-com sales pitch. Here five things you can do to prevent surprise surcharges from showing up on your bill.

1. Check out the terms. Every legitimate site has a "terms and conditions" section with the legalese and has an easy-to-find phone number. If they're not there, stop clicking.

2. Read every screen carefully. Then reread it. Make sure you uncheck any boxes that have been pre-checked.

3. Review your itinerary. Prior to clicking the "Buy" button, take one more look at your itinerary. See any extras? If you do, exit and start over.

4. Carefully monitor your credit card statement for any surprise charges. If you see one, contact both your travel company and your credit card company, and let them know of the problem. Dispute the charges with the credit card company if necessary.

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