Sri Lankan Tourism is Kicking into Full Gear!

It appears that the conflict with the Tamil Tigers may finally be coming to a close. After years of civil unrest and countless losses, Sri Lanka is ready to put itself back on the map as a major tourist destination. Here is a recent news release compliments of SriLanka.travel discussing conflict resolution and the country's plans to attract more tourism:

The conflict with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a separatist group also known as the Tamil Tigers, which has affected the north of the country for over two decades, is rapidly nearing its end.

When the President of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapakse assumed office in 2005, the LTTE had over 16,000 square kilometers under its control. Within two and a half years since the recommencement of the conflict in mid-2006, the government has managed to take control of the LTTE strongholds in the northeast of Sri Lanka, restricting them to a narrow 8-kilometer strip in the northeast of the country.

The President of Sri Lanka visited the eastern province last year and more recently the Killonochchi last week - the LTTE's once self-proclaimed headquarters. Subsequently, the armed forces achieved victory this week by rescuing over one-hundred-thousand civilians...

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Free things to do in Paris

Paris: the city of light, and also the city of an empty pocketbook. This world class city in western Europe is full of things to do, but many times at a high expense. In my junior year of college, I studied abroad in Paris. Being a student, I quickly learned how to get by on little cash and still have a lot of fun. Here are Travel Marketer's personal favorite FREE things to do in Paris, France:

The Eiffel Tower (Tour Eiffel).

This is one of the most recognized structures in the entire world and a must when visiting Paris, however, if you want to get all the way to the top, it will cost you about 13 euros. Instead, grab a bottle of wine (you can get great wine in France for as cheap as 1 euro!), a loaf of bread, and a couple of friends and enjoy a picnic at the foot of the tower. There is often free entertainment and performances to enjoy! As an added bonus, on the hour, the tower displays a spectacular 10 minute light show.Take a look at a live shot of the Eiffel Tour at Webcams.travel.

Notre Dame:

One of the world's most stunning pieces of architecture and the inspiration for a classic novel, this cathedral is a free treasure for tourists.

Take a walking tour. Paris has so much to see and I would spend many days walking around and discovering this very accessible city. Some of my favorite spots included: the Seine River, which slices a path through the heart of the city, the Arc de Triomphe, and the Palais Royal. On the way to and from class, I would walk through the gorgeous Luxembourg Gardens, central Paris’s largest park in the heart of the Left Bank which also houses the Luxembourg Palace.

Museums. No one can visit Paris without visiting the famous Louvre. Admission is free for all visitors on the first Sunday of each month and on July 14 (Bastille Day). My favorite museum in Paris is the Musee Rodin which features the famous statues of The Thinker and The Kiss, is also free of charge each first Sunday of the month.

Window Shop on Avenue Montaigne and Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, one of the city's priciest streets. Galeries Lafayette, one of Paris’s largest department stories, offers free weekly fashion shows on Fridays at 3 p.m. on the seventh floor. For even more window shopping, take a stroll down the Champs Elysees or Saint German.

Pay Your Respects: Pére-Lachaise Cemetery has served as the final resting place for a "who's who" of cultural icons since 1804. Chopin, Colette, Molière, Modigliani all lay beneath 118 acres of rolling terrain. So do Oscar Wilde, Isadora Duncan, Georges Seurat, Sarah Bernhardt, Gertrude Stein, and Jim Morrison.

With all of the free and exciting things to do in Paris, there is no reason not to visit. Visit Future Vacations to book your trip today! -Travel Marketer

Green Travel for Earth Day

April 22nd's Earth Day is a holiday inspired by Senator Gaylord Nelson to promote awareness and appreciation of our mother Earth. In honor of Senator Nelson and out of respect for our dear planet I have provided a list of Central American Eco lodges courtesy of Greenspot.travel.

La Finca Rosa Blanca in Costa Rica: La Finca Rosa Blanca Coffee Plantation Inn is located right above the Central Valley of Costa Rica and this 13 room inn is one of the most luxurious times you will ever have going green. Not only is La Finca Rosa the first ever sustainable hotel in Costa Rica, but 5 % of the lodge's profits go towards community projects supporting the local children. And dont forget, the master suite is a perfect romantic getaway for you honeymooners!

Tranquilo Bay Eco Adventure Lodge in Panama: Sure Tranquilo translates to calm. And you wouldn't necessarily expect to see the words calm and adventure in the same sentence, but when your having that afternoon cocktail on a jungle view balcony you will forget all about how sore your back is from snorkeling earlier that day. With only six cabanas, youll feel like your on your own private island in this tropical paradise.

Granja San Bernardo in El Salvador: These cabins in the wood come with a twist, you have a great view of the Izalco Volcano right from your front porch. The hotel is family owned and is know for its high level of customer service and fantastic homemade bread. For being at the base of a Volcanic Biosphere and Reserve Granja San Bernardo is suprisingly peaceful and charming.

Summer Travel Trends for 2009

Its that time of year again. The time when ugg boots and sweater vests get traded in for flip flops and suntan lotion. With people today seeming to instinctively associate the word budget with travel, we are seeing a shift in summer travel trends this year. Here is how people will choose to vacation this summer:

People will buy more Air and Hotel Vacation Packages: Purchasing your airfare and hotel together is one way to cut back travel expenses. Resorts are now subsidizing the cost of airfare, just to get more people to come to their hotels.

There will be an increase in all-inclusive resort stays: There are some great deals for all inclusive resorts this summer. People will flock to these resorts because they will know exactly how much they will be spending from the get go.

This will be the summer of "return" vacations: Being strapped for cash, people will most likely turn to familiar destinations that they know they enjoy. This season families will most likely head to tried-and-true vacations spots like Disney and Cape Cod.

Here is a video with some tips on how to save money on summer travel:

Top 5 Reasons Online Travel Agencies Save You Money

1. Less Overhead: Online agencies cut costs by basing themselves out of a small physical location. All an online agency needs to get by is a high speed Internet connection. What these agencies save on electricity, staff, and maintenance usually is money put right back in to savings for the customer.

2. Comparison Shopping: Good online travel agents are masters of their craft. So, while your scavanging the aisles of cvs for the best tanning lotions. These agencies are constantly surfing the web findind you the best possible travel deals.

3. Ticket Consolidation: Many online travel agencies have personal relationships with air travel consolidators, granting them access to a wealth of discount ticket databases. In fact, many agencies will buy up discounted tickets in bulk at the end of a travel season, only to save them and sell them for cheap come next season.

4. Vast Array of Travel Services: online travel agents, through frequent bookings and constant research have a wealth of information that travel agents without an online presence would have no way of having. Through constant contact with hotel managers, restaurant owners, and transportation providers online agencies can use this relationship to squeeze out better deals for the end consumer.

5. One-Stop Shopping: Travel agencies can provide a complete packages that you could never get trying to book travel agent. With a simple phone call or email you can have an online agent book your flight, hotel, and transport all taken care of within minutes.

There are hundred of online agencies out there, but a couple of the most reputable are Future and Damron Vacations. Save yourself a little grief and a lot of cash by using an online agent next time you travel.

Easter Travel Deals

I am not going to pretend to be well versed in the traditions of the Easter Holiday. I know that it involves the rebirth of Christ and whole lot of Eggs. If some could explain to me how that sneaky little rabbit came in to the picture I would really apprecaite it. But, I do know that this is a long weekend for a good number of people and that many of them are planning last minute trips. I have done a little background research for any frantic travelers out there. Here are the top 3 travel deals of the week:

1. Stay at the Monte Carlo in Las Vegas for $40 a night: Sure celebrating the rebirth of our lord and saviour in the city of sin may seem a bit tacky, but I dont think that Christ himself would expect people to pass up a deal this good. You get this rate by booking directly with the Monte Carlo. Don't worry if you enjoy yourself a little too much, there is still room for redemtion. I think Jesus once turned a brothel in to a temple. Or did I get that wrong?

2. An all inclusive trip to Cabo: You will find that the pristine beaches and endless array of outdoor activities round out the insanity of Cabo night life quite nicely. Easter is a great weekend to go to Cabo seeing as how the holiday is second only Christmas. The Easter parade through downtown is one of the highlites of the year. You can get great deals through Futurvacations.travel.




3. Cruise through out Europe and Russia: Ok, so I know this would be a little longer than a weekend trip. But right now ecruising.travel is knocking down its price on European cruises. No better place to ponder the resurection of the Blessed Son than from the balconoy of your cabin that overlooks the Mediterenean Sea.

This is why everyone needs to go to Utah

Cruising Tips

When my twin sister and I turned 15 we were presented with two options for celebration. We could of gone the quinceanera route (big party, frilly pink dresses, lots of presents, you get the idea) or take a trip. Always having been a slave to my wanderlust, my sister and I opted for the trip. Seven years ago my sister, bestfriend, and I (pictured above) departed for our first ever trip to Mexico. Four cruises later (including one that lasted 100 days and encompassed the globe) I would say I have become rather savvy at sea travel. Here are few things you may want to keep in mind before booking you're next cruise.

Book from a Cruise wholesaler: Some people think that booking through a travel agent or directly from the cruise line will save money. Not true. Cruise lines will usually give better rates to wholesalers than they do direct customers because they buy in bulk and the line wants to stay competitive. Look for deals on cruises.com, ecruising.travel, and cruisedeals.com.

Request the second dinner seating: This will give you more time for your excursions while your at port and more time to get ready for your meals while your at sea. No one wants to have to leave the pool early to change for a 6 o'clock seating.

Rent A Car: For roughly the same price of one shore excursion, you can rent a car and explore as much of the Islands as you like with out having to worry about reliable transportation. This is an especially good idea of those traveling with families. Check out Hertz, Orbitz, and Nationalcar.com for international car rental.

Bring a Bio Band: $12 will buy you a nifty little bracelet and serious piece of mind. A Bio Band is worn around your wrist and prevents sea sickness. Trust me, you don't want a sudden bout of turbulent waters to keep you in bed for the rest of the day!