What is Adventure Travel?

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This?

 

 

 

 

 

Or this?

 

 

 

 

 

Or both?

Well for a start Adventure Travel is popular. According to Google around 165,000 people search for it every month. It’s not in the same league as Tours with 45 million searches per month but there’s enough interest in it to find out what it is.

Like most things it means different things to different people so here at traveljunkies we split Adventure Travel into two categories to make things easier. At least we think so.

The first category we call Adventure Travel rather than just organised holidays, after all, who wants to be seen as being “organised”.
These are vacations “organised” for you where you have to do little more than just pay for it and turn up.
Everything else is done for you but you may have to expend some energy  to make the most of it.
Typical Adventure Travel includes packaged tours, cruises, safaris, train journeys, coach tours, theme holidays etc and these can be arranged by tour operators, holiday companies, tourist offices, hotels and individual independent business owners.
This type of Adventure Travel will often appeal to families, groups, first timers and people who just want a relaxing holiday to get away from it all.

The second category we call Active Holidays and these are where you have to get off your bum and do things.
In this category are activities such as water sports, snow sports, trekking, cycling, climbing, exploring etc. plus any of the activities above where you have to put in the effort rather than having it done for you.
A tour where you walk rather than ride is a good example.

Now there will always be overlaps of the two and people will have different views so have we got it about right?

Does the way we separate the two types of Adventure Travel help you, the customers, to find what you’re looking for, and you, business owners to decide where best to advertise?.

Tell us what you think. and please share with your friends and colleagues.

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Cliff Chapman
www.traveljunkies.com
New places to go, good value accommodation, great activities and exciting things to do.
Get a free listing in traveljunkies here for your travel or activities business!

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Guests Complaints

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They walk among us and they vote!!! Be afraid! Be very afraid!

Thomas Cook Holidays have received these genuine complaints from guests …

1.  “We had to queue outside with no air conditioning.”

2. “It’s lazy of the local shopkeepers to close in the afternoons.

3. “We booked an excursion to a water park but no-one told us we had to bring our swimming costumes and towels.”

4. “We booked an excursion to a water park but no-one told us we had to bring our swimming costumes and towels.”

5. “I often needed to buy things during ‘siesta’ time – this should be banned.”

6  “My fiance and I booked a twin-bedded room but we were placed in a double-bedded room. We now hold you responsible for the fact that I find myself pregnant. This would not have happened if you had put us in the room that we booked.”

7. “The beach was too sandy.”

8. “We found the sand was not like the sand in the brochure. Your brochure shows the sand as yellow but it was white.”

10. “Topless sunbathing on the beach should be banned. The holiday was ruined as my husband spent all day looking at other women.”

12. “No-one told us there would be fish in the sea. The children were startled.”

13. “There was no egg slicer in the apartment…”

14. “We went on holiday to Spain and had a problem with the taxi drivers as they were all Spanish.”

15. “The roads were uneven..”

16. “It took us nine hours to fly home from Jamaica to England it only took the Americans three hours to get home.”

17. “I compared the size of our one-bedroom apartment to our friends’ three-bedroom apartment and ours was significantly smaller..”

18. “The brochure stated: ‘No hairdressers at the accommodation’. We’re trainee hairdressers – will we be OK staying there?”

19. “There are too many Spanish people. The receptionist speaks Spanish. The food is Spanish. Too many foreigners now live abroad.”

20. “I think it should be explained in the brochure that the local
store does not sell proper biscuits like custard creams or ginger nuts.”

21. “It is your duty as a tour operator to advise us of noisy or unruly guests before we travel.”

22. “I was bitten by a mosquito, no-one said they could bite.”

23. “On my holiday to Goa in India, I was disgusted to find that almost every restaurant served curry. I don’t like spicy food at all.”

Yes, be very afraid!

(Please share with your friends and colleagues)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cliff Chapman
www.traveljunkies.com
New places to go, good value accommodation, great activities and exciting things to do.
Get a free listing in traveljunkies for your travel or activities business!

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More People Are Killed By Falling Coconuts …

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… than by germs from aircraft bathrooms.

Lonely Planet’s article about the dirtiest things you touch when you travel will scare the pants off you if you worry about it …

(Please share with your friends and colleagues)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cliff Chapman
www.traveljunkies.com
New places to go, good value accommodation, great activities and exciting things to do.
Get a free listing in traveljunkies for your travel or activities business!

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Facebook Graph – Why It’s Important For You

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You may have heard of the new Facebook Graph but what is it, what does it do and why is it important for you in your business?.

In simple terms it will allow you to do the kind of searches you’re already familiar with using Google but you can do much more personalised searches for your friends, other businesses and most importantly, your customers and prospects.

Even more ways to use your lists.

Facebook says that its new search bar will return “the top search suggestions, including people, Pages, apps, places, groups, and suggested searches” — notice how “Pages” and “places” are listed separately.

Facebook’s new search will let users do searches like “dive companies that my friends have been to” (which means Facebook check-ins are a signal) and “hotels that my friends like” as well as the more basic types of search.

The business Page is what a small and local business can control the most, and Facebook’s three specific tips for business owners are focused on optimizing a Page for the new search.
Facebook says (quote) …

  • The name, category, vanity URL, and information you share in the “About” section all help people find your business and should be shared on Facebook.
  • If you have a location or a local place Page, update your address to make sure you can appear as a result when someone is searching for a specific location.
  • Focus on attracting the right fans to your Page and on giving your fans a reason to interact with your content on an ongoing basis.

It’s only available to a limited number of users at first, Facebook Graph Search will be offering local search from day one.

Keep watching

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Cliff Chapman
www.traveljunkies.com
New places to go, good value accommodation, great activities and exciting

(Please share with your friends and colleagues)
.

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Best Carnivals in Brazil

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Sao Paulo carnival on Friday and Saturday 8 and 9 February and the  popular parade of competing samba schools in Rio de Janeiro On 10 and 11 February 2013.

See hostelbookers blog for more details of carnivals and parades throughout Brasil.

And don’t forget to share with your friends and colleagues

http://blog.hostelbookers.com/destinations/south-america/best-carnivals-brazil/

.

 

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Cliff Chapman
www.traveljunkies.com
New places to go, good value accommodation, great activities and exciting things to do.
Get a free listing in traveljunkies here for your travel or activities business.

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Is Your SEO Out of Date?

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We are all looking for ways to grow our businesses and most of us have heard about Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
That’s what is supposed to get us up the search engine rankings.
But is your SEO out of date?.
This article is worth reading …

http://searchenginewatch.com/article/2197044/10-Old-SEO-Methods-You-Need-to-Stop

(Please share with your friends and colleagues)

Cliff Chapman
www.traveljunkies.com
New places to go, good value accommodation, great activities and exciting things to do.
Get a free listing here in traveljunkies for your travel or activities business!

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Why Facebook Pages Are Losing Reach

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Why Facebook Pages Are Losing Reach – Negative Feedback

Here’s why … http://pinterest.com/pin/248401735669267857/

(Please share with your friends and colleagues)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cliff Chapman
www.traveljunkies.com
New places to go, good value accommodation, great activities and exciting things to do.
Get a free listing in traveljunkies here for your travel or activities business.

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Free Social Media Guidebooks

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4 great new FREE social media guidebooks from Hubspot

(Please share with your friends and colleagues)

Hey, everyone – start the New Year right with these four great social media guides from HubSpot.
They are great and they’re FREE! I like free. You can download one or all of them, your choice.
And don’t forget to send this email out to your friends and colleagues who might be interested.

2013 Marketing Predictions
Think you have heard all the predictions so far for marketing in 2013?
Learn what industry experts believe 2013 will bring for marketers related to
SEO, social media, inbound marketing, and sales!
Get your copy now: http://ow.ly/gBY6d

21 Social Media Updates and Advancements to Inspire Your 2013 Strategy
2012 has been a year of change in social media. Integrate these updates into
your marketing strategy and see improvements in 2013! HubSpot put together
21 of the biggest updates and advancements that you should use to your advantage in 2013.
Get your copy now: http://ow.ly/gBXTU

10 Useless Things to Cut From Your Marketing in 2013
As the world of digital marketing changes rapidly, marketers are becoming
overwhelmed with new things that must be done right now!
To help transform you into a more efficient marketer, HubSpot created
an ebook to let you know what you can cut to simplify your marketing!
Get your copy now: http://ow.ly/gBY4u

17 SEO Myths to Leave Behind in 2013
SEO can be complicated, and is constantly changing.
Don’t waste a minute of your time on things that are not working.
Download HubSpot’s free ebook and learn what you can be cutting out of your marketing campaigns!
Get your copy now: http://ow.ly/gBY1f

10 Useless Things to Cut From Your Marketing in 2013
As the world of digital marketing changes rapidly, marketers are becoming
overwhelmed with new things that must be done right now! To help transform
you into a more efficient marketer, HubSpot created an ebook to let you know
what you can cut to simplify your marketing!
Get your copy now: http://ow.ly/gBY4u

Thanks to Mike Crossan – www.SocialMediopolis.com for sending me this email

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Cliff Chapman
www.traveljunkies.com
New places to go, good value accommodation, great activities and exciting things to do.
Get a free listing in traveljunkies for your travel or activities business!

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We’ve Combined Our Two Blogs.

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In 2012 we ran two separate blogs, this one for travelers, and another for travel businesses.

In our survey we got a clear message that posts on one blog are also interesting to readers of the other blog, so we decided to combine them.

For 2013 we are combining our other travel blog with this one.

Thank you and best wishes for a happy and prosperous 2013

Cliff Chapman
www.traveljunkies.com
New places to go, good value accommodation, great activities and exciting things to do.
Get a free listing in traveljunkies for your travel or activities business!

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Popular Motorhome Travel Destinations

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Image via Flickr by Ian McWilliams

Owning a motorhome makes it possible for families to explore the world without spending a lot of money on travel and lodging. It’s become possible for a family to not have to sacrifice fun and comfort for a cheaper way of vacationing in their favorite destinations. Before buying your own motorhome, consider whether you would enjoy some of these popular destinations.

Big Sur Coast Highway

You can’t travel Big Sur Coast Highway without the right vehicle. Motorhomes present a unique set of features that allow families to take full advantage of the area’s amenities and attractions. This 72-mile stretch of road winds through some of the most beautiful mountain scenes in California. If you head out West, be sure to stop for a hike in Big Sur or take a walk along the area’s sandy beaches. RV parks at Plasket Creek and Kirk Creek offer the perfect place to park your conversion van while you explore the area or prepare for the next day’s adventure.

Big Bend National Park

Used Class B motorhomes fit in perfectly at national parks. Big Bend National Park in Texas is one of the best places for travelers to visit without spending a lot of money. The park has a diverse range of desert wildlife and plants that you won’t find anywhere else. It also features plenty of hiking trails. If you fancy a challenging hike, head into the higher elevation, where you will climb steep hills. If you want an easier walk, stick to the flat areas. Park your RV at the Rio Grande Village for access to water and electricity.

Route 66

Route 66 was once the most direct way for people to travel from the eastern U.S. to the western states. Today, most people travel via interstates, which are faster and more direct than the old highway. Still, there are plenty of sites to explore along Route 66. An RV is one of the best ways to experience the stretch of road, especially if you’re not keen on the idea of traveling hundreds of miles on a motorcycle. Some must-see locations include the Coleman Theatre in Miami, OK, Mid Point Cafe in Adrian, TX, and the lush maple forest in Funk’s Grove, IL.

Asheville, NC

Asheville, NC is a medium-sized city nestled in the Smoky Mountains. The town has plenty of hotels and motels, but you don’t need indoor accommodations when you’re surrounded by beautiful mountains. Hotels can place a barrier between the vacationer and destination, separating people from the natural wonders and sights that can be found outside. A Class B motorhome is perfect for traversing the Smoky Mountains and experiencing the full impact of the natural beauty. Some of the top spots to visit in the Asheville area include the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, the Biltmore, and Blue Ridge Parkway.

When you have a trust motorhome,  you can visit practically any location whenever you want. What place would you visit first with your new motorhome?

Miles Young is a freelance blogger who specializes in travel, vacations, camping and anything in between. … View full profile

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Cliff Chapman
www.traveljunkies.com
New places to go, good value accommodation, great activities and exciting things to do.
Get a free listing in traveljunkies for your travel or activities business!

 

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