In an email sent to subscribers Thursday morning, TripAdvisor chief executive Steve Kaufer said the company is actively pursuing the matter with law enforcement and that the source of the vulnerability has been discovered and shut down.

“How will this affect you? In many cases, it won’t,” Mr. Kaufer said.

“Only a portion of all member email addresses were taken, and all member passwords remain secure.”

“Members may receive some unsolicited emails (spam) as a result of this incident,” he said, noting that TripAdvisor does not collect credit card or financial information from its members.

Get the full story at The Financial Post

“Believe it or not, just using a different browser can get you a dramatically lower travel deal,” Lisa Freeman from Consumer Reports said.

Consumer Reports ShopSmart learned this when it searched for the same itinerary at the same time on the Expedia travel site using two different browsers—Safari and Firefox. It turns out the flight was $718 lower using a Firefox browser.

“Travel sites can track your searches. We checked a flight twice on Safari and once on Firefox. And what we learned is that if you check a flight more than once, the cheapest fare can disappear,” Freeman said.

Expedia insists pricing is not affected by previous searches. Still, ShopSmart advises removing cookies that track those searches. To remove cookies, go to your browser and pick preferences, then privacy. There you can remove all cookies.

Get the full story at abc news

Delta Air Lines’ Ticket Counter app for Facebook has been available since August of 2010, but today it gets a convenient extra feature: virtual check-in. At launch, Ticket Counter allowed fliers to book trips and research fares. Today, the airline debuts the new version of the app, which adds the ability to check in for your flight up to 24 hours before its scheduled departure.

The app also allows Delta customers to check their flight status and SkyMiles accounts – Delta’s system for tracking trips and redeeming milage rewards – all without leaving the social network. These features were previously available on Delta’s website and through its apps for iPhone, Android, and Blackberry, but integrating them into a social hub that many people are constantly connected to makes the process that much smoother.

Get the full story at the Delta Blog

The latest addition to the easyHotel portfolio is the 11th property to be opened by the brand and their first new build hotel. Offering 57 air conditioned rooms easyHotels Sofia is bookable on their website at www.easyhotel.com where rooms are priced on the basis of the earlier you book, the less you pay and periods of high demand cost more than less popular periods.

Renowned for its simple ‘no frills’ approach easyHotel is completely transparent on its services and pricing structure and in keeping with the easyHotel concept of value for money, services such as TV, internet access and extra towels will be available for a small extra charge to guests who require them.

Calum Russell, easyHotel.com Commercial Director: “We are very excited by the continued growth of the easyHotel brand and our expansion into the capital of Bulgaria. Sofia is a stunning city, where old and new merge seamlessly and is well served from across Europe by a number of low cost airlines. Our affordable, value for money rooms will allow us to leverage value from the growing number of visitors to this developing city.“

http://hotelexecutive.com/

For an exclusive, luxury, travel experience tourists will have to dig deep into their pockets. The online travel portal HolidayCheck has searched the market to bring together the top exclusive trips, for those that can afford an extra special holiday.

Luxury Yacht in Monaco – ₤640,000

Sip Champagne like the high society, while sailing in the Mediterranean on board your own private yacht. An experienced crew welcomes guests aboard the 300ft Mega Yacht. There is plenty of room aboard for friends, in the 20 luxurious cabins.

Space Flight -₤130,000

Live the childhood dream. Experience weightlessness and see the world from above. The exclusive provider Virgin Galactic offers up to 6 tourist places aboard the VSS Enterprise. The first manned test flight in July 2010 successfully reached an altitude of 110km. To book, a deposit of a mere ₤13,000 is required!

Private Island in the Bahamas – ₤42,000

For those first class travellers that can afford it, this 13-acre island is the perfect place to rent. The main house and several suites can accommodate up to 12 guests. This is full board to the maximum level of service. A personal Gourmet Chef can meet any culinary desire, and of course the best wine to accompany it. Unfortunately drinks are not included in the price.

Titanic dive – ₤26,000

The wreck of the RMS Titanic, sunk in 1912 is located at depths of 4000m in the Atlantic Ocean. Today you can visit it buy going on a submarine dive. Be careful, the twelve-day expedition aboard a research vessel requires a good standard of physical fitness.

Climb Mount Everest – ₤42,200

Plenty of time is required to fully experience climbing to the “roof of the world”. A 61 day expedition allows participants to climb to 8848 metres with the help of experienced mountain guides. The tour price includes flights, meals, and all you need to survive like tents, radio equipment and climbing gear. Fitness and climbing experience is of course a must.

Round the world in a private jet – from ₤40,950

Got 24 days spare? Then ask for the world! Visit hidden wonders like Bhutan, India, Indonesia, Japan, Jordan, New Guinea, Portugal and the US on this private jet tour. Guests will be pampered in the luxurious environment of the Boeing 757 private plane, by their personal cabin crew.

North-Pole Expedition – ₤1,675

Temperatures of less than 35 degrees may not be everybody’s idea of a holiday. A trip to the northern-most point on the earth is not for the faint hearted. Participants will trek for 8 to 9 hours per day, pulling their luggage on a sleigh at all times. Then remember, at the end of the day you still have to set up camp, so you ensure a good nights sleep. This trip is a real challenge that offers a once in a life time adventure.

The Vienna Opera Ball ₤14,000

Tickets for this annual event can cost up to ₤14,000, but for that price you will be in the best position to see all of the glamorous celebrities in attendance. In previous years this has included Sophia Loren and Paris Hilton. There is a waiting list for reservations, but the lucky few with tickets can join the Viennese high society in white tie and ball gowns.

The Maharajas Express ₤13,000

Travel India in style on the Maharajas Express. The presidential suite on the Princely India Tour costs $20,000. Starting in Mumbai, the travellers will visit numerous Indian destinations and take in sights such as the Taj Mahal, the Amber Font in Jaipur and Lake Udaipur, before reaching their final stop in Delhi. Throughout the trip guests will receive the highest quality of service and gourmet dining.

http://www.holidaycheck.com

Google’s announcement of the acquisition of ITA signaled the cocking of the proverbial hammer, if you are in the business of 21st Century online booking that is. Now enter Facebook, a very interesting interjection into travel dollars indeed. Facebook announced the buyout of the social network NextStop, or rather the expertise and data therein. What can they be up to? Well, a piece of $120 billion dollar online travel pie.

According to Forrester Research, last year, online travel bookings represent nearly 40 percent of all booking bucks. Expedia, Orbitz, and a very few others have (so far) pocketed the lion’s share. But, in all honesty, just how long did they foresee such a virtual monopoly going forward? Their problem, from my perspective, is not much different from any other huge and profitable company – complacency – even greed. Why? Let me explain a little.

Expedia has proliferated the web with what you might call “satellites of success” – TripAdvisor being the biggest. The original innovation there, was significant – taking advantage of “the crowd” in as far a travel ratings and the vast network of affiliations – of course. But, like so many traditional thinking companies, Expedia only paid lip service to the social element. And then, for the most part they rested on their laurels – opps. What burns me about companies like Expedia? Their almost unlimited resources to create something far better – for you – and for them.

Orbitz? Well, maybe they just don’t have the cash? Despite positive earnings, Obritz seems content to offer Gulf Coast guarantees and traditional price incentives – for the most part any way. I covered their integration with iSeatz, but was honestly overly optimistic. The iSeatz move seemed to signal movement in the space, but like many such associations – there was no prime mover behind the deal. Many online companies fail to understand the need for traction and ongoing news – Orbitz is not alone. Without tipping any hands, I know Orbitz execs are rather closed minded or at best preoccupied with other matters. What burns me about them? The market is wide open for them to move – they won’t or can’t.

Is Microsoft in There Somewhere?

Stagnated development is something I have hammered Google about in the past, but they climbed out of that hole. For Google, direct entry into the travel game, or associative models, do not make that much difference. What they may need to be concerned about is everyone gunning for them – much of this smells like Microsoft versus Google to me. Regardless, Facebook’s most recent move does have its implications. NextStop is about going local, about buying the people who have done it, and about 100,000 or so user submitted reviews. The image below probably reveals who is behind the Facebook deal.

Continuing to stand as a trusted resource for discovering and booking the world’s most exceptional hotels, Kiwi Collection has set out to create a new industry standard with its updated web presence, brand – and now – a unique online publication.

Continuing the cinematic, image-heavy aesthetic of the Kiwi Collection website, WOW Travel is focused on travel, but not limited to the theme. Editor in Chief, Jim Tobler, and Editor at Large, Mary Gostelow, have assembled a team of in-house and international contributing writers to cover world culture in all its forms. This team includes distinguished restaurant designer Bob Puccini, and noted travel writer, Ted Botha, among others.

Jim Tobler says, “The re-invented WOW Travel leads readers on an exciting journey around the entire world, and is bursting with ideas and helpful information that make travel on any budget possible.”

Sections include Wining & Dining, Art & Style, Spa & Sport, News & Events, and Industry Insight. Inveterate traveler, Mary Gostelow, helms the latter section, digging deep into the international hotel world as only a select few can.

Editor at Large Mary Gostelow explains, “WOW Travel is the international, ahead-of-the-minute digital magazine for discerning travelers.”

In yet another feature, WOW Likes, the editorial team takes readers on a tour through an ever-growing, curated selection of their favorite products. From coach-built supercars and bespoke shoes, to hard-to-find furniture and must-have gadgets, WOW Likes lives on the front lines of style.

July’s WOW Travel articles include coverage of Youth Day in South Africa, and Alain Ducasse’s new restaurant at the St. Regis New York. In August, expect features focused on the definition of the modern Gastropub, authentic old-world style gelato, secret islands, and one of the world’s finest wine programs, at Blantyre.

Readers can sign-up to receive WOW Travel’s newest edition – out the first of each month.
http://www.kiwicollection.com/wow-travel.

ABOUT KIWI COLLECTION INC.

Kiwi Collection, headquartered in Vancouver, with offices in Sydney and London, is an independent curator of hotels founded by people with a passion for travel. Every hotel, including those belonging to all the well-known international brands, are personally reviewed before being invited to join. Hotels cannot pay to be included in the Collection, and are excluded if they no longer meet Kiwi Collection’s strict criteria. The collection currently features 2100 hotels in 127 countries.

Kiwi Collection was incorporated in 2003 to provide mass affluent travelers and travel agents with an up-to-date, unbiased, and trusted resource of the finest hotels around the globe. The portfolio reaches its target audience through strategic partnerships and online via http://www.kiwicollection.com, which includes Wow Travel, Kiwi Collection’s Digital Travel & Lifestyle Magazine. Kiwi Collection’s large format coffee table book series Overnight Sensations: Hotels for the Discerning Traveler is edited by co-founder and president, Philippe Kjellgren, and is published and distributed globally by San Francisco’s Chronicle Books. http://www.kiwicollection.com

Furthermore, whilst the supply of available rooms has been increasing steadily compared with the previous year as hoteliers gear up to host fans from all over the world, the change in demand, measured as occupied rooms, has also begun to trend upwards in 2010 as seen in the graph below. The peaks for RevPAR and demand during June 2009 coincided with the hosting of the Confederation Cup, the prelude to this year’s competition.

The additional new supply in host cities has negatively affected year-to-date RevPAR results, as seen in the graph below. All markets reported year-on-year occupancy declines, which drove the RevPAR decreases. Despite falling occupancies Cape Town, Nelspruit and Pretoria have still managed to register modest increases in average daily rate (ADR).

As experienced by other host nations in the past, the long-term influence of the FIFA World Cup on the image and promotion of South Africa to the millions watching on TV should provide a positive boost for future hotel demand.

“The immediate impact of the thousands of visitors on the hospitality industry will be reported by STR Global”, said Elizabeth Randall, managing director of STR Global.“With a sample of hotels covering more than 40,000 rooms in South Africa, we are the ‘go to’ resource when it comes to understanding the performance of the South African hotel market”.

http://www.traveldailynews.com/

“We are very excited to be teaming up with the Fiesta Hotel Group in Jamaica. This new excursion partnership brings together two companies who are committed to delivering unforgettable destination experiences and offering the best quality in every aspect of our guests’ dream Caribbean vacation,” says Dominique Peterkin, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Island Routes Caribbean Adventure Tours. “Island Routes Specialists will be based at both resorts to offer our signature personal service for each booking and to see to every detail for groups and special charters.”

Island Routes Caribbean Adventure Tours announces an exciting new partnership with the Fiesta Hotel Group to offer exclusive, luxury catamaran tours to guests at the at the hotel group’s two resorts in Montego Bay, Jamaica.L to R: Rodcliff Robertson, Human Resources Director, Grand Palladium; Adam Stewart, CEO of Island Routes Caribbean Adventure Tours; Dimitris Kosvogiannis, General Manager, Complex Grand Palladium Jamaica Lady Hamilton Resorts and Spa; Dominique Peterkin, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Island Routes; Miguel Arthurs, Director of Operations, Island Routes; Wayne Cummings, President, Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association.

L to R: Rodcliff Robertson, Human Resources Director, Grand Palladium; Adam Stewart, CEO of Island Routes Caribbean Adventure Tours; Dimitris Kosvogiannis, General Manager, Complex Grand Palladium Jamaica Lady Hamilton Resorts and Spa; Dominique Peterkin, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Island Routes; Miguel Arthurs, Director of Operations, Island Routes; Wayne Cummings, President, Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association.

“Island Routes’ uniquely Jamaican catamaran cruises are the perfect addition to the luxury services and amenities that we offer our resort guests, their exacting level of customer service won’t disappoint” says Dimitris Kosvogiannis, General Manager, Complex Grand Palladium Jamaica Lady Hamilton Resorts and Spa. “In conjunction with our destination management company Caribic Vacations, we’re looking forward to expanding our relationship with Island Routes and the choice of adventure tour options for our guests.”

Island Routes will open two retail desks on September 1, 2010, at the 1056-room Palladium Hotels & Resorts and The Katt, one of six state-of-the-art luxury catamarans in the Island Routes fleet, will be permanently based at the resorts. The 65’ luxury vessel can accommodate up to 110 passengers and, in addition to the Island Vibes Catamaran Cruise and Lover’s Rock Sunset Sail, Island Routes will offer group packages and bespoke sailings for special events including wedding receptions. A family excursion is also scheduled to debut in the Winter 2010-2011 season.