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The rising cost of air travel has put UK city breaks firmly back in fashion, and with a multitude of crowd-pleasing attractions and affordable travel links to the rest of the country, there’s never been a better time to take a short break in the country’s capital.

Its spectacular West End productions, historic buildings, grand palaces, spellbinding museums and pioneering art galleries ensure London offers something to appeal to everyone.

And whether your budget is lavish or shoestring, you’ll be spoilt for choice with places to stay, from fashionable boutique hotels to ancient converted buildings and modern masterpieces.

Piccadilly makes a perfect base for theatre breaker’s and shopping fanatics alike. It’s ideally placed for bustling Oxford Street, home to Selfridges and a myriad of fabulous shops and department stores, while the hip hangouts of Soho and Covent Garden are also nearby.

In the evening, you’ll find the bright lights of London’s famous West End are just a short stroll away. Here you can catch a show, see a musical, visit the opera or laugh the night away with the country’s top comedians.

And if you’re in need of a little refreshment, head for Leicester Square to sample delicious international cuisine or innovative cocktails at one of the area’s many restaurants and bars.

If you’d rather explore London’s historic buildings, look for hotels around Westminster. From here you can visit Westminster Abbey, Westminster Cathedral, the Houses of Parliament and nearby Buckingham Palace, then cross the bridge over the Thames to the London Eye and take in the city’s majestic landscape.

Some of London’s best museums are located in South Kensington, just south of Knightsbridge and Hyde Park. Here you’ll find the Science Museum, the Earth Galleries Museum, the Natural History Museum, the Victoria & Albert Museum and Brompton Oratory.

Art buffs should stay near Southwark on the banks of the River Thames – the iconic Tate Modern is just off the nearby Millennium Bridge. Visitors can take a short ferry ride between the Tate Modern and the Tate Britain galleries, while to the east of Southwark lies the Tower of London, one of the most compelling and historic buildings in the city.

If you’re after pure luxury, seek out hotels around the upmarket neighbourhoods bordering Hyde Park. Most have stunning scenic views and its proximity to nearby green areas like St James’s, Park, Green Park and Kensington Gardens make it a perfect base for relaxing strolls and picnics.

North of Hyde Park, the leafy Regents Park makes an excellent base for visiting the the must-see Madame Tussauds waxworks museum. Tussauds also offers some great time-saving packages combining the museum with other attractions like the London Eye and and the London Dungeon – not for those of a nervous disposition!

It’s a good idea to make a list of everything you plan to do before you book a hotel in London. Taxi’s around the capital can be very expensive, and choosing the right base for your short break will help you reach most of your destinations on foot and take in some spectacular sights on the way!

By: Graham Baylis Jr

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Are you into travel and making extra cash at the same time? There are so many affiliate programs based in the United States that actually pay you for promoting their travel packages. Needless to say, selling travel packages is a small percentage compare to the thousand of affiliate programs peddling e-books, prescribed drugs and weight loss programs.

It is even unusual to find a travel affiliate program that originates from Malaysia. For Malaysian who loves travel, there is an affiliate program based in Malaysia that promotes domestic travel packages within Malaysia major tourist destinations.

The travel packages cover Malaysia’s famous and popular destinations that includes cities, resorts, beaches, island and beautiful and tropical upcountry as well as themed packages (special activities) such as diving, 4×4 adventures, fishing, white water rafting, mountain climbing and cultural tours.

The above program is called View Malaysia and as a member you will earn commission for each package that you promote and sold. Earning can be in points and cash (Ringgit Malaysia). Registered member is given a Member page to keep track of commission, ads campaign, product or package links and other statistics page. Buyer meanwhile can purchase the package using local bank transfers, credit card and even postal order.

With accumulated earning, you may redeem it for cash to your local Malaysian bank account or purchase the travel package at a special rebate prices for members.

ViewMalaysia.com currently has over 56 categories of travel packages that not only give you excellent tour packages at a bargain prices but also allowed you as a member to sell your own package. Selling of travel packages is therefore very popular among tour or travel agency and even hoteliers. It is a good opportunity to discover and promote Malaysia and at the same time make money.

By: Richard Wellis Sinyem

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Whether you are on vacation or business travel in Chicago, you will surely find a good place to stay with so many hotels around that offers great discounts to its guests.

Affinia Chicago
The Affinia Chicago is located in the neighborhood of Streeterville. It is just blocks away from some of the shops and tourist attractions such as the Michigan Avenue Magnificent Mile, Historic Water Tower and Museum of Contemporary Arts.

The Affinia Chicago is a high- rise building, with 29 floors that consists of 215 fully- furnished guestrooms. The guestrooms feature wooden bookcases, antique benches, and sofa sleepers with matching scalloped curtains, combined with intricate bedding sets. In addition, modern amenities like 32- inch TVs, MP3 adapters, wired and wireless Internet access; mini bars and in- room safes are available in all the guestrooms.

Other room amenities:
• Video Games
• CD Player
• Refrigerator
• Coffee Maker
• Hair dryer
• Iron and ironing board

Bathrooms include Aveda bath products, bathrobes and other essentials.

The C-House restaurant offers hotel guests with variety of cuisines and wine. Guests are served with their favorite seafood by the renowned Chef Marcus Samuelson’s staff.

Other hotel amenities are:
• Fitness Center
• Spa Services
• Jet-Set Program for pets
• Bar
• Limo or Car service
• Multilingual staff
• 24- hour front desk

Best Western Grant Park
The Best Western Grant Park is a 9- storey building with 172 guestrooms located in Chicago, Illinois.

Room Amenities include:
• Desk
• Complimentary wireless high-speed Internet
• Complimentary local calls for 30 minutes
• Tub/shower combination
• Heat lamp
• Hair dryer
• Iron and ironing board
• Coffee maker
• In-room safe which can accommodate laptop
• Satellite TV
• Clock radio

Hotel Amenities:
• Seasonal outdoor pool
• Fitness Center
• Fornetto & Mei’s Italian and Chinese restaurant
• Bar
• LaVazza Italian Coffee Bar

Embassy Suites Chicago Downtown Lakefront

The Embassy Suites Chicago Downtown Lakefront is very near the Lake Michigan lakefront. It is a 17- storey property. The blue line trolley station which is just across the hotel provides a convenient way in going to places like the Michigan Avenue shops, Navy Pier and the Tribune Tower.

The 455 guestrooms offer its guests an outstanding view of the lake side. Rooms come with kitchenettes that include microwave oven, refrigerator and coffee maker. Entertainment equipments such as colored TVs and MP3 adapters are provided. A free Internet access is available to keep in touch with the world outside.

Hotel Amenities:
• PJ Clarke’s restaurant
• 511 North Bar
• Indoor pool
• Sauna
• Fitness center
• Spa services

Room Amenities:
• Sofa bed
• Desk
• Flat-panel TV with satellite channels
• Pay movies
• Refrigerator
• Microwave oven
• Coffee and tea maker
• Hair dryer
• Iron and ironing board
• In-room safe
• 24- hour front desk

University Club of Chicago
The University Club of Chicago is a 14 storey building which was established by a group of college alumni. It caters to club members and non members looking for an affordable place to stay for vacation or business travel.

The property is ideal for adventurers or students who want to learn the cultures and traditions of the country with the plenty of galleries and museums in the area while having a relaxing accommodation.

Room Amenities:
• Complimentary high- speed wireless Internet
• Free newspaper
• Alarm clock
• Bath robes
• Cable TV
• Coffee maker
• DVD player
• Direct dial telephone

Hotel Amenities:
• Restaurants
• Art gallery
• Fitness center
• Indoor pool
• Coffee shop
• Bar
• 24- hour front desk

By: David Urmann

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Cheap Hotels

Are you considering traveling the world with only a back on your back, take the time to look into getting backpacker travel insurance to provide peace of mind travel. So, you have chosen one of the most inexpensive ways to see the world, soak up cultures from far away lands and experience once in a lifetime adventure experiences, with this kind of travel, even the most responsible kind of person will get a wonderful feeling of being completely free from everyday ties and responsibilities. But, you will never know when or how you may need some insurance to cover health, possessions and more.

The truth is that any type of holiday and travel experience will have its fair share of problems, from flight delays to ill-health. This means that even if you are taking a holiday as a backpacker it is important for you to get some insurance to cover you in any unfortunate occasion.

Travel insurance is flexible; usually the traveler will be able to find an insurance that best suits their individual needs and requirements. Get information and advice from a top travel insurance expert and ensure that your needs are met. Research travel insurance companies on the internet, get online quotes and compare with other travel insurance experts. Ensure you are covered for your particular needs and find out whether your chosen insurer can draw up an insurance plan to best suit your individual requirements and your budget.

Review your chosen travel insurance company’s experience in the industry and check out their reputation. A good travel insurance company should be able to provide you with a great and comprehensive range of insurance products to best meet your needs. As a backpacker, you may need to arrange insurance for a certain period of time, a professional insurance company with a good range of products should cover you from 3 months to 18 months.

Price is important to the backpacker, as most things on the trip are arranged around a tight budget, this means that travel insurance experts should be able to offer you good prices and value for money. Insurance can be costly, so go to the internet to get quotes or call reputable insurance agencies to compare prices.

Finally, it is important that you arrange travel insurance before you take off on your exciting holiday because you want to enjoy your holiday, take in the sights and scenery without worrying about medical bills, lost luggage, stolen money or personal items. Once you have arranged travel insurance, you can set off on your holiday with peace of mind.

By: Dylan Vincent

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You want to take that dream vacation, but you have to take your budget into account. There has to be a way to be able to do it all. There is. You just need to know where to find great deals on package holidays.

The first thing to think of is the airfare that you will need to pay to get to your travel destination. Airline tickets that are booked very early for a vacation may come with a discount rate from the airline. If you book too close to the trip to buy those tickets, the price may go up substantially as there will be fewer seats left and the airline can sell them at a premium cost. You can also get tickets cheap if you wait until right before the trip, if the airline does not think they can sell out. But these tickets are often non refundable and you may lose your money if something happens to cause you to cancel your trip.

The best way to find the best deals on airlines is to call them. The person at the airline will know if there are a bunch of seats left on a flight that they are willing to sell at a lower fare to fill some of the spaces. They may also have other unadvertised specials that you can learn about by picking up the phone and contacting them.

Another place to check for cheap airfare is with travel agents. Travel agents often know the inside workings of the airlines and know how to find really good deals. Many travel agents are more than happy to help you find a good flight. In today’s world many people book their airfare online and travel agents are losing out on a lot of business because of it.

Your final deal to book the airfare travel portion of your package holidays is to look on the internet. They have a lot of deals on all aspects of vacations on various websites. You may be able to find some very cut-rate airfare travel tickets and you can booking hire a car, or even a great deal on complete package holidays that are not selling out as fast as a company had hoped. When you spot a great deal on a website you may want to act quickly to keep a hold of it. You are not the only one looking for low fares, and often a price you see now could be gone in just hours. However, before you ever agree to any reservation, check all the fine print they offer to know what you are getting into.

If you fill out your personal information for your reservation online, double check to make sure you do not make any mistakes. If you do this through a travel agent or with an airline representative over the phone, you should make them repeat all the information they are taking down back to you, so you can prevent any errors. A few words misunderstood in the conversation could mean tickets to the wrong place, on the wrong day, or in the wrong name.

By: Leroy C. Calstard

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First of all, you will need to know which cities you like to visit in China. For instance, the most likely cities you will be visiting in China for the first time: Beijing and Xi’an. Beijing is famed for the Great Wall, Summer Palace and the Forbidden City and Xi’an has been famous for the Army of Terracotta Warriors and Horses as well as the starting point of the Silk Road.  The question is how would this affect your decision when buying a flight ticket? OK, the secret is that the airline you are about choosing will greatly affect on the overall cost of your holiday.

Option 1:

If you depart from London, you have many choices. However, you may consider fly with Air China (direct flight).  Normally, direct flight is more expensive than indirect flight as many of us notice this factor. However, it is worth choosing Air China if you just like to fly directly to China without exchanging your flight at another airport. In fact, it is not always expensive in my case. Remember you are visiting China for Beijing and Xi’an. A tip for you is that DO NOT book your flight to Beijing, instead, book it to Xi’an, reason for this is that the promotional offer from Air China for flying to Xi’an is often available. It works out as following: London-Beijing-Xi’an-Beijing-London. Therefore, you find that Xi’an as your final destination shown on your flight schedule. By doing so, you saved your money for purchase the flight ticket from Beijing to Xi’an in China; solely buying the flight ticket Beijing-Xi’an in China can be quite expensive. To do this correctly, you need to inform the airline that you will make a stopover at Beijing for a few days before flying to Xi’an.(the duration will be up to how many days you are visiting Beijing) It is allowed of doing so in many cases.

Option 2: KLM/China Southern Airlines

If you depart from other major airport from the UK, you may consider KLM via Amsterdam, an indirect flight and quite often has promotional offer to China. Many airlines are similar to KLM as described above. However, KLM is affiliated with China Southern Airlines. Therefore, they have a marketing agreement in place, which is called code share (find out more at Wikipedia.) initially, it means that flights from both airlines that fly the same route – This provides an apparent increase in the frequency of service on the route by one airline.” China Southern Airlines operating the flights Beijing-Xi’an in China as well, therefore, you can book your flights to China via Amsterdam, and then you will need to exchange your flight at Amsterdam.  Again, you need to book your flight to Xi’an instead of Beijing; you might have to pay for a little extra for this. However, it works out cheaper than buying a flight ticket from Beijing to Xi’an in China. As China Southern Airlines have their own flights from Beijing to Xi’an. When doing this you need to inform the airlines (KLM) that you will need to make stopover at Beijing for a few days before departing for Xi’an. The duration will be up to how many days you are going to stay in Beijing for your visit.

 Option 3: Other Asian Airlines.

Many Asian airlines have their flights from their own country to China. Thai Airways, Cathay Pacific, Koreanair, JAL, Malaysia Airlines and Singapore Airlines… therefore, you may consider flying with any one of them, and make a stopover at their country. For example, Thai Airways has its own flights from Bangkok to Beijing. Thus, you can make a stopover at Bangkok if you also like to visit Bangkok as an add-on destination for your holiday. It is worth trying that way if you are not satisfied by just visiting China for your holiday. Then again you may do the same if you like to visit Japan, then choose JAL (Japanese Airlines), or Kuala Lumpur and choose Malaysia Airlines.  The only thing you need to bear in mind is that you need to book your flight to China as your final destination on those airlines. Inform the airlines how many days you are going to stay at their country before exchanging your flight to Beijing.

By: Peng Cheng

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Canadians are well known for their unique sense of humor, their hospitality, their smiles, their generosity and of course, their habitual extravagance for travel. It is not unusual that some of the world’s most well traveled people are Canadians. These beautiful Canadians love the sun, culture and food. They are into so many activities that they long to search for new adventures both domestically and locally. Locally, they tend to travel to Canada’s most visited tourist destinations like the Montmorency Falls Park which has a beautiful frozen waterfall whose water plunges up to 83 meters to the river. Other favorite Canadian destinations include the Kananaskis Valley of Adventure and the Watipi Lodge, Campground and Teepee Village. These destinations appear to be always attractive all year round. They are Canada’s pride and the Canadians love them too.

Internationally, Canadians love to travel to places where they could find adventures. They seek countries which have an equal mix of ethnicity and exciting activities. They go to the United States, several parts of Europe and even Asia. Basically, they spend a certain percentage of their earnings in traveling. This is why travel agencies love Canadian clients so much. They are generous and they are always flexible. They can travel even as much as twice a year or they can always get a way to have an escapade from all their doubts and worries.

These travel agencies, however, have also thought of the security involved. Canadian travelers can be subject to several unexpected accidents while on travel. Thus, many travel agencies are now offering travel insurance for Canadians as part of the whole travel package.

Travel insurance for Canadians is something that is always kept an eye on. The government health insurance plans pay only a small part of the expenses incurred during a trip outside Canada or outside the province of residence. Health expenses when traveling are always very expensive with some hospitals charging up to one thousand dollars a day excluding the doctor’s professional fee and the diagnostic laboratory fee. All of these high costs will be charged directly to the patient and his family. These high costs are the least thing a traveler would want. The family will be in charge for the payment of the bills and so, without emergency travel insurance, the person will find it hard to survive.

Take for example, Blue Cross Member Plans, whose members operate on a ‘not-for-profit’ basis which are also independent Members of the Canadian Association of Blue Cross Plans. They are all into commitment of quality service and excellence all rolled into one. They assure that for every Canadian, there is always a suitable travel insurance that depends on his or her personal needs. They are aware that many Canadians are fond of traveling so they have carefully outlines several travel insurance for Canadians. These travel insurance are always a click away from their web site which is always accessible twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. Getting travel insurance for Canadians is the first step in ensuring the enjoyment and safety of the trip.

By: Pierre Smith

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You may have never have thought that flights across the Atlantic ocean could be described as cheap however in these economic times demand is down for these flights so airlines are competing heavily to get your business.

If you add in that the euro is very low at the moment for us Brits then it makes European holidays more expensive for us this year, going further a field could certainly be cheaper or at least offer a better holiday for what you are spending.

If you are a savvy shopper you can save hundreds of pounds from your flight bill. The golden rule is never accept the first offer, there are many agents vying for your business and while they are selling the same flights they can charge widely different prices. Preparation is key, plan when you want to take your holiday; the more flexible you are the better deals possible.

It is worth asking your employer the availability for holiday dates and comparing these with any partner or friends dates that they are available and then searching to find the best deals for those dates that you have to work with. If you can avoid school holidays, public holidays and times when sporting events are on at the location this will help reduce the flight tickets prices.

Generally the earlier you book, the more chance of finding cheap flights. However this year you will find with many airlines are trying to maximise passenger numbers to keep profits high. Many consumers will go straight to their local high street travel agent to find their holiday. It is certainly worth looking at what deals they have on offer as they sometimes have cheaper prices than available on the internet. They are also useful for recommendations when you are unsure of where to travel.

Use comparison engines to search around for the best deals and best dates for you to travel, there are only a couple of Atlantic airlines so it should make searching for a great deal that much easier, you can simple compare on price. As consumers are in the position of power at the moment you can arm yourself with the best deals and visit the high street to haggle and see if they can beat the deals that you have found on the internet. Grab yourself some flight bargains!

By: Kim Chambers

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The log cabin holidays have only recently become one of the premier choices for holiday makers who are looking for self catering holidays and short breaks. The reason they have become so popular is due to the locations, accommodation and the facilities that are available to anyone that books into the sites. There are no hidden costs or fees to use the facilities and once you have paid the holiday and arrive on site all the facilities are available, there may be some exceptions such as health and beauty treatments and some leisure activities but the main facilities will be included. This is a big positive when you are looking to budget for your holiday and want to know your costs up front, especially if you are away with the family.

The modern day consumer is very discerning and will not put up with accommodation that is in poor condition, dated or unclean and this is why the Log Cabin Breaks are popular. The log cabins come in a range of styles and whether they are rustic on the outside or contemporary and modern you will always find they are perfectly kept and are in a very clean condition and welcoming for the start of your holiday. Packed full of all the necessary self catering items you require you can unpack and get on with enjoying your short break or holiday. Once on site there will be plenty to see and do, depending on which location you may have chosen will reflect on the amount of facilities but you may like to enjoy a dip in the indoor heated swimming pool, or maybe relax and unwind in your own private sauna, or work up a sweat on the tennis courts in the gym. Your holiday and your choice is the Moto for the Log Cabin Breaks and you can do as much or as little when you like. There are well over 200 different log cabin parks throughout the UK and each one of them gives you something extra for your holiday, so plan where you want to go and what is important to you for your break and then you can go about checking the accommodation and parks that best suite your needs.

By: Chris Courtis

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You have been an avid photographer for sometime now and your confidence in the technical and artistic aspect of the craft is at an all-time high.

Wouldn’t be nice to travel different locations, taking pictures of the scenic and interesting places and consequently make money out of it? It is very rewarding to do things you love as means of living. That is why commercially successful photographers have enviable quality of life.

Deciding to be a full time travel photographer can be daunting especially, if you do not know the steps to take. The risks are worth taking. Just follow these valuable tips to realize your travel photography dream job!

Go out and shoot!

Don’t be afraid to fund your own trips at first. You must understand that you are launching a business venture out of your talent. Consider this move as an investment overhead.

Use this step to showcase all your skills. You are creating a portfolio for future business/job prospects. Build up a library of truly first class images. This is also a good time to network and get to know a lot of people who may be able to help boost your career.

Know the demand

It is essential to know the demand. You must ask yourself which types of photos are most marketable.

If there is a high demand for scenic photos of tourist destination spots, it is a great idea to initially start shooting for those. It will be easier to find clients for these photo sets and from there you can comfortably explore to new trends. Remember, you are just starting; don’t get too idealistic if the current demands are not of your artistic specialty.

Marketing is necessary

Armed with a library of impressive photos, the next sensible step is to promote your work. You got to know the right people or businesses that are willing to buy your work and services. Examples of potential clients are resorts, hotels, travel magazine publishers, government agencies, and basically all businesses catering to the tourism industry.

The good thing about marketing in photography is that it greatly relies in your portfolio. So if you don’t have the knack for sales talk, there is no need to worry. Let your pictures do the talking.

Moreover, one of the marketing strategies that you should implement is via web marketing. Have a website to place your portfolio. It can do wonders! It is a great way to spread your work.

Find a Sales partner

Sometimes, the hard work is not from taking the pictures but from finding and managing clients. If you are not the type or simply **** the marketing aspect of your job, you can find a dependable sales professional to do the stuff for you. Negotiate a win-win deal with your partner and then you can concentrate solely on your craft.

Be adventurous. Explore new ways and techniques

Photography is a very competitive field. Get ahead of your peers and always try to improve. Explore and experiment on different techniques you can think of.

Imagine if you are able to perfect a particular technique say, for example, underwater photography. Clients with this demand will surely go straight to you because they know that you are the best at this specific field. Plus, when your reputation has grown enough, you can reasonably put a higher price on your services.

Be a professional

Last but not least. If you want to stay long and well in this industry you must embody professionalism. Do quality work and deliver it on time. Your reputation as a travel photographer includes how easy you are to work with.

By: T Hale

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