Khajuraho lies in the heart of India, in the state of Madhya Pradesh. This sleepy town’s main claim to fame is the erotic sculptures in the 1000-year-old temples built by the Chandela dynasty. Khajuraho forms an integral part of the tourist circuit with other towns in Madhya Pradesh like Gaya and Orchha.
Khajuraho is well connected by road, rail and air with major cities in North India. The airport is at a distance of 40 km with daily flights plying between Agra, Varanasi and Delhi. Jhansi and Satna are the nearest railheads.
Khajuraho hotels cater to every type of traveller from those backpacking across India to those looking for a luxury holiday. Some budget hotels in Khajuraho offering good value for money are as follows:
Hotel Siddartha Khajuraho
This hotel is located at an easy 1.3-km commute from the bus stand. The hotel has 25 simply furnished air conditioned rooms. The rooms have running hot and cold water, television and 24-hour room service. Hotel Siddhartha offers luggage deposit, travel desk and laundry facilities. The hotel staff arranges yoga, meditation and massage sessions on request.
Hotel Surya Khajuraho
This hotel is centrally located at an easy 5-minute walking distance from the bus stand and 3 km away from Khajuraho airport. The guest can opt from 40 air-conditioned and non-air conditioned rooms. The rooms have running hot and cold water, television and 24 hours room service. Other amenities offered by this hotel are 24-hour room service, tourist taxi, airport pick up and drop, luggage storage and laundry facilities. The hotel arranges for Yoga and meditation teachers on request. The hotel offers head and body massage with Ayurvedic oils.
Hotel Payal Khajuraho
Hotel Payal Khajuraho is ideal for large groups of travellers. The hotel’s rooms are comfortably furnished and air conditioned. The amenities available to guests include 24 hours room service, laundry, running hot and cold water, 24hours front desk and free parking. The hotel has a restaurant and bar which serve up a tempting bill of fare for the guest.
Hotel Jhankar Khajuraho
This hotel has a choice of 19 furnished rooms. The hotel is located 0.5 km from the bus stand. The rooms have television, telephone, 24 hours running water, bath tub and shower in bathrooms and 24 hours room service. Hotel Jhankarhas 24 hour front desk, doctor on call and wakeup call facilities for the benefit of guests.
Travelers who wish to re-chart the known world are often bored lifeless by the museum tours, temple visits and laid-back hospitality offered in common or popular holiday hotspots. These vacationers who feel stifled by the urban or suburban vacation and are instead looking for an adrenaline rush might find avenues for such excitement in the most surprising of places.
Two-hundred kilometers (124 miles) south of Berlin, for example, lies the Saxon Switzerland National Park, an adventure playground that startles visitors with its high sandstone cliffs and virgin forest land. This park boasts 400 kilometers (248 miles) of hiking trails; 50 kilometers (31 miles) of biking trails and around 750 climbing locations. Visitors can go kayaking in a secluded gorge or hike up a fortress built in the 13th century that has since been used as a state prison and war camp. By far the hottest outdoor attraction in this national park is rock climbing; it is even believed to be the place where “free climbing” (a technique in which ropes and harnesses are only used to protect against falls) was invented.
From Germany, heading east and then southward, to Australia, visitors will find yet another national park that is chock full of outdoor adventures. In Kakadu National Park, located in one of the most remote parts of Australia, you will find majestic waterfalls, startling gorges and almost one-fourth of the continent’s mammal species. Local aboriginal guides can lead you through the park, showing you the crocodiles, kangaroos and bandicoots that inhabit the park, or share stories of bush life. Kakadu has a tropical climate, divided into two seasons, wet and dry. During the rainy season the area experiences more lightning strikes than anywhere else in the world, and storm-watchers can choose to watch these spectacular, raging storms from atop a waterfall or from some of the impressive, rural campgrounds in the park.
Travelers looking for the kind of thrill that tests one’s inner strength and fortitude might don three layers of “polar clothing” and their most forbearing countenance and head to the “Edge of the World.” Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica, located south of the tip of Africa, offers some of the most daunting weather conditions and desolate-seeming landscapes in the world. Though travel via air or sea into Antarctica is only permitted during the summer months and tourism is not technically legal on the continent, private groups nonetheless organize tourist-related activities. Those willing to pay exorbitant prices can go on skiing trips to the South Pole or mountaineering expeditions in the Humboldt Mountains. Otherwise, the physical isolation, almost perennially frozen waters, and frequent blizzards in the area offer to ever-questing travelers a fear factor unheard of in most parts of the charted world.
Travel into Nebraska and you will find peace and quiet, where you can stare at the stars and let your imagination run. Adventure into Nebraska and discover, the largest planted forest in the country that is well over a hundred years old. Visit Platte River Valley and view the Sand hill Cranes by the hundreds. Tanking down the river in a water tank and let your cares float away.
A peaceful float down the Platte River river starting at the Platte River landing will take you past rocky buttes, sand bars full of wildlife and past old stands of hickory and cottonwood trees.
Float down the river at about 5 miles per hour and just enjoy the views. Spend the night at one of the campsites at Platte River Landing or stay in North Bend the closest city in the area.
Discover Smith Falls State Park take a one mile hike to view Nebraska’s largest waterfall. Just one of the short scenic discoveries you will find along the Scenic Sandhill Highway. Your adventure here will take you to the end of the Niobrara River. This area has one of the most diverse ecological areas in Nebraska and is a favorite with the locals.
An adventure into Niobrara River State Park you will find campgrounds and cabins in the area. The lodge serves up buffalo burgers with views of the river. Spend the day and take a horse ride along the trail or hike through the area and discover the wild birds along the way.
Traveling across Nebraska traveling along the Sandhill Scenic Highway it will remind you of the wave of the ocean in green. The grasslands here protect the dunes and provide habitat for wildlife and fowl.
Stopping along the way and catching the way the wind gives the sea of grass motion will give you a feeling of times gone by.
If you are a history buff I recommend the Lewis and Clark Scenic Byway for eighty seven miles you will travel through historic Nebraska and discover what Lewis and Clark viewed as they searched for the Pacific Ocean.
Where ever your adventure travel takes you in Nebraska you will be pleasantly surprised and enjoy a unique experience.
When it comes to social media this is what every hotel owner and managers should know. In this article we will examine hotel buyers, hotel marketing and online opportunities using social media and other online marketing options. By reading this article it will put you in the top 10% of hotel marketers and online sales that will generate greater customer interest, engagement and conversions. Upon reading this article you will have the insight and basic framework to commence or review your online marketing plan immediately.
Hotel Buyers Use the Internet and Social Media
Increasingly buyers or those looking for accommodation and hotels are using the internet and other social media tools. The demand is measurable using Google’s suite of research and analytical tools. Current trends show a month-on-month and year-on-year growth as buyers turn to the internet to find hotels and deals.
Over the past couple of years, buyers no longer just use the search engines to find accommodation and hotels but they share and collaborate with friends in social networks, blogs and review sites. Much of this is outside of the hotel and accommodation sectors marketing focus and direct control. However, the impact benefits can be huge.
With continuous changes to the internet, consumer trends and buyer demands, greater options and variation is available to buyers in order to make an informed decision. These options range from video, blogs, reviews, articles and site specific content or deals.
Key platforms used by buyers, and those that rate very well on search engines are: Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, Slideshare, Blogspot and many more. It is not the platform that is important but the context and manner in which the search is conducted and influencing the outcome of the results.
Hotel buyers are seeking solution to general questions and needs such as “cheap deals”, “accommodation”, “location X”, “hotel stays” and “location hotels”. These searches are where the measurable and buying traffic originates but hotels and accommodation providers have been very slow to adapt and capitalize on this money market sector. All too regularly, buyers are not meeting sellers and hotel owners are not getting as much business as they could if they adapted to change.
Hotel Marketing Out of Sync
Most hotels and chains believe the solution to their future is with the collective booking sites and on-sellers of hotel deals and packages. This is simply not true. If anything, the search engines are increasingly penalizing these sites as they show less-and-less favor for returning results to a general search that leads them to yet another search engine and search requirements on a non-targeted site. In short, they constitute a competitive option to the search engine providers. More targeted and relevant sites will ALWAYS get preference over generic or aggregated sites, the only reason this is not currently reflected in all searches today is that there is not enough targeted, quality options to return for these searches, so the search engines have to show something, or loose business themselves.
A recent survey and audit we conducted of over 250 hotels, showed that less than 10% of sites and hotels/accommodation providers had even the most basic of strategies to connect them to 90% of their market. The primary reason for this is two fold. The first is that like many businesses their online presence is that of a legacy approach, often stemming from when they first set up their sites and online footprint many years ago. The internet, consumers and choices have increased exponentially but they have not kept pace and in many instances older, more established brands have lost online market share to newer more dynamic and in-sync providers. The second reason is the industry itself. Running and managing a hotel or accommodation facility is not an easy undertaking and most likely a 24 hour task. The hourly and daily demands means that owners and managers tend to get more entrenched with the here and now issues than that of market trends, changing buyer patterns and adapting to new technology. While many people have experience and training in traditional business practices such as management, finance and traditional marketing, surprisingly few have any training or experience in contemporary marketing, social media or internet marketing.
Marketing is all about appearing where your customers are found or looking. Businesses provide an address, phone number, website and even a fax number to aid customers in finding and communicating with them. Why then do they appear in other areas or formats for customers to engage and communicate? Given the hundreds of social media and online options, if a hotel or accommodation provider is not present in at least 4 of those locations, then they are at an extreme disadvantage and will progressively loose market share. There is no rule that states “You may only have one website” nor is there one that states “You will never appear more than once on the front page of a Google search”.
Most of the online opportunities for hotels and accommodation providers goes unrealized, a few are making good on the low cost of entry, smart targeting, continuous value and relating to customers like never before to grow their business and even dominate local and online markets.
Online Opportunities with Social Media for Hotels
With the slow adaptation and lack of understanding amongst the hotel industry, providers and marketing teams from hotels and accommodation suppliers can still get incredible results in short periods without massive outlays. With a calculated and systematic entry or review, hotels can reduce their cost of acquisition, increase up sell opportunities and create a greater repeat business model.
Social media is an ideal “vehicle” for distribution of content. Not just content for the sake of content but valuable and relevant content to those that care or want to consume this and more on their ideal topics. Create your own subject specific “channel” for communication.
The first step for hotels is to conduct a keyword, online analysis to see what are the most common and frequently used terms and expressions for their business offering. Not their brands or services. The next step is to listen; that is watch and listen what is being said and distributed about their respective niche. Find out what consumers are looking for, what they are say, how they view competitors and above all determine what they need to get more of in the way of hotels, accommodation, food and meeting venues. Next hotels need to speak, on their passion, there offering and their knowledge of the location and things in the vicinity of their hotel or accommodation. This provides opportunity to promulgate information and establish what works and what doesn’t. It does take time and practice. If it were easy, everyone would have already done it but it is easier than most think. Lastly, it is time to engage. Have two way conversations. Listen to what is said about you, your services and your offering and engage. Honestly an sincerely, not in a fake or prefabricated manner. This is a human-to-human process not corporate to individual. Those days have passed.
Conclusion: Social Media for Hotels
Now that you understand the importance of getting your social media for hotels and online marketing approach correct, you should immediately compare your current approach to the optimized one we have outlined here. In this article we have covered hotel buyers, hotel marketing and online opportunities using social media and other online marketing options. If you put this to immediate use, you will see improvement and significant potential for both increased customers and market share.
My husband always laughs at how planned and organized I am, but I’m sure they will save you a lot of energy and hassle too. Keep this handy for your next trip this holiday season!
1. Pack basic skincare, underwear and a top in your carry-on luggage:
Unexpected sometime happens when you travel. Flight delays, technical problems and poor weather condition can cause you stay overnight at a hotel or airport and you may not be able to get your checked baggage. Once I missed my connecting flight after flying for 12 hours. It was late at night and I didn’t want to wait for another couple of hours to pick up my luggage! Having these things in your carry-on luggage equips you for such an unexpected trouble and keeps you feeling fresh. A piece of panty liners can also do a job instead of a panty.
2. Keep hand sanitizer in your purse:
When you travel, you must be extra careful about your hygiene because airports and planes are full of germs! We have all at one point or another heard someone in the seat behind us having a gurgling cough and sneezing, right? I always bring a first aid kit, propolis spray for my throat and lots of vitamins when I travel because dehydration, fatigue and lack of sleep make you extremely susceptible for getting sick.
3. Eat light:
Have you ever felt so bloated after meals on a plane? In addition to time change, lack of movement and sleep mess up your biological clock and affects your digestion. Taking a lot of vegetable and fruits not only make you feel better, but it also strengthens your immune system. Some airlines have a great variety of vegetarian meals, but some are horrible! Pack some nutrition bars and mix nuts in your bag. Getting salad and cut-fruits from the airport is a great idea in case your airline gives you a starvation diet. (Yes, it does happen!)
4. Bring your tea bag:
I don’t know why coffees and teas taste so bad on a plane. I take a few bags of herb tea with me which taste much better, make me relax and I love it!
I have really great ideas to make your vacation or business trip less stressful and more enjoyable. A prepared traveler is a smart traveler.
Check with the airlines or internet for luggage and carry on information before you pack and depart. Make sure you know the carry on rules before hand.
When traveling there are several things you can do to make your trip virtually stress free. Make a check list of items you plan to take. Any items you plan to purchase, try to do at least a week before. For last minute shopping make a separate list of items. You should pack a day before your departure using your check list.
Limit your carry on bags to one or two per person. The length, width and height should be measured to be sure it will fit into the overhead carry on compartment or under the seat.
Remember that liquids in carry on luggage should be of no more than 3.4 oz. or three 1 oz. clear containers in one clear plastic bag.
If you purchase any food items at the airport do it after the security checkpoint if possible then you can carry those items on board. This may vary depending on the airport or airline carrier.
Travelers with children or people with medical conditions should inform airport security. Items you may need must be declared for inspection at the checkpoint.
You should have your Laptop and mobile devices in a friendly easy to open bag. At the check point you must remove all mobile devices from the bag, place them in security bins separately with no metal snaps, zippers, or buckles.
Prohibited items are: knives, guns, handguns, stun guns, all toy weapons, swords, hammers, pepper spray, golf clubs, baseball bats, box cutters, screwdrivers, corkscrews, straight razors and pen knives. These items are strictly prohibited by law and cannot be carried on the airplane. Many of these items may be transported at the security baggage check area.
To find out your airline’s own rules go to their website which will provide information on fees for checked bags and any additional fees for in flight items, like pets and bulky items. Make sure you do not go over the weight limit or over stuff.
Because of the heightened security, it’s a good idea to be at the airport at least two hours before flight time.
I sincerely hope my airline travel information will be helpful.
Bonjour, Aloha my name is Gerard M. Frederic and I love to travel to all corners of the world… I have worked in the travel field and love it! I do have a great passion for travel. Travel opens your heart and mind too the many beautiful, exciting cultures of the globe.
One of the favorite activities of senior citizens and baby boomers is traveling. There are large numbers of travel agencies and tour groups that specialize in providing travel adventures to seniors. And one of the things that is most important when you are a boomer and you are out traveling around the country or the world is senior citizen travel insurance.
This kind of insurance helps you if you need medical help when you are on your trip. In particular if you are overseas, the doctors and the hospitals may not want to treat you unless you can guarantee that they are going to receive payment. And sometimes, you just don’t have the amount on your credit card to afford the treatment you really need.
Just to make it clear, getting senior travel health insurance is a very important thing to do before you leave n your trip.
Here are a couple of tips when you are asking insurance agents either online or offline about senor travel insurance.
You want to be sure what age they are calling seniors. It doesn’t help much if you are 64 and the cutoff age is 65. You are not going to be able to take advantage of that insurance e coverage no matter what. So it is very important to get that right out in the open right away. You will probably be able to get some kind of health coverage from that particular agency but it might not be senior citizen coverage.
Another point to consider is mode of transportation on your trip. There are some health insurance policies that have exclusion provisions for particular modes of travel. Not so much airplanes or cruise liners but odd kinds of things like mule trains and bicycles. You want to be sure that however you are going to be traveling on your trip that you get insurance that is going to cover you for that form of transportation.
None of these things are deal breakers as far as getting travel insurance goes. You just want to be sure that you have your bases covered before you set off on your adventure. Oftentimes, the best deals with the best insurance agents and companies are found on the senior websites. They can offer you excellent group packages on discount insurance because their membership is so big.
Millions of people have traveled long distances over the many centuries and a great number of them have always carried Saint Christopher medals. This was because of the need for many people to feel part of something. The part of something that started a long time ago. St. Christopher has been a very large figure in the Christian faith for as many centuries and some would not be on the road without his likeness on a medallion.
There is a story behind the Saint Christopher medals and if you will lend an ear, it can be told:
He was born Reprebus about the time of Christ. His father was probably a king of Canaan and was dedicated to the gods Apollo. He grew to be a man of great height and girth and decided that he wanted to go serve the greatest Leader on earth. He started out on his journey and found a mighty King, however, when this King heard the name of Satan, he contorted his face in fear. He then knew that Satan was a greater leader than this man, so he left to search for Satan. He entered into service to him, yet when they passed a cross on the road, Satan’s face contorted with fear and Reprebus knew that the cross was a greater leader than all.
The story of the history of the did not end there, though.
Reprebus found a person who would baptize him and teach him in the ways of piety. He was told that he had to fast and pray to achieve it and he did not like that idea because he was, after all, a very large man and needed to fill his body on a daily basis, so he asked about a different way to achieve piety. The man told him to go to a nearby river and help people cross over the water, because it was a much-traveled route. He went to the river and helped many a traveler. One day a child asked to be taken over and he agreed and as he was being carried, he got heavier and heavier. When they reached the other side, the child told him he was Christ and the heaviness that he felt was the sins of the entire world that he, the Christ, carried with him. He then told Reprebus to stick his staff in the ground, nest to the river, and he will see proof of what he was told. The next day, the staff had grown into a green tree with much fruit.
That is when Reprebus received the name Christopher (Christ-carrier). As the person behind the Saint Christopher medals helped people cross over the river on their journey, so does today’s medal with helping travelers.
As you take upon yourself when you travel to accomplish all the things you are about, to think about this very popular medal. If you know someone who is traveling, get them one of the Saint Christopher medals to help them on their way.
Kerala, a beautiful Indian state, is among most sought after tourist destinations of India. Also known as the God’s Own Country, it is one of the greenest places on the earth. It has unique geographical features with abundant natural beauty. According to National Geographic Traveler magazine, the state is declared as one of the 50 must visit tourist destinations of lifetime and one of the top ten paradises on the earth. Despite abundant natural beauty and unique geographical features, the state is also known for its unique rich cultural features with many cultural sites, religious shrines and joyous fairs & festivals. Though Kerala is an international famous tourist destination of India, it has numerous travel circuits, tourist places and innumerable tourist attractions.
Often people get confused about where to go, what to see and what to do on Kerala tour and travels in India. Hence here is some ideas and brief description about some of the most fascinating places of Kerala which can help you plan your trip to this charming and captivating Indian state of Kerala, God’s Own Country.
Go Beaches
There are many internationally famous beaches, beach towns and beach resorts in this state which can be attraction of your tip. My recommendation is Kovalam which is considered as one of the finest beach resorts in the world with excellent tourist facilities and lots of beach holiday activities such as sunbathing, swimming, beach parties, beach volleyball, sightseeing and water sports. Varakala, Alappuzha, Poovar, Mararikulam, Beypore, Cherai, Bekal Fort, Fort Kochi, etc are some other popular destination for beach tours in Kerala, God’s Own Country.
Cruise Backwaters
Kerala is getting huge popularity and reputation with backwater tourism. It is the sole destination of India where travelers can enjoy incredible eco tourism exploring serene and scenic waterways of Kerala’s backwaters. The best way to explore emerald backwaters is a houseboat cruise. While cruising over the breathtakingly beautiful canals and lakes you will enjoy amazing serenity and see bountiful fantastic nature wonder. Hence do not forget to cruise backwaters on your Kerala tour in India. Alleppey, Kumarakom, Kollam, Thiruvallam, Thotapally, etc are some of the most popular destinations for backwater cruises in the state.
Relax at Serene Hill Stations
There are some picturesque hill stations with relaxed atmosphere and serene ambiance in Kerala. Munnar, Ponmudi and Wayanad are very popular hill station to visit on Kerala tour and travel in India. These hill towns are blessed with fantastic natural beauty, lush greenery, scenic landscape, rich flora & fauna and just right holiday ambiance.
A reputable India Travel Agent can plan your Kerala tour in most enjoyable way and you will relish the charm of tourism in God’s Own Country for lifetime.
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Is keeping your suits and shirts wrinkle free a big problem for your business travels? Here are some tips to help you manage your travel wardrobe. Whether you are used to travelling for business or you are travelling for the first time with suits and ties, these tips will help you protect your clothes.
Packing Right:
Packing business clothes could sometimes be very challenging. The problem actually starts when you try fitting everything into a small bag. Over-stuffing your case is usually the main reason why your clothes get wrinkled. So when packing, be realistic on the number of clothes you will need for your trip. If travelling for an extended period, you should consider using a slightly bigger suitcase that may need to be checked.
Now that you have got the appropriate luggage, learning to pack the proper way will further avoid wrinkling of your clothes. The key to packing is to place the most delicate clothes in the centre of your suitcase and away from the edges. Pack your T-shirt first, then your suit, dress shirts and ties, and top it off with other clothes. These will protect and cushion your suit, dress shirts and ties. Watch out where you pack your dress shoes as the edges of it are one of the most likely causes of wrinkles. Some carry-on bags provide secondary pockets especially for dress shoes storage.
Garment Bags
These things are highly suggested. Using garment bags and carrying them separate from your carry on probably is the best way to prevent wrinkles in your suits and dress shirts. This is most ideal when you are planning to go straight into your event from the airport. Another good option is folding the garment bag carefully and placing it in your suitcase. This way is the more convenient way when you are going straight to your hotel from the airport.
Travelling With Silk Ties
Among your clothes, neckties are the most delicate. Some stores offer wrinkle free microfiber neckties which are ideal for travels. If you still prefer silk neckties, you have to make sure that they are away from edges or sharp objects. Store your neckties in cushion of other soft clothes, like the way you do with your suits and dress shirts. Just fold the tie in half and place it in between T-shirts. You may also roll you ties up, starting from the narrow end. After rolling your ties, place them in your dress shoes. The most ideal way of travelling with neckties is by using a case especially designed for necktie storage.
Unpacking
Unpack as soon as you get to your destination. No matter how tired you are, it is a must to unpack your suitcase and be thankful in the morning. Unpack your clothes, suit, dress shirts and neckties and hang them using a hanger in a well ventilated area. This way, your clothes may have straightened out when you wake up in the morning.
Ironing & Dry-cleaning on Travel
Most hotels provide dry-cleaning services as well as iron and ironing board in each room. Before leaving your clothes to the dry cleaners, check how much time will it take for them to finish the job. If it be longer than necessary, ironing is your best option. Remember that neckties as well as suits are not to be ironed. If you notice some wrinkles in your suit, try hanging it in the bathroom while you take a hot steamy shower. It will straighten the wrinkles off your suit soon as you finish taking your shower.