Friday, August 27, 2010

ROCKRESORTS AND VAIL RESORTS INTRODUCE ICONIC WEDDINGS














“SOMETHING NEW” FOR BRIDAL COUPLES - ROCKRESORTS AND VAIL RESORTS INTRODUCE ICONIC WEDDINGS


Broomfield, Colo. – August 26, 2010 – Weddings are personal, so shouldn’t the planning be personalized? RockResorts and Vail Resorts , announce the launch of Iconic Weddings. This new program and online resource is the newest wedding planning program and tool for bridal couples, wedding planners, friends and family to find everything in just one stop – and a few clicks. As one of the first hospitality companies to collectively create a wedding planning program with a comprehensive site that offers destination comparison information, tools and contacts in one space, Vail Resorts and RockResorts, are making it easy for couples to plan a personalized destination wedding – from the Caribbean to Colorado to Lake Tahoe and Santa Fe.


Iconic Weddings features a dedicated Iconic Weddings Specialist and online tools to help couples and their loved ones assist in wedding day details, bachelor/ette parties, honeymoons, anniversary trips and scheduling area activities, by doing the research and fine tuning options based on the personal preferences chosen. Couples can select from various categories online including Geography, Scenery, Wedding Options/Types, venues options and Itinerary Activities. The results from the selections in these categories and guidance from the Iconic Weddings specialist allows couples to determine what is available in their price range and their wedding wishes – everything from guest transportation, accommodations, skiing to scuba diving and details of the wedding day reception.

After viewing any and all event options on the site and gathering ideas from the real-life wedding stories in the “Get Inspired” section, couples can speak to or meet with the Iconic Weddings specialist who has a wide breadth of knowledge about all the Vail Resorts destinations. From a grand mountaintop wedding in Vail for 400 people to an intimate ceremony on the beach in St. Lucia, the Iconic Weddings specialist will work with the couple to assess their needs and come up with a venue for the ceremony, reception, rehearsal dinner, spa services and more to make the couple feel that the ceremony is “so them.” Once the destination and venues are chosen, the specialist hands the couple over to the destination manager who will take care of the details and finishing touches.


With RockResorts and other Vail Resorts Hospitality choices in iconic locations from Santa Fe to St. Lucia and five Vail Resorts mountain destinations in Colorado and California, the company is a natural choice for destination weddings, bridal party events, rehearsal dinners, honeymoons and more. From choosing the awe-inspiring venue and customized details to organic cuisine and activities, groups booked through Iconic Weddings can better plan and enjoy the wedding festivities.

Paul Toner, Sr. Vice President/COO of RockResorts and Vail Resorts Hospitality stated, “Our goal for launching our Iconic Weddings program is simple: We want our guests to focus on creating memories that will last a lifetime instead of spending all of their time and energy on the actual planning of their celebratory event. We understand how important a wedding or honeymoon or bridal party event is - It’s a milestone. We feel as if our new Iconic Weddings program and web site gives the couples and their families the help, tools and resources to conveniently plan an event that fits them – that fits their budget, their personality and even their dreams.”

In addition to the customization tools on IconicWeddings.com, couples have the opportunity to explore various package offers across the RockResorts / Vail Resorts collection.

For example, couples who book an Iconic Wedding* receive the “Honeymoon On Us” offer which is a complimentary four-night/five-day honeymoon at any other RockResorts or Vail Resorts property of their choice (*the cost of the wedding must reach a catering minimum of $25,000).

RockResorts and Vail Resorts also offer the opportunity to arrange weddings and events that will incorporate sustainable practices in every facet of a group’s experience. These elements include sustainable/organic food and beverage options, environmentally friendly sustainable decor, recycling, providing access to community-based volunteer projects in the surrounding region for family and guests and transportation options to minimize travel impacts. The venues will work with bridal parties to integrate more personal sustainability practices in their special occasion without sacrificing their original vision.

In addition, there will be an array of Wedding Experience packages including bachelor/bachelorette, bridal shower, honeymoon, anniversary and more.

Visit www.IconicWeddings.com or call 877-318-SoUs (7687) for more information.

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About RockResorts®
RockResorts®, a wholly owned subsidiary of Vail Resorts, owns and operates luxury resorts that offer casually elegant accommodations, lavish RockResorts Spas®, renowned golf courses all certified within the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary program, award-winning dining and a variety of exciting outdoor adventures. The RockResorts collection includes The Arrabelle at Vail Square and The Lodge at Vail in Vail, Colo.; Hotel Jerome in Aspen, Colo.; The Osprey at Beaver Creek and The Pines Lodge in Beaver Creek, Colo.; La Posada de Santa Fe Resort & Spa in Santa Fe, N.M.; Snake River Lodge & Spa™ in Jackson Hole, Wyo.; and The Landings St. Lucia, Rodney Bay, St. Lucia. RockResorts grand openings include: One Ski Hill Place in Breckenridge, Colo. (June, 2010); Tempo Miami in Miami, Fla. (2010); Balcones del Atlántico, Las Terrenas, Dominican Republic (2010); and future RockResorts include: The Mansfield Inn at Stowe in Stowe, Vt., Rum Cay Resort Marina, The Bahamas; and the Third Turtle Club & Spa, Turks and Caicos.


About Vail Resorts
Vail Resorts, Inc., through its subsidiaries, is the leading mountain resort operator in the United States. The Company's subsidiaries operate the mountain resort properties of Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge and Keystone mountain resorts in Colorado, the Heavenly Ski Resort in the Lake Tahoe area of California and Nevada, and the Grand Teton Lodge Company in Jackson Hole, Wyo. The Company's subsidiary, RockResorts, a luxury resort hotel company, manages casually elegant properties across the United States and in the Caribbean. Vail Resorts Development Company is the real estate planning, development and construction subsidiary of Vail Resorts, Inc. Vail Resorts is a publicly held company traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: MTN). The Vail Resorts company website is www.vailresorts.com and consumer website is www.snow.com .

Spend Thanksgiving in Tuscany with Abercrombie & Kent Villas















More and more families are avoiding the stress of the holidays and taking off on vacation. Why not spend this Thanksgiving in a Tuscan villa relaxing with your family and friends? Book a holiday escape with Abercrombie & Kent Villas and let one of their private villas chefs worry about the cooking (and the dishes!), while you enjoy quality time with your loved ones.

November is still low season in Europe, so pocket-friendly values are abound, especially with the weakening Euro! Abercrombie & Kent Villas has nearly 50 villas in Tuscany and their chefs can tailor a Thanksgiving Day meal and even give you personal culinary lessons. For example, Chef Leonardo Grazzi can prepare his signature Salvia Fritta (deep-fried sage), leek lasagna and Torta di Ricotta.

We suggest Borgo Bernadini, a 12-bedroom Tuscan retreat (sleeps 24 of your closest friends and family!) just a ten-minute walk from the ancient walled city of Lucca, or the eight-bedroom Campo Al Sole, a converted farmhouse with a large chef kitchen.

Visit A&K villas for more information.

Spa-fari with Sanctuary Retreats!
















Where better can you travel to rest, relax and find peace than Africa? Combining the classic “Big Five” safari experience with spa treatments to awaken the five senses, Sanctuary Retreats is offering a brand new “spa-fari” package. Experience the wonders of this enchanting continent with a stay at three of Sanctuary Retreats’ luxurious lodges and camps – where you can not only feed your soul with unbounded nature but also recharge your mind and body with this pampering seven-night retreat.

SANCTUARY SPA-FARI (Botswana & Zambia)
Indulge in Sanctuary Retreats’ invigorating range of spa treatments and rituals to relax, restore and revitalize while soaking up the beauty and diversity of the Okavango Delta, the incredible views over the calm Chobe River and inspiring sunsets over the untamed Zambezi, offering complete wellbeing while experiencing Mother Nature up-close. Rates for the luxurious seven-night Sanctuary Spa-fari Package start at $5,411 per person (double occupancy) and includes:

  • Two nights at Sanctuary Chief’s Camp, Okavango Delta, Botswana
  • Three nights at Sanctuary Chobe Chilwero, Chobe National Park, Botswana
  • Two nights in at tree-house at Sanctuary Sussi & Chuma, Livingstone, Zambia
  • A selection of invigorating treatments using Africology (organic and ethical) and Thalgo (prestigious French marine-based range) products, including a FREE two hour treatment from the Sanctuary Chobe Chilwero spa for two

Package is valid for travel now through December 31, 2011.
Visit www.sanctuaryretreats.com for more information.

Monday, August 16, 2010

Montreal's "Queer of the Year" Announced!

The votes have been counted and Montreal has announced a winner in the “Queer of the Year” contest. Sean Horlor of Vancouver, British Columbia won the ultimate title after a week of fierce competition amongst four other competitors.

Throughout Montreal’s Pride festivities last week, the contestants showed the world how they can heat it up in the kitchen, behind the camera, on stage and through the streets of Montreal (keeping it clean, of course, during a fund-raiser car wash). All of the excitement was captured on film and posted at
www.queeroftheyearcontest.com where viewers were able to keep up with the action and vote for their favorite contestants. At the end of the competition, Sean Horlor was the finalist with the most public votes combined with the most points from the judges, winning the ultimate title of QUEER OF THE YEAR. After taking part in the parade on Sunday, August 15, which marked the end of Montreal’s Pride Week celebrations, Sean enjoyed the Montreal VIP treatment (a designer shopping spree with a personal stylist, spa pampering package and a Montreal gourmet dining experience).

And the winner is... Sean Horlor - Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada – age 29 Although he placed second in many of the challenges, Sean's charm made him a big hit with viewers and even cast mates who were not shy about flirting with him from day one! His calendar shots (taken during the “Sex Appeal” challenge) were as colorful as his impersonation of “Scary Spice” (as seen during the “Dream Academy Drag Makeover”). Sean’s love for Montreal might make it difficult to return to Vancouver where he is a social columnist and co-host of the OUTtv original series “Don’t Quit Your Gay Job.”

Wish you were here...
For more information and to plan your visit, click here.


Photo: Adam Lambert (right) spotted with "Queer of the Year" contest winner Sean Horlor Sunday night in Montreal!






Wednesday, August 4, 2010

2010 Trends for the "New American Traveler"


LDPR would like to share some great industry intelligence on "2010 Consumer Trends" in the July 26 issue of Travel Weekly where Y Partnership provides us with a comprehensive profile of the the "New American Traveler."

Highlights from the Y Partnership/Harrison Group survey of active leisure travelers include:



1. From Peter Yesawich/Y Partnership:
  • U.S. leisure travel market has finally stabilized and, in fact, portend a modest increase in demand for the year ahead
  • Today's consumers are perhaps best described as newly resourceful...focusing on family and friends rather than consumption and acquisitions
2. Is Frugality the New Normal?
  • According to Google, consumers visit an average of 20 websites before making a travel purchase
  • According to Susan Black of the Black & Wright group, it is not just price that's determining consumers choices. Travel needs to parallel their values. Whereas last year and the year before were about discounting, now it's "What type of authentic value can I offer?"
3. How important is being green?
  • 81% of leisure travelers consider themselves environmentally conscious, yet only 9% have actually made a travel-related purchase on the basis of environmental concerns
4. Celebration Travel: Marking Life's Milestones
  • Two-thirds of leisure travelers based a trip on a life event such as a wedding, birthday or anniversary celebration during the last year
  • Nearly half of those trips (45%) were for milestone birthdays, which outnumber every other category, including anniversaries, weddings and family reunions
To view the full article, visit: http://travelweekly.com/article3_ektid218076.aspx

LDPR

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For over 20 years LDPR has guided some of the world’s most prestigious travel brands through an evolving media landscape with creativity, professionalism and enthusiasm. We are a highly driven and innovative travel and lifestyle public relations agency based in New York City with a global roster of clients from destinations and tour companies to exclusive private islands, hotels and resorts. Our unique culture is defined by our collaborative and strategic approach to working with clients, media and our staff, leading to a strong partnership with measurable results.