When you get off the bus in the Andean Mountain resort town of Banos, Ecuador, you’ll see several people quickly moving towards you. Some of them will be the actual owners of the hotels in town, and others are working on commission. They’ll all claim to have the nicest and the cheapest hotel.

This onslaught of salesmen may annoy you at first, until you realize what it means. There are vacant rooms tonight, and there is real competition! They have tipped their hands, and you are in charge now. Let the contest begin!

When my wife and I were in Banos recently, we let an older woman drag us off from the bus station. She showed us two hotels she owned, and we preferred the second. We were told the room would be $12. It was clean, with cable T.V. and lots of hot water. We offered $6 per night, paying for four nights in advance. She agreed.

The lesson is clear if you want the cheapest hotel room: Negotiate! The owner knew we were ready to walk away, and that there were others waiting for our business. Unfortunately, most owners here in the U.S. would rather let you drive away than knock five bucks off the room rate. Even here, however, we have negotiated decent discounts by paying for several nights in advance. Of course we let them know that we’ll be looking elsewhere if they say no.

The Cheapest Hotel Rooms – More Tips

You can use the travel web sites to find cheap hotel rooms, but remember that they only give you rates for the hotels and motels that are in their system. I just did a search for Tucson, Arizona, for example, on several sites. One or two of the sites found decent prices on certain hotels, but I know of several nice motels in Tucson that are $15 cheaper than the cheapest rate they found. Use the internet as a place to start, or when you can’t get any other information.

Get coupon books at gas stations along the highways. We’ve often found good deals using these, and it’s rare that a manager won’t honor them. Usually only if they’re absolutely full will they refuse. Read the fine print, however, because they often charge more for certain dates, or for two people.

There are promotions done where if you mention this ad or just use the right words, you get up to 70% discount. Talk, talk, talk. Tell them if you’re a member of the AARP, AAA or whatever. Tell the person on the phone that you saw an ad in the Times, or whatever big paper they might have advertised in.

Get the receptionist to help you. Try asking what the magic words are. Some receptionists will tell you. You might also ask What do I have to say to get the cheapest rate? They will sometimes tell you, or suggest other options. Ask about the hotel too, of course. You don’t want ANY room. You want the cheapest hotel that has nice rooms.

Steve Gillman hit the road at sixteen, and traveled the U.S. and Mexico alone at 17. Now 42, he travels with his wife Ana, whom he met in Ecuador. For travel stories, tips and a free Travel Secrets e-book, visit: http://www.EverythingAboutTravel.com

Winchester is the administrative capital of the county of Hampshire. It is without doubt one of the most beautiful towns in all of England. However, if you tire of town life, you could take a short drive to the New Forest and visit some of the most beautiful villages England has to offer.

The New Forest was set aside as a Royal hunting ground at around 1079 by William the Conqueror. It is now the biggest area of largely unspoilt countryside in the lowlands of southern Britain and one of the few medieval forests remaining in Europe. Against all the odds, an ancient landscape of majestic woodlands, gorse-covered heathland and boggy valleys has survived into the twenty-first century. But the forest is not a desolate place. People have been living in the forest well before its creation as a Royal hunting ground. Indeed, the original inhabitants were allowed to remain in the forest. Today, the Forest is home to a collection of some of the most quintessential of English villages; quaint Norman churches, small, cosy pubs, greens and idyllic thatched cottages.

Although a village, Lyndhurst has always been considered the ‘capital of the New Forest’. It is in this village that you can find the New Forest Museum. It tells the story of the New Forest through a seventeen minute audio-visual show and a series of well-arranged displays and dioramas. Visiting the museum is recommended as the first stop for the visitor, in order to gain an oversight of the history of the Forest and what it has to offer. The village church, St Michael and All Angels, is a modern building, built in the 1860s. The fine east window contains a superb stained glass window, designed by Edward Burne-Jones and William Morris. Near the parish church is Queen’s House – always known as King’s House when a king is on the throne. This was formerly the residence of the Lord Warden of the Forest, but now houses the offices of the Forestry Commission. Lyndhurst has two cricket pitches. Near the Beaulieu road, Bolton’s Bench cricket pitch has a thatched pavilion. It is overlooked by Bolton’s Bench, a hillock crowned with a distinctive yew, with seats beneath. The other pitch is called Swan Green and gets its name from the Swan Inn which overlooks it. This green is considered to be one of the most picturesque village scenes in Hampshire.

Lyndhurst may be the ‘capital’ but Brokenhurst is the largest of the New Forest villages. The name comes from old English, meaning ‘broken wooded hill’. The village has a mainline railway station and it is possible to catch a train from London – and Winchester – to the village. The local parish church is called St Nicholas’s and has a fine Norman doorway in the south porch. Beside the church the visitor may be surprised to find the ‘New Zealand war cemetery’. Neat rows of tombstones commemorate over one hundred soldiers who died in a nearby hospital during World War I. The village also has many fine old pubs and it is not unusual to see forest ponies meandering down the villages roads. The village is also the starting point of the New Forest Cycle Experience.

As the name suggests, Fordingbridge gets its name from the fact that the village has a bridge that spans a river, the river Avon. In fact, the most photographed aspect of the town is the ancient seven-arch Great Bridge, best seen from the recreation ground. Just outside the village you can visit the Rockbourne Roman Villa. Excavated in the 1950s by a local enthusiast, A T Morley-Hewitt; over fifty rooms were discovered. The museum displays some of the artefacts found in the digs and shows many aspects of life in a Romano-British villa of the second to fourth centuries. The village of Rockbourne is considered by many to be one of Hampshire’s prettiest villages. Thatched cottages line both sides of the village street, with a clear chalk stream running along one side.

Beaulieu is one of the most visited villages in the New Forest. The village is extremely picturesque, with thatched cottages and the scenic backdrop of the tidal estuary of the Beaulieu River. It is not unusual to see a group of donkeys walking down the main street, where several of the Georgian red-brick cottages are tastefully adapted as souvenir shops or tea-rooms. The Palace House and its grounds form one of the most popular sites in the south of England. A single entrance fee covers not only the House but also the remains of Beaulieu Abbey and the National Motor Museum. If Beautiful cars of the past are your thing, then the Motor Museum is a must see.

There are many more pretty, smaller villages in the New Forest. Each has its own charms and is worth exploring. Once a visitor enters the Forest he or she is hard pressed to leave. Its gentle, beguiling beauty has been appreciated by visitors for hundreds of years.

Robin O’Brien lives and works in Winchester and is founder of Winchester Tourist Information where you can find more information on the city such as, places to visit, walks, restaurants, photographs and hotels in Winchester

How about a nice weekend escape, a visit to s romantic hotel or inn, and a few nice and calm candle lit dinners? this is almost any young adult dream in these days, some break off work, and time to completely relax and rest. The traditional weekend break was once a low cost, small hotel weekend which usually started on Friday night and ended on Saturday noon, today things have changed, the small hotel is usually replaced by a fashionable spa hotel or better yet a resort with a spa in it.

Spa services are what most weekend guests are looking for, it makes perfect sense to compliment your weekend away with a few body treatments that will take off that extra stress and anger that has been accumulating in you for the whole month. Spa treatments are not so cheap, but if you ever used one you would probably know that on some level they are well worth the money time and effort.

So there is no wonder that some people prefer to stay in a place that has the Spa treatment option in the facilities it offers, rather than having to go outside to look for a good treatment. On the other hand there are some places that you will want to research the Spa in the location, because sometime the best sap is not located inside an hotel ,and is not associated with any of the hotels in the area. The best example is the city of Spa in Belgium, this is the place that started it all, and you will find that the main Spa location is not inside a hotel but a facility by itself.

Some Spa treatment centers are located near a place of interest or provide some special services, the dead sea spa services have a large variety of treatments that are unique for that area of the world, a place rich with minerals and salts, and the spa uses these in its treatments, so you can research the place in which the spa is located in order to get a better idea on the unique things you can find at that location, not only special features are different from spa to spa but sometimes the people giving the treatments are also qualified in different arts. You should always try and research the level of professionalism the spa has, and that its employees have been properly trained for giving the treatments.

If you are looking for a weekend break with some spa treatments you should also think about the other things you want to do, if you had some sports in your mind you will need to think carefully of when you want to have your spa treatments so you don?t find yourself in bed relaxing just half an hour before your tee time, a spa weekend should be dedicated to relaxing and resting so keep that in mind when you make your plans, reserve in advance and have fun.

Celia Namart an avid traveler has collected her thoughts and ideas during her many travels around the world, she is now writing travel and vacation tips and advice, as well as her Health Spa notes.

As you probably know, the Internet is a highly valuable research tool. However, many travelers do not consider using the Internet to book their next vacation, and thus often miss out on timesavings not to mention truly great bargains.

In this article we?ll take a look at how the Internet can help you to plan and book the perfect vacation.

If you haven?t already figured out exactly where you want to go, you might want to visit Yahoo! Travel. This excellent resource provides information about popular destinations based on category, for example ?Best Beaches?, ?Top Romantic Getaways? or ?Top Singles Destinations?. Yahoo! Travel also features a list of the most popular vacation destinations along with things to do and see for each one.

If you are looking for a vacation tailored around your own personal interests, you should spend some time consulting the Yahoo! Travel Interest Guides. The top destinations are selected for each interest, so choosing a vacation that is perfectly suited to your interests should be a fast and simple task.

Once you have selected a destination then it?s time to start planning how to get there!

Locate and book the best value travel

Whether you decide to go by plane, train or automobile, finding cost effective travel is the first step to planning a great trip. Many Internet resources allow you to search multiple travel providers and directly compare services and prices.

Traveling by car

If you plan to travel by car, then the first step should be a visit to Map Quest for directions. This valuable website will allow to you obtain detailed driving directions to your destination, including total distance and estimated driving time.

If you intend to rent a car make sure you compare prices at different auto rental sites. For example, Car Rental Express provides an excellent resource that compares rental prices from multiple major auto rental companies. Many sites will allow you to directly compare rental prices from most of the leading auto rental companies. Make sure that you spend some time examining the different company regulations governing auto rental that often differ from state to state (minimum driver age, area restrictions, etc?).

When possible, taking your own car can save you a fair amount of money. However, it?s extremely important to ensure your vehicle is ready for a long distance trip. Having your car break down during your trip is not fun, especially if you are looking to experience the perfect vacation!

Traveling by plane

Traveling by car is great for shorter distances; however traveling by plane will allow you to reach your destination much faster. Nowadays, there is so much online competition for short, inland flights that you can most often find some outstanding prices, especially if you book a little in advance. In addition, most of the major airlines offer special ?Internet Only? deals and rates.

If your travel arrangements are flexible, then Priceline.com offers some extraordinary bargains. Basically, you simply specify the maximum amount you are willing to pay for a particular flight, and if the amount is accepted by the airline your flight is immediately booked. This is a great system that can provide you with huge savings?that would be totally impossible if it wasn?t for the Internet!

Traveling by train

Although often overlooked, traveling by train can be a highly cost effective and convenient method of travel. You can quickly and easily research the various choices to your chosen destination by going to Amtrak. Check out the ?Hot Deals? section on the Amtrak website for some great Internet offers.

Or for a one of a kind travel experience, you may want to consider taking a scenic route on a luxury train. Many luxury train travel packages offer meals and accommodation on the way to your final destination. Check out the links below to find out more information about luxury train travel.

Going on a cruise

Cruise trips can offer an exciting alternative to conventional vacations. After unpacking your belongings, you can relax while the ship takes you from destination to destination. There is typically a wide variety of nightlife; entertainment and activities to keep you busy and most major cruise ships offer a broad range of cuisine to appeal to most culinary preferences. Cruises typically offer low amounts of hassle – simply book your ticket, board the boat and get ready to relax.

Additionally, many cruises are all inclusive ? the price of your ticket includes meals and activities.

If you are interested in going on a cruise start at VacationsToGo.com. This is a useful resource for locating last minute and bargain cruises. For many people, a cruise can be the perfect vacation!

Find the perfect accommodation

Locating the ideal vacation accommodation is perhaps the most important part of planning the perfect vacation. Multiple options will most likely be available depending on where you plan to visit.

If you were planning to visit within striking distance of a town or city and for a short period of time, then a hotel or condo would be the most appropriate choice.

Otherwise a rental home, villa or townhouse can offer a high level of comfort and convenience. The great advantage of this type of accommodation is the kitchen/laundry facilities that can help save money, especially if you are vacationing for a week or more.

If you want great value without having to make your own reservations and travel arrangements then a complete vacation package can offer great savings and convenience. A package typically includes flights, hotel rooms, rental cars and can also include meals and tickets for popular activities.

Although often overlooked, home exchanges can offer a great value for money vacation, with the added bonus of having someone looking after your home while you are away! Often cars are also exchanged as part of the process.

Before finalizing your reservation, it?s a good idea to check out reader reviews of your chosen accommodation at www.tripadvisor.com. This is a highly valuable resource in determining suitability and comfort and allows you to help avoid any hidden problems.

When you are ready to choose, browse through some of the accommodation links below and compare prices. If you are planning to stay in a hotel, make sure that you check the website to ensure that they have all the amenities you require (fitness center, internet access, restaurant, etc?). Lastly, don?t forget to book early as hotels/homes often become booked rapidly.

Find out what to do and where to go?before you get there!

Hopefully by now you have planned your travel arrangements and booked a great place to stay, however there is still one important factor to consider?

Finding out as much as you as possible about your chosen destination before you get there will help ensure that you are able to have fun upon arrival. By pre-selecting some activities to do or places to visit, you?ll be able to save time and enjoy your vacation immediately, even if you are among those travelers who prefer to just relax and explore your destination once you get there.

A great starting point for learning more about your destination is www.citytown.info. This database consists of links to the official websites of most major towns in the United States. Most of the official town websites contain sections for tourists, including things to see and do, places to visit, where to eat, etc?

The SLGN Directory (www.statelocalgov.net) is the easiest method for locating official tourist information corresponding to your chosen destination. Simply select the appropriate state to gain access to a list of official town/city guides and state directories.

You should also explore the World Travel Guide website at www.wtgonline.com, which provides a plethora of data for thousands of worldwide destinations. Attractions, airports, tours, images and brochures are covered along with many other useful travel resources. The World Travel Guide is an excellent tool for helping to plan the perfect vacation.

Although less tourist-oriented, www.city-data.com still remains a valuable resource for researching information about your chosen town or city.

As previously mentioned, www.tripadvisor.com is also a highly useful resource for learning about a destination through submitted user reviews, articles and comments. Spend some time browsing the site and you will be able to find out exactly what other people who visited the area enjoyed.

An excellent resource for obtaining a categorized list of activities around your chosen destination is www.infohub.com. InfoHub contains an immense list of specialist activities, from football tours to museum visits and is very useful for planning the perfect vacation based on around you or your family?s interests.

If you are willing to spend a little extra then a professional tourist guide can be extremely helpful in making sure you get the most out of your vacation. A good guide will help tailor the trip based on your personal interests while allowing you to connect with the locals. For personal safety reasons; a tourist guide is highly recommended if you are traveling to exotic destinations. You can obtain information on how to hire a tourist guide by navigating to www.wwguides.com.

Gary W. Griffin, Ph.D. is a researcher and an entrepreneur. He is also an authorized travel agent, and he loves to travel. This article is brought to you by e-Travel FAQs. For all your travel information needs, visit us at http://www.e-TravelFAQs.com.

Atlanta is the capital city of the state of Georgia in the United States of America. With a population of 419,122, the city is the most populous in the state and the economic heart of the Southern United States. The city was settled on territory belonging to the Cherokee and Creek Native Americans, and the area originally had the very pretty title of ?Standing Peachtree?. Atlanta rests on the ridge of the Chattahoochee River and it is treated to a pleasant, subtropical climate. During the summer, the city receives hot, humid weather, while the winters are generally mild.

The city boasts a large number of attractions to suit all tastes. For visitors interested in Atlanta?s rich history, a good place to start is a visit to the Martin Luther King Jr. Historical Site. The political activist was born and raised in Atlanta and the site surrounds his boyhood home. The site was declared a National Historic Site on October 10th, 1980. Other historical attractions within the city include the Atlanta History Centre, the Margaret Mitchell House and Museum and the Atlanta Cyclorama and Civil War Museum.

For nature-lovers, Atlanta is home to the massive, Georgia Aquarium, which is occupied by over 100,000 animals. The city also boasts the wonderful Zoo Atlanta, which has been involved in a large number of conservation and research projects. Atlanta is home to the beautiful Piedmont Park, which stretches across 189 acres and is similar to New York?s Central Park. For those interested in travelling further a field, the picturesque Appalachian Mountain range is just sixty miles north of the city. The city of Atlanta boasts a rich history, beautiful scenery and warm and welcoming inhabitants ? the perfect recipe for a relaxing break.

Dara Ward manages over 20 Irish websites including Hotels in Dublin On a more global scale he operates over 150 top hotel and car rental sites including Hotels in Atlanta a site that allows guests book all the best hotels in Atlanta. He is also responsible for Hotels in Miami

Sultanate of Brunei is on the Island of Borneo along the South China Sea. Surrounded by water of South China Sea Brunei has a lot of attractions. Most of the part of Island has unspoiled rainforest which is the limelight of this place. Brunei is considered to be jewel of Borneo Island. Brunei is split in two parts by the state of Sarawak in Malaysia. One of the richest countries in the world, Brunei is famous for the extravagant lifestyle of its Sultan. You have many amazing attractions to visit in the state of Brunei.

The capital city Badar Seri Begawan possesses many architectural excellence of modern time. However, you will not notice any significant change in rest of the part of the state. Some of the significant places where you can head towards are Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque, Kamung Ayer, The Istana Nurul and Taman Persiarian Dauman and Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Foundation Complex. All these destinations have been of great interest of tourists in the world. Any destination would no longer be a favorite of visitors it they are not provided with proper accommodation.

However, Brunei never gives you any reason for lodging any complaint in this respect. There are fabulous hotels in different parts of Brunei. And all of them are very well equipped with latest amenities. Brunei hotel and Sheraton Utama hotel are some of the famous names in the list of Brunei hotels.

For more information on Malaysia and near by destination please visit: http://www.stayresmalaysia.com

Niraj Singh is working as Sr. SEO in Binary Semantics Ltd. Gurgaon, India. He has 5 yrs. of experience in the field of Search Engine Optimisation. His expertise is in the travel domain make him specialist in the field of Websites related to Travels.

Berlin is the working capital city & a province of Germany. It is the country’s biggest metropolis in area & population, & the moment virtually populous city in the European Union. Berlin is one of the most influential centres in European politics, culture and science.

The city functions as an crucial junction of continental transport and is home to some of the world’s most large universities, research faculties, and museums. Berlin is a major tourer destination & is recognized for its diverse area of convention venues & mass media outlets.

Berlin is famed for its numerous cultural institutions, many of which one enjoy global reputation. In addition, cultural diverseness & tolerance remain from the time when West Berlin took pride in its part as a free city with the slogan something for everyone.

Berlin has one of the most diverse and alive nightlife scenes in Europe. Fallowing the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 many buildings in Mitte, the former city centre of East Berlin were renovated. many had not been reconstructed since World War II.

Illegally inhabited by young people, they turned a fertile ground for all sorts of underground and counter-culture gatherings. It is also residence to many nightclubs, letting in Kunst Haus Tacheles, techno clubs Tresor, WMF, Ufo , E-Werk, the infamous Kitkatclub and Berghain.

The town is server to the Art Forum yearly global art fair. Many young Germans & global artists continue to settle in the city, & Berlin has founded itself as an significant center of youth and popular culture in European Union. Signs of this expanding role were the 2003 announcement that the yearly Popkomm, Europe’s largest music industry convention

http://www.travel-world-tips.com

If you’re looking to travel, may I recommend Greece? Scanning through some picture on the internet today, I was amazed at just how much there is to see. The ruins, the culture, the landscape…. everything! It is a beautiful country, which fits well in beautiful Europe.

There is something like 15,000 kilometers of coastline to view in Greece, which also includes numerous islands such as Rhodes, Crete, and Kos. Although the edge is at sea level, approximately 80% of the land is made up of hills and mountains. Maybe this isn’t a perfect destination for a walk, but what do the hills and mountains contain?!

Sights to see! Things to experience! If you are into the picture taking and the sight seeing, Greece is the place for you. The ruins of Ancient Greece are incredible. The architecture, and the sheer amount of work involved in building these buildings isn’t the only incredible part. The amazing thing is that they are still standing this many years later!

And the culture of Ancient Greece, which is a period of about one thousand years, is really something to sink your energy into learning about. Their schooling, their housing, their cooking and food, and their arts are all very interesting to take a look at or to read about. Most historians believe Ancient Greece to be the foundation of western civilization. It heavily influenced our government, education, architecture, and language!

Greece has a little something in store for all of it’s visitors, everything from history to the beach! Now for planning next years summer vacation…

Feel free to reprint this article as long as you keep the article, this caption and author biography in tact with all hyperlinks.

Tyler Brooker is the owner and operator of My Greece Travel Guide – http://www.mygreecetravelguide.com, which is the best site on the internet for all greece related information.

In photography, as in real estate, the three most important words are…location, location, location. And ever since Jamaica was first described by Christopher Columbus as the fairest isle I ever did see the word Jamaica has been synonymous with romance, tropical passion and beautiful scenery. It is therefore no surprise that in recent years it has become a highly desirable location for film and print photography as productions including fashion shoots, commercials, documentaries, music videos, feature films and recently reality tv shows, have been flocking to the island.

Three decades ago, the Jamaican government recognized the benefits of supporting the country’s burgeoning film industry. The math was simple. Film productions have the ability to make a substantial contribution to the economic prosperity of a small country. They provide jobs for the skilled laborers, training and experience for the lessskilled and generate substantial revenue for many ancillary businesses ranging from lodging and catering for the oftensizeable cast and crew to transport services for equipment and personnel. In addition to this direct revenue, the product of their work, whether it is scenes from a major motion picture, a video or a fashion shoot serves to further promote Jamaica as a vacation destination. The Jamaica Film Commission was established in the 1980s within Jampro (Jamaica Promotions Organization) as a one-stopshop to address the requirements of film producers, simplifying the process and enhancing Jamaica’s attractiveness as a location.

The process is straightforward. In the case of commercial films, scripts must be submitted to the Film Commissioner, Mrs. Dell Crooks, for approval before shooting can commence- Jamaica is naturally very protective of its brand. Local liaisons are then recommended and approved by the Film Commission. The Commission then assists with clearing any red-tape related to work permits, licenses, duty exemptions and access to public buildings and support systems including helicopters from the Jamaica Defense Force. The success of this cooperative effort coupled with Jampro’s direct role in promoting location Jamaica to the Hollywood studios and international production houses, has been evident in the large number of overseas productions using Jamaica as a primary location.

Jamaica offers a great variety of terrain from white-sand beaches to lush rainforests to waterfalls and mountain peaks. This allows for geographically disparate scenes to be shot in a single location saving time and money. Areas of Jamaica have been shot for Africa, Southeast Asia, the U.S., England and, of course, the greater Caribbean. Jamaica has been a principal location for a number of Hollywood features over the years including: Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, Dr. No, The Harder They Come, Papillon, Live and Let Die, Return to Treasure Island, Cocktail, Mighty Quinn, Cool Runnings and How Stella Got Her Groove Back. Taxi drivers and other guides are generally eager to point out locations from past film shoots, so just ask. Many major fashion houses and magazines use Jamaica for their cruise and summer catalogs and editorial spreads including Brooks Brothers, Teen Vogue, Ann Taylor, Self Magazine, Glamour UK, and Madame. Recent commercials filmed in Jamaica include uma, Slimfast, Carnival Cruise Lines, Clairol and Herbal Essences.

In recent years, competition within the Caribbean has intensified, particularly for Hollywood projects, with several islands prepared to pay cash incentives for the privilege of hosting a big-budget production. Just this past summer Jampro announced that they would be reorienting their effort towards wooing more tv and commercials business, in addition to the feature films. These smaller productions have the ability to provide a steady stream of business for the local film industry and the strategy has already yielded some recent successes.

Maxine Walters is a line producer promoting Jamaica as a location from her U.S.-base. Contact: maxinew@cwjamaica.com. The Jamaica Film Commission website is located at www.filmjamaica.com. Contact: (876) 978-7755 or email dcrooks@cwjamaica.com Location, Location, Location

**For more information visit www.jam-boree.com, Jamaica’s visitor website, the complete source for travel and tourism information featuring hand-picked deals on vacation packages, hotels, villas, flights and car rentals**

http://www.jam-boree.com Jamaica’s travel and tourism source.

It is hard to believe in this day and age that a successful business can be run as a one man or family operation especially if the business in question is the ultra competitive travel industry. Add to the equation that this business is run from home from Ireland?s oldest two storey thatched cottage and it makes the storey all the more fascinating.

Promoting a tourism product or website is a daunting and difficult challenge at the best of times given the vast array of resources and finances available to larger companies. Competing from a home base as a small husband and wife team makes such a challenge even more precarious. However as in life nothing is impossible given sufficient drive, motivation and the necessary passion that inspires.

Ireland is a changing place. It is fast emerging as a top 3 world economy with many large multinationals choosing to located their workforce in Dublin or other Irish cities. The country has also become a haven for foreign visitors eager to catch a little bit of that famous Irish hospitality. Providing guests with what they want is the new challenge facing the Irish tourism market. The days of thatched cottages and friendly service are well and truly gone. Or are they?

Dara Ward is the Managing Director of Cottages in Ireland and operates over 20 Irish Travel and Tourism websites. Dara is married to Dawn and together they operate from Ireland?s oldest 2 storey thatched cottage in County Wexford, South East Ireland. He is widely recognised as an expert in the promotion of tourism to and within Ireland and has an in-depth knowledge of the travel industry in Ireland. The couple are also partners in Global Hotels a leading supplier of hotels worldwide.