Online Dating, Why Not?

 by: Brenda Dennick

So, you’re looking to meet that “special someone”. You have tried the bars, blind dates, churches, grocery stores, etc, all with little or no success. What have you got to lose by trying one, or even a few, of the many different online singles services? Absolutely nothing!

As a former dating service professional, with both matchmaking and video dating services, I would encourage anyone to spend a little time on their computer and explore the possibilities available with online dating. For a low cost, convenient, private avenue for searching for other quality singles, online dating can be a very rewarding and interesting experience.

Online services typically charge a monthly subscription fee around $20 - $30 for a “Standard” package or program. These fees can increase, as you add more of the features offered through the service, often times enhancing your membership. Some services even offer their standard features FREE! Either way, it is a relatively low investment compared to the thousands of dollars, and long term memberships, typically charged by the traditional dating services. Don’t get me wrong, although traditional dating services and matchmakers can be quite expensive, many people have enjoyed great successes through their memberships and you may eventually want to try one as well. But to start, go cheap, go convenient, go online!

There are some online dating sites that also do compatibility testing and personality profiling. These features help members find other quality singles who are similar to themselves and complement their lifestyle. The testing and profiling also helps determine what qualities and characteristics one should look for in a mate. This might seem a bit confusing and overwhelming, but it is actually quite easy. Most sites have online help should you have any questions or need assistance. Some sites will even offer suggestions on possible matches.

Typically, no personal information is disclosed between members until both parties agree. All communication can be done through the online website. So, your e-mail, address, phone number, etc., is all get kept private and secure.

One of the nicest features of online dating is the ability to work on your membership in the comfort and privacy of your own home. Whether you are a morning or an evening person, there are no restricting office hours. You can work on your membership when you want, from any location with a computer, for as long as you want. You are in complete control.

Online dating has come a long way, and many singles have benefited and met their “special someone” through the internet. But, do your homework. Research and compare the different sites. Read and understand the membership agreements. Do searches for positive, and negative, information on the sites you are considering. The Singles/Dating business is very popular and competitive, so you need to educate yourself. Take your time, investigate your options, and online dating can be a very exciting, enjoyable, and rewarding experience. Who knows? You might even meet Mr. or Mrs. Right. So, why not?

About The Author Brenda Dennick is a former “Dating/Singles” service owner and writes articles for http://www.singlesresource.net.

Travelers with Disabilities: The Untapped Market

 by: Craig Kennedy

When most people think about accommodating people with disabilities in their business they get a scared feeling in their gut and their mind scrambles to search for that all-important date when the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) went into effect. It doesnt have to be that way! When business owners open their eyes and start to realize that there are literally billions of dollars to be made in the accessible travel market, I believe we will start to remove the fear associated with the ADA.

There are currently more than 50 million people with disabilities in the United States and 180 million worldwide, representing the single largest untapped tourist market in the world. According to a recent Harris Poll conducted in conjunction with the Open Doors Organization and the Travel Industry Association of America, the 50 million people with disabilities in our country have a combined income of more than $175 billion. In 2002, these people took 32 million trips and spent more than $13.6 billion on travel ($4.2 billion on hotels, $3.3 billion on airfare, $2.7 billion on food and beverage, and $3.4 billion on retail, transportation, and other activities). This study suggested that these travelers would double their spending if some minor amenities were made available. Meet and greet programs at airports, preferred seating on airplanes, hotel rooms closer to amenities, and employees who go out of their way to accommodate guests with disabilities topped the list.

The current trends in adaptive travel show most of these travelers taking advantage of destinations that they know are already accessible such as cruise ships, Florida, and Las Vegas. The visitors bureaus and businesses at these destinations that have gone to great lengths to ensure their visitors that there will not be any accessibility issues during their stay. From personal experience and years of traveling in a wheelchair, I can guarantee that these locations have built and will continue to build strong relationships with travelers with disabilities. This group is a very loyal one, who will often return to the same city, hotel, or activity provider year after year if they have a good experience. If everyone were to catch on to this we would see growth in the tourism industry like we have never seen!

With this in mind, it is a wonder that more business owners have not taken steps to make their accommodations more accessible and even start marketing to these travelers. If the staggering numbers listed above arent proof enough, the U.S. Census Bureau recently stated that nearly 16.5% of all people with disabilities in the U.S. leave their home two days per week or less. That constitutes nearly 11 million people that are not traveling at all. Also keep in mind that there are millions of people in their golden years that are looking for accessible travel accommodations. Many of these people use canes or walkers, travel with oxygen tanks, or have other mobility impairments, and are not included in disability statistics.

With millions of people in need of accessible travel options, and with our Baby Boomers (almost 25% of our population) starting to reach retirement age as well now is the time to start thinking about improving marketing efforts to include people with disabilities and about better overall accessibility in general. By educating business owners on the benefits of marketing to people with disabilities and educating travel agents who are fighting a losing battle with the internet, we can begin to focus on this new target market.

If you want to take advantage of the rapidly growing adaptive travel market, get started now! I recommend hiring an expert to get your business rated and start removing barriers to access as soon as possible. Think about accessibility anytime youre planning a remodel or addition. These improvements will benefit everyone, not just people with disabilities. For those of you who have already taken steps to improve accessibility, start bragging about it.

Craig P. Kennedy, Steamboat Springs, Colorado,

CK Consulting: Setting Standards for Accessibility

http://www.CKConsultingonline.com

* Please visit our Web site to take a FREE accessibility quiz to find out if you are on the right track.

About The Author Craig Kennedy is a published adaptive travel author, accessibility consultant, and motivational speaker with almost ten years of adaptive travel experience and more than 15 years of tourism and service industry expertise. He specializes in resort business growth and customer attraction through better overall accessibility, education, and marketing, and works with businesses who wish to become leaders in accessible travel and accommodation. Copyright Craig P. Kennedy 2005 craig@accessanything.net

With new residential towers, a growing number of luxury hotels and a vibrant business climate, Miami is one of the world\’s top \”live-work-play\” destinations. Whether relaxing on the beach, boating on Biscayne Bay, dining at top restaurants–or sealing a multimillion-dollar business deal–Miami offers a warm subtropical lifestyle with a unique Latin flavor.

\”Miami-Dade is made up of a diverse, multicultural population that attracts new residents from Latin America because of the comfort level they feel in the area,\” says Frank Nero, president and CEO of The Beacon Council, Miami-Dade County\’s economic development partnership.

Among the steady flow of newcomers are Fortune 500 corporate executives, sports and entertainment celebrities, successful entrepreneurs, and seasonal visitors coming to Miami-Dade for business or pleasure.

\”The buzz now is that Miami is hotter than ever,\” says William D. Talbert III, president and CEO of the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB). \”Miami is recognized as a fashion-forward destination, from its chic boutique and luxury hotels, to its cuisine and nightlife, to its many cultural offerings.\”

Construction is now under way on Miami\’s strikingly designed Performing Arts Center, which will add to the community\’s cultural offerings when it opens in 2006. Already, events like Art Basel Miami, Coconut Grove Arts Festival and the Miami International Film Festival demonstrate the area\’s international appeal to connoisseurs of the arts.

Visitors of all types are clearly responding to Miami-Dade\’s diverse appeal, as tourism has rebounded from the post-9/11 slowdown. Last year, Miami-Dade attracted more than 10.5 million visitors, including 4.8 million from Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe and Canada, according to the GMCVB.

A boom in high-end hotel construction has strengthened Miami\’s appeal to sophisticated travelers. The city\’s new luxury hotels include the J.W. Marriott, Four Seasons and Mandarin Oriental, as well as the Conrad Miami, Hilton\’s top-of-the-line brand, which opened last year on Brickell Avenue.

Many frequent visitors are purchasing condominium hotel units that serve as a home away from home. \”We are expecting 2005 to be another strong year for our development and for Miami\’s marketplace in general,\” says William Ross, president of Estoril, the developer of Espirito Santo Plaza, a new multi-use building with 116 condo-hotel residences managed by the Conrad chain.

Throughout Miami-Dade County, new residential condominiums, loft and townhome projects, and apartment buildings being converted to condos are bringing new lifestyle choices. In downtown Miami alone, an estimated 20,000-plus new multifamily units are under construction or in the planning stages.

\”With construction booming in Miami-Dade County, hundreds of thousands of dollars are coming in from domestic and foreign investors,\” says Nero. \”Thousands of the buyers and investors are attracted to the area by metropolitan living with average prices well below those of other major metropolitan areas in the United States.\”

More than half the county\’s 2.3 million residents are foreign-born, reflecting Miami\’s long-standing cultural ties to Latin America and the Caribbean. Virtually every nation of the Americas–Venezuelans, Argentines, Brazilians, Colombians and a growing stream of Mexicans–is represented in Miami-Dade.

\”Latin Americans comprise a large portion of foreign investors because of the proximity to Central and South America, the strong Latin influence in Miami-Dade, and the assortment of entertainment opportunities the area offers,\” says Nero. \”With various foreign consulates, international banks, and multinational corporations calling Miami-Dade home, Latin Americans can enjoy all the amenities Miami-Dade has to offer, while conducting their lives as they would in their native countries.\”

Since the 1970s, one of Miami-Dade\’s primary appeals to international residents has been its globally oriented business community.

Multinational corporations, import-export companies, international banks and major law firms have long been attracted by the county\’s strategic position at the crossroads of the Americas.

After hosting the Summit of the Americas in 1994, Miami has played a leading role as the site of hemispheric and regional free trade negotiations. With its convenient airline schedules, telecommunications facilities and multicultural workforce, Miami is considered by many as the natural choice for the permanent Secretariat of the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA)

As a not-for-profit, public-private organization that focuses on job creation and economic growth, The Beacon Council coordinates community-wide programs, promotes minority business and urban economic revitalization, provides assistance to local businesses in their expansion efforts, and markets Greater Miami throughout the world.

In the past year, The Beacon Council assisted 44 companies that will add 2,640 new jobs and more than $88 million in new capital investment to the local community. Newcomers include Kraft Foods International, PROEXCA Miami (the Office of Trade & Investment for the Canary Islands) and Mobis Parts America, a Korean auto parts subsidiary of Hyundai. Mobis recently established its Latin American headquarters in Miami-Dade County.

\”Recently, Miami-Dade County has seen a steady increase of companies from Asia opening operations here,\” says Nero. \”We really are the business center of the Americas, and we are pleased that Mobis Parts America has chosen to locate in our community.\”

As the economies of Latin America grow, Miami-Dade County will remain a global gateway for investment and trade throughout the region. And with its new hotels, residential condominiums, and visitor attractions, Miami will strengthen its position as one of the world\’s top live-work-play destinations.

With its award-winning design, luxurious condominium residences, rapidly filling office space and upscale Conrad Miami hotel, Espirito Santo Plaza is enjoying unprecedented success on Miami\’s Brickell Avenue. \”Our vision of excellence for Espirito Santo Plaza is now a reality,\” says William Ross, president of Estoril, the developer.

Honoring the 36-story mixed-use building\’s dramatic contemporary design, the Miami chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) recently named Espirito Santo Plaza as one of the ten best buildings constructed in Miami in the past 75 years.

\”Sales are strong on our 116 fully furnished condominium-hotel residences, as our first owners move in,\” says Ross. Residents enjoy the benefits of ownership with all the amenities of the popular 203-room Conrad Miami, Hilton\’s global luxury brand, including suite management when they are not in residence. In addition, nearly all the Class A office spaces at Espirito Santo Plaza have been reserved by an international roster of premier tenants. For more information, please contact Euroatlantic Realty at 305-371-3500 or info@espiritosantoplaza.com.

COPYRIGHT 2005 Freedom Magazines, Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2005 Gale Group

Secret Resorts in Germany — A Checklist to Find Them — Part 3 of 4

 by: Marcus Hochstadt

Ready for the third part? Ookay, here we go

The Wellness Sector is one of the most important indicators for selecting the Secret Resorts of your dreams.

What do you have of it if the location is TOP and the facilities are new, but the Wellness Sector consists, lets say… only of a Sauna and a small pool? You might feel relaxed only superficially. The consequence: Grind is pre-programmed. A pool and a Sauna are not sufficient.

I for myself know by own experiences that some of those so called Secret Resorts only use their title, because they have installed a sauna recently, and outside you have the freshest air in whole Germany they write in their brochures.

So what?! Of course, fresh air outside is good. No doubt. You go out, take a deep breath and exhale. Do that a lot of times during your stay and it will give your inner cells and immune system a huge kick into recovery and health. And you know, I am not talking about fresh air in cities but about real fresh air in forests regions.

By the way, visit our Black Forest and you know what I am talking about.

But, however, what has fresh air to do with the Secret Resort itself? You do not sleep outside, do you? There might be days where you mostly stay inside and let yourself spoil like a Queen/King. And you might not be able to it if there is anything but a Wellness Sector at all.

And most of all, why do they call their shack a Secret Resort with just a Sauna inside? What a cheek! You book, arrive and expect to be spoiled for the next three weeks, but all you get is a sauna and maybe ‘fresh water’ in a pool and fresh air outside. You deserve much more than that. And believe me, there is good news: it is possible

Okay, what now comes is a checklist in a checklist

You should find the following in a Wellness Sector:

1. Sauna - yes, but at least two, better four; with different temperature ranges and smells. A plus: if besides that another external area is present (for cooling). A health-scientific description of correct application should be present additionally. You surely would not like to terminate the sauna with a cold, but healthier than before, would you?

2. Solarium just in case you want a tan additionally. I know people whose energy rose after an attendance in a Solarium. Its not a must, but good Secret Resorts have.

3. Massage here the chaff separates from the wheat. Relaxation starts with a good long intense massage. A hotel, which calls itself ‘Wellness’, MUST offer massage. Make sure the massage is held daily and in the house. It would be disturbing, if you would have to drive to another place. That way the relaxation of the massage treatment would get lost fast.

4. Pools good Secret Resorts have pools. Ensure that the pools are not old. If you find different pools besides that with e.g. different smells, that is a plus therefore very pleasant and relaxing.

Again, besides all that stuff, everything written here should be in-house! You dont want to have to drive to a next town or village, do you?

Allright. We have covered a lot.

Look forward to my last issue on how to find awesome German Secret Resorts.

In that you will get to know what another indicator of good Secret Resort is, in terms of our Hotel Classifications.

Finally you will get an overall checklist which you can keep handy. It will safe you a bunch of time, trust me.

Anyhow, enjoy your trip(s)! :o)

Marcus Hochstadt

© Copyright www.smart-travel-germany.com, All Rights Reserved

You may use this article in its entirety with the Author Bio and links.

About The Author Marcus Hochstadt travels extensively to countries, continents and Germany itself as a sales manager and entrepreneur since more than 14 years. He knows in almost each German city the points of real interest. In his free monthly Special Report at www.smart-travel-germany.com/smart-travel-guide.html he reveales more valuable insider tips and travel secrets.