Archive for January, 2008
By most accounts, US exporters fared better than other parts of the economy did in 2007 as a weak dollar made American goods more affordable abroad while growing foreign markets increased the pool of people looking to purchase those items. An area of exporting that saw a flurry of activity in 2007 was professional US sports leagues packing their bags and passports to showcase their talents overseas. Three of the four major professional sports leagues (NFL, NHL, and NBA) played games abroad in 2007 and, not wanting to be left out of the act, Major League Baseball scheduled two foreign trips (one to Japan and one to China) for early 2008.
January 29th, 2008
The Irish National Caucus based in Washing ton DC in a post dated 11 Jan 2008 titled National Geographic Loses Its Way on Ireland has forced that fine organisation to change how it refers to the British Isles.
In its Travel Catalog 2008- 2009 National Geographic gets lost even before it embarks on its guided tour of Ireland, May 11-24.
“Who wants to go with a travel company that is so geographically
confused and disoriented?” asked Fr. Sean Mc Manus, president of the
Capitol Hill-based Irish National Caucus.
January 27th, 2008
Let me start by declaring that I fly with Ryanair - on a regular basis. If you live in Ireland they are difficult to avoid. Living on a small island, if you want to get anywhere in a hurry you have to fly. Ryanair are the biggest carrier into Ireland, thus I end up on Ryanair many times per year. Like most passengers I have mixed feelings about them. They did transform air travel and tourism to Ireland. However, it’s like to old adage “be careful what you wish for - you just might get it”. Surely someone can deliver a low cost flight with a smile.
January 24th, 2008
Adjectives get abused by bloggers on a daily basis. However, from time to time you see something that just makes you stop for a moment and think - this is going to have a major impact on our industry….
From The Free Dictionary mag·nif·i·cent adj.
1. Splendid in appearance; grand: a magnificent palace.
2. Grand or noble in thought or deed; exalted.
3. Outstanding of its kind; superlative: a magnificent place for sailing.
While the webmaster on Swisstrains.ch declares that the site is still in alpha. The functionality is just magnificent.
January 22nd, 2008
Many people I know have no interest in rugby or its arcane laws but become positively evangelical when you mention the word “Munster” to them. Rugby was an amateur sport until 1995 and as a minority sport in Ireland it only really attracted attention when the national team sporadically did well. Most of the time it was regarded as an elitist game played by the middle classes and urban professionals. This was only ever partially true in Munster, as in the rural based junior and intermediate clubs there was always a good cross-section of farmers, labourers and young students in each team.
January 21st, 2008
Today marks yet another milestone in the expansion of myguideTravel as the leader in inbound travel to destinations where their local expertise helps visitors plan their perfect vacation or holiday.
The launch of myguideWales in German will provide German speaking tourists with expert information on visiting Wales and enjoying all that is on offer in this great destination.
Wales is a country of breathtaking beauty, boasting three national parks and several designated areas of natural beauty. It‘s a land of rolling valleys, of rural landscapes, and of the majestic mountains of Snowdonia. Wales is, in the main, an undiscovered destination situated on the west of Britain. The Welsh border with England extends from Liverpool in the north to Bristol in the south.
January 18th, 2008
Yahoo made a significant announcement today. They are going to support the OpenID 2.0 standard for universal Internet log-in for all their 250 million customers. For small niche companies like myguideIreland, myguideBritain et al. this is really huge. It’s a big ask for a small company like ours, to get our Guests to remember usernames and passwords.
What is OpenID?
OpenID eliminates the need for multiple usernames across different websites, simplifying your online experience.
You get to choose the OpenID Provider that best meets your needs and most importantly that you trust. At the same time, your OpenID can stay with you, no matter which Provider you move to. And best of all, the OpenID technology is not proprietary and is completely free.
January 17th, 2008
On Wednesday next, January 16th, Google Earth will launch Westport in County Mayo as the world’s first fully 3D town.
This is a major development in the showcasing of a tourist destination allowing virtual visitors to walk around the town, see what is to offer and plan their journeys in greater detail, all from the comfort of their pc screen. Westport is one of Ireland’s most popular 
destinations for visitors from home and abroad and many who visit the new virtual Westport will recognise many of their favourite places and landmarks.
January 11th, 2008
We started blogging on the various myguideTravel websites last year. At the time in a company wide email, I announced that I would give a prize for the top blogger each quarter. This morning I was about to send out an email announcing the winner but thought that a blog post might be a better way to announce the winner. I am delighted to announce that Keith Roberts is our 2007 blog champion. His post on Whisky or Whiskey? generated huge interest on the myguideBritain website. Keith is a worthy winner and his passion for Britain and Wales comes accross in post after post. I will be having a small prize ceremony in our office in Wales next month and presenting Keith with a new Sat Nav. Rumour has it that he got lost in mid-Wales last month!
January 10th, 2008
I travel a lot. On airplanes, trains and cars and I, like most frequent travelers, have a few things I do to attempt to improve my commute. One of these is to avoid checking any luggage for carriage in the hold when flying. Like many of my fellow travelers, I try to cram as much as I can into a carry on so I don’t have to wait at the baggage return carousel at my destination or, in the worst case scenario, wear the same clothes for 3 days while my airline attempts to re-unite me with my luggage if it makes an unscheduled en route stop . So, it was with elation that I read the British Airport Authority (BAA) has recently revised it one carry on only bag restriction at 7 of its 8 airports (Gatwick is still excluded). I transited BAA’s Heathrow Airport three to four times a month in 2007 and it never failed to perturb me how frustrating this policy was for travelers. Not only is Heathrow one of the worst airports to transit on a good day, but this onerous restriction used to compel me to have to check my roller bag as I could only take one carry on (my laptop bag) through security. My airline would let me take two bags, and when I checked in at Boston Logan, the TSA lets me carry two on, but connecting at Heathrow I would only be permitted one by BAA. So, either I check it in in Boston or abandon it at Heathrow in the flight connection centre. Now, as I would appreciate a change of clothes when abroad I had no choice but to check it.
January 6th, 2008