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There is something that is bothering me a lot these days and it’s the fact that people are still booking online. Why does it bother me? Because I can’t stand watching these online travel sites take advantage of consumers and continue to swindle them with things like hidden fees, unexpected changes to rooms and flights and horrible customer service. In the last few months it seems like complaints have exploded more than ever on sites like the Better Business Bureau, Pissed Consumer, Trip Advisor and more about Travelocity, Expedia, Orbitz, Priceline and other online travel sites.

Did you know that reputable travel agencies like Elite Travel don’t charge any fees to work with them, but online travel sites do? It’s true! Look at the fine print and you will see processing fees on top of your taxed amount!

The online travel sites do NOT always offer the lowest prices available either. When you book with Elite you will not only get the lowest price, but if you find a cheaper price available to the public we will match it! You may think these sites are competing for your business and offering you lower pricing, but you may not always get what you think you purchased as is stated in your terms and conditions. By the way, a little fun fact- did you know that Travelocity and Expedia are now one company? Oh, and Expedia also owns Hotels.com and several other online booking sites. They are planning a merger with Orbitz too! Where’s the real competitive pricing when they are all under one corporate umbrella?

When you call a big company like this with a complaint, what happens? You are usually stuck listening to a robot and it will take a while to get to a real human. If you want a customer service rep that speaks English you’ll be waiting even longer. Some people get so frustrated they eat the charges whereas others take it to the Better Business Bureau in hopes of a resolution that could take months or years. When you book with Elite you can connect directly with an English speaking human that will fight on your behalf in the event anything goes wrong.

So, again- all of this leaves me wondering, why are people still booking online?

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As most of you know October is next month and it also happens to be breast cancer awareness month. What you may not know is that our very own CEO, Tammy Levent is going through her own breast cancer story right now. Earlier this year she was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer, had surgery to remove it and is now using alternative treatments to keep the cancer at bay. What you also may not know is that this bout with cancer inspired her to create a breast cancer retreat for survivors to come together and continue healing. You may be wondering why you should consider a breast cancer retreat so we thought we would break down what a breast cancer retreat is and the benefits of attending one.

Essentially, a breast cancer retreat is a several day or a week-long getaway for breast cancer patients and survivors at a fun destination geared towards mental and physical health and wellness. Going on a retreat is a great way to take a mental break from our health struggles. It’s about having something positive that has nothing to do with doctor’s appointments or medical tests or anything related to our current medical state. Studies have shown that when we are in a good mental place it’s easier for our bodies to recover from anything that is physically wrong with us.

It’s about getting together with people that are suffering the same things you are going through – Sometimes just knowing that you are surrounded by people that are dealing with what you are dealing with is comforting. Just knowing you’re not alone is empowering. What better way then to form new bonds of sisterhood than to relax and unwind with your fellow survivors?

It’s about recovery – Maybe you are still going through chemotherapy, maybe you’re in remission, maybe you have just been diagnosed – regardless of what chapter of your story you are on you deserve a week of wellness. Healthy meals that are tasty and good for your body, massages to make you feel some relief and fresh air to breathe in the positivity and let go of the negative.

It’s about celebration – Let’s celebrate whether we’re already in recovery and if we’re still on the path TO recovery!

Finally, it’s about awareness – What better way to keep spreading the word about the importance of mammograms and early testing than by showing off our images from a fun vacation?

Stay tuned for more details on Elite Travel’s upcoming breast cancer retreat. If you would like to be added to our mailing list for this special getaway please contact us today!

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If you are a looking for an amazing destination for your next vacation you should head to Sardinia, Italy. Sardinia is a little island just west of Italy and it offers something for every type of traveler from the relaxation seeker to the adrenaline junkie. Here are just a few of the amazing things you can do here:

Enjoy the beaches – The variety of the beaches in Sardinia quite diverse- some of the beaches are wonderfully suited for sunbathing on a towel or beach chair, whereas others are more appropriately enjoyed on horseback.

Explore the caves of Sardinia – Some of most intricate and intriguing caves extend deep beneath the island’s mountains and along its coast. Popular caves to explore include Grotta di Nettuno (Neptune’s grotto), Grotta di Ispinigoli, Grotta del Bue Marino and Grotta di Santa Barbara.

Learn how to cook – You won’t believe some of the things you will learn in these cooking classes from women that have perfected the techniques of cooking some of the best recipes you will ever taste. From the way they prepare their meats and fish to how to make the best pasta and bread- these lessons will tickle your taste buds and help you appreciate the workmanship and artistry that goes into every meal.

Be pampered– The luxury resorts of Sardinia offer some of the most incredible spa experiences the world has to offer. Then, after you have reached your happy place you can lounge by the pool and soak in the sun.

Discover the ancient sites – Although many of the monuments, temples and ruins here are not as well known as those in other parts of the world, visiting the ancient sites of Sardinia is still just as fascinating. A few sites to consider include Il Tempio Di Antas (a temple with Roman and Nuraghic roots), the Nuraghe Su Nuraxi (Sardinia’s sole World Heritage site and the island’s most visited large stone structure), the Amphitheatre in Cagliari and the Museo Archeologico Nazionale (Sardinia’s premier archaeological museum).

Other activities – A few of the other things you can enjoy doing in Sardinia include hunting, fishing, hiking, boating, bike riding and shopping.

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A common question in the travel industry is “do I need a passport to travel there?” Believe it or not there are several destination where the answer is no, you do not need a passport. The number of destinations might surprise you. Let’s take a look at a few of the places where you do not need a passport to travel.*

– American Samoa – this area is actually an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the South Pacific Ocean and consists of five main islands as well as two coral atolls.

– Guam – located in the Western Pacific in Micronesia, Guam is a U.S. island territory

– The Northern Mariana Islands

– Puerto Rico mainland and surrounding Puerto Rican islands

– The US Virgin Islands – These consist of Saint Croix, Saint John, and Saint Thomas, the much smaller Water Island and several minor islands.

On another note, if you are going to need a passport make sure that it has six months or more before it will expire from the date of your departure from your destination. Many countries will not allow you to come home to the United States if your passport expires within that time frame. Want to know more? Read our post about United States passport laws here.

Also, if you have gotten married since the last time you traveled make sure you change your name on your passport. Read what happened to one of our strategic partners who forgot to change her name on her passport!

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*Note: This blog post is based on United States citizens only. Elite Travel can not speak for the passport laws of other countries or individuals from other countries.

So, what did you think? Are you surprised by the number of places that you can travel to without a passport? Leave a comment below!

Dear airline passengers of ALL future flights,

This post will serve as my open letter to the general public regarding the annoying trend that has presented itself way too many times in recent months, dare I say years- Fighting over seats on the plane. First, let me say I understand that you aren’t necessarily always going to be happy with the seat you end up with, but if you are like many passengers you likely ended up with the seat you have because you either didn’t book far enough in advance, you didn’t check in and pick your seat early enough, you chose to book online via a discount site (they often don’t get first pick by the way), you didn’t want to pay the extra fee for additional leg room or some other similar issue.

If you ended up with a seat you didn’t want and want to change it please do us all a favor and head to the ticket counter and request it mentally accepting ahead of time that you may be stuck with your designated seat anyway. Don’t be the rude passenger that decides you are going to sit in whatever damn seat you choose once you board the plane because this will just cause discomfort for everyone involved- the flight attendants, you, the actual person the seat was assigned to and potentially other passengers. Don’t be that guy!

Should there be a medical condition that is causing you to need a different seat, bring it to the attention of the flight attendants. If it’s that you want to be seated close to your family member and weren’t assigned a seat next to them, again, bring it to the attention of the flight attendants. Let them handle it because they can do so with courtesy and grace. After all of this you still might not get the seat you want and if that is the case, PLEASE- let it go or opt for another flight. Nobody wants to hear you complaining the entire way to the next stop or final destination.

Thank you on behalf of all the other flight passengers.

All the best,

Tammy Levent

CEO, Elite Travel

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