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Craft Beer Tours

by Tammy Levent July 8, 2016

written by Tammy Levent

Beer lovers, take notice. There are an endless amount of Craft Beer Tours that you can take for your next vacation. Here is just a sample of where you can enjoy a day of sightseeing and beer tasting.

Durham, North Carolina. Beltline Brew Tours has various tours throughout North Carolina. The one in Durham starts with Bull City Burger and Brewery, then Ponysaurus Brewing Company, and then the unique highlight; Fullsteam Brewery, known for their unusual variety of flavors, including brews made with sweet potatoes, rhubarb, and hickory-smoked malt. Better still, dogs are welcomed and encouraged to visit the brewery. The tour ends back with more sampling at Bull City.

Cooperstown, New York. When you hear about “Cooperstown”, the first thing you probably think is baseball. But the town has much more to offer than that. For example, Ommegang Brewery has tours that go through six different local breweries, where you can see demonstrations, tour specialty shops, and of course, taste some beer. Ommegang also hosts many concerts throughout the summer, and they have a special, limited-edition ‘Game of Thrones’ inspired beer line.

Hood River, Oregon. Oregon has a plethora of different breweries to check out. If you’re looking for one with a tour that’s free, allows children with a parent or guardian, and is shorter than most other tours (about 30 minutes), than Full Sail Brewery is the tour for you. From the pub, you can view Mount Hood and the Columbian River Gorge, filled with sailboarders and kiteboarders. Nothing can beat a beer with a view.

Pottsville, Pennsylvania. If you’re looking for a tour with some history behind it, than look no further than the small-town feel that D.G. Yuengling & Sons Brewery provides. It started in 1831, and is the oldest working brewery in America. On the tour, you can learn how the brewery survived the Prohibition and look at the fermentation caves originally used to keep the beer cool. It’s a great look back in time.

Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. Do you want to make a day trip out of your tour? Then come on down to Dogfish Head’s Brewings and Eats. Founded by Sam Calagione of Brew Masters, the location hosts two different types of tours, one of them free. Once you’ve finished your tour, you can check out some of the musicians above the pub, get some food, or see the sights at Rehoboth Beach. There’s enough to do there to more than satisfy your day trip needs.

EliteTravelGroup

July 8, 2016 0 comment

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Cheap Incentive Trips

by Tammy June 29, 2016

written by Tammy

elite incentive travel
Employees work to earn money and put a roof over their heads, clothes on their back and food on the table. In this day and age, money is a primary motivating factor. Employees can also use their income to enjoy things they want to do while also pursuing personal hobbies and passions.

Employees also like to be rewarded for a job well done. There are two types of compensation for hard-working employees: direct and indirect. Direct compensation consists of things like cash money and bonuses, while indirect compensation consists of non-cash incentives, such as trips, which they say are becoming much more popular.

Giving your employee a trip doesn’t mean you have to set them up on a high-end resort island with top-of-the-line amenities, especially if that’s not in your company budget. There are more affordable ways to provide a trips as incentives:

Think close to home: Is there a bed & breakfast in your employee’s hometown? A close weekend getaway is a more affordable option than a vacation package that includes airfare. Throw in a gift card for a few meals. Vacations to national parks with tours of the local towns are another low-budget option that provide great memories. How about a themed vacation, such as a weekend winery tour, amusement park tour, or beach getaway?

There are some cities that are much more affordable than others thanks to free attractions. For example, free attractions in Washington D.C. include the Smithsonian National Zoo, the National World War II Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum, Jefferson Memorial, Arlington National Cemetery, and the Library of Congress.

Still not convinced that a travel incentive program is right for you? Call Elite Travel and we can answer any additional questions you may have.

Elite Incentive Travel

June 29, 2016 0 comment

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Hawaii Incentive Trips

by Tammy June 1, 2016

written by Tammy

Hawaii, with six main islands, beautiful landscape and foliage, dormant volcanos, beaches with multi-color sands, and its deep history, makes for an amazing location as a travel incentive trip.

Volcanos: Get up-close-and-personal with Hawaii’s many dormant volcanos, such as Mauna Kea, on the island that stands 4,205 m above sea level, the highest point in the state. There’s also the famous Diamond Head Volcano State Landmark in Honolulu as well as also other beautiful sights to behold, including Waimea Canyon, on Kauai’s West Side, which has been described as “The Grand Canyon of the Pacific,” that goes for 14 miles and is 3,600 feet deep.

Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor: Hawaii is filled with a lot of rich history on the islands and of course much of it surrounds the attacks on December 7, 1941. The Pacific Aviation Museum is where you can see World War II-era planes, including an actual Japanese Zero and a Stearman N2S-3 once piloted by former American President George H. W. Bush, as well as exhibits and a 12-minute film that details the events. Pearl Harbor still remains an active military base and a National Historic Landmark.

USS Bowfin: Dubbed the “Pearl Harbor Avenger,” the USS Bowfin, which is over 10,000 sq.-ft. and includes 4,000 submarine-related artifacts, was launched one year to the day after the events of December 7, and it completed nine successful patrols before eventually arriving at Pearl Harbor. Today, the Bowfin is a National Historic Landmark and museum ship where visitors can get a first-hand experience on what it was like to work aboard a World War II-era sub.

Humpback Whales: Relax on the islands, but also look in the ocean and watch the beautiful humpback whales. You can visit the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary and head out into the water for a closer view.

Get Active: Kauai is known for kayaking and mountain tubing, while Oahu is the mecca of big wave surfing, canoe rides on Waikiki Beach and snorkeling on Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve. Hookipa Beach is also known as the windsurfing capital of the world and then there’s scuba diving in the Lanai Cathedrals. Molokai is known for sports fishing, while Hawaii hosts deep-sea sports fishing and tournaments. There’s so much to do on the beautiful islands.

Of course a visit to Hawaii wouldn’t be complete without sampling the cuisine, especially poi, a thick paste made from taro root that is steamed, baked or pounded, poke (raw fish), and fresh pineapple.

Elite Incentive Travel

June 1, 2016 0 comment

Travel Scams

by Tammy Levent April 20, 2016

written by Tammy Levent

Traveling is exciting, but unfortunately travelers are also prey for scammers who will do what they can to cause a distraction and take your money and belongings. There are so many travel scams it’s hard to keep track of them all, but here are a few common ones and some tips on how to prevent yourself from becoming the next victim:

You’ve won a trip! Before you have even gone anywhere, you’re already being scammed by online sites that claim you won an all-expenses paid trip to Belize. The problem? They want your credit card and driver’s license information to hold your prize. Then you find out that before you can get the information there are fees you need to pay.

Tip: First, do not give out any personal information. Ask questions! Consumer Fraud Reporting says to find out exactly what the prize does and does not cover and contact these businesses to verify. If the person on the phone cannot give out information, it’s probably too good to be true.

Fake phone call: You checked in and you’re all snug in your hotel bed when the phone rings. It’s the front desk telling you that there’s a problem with your credit card. You stumble out of bed and read your number again, then return to slumber. The problem? It wasn’t the front desk calling and you’ve just given your credit card information to a scammer.

Tip: If you get a call like this, tell them you’ll bring it down to the front desk (you can also call the front desk to verify). Most likely, if it’s a scam, the caller will hang up.

Skimmed. Forget about criminals watching you at the ATM to get your pin number. It’s gotten much easier now with “skimmers” that capture your data when they get close to you. A New York Times article reported a sixfold increase in the number of machines in the United States compromised by criminals in 2015, compared with 2014.

Tip: Take a good look at the ATM machine before you put your card in. If anything seems out of place, don’t use it.

Distraction: You’re taking pictures on your trip when little kids come up to you and wave papers in your face or someone bumps into you and spills something and holds your arm while they clean it up. Scammers will do what it takes to distract you so they can take your belongings and your money.

Tip: Be alert at all times. When you’re traveling, this is the best tip to avoid any scam that might happen to you.

EliteTravelGroup

April 20, 2016 0 comment

What Happens to Your Body While You Fly

by Tammy Levent February 23, 2016

written by Tammy Levent

Though not every form of transport is completely safe, flying at high altitudes and speeds inside a sealed space spanning multiple time zones could cause a number of issues that make the journey somewhat inconvenient. Let’s take a look at some of the major issues the body really goes through when you are flying.

Dehydration

The human body is most comfortable when the air supply comprises a minimum of 40 percent humidity. Within an airplane, the humidity level drops down to 20 percent. This may lead to serious dehydration issues. This dehydration can also lead to a dry or sore nose as well as throat issues and dry eyes. People wearing contact lenses may face serious problems from the lack of moisture making infections possible so it’s best to wear glasses, especially during long flights.

Hypoxia

Though the cabin is pressurized, it’s still not normal enough to ensure rich oxygen supply to the blood. The lack of sufficient oxygen in blood is called hypoxia. As a result, some people can become dizzy or feel faint.

Claustrophobia

Claustrophobia is a large problem faced by more travelers than you might expect. Limited legroom, long durations of immobility and the feeling of being trapped can be terribly uncomfortable to passengers prone to claustrophobia.

DVT

Deep vein thrombosis or DVT occurs when blood in the lower portion of the leg moves sluggishly and ultimately clots, leading to swelling and pain (short term effect). Prolonged clots may even lead to death, if the clots extend to the lungs or heart- although on a flight with no previous medical conditions this is highly unlikely..

Asthma Attacks

As the aircraft elevates, decompression could cause the lungs’ gaseous matter to expand that escapes naturally. However, in a few cases passengers may experience asthma like symptoms. Those passengers who have been diagnosed with asthma could have an attack and should bring their inhaler with them.

Ear and Stomach Pain

When the plane descends, air contracts inside the ear cavity, forming a marginal vacuum. However, if it finds an escape impossible due to the blocked Eustachian tubes – for instance, due to cold – the ear drum becomes painful. Intestine or stomach gas also expands as the flight ascends causing some people to endure abdominal cramps.

While some people experience these types of issues, most people have no trouble flying. And, flying still remains the preferred way to travel between long distances.

Now, we want to hear from you! Have you experienced one or more of these issues while flying? Tell us about it in the comments below.

EliteTravelGroup

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February 23, 2016 0 comment

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Vegas as a Travel Incentive

by Tammy January 5, 2016

written by Tammy

If you’re like many employers, you fear using Las Vegas as a travel incentive because you don’t want gambling to be associated with a perk of working for you. But, there is so much more to Vegas than gambling! If you were to choose Vegas as a destination for your next corporate incentive program, here are 5 things that you can do that don’t have anything to do with gambling:

Take in a show

The glitz and glamor, the special effects, the glowing lights, the famed showgirls- can you imagine a better place in the world to watch a live act? No wonder Las Vegas has become a top destination not just for tourists, but a top venue that celebrities worldwide hope to get the chance to perform in.

Stuff your face with all you can eat

There are so many restaurants in Vegas! This is truly one of the eatery capitals of the world with virtually every possible type of food choice accessible. Plenty of celebrity chefs make appearances to try out new food ideas, but buffets still reign supreme in some Vegas locations as one of the best ways to try dozens of options in one sitting.

Shop all day and all night

Shopping in Vegas can feel as over the top as the shows they produce on their various stages. The malls, if you can even call them that, are as much amusement as they are shopping center. Simply walking through the stores of the resorts will transport you to the bazaars of the Middle East, the canals of Venice, the Forum of ancient Rome, and a promenade of bygone Hollywood.

Splash in a Plethora of Pools

The resorts in Vegas don’t just have pools, they have “water play facilities,” and some have full on water parks. If you’re lucky, you can even score an invite to one of the many pool parties resorts host to draw in tourists. Spend time swimming, tanning, lounging and of course sipping on a poolside Pina Colada. Las Vegas simply has some of the best pools in the world!

Get Pampered at the Spa

If the quality of the pools have you excited, wait until you see the health spa facilities. The spas you can enjoy vary by resort, but typically contain a variety of body and massage treatments, steams rooms and saunas, fitness equipment and much more. You’ll be relaxed in no time here.

This list doesn’t even scratch the surface of all the non-gambling activities you can enjoy, and you can bet on that! So, the next time you are debating about where to send employees for a corporate incentive travel program, reconsider a Vegas holiday. It might just be the most international experience one can enjoy without ever leaving the states!

EliteIncentiveTravel

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January 5, 2016 0 comment

Hacks You can Use for Your Flight on your Incentive Trip

by Tammy November 4, 2015

written by Tammy

It’s no secret that travel can be quite stressful. Even if you have earned a free incentive trip, you could be dreading the flight you have to take to get to your destination. If this sounds like you, you’re in luck because we’ve got some simple hacks you can use to make your flight on your incentive trip a little easier! Aside from the usual tricks of early check in, choosing your seat ahead of time and arrive at the airport early, here are some tips you can use while you’re actually in the air.

Bring headphones. We’ve all seen it before, or should I say heard it before. The crying baby that seems to be on every flight in the history of ever. By bringing headphones you can drown out the baby noise, and as a bonus that chatty neighbor sitting next to you over-sharing about their long lost relatives they are going to see. You know who I mean!
Of course, if you’re bringing headphones, you gotta bring something to listen to. Opt for a tablet that you have pre-downloaded music and videos to. While you’re at it, bring an external power source to extend the life of your battery. You can get these for as little as $10 in some stores and it can as much as double the time length of your battery. For longer flights, bring two back up sources. Just make sure you have them charged before you get on the plane.
Pack snacks in your carry on. You’re likely to get a free beverage, but most flights don’t include food anymore without charging a fee. Save some coin by bringing your own snacks. Think trail mix, crackers, heck you could even bring a sandwich. Just don’t bring anything liquid to eat to avoid the wrath of the TSA.
Consider an eye mask. This is especially great for late night flights when you want to block out the light from that guy sitting next to you that will not turn off his overhead light even though it’s 2 a.m.!
Don’t forget a book. Inevitably your tablet will die and you’ll need a real book. Besides, you can only read that sky shopping magazine the airline provided so many times before boredom sets in.

EliteIncentiveTravel

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Now, we want to hear from you! What’s your favorite hack for making your flight time less stressful? Leave a comment below!

November 4, 2015 0 comment

Why are you Still Booking Online?

by Tammy Levent October 27, 2015

written by Tammy Levent

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?

EliteTravelGroup

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October 27, 2015 0 comment

When to Pay For Extras at All-Inclusive Resorts

by Tammy October 5, 2015

written by Tammy

beach In the past we have stated that all-inclusive resorts are the best option for incentive travel programs. The main reason is because you get the most bang for your travel buck and you know exactly how much your vacation will cost going in. Still, with all-inclusive resorts there are often options for upgrades. These upgrades can be anything from special excursions to additional meal items not included in the all-inclusive price. With the vacation already taking care of your food, lodging and a lot of entertainment, when should you pay for extras at an all-inclusive resort? To answer this, let’s take a closer look at what an “extra” might be.

– Spa treatments: Typically spa treatments are not covered with all-inclusive resorts. Guests looking for massages, facials, pedicures and manicures can expect to pay a pretty penny for these services too. However, there are often daily specials to save you some coin and some resorts offer loyalty programs for frequent visits.

– Off-site excursions: Many water sports are usually included as well as on site game rooms and scheduled events, but if you are looking for tours, adventure activities and things to do that are not on property there will be additional fees.

– Higher than top-shelf liquors: Many all-inclusive resorts include top-shelf liquors, but there are liquors that are even pricier that likely won’t be included (i.e. that bottle of Macallan that goes for $85 a glass).

– The highest quality cuts of meat and fish: Obviously you wouldn’t expect $250 per oz. caviar to be included in your all-inclusive rate, but some travelers are thrown by the extra fees for premium cuts of meat and some species of fish.

– Internet: Yep, that might not be included in your all-inclusive resort fee.

A good rule of thumb is to expect that the more premium the service, activity or food/drink you want is, the more likely it is there will be an added fee for it. So, back to the question of when to pay for the extras- The answer depends on you. If this is the only time you will ever be in this destination or feel like its a once in a lifetime opportunity for the item that costs extra and you can afford it, why not go for it? Do research ahead of time into possible extra charges and see what works best for you, your budget and your desires.

EliteIncentiveTravel

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October 5, 2015 0 comment

Breast Cancer Retreats

by Tammy Levent September 29, 2015

written by Tammy Levent

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!

EliteTravelGroup

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September 29, 2015 0 comment

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