Win your dream trip to Canada

by Jessica Festa on

Lonely Planet is currently hosting a contest that gives travelers the chance to explore the world’s second-largest country however they please. Whether you enjoy winter skiing or summer hiking, this contest can help you have the experience your dreams in Canada. First prize is a $10,000 travel voucher towards the Canadian trip of your choice, while the second place winner will $500 worth of Lonely Planet books.

You can enter by going to Explore Canada like a local and browsing their featured trips. Select your favorite destination/activity and then copy the URL of your choice into the form on the Lonely Planet Facebook page. After filling in your information, you will be asked to explain in 200 characters or less why this trip is your dream Canadian experience.

Preferred Pride hotel program caters to LGBT travelers

by Jessica Festa on

Nearly 100 preferred hotel group members have joined together to create Preferred Pride, a network of independently owned and operated hotels that cater to the needs of the LGBT community. In addition to being “gay welcoming”, these hotels offer equal opportunity employment and are active in their efforts to support the LGBT community.

Certain requirements exist for hotels to be able to join Preferred Pride. Hotels must be either TAG Approved (Community Marketing’s Travel Alternative Group) or be a member of IGLTA (International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association).

The Preferred Pride program was created in order to bring together a diverse group of hotels from around the world who are committed to the LGBT community, as well as a way to learn more about what this community needs in order to have a more enjoyable travel experience.

Photography class mixes nude models with Italian landscapes

by Jessica Festa on

Master Photographer Mark Laurie of Inner Spirit Photography has created an annual workshop that most people only dream about. Revealing Venus, as the program is called, allows five photographers to travel to Italy and photograph glamour and nude models in off-the-beaten path settings in Sardinia. The trip not only includes instruction by Laurie, one-on-one shooting time with the models, inclusion in a published book, and the model released photos, but it is also all-inclusive, with a private chef and hotel transfers.

Tuition with a private room costs $4,250 CAD, but there are payment plans available. To get a better idea of what to expect, check out this video:


ProjectExplorer’s Thailand Launch Party raises $8,500 for global education

by Jessica Festa on

ProjectExplorer held their Thailand Launch Party on October 17, 2011, at the Tribeca Grand Hotel in New York. The event featured an auction, cocktail hour and after party, hors d’oeuvres, and the premier of the company’s new Thailand video series, “Sawasdee, Thailand!”.

The Thailand series has 50 videos total which are all free for students, as the mission of the organization is to “foster the next generation of global citizens by encouraging awareness of the world beyond a student’s own community through the creation and distribution of engaging and free multimedia educational materials”.

Andrew McCarthy, actor, director, and travel writer, spoke at the VIP screening of the event, which was followed by mingling, drinking, and eating. Tote bags filled with magazines (which included many destination travel articles) and a baked good were given to attendees.

With 200 in attendance at the event, ProjectExplorer was able to raise $8,500 toward their next educational series.

Check out the launch video for yourself:


Introduction to ProjectExplorer.org’s Sawasdee, Thailand! series from Jenny M. Buccos on Vimeo.

Be a part of Christmas history in Weimar, Germany

by Jessica Festa on

Did you know that the first Christmas tree was erected in Weimar, Germany? Or, that one of the most famous Christmas carols, “O, Du Fröhliche” was composed there, as well? If you’re looking to have a traditional Christmas as well as be a part of the holiday’s past, then Weimar may be the perfect place for you.

In the early 1800’s, on the night before Christmas, a man named Johann Wilhelm Hoffmann decided to do something special to cheer up the poor children of the town. So, he erected a Christmas tree outside his shop in the market square for the town to enjoy.

To celebrate Hoffmann’s gesture and the holiday, the Weimar Christmas Market will take place from November 24 to December 22, 2011. During this time, the town center is illuminated by tiny lights, the air smells of roasted nuts and just-baked Stollen cake, and carolers create the background music for the cozy scene. Visitors to the market can purchase items from craftsmen and traders, such as traditional pyramids and nutcrackers, glassware, and wooden toys from different parts of Germany. An ice skating rink, mulled wine, Santa Claus and, of course, a Christmas tree, are other things to look forward to at the event.