JetBlue is late to the game, but it has rolled out an app with high functionality despite its clean design. The airline developed its new digital strategy with the help of digital agency Rokkan, app developer DoubleEncore and the input of more than 15,000 customers.

The new app, available for download at the iTunes store, offers all the basics—booking, check-in and flight-status monitoring. Other features include weather reports for destination cities, and easy organization of past and upcoming trips. It also includes a virtual postcard tool and connectivity to social networks so users can share their travel experiences. In addition, travelers can scout in-flight amenities like snacks, beverages, movies and DIRECTV schedules.

JetBlue aimed for more personalization in designing its new platforms—what a user sees will depend on geo-targeting, booking history and any preferences they have entered into the TrueBlue rewards program. The website also includes a feature called “Pick Me Up” that allows users to not only share their itinerary with a friend in their destination city, but also to send that friend maps and traffic reports.

Travelers can expect to see better apps soon from other airlines, predicts Colleen Taylor writing at Gigaom.com. She points to a CNN story from last fall highlighting an Airline IT Trends Survey that found that more than 90 percent of carriers plan to increase their investment in mobile.

Photo: JetBlue

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Those were two unsurprising findings of a recent TripAdvisor survey that asked 1,200 travelers and 600 hotel owners and managers what they considered the most and least important amenities.

After Wi-Fi, the top-rated perks were free breakfast, loyalty points, a hotel restaurant, and a complimentary shuttle to area attractions and the airport. After turndown service, the amenities getting the lowest marks were pet-friendly policies, spa, organized excursions and room service.

Perhaps as important as knowing what guests want is knowing what they will do in order to get it. Just over half of travelers surveyed said they have canceled a reservation to take advantage of better amenities at a different property. And 65 percent percent say they have gone to the lobby or other common areas to avoid paying for wireless Internet, while 41 percent have never paid for Wi-Fi access.

TripAdvisor is calling the study a 360-degree survey because it polled both travelers and hoteliers. And the results show that hotels understand some of the things that their guests want, but are missing the mark on others. Hoteliers underestimated the importance of guest loyalty points and shuttle service, while overestimating the importance of pet policies and room service.

Following are the lists of most and least desired amenities.

Photos: TripAdvisor

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“The world is experiencing a travel boom and the United States needs to be part of it,” said Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association. “The impact of the $1.8 trillion U.S. travel industry is significant and growing, which is why we are galvanizing support and asking all Americans to ‘Vote Travel’ this election season.”

The Vote Travel campaign intentionally coincides with 2012 being an election year and provides an added opportunity for the organization to garner support for travel policy initiatives. Campaign goals include:

• Building support for travel industry policy and advocacy priorities among policymakers and the general electorate;
• Generating media attention surrounding the travel industry’s impact on the U.S. economy, as well as state and local economies, including specific congressional districts;
• Strengthening the travel industry’s visibility and relevance in Washington;
• Showcasing the critical importance of meetings and conventions with events during the Democratic and Republican conventions to target both convention attendees, as well as media;
• Deepening relationships with travel industry partners by helping them tell the story of the travel industry’s importance to the U.S. economy; and
• Building additional grassroots support for U.S. Travel and the Power of Travel Coalition through social media platforms.

“Travel supports more than 14 million jobs in local communities and states across the nation,” said Dow. “By casting a vote for travel, our industry can increase jobs, help our economy recover and get America moving.”

Hotel Room Discounts: Room 77 has kicked off 2012 by offering travelers 10 percent off any hotel booking, any time, even off already-discounted rates, for bookings made on its site between now and Feb. 22, 2012. There are no blackout dates and there is no limit to the number of times the discount may be applied. To receive the additional 10 percent off, enter NEWROOM77 when booking.

For users with existing reservations—even if the hotel was booked elsewhere—Room 77 is offering a chance to test out its Room Concierge service, which helps travelers get the room that best matches their preferences. For those with an upcoming reservation at a three-star and above hotel, simply email your itinerary to concierge@room77.com with VIP CONCIERGE in subject line.

Additional travel news of interest:

OTAs Settle Suit by Palm Beach County – Palm Beach Post
Peek Raises Money for Planning Tourism Activities – The New York Times Bits Blog
Yoga Room Now Open at SFO Airport – San Mateo County Times
Kayak Redesign: How and Why They Did It – Tnooz
Mexico Tourism Up – Bloomberg, Travel Weekly
Travel Hiring Is on the Rise – The New York Times

Photo: U.S. Travel Association/Vote Travel

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Workers test lifeboats on the ship Constellation.

Accidents on the magnitude of the recent Costa Concordia tragedy may be rare in the cruising industry, but one trade association has taken the crash as an indication that industry-wide safety standards need to be closely reevaluated.

The Cruise Lines International Association, based in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., announced today that it will undertake a cruise industry operational safety review aimed at assessing “the critical human factors and operational aspects of maritime safety.”

Components of the review will include:

1. An internal review by CLIA members of their own operational safety practices and procedures concerning issues of navigation, evacuation, emergency training, and related practices and procedures.

2. Consultation with independent external experts.

3. Identification and sharing of industry best practices and policies, as well as possible recommendations to the IMO for substantive regulatory changes to further improve the industry’s operational safety.

4. Collaboration with the IMO, governments and regulatory bodies to implement any necessary regulatory changes.

Days after the Concordia incident, parent company Carnival Corp. announced its own internal review of safety standards and emergency procedures, and joined CLIA in calling for the International Maritime Organization to share the findings of its investigation of the accident of the Italian coast.

Photo: Harve Cozanet for Marine-Marchande.net

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Milliken Creek Inn & Spa

Heart of Napa Authentic Trio at the Milliken Creek Inn & Spa, Napa Valley

Wine, chocolates, spa treatment—the holiday package from this 12-room luxury boutique property in Napa Valley has it all. Even better: it’s good weekends from Feb. 1 through July 31, 2012. The Milliken Creek package starts at $640 per night for two guests and includes a two-night stay, a five-hour luxury vehicle wine tour provided by Peralta Luxury Tours, gourmet boxed lunch and wine tasting at Crocker & Starr winery, cave tour and tasting at Keever Vineyards, barrel tasting at Fontanella Family Winery, 90-minute chocolate decadence couples spa treatment, and romantic turndown including rose petals, chocolate-covered strawberries and Champagne. Visit www.MillikenCreekInn.com or call 800-822-8418.

14 Days of Valentine’s at the Eventi Hotel, New York City

Can’t afford to splash “I love you” to your sweetheart on the monitor during a Knicks game at Madison Square Garden? Then this Valentine’s Day deal from Kimpton’s Eventi Hotel in New York City is just for you. In addition to a welcome bouquet of flowers and Champagne upon arrival, you’ll get a box of chocolate-dipped strawberries, dinner for two at Bar Basque or breakfast in bed, 14 percent off hotel spa treatments (trust me, they’re worth it—I stayed here the night before my wedding and had a fantastic facial and massage) and, here’s what you’ve been waiting for, a special Valentine’s Day message displayed on the HD-format LED screen located in the Big Screen Plaza next to the hotel. The package is available from Feb. 1 to 14, 2012, and rates start at $329 per night, depending on date and room type selected. Send monitor messages, up to 20 words, to info@bigscreenplaza.com by Feb. 1. Book online or call 866-996-8396 and mention the rate code LOVE.

Kimpton Hotels also is offering a Robe-mance special at participating hotels starting at $269 per night and includes two zebra- or leopard-print bathrobes (a $180 value) and a $25 food and beverage credit. Mention or enter ROBES in the rate-code box.

Pink Goes Green at the Shore Hotel, Santa Monica, California

Practical romantics will appreciate this beachside break from the eco-friendly Shore Hotel in Santa Monica, a newly built Silver LEED-registered property that uses local, sustainable, and recycled materials and products as much as possible. The Pink Goes Green package includes overnight accommodations, two bicycle rentals for use during your stay—ideal for morning or sunset rides along the beach, a bottle of organic Champagne or wine, a 60-minute couples massage at Tikkun Spa and a $50 credit to The Lobster Restaurant. Rates start at $469 per night. Call 310-458-1515 or visit www.shorehotel.com.

Hacienda San Angel

Sweetheart Serenade at the Hacienda San Angel, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Add the warmth of Mexico to your relationship with a trip to Puerto Vallarta on the Pacific Coast and a stay at the luxury boutique hotel Hacienda San Angel. Its Sweetheart Serenade Valentine’s Day package includes a three-night stay in a junior suite, private terrace dinner for two, private mariachi serenade on the terrace or from the cobblestone streets below, one in-suite massage per person and daily breakfast. The package is priced at $1,620 and is available for stays throughout the month of February. Call 877-815-6594 or visit www.haciendasanangel.com.

Valentine’s Day Package at the Rome Cavalieri in Rome, Italy

What could be more romantic than spending Valentine’s Day in one of the most romantic cities in the world—Rome? The overnight holiday package at the Rome Cavalieri, a Waldorf Astoria hotel, includes a padlock, and the hotel encourages couples to lock it to the lamppost at the Ponte Milvio bridge and throw the key into the Tiber River as a sign of their love. Even if you don’t go for romantic rituals, the hotel’s Valentine’s Day package also includes a bottle of Champagne and in-room chocolates, breakfast buffet and a three-course dinner for two at L’Uliveto restaurant, one Caribbean Moments spa package which includes use of the hydro-massage, saunas, Turkish bath, two St. Barth Harmony massages, two scrubs, two papaya facial masks and two cocktails at the Grand Spa Café. Rates start at 680 euros. Visit www.romecavalieri.com for more details.

Photos: Milliken Creek Inn & Spa, Hacienda San Angel

President Obama announced plans to increase travel to the United States from Disney World's Main Street, USA.

Thursday at Disney World in Orlando, President Barack Obama announced an executive order aimed at boosting international tourism visits to the United States. The initiative is getting a positive reception from the travel industry, which has advocated for years for some of the changes the new order includes. David Scowsill, president and CEO of the World Travel & Tourism Council, called it “a major step forward for the world’s biggest travel and tourism economy,” according to eTurboNews.

The President’s order includes plans aimed at promoting the United States as a travel destination and several moves that will make it easier for visitors to enter the country. It expands the visa waiver and Global Entry programs and calls for the creation of a task force to improve promotion efforts.

Changes will affect travelers from all over the world, but the administration called out three countries for special treatment—Taiwan, which is being added to the visa waiver program; and China and Brazil, which will see changes to their visa application processes that should lead to better access. Not a bad idea, considering that both are fast-growing and lucrative markets. The U.S. Travel Association estimates that Chinese visitors’ average spend per trip is $6,243, and Brazilians’ is $4,940.

The White House’s outline of the program can be viewed here. Below are the action steps the President called for:

• Create a joint task force between the Secretaries of Commerce and the Interior to promote domestic and inbound travel. A focus will be placed on promoting national parks, wildlife refuges, cultural and historic sites, monuments and other public lands.
• Increase non-immigrant visa processing capacity in China and Brazil by 40 percent in 2012.
• Ensure that 80 percent of non-immigrant visa applicants are interviewed within three weeks of receipt of application.
• Add Taiwan to the visa waiver program, allowing Taiwanese nationals to visit the United States for tourism or business for up to 90 days with no visa. This would be the tenth country added since 2008. The recommendation to add Taiwan is pending Department of Homeland Security approval.
• Create a Department of Commerce website for travelers from key markets that culls visa-process information and statistics from across the federal government.
• Launch pilot program and rule change for visa processing in China and Brazil, with the goal of streamlining the non-immigrant visa process for certain applicants. Changes will include waiving interviews for very low-risk applicants, such as those replying for renewals and younger or older first-time applicants from Brazil.
• Expand the Global Entry Program to four more airports—Charlotte, Denver, Minneapolis and Phoenix. The Global Entry Program, created in 2008, expedites pre-approved, low-risk travelers from abroad. The administration estimates that this expansion will make the program active at airports that service 97 percent of arrivals to the United States.
• Appoint 32 private-sector executives to the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board. The full list can be viewed on the Department of Commerce website. Companies represented include Sabre Holdings, JetBlue Airways, Mall of America and Marriott International.

Photo: Official White House Photo by Sonya N. Hebert; Whitehouse.gov

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The Costa Concordia, docked during one of its early years at sea.

The details of how the accident occurred and how the evacuation was handled by crew are also still being investigated. And the impact on the cruise industry and on Carnival Corporation, which owns Costa Cruises, is also undetermined. Carnival says that its insurance deductible on damage to the ship will cost $30 million, and its personal injury liability insurance carries a $10 million deductible. The company estimates that the loss of use of the Concordia for at least several months will set Carnival back $85 million to $95 million.

Many early reports in U.S. media painted a picture of an emergency poorly managed by the vessel’s staff. For example, take this line from a CNN story: “Some crew members helped passengers and then jumped overboard, passengers said; remaining crew members seemed helpless to handle the melee.” In public statements, Costa has commended the reaction of its crew, but has harsher criticism for the ship’s captain, Francesco Schettino, who it blames for deviating from the prescribed course and causing the accident.

Unfortunately for cruise operators and travel agents, the accident occurred early during “wave season,” the peak cruise-booking period, which runs from January through March. This has ratcheted up speculation that the tragedy could cause a softening in the cruise market this year. And TravelAgentCentral.com points out that April will mark the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, which will also put cruising in the news for negative reasons.

As for the possible effect on the industry, here are some thoughts from experts:

“It’s hard to see the industry not experiencing at least a small short-term slowdown from this,” Florida-based Simon Duvall of SimonCruises.com tells USA Today. “The images and stories coming out of Italy are shocking even to those of us who love cruising and consider it safe, so to a first-timer or someone who is nervous about it, [this] very well might be a deal breaker.” — USA Today

Some investors may switch holdings into Royal Caribbean after the Concordia incident, according to Tim Ramskill, an analyst at Credit Suisse in London. “If the industry already didn’t face enough challenges—fuel price volatility, capacity absorption and weakness in the European economy—this unfortunate event will reverberate on the group,” he said. — Bloomberg BusinessWeek

[Brian] Robertson, [certified travel consultant and owner, Robertson International Travel Consultants], said the accident will not negatively impact his ability to sell cruises either short-term or long-term, or to change the way his agency sells: “People have a very short memory when it comes to this type of accident,” he believes. — TravelAgentCentral.com

As the story of the tragedy of the Costa Concordia continues to unravel, one good source of information is Cruise News Daily’s Cruiseblogger, which is adding updates to one continuously updated post, Costa Concordia Evacuated.

Photo: Aah-Yeah (flickr, CC2.0)

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The online survey was conducted by Echo Research from Dec. 27 to 30, 2011, with results culled from a random sample of 2,000 U.S. adults. In addition to overall results, responses were divided into two sub-groups: Affluent—defined as having a minimum annual household income of $100,000 (562 respondents), and Young Professionals—defined as being younger than 30 year of age, with a college degree and a minimum household income of $50,000 (532 respondents).

Overall respondents deemed travel and vacations their No. 2 category (22 percent) for desired spending in 2012, behind home improvements (23 percent). Just 16 percent chose travel in 2011. Travel was No. 1 within the affluent and young professionals sub-groups, however, up 11 points to 32 percent and eight points to 46 percent, respectively.

Where are people getting the money for their increased travel? While the economic outlook remains uncertain, 35 percent of Americans say they are optimistic about their finances in the year ahead, with savings projected to be nearly three times what they were in 2011—$7,633 vs. $2,632.

Reward points are an important source of travel funds too—54 percent of consumers with leisure travel plans say they will redeem credit card reward points to help pay for travel, with 33 percent doing so for hotels and 31 percent for flights. Between genders, 59 percent of men say they will use points compared to 50 percent of women.

Forty percent of all travelers already have planned their first trip of 2012, with 17 percent having booked. For affluents, 22 percent have booked while 36 percent have completed planning. For young professionals, 17 percent have booked, 53 percent have planned.

Additional leisure-travel findings:

• 50 percent of all Americans plan to travel within the 50 states,
• 22 percent will venture abroad,
• 26 percent of men plan to travel overseas compared to 18 percent of women,
• 41 percent will choose a beach vacation,
• 20 percent will take a cruise, and
• 77 percent will fly to their destination, with 48 percent saying they’ll fly more in 2012 than they did in 2011.

If budget were no issue, 34 percent of overall Americans would choose North America as their destination, while just 26 percent of affluents and young professionals would. One in four overall prefer Europe (25 percent), while 37 percent and 38 percent of affluents and young professionals, respectively, do. Third most popular choice for both overall respondents and the affluent sub-group is Australia (12 percent), while 16 percent of young professionals would take off for Asia and the Pacific.

“The survey suggests good news for the travel industry,” says Claire Bennett, senior vice president and general manager of American Express Travel. “Consumers are planning to invest more in travel and nearly a quarter are setting aside a separate travel budget to help them meet their 2012 travel goals.”

Photo: American Express

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He gets a chance to prove his worth this Sunday, or at least expand his audience, when he and his company are featured on the season-three premier of the CBS television show “Undercover Boss.” The reality series previously has featured two other hospitality bosses, from Choice Hotels and Great Wolf Lodge.

Founded in 2006, the Las Vegas-based Diamond Resorts is a growing time-share company, with more than 200 resorts in 28 countries. The management team focuses on taking over struggling vacation-ownership properties, sprucing them up and turning them around. Cloobeck, who also is chairman of Brand USA (formerly the Corporation for Travel Promotion), a public-private partnership that promotes the United States as a destination to international travelers, says Diamond Resorts is unlike most traditional vacation-ownership companies in that it operates like an FIT business, uses a points system, and guests can stay any length of time, from one night to multiple months.

This “Undercover Boss” episode shows Cloobeck as new hire “Jack Fisher,” whose ruse is that he is being filmed for another reality show about hating his job and starting over in a new career. His supposed previous job was as a morgue attendant for 20 years. In a disguise that features an obvious wig and make up that took an hour each day to apply, “Fisher” gets trained at a call center in Miami and works in maintenance and at the front desk at three different U.S. properties, in Sedona and Scottsdale, Arizona, and Williamsburg, Virginia.

In keeping with the formula of the show, the segments address some work issues specific to the company, but understood beyond the business’ industry—in this case, problems with call center workers, maintaining brand consistency among properties and how to handle overbookings. There are a few “tense” moments—including a fire and Cloobeck having to stand next to a poster of his undisguised self, a couple heartbreaking ones, and, at the end, pretty amazing gifts to the participating employees.

One of the complaints about “Undercover Boss” is that it rarely shows realistic work situations (which, frankly, can be said about most workplace-based reality TV programs). Another is that it’s primarily a public relations vehicle for the companies that participate. Indeed, there were no mentions in the episode of some problems Diamond Resorts apparently is having with some properties, as referenced in user comments on the show’s website.

Still, the main purpose behind participating in such a show should be to learn how to improve a company’s operations. So what were the major takeaways from the experience for Cloobeck and his management team?

“The biggest lesson learned was how important training is, especially when you have such a large staff with a broad range of education and experience,” says Cloobeck, adding that since filming ended a few months ago, he created a corporate-wide training program to address those needs.

Management also has addressed staffing schedules, technology upgrades, and equipment and supply needs.

Cloobeck, a former bodybuilder who made his fortune as a shopping mall developer, also learned that in addition to focusing on guest needs, you also need to take care of talented and dedicated employees, especially as they may be experiencing family and financial difficulties in their personal lives.

To honor that lesson, Cloobeck launched a charitable emergency fund about two weeks ago, from which needy employees can apply for assistance. “I give away anywhere from $250,000 to $500,000 each year to charities and organizations around the world and realized that there were people I could help right in front of me, in my company.”

Photo: Diamond Resorts

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A higher percentage of travelers in all four markets are turning to review sites such as TripAdvisor—21 percent of French and German travelers consulted one in 2011, an increase of 8 and 7 percentage points, respectively.

Although the use of traveler review sites is increasing across the board, U.S. and German travelers still put more stock in the reviews they find on OTA sites, according to PhoCusWright. The percentage of U.S. travelers who called traveler review sites slightly or very influential decreased from 65 percent in 2011 to 59 percent in 2010. Meanwhile, the portion who said the same about reviews on OTA sites held steady at 73 percent. Travelers in the United Kingdom and France are much more likely to be influenced by traveler review websites.

Competition for travelers’ eyeballs is not a zero-sum game, the study confirmed. Travelers in all four markets visited an average of three to five sites before booking, according to the report, “Destination Unknown: How U.S. and European Travelers Decide Where to Go.”

Photo: TripAdvisor.com

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