Outsource Marketing Solutions blog

New travel restrictions

As you may know, federal authorities have issued
new security procedures that may impact any 
upcoming travel. 

As a result, you could experience delays at the
airport. Please remember to pack lightly, travel 
with little or no carry on baggage (due to the 
potential screening delays at the security 
checkpoints) and arrive approximately three hours prior 
to your scheduled take-off time. 

Here are some additional tips that may help you as you 
prepare for any upcoming trips. No liquids or gels will 
be permitted through airport screening checkpoints and 
they cannot be carried onboard. Keep in mind,
there are some restrictions to what items can be 
included in checked baggage. 

 Examples of prohibited carry on substances include:

-- Beverages (including those purchased at the airport)
-- Shampoo
-- Suntan lotion
-- Creams
-- Toothpaste
-- Hair gel
-- And other items of similar consistency

However, you will be able to carry on the following substances:

-- Baby formula, breast milk or juice for a traveling child
-- Medicine prescribed to you
-- Insulin and other essential non-prescription medicines 

And remember, including all your current contact information 
both inside and outside any baggage will help ensure that a 
bag separated from you finds its way back.

For the official word from TSA - click here.

 

Make Southwest More Customer Friendly!

Assigned seating! Assigned seating! I received the following from SWA and I am imploring you - if you are a Rapid Rewards member - click on the link, make sure that you have your RR# handy - you'll need it for the survey.  It's only 5 or 6 questions. Takes two seconds!

As you may have heard, Southwest Airlines is reviewing the idea of whether or not to add assigned seating to our service. Through the years, assigned seats have always been a top request from Customers who call or write to us. As we consider whether or not to assign seats, we are looking at it from many aspects, including the impact to our boarding times, revenue, and our Customers' opinion. If we decide to start assigning seats, it will not be before 2008, but we are giving it a thorough examination now.

You, our valued Rapid Rewards Members, know our service better than anyone, so your opinion is an important piece to this puzzle. You can weigh in on the age-old debate that has puzzled Customers, Employees, and scholars for years! Please take a moment to fill out our quick Assigned Seating Poll and tell us your vote. The poll will be available online for our Rapid Rewards Members through Friday, August 11, so feel free to pass this e-mail along to any friends or family who are Rapid Rewards Members who may not receive our Rapid Rewards E-mail Updates. The more, the better!

This poll is one of several very important steps of Southwest's ongoing look at assigned seating and how it could possibly be adapted to our unique business model. We look forward to your feedback.

Another September Florida Special

$69 -- Florida Waterfront Hotel w/FREE Upgrade

Ft. Lauderdale, Florida Travel dates: Midweek through October 8 (Weekends $20 more)

Top 20 deal - sells out quickly!

Stay waterfront at the Fort Lauderdale Grande Hotel & Yacht Club for just $69 per night (Sun.-Thu.), and receive a FREE upgrade to a Grande View room. This deal is also available on weekends for $20 more per night.  Either way, you save you up to 45% OFF regular prices.

Formerly the Fort Lauderdale Marina Marriott.

Blackout Dates:  Jul. 13-16; Aug. 21-23.  Book by July 5.

Click here to book online with the Fort Lauderdale Grande.
Or, call the hotel directly at 1-866-380-1110 and be sure to mention promo code:  FLG ZOO

You must use the link above to get the special rate.

Ft Lauderdale Travel Special

I got this from Travelzoo.com - awesome travel website. Sign up for their weekly newsletter. It's full of travel specials around the world.

$79 -- Ft. Lauderdale Resort w/Upgrade (Reg. $199)

Ft. Lauderdale, Florida Travel dates: Through Sept. 30

Stay across the street from the beach at the Bahia Mar Beach Resort & Yachting Center for only $79 per night (Sun.-Thurs.), and get a FREE upgrade to an ocean view room. Weekends are only $20 more per night. This deal is available through September.  During this time rooms regularly go for as much as $199 per night!

The Bahia Mar dates back to 1875. Today, this historic resort is in Ft. Lauderdale's beachfront and shopping district.  It has a marina that houses the area's largest yachts and offers a large variety of water activities. Other amenities: tennis courts, a restaurant, and fitness center. 16 miles north of Hollywood, Florida.

Click here to book online with the Bahia Mar.
Or call the resort directly at 1-888-80BAHIA (1-888-802-2442), and ask for rate code: BAHIAZOO

Volunteer Vacations

I just added two Volunteer Vacation sites to the Great Sites list on the left. 
Visit Conservacion Patagonica and/or American Hiking Society for some unbelievable volunteer vacation opportunities. 

Want a (practically) free trip to Maui?  You pay for your airfare and they'll pick you up at the airport, give you a place to stay - you've got to bring your own tent -  and they'll reimburse you 12 bucks a day for food.  You can use Kayak to find a great airfare - and NO, I do not work for nor do I get $$ from Kayak. I just think it's an incredibly useful airfare search site and you don't have to book through them and there are no service charges.

"Volunteers will play an important role in restoring this coastal environment by planting native plants. Work will include prepping the planting site (may include removal of some invasive plant species), digging holes with o'o (digging sticks), shovels and other hand tools and learning how to handle native species and then planting and watering them. If time permits, other work may include greenhouse work such as weeding, transplanting plants or starting seedlings."

Cambodia

Since we will be going to visit my parents in December I've been paying particular attention to travel ezines or blog posts on anything to do with Cambodia.  I liked this special Le Meridien has at Angkor Wat.