Posted on Sunday, 06.08.08
Travel Briefs | Air pass to Tahiti
TOP HONORS
Editor wins award
Miami Herald Travel Editor Jane Wooldridge won first place in travel writing in the recent Sunshine State Awards, presented by the South Florida chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. The award was for a trio of stories about locations around the globe.
IN THE AIR
Moscow, Tahiti and more
Despite all the dreadful news about shrinking airline routes and increased fees, airlines do still offer deals -- and even new routes.
American Airlines has just announced new daily service from Chicago to Moscow -- AA's first flights to the Russian capital. Introductory fares throughout this summer are said to be 25 percent lower than ''regular'' fares, according to American. For travel later this month, we found a roundtrip fare from Miami to Moscow of $1,228 plus $85 in taxes. www.aa.com.
Air Tahiti Nui is nodding to penny-pinchers with a $999 airpass that includes airfare from Los Angeles to Australia, New Zealand and Tahiti. For another $99, you can leave from New York. You must book by June 30 for travel through Oct. 31. Book through Travelscene at www.travelscene.com, 866-914-4465.
South African Airways has announced airfare of $790 roundtrip from New York or Washington, D.C., to Dakar, Senegal, or five South African cities, including Cape Town and Johannesburg. Tickets must be booked by June 20 for travel Oct. 5- Dec. 6 or Jan. 7-March 31, 2009. www.flysaa.com, or 800-722-9675. (Yes, South Africa has been experiencing some turmoil; for security updates see http://travel.state.gov.)
BEIJING
Rooms at the inns
There are still plenty of hotel rooms available for the Beijing Olympics.
Director of Beijing's Tourism Bureau Zhang Huiguang says the crunch that was predicted doesn't seem to be happening.
She said that about 500,000 foreigners were expected for the games, a figure Beijing officials have long been predicting. But only 77 percent of capacity at Beijing's five-star hotels have been booked during the Aug. 8-24 Olympic Games, and the four-star hotel rate is only 44 percent. And it's even lower for three- and two-stars.
-- ASSOCIATED PRESS
DIGITAL PIXLearn from the pros
The Society of American Travel Writers will host its first Digital Photography Seminar July 24-27 in Milwaukee. Seminars will cover topics of finding photo agents, getting involved with stock photo agencies, travel photography as art, managing and processing images using Adobe Lightroom, keywording, equipment and preparing images for publication. Tuition is $300 for professionals, $150 for students; participants are responsible for their own lodging and transportation. Info: 414-540-6636; www.satw.org/digitalphotoinstitute.
-- COMPILED BY
JANE WOOLDRIDGE
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