Nowadays, moving a business from offline to online becomes a sort of good-style marketing among large and medium companies. If a company does not have at least a promo-website, that is considered to be either as oldie ignorance or as a scoped marketing. Indeed, the Internet sales are in the speedy reincarnation after the painful 2002 dotcom-crash. No doubt, doing business online becomes profitable and less-costly than selling stuff from offline shops or stocks.

Lets look what consequences this trend brings to the touristic sectors. The trend kicks first of all the so called tour operators, that organize and provide a complete tour packages including tickets, accommodation and excursions. In the old (no-Internet) days, that was a great offer for a traveler. Get one tour package that includes everything, without any calls and organization issues â?? that was great and easy. Therefore, we can see so many tour operators jumping from nowhere around us last decades.

However, with introduction of the internet-order-opportunities the tour operators are in danger. There are number of factors that lead a tourist to use the online-services instead of going to the tour operator office or website:

- Online booking services provide lower rates because they (a) have direct agreement with hotels, car rentals or airlines, (b) do not need to rent offline offices, and (c) they just have larger turnover.

- Normally, the international booking services (for instance for hotels – Booking, Hotels.com, Orange Smile Tours, HRS, Venere, HotelsDiscount) have much larger amount of hotels and provide extensive choice for their clients.

- A client can control his travel arrangement right from his home computer, without going to the operator office and signing the package.

- The online reservations can be easily cancelled sometimes even 12 hours before check-in.

These beneficial factors actually turn more and more people towards the online services. In order not to be forgotten and abandoned, some tour operators already started looking at the ways to bring their business to the online. Their mobility in this aspect might play an important role in their survival. Future will show how effective the tour operators can be in the online business. Anyway, our prognosis concludes that in several years we probably will not notice the standard tour-operator-offices at our streets anymore.

Visiting inland countries is impossible on an ocean cruise and so it is worthwhile looking at Danube river cruises instead. If you want to see some rural areas in countries such as Austria, Romania, Hungary, Croatia and Germany, then it can be done by taking these kinds of western Europe cruises. There are over 2,000 miles of the Danube River to be explored.
Such river trips travel at a slower pace than ocean cruises and offer more in the way of sightseeing from the comfort of the boat. You can take the time to sit and relax, watching the ordinary villages going about their daily business. Trips like Danube river cruises use smaller vessels, usually carrying around 200 passengers, giving you the chance to get to know your fellow shipmates a whole lot better.
It is a myth that western Europe cruises lack comfort and style in comparison to the large ocean going boats. You will find everything you need and expect in the luxurious cabins and many have en-suite facilities or showers. Many of the boats have large balconies where you can enjoy the views close up. Other activities onboard include spas, steam rooms, fitness centers, cinemas and sports.
The river boat itinerary also means that you have the chance to investigate rural towns and villages. Check out some unknown beauty spots and lesser known landmarks at your leisure. The itinerary still includes stops at renowned cities and towns where you have the chance to browse the major tourist attractions of each country on the route.
It is also possible to enjoy themed Danube river cruises; you could specifically go on a musically inspired trip or visit the colorful Christmas markets to do some shopping. Also on offer are themes cruises relating to golf, walking and children’s activities.
These types of western Europe cruises can be found quite readily on the internet. Here you will find websites that provide more detailed information on the packages available and allow you to reserve your place. Upon booking, it is advisable to let the cruise company know of any particular dietary needs or mobility issues.
The amount of time that you can spend on a river cruise inordinately varies. Numerous companies offer short breaks which last for several days. You can opt for a river cruise which lasts 14 days or longer.
No matter what your group dynamic is, you will find many Danube river cruises to suit your needs. They are a great opportunity to take in sights and sounds that would otherwise be missed. It is a great adventure that will stick in your mind for many years to come.

Choosing Western Europe cruises will give you a fantastic opportunity to visit some of the most influential and important cities in the world. This can all be enjoyed whilst relaxing in beautiful and comfortable accommodation. These cruises take you round the coasts of western countries so you can explore places including Barcelona, Gibraltar, Dublin, Amsterdam and Brussels.
The accommodation is first rate and there are numerous great facilities on board for you to enjoy. The larger cruise ships have spas, steam rooms, hair salons, casinos, cinemas and gymnasiums. There are also many activities aimed at children so they will not become bored very easily.
The ship’s itinerary will allow you to disembark the vessel at various ports around Europe. You can spend the day taking in the local sights and attractions as well as doing a spot of shopping. You may wish to indulge in some other activities such as playing a round of golf, swimming or going pony trekking.
If the ocean waves do not particularly appeal to you, the alternative is a Rhine river cruise. The boats that are employed for a Rhine river cruise are somewhat smaller than their ocean faring cousin. They take as little as 200 passengers on board at a time. You get to enjoy stunning scenery and travel at a slow pace close to the shoreline.
A popular way to take a Rhine river cruise is to take a themed trip. This offers you the opportunity to indulge in something that you love doing whilst on board the river boat. Several themes available include golf, walking, wine tasting and cooking.
Searching for Western Europe cruises can be done on the internet and numerous operators allow you to book your chosen package on their website. Remember to mention any specific requirement such as dietary or mobility issues.
The duration of Western Europe cruises is variable and it is an ideal option whether you have only a few days spare or a full month’s vacation time. It is possible to fly to any of the destinations to start your cruise and then fly back again when you are ready to leave. This way you still get to sample some of the major attractions and excellent service aboard the cruise liner.
Western Europe cruises are fun and appealing for any type of person and you will find packages that are adequate for your requirements. After you have chosen and booked you trip, you can look forward to having one of the best experiences of your life.

Alabama, nicknamed “The Heart of Dixie” is known for its heritage as a key southern state. Today the state contains an exciting mixture of old and new. From traditional agricultural events to high-tech rocketry, there’s something for everyone.

Some highlights to visit in Alabama include:

1. Ave Maria Grotto (in Cullman): Also known as “Jerusalem in Miniature”, and constructed by Brother Joseph Zoetti, a Benedictine monk, the Ave Maria Grotto is a 4 acre park containing 125 miniature reproductions of famous shrines and historical buildings from around the world.

2. Battleship Memorial Park (in Mobile): Home to the battleship USS Alabama, the submarine USS Drum, as well as many tanks and aircraft.

3. Bellingrath Gardens and Home (Southwest of Mobile): A beautiful 65-acre garden estate that offers walking tours, cruises on the Fowl river, and is home to an award-winning rose garden.

4. Birmingham Museum of Art (in North Birmingham): Contains an outstanding collection of over 21,000 works of art.

5. DeSoto Caverns Park (Southeast of Birmingham): offers guided tours through the state’s biggest cave which is 12 stories high and larger than a football field. There are also a variety of family attractions in the park outside the caverns.

6. Early Works Museum Complex (in Huntsville): An impressive complex of three history museums including a hands-on history museum for children and a railroad museum.

7. International Motorsports Hall of Fame Museum (in Talladega): This museum, next door to the Talladega Superspeedway records and celebrates the history of motorsports. Exhibits include the Budweiser rocket car which was the first car to break the speed of sound.

8. Noccalulua Falls Park (in Gadsden): A 250-acre public park containing a legendary waterwall, as wall caves, Indian and civil war carvings, a pioneer homesteed, a mini-golf course, a petting zoo, and more.

9. Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail (throughout Alabama): A must for golf-lovers. The Trail is a result of the largest golf course construction project ever attempted. and contains over 400 holes spread across multiple sites around the state.

10. US Space & Rocket Center (in Huntsville): contains the United States’ largest collection space memorabilia and rockets including the Pathfinder shuttle simulator and a Saturn V moon rocket.

You can find out about all these attractions in Alabama, and others in the state too, at:

http://www.vacation2usa.com/p1_state_alabama_attractions.php

The wildlife of Botswana is big and diversified. This landlocked nation in Southern Africa gives shelter to a huge range of nice and helpful species including beetles, grasshopers, flies, mosquitoes, HIV-carrier monkeys and man-charging elephants.
The birdlife is particularily interesting there with its bataillon of green-backed herons and pel’s fishing owls that actually interest no one apart from Kalahari-born tour guide Dantes Liebenberg and his starving cat.

Among all this colorful abundance, there are some unlucky under-populated species who must fight for survival on a daily basis. Abandonned by nature, they’re too short in numbers to go for group hunting, they’re too weak to defend against hungry predators. As a consequence they must hide night and day in their sky-high glass-towers. They can’t travel across the land but by using private planes. They have to sit in the back of limousines to skim through the streets of Gaberones, the capital of Botswana.

You know of course who I’m talking about: the rich guy. Even if Botswana ranks pretty well economically by African standards, the rich guy must be on his guard whenever he risks himself out of his only safe spot: the five-star hotels of Phakalane.

As soon as he reaches one of the villages circling the city, he may come face to face with a vicious Bantou speaking the setswana. This deadly encounter cannot be settled by force. American dollars can sometimes do the job, but not always. Sometimes the greedy Bantou, emboldened by the backing of his 76 brothers, asks for more: gold watch, mobile phone, leather shoes… And the rich guy has no other choice than to lay on the floor in a posture of submission. But even that won’t always save his life…

That’s it for this episode. Coming soon, the next endangered species of Bostwana: the country boy