Aralake Travel

Learn About the New Developments At YTB!

2009-06-01T14:36:00.000-07:00

YTB (Your Travel Biz) has officially launched a shift from YTB Travel to YTB Travel 2.0 today, June 1, 2009, which involves the long-awaited shift to a franchising model for owning online travel stores, as well as the introduction of many additional services to their websites that now makes a YTB online travel agency more of an "internet travel center" that offers much more than just travel services. If you have always wanted to own your own online travel store, but you haven't taken the steps to do so yet, or you already own your own site but don't know about the new changes YTB is undergoing yet, you may be interested in hearing about the new developments that will be covered on tonite's official training call to discuss this transition. To listen, dial 1-641-594-7505, PIN: 601340# tonite, June 1, 2009, at 8:30 PM Eastern (7:30 PM Central, 6:30 PM Mountain, 5:30 PM Pacific). They are in the process of making some very exciting and lucrative changes to their structure, and now may be the perfect time to get involved as they take off in a new direction of travel services! (Note: If you have previously owned a YTB Travel Store but are now inactive and you would like to have your store re-instated, there is no charge to do so, you simply start paying your monthly website hosting fee again and you are back in business!). If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at (562) 394-1411 or Lara@AralakeTravel.com.

Aralake Travel-The Official Blog

Top Three Memorial Day Activities In Atlanta

2009-05-17T19:34:00.000-07:00

If you live in, or will be traveling to the Atlanta area over this upcoming Memorial Day weekend, you will find a variety of activities to celebrate the Memorial holiday in Atlanta. Three of the top activities you can choose from that will be commemorating those who have fallen while serving our country and protecting our freedom include the Salute to the Troops remembrance program, the Renaissance Festival in Atlanta, or perhaps a day of picnics, barbeques, and shoreside activities on Lanier Lake. There are many other ways, as well as other places, to celebrate Memorial Day, so be sure to check your city's website for activities and events scheduled in your area!

Aralake Travel-The Official Blog

The Top Eight Gatlinburg Attractions!

2009-04-30T22:55:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for a vacation destination with a wide range of attractions that will appeal to all members of your family, you may want to consider Gatlinburg, Tennessee for your next vacation retreat! Nestled in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, a Gatlinburg vacation offers fantastic attractions, and here are eight of the best:

Recreational activities in the great outdoors
Entertainment and music performances
Amusement centers
An aquarium
A space needle with gorgeous vistas of the Great Smoky Mountains
Dinner shows
Holiday events
And of course, shopping!

This is just a small sampling of the all that a Gatlinburg vacation has to offer...for the full effect, you'll just have to make some plans to visit soon!

Aralake Travel-The Official Blog

Sights On An African Safari

2008-12-09T23:17:00.001-08:00

There are many fantastic sights to see on an African safari...read all about them at African Safari - The Official Blog!

Aralake Travel-The Official Blog

Your Trips Deserve a Travel Blog!

2008-10-26T11:29:00.000-07:00

As a fan of blogging, I have often tried blogging my travel adventures while on a trip. Easier said than done! I usually wait until I get home, and then wait even longer as I am getting photos in order and trying to recall the details of the trip. By the time I get around to it, my whole trip is condensed into a small blog blurb which does not quite do justice to the full story of the trip. I think TravelPod may be the solution! Try it out the next time you go traveling...as you blog your trip, it will pin the location of each blog entry on a map to outline your route as you are traveling it. You can also upload photos to complement your entries. Granted you need to make frequent stops at internet cafes and other internet locations along the way, which isn't always easy. But if you're looking for a way to keep your friends and family updated on your adventures and trip route, TravelPod is a great option.

One trick I've recently learned which might make posting easier while on your trip is that if you have a multi-band international mobile phone that is bluetooth-enabled, it can be used as a hotspot for your laptop. In other words, wherever you can get internet access on your mobile phone (if you have an internet plan for it), you can then use your phone to get internet on your laptop, which can make posting much easier if you opt to carry your laptop with you but cannot find a local internet cafe. Make sure you check your mobile phone plan before traveling, as many of them offer international calling and internet features, but they are not always automatically enabled. Many require you to request any international features they may offer.

Aralake Travel-The Official Blog

Welcome To Aralake Travel!

2008-10-21T17:10:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Aralake Travel - The Official Blog! Here you will find numerous resources related to your vacation fun, such as links to our online booking engine and travel deals for competitive options the next time you are shopping for your airfare, hotel, car rental, or vacation trip. We offer the same great deals as the big online services such as Expedia, Orbitz, and Travelocity, and in fact, one of these is actually our partner, so you'll find some great price comparisons, as well as some extras you may not find on the other online sites, such as shopYTB, which allows you to set up a free account to shop at hundreds of stores you may already be shopping at online, but by doing so through the shopYTB portal you receive additional cash back (link is in top right-hand corner of the home page). Travel destinations, travel reviews, and even information on getting your own online travel agency if you find that you are doing more extensive and frequent business and personal trips can also be found in the link categories to the right.

We will be posting all kinds of travel-related tidbits here, especially accounts of our own trips for your reference. Even though most of these resources are designed to assist you in doing your own online research and booking, feel free to contact us at (562) 394-1411 for any additional assistance with your trip planning, and keep in mind that we specialize in organizing group trips, especially cruises. Check back often, and as always, Aralake Travel is dedicated to your vacation fun since 2007! Oh, and don't forget to enter our Trip Of a Lifetime Sweepstakes every month (link is located in the lower right-hand corner of the home page) for the chance to win a FREE vacation trip, woohoo!