Archive for November, 2009

How to get a duplicate US passport -Anderson Cooper AC360

Chris Guillebeau
AC360° Contributor

This post is relevant for readers with U.S. passports who travel frequently. If you don’t fit in that group, feel free to skip this one — or just read it for the entertainment value.

I’ve mentioned a few times that I have two U.S. passports, and each time at least one person asks me how that works. Well, I’ll tell you exactly how I got the second passport, and what you need to do if this would help you too.

First, the need for a second passport. Why bother?

U.S. passports are good for a number of reasons: notably, they are valid for 10 years, and when you fill up the pages with lots of stamps and visas, the State Department in Washington, D.C. or any embassy abroad will issue more pages at no charge. I’ve had three passport page extensions so far, and without that option I would have needed at least four passports by this point. No other major country of which I am aware offers a passport that includes both of these important features. Read the rest of this entry »

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Tags: duplicate, get, how to, passport, US passport

PRIDE Travel Receives 2009 Gold Davey Award From International Academy of Visual Arts for Amazing Thailand Commercial

Pride TravelIn announcing the winners of the 2009 Davey Awards, the International Academy of Visual Arts recognized PRIDE Travel with its highest award, a Gold Davey, for the independent in-house production of the “Amazing Thailand” commercial promoting Thailand as a travel destination. The commercial was produced in-house by PRIDE Travel’s owner and CEO Marc R. Kassouf using only a standard office PC, readily available home and office video editing software Roxio, and old fashioned trial and error until the final finished product was attained. The original footage was provided by the Tourism Authority of Thailand, and although informative was not intended as an audiovisual whole or to be used as a commercial. Mr. Kassouf initiated the project in order to promote the destination with a short commercial video at trade shows and events, and add it to other similar destination videos. “I am ecstatic that PRIDE Travel has won a Davey Award for the Amazing Thailand commercial” said Kassouf, adding that “to win a Davey is a great honor, a Gold Davey even more gratifying as recognition for all the work done and many hours spent on the production” The Amazing Thailand commercial is available for online viewing on YouTube directly via the following URL : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ep0NG8Q2i9k

With over 4,000 entries from across the US and around the world, the Davey Awards honor the finest creative work from the best small firms, agencies and companies worldwide. The Davey Awards are judged and overseen by the International Academy of the Visual Arts (IAVA), a 200+ member organization of leading professionals from various disciplines of the visual arts dedicated to embracing progress and the evolving nature of traditional and interactive media. Current IAVA membership represents a “Who’s Who” of acclaimed media, advertising, and marketing firms including Read the rest of this entry »

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Tags: award, Davey, Gold, PRIDE, pride travel, travel

PRIDE Travel Engaged by Celebrity Music Artists Jason and deMarco to Organize Wedding Cruise for Friends, Family and Fans

Pride TravelFollowing other recent celebrity and public figures that became clients, PRIDE Travel of Long Beach, California, was retained by musical artists Jason and deMarco to organize and coordinate a cruise the summer of 2010 celebrating their wedding. The couple will be sailing with friends, family, and fans on Carnival’s Conquest roundtrip from Galveston, Texas near the newly-wed’s Texas home May 2010 on a seven night Caribbean Cruise. The cruise will depart from Galveston, cruising the Gulf of Mexico with stops in Freeport Bahamas, Nassau Bahamas, and Key West, Florida, and return to Galveston.

A special cruise group has been setup by PRIDE Travel with Carnival Cruises, with limited space available for fans to book and sail with the artists. Read the rest of this entry »

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Tags: cruise, DeMarco, fan, Jason, Jason and DeMarco, Jason DeMarco, wedding

PRIDE Travel Owner and CEO Named Co-Chair of International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association’s Diversity Committee

Pride TravelFurther deepening ties and contributions by PRIDE Travel’s owners and employees to the organization, owner and CEO Marc R. Kassouf was appointed co-chair, Diversity Committee of the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association (IGLTA). In his continuing duties as a member of the Committee, Mr. Kassouf now takes on additional strategic and administrative roles to help facilitate the production of plans and processes to fulfill the Committee’s mission as tasked by the Board of Directors of IGLTA. Bryan Herb, IGLTA Board Chairman elaborated that the Diversity committee is charged with creating actionable plans for IGLTA staff to diversify the membership geographically, by member type, and demographically. “We’re pleased to have Marc onboard as co-chair” Herb said, adding that “his efforts to date on the committee have been excellent and he has contributed many fresh ideas.”

PRIDE Travel has been an active member and supporter of IGLTA, Read the rest of this entry »

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Tags: IGLTA, International Gay Lesbian Travel Association, pride travel

PRIDE Travel LGBT Leisure Travel Sales Ahead of National Community Marketing Inc Year to Year Average With Slight Increase

Pride TravelIn contrast to trends observed and being released by Community Marketing, Inc. (CMI), PRIDE Travel sales to lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgendered (LGBT) leisure is up slightly for the year ending 2009 according to S. Nathan DePetris, its Chief Operations Officer and owner. “We have seen growth not only in the number of LGBT Leisure clients booking trips,” noted DePetris, “but also in the length of travel” Adding that although more clients were staying closer to home, those that are journeying afield are traveling farther and for longer, taking advantage of the economic downturn’s many values that have been injected into and became available as travel products this year.

According to CMI, LGBT leisure travel was only slightly down overall during the past 12 months, but held reasonably steady despite the recession. “Less affected by economic downturns than their mainstream counterparts… LGBT leisure travelers remain an important niche market for tourism and hospitality,” Roth said. Read the rest of this entry »

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Tags: gay, lgbt, lgbtq, PRIDE, pride travel, travel

PRIDE Travel Returns from Korea Discovery and Seoul City Journey, Finds New Exciting Destination for Clients to Explore

Pride TravelParticipants in the Seoul Tourism Organization sponsored and hosted event return home with a fresh perspective on the fascinating culture, attractions, and exotic cuisine that form the facets of Asia’s sparkling jewel, Korea. The familiarization tour included five fast paced full days split between Gwangju, Korea’s southern culinary capital, and Seoul, it’s vibrant cultural and thriving metropolitan heart. Connecting the two cities, Korea’s KTX fast train serves as an international model of civility, hospitality, and technology in transport.

PRIDE Travel owner and Chief Operations Officer S. Nathan DePetris participated by special invitation of the Seoul Tourism Organization, joining delegates from US tour operators, journalists, travel writers, food critics, and even renowned chefs and foodies. Highlights of the trip in the southern region include visiting the eco preserve at Suncheon Bay, nearby folk village of Nagak Eup Seong, the Gwangju Design Biennale, visiting the spectacularly serene Bo Seong green tea fields, and making his own Kimchi at the Nam Do folk food museum. In Seoul, just a few of the many facets sampled were tours and stays at world-class ultra luxury hotels and resorts such as the Grand Hyatt Seoul, the W Hotel Walker Hill, and the JW Marriott, with cultural visits to the Gyeong Bok Palace, Nanta show performance, TODES performance, and a cultural cuisine kaleidoscope experience at the Korean House center.

“I was surprised,” said Mr. DePetris, referring to the many pleasant experiences had on the trip, “but not by how rich the culture and heritage is in Korea and Seoul… rather that it remains an undiscovered part of Asia by most Americans”. Restaurant owner and Chef Tommy Klauber was caught on many occasions raving about the uniqueness of the cuisine and cooking in Korea; words such as “Full” and “Rich” were often heard paired with “Unique” or “Delicious”. Read the rest of this entry »

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Tags: Asia, gay, Korea, Seoul, tour, travel