Priceline tweets away

Brilliant campaign from Priceline.com starring William Shatner. It's amazing how offering something for nothing (or a simple Twitter follow) incentivizes people. Check it out: http://travelweekly.com/article3_ektid193738.aspx

Now the trick is to capture the actual ROI for Twitter outreach. Suggestions? Leave a comment.

Ice cream hot spots

Interconnectivity is the wonder of social media, is it not? Which brings me to my point. I just became a fan of Ralph's Italian Ices on Facebook. Therein lies the inspiration for this original content post. For all two of you reading this here they are in extremely important order -- the best ice cream joints in the world are:

Giolitti, Rome, Italy
Ralph's Italian Ices, Staten Island, NY
Leopold's, Savannah, GA

And winners for best local ice cream hot spot goes to Powell's Sweet Shoppe in Boulder and the Walrus in Fort Collins, Colo.

Staycation, business trip or romantic honeymoon, these fine establishments belong on every must do list.

Vacation libations

This travel list piqued my interest. And I've yet to touch down in any of the destinations -- perplexing, I know. If you've raised a toast in any of the listed establishments, or others that deserve a place on the hallowed Reuters Iconic Drinkeries list, leave a comment.

In other important news, Guinness is 250 years old. Celebrate!

Worldly loos

The toilets at Buckingham Palace's Royal Mews drip with elegance from the colorful tile mosaics to the linen hand towels. You'd never expect a horse stable to provide such finery. Then you have the self-contained and cleaning airstream-type facilities that dot the rues of Paris. Not the best if you're claustrophobic. Hidden secrets of foreign cultures are there for the discovering. For all aspiring anthropologists, here's an entertaining slide show:

http://travel.msn.com//Guides/MSNTravelSlideShow.aspx?cp-documentid=1003838>1=41000

Corporate Travel

Here's an interesting article about corporate travel managers. Aside from occasional blunders (auto execs breezing into D.C. in corporate jets), they're the grease that keeps companies moving. Any CTM worth their salt considers comfortable accommodations as well as the company's bottom line. And although I couldn't do it, I'm sure many CTM's do their jobs without dwelling on the ultimate injustice: spending their careers making travel arrangements, rather than traveling.

http://www.cobizmag.com/articles/pin-a-medal-on-your-corporate-travel-manager/

DOT: Fewer airline complaints

Breathe a sigh of relief. Whether you're racking up the miles as a seasoned business traveler or towing the kids and all the gear to Arizona for a week at Grandma's, things are looking up for you. Either we've become complacent with the level of service offered by commercial airlines and have given up on complaining, or we are actually finding less to complain about. Whatever the reason, there has been a drop in customer service complaints made to major airlines.

http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_12086303

That is, unless this guy is your pilot.
http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_12089681

When Tables Turn

Going through airport security is a major stressor. Ever thought how the screeners feel -- staring at a 13-inch television screen for hours at a time, reminding travelers to remove their shoes and pocket change? Denver's International Airport's screeners are micro-managed and harassed by their supervisors to the point that their job performance suffers. Something to think about the next time you're stepping through that metal detector.

http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_12074470