Anatolia Tours and Travel

All holiday travellers desire to travel light but it is more important nowadays when airlines impose high surcharges and even some flights restrict carry-on baggage for security reasons.

Some other advantages of traveling light will be that you won’t need to pay porters if you can carry yourself, you’ll spend less time at the airports (waiting for one bag instead of two at luggage collection), less risk to lose any belongings to damage or misrouting. For more tips you can also watch the recent movie “Up in the Air”.

The Society of American Travel Writers recently came up with 10 tips to reduce the weight of your luggage when traveling. The first test is asking yourself “Do I really need to carry this?”; if item passes this test you can apply the 10 recommendations listed below:

1-Stick to single color scheme when you pack, this will reduce the need to pack multiple pairs of shoes, bags etc. Choose dark color that does not show dirt, and brighten with light accessories.

2- Carry heavy items on yourself, like your coat or heaviest pair of shoes. Make sure you have lighter layers inside so you can shed when it gets warm on the plane.

3-Pack synthetic microfiber clothing; they are light, you can easily wash in a sink and they will dry overnight. Furthermore they will not wrinkle so you don’t need to iron them or carry extra clothes if you don’t like wearing wrinkled clothes.

4-Allocate a budget to buy new lightweight luggage; older bags were made of heavy materials, however new bags are stronger and weigh half of their older counterparts.

5-Whenever there is no restriction to have a carry-on bag or limit for its weight, pack all heavy items in your carry-on bag. Cameras, books, shoes, medications are ideal to carry with you and to lighten up your luggage.

6-Pack only small bottles of shampoo and toiletries and buy them at the destination. In your carry-on bags, you can carry only one plastic zip-lock bag that includes 3.4 ounce (or less) bottles. Packing bigger bottles in your checked in luggage is something you should avoid, they can spill and spoil your clothes, and surely will increase the weight of your bag.

7-Rather than packing your best clothes, it is smarter to pack your older clothes, shoes, underwear etc. You can wear them during your trip and toss them away before you return home. You’ ll have extra room for your souvenirs and less dirty laundry when you come back.

8-Don’t pack for all possible weather conditions, you can easily find a shirt in Egypt, or an umbrella in Istanbul if it unexpectedly rains while you are travelling in Turkey. You can always buy inexpensive local clothes and wear them during your trip.

9-If you purchase some heavy items - such as carpets in Middle East – ship them to home. You’ll pay less and won’t bother with carrying them around.

10-Use lightweight clothing such as fleece instead of wool; they will provide the same warmth without extra weight.

Nil Aykut is the Marketing Manager of Anatolia Travels. Anatolia Travels offer private and escorted tours to Turkey , Greece Egypt, Jordan & Morocco. More information at http://www.anatoliatravels.com

Statement of Endorsement

On Monday, August 17, 2009, ACTA endorsed the following organization:

Cats and Dogs International (CANDi) More info available at: www.candiinternational.org

All statements of endorsement from ACTA automatically expire 5 years after publication unless reaffirmed, revised, or retired at or before that time.

The Association of Canadian Travel Agencies endorses Cats and Dogs International to bring humane solutions to managing the stray cat and dog populations in tourist destinations.

 The Association of Canadian Travel Agents (ACTA) supports the efforts of Cats and Dogs International (CANDi), a charitable organization whose mission it is to help homeless animals around the world. ACTA realizes that now more than ever before, travel and tourism businesses are looking to integrate sustainability into all areas of their business practices and to give back to host communities. CANDi’s programs are accessible to almost every sector of the industry - from airlines to resorts, from travel agencies to tour operators. With CANDi, each can all play a role in improving the lives of strays and creating humane solutions to managing the stray animal population.

 “An important part of what ACTA can do is to help raise awareness within the industry about the plight of stray cats and dogs in tourist destinations and encourage our membership to get involved. ACTA can also help to educate and empower tourists about ways they can help CANDi achieve its mission.” David McCaig, President and COO of ACTA. “ACTA is pleased to endorse CANDi’s efforts and will help educate our members as to what CANDi is doing worldwide”.

 “We have already made so much progress in the short time that CANDi has been in operation. We have rescued and adopted over 100 stray dogs, organized a free spay/neuter clinic for the public in 2008 with our next one planned for October 2009, and we have begun working with Royal Resorts in Cancun to implement a CANDi Cat Café, a program that is based on a partnership with hotels and resorts to spay/neuter and vaccinate stray cats that frequent their grounds and provide for their care on an on-going basis. With the endorsement of ACTA and businesses in the travel and tourism industry we can really change the lives of stray cats and dogs around the world.”  Darci Galati, President and Founder of CANDi.

CANDi partners with businesses in the travel and tourism industry as well as local animal organizations to implement its programs of humane, viable and long-term solutions to managing the stray cat and dog populations in tourist destinations around the world; while at the same time demonstrating for the tourism industry how businesses can increase profits and win customer loyalty through CANDi’s programs. Partnerships with CANDi will create opportunities for the tourism industry to market to millions of animal lovers in a new way. It is a win-win for all - the tourism industry, destination communities, tourists themselves and of course, the animals we help save.

If you’d like more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview with Darci Galati, please e-mail Darci at darci@candiinternational.org. You can also visit CANDi’s website at www.candiinternational.org.

Every year hundreds of movies are shot, and luckily not all of them are filmed in front of the green cardboards in Hollywood studios. Some of them are shot in their actual environments giving us the opportunity to sense the real surrounding.

Just as a well played role would bring more business to the actors, so will a good movie to the small town or to the country it was filmed. Movies are one of the most effective ways in the presentation of a country or city. The film “Casablanca” had attracted many tourists to Morocco for years. Similarly thousands of tourists, in the footsteps of “Indiana Jones”, still travel to Jordan to see the treasury in the rock carved temple.

Sometimes you even might not enjoy the movie but the historic street you see at the background may snatch your attention and motivate you to learn more about the location the movie was shot. Or if you have already picked your next destination, why not watch a few movies filmed in that country to get into the groove?

If Turkey is one of your next destinations, here is the list of some well known movies that were shot in Turkey, mainly in Istanbul. These movies captured many touristy highlights as well as less known places which might spice up your itinerary:

• The World Is Not Enough (1999) is the nineteenth movie in the James Bond series. The film was directed by Michael Apted and it is Pierce Brosnan’s third James Bond movie. Bosphorus and Maiden tower are the major places seen in the movie. “I’ve always wanted to have Christmas in Turkey.” is the famous quote said by James Bond.

• Hitman is a 2007 film based on the same-titled video game series. An agent hired by a group known as ‘The Organization’ is trapped and finds him pursued by both Interpol and the Russian military as he treks across Russia, Eastern Europe and Turkey. In this movie you can see the backstreets of old Istanbul and crowded bazaar area.

• Gallipoli is a 1981 Australian film, directed by Peter Weir and starring Mel Gibson and Mark Lee. It is about two Australian sprinters facing the brutal realities of World War I when they are sent to fight in the Gallipoli campaign in Turkey. Although the whole movie was shot in Australia it is about the place Gallipoli which is in North West Turkey and a district of Canakkale province.

• The Accidental Spy is a 2001 Hong Kong martial arts-action film, starring Jackie Chan and directed by Teddy Chan. It all starts on one normal dull day, Bei a salesman at a workout equipment store follows his instincts to trail two suspicious looking men into an alley and this leads him to an adventurous journey from Korea to Turkey. The scene that Jackie Chan is running naked in the Grand Bazaar is the most haunting moment of the movie.

• Topkapi (1964) is a film directed by Jules Dassin and the film is based on Eric Ambler’s novel The Light of Day. The film stars Melina Mercouri, Maximilian Schell and Peter Ustinov. The movie is about a man with passport problems gets mixed up with a gang of thieves plotting to rob the Topkapi museum in Istanbul.

• From Russia with Love (1963) is the second spy film in the James Bond series with Sean Connery as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. In the film, James Bond is sent to assist in the defection of Corporal Tatiana Romanova in Turkey. Most of the movie was shot in Turkey and the major places are; Egyptian spice bazaar, Sultanahmet, Bosphorus and the Blue Mosque.

• The Net 2 (2006) is a film directed by Charles Winkler and starring Nikki Deloach, Demet Akbag and Sebnem Donmez. The life of a computer systems analyst is thrown into turmoil when, after arriving in Istanbul to start a new job. This movie was also shot in Istanbul mainly Sultanahmet district and most of the actors are famous Turkish movie stars.

• Head On (2004) is an award winning film directed by Fatih Akin. The movie is about a Turkish man called Cahit in his 40s who has given up everything in life and seeks solace in drugs and Sibel, another German Turk who has tried to commit suicide due to her conservative family. In this movie you can see the real local life in Istanbul.

Above list includes the major movies; however there are several other European, Hindi, Asian movies filmed in various parts of Turkey. If you are planning your next tour to Turkey why don’t you grab a few of above movies from your local video store and get ready for a Christmas in Turkey just like our old pal Bond.

Nil Aykut is the Marketing Manager of Anatolia Travels. Anatolia Travels offer private and escorted tours to Turkey , Greece Egypt, Jordan & Morocco. More information at http://www.anatoliatravels.com

Here are some important dates and celebrations in Egypt:

- Egyptian Orthodox Christians (or Coptic Christians) celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ on January 7th. Although Egypt is mostly Islamic country, celebrations begin in December and you can enjoy the festive atmosphere this time of the year.  All Coptic feasts come after a period of fasting  during which animal related products are forbidden   This fast lasts from November 25th until January 6th (Advent).

- Abu Simbel Festival, takes place twice a year Feb 22 and Oct 22; natural sunlight and architectural brilliance combine to make the inner sanctum of the temple light up. It’s a breathtaking sight and makes the music, dance and food that accompanies the festival pale in comparison.

- April:  First Monday after Coptic Easter is celebrated as first day of Spring; it is called Shem Al Nessim meaning smelling the breeze.  Traditionally, Egyptians celebrate the ancient Shem al-Nessim spring holiday by eating an eclectic menu of salted fish, boiled eggs, green onions and lettuce - items that their ancient forefathers are thought to have offered to their gods as symbols of fertility and rebirth.  The night before and morning of the holiday Egyptians go out shopping for “fiseekh”, the pungent, salted grey mullet, and other ingredients that many will later take for picnics to the crowded parks along the Nile.

- May: South Sinai Camel Festival takes place in Sharm El Sheikh. This is an annual event that takes place at 3:00pm on the 1st of May of every year and lasts for the duration of the month, thus finishing on the 31st. and over 250 camels take part in this race from 17 different Egyptian tribes. So, maybe its time you know a bit more about these amazing ‘ships of the desert’ and how they are able to stand the heat let alone run and race in it.

August 24th-31^st Art Festival:  A weeklong party is held in Ismailia as a celebration of colorful folkloric art from Africa, Europe and Asia. This festival is said to be the greatest art festival in the Arab world.

Eid al Fitr:  This religious event marks the end of the month long fasting or Ramadan period for Muslims.

Eid al Adhha: This religious event begins about 70 days after the end of Ramadan and is dedicated to Abraham’s sacrifice of a sheep in place of his son. This event lasts for four days.

Dear Travelers, below article has appeared in the Vancouver Sun, the Edmonton Journal, The Ottawa Citizen and the Montreal Gazette: Canadian travelers are warned against travel/vacation scams. Verify your agency to avoid such scams.

‘Free’ trip can be a money grab in disguise Knowing the signs can save headaches..

“We get about 300,000 hits on our website every month,” says Mississauga-based Donavon Gaudette, ACTA’s communications manager.

“We are also constantly updating what travel watches are being issued by the federal government, so people use us as the source of information.”

Checking if the agency is registered with a provincial consumer protection authority can also be useful. For instance, in British Columbia, companies register for a licence number with the Business Practices and Consumer Protection Authority of British Columbia.

“If a consumer purchases travel services through an agency that is not licensed with the BPCPA, then the transaction is not eligible for protection under the Travel Assurance Fund,” says Sarah Head, BPCPA’s public relations manager…. © Copyright (c) Canwest News Service

Click here Full article.

Atlantis, The Palm,  soft opened on 24 September 2008, is the newest address to those who visit Dubai for LUXURY. Hotel is already known with its underwater rooms; these rooms - “Lost Chambers’ -  are surronded with sharks and dolphins so every morning you’ll get your first ‘good morning’  from the huge shark swimming arounf your bed. Here is some more information about this hotel:

Guestrooms: Atlantis, The Palm will offer a wide-ranging choice of accommodation with 1539 guestrooms. Guests can choose between Deluxe and Atlantis Rooms, Executive, Terrace, Regal, Presidential and Royal Suites. Unique to the resort is the Bridge Suite, which joins the West and East Towers, and two Lost Chambers Suites with amazing views into the Ambassador Lagoon.

Food & Beverage outlets: The resort will have an extensive variety of restaurants including bistros, cafes, bars and lounges and will, for the first time in the Middle East, introduce restaurants by celebrity chefs Nobu, Giorgio Locatelli, Michel Rostang and Santi Santamaria.

Leisure Facilities: The Ambassador Lagoon is the 3 million gallon open-air marine habitat which will be home to 65,000 fish and marine animals. The Lost Chambers, an underground mythical labyrinth offering uninterrupted underwater vistas into the boulevards and streets of the ruins of Atlantis. Aquaventure, the largest water-park in the region and a playground of non-stop water thrills and swimming pools, will consist of several adrenalin inducing water slides and rides, water cascades, tidal pools and a never ending river ride.

Other Facilities: A shopper’s delight waits in The Avenues and along Jewellers Row where some of the world’s greatest brands will be found. The two floored Atlantis Spa and Fitness Club will have 27 treatment rooms for wet and dry therapies, whilst the state-of-the-art Fitness Club will offer extensive gym facilities, yoga and stretch studios. Four tennis courts and a running track are offered outdoors. For children of every age, there are fun-filled clubs and programmes designed to engage and excite. Children are encouraged to learn while playing through science and nature groups, arts & crafts, marine welfare programme etc.

Conference & Banqueting Facilities: The conference centre comprises 5600 square meters of floor space. The ballroom is a flexible and highly adaptable space divisible into 5 separate areas. 2 meeting rooms, 2 boardrooms, a traditional Majlis area and generous pre-function space provide venue for small groups or break-out areas for larger conventions.

Following are the event dates in Dubai, most of the hotels in Dubai are already sold out for these dates:

- UAE DESERT CHALLENGE, from 24th October to 30th October 2008

- DUBAI RUGBY 7S, from 27th November to 29th November 2008

-  DUBAI SHOPPING FESTIVAL (DSF), from 15th January to 15th February2009 

It is not always about money – you may have sufficient funds to afford either but one of them would suit you more. And it is not always about your general style or preferences as ‘travel style’ is totally different. Many positive people may turn to be ‘unbearable’ fellows while traveling only because they have chosen the wrong style.You can go for group tours if you agree with some or most of the statements below:

- You are single and do not have a travel buddy: Join group tours for more fun, less cost and of course to make new friends.

- You are not alone but still enjoy knowing people from all over the world; where else will you have this chance?

- You are female(s) traveling to less developed countries – stick to group tours if possible. Groups can offer more safety and comfort.

- You seek for maximum efficiency: Group tours have pre-scheduled itineraries to maximize your sightseeing. No matter how long your wife/husband would prefer to stay at a shop or your photo addict friend would like to take extra shots; the tour has to end when the guide blows the whistle.

- Although money is not everything, it is something: In some countries such as Turkey, Greece or Morocco private tours cost almost double or even triple prices when compared to the group tours. For small families or friend groups (2-3 traveler) it’ll be more cost effective to join escorted group tours.

If you are not sure about your travel style yet, here are the reasons why people prefer private tours despite the higher costs:

- You want to have full control on where to go, how to go, when to relax, when to shop etc. No matter how much more it cots, take a private tour.

- You are not control freak but prefer flexibility while traveling: Well, check the group itinerary, see how tight their schedule is. Some group tours provide flexibility to some extend. But at the end, there will be at least 30 more people to share the same flexibility.

- You want to get off the regular tourist path; you prefer to visit a less known sight hidden at the far end of the city, or to stop at a local snack shop to mingle with the locals. If yes, you’ll have limited opportunity for this with a group.

- Your tolerance limit is somewhat low while traveling. Totally understandable. Well, in a group tour there might be fellow travelers that you dislike and you’ll need to stick with them for the entire tour. If this sounds like a nightmare, private tour might be a better option.

- You have certain accommodation preferences such as design hotels, awarded hotels, small B&B’s etc. However group tours usually stay at western type standard hotels to cater for the taste of the majority.

- You want to have the time and the freedom to ask silly questions.

- Simply you prefer privacy and personalized service!

- Last but not least, you have extra savings to afford all the reasons mentioned above.

So what will you do for your next trip? You don’t have to decide right away. It all depends on the destination, on the tour company, itinerary you’ll be looking for, the price etc. You will see that it is much easier to find group tour sellers. There are certain big tour operators that organize these tours and most of the travel agencies sell the same packages with same rates. However for private tours, you definitely need to make your homework. Look for a smaller boutique travel company that provides customized service. This company should have some expertise about the destination, should have the patience, and bulk purchasing power. The only way to understand all these are by asking questions, asking for price and comparing at least few companies. Always and always check the legitimateness of the tour company. Where is it registered and licensed? Are you under the protection of a provincial travel fund if anything goes wrong? All these questions are crucial before traveling to a new destination. At the end, when traveling is involved, cheapest is not always the best; peace of mind is what every traveler will be looking for.

About the Author 

Turkay Aykut is the Sales Manager of Anatolia Tours & Travel Co. offering private and escorted tours to Turkey, Greece, Morocco, Dubai, Oman, Egypt & Jordan. More information at http://www.anatoliatravels.com/

It is a well known fact that every holiday includes the delight of shopping. Even tough you may promise yourself you’ll resist the bargains (that often become clutter around the house after a couple of months), nevertheless you’ll end up in the souvenir shop for ‘little’ shopping for your loved ones. If you are travelling to Turkey, Egypt, or Morocco it becomes harder to resist this incitement. As a person who travels frequently to Middle East, I’d like to share some of my personal experiences with North American travellers who are planning to visit these countries:
 

1) First rule: Always bargain at the bazaars and Souks. Salesmen in carpet, jewellery and leather shops work on commission basis; so never accept the first or second offer. Sometimes you can even get up to 70% discount over the original price.
 

2) Try to judge the price by how much you would be willing to pay for it in your home country. Fix the price in your mind and stick to it. On the other hand, always keep in your mind the value of the local money. Try to think in the local currency; most items might sound cheap when converted to USD but might be very expensive for local people. So purchase like a local.
 

3) Most salesmen understand many languages, so do not discuss anything in front of them.
 

4) Use power of ‘No thank you!’: At least learn this phrase in the local language and use it when you are hassled. Smile and walk away.  
 

5) Keep your own currency and credit cards out of sight. It is easier to haggle over a price with your ‘limited’ local currency.
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6) Guides get commission over your purchases. If you are not satisfied with the price, try to come back on your free day and check the similar item at the other shops. So another golden rule: Have a free day for shopping!
 

7) The top touristy places such as Khan El-Khalili usually visited in Cairo tours or Grand Bazaar in Istanbul will have the most expensive prices. Find out the residential shopping areas for better bargains.
 

For items where quality is important try to find a fixed price shop. You may pay little more but the quality will be superior.
 

9) Haggling is necessary if you are buying high value items, such as gold and jewellery, but with low value goods it is not always worthwhile the time and effort.
 

10) Shops in Middle East prefer cash. If you pay with cash rather than a credit card, you should have more power for getting a good discount.
 

11) Always shop around. Never buy at the first shop; you can always come back. Shopkeepers will try to persuade you that they offer you the best value, but will not be offended when you say you want to look around and would come back.
 

12) When buying gold/silver bargain on the price per gram not the price per item.
 

13) Usually little grocery shops, coffee shops, supermarket chains will have fixed prices and bargaining is not accepted.
 

14) Shopkeepers will show great hospitality. They will tell that purchase is not necessary, they will invite you to their shop, offer you tea, coffee; at the end you’ll feel so ashamed to walk away without buying anything. Don’t fall into this trap.
 

15) If you are buying more than one item or shopping with a group, you can haggle for a greater discount.

About the Author:
Nil Aykut is the Marketing Manager of Anatolia Travels. Anatolia Travels offer private and escorted tours to Morocco,Turkey, Egypt, Jordan & Greece.