The Los Angeles Times' 14th-annual Travel Show and inaugural industry conference, January 27-29, convened more than 24,300 celebrity speakers, travel professionals, industry leaders, members of the media and consumers at the L.A. Convention Center, smashing the previous attendance record by more than 21 percent and officially making it the must-attend Southern California travel event of the year.

The Times partnered with MSE Management and IMG Worldwide to produce the three-day event, launching an all-day industry conference as well as a design and programming upgrade. Of note was the quality and variety of featured speakers, including Lisa Ling, Rick Steves, Arthur Frommer, Adam Richman, Rudy Maxa, Don Wildman, Josh Gates and Johnny Jet, alongside experts from National Geographic Channel, LivingSocial Escapes, Travelzoo, Cooking Channel, leading industry organizations and The Times award-winning Travel and Photo staff.

"I had a great time talking to people that are so passionate about travel," said Ling, host of "Our America" on the Oprah Winfrey Network. "Travel is what propelled me to want to be a journalist and being exposed to so much in the world really changed my life."

More than 2,000 travel professionals seized the business-to-business opportunity attending the new industry conference sessions, a show floor preview and the consumer event. An exit survey conducted by The Times indicated that a wide range of travelers attended, with nearly 60 percent visiting for the first time. Consumers spent an average of four hours exploring the show floor, with 90 percent seeking information about potential destinations and 94 percent planning to travel within the year.

"The Los Angeles Times Travel Show and industry conference created an important forum linking organizations, suppliers and the entire trade together to share valuable information — one place, one time, one event," said John Severini, President and CEO of the California Travel Association. "This event was a big success."

Standout exhibitors Taiwan Tourism Bureau, Ecuador Ministry of Tourism, Mexico Tourism Board and Visit Newport Beach were presented with awards from the show organizers.

"We started six years ago with just a table and two posters," said Trust Lin, Director of the Taiwan Tourism Bureau. "Last year, we won 'Best of Show'. We keep participating, and expanded our presence, because it really works. People waited in line to get in, they stayed longer and asked informed questions about where to go in Taiwan."

Jose Vallejo, Director of Marketing for the Ecuador Ministry of Tourism, added, "The Los Angeles Times Travel Show provided an excellent venue for educating Southern Californians about Ecuador's four regions — the Amazon, the Andes, the Pacific Coast and the Galapagos. We were very happy to connect directly with people that have recently visited or who are now planning trips to Ecuador."

"The Los Angeles Times Travel Show was a great experience all around," said Virginia Goff, Manager of Partnership Marketing & Industry Relations at Tourism Ireland. "We were overwhelmed by the crowds, the response to our cooking demo on the Culinary Stage, and the number of people looking to book trips to Ireland."

"Participating in this show allowed us to leverage the exposure and audience that the Los Angeles Times has to offer, which is a great fit for us," said Michelle Lindsey, Western Region Manager for American Express Travel Services, the show's Booking Agent. "There were very savvy travelers at the show and we were able to provide travel services for a variety of destinations, from high-end African safaris to Caribbean cruises."

The increase in tourism from Texas has been seen most prominently in top beach destinations and resort areas, including Cancun, Cozumel, Los Cabos, Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Maya, which are located in the southeast and southwest regions of the country.

"We are working closely with tour operators from Texas and throughout the U.S. and are pleased to have their continued support," said Alfonso Sumano, Director for the Americas of the Mexican Tourism Board. "Travel agents serve as experts in not only flights and accommodations, but provide important information about regional activities which is why we work so closely with companies such as Funjet Vacations to educate and train travel agents on the activities taking place in our country."

Known for its warm culture and hospitality, Mexico offers an incredible value for any travel budget. Unique historic sites, pristine beaches and an array of water activities from scuba diving to jet skiing are the perfect backdrop for family vacations, honeymoons, spring breaks and more.

Travel statistics provided by the Mexican Tourism Board measure the number of passengers arriving on flights each month. Additional information can be found at www.siimt.com.

Data from Tennessee-based Smith Travel Research show that occupancy rates in Daytona Beach surged 12.5 percent to 64.3 percent in July. Other Florida East Coast beach destinations, such as Jacksonville, as well as beaches along the Atlantic coast in Georgia and South Carolina, also saw a resurgance in visitors, despite a lingering recession that caused many families to cut back on travel.

Hotel occupancy was up 10.5 percent in Charleston, S.C., 6.7 percent in Savannah, Ga., and 4.8 percent in Hilton Head and Beaufort, S.C., Smith Travel reported. Hotel lodging taxes in the Daytona Beach area in July were 7.73 percent higher than a year earlier, defying national trends.

Much of Daytona Beach's appeal comes from its year-round warm weather, sporting attractions and golf courses plus the fact it is just an hour away from Orlando, Florida's most popular tourist destination.

In recent years, developers have poured millions of dollars into developments along the beachfront. The Daytona Beach area has more than 200 hotels and motels with a combined 12,000 guest rooms, and a $1.35 million beautification project along its core tourism district on Atlantic Avenue was completed in December 2006.

Daytona Beach is trying to carry over its summer momentum into the fall, with more than 30 festivals and events taking place between September and Dec. 31. If you visit there this fall, here are some must-sees for families.

For a listing of all the festivals, go to Daytonabeach.com or call the convention bureau at 800-854-1234.

The Ocean Walk Shoppes at Ocean Walk Village. Completed in November 2002, this $250 million development includes a 10-cinema theater, restaurants such as Bubba Gump's Seafood Co., Johnny Rockets, Starbucks, Mai Tai Bar and several retailers. It connects to a sprawling expanded Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort.

One added bonus to Ocean Walk Village is an outside amphitheater on the beach where live acts perform several times weekly.

The Daytona 500 Experience. Open daily except Christmas, this venue adjacent to the Daytona International Speedway is a must-see for any NASCAR fan. It is part-museum, part hands-on attraction, allowing visitors to take a step back in time to when the Daytona 500 race was first held in 1959. The year's Daytona 500 winning car is on display in the exact condition from when it crossed the finish line, and you can also see pit crews in action display how quickly they can change tires.

When my family visited, The Daytona 500 Experience presented NASCAR 3D: The IMAX Experience" and "Daytona 500: The Movie" allowing you to get a birds-eye view of what life is like behind the wheels of a race car. For those wanting to put themselves in the driver's seat, The Daytona 500 Experience has car motion simulators in "Acceleration Alley." You should also take The Speedway Tour, in which an open tram car takes visitors around the famed 31-degree, high banked turns all the way to Daytona's Gatorade Victory Lane. For information: Daytona500experience.com or (386) 681-6530.

Daytona Lagoon. This water park offers fun for all ages, from a giant wave pool and tube rides down the lazy river to fast-paced water slides for adults. New to the park for the truly adventurous is The Phoenix, a high-speed thrill ride that propels riders on a 210-degree swinging arc 10 stories high as they fly through the air at speeds approaching 55 mph. Daytona Lagoon also has an indoor family entertainment center featuring go-kart racing, laser tag, miniature golf and arcade games. Check it out at daytonalagoon.com or call (386) 254-5020.

Marine Science Center. This venue features an aquarium with various sea creatures, a teaching lab, and focuses on the rehabilitation of sea turtles and sea birds. It features a gallery and gift shop.

While there, check out The Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse located next door. At 175 feet, it is the tallest lighthouse in Florida and has been operational since 1887.

Menos huéspedes, menos ingresos
En conjunto, los hoteles en la muestra de la encuesta de Caribbean Trends(R) informaron una caída del 11.9 por ciento en ingreso total de 2008 a 2009. Encabezando la declinación en dólares en los ingresos estuvo la disminución del 13.6 por ciento en ingresos por habitación, resultado de una reducción del 3.7 por ciento en la ocupación y del 10.1 por ciento en la tasa diaria promedio (ADR).

"Como se alojaron menos huéspedes en las propiedades caribeñas, todas las demás fuentes de ingreso también registraron reducciones", señaló Smith. "Los ingresos de comidas y bebidas cayeron el 13.7 por ciento de 2008 a 2009, mientras los ingresos de otros departamentos operados (golf, spa, ventas al detalle, casinos) disminuyeron en una proporción relativamente modesta del 5.3 por ciento".

Costos controlados

Afrontando caídas en los ingresos, los gerentes de hoteles caribeños respondieron reduciendo los costos en un impresionante 10.5 por ciento. Desafortunadamente, no fue suficiente para compensar la disminución del 11.9 por ciento en los ingresos.

"Debido al clima, la población, los recursos naturales y la participación del gobierno, los gerentes de hoteles del Caribe tienen ventajas operativas únicas, y también algunas desventajas, en comparación con los gerentes de los Estados Unidos", dijo Smith. "En general, el costo del personal y los impuestos a la propiedad suelen ser menores en el Caribe. Pero el costo de los suministros, los seguros y los servicios públicos con frecuencia son más altos que en los Estados Unidos".

A pesar de los salarios relativamente bajos, el costo del personal es la partida más elevada en los gastos de los hoteles caribeños. Por lo tanto, los operadores tuvieron que implementar reducciones de personal y de salarios para mantener controlados los gastos departamentales. En total, los gastos de personal se redujeron aproximadamente en el 11.0 por ciento de 2008 a 2009.

La mayor reducción en los gastos se logró en el departamento de servicios públicos. "En números pasados de Trends(R) informamos que muchos hoteles del Caribe estaban implementando métodos de energía sostenible verdes en un esfuerzo por controlar los costos de los servicios públicos. Al usar bombillos, inodoros, lavamanos y duchas con un consumo energético eficiente, los gerentes de los hoteles caribeños lograron reducir los costos del agua y la electricidad el 21.2 por ciento en 2009", observó Smith.

El único gasto que subió en 2009 fue el costo de los seguros. Durante el año, los pagos de las primas de los seguros aumentaron el 5.3 por ciento. "A pesar de una temporada de huracanes relativamente tranquila en 2009, las aseguradoras aún temen la amenaza de los huracanes", agregó.

Ganancias futuras
Con los ingresos de los hoteles del Caribe disminuyendo a un ritmo mayor que el de la reducción de los gastos, el ingreso operativo neto en la muestra de Trends(R) declinó el 18.2 por ciento en 2009. Aunque es una declinación notable, es considerablemente menos que la caída del 35.4 por ciento en rentabilidad informada en la edición de 2010 de U.S. Trends(R) in the Hotel Industry.

Afortunadamente, la situación está empezando a mejorar en 2010. Los resultados de la temporada alta informados por Smith Travel Research indicaron una recuperación de la demanda de alojamiento hotelero en la región. "Al igual que en los Estados Unidos, estamos claramente en la etapa inicial de lo que debe ser un período de mejoramiento en el desempeño operativo de la industria hotelera caribeña. Nuestros estimados de demanda y crecimiento de la ADR son sólidos para 2013. Sin embargo, no se puede ignorar la profundidad de la recesión de 2009 y lo que estaba ocurriendo en los mercados de bienes raíces y financieros. Esta va a ser una reactivación prolongada para los operadores hoteleros y una recuperación todavía más larga para los dueños de las propiedades", concluyó Smith.

Para comprar un ejemplar del informe Caribbean Trends(R) in the Hotel Industry de 2010 en formato PDF, visite la tienda en línea de la firma en www.pkfc.com/store, o llame al (866) 842-8754. El informe contiene varias tablas de datos que los dueños y operadores de hoteles del Caribe pueden usar como referencia para el desempeño financiero de su propiedad basándose en cálculo de habitaciones y agrupaciones de ADR.

Acerca de Colliers PKF CONSULTING USA

Colliers PKF Consulting USA (www.pkfc.com), con sede en San Francisco, es una firma de asesoría y bienes raíces que se especializa en la industria hotelera. Colliers PKF Consulting USA es propiedad de FirstService Corporation y es una subsidiaria de Colliers International. La firma opera tres compañías: Colliers PKF Consulting USA, Colliers PKF Hospitality Research, Colliers International Hotels. La firma tiene oficinas en Nueva York, Boston, Indianápolis, Chicago, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Atlanta, Asheville, Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa, Houston, Dallas, Los Angeles, Bozeman, Miami, Portland, Seattle, Sacramento y San Francisco.

Colliers PKF Consulting USA ofrece servicios de tasación de hoteles y valoración de hoteles, estudios de mercados hoteleros, apoyo en litigios en el sector hotelero, y servicios de asesoría hotelera. Colliers International Hotels ofrece servicios de corretaje de hoteles y transacción hotelera. Colliers PKF Hospitality Research produce Hotel Horizons(R), un pronóstico hotelero basado en un modelo econométrico, Benchmarker(SM), un informe de referencia hotelera comparativo e individualizado, y Annual Trends(R), una publicación histórica de finanzas hoteleras que presenta abundantes datos estadísticos sobre hoteles, así como servicios de investigación hotelera.

Acerca de Colliers International

Colliers International es un líder mundial en servicios de bienes raíces, con más de 15,000 profesionales operando en 480 oficinas en 61 países. Como subsidiaria de FirstService Corporation (Nasdaq: FSRV; TSX: FSV y FSV.PR.U), Colliers ofrece la estabilidad de un sólido socio financiero y una importante propiedad local, que proporciona a los clientes soluciones inmobiliarias emprendedoras y con supervisión. Colliers ofrece una serie completa de servicios a usuarios, dueños e inversionistas de bienes raíces en todo el mundo, entre ellos: soluciones corporativas globales; corretaje de arrendamientos y ventas; gestión de propiedad y activos; gestión de proyectos; ventas y consultoría de inversión hotelera; servicios de valoración y tasación de propiedades; banca hipotecaria e investigación exhaustiva. The Lipsey Company y la revista National Real Estate Investor clasificaron a Colliers International como la marca de bienes raíces comerciales número dos del mundo.

Para más información, diríjase a:
Scott Smith MAI, Vicepresidente Senior
Colliers PKF Consulting USA
Tel: 404 842 1150, ext 233
Correo electrónico: scott.smith@pkfc.com
www.pkfc.com

Chris Daly
Daly Gray Public Relations
Tel: 703 435 6293
Correo electrónico: chris@dalygray.com
www.dalygray.com

En una encuesta representativa a nivel nacional realizada en enero, Consumer Reports pidió a 2,000 estadounidenses que asignaran puntajes a tres listas de quejas de viajeros que abarcaban a empresas de alquiler de automóviles, aerolíneas y hoteles con un total de 24 ítems, en una escala de 1 a 10, donde 1 equivalía a "no le molesta en absoluto" y 10 significaba que "le molesta tremendamente".

Los cargos por equipaje (8.4 en total) y los costos agregados en los tickets de avión (8.1) encabezaron la lista, pero el trato descortés y la actitud poco servicial del personal de las compañías de alquiler de automóviles (7.9), los hoteles (7.8) y las aerolíneas (7.7) también estuvieron entre las cosas más molestas que irritan a los estadounidenses mientras viajan.

El informe completo acerca de cómo los estadounidenses calificaron a las 24 molestias estará disponible en la edición de junio de Consumer Reports que saldrá a la venta el 4 de mayo, y en forma online en www.consumerreportsenespanol.org.

Entre los destaques:
La comunicación inapropiada sobre las demoras de las aerolíneas (7.1) enojaron a la gente un poco más que las demoras en sí mismas (6.8).

Los pasajeros de aerolíneas que ocupan el asiento que le corresponde a usted (7.0) y el espacio para el equipaje de mano (6.7) resultan menos enojosos que algunos otros sinsabores. Muchas personas parecen tolerar a los bebés que lloran y a los niños revoltosos (4.9) que viajan en los aviones, y aparentemente se han acostumbrado a no recibir bocadillos o a recibir uno insignificante (5.1), y a las largas colas para el check-in y los controles de seguridad (5.2).

Las mujeres viajeras están de algún modo más enojadas que los hombres. Algunas de las quejas donde las mujeres destacaron fueron: bocadillos demasiado caros en las habitaciones de los hoteles (6.8 mujeres, 5.2 hombres); ropa de cama insuficiente o de mala calidad en los hoteles (7.2 mujeres, 6.2 hombres) y verborrea de ventas para una cobertura extra o una mejora en el tipo de automóvil a alquilar (7.1 mujeres, 6.0 hombres).

Algunas molestias enojaron mucho más a los encuestados menores de 50 años que a aquellos de 50 o más. Entre ellas se incluían el personal rudo o descortés de las aerolíneas (8.6 para los menores de 50, 8.0 para los de 50 o más), la verborrea de ventas en el alquiler de automóviles (6.8 para los menores de 50, 6.1 para los de 50 o más) y la ausencia del automóvil pedido (6.5 para los menores de 50, 5.4 para los de 50 o más). Sin embargo, los de mayor edad se sienten mucho más molestos que los más jóvenes por los niños revoltosos a bordo de los aviones (4.5 para los menores de 50, 5.3 para los de 50 o más).

El Centro Nacional de Investigación de Consumer Reports realizó una encuesta telefónica de una muestra probabilística de hogares representativa en el ámbito nacional. Se completaron 2,000 entrevistas entre adultos mayores de 18 años. Las entrevistas tuvieron lugar entre el 21 y el 25 de enero. El margen de error es de +/- 2 puntos porcentuales con un nivel de confianza del 95%.

JUNIO DE 2010 - El material arriba presentado tiene por destino únicamente a las entidades noticiosas legítimas; no puede ser usado con propósitos comerciales o promocionales. Consumers Reports(R) es publicada por Consumers Union, una organización sin fines de lucro experta e independiente cuya misión es trabajar en pos de un mercado honesto, justo y seguro para todos los consumidores, y otorgar poderes a los consumidores para que se protejan a sí mismos. Con el propósito de cumplir esta misión, CU analiza, informa y protege. Para mantener su independencia e imparcialidad, CU no acepta publicidad de terceros ni muestras gratis para realizar pruebas y no tiene otra agenda que no sea la del interés de los consumidores. CU se autofinancia a través de la venta de productos y servicios de información, contribuciones individuales y unas pocas subvenciones no comerciales.

FUENTE Consumer Reports

The Manuel Antonio National Park is a small biological peninsula found within an area devoted to different productive activities, such as agriculture, cattle and high tourism development. It is one of the country’s most scenic and beautiful national parks. The mean annual temperature is 27°C, with a minimum temperature of 20°C.

Our park habitat consist of primary and secondary forest, the most characteristic species of flora in the primary forest are guácimo colorado (luehea seemannii), pilón (hieromyna alchomeoides), cedro maría (calophyllum longifolium), guapinol blanco (hymeneae courbaril), surá (terminalia oblonga), guapinol negro or stinkingtoe (cynometra hemitomophyla), lechoso (cow tree/brosimum utile), cenízaro (pithecelobium saman)and ceiba (silk cotton tree).

Of its most important fauna we find the raccoon, coatamundi, agouti, two-toed sloth, the white-faced and squirrel monkey. You can also enjoy the beauty of beaches like Espadilla Sur, Puerto Escondido and Manuel Antonio.

Manuel Antonio offer the uniquely breathtaking fusion of scenic mountain beauty and an active lifestyle. From championship surf tournaments, hiking, rafting/kayaking, canopying, bird watching or sport fishing, Quepos and Manuel Antonio offers something for everyone.

The country’s major airport is located in the capital city of San Jose. Flights during low season can be under $500 – which can save you a few hundred or more off of winter rates. Traveling to Costa Rica requires a valid passport, but no visa.

Once you arrive you will be lined up for immigration processing. At the back of this room is a subtle display for pre-purchasing your departure tax. This $26 fee must be paid in U.S. dollars and is required before check-in for the return flight. Take advantage of this pre-purchase opportunity, which will take you 30 seconds and save you from a long line the day you fly out.

For those opting out of tiny planes, car rental is another popular option ($20 a day) for the three-and-half hour trip. However, given the extreme nature of driving on the mountain passes, it’s not for the faint of heart.

A compromise may be the tourist shuttle, Interbus (www.interbusonline.com) which will take you door to door in nine-passenger vans for $39 one way.

When looking for a place to stay, keep in mind the area’s aggressive ocean waters; families with children will get good use out of hotel pool. Many of the establishments offer breakfast as part of lodging and other meals may be added on.

Quepos, the next town from Manuel Antonio, has many reasonably priced hotels and cottages (approximately $55 - $75 a night) and is a quick trip on a local bus to the national park. For a comfortable place in town, expect to pay U.S. style prices of $130 on up, and with a little shopping around you may treat yourself to a water view this spring sans ice.

Late April in the Northland isn’t exactly a tropical vacation, but it may be the best time to take one. This is Costa Rica’s low travel time due the rainy season renamed by savvy marketers as the green season starting the last week or so of April and running through November. Though brief afternoon showers may send one scrambling for intermittent shelter, the great deals and beach elbowroom make it worthwhile.

Lush Manuel Antonio (home to the national park of the same name) rises up to every seaside fantasy one has while forcing a shopping cart through Duluth slush. Rows of surfboards are planted along the white sand beach next to lounge chairs shaded by thatched umbrellas

But Manuel Antonio doesn’t have to be all lying around getting massages ($40 for 60 minutes). Adventure-seekers will be kept busy crossing under the rainforest canopy on zip lines or enjoying the warm water kayaking and snorkeling. The region is renown for its bird watching and organized tours can ensure you see plenty of the 270 area species including parakeets, parrots and the 15 types of humming birds. These activities range from $30 to $100 depending on the length of tour and vendor.

Of course, the centerpiece of the region is the Manuel Antonio National Park itself, which is considered one of the most bio-diverse places on earth. The entrance is just over a small river, an easy walk south of town. Though one may be able to wade across the riverbed at low tide, a chance meeting with a crocodile makes the 50-cent boat ride from a local good trip insurance.

After paying the non-citizen rate of $10 to enter the park, the jungle trails will close a cool canopy above your head. For $39 per person, an official guide will accompany you with high-quality binoculars set on a tripod. The locals, who easily spot hidden wildlife, provide an interesting eco-tour, pointing out the renewable bamboo trees and bringing visitors up hidden trails to the spectacular views of Punta Catedral beach.

Though even without a guide, whiteface monkeys are plentiful and easily seen playing in the trees along with lazy two-toed sloths.

The park beaches are popular for snorkeling as the coral reefs teem with colorful creatures. Swimming, however, is done at your own risk and the area’s infamous riptide should keep everyone close to shore and cautious

Costa Rica adventure travel guide for worldwide holidays featuring tips, advice and useful information on adventure activities on tours provided direct from local tour operators. This guide helps you find out what to see and do and plan your travel itinerary.

Located on the Central American Isthmus and bordering Nicaragua and Panama, Costa Rica is blessed with beautiful coastlines as well as great tropical weather making the place one of the most popular tourist destinations. Costa Rica Tours takes one round the rich coast for the sights and sounds of the amazing beach life as well as climate. Planning a family trip to Costa Rica is often an exciting adventure.

Owing to the fact that family vacations are tedious and can be totally stressful if not well planned for, coats Rica tours are designed to not only cater for all the details that one may want but also ensure that one’s family is safe. The areas one can visit all offer the real tropical flora and fauna of Costa Rica. Some of the popular areas include but are not limited to, the drake bay, the La Fortuna, The Perez Zeledon, the Tombar, as well as the Puerto Jimenez. Various itineraries have been developed to cater for the needs of each and every family member. This not only ensures that the family indulges in the maximum fun, but they also relax as well as learn through Costa Rica tours that are designed to discover.

With activities that are tailor made for children, parents as well as the elderly, Costa Rica offers an avenue for the family to bond. A simple vacation trip that is suitable for the whole family can for example take one through, San Jose, then to the Volcano mountains that are active such as the Arenal, then to the Hidalgo hot water springs then through the forest of Montverde and finally to the Manuel Antonio Quepos. A typical trip like this would take approximately eight days and seven nights but adjustments can be made to shorten or make it longer

Experts in archaeology, art and other fields visited several sites in the Southern Zone last week, where many of the spheres, of varying sizes, have been discovered. San Jose Costa Rica

Archaeologist Francisco Corrales said the carved stones reveal much about the Costa Ricans' pre-Columbian ancestors.

“The finding leads us to believe that these spheres were symbols of social prestige and hierarchical positions” during the Chiriquí period from 800 to 1500 AD, Corrales told The Tico Times. The Chiriquí were ancestors of the Brunca, one of Costa Rica's eight indigenous groups.

“This is important because it reinforces the fact that they (the spheres) were created by indigenous people who had a complex society, capable of constructing such things. (The Chiriquí) were experts with stone,” he said.

Freddy Montero, cultural program officer for UNESCO's San José office, said the recent visit is the start of a long and important process.

"It's not as though UNESCO arrives, declares world heritage and leaves," said Montero. He explained that the greatest value of this first step is it should encourage a process on a national and local level to work to improve research and preserve the spheres.

UNESCO representatives seem interested in the uniqueness of spheres. Nuria Sanz, who visited from UNESCO's World Heritage Center in Paris, France, told the newswire EFE that she's aware of cultures that also work with this form but "not in the same context or crafted in the same way" as the Costa Rican spheres.

Montero, who is liaising between the Paris office and the National Museum in San José, said the experts are drawing up recommendations for a work plan that would carry the Costa Rican spheres onto the coveted heritage list. For Costa Rica, he believes this process itself will prove even more important than the world heritage declaration itself.

No timeline has been set yet, but Montero acknowledged that in the past UNESCO has committed up to 10 years to working with national governments and local authorities to meet standards of preservation and research. The time it takes depends on how well a country has prepared before presenting its bid to the World Heritage Center. In Montero's eyes, Costa Rica has invested much in researching its spheres but "there's still a lot of work to be done."

In the forward to the book, Lonely Planet founder Tony Wheeler writes that the book expands on his own list of places to go and things to do. It's a bucket list for travelers -- a very long bucket list. From the "Ultimate Itineraries" to the "Coldest & Hottest Places in the World," the table of contents has something for everybody. The book is 356 pages in paperback, full color, and the price is $22.99.

If you're looking for something a bit calmer, check out the section, "Best Beaches to Swing Hammocks." The destinations are Egypt, Lithuania, Tanzania, India and Malaysia.

Skiing the Haute Route between France and Switzerland is the ultimate in the adventure category. Expect to take a week to cover the 140-kilometers that cross 20 glaciers and offer views of some of the Alps' tallest peaks. If hiking is your thing, simply wait until summer. Other ultimate adventures include: mountain bike riding on the 230-kilometer Icefields Parkway between Jasper and Lake Louise in Canada; mountain biking at Moab in Utah; kayaking in Glacier Bay, Alaska; and swimming with killer whales in Norway.

Tough times don't mean you can't have a shot at happiness. There's a town called Happy, Texas, or visit Bhutan in the Himalayas where the gross national happiness is an official measure. Lonely Planet says Denmark is the world's most contented country because of its high standard of living and 11 national cycling paths that connect cities with the surrounding countryside.

Snorkeling at the Galapagos Islands made the list of Ultimate Places to Enjoy Water Sports.

"Nowhere else can an underwater dip involve a dance with a sea lion, a glimpse of a penguin and a close encounter with a prehistoric-looking marine iguana," the book says.

Water also is the prime attraction when you white-water raft the Zambezi River in Zambia, surf in Indonesia, canoe in Boundary Waters, Minn., or take a leisurely ride in a "punt" on the River Cam in Cambridge, England.

Central Illinois' own Route 66 made the list of the Best United States Road Trips. Others include the road through Yosemite National Park and the Alcan Highway that runs from Alaska through the Yukon to Dawson's Creek British Columbia. The Strip at Las Vegas also made the list.

Taking a vacation away from home in hard times requires some planning. Among Countries That Can Still Be Traveled on the Cheap, check out India, Iran, Indonesia, Nepal, Poland, Laos, Jordan and Morocco. Iceland leads the list of Best Value Destinations, followed by Japan, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Ethiopia and the Dominican Republic, among others.

Don't write off tourist traps. Some are worth the crowds, according to Lonely Planet's group of experts. They single out the Grand Canyon among them. Others include: the Eiffel Tower in Paris; Florence, Italy; the Pyramids in Egypt; and the Taj Mahal in India.

Want to hang out with some interesting people? Try one of the World's Strangest Festivals. The Rosewell UFO Festival in New Mexico is America's entry in the category. Consider the Baby-Jumping Festival in Spain, or the Boryeong Mud Festival in South Korea, where you get down and dirty or get arrested if you try to make a clean get away. Mexico has the Night of the Radishes, where local carvers use the small vegetable to recreate everything from Nativity scenes to key moments in history.

Other categories include: Ultimate Train Trips; Ultimate City Breaks (New York made the list, Chicago didn't), and places to get kissed, married and to break up. Most Awesome Treks include the Overland Track of Australia, the Inca Trail of Peru, GR20 of France and the Narrows in Zion National Park. Take only the bare essentials to visit one of the Top 10 Places to Go Skinny-Dipping. The onsen, or hot springs, in Japan are mentioned along with Formentera, Spain, a geothermal lake in Iceland, and sauna/ice swimming outings in Finland

It may be difficult to think of Spring Break destinations when it looks more like the Winter Olympics outside, but students bound by university calendars, term papers and laboratories will take much-needed holidays when and where they can.

So where will the university crowd go in 2010? For the majority of breakers, the answer this year is much the same as last year.

With a lingering recession, money is probably the number one reason cash-strapped students are looking to get away somewhere within the States. New passport requirements that went into effect last summer for Mexico and Canada-bound drivers are another reason travelers are choosing to stay within U.S borders. Unless they already held a valid passport or applied for a PASS card (a mini-passport the size of a driver’s license) ahead of time, those Mexican beachfront party spots may simply be unattainable this year.

The hot spots for spring partiers this year includes several southern spots – some of which you might have already guessed.

* Panama City Beach, Fla. — All hail the southeast’s Spring Break Capital
* Miami and South Beach, Fla. – Warmer temperatures and wild night life
* South Padre Island, Tex. – A party the size of the Lone Star State itself.
* Biloxi – The beach and casinos mean you can bet on having a good time in this Mississippi coastal town.
* New Orleans – Mardi Gras is over, but Bourbon Street is still Bourbon Street 365 days a year.

But what if a student’s definition of letting off a little steam doesn’t include a downing fifth of Jack, entering a wet t-shirt contest or getting sun poisoning? There are other, budget-friendly alternatives.

When I was in school, the phrase “alternative Spring Break” really wasn’t used; or if it was, it signaled you were headed for the ski slopes or some other cold-weather destination. Today, university students tend to associate the alternative break with the rising trend of volunteer vacations. Depending on the location of the work you do, these trips can get costly – but they are usually less expensive than many beach blow-outs.

Major organizations like Habitat for Humanity and United Way offer volunteer spring break opportunities, and most colleges have groups on campus that can help direct “voluntourists” to a spring break destination. This year, some students are planning to travel to Haiti to help with relief efforts there, despite warnings that travel may not be safe.

Sometimes any break from the everyday stresses of university will do. A camping trip, a getaway to a hip little town or a trek into a bustling city may be just what the doctoral student ordered.

As with all spring break trips – whether they’re in country or abroad; looking to party hard or enjoy a peaceful week off school – students need to be aware of their surroundings and take basic safety precautions when they’re on break.