Wow! what a find

[curtiejoe]

mountie



I don't know if pj did anything wrong. In his post on trishwwi1,another LL Community contributor, he wrote that "why are people not more subtle if they're going to go about spamming". I presume he did this because her E-mail address shows up on the website for the hotel that she, in her post,asked people to check out.



I see nothing wrong with anyone involved in the travel industry participating in LL Community. Where I do see a possible conflict is if those in the travel industry promote properties they have a direct interest in.



On pj's website "luxury travel blog",it clearly states that he's directly involved in a business that "markets tourism" on behalf of not just one hotel but a large number of them around the world. Is it a coincidence that several of the luxury properties featured on his website are also ones that pj "recommends" in hisposts on LL Community?



Check it out for yourself. I leave it to you to draw your own conclusions.



curtiejoe

[two2go]

Good eye Curtiejoe,
This is one detailed vacation blog, it looks more like a travel agency. It seems like an easier & cheaper way to advertise a site/blog using LL Community. Perhaps LL should try to get advertising dollars from Paul.
two2go

[pauljohnson]

To curtiejoe, ttoc and two2go...



Hang on a second....! I have never attempted to deny my involvement in the travel industry. If I wanted to trick people on here, do you really think I would have used my real name as my alias?!



There is a key difference here which you're perhaps not seeing... the original poster has written "wow... great find!". By doing that, they're pretending it's not their site when it is. Do you not see that?



As for my blog, I have never at any stage attempted to trick people into thinking it's a blog that I have no association with. On the contrary, I've been quite open about it by referring to it as "my blog" and, as you point out, there is information about me and my business on the 'about' page on the blog. It's all totally up-front so please don't make out that I'm trying to deceive.



Also, it's a blog about the luxury travel industry in general, advertising a whole myriad of sectors within the industry from which I make no financial gain. In the past 24 hours on the blog, I've published an interview with the senior vice president of the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center in Nashville, I've documented that Etihad Airways are offering a free chauffeur service at JFK for business and first class passengers, I've mentioned a new 4-star hotel in Iceland, and so on.... and so forth. Gaylord Hotels, Etihad Airways, etc. do NOT pay me for this. It is purely done because I have a great interest in the industry, and in travelling myself. I had no idea that people involved in marketing travel (who I would have thought could offer a lot in the way of contributions) were so unwelcome.



Anyway, clearly I'm not welcome... so I'll not being seeing you on here any more, and will return to my usual travel forum hangouts.



So long, folks...



Paul

[curtiejoe]

hi two2go



Good on you too for seeingthe tourism blog as more than a friendly place to get just travel info. Interesting reaction from the author of the blog....he's decided to take his marbles and go play elsewhere. That to me speaks volumes.



curtiejoe

[obrienkf]

curtiejoe



good on ya for detecting this stuff. my own postings often include things like www addresses for places i've been, or restaurants (i started a 'restaurants thread in italy today), and i have nothing to do with these places (except i eat well there, as a customer... and thought that others may want to experience some fine restaurants....).



these little email exchanges, and blogs are meant to be useful, and seem to me to be a 'same sort of folk' exchange. the last thing that I want is someone in disguise who is fronting a company.... and having a few engaged in this who can find a wolf in sheep's clothing is welcome.



i intend to place a posting on the urls / www to book the 'must sees' in Italy (to avoid the queues), for places like the Accademia, or Da Vinci's Last Supper etc. Many of these 'direct to the booking offices' are hard to find, and can be done without going through a tour operator ..... sharing that information for others to use themselves, I would think, is a useful contribution. That said, I would argue that your own contribution in this thread is greater.



This is clearly a profit intended business for LL, and having others 'sneak in' is simply appalling. They should have created such a business themselves in the first place.



regards

[curtiejoe]

hi obrienkf



Ialso often include hyperlinks to interesting events, places or properties in my posts. These are usually ones that I, as a liesure-traveler. have either experiences myself or heard about from friends or relatives. As I'm not in the business of travel or tourism promotion nor stand to gain any monetary benefit, I see nothing wrong with anyone in the same situation doingso too. But, when someone who's either openly or covertly involved in such activities for personal gain, I find it not in keeping with the spirit of the LL Community nor with its written Terms and Conditions for using this wonderful, information-sharing website.



I look forward toyour post on "must see" sites in Italy as well as to the many other postings I know you will contribute to LL Community. Thanx and welcome.



curtiejoe

[two2go]

Hi Obrienkf

Welcome to LL Community!My husband and I love Italy, and try to discover a new part of it everytimewe get a chance tofly there. We are always looking for new restaurants, and places to visit.You will see that this is a great place to share knowledge, andreceive the same in return. Next thing you know youwill find yourself dreaming of taking trips in different parts of the world, which you thought you would never be interested in. We are looking forward to the experiences you can share with us.

two2go

[obrienkf]

two2go



thank you very much for the welcome.



if you have seen the top tourist destination (Rome, Florence and Venice), and truthfully you can visit those places 100 times and still not be finished.... i agree ..... (and expect someone to tell me that in reply....), you should find the lesser known italy.



Bologna. A very pretty city, and the home of FOOD. Verona and the summer opera in the forum. Siena is such a great city. and San Gimingnano, with its perfect little towers. Ravenna, the home of MOSAICS.A spectacular visit. Perugia is the home of chocolate (yes, others will counter with Torino and Alba....), but it also has a summertime Jazz festival which attracts everyone, including Diana Krall last year (its in July), Assisi is a wonderful town, Giotto's work in the Basilica is magnificent. And Sicily offers more than most people could imagine. Take a week in Sicily, and you'll wish you had taken 2. Its developing fast for discriminating tourists, and has greek ruins (Agrigento), beach and history, opera houses, and wineries. I thoroughly enjoy vacations in Sicily, its like a microcosm of much that Italy has to offer. Fly there, rent a car, and eat food like you have not eaten before, horseback ride, visit beaches and ancient cities famous from the Punic Wars, and enjoy bursting red wines, excellent olive oil, fresh fresh fruit, cannoli's, excellent cheeses. its a great place.I especially like the Trapani to Syracuse south drive. I spent a week in the Caltanisetta area, again, extraordinary mosaics in the that area. You can climb Etna, Europe's active Volcano. Ski it in the winter. Or stay on the Vulcan island, and hear the rumble all night. Loads to do.



Italy is a great place to holiday.It is the country and the smaller cities that make italy wonderful. Just like anywhere. But the cities offer such majesty that its hard to make those choices.



I have not had opportunity to see Sardegna, but have friends who live there, and it is considered (by them) a must see. I see it every time I fly back to Rome, and tell myself --- next trip. One day. I'm glad that you enjoy this country. It offers many frustrations to tourists who expect 'order'. Italy doesn't offer order. It offers chaos, and history and food and wine and art. Not order. And that is, apparently, the charm.



Hopefully the thread on restaurants will be of some value and will spark interest. The ones that I list are the best that i have found, and I am convinced that the standards will stay at the top end of the scale. Reservations normally required. They are likely also Michelin stars or soon to be. We have choices. I always exercise those choices.

[Healer]

I come from RI originally and if you ever visit again...rent a motorcycle! The roads in Sounth County are incredibly scenic, safe and truly moto friendly...

[two2go]

Hi Obrienkf,

Thank you so much for that fabulous post. What you made me realize is that I've been to every place you have mentioned except for Sardenia. That will probably be on our list this year. Another place to visit in Tuscany is Lucca. A small town with plenty of history, great shopping & fine restaurant. During the summer there are quite a few outdoor concerts available. As for Sicily we found a place that is not reallyknown& when we drove there it felt like we would never get there, when we did arrive it was paradise, it was Capo San Vito.Different from all the beaches inItaly, the water is clear, thebeachis sandy, and theboardwalkis a nice place to spend a summerevening.

two2go