JustBook Mobile App for Last-Minute, Discounted Hotel Bookings in Europe Links with Miles & More Frequent Flyer Program

A year after launching its free app, JustBook maintains a leading position in Europe for mobile hotel bookings at the last minute, recording 400,000 downloads of the app.

JustBook is now seeing record bookings as a result of a new collaboration with Miles & More frequent flyer program. Effective as of January 10, 2013, JustBook users collect award miles with Miles & More, the prestigious frequent miles program of Lufthansa and associated airlines. This offer is available for all hotel bookings with JustBook at over 1,000 hotels in 46 cities across Europe, independent of specific hotel chain brands.

This latest initiative makes JustBook the first hotel network enabling its members to earn miles “while they sleep”.

The offer adds to existing collaborations, including the latest strategic media partnership with the Swiss Federal Railway (SBB).

JustBook (www.justbook.com/en) is a leading app for spontaneous hotel bookings in Europe. Every day, three to five selected hotels per destination can be booked from 10 am until 2 am the next day, for the same night.

Since are last minute bookings, users typically enjoy savings of up to 50 percent over prices available online. Currently, JustBook is available in 46 European cities including London, Edinburgh, Berlin, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Madrid and Zurich. The JustBook app is available for free on iPhone, Android and BlackBerry.

 

“Even in the best European hotels, some rooms are often still available at the last minute,” JustBook CEO Stefan Menden said. “Hotel guests can save money with spontaneous bookings. In the short term, hoteliers can gain new customers while optimizing their occupancy. 95% of our users are new customers for the hoteliers. If you book with the app you discover new and interesting hotels. We are also continuously adding useful benefits to JustBook such as now with the award miles from Miles & More.”

JustBook offers hotel customers low rates for same day bookings. The company claims that its prices for last minute mobile bookings are between 20 and 50 percent lower when measured against the prices available on the internet.

The company also points to its customer service. In emergency situations, the customer service team is available on the phone until 2.30 am to assure a good night’s rest for all bookings. Especially during this snowy season that causes chaos at airports, JustBook provides reliable help.

Two-thirds of JustBook customers are business travelers who use the app to travel to meetings at short notice. Also, users turn to JustBook when a meeting runs over its allotted time. However Justbook is also useful for spontaneous weekend trips and getaways.

“Thanks to smartphones, leisure activities are just one touch away,” said Menden. “Whether you’re looking for tickets, a table in a restaurant, or a night at a hotel in order to surprise your partner, this was never as easy and as fast as it is today with your phone. The consumer survey regarding spontaneity is just one example of our analysis. We know the European consumer extremely well after one successful year of expansion across the continent’s four corners. We know hotel guests are considerably more demanding than in the United States for example. Our team in Berlin, Barcelona and London can therefore understand and react very specifically and promptly to all customer requests. “

For information, visit www.justbook.com/en

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Avenza releases PDF Maps 1.6 update on iTunes App Store

Avenza Systems Inc., a developer of cartographic software – including MAPublisher^® for Adobe^® Illustrator^® and Geographic Imager^® geospatial tools for Adobe Photoshop^® – is has just released PDF Maps 1.6, the latest version of the popular map and navigation app on the Apple iOS platform. The PDF Maps app allows users to explore and navigate maps offline without having to worry about cellular data connectivity or incur data roaming charges compared to other streaming map apps.

“The focus of this release is about enhancing existing features and tools to allow our users to experience, navigate, and view maps on Apple iOS devices even better” said Ted Florence, President of Avenza. “Many of the optimizations and improvements have stemmed from user feedback. We’re listening to our users and creating tools that suit their needs. In the end, we’re making a much better product than even we anticipated,” he added.

This release of PDF Maps offers many features including:

• · Data collection – You can now create, import, and export attribute schemas with pick lists.
• · Improved organization – Added folders to the Map List and the ability to move maps between folders.
• · Nearby maps – Maps within 100 km will be shown when panning to the edges of a map.
• · Measure Tool optimization – Measure Area and Measure Direction tools are now merged into one tool. There is also a new option to create custom units.
• · New coordinate display format – Added the Degree Decimal Minutes format.
• · Add placemark optimization – Placemarks can now be added while following your current location.
• · GPS mode optimization – GPS mode is more tolerant to movements and allows adding placemarks while following your location.
• · Photos taken within the app are now saved to the Camera Roll.
• · Improved KML/KMZ file compatibility with Avenza MAPublisher and Esri software.

The PDF Maps app takes advantage of geospatial technology that allows travelers to view and measure real world locations and attributes. Paired together with mobile devices that utilize GPS, such as an iPhone or iPad, the PDF Maps app provides constant access to geographic locations and even points of interest without the risk of losing reception due to cell tower proximity – making it the ultimate traveling accessory for those that are enthusiastic about travel or anywhere internet bandwidth is not available or is cost-prohibitive when roaming internationally. In combination with the embedded map store PDF Maps takes map use commerce into the iTunes-like digital age previously reserved for music, books and videos.

PDF Maps is available now on the iTunes App Store free of charge for personal use. For more information about the app and Avenza Map Store , visit the PDF Maps website at www.pdf-maps.com. Pricing of each map is set by the publisher and free maps remain free to users through the PDF Maps in-app map store.

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National Park Foundation to hold drawing when it hits 100,000 Facebook fans

Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. The National Park Foundation is cultivating park community social media support © 2012 Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com

The National Park Foundation is hoping to cultivate  park community social media support. The Foundation is getting extremely close to 100,000 fans on Facebook (GO Parks!!!) and would like to request your help getting to that milestone by the first day of summer (next Wednesday, June 20). Once they get to 100K, they plan to hold a random drawing of all of their Facebook fans and one lucky follower will receive a fantastic national park pack (full of all sorts of park goodies)!

The Foundation is also putting out the call for guest blogger submissions – either new posts or previous posts with national park related content – for its National Park Foundation blog site. The site already has some wonderful submissions and is actively working with several more contributors, but welcomes additional ideas or posts. “Our new site is driven BY and FOR park lovers everywhere. It is your content – stories, tips, videos and photos – that make it an integral part of the park community and we not only celebrate that, but we are extremely grateful for the passionate individuals who contribute to it.”

For more information, visit http://www.nationalparks.org.

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NH Tourism Partners with Concord Courtyard by Marriott for January-February Facebook, Twitter Deals

The New Hampshire Division of Travel & Tourism Development (DTTD) has announced the January-February VisitNH Fan Benefit with the Concord Courtyard by Marriott: A “Ski, Stay & Save” package that includes a pair of lift tickets for Pats Peak, snow tubing, overnight accommodations, cookies and hot chocolate, and breakfast for two for the package rate of $167 (plus 9% tax). Anyone who “likes” VisitNH on Facebook or “follows” VisitNH on Twitter is eligible to receive the benefit. Complete package details are available on our Facebook page.

“We are so very excited for the opportunity to work with NH Travel & Tourism and be able to offer such a great package to fans visiting our beautiful state!” said Jessica Jenkins, with the Concord Courtyard by Marriott. “We are happy to partner with Pats Peak Ski Area which is such a fantastic local attraction. We can provide guests visiting the Concord area this winter the chance to enjoy the snow at the mountain, as well as some relaxation time and dining with us at the Courtyard by Marriott.”

According to DTTD, almost 55,000 fans and followers are eligible for the Fan Benefit. Fans and followers can receive benefits each month from New Hampshire properties and attractions and get access to the latest info, including events, photos, videos, links to news articles and other interesting activities going on in New Hampshire.

“Our exclusive VisitNH fan benefit is a great opportunity to stay in the capital city of Concord and enjoy skiing, tubing, lodging and breakfast for two at a great low price,” said Tai Freligh, Communications Manager for DTTD. “New Hampshire was the first state in New England to launch an exclusive social media benefit program. We’re happy to be able to offer this to our Facebook and Twitter followers for a two-month period now to help visitors plan their New Hampshire trip.”

To take advantage of this special offer, call Courtyard directly at 603-225-0303 to make reservations, and mention the “VisitNH Fan Benefit Package” after you have liked or followed VisitNH.

For more information about the Concord Courtyard by Marriott, visit www.courtyardconcord.com.

Freligh added that more than 20 lodging properties, including restaurants and attractions, have participated in the VisitNH Fan Benefit initiative since its inception, with most reporting a notable call volume increase, resulting in higher sales.

DTTD is actively involved on several social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Flickr.

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Friendly Planet Travel’s “Win the World” Sweepstakes is Giving Away 6 Exotic Getaways for 2 via Facebook

There’s a better way to use your time on Facebook today. Go to Friendly Planet Travel’s Facebook page, where one click enters you to win a trip of a lifetime for two to South Africa. Just by becoming a fan of the page, you could win a seat on Friendly Planet Travel’s 13-day Best of South Africa tour for yourself and a friend, a prize valued at over $8,500. In addition, for every one of your friends who enters the giveaway, your name will be added to the pool again, increasing your chances of winning. Not only that, but Friendly Planet Travel is taking things a step further and ringing in 2012 by giving away five more exotic trips throughout the year with its “Win the World” sweepstakes. Each will include flights, great hotels, some meals, and plenty of escorted touring.

– Amazing Peru: Visit Lima, the country’s capital; Cuzco, the 11,000-foot-high Inca capital; Machu Picchu, the Lost City of the Incas and one of the most impressive archeological discoveries of all time; and Lake Titicaca, among the highest and most beautiful lakes in the world.

– A Taste of China: Visit China’s three most important cities: Beijing, the thriving and modern capital of China; Xi’an, where the Terra Cotta Army, one of the most significant archeological finds ever is found; and Shanghai, often called the Paris of the Orient and the heart of business in China.

– Best of Turkey: The crossroads of Europe and Asia, Turkey is an exotic land steeped in history and touched by many civilizations. Visit Kusadasi on Turkey’s Aegean coast, a crossroads of art and culture since it was founded 5,000 years ago. There’s also Ephesus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World; Troy; Canakkale; and Istanbul, a magnificent city on the Bosphorus.

– A Taste of Ireland: Visit Dublin, Ireland’s capital and its most populous city. Also see the Ring of Kerry; Muckross House, one of the most sumptuous residences of Ireland; the Cliffs of Moher, the most majestic cliffs in Ireland; Medieval Kilkenny; and more.

– Taj Mahal Express: Visit fascinating and exotic Delhi; Agra; and the Taj Mahal, the world’s most famous and lovely monument to love. There’s also Jaipur, called the pink city because of its lavish mansions and palaces.

The “Win the World” sweepstakes is open to all legal U.S. residents over the age of 21, beginning Jan. 3, 2012 at 12 p.m. EST and ending March 31, 2012 at 11:59 p.m. EDT. To enter to win, visit Facebook.com/FriendlyPlanetTravel, become a fan of the page, and enter the required information. There is no purchase necessary to enter the sweepstakes, and the winner will be announced on our Facebook page, the Friendly Planet Travel website, and the Friendly Planet Travel blog.

The first of six prizes in the sweepstakes is an unbelievable tour for two to the warm, welcoming country of South Africa, where the winners will soon see why it has become one of the most spectacular vacation destinations in the world. The prize has all the inclusions travelers expect from Friendly Planet Travel, including round-trip airfare from New York’s JFK airport on South African Airways (including fuel surcharges), and ground transportation and transfers within South Africa. It also includes 10 nights in superior and first-class hotels; 16 meals; a professional, English-speaking tour director; a comprehensive touring program; safaris (including entrance fees); and the special opportunity to spend some time with elephants at Elephants Whispers.

Travelers will begin their South African adventure in South Africa’s largest and most populous city, Johannesburg, known as the “City of Gold.” Then the journey continues with a scenic drive to the Mpumalanga Province, passing through Lydenberg; Pilgrim’s Rest, a quaint historical mining town from centuries ago; and Graskop, near the Blyde River Canyon. Travelers will even stay in a lodge located on the Karongwe Private Game Reserve in the heart of Limpopo Province. They’ll get to ride in an open safari vehicle for a game drive into the untouched African bush in search of the Big Five–lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos, and buffaloes. And then they’ll explore on foot during a bush walk with a ranger who will teach travelers about animal tracking and bird and plant identification.

The South African adventure doesn’t stop there, with early morning game drives and a trip to Elephant Whispers, where travelers will have an up-close interaction with the magnificent creatures. Cape Town and Cape Point will be explored with their white beaches and a visit to mighty Table Mountain, Cape Town’s most striking landmark. Included in the tour is a full-day excursion to Cape Point, with a cruise along Hout Bay View. And travelers will have lots of leisure time to explore on their own between each activity.

To enter to win and for continual updates about the giveaways, check out Friendly Planet Travel’s Facebook page.

For more information, visit http://www.friendlyplanet.com, Twitter or blog.

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