Holiday Systems International

Americans used to take time off and kick-back during the summer months. Not so much any more. In unfavorable economic times, many men and women are as well afraid to leave the workplace for a few weeks or even just several days. Those who already feel apprehensive about their employment security don’t desire to take in any unnecessary chances. Specifically when many corporations undergo downsizing or restructuring, employees are really hesitant to leave work behind. For some, it really is far more stressful to become absent inside the office than to stay put. More Holiday Systems International clients plan on taking a vacation.

Today, the U.S. stands out as the only industrialized region that doesn't have labor laws that include minimum leave. The European Union, for example, requires that all workers consume a minimum of four weeks’ vacation time every year. Many member states exceed that mandate. These kinds of numbers are unfathomable for most Americans. Popular HSI vacation destinations.

Expedia.com, a travel reservation company, conducted a survey that compared the vacation habits of citizens around the world. Based on this research, 34 percent of People in the USA don’t take the full vacation time they earn every year. By contrast, only 22 percent of French and 24 percent of German workers don’t use up their allotted time. Only the Japanese vacation a smaller amount than we do – just 8 percent consume off every day they’re owed.

That doesn’t mean that workers right here would not like far more paid time off than they own from their work – if they get any at all. Survey right after survey has shown that Individuals are dying for getting a lot more high quality time for themselves and their families, even if it would mean a cut in pay. Experience the Holiday Systems International difference.

Still, “sacrificing your vacation won’t necessarily save your job,” said Joe Robinson, author of “Work to Live: The Guide to Getting a Life,” who is also an advocate for a federal paid-leave law. “I talked to a woman who worked at a company for 25 years and had five or six weeks of paid leave. She only used three, four or five days a year – and she got laid off like everyone else. This does not insulate you from layoffs. It does leave you wondering why you gave up your life,” said Robinson.

Even those who dare to venture off as soon as inside don’t often know how to separate themselves entirely from their work place. Many workers discover it unthinkable to leave their laptops and smart phones permanently switched off during vacations.

Today, several organizations realize far better the significance of the health-promoting work environment and establish their policies accordingly. But usually it's simpler to generate structural changes than to overcome the habits of individuals.

Source: SeattlePI

Read additional travel news for your vacation. Connect with Holiday Systems International on Facebook, Twitter, and on LinkedIn profile or LinkedIn company profile pages. For insights on HSI vacations, read a Holiday Systems International travel blog, written by Robert Smith.

Find out additional about Holiday Systems International by reading the company overviewor viewing some client testimonials.

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Summer may be the most well-liked time of year to take weekend trips for the beach, week-long vacations to other parts from the nation and even month-long visits to exotic locations throughout the world. On a budget? View vacation news and tips from Holiday Systems International.

During the vacation planning and packing process, we’re all excited at the concept of visiting one more location that we usually don’t location the safety of our vacated residence at the top of our list of priorities.

Many local police departments urge all residents to prepare their homes being left empty just before they vacation, as issues most generally occur after homeowners don't take the necessary precautions concerning residence safety. 

• Primarily, it's often smart to verify and repair all locks on doors, windows as well as the garage. Verify light timers to make certain they work properly, make certain all appliances are turned off and how the proper air conditioning or heating setting is turned on.

• Notify the write-up office and newspaper delivery services to stop deliveries whilst you happen to be away and to verify that all fire alarms and carbon monoxide detectors are in beneficial working condition.

• Consider installing burglary alarms, home security and/or surveillance videos. These can help you keep your peace of mind while you enjoy your Holiday Systems International vacation.

According for the FBI, a burglary occurs somewhere inside the United States every 15.4 seconds.

• To aid prevent burglaries, put indoor and outdoor lights on timers, stop all deliveries, have somebody cut your lawn, park vehicles within the driveway and notify a trustworthy neighbor of one's departure and arrival times and leave an emergency amount with him or her. Holiday Systems International blog.

• Due for the elevated use of social media technology, several persons are promotion their vacations over the Internet, specifically via away messages and on Facebook, MySpace and Twitter. Try to avoid publicizing vacation plans on the Internet, specifically youngsters posting facts on Facebook.

If residents would like for ones police department to know that their house is vacant for your period of time, contact your local department and request being put over a "vacant property list." This list includes data about a residence and emergency contact information. Whilst the police department can't verify every property individually, the data is kept inside a folder at the police desk in situation of emergency or suspicious exercising at or near the residence.

Read much more income and travel tips for your following vacation. Connect with Holiday Systems International on Facebook, Twitter, and on our LinkedIn profile or LinkedIn company profile. For insights on HSI vacations, view a Holiday Systems International travel blog written by Robert Smith.

Find out more about Holiday Systems International by reading the company overview or viewing some customer testimonials.

Source: NorthJersey.com

Cancun, the Bahamas, Aruba, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic top the list on the majority of places to stay. You can also use Holiday Systems International to vacation in Las Vegas, Orlando, the Caribbean, Hawaii, etc. Try taking an HSI vacation to Myrtle Beach in 2012!

Some resorts cater to singles, others to couples, families or gays. Excellence Resorts are adult-only in Mexico and Dominican Republic. SuperClubs (Hedonism and Breezes) provide free weddings/renewal of vows including a satisfaction, hurricane, and sunshine guarantee. At most you do not have to pay for drinks, meals, or activities; tipping may possibly even be included. See tips on how to save money on your next vacation with Holiday Systems International.

Because water, food and drinks at some destinations are going to be expensive, all-inclusives can save a lot of money. Each resort will have its unique style: They are able to be beachside/mountainside and supply tennis, golf, spa facilities, specialty treatments, entertainment, and planned activities. Water sports for instance snorkeling, diving, windsurfing, water skiing, and paddle boating are often available. Depending over a property it is possible to have to pay additional for jet-ski rentals, golf carts, etc. If you are a certified diver some include 1 or 2 tank dives a day.

Meals can be lavish buffets or 5 courses. The quality and amount of meals varies widely; snacks might be offered for in-between times, plus 24-hour room service. Typical liquor brands are typically free; specific brands may price extra.

If you desire to relax and not get out your wallet each time you want to accomplish something, this kind of vacation is for you. Families benefit, as numerous will allow children under a particular age to stay for free, and fully supervised activities give parents a lot of leisure time. Baby care services is also from as needed babysitting to person nannies.

The bottom line is that all-inclusives usually cover most things you want to do, but look for carefully to pick the proper one. Read Holiday Systems International company overview or customer testimonials for more information. Also, read a travel blog by Robert Smith for reviews and testimonials. Connect with HSI on Facebook, Twitter, and our LinkedIn profile or LinkedIn company page.

Source: Ocala.com

A trip to the tropics may be a one-way ticket to turning your mind to mush

If your neurosurgeon announces that he has just returned from two weeks in Cancun, you may want to postpone that craniotomy. Holidays, it seems - particularly to sweltering destinations - can impair mental functioning. Perhaps not so much that, post-Ayia Napa, Stephen Hawking would want to switch to editing a lads' mag, but sufficient, nonetheless, to prove a hindrance to researching the Big Bang.

The problems begin when you book your holiday online, particularly if this entails a lengthy email exchange. According to a 2005 study by psychologist Glenn Wilson, visiting professor at Gresham College, London, email "bombardment" can reduce IQ by up to 10 points - more than double the effect of smoking a lot of cannabis.

Prof Wilson has labelled the condition "infomania". Concentration is impaired as sufferers' minds remain fixed in an almost permanent state of readiness to react to incoming messages, as opposed to focusing on tasks in hand. Even on a good day, the human brain finds it hard to cope with juggling multiple tasks simultaneously, so the email overload further reduces its effectiveness.

Then you actually have to get to your holiday resort. The stress of modern travel - worries over airport strikes, volcanic ash or whether you're in the right queue for priority boarding - can increase levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. This risks damaging cells in part of the brain called the hippocampus, which in turn adversely affects short-term memory and concentration.

Add a restorative drink while airborne and, depending on the beverage, you could drop another 10 to 20 IQ points, according to Alcohol Concern.

And you haven't even checked into your hotel yet. It is at this point that phrenic Armageddon really kicks in. Research by Prof Siegfried Lehrl of the University of Erlangen in Germany, a specialist in mental performance, suggests that sunbathing and relaxation cause one's frontal lobes to literally shrivel. Barbados or Benidorm, it doesn't matter.

Prof Lehrl says that inactivity reduces oxygen to the brain, which causes the dendrites and axons (parts of the nerve cells involved in sending electrical impulses) to degrade. Add dehydration caused by excess heat, alcohol, or both, and brain cell volume may decrease by up to 15 per cent.

"Fourteen days of complete rest can be enough to bring your IQ down by 20 points - more than the difference between a bright and an average student," says Prof Lehrl. "Vocabulary shrinks, and we even detect personality changes."

For men, this loss of intelligence may well be exacerbated by the vision of the opposite sex in bikinis. A 2008 study for The Journal of Con-sumer Research concluded that merely looking at women in beach garb "instigates generalised impatience in intertemporal choice". In layman's terms, men's judgment and self-critical faculties are compromised, and, in worst-case scenarios, they will propose to (or proposition) the first girl who winks at them.

At this point, you might be tempted to down a cold beer at the poolside bar. Don't! Researchers at Bristol University discovered that drinking anything overly cold reduces brain power by as much as 10 IQ points, as energy and blood are diverted from the brain to the stomach, to balance the drop in temperature.

So how can you negate the nightmare effects of your dream vacation? According to Prof Lehrl, you should exercise your brain on holiday for at least 10 minutes a day by playing an intellectually stimulating game (chess or Scrabble, for instance), mitigate inactivity with regular long walks, rehydrate constantly - and chew lots of gum. Gum? "The part of the brainstem that keeps us alert is constantly stimulated by chewing, as a result of which the attention level rises, as does flow of blood to the brain."

If you lack the willpower to follow the professor's advice, the good news is that, unless you did propose to the first girl who winked at you (and she accepted), the consequences of a vacation are temporary. Four days later, your IQ usually returns to normal.

So next time you see raucous holidaymakers necking beers and mooning passers-by, try not to be too judgmental: they are probably email-overloaded nuclear safety engineers who have neglected to chew gum. Hopefully, they will leave a sensible interval between returning to work and installing their reactor's control rods.



Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-news/im-with-stupid-how-holidays-make-you-dumber-20110817-1ixuh.html#ixzz1VISH83ZJ

Admit it: You're beach crazy. We can't blame you. In fact, with sandy stretches on two coasts, the Gulf of Mexico, the Great Lakes, and around countless bodies of water throughout the country, most of America has the same affliction.

No one gets hyped up more about these inviting expanses of gold and white crystals than adventurers—and with good reason. America's beaches serve up some of the nation's best hiking and biking, and some of the world's best swimming and kayaking. They attract amazing wildlife. They gather themselves into huge dune playgrounds. They make the perfect seat in nature's amphitheater.

Think a beach getaway is all about big towels and lotion? Then read on for a review of the nation’s best spots to play, relax, snooze, swim, and take in some of the best sunsets you’ll ever see—all where sand meets sea. See Holiday Systems International travel destinations.

Best Sand Playground: Sleeping Bear Dunes National Seashore (Michigan)
Get ready to play in the sand: With a 35-mile stretch of Lake Michigan's eastern coastline (and more than 50,000 acres in total), Sleeping Bear offers world-class sand dunes that make up an unbeatable natural playground. These massive coastal dunes and bluffs line the lakeshore, making for outrageous hiking. It's not easy climbing a beach, but once up top, you'll get great views of the lake and its sugar-white beaches (which are great for lounging when you come down).

Inland, you'll find hills and forests of birch, pine, beech, and maple, as well as small lakes and rivers for great fishing. The scenic, seven-mile Pierce Stocking route can be done by car or—for the very fit—by bike. There’s plenty to glimpse besides great views of sand and water—the park is home to more than 220 species of birds, along with deer, foxes, and the elusive bobcat.

Essentials: For more info, call 231-326-5134 or go to www.nps.gov/slbe/.

Tip: Sleeping Bear also has two islands inside its boundaries; don't miss 'em. Take a cruise with Holiday Systems International

Best Sunrise: Sand Beach, Acadia National Park (Maine)
It's a no-brainer: To find America's best beach to watch the sunrise, head east. In fact, head so far east that there's nothing between you and the wide-open ocean. Acadia National Park certainly fits the bill; the problem, of course, is that most of the park's coastline is rocky. So keep driving into the park; on the eastern edge of Mt. Desert Island is Acadia's only sand beach—called, appropriately, Sand Beach.

These are the only grains of sand you'll find out of Acadia's almost 48,000 acres of granite-domed mountains, woodlands, lakes and ponds, and ocean shoreline. But the reward is well worth the effort. Wake up while it's still dark and catch dawn's rosy fingers easing over the horizon.

Essentials: For more info, call 207-288-3338 or go to www.nps.gov.

Tip: July to September are the busiest months. Skip 'em. Try for the fourth Sunday in April each year—it's officially Car Free Day in Acadia.

Read more at Away.com

The workplace can be stressful — even more so in a difficult economy. Thank goodness employees can relax fully during their vacations.

Well, maybe not.

Assuming that they get a paid vacation — far from a given in the United States — employees may be reluctant to take time off because of towering workloads and fears that their jobs are vulnerable. If they do arrange for time off, there is the stress of getting work done in advance or delegating duties to co-workers. More Americans are taking vacations 2011.

Once a vacation starts, it can be exciting, refreshing and relaxing. But not always: it can also be profoundly destabilizing, with the lack of a predictable routine causing anxiety. And there is the heightened possibility of losing things, whether luggage, hotel reservations, cabin pressure, directions or respect for a travel companion.

Then, after time off, employees face a flood of pent-up e-mails and demands — unless they were obsessively responding to them during the vacation, thereby wiping out the restorative value it may have had.

These days, because of technology, it’s very hard to disengage completely from the office during a vacation, says Daniel H. Pink, the author of “Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us,” who answered questions about vacations while he was on a recent vacation.

The border between what is work and what is personal is more porous than ever, and that cuts both ways, Mr. Pink says. So while people may have to answer an e-mail from their boss on a Sunday, he notes, they may also order shoes online or make an orthodontist appointment for their child while at work.

Whereas the transition from working to going on vacation used be like an on-off switch, it’s now more of a dimmer switch, Mr. Pink says, and people need to adjust it in a way that works for them. For example, during his vacation, he tends to check e-mail only a few times a day.

Barbara Adachi, a principal in Deloitte Consulting’s human capital practice, started creating a stricter separation between vacation and work when she was in Patagonia on vacation several years ago. Her BlackBerry didn’t get reception there, she said, “and I had no choice but not to check it — it was very freeing.”

Now she doesn’t check e-mail at all during vacations, and if there is an urgent situation, people can contact her assistant, who knows how to reach her.

In the belief that vacations ultimately make employees more productive, Deloitte Consulting keeps a “watch list” of people who are billing a lot of hours and haven’t taken time off in a while, Ms. Adachi says. The company also keeps track of when people on the same project are planning to take time off, to ensure that “somebody’s got your back when you’re out,” she says.

Cross-training and planning are crucial to ensuring that people take all their vacation time, thereby improving their health and happiness, says John de Graaf, executive director Take Back Your Time, an organization that promotes work/life balance. In European Union countries, where a minimum of four weeks of paid vacation is mandated, companies take this training much more seriously, he says.

Mr. de Graaf’s plea to have the United States require companies to provide time for vacation has fallen on deaf Congressional ears. Such a law would be a tough sell. Is it any coincidence, after all, that the United States is among the most productive nations in the world and that American workers take just about the least amount of vacation?

It’s true that American businesses are highly productive, Mr. de Graaf says, and that can be linked in part to the fact that Americans work more hours.

But companies need to be aware that not taking time off exacts a price in the form of employee burnout, poor physical and mental health and high turnover, he adds.

Also, vacations just plain make people happier, right?

Interestingly, a recent study out of the Netherlands, though confirming that vacations do heighten happiness, found that the greatest benefit occurred before the vacation — in short, anticipation appears to trump reality.

In recognition of this, people may want to consider taking more trips of shorter duration, Jeroen Nawijn, the lead author of the study,  told The New York Times last year.

“If you have a two-week holiday, you can split it up and have two one-week holidays,” he said. “You could try to increase the anticipation effect by talking about it more and maybe discussing it online.”

So perhaps bosses should be understanding if they happen to see their employees sneaking a look at Kayak.com or Tripadvisor.com while sitting at their desks.


Source: NYTimes

Considering a vacation with Holiday Systems International? Aside from having a wide range of destinations, HSI is by great customer service and reviews.


8. Fun in the sun
7. Winter getaways
6. Beautiful & exotic locations
5. Rest & relaxation
4. Sailing adventures
3. Breathtaking views
2. Spending time with family and friends
1. 5-star HSI resorts

For more information, read our company overview and customer testimonials. Contact HSI today.

When vacation time rolls around, Bob and Lisa Stonhaus, of San Ramon, Calif., can't wait to get away to their favorite rental. The couple says it's perfectly located: near a great swimming spot and scenic hiking trails. The place itself isn't too shabby either, with a state-of-the-art kitchen, a Bose sound system and flat-screen TVs in every room. The Stonhauses' two terriers love having the run of the place, and Bob says he and Lisa like nothing better than ending their lazy days with a nice bottle of Champagne and a soak in the outdoor hot tub. All in all, not a bad getaway -- provided you don't mind that it floats.

In growing numbers, vacationing Americans are unpacking their suitcases and carry-ons not in a hotel or beach house but in a more unexpected spot: on a private boat. Indeed, private ship rental companies, which once catered largely to experienced boaters, are now attempting to broaden their appeal with a host of new landlubber-friendly features. Houseboating outfits like the one the Stonhauses use are tricking out vessels with the comforts of home but also adding a host of concierge services like on-lake meal delivery and helicopter services that will chopper vacationers straight from the airport to the dock. Others are focusing on making the boats easier for newbies to handle; Le Boat, which rents self-drive canal crafts in Europe that start at about $1,900 a week, recently launched a new vessel that can be controlled by a video game style joystick. And if that isn't enough to persuade travelers to take the helm, yacht charter firms are more than happy to send vacationers out with a crew -- including a sommelier and a chef trained at venerable Le Cordon Bleu.
The push to get new travelers aboard can be traced back to the recession, which hit the boat industry harder than many. Yachts are expensive to dock and maintain, and with a relatively niche clientele, rental companies have done whatever they can to retain customers. While the trips themselves can still be pricey -- a catamaran for two, with a crew, starts at about $6,000 a week, while a midrange houseboat goes for anywhere from $2,000 to $7,000 -- outfitters have increasingly been willing to offer discounts. Thanks to such incentives (and the new features), the industry tide seems to be turning. Scottsdale, Ariz. based Forever Resorts, one of the biggest players in the houseboat industry, reports a 15 percent increase in bookings this year over last, and some European barge companies say an influx of American travelers is driving up business by more than 30 percent.

Read more at Smart Money


If you're looking to stay on land for a vacation, try a luxury vacation in Lake Tahoe, Florida or California. HSI's high rankings continue as HSI members continue to vacation with HSI.

Despite the current economic status in the United States, many Americans are still choosing to vacation in 2011. Perhaps work and stress are factors in this decision. One of the most used and needed items on a vacation is a cell phone. So, how can HSI clients avoid overspending on outrageous cellular roaming fees while vacationing? In April, Verizon created a YouTube video, “Tips for Traveling Overseas,” which draws attention to its global data plans and the automated alerts it sends when roaming charges exceed certain thresholds. AT&T has upgraded its international data plans for travelers. Despite such efforts, avoiding high roaming charges requires attention and vigilance. Here are a few ways to control costs.

Use Wi-Fi 
To avoid roaming fees completely, select airplane mode or turn off data roaming on your smartphone until you are in a Wi-Fi hot spot, where you can check e-mail or use the Web at much lower costs (often free). Many popular destinations offer wi-fi in places like McDonalds. If you were to do either while roaming, your bill would show it: an e-mail with a 5-megapixel photo, for example, would require your phone to download about 2 megabytes of data at a cost of about $20 a MB from either Verizon or AT&T.
Rent a Wi-Fi bubble 
If you can’t plan your trip around Internet cafes, hotel lounges or other free Wi-Fi spots, consider renting a portable Wi-Fi bubble. Tep Wireless, a smartphone rental company based in London, offers a pocket-sized Wi-Fi device that connects to local 3G signals in 16 European countries and allows you to use Wi-Fi with up to five devices simultaneously. Rates begin at $15 a day for three days (the longer you rent, the cheaper it gets) and include shipping to your home and pre-paid shipping labels for returning the device. If you are traveling in a single country like Spain, Italy or Britain, there is no limit on data use. For those touring Europe, Tep has a pocket Wi-Fi device that works in multiple countries but limits data to 50 MB a day.
Consider a data package 
If you don’t want to be limited to Wi-Fi in order to read e-mail or access the Internet, consider an international data package, which will allow you to roam at low pre-paid rates. Last month AT&T introduced international add-on options that provide travelers with more than double the data provided in previous deals.

Travelers who choose an add-on, which is tacked on to existing domestic calling and data plans, now get 50 MB for $25 a month compared with 20 MB previously, and up to 800 MB for $200 a month versus 200 MB. The data packages are available in more than 100 countries.Boost your data package 
It has recently become possible to get more out of those international data packages, thanks to new mobile tools that condense downloaded data. Onavo (onavo.com) a new Tel Aviv-based start-up, has an iPhone app that compresses users’ Web, e-mail and application data. The company states that customers who buy, say, a 50 MB, $25-a-month global data package can triple the data by using Onavo.

Read more at MSNBC.com

Rioting and looting in London has continued over the past few days, and is expected to continue for a fourth night. CNN has reported that the rioting is taking place in several areas of London and other major British cities, such as Birmingham in central England, Bristol in the southwest and Liverpool in northwest England. Although not all areas of London have been affected by these riots, many travelers are re-considering their London vacation plans to top Holiday Systems International destinations. Police say the subsequent riots in other parts of London and the UK are copycat events conducted by opportunists and criminals.

If you're already vacationing in London, you may notice that, apart from the directly affected areas, life in London and other cities continues as normal. Public transportation and tourist attractions are still running as normal, though some sporting events like the England versus Netherlands football match have been postponed. HSI clients still considering a vacation in London should be aware of the riot locations and avoid those areas. Consider other wonderful Holiday Systems International resorts and vacation destinations such as Vancouver.

What else should a London-bound traveler expect? Where can tourists find information about these riots? Visit London has updated their website with information about London transport and visitor centers with contact information for all of your questions.


Source: CNN Q&A | Lonely Planet