Sticker shock for USA domestic travel this spring
Apr 15, 2014, 9:27 am
#136
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Central Mass
Programs: Independent
Posts: 4,829
One year...mid 90's...I flew from Chicago down to Orlando to meet some of my Welsh friends who flew over for the week between Christmas and New Year's. They rented a house in a little development that was essentially a Welsh enclave! The people in the next house over were from Swansea, the people on the other side were from a smaller town in Mid-Wales, lots of people on the street from Cardiff. Either weekly renters or full-on snowbirds.
I didn't get the entire backstory about the development, but since human travel agents probably still booked a lot of these trips in the mid-90's, it could have been as simple as a developer connected to a few agents in Wales and some well-placed advertising. They were single-family units, but the place appeared to have been designed from the start to be vacation rentals.
The convenience store right outside the neighborhood had a decent supply of Welsh and British items...candies, crisps, magazines/newspapers, etc.
I didn't get the entire backstory about the development, but since human travel agents probably still booked a lot of these trips in the mid-90's, it could have been as simple as a developer connected to a few agents in Wales and some well-placed advertising. They were single-family units, but the place appeared to have been designed from the start to be vacation rentals.
The convenience store right outside the neighborhood had a decent supply of Welsh and British items...candies, crisps, magazines/newspapers, etc.
Apr 15, 2014, 12:10 pm
#137
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Palm Beach/ New England
Programs: AA EXP 3MM, DL GM, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 4,382
http://www.themetrains.com/auto-train-main.htm
Apr 15, 2014, 1:24 pm
#138
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Central Mass
Programs: Independent
Posts: 4,829
The AutoTrain actually predates Amtrak's operation of this route. It was the last private passenger train company to surrender to the feds in 1981. (Southern lasted until 1979 IIRC. Most of the other legacy railroads abandoned passenger service in 1969-1971, which was the founding impetus for Amtrak).
http://www.themetrains.com/auto-train-main.htm
http://www.themetrains.com/auto-train-main.htm
Not all remaining railroad became Amtrak, btw. The Alaska Railroad is still independent of it (though a quasi-state owned company).
Apr 15, 2014, 7:21 pm
#139
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Anywhere I need to be.
Programs: OW Emerald, *A Gold, NEXUS, GE, ABTC/APEC, South Korea SES, eIACS, PP, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 16,046
Apr 16, 2014, 5:49 am
#140
Join Date: Jul 2009
Programs: BAEC Silver, IHG Diamond
Posts: 7,770
One year...mid 90's...I flew from Chicago down to Orlando to meet some of my Welsh friends who flew over for the week between Christmas and New Year's. They rented a house in a little development that was essentially a Welsh enclave! The people in the next house over were from Swansea, the people on the other side were from a smaller town in Mid-Wales, lots of people on the street from Cardiff. Either weekly renters or full-on snowbirds.
I didn't get the entire backstory about the development, but since human travel agents probably still booked a lot of these trips in the mid-90's, it could have been as simple as a developer connected to a few agents in Wales and some well-placed advertising. They were single-family units, but the place appeared to have been designed from the start to be vacation rentals.
The convenience store right outside the neighborhood had a decent supply of Welsh and British items...candies, crisps, magazines/newspapers, etc.
I didn't get the entire backstory about the development, but since human travel agents probably still booked a lot of these trips in the mid-90's, it could have been as simple as a developer connected to a few agents in Wales and some well-placed advertising. They were single-family units, but the place appeared to have been designed from the start to be vacation rentals.
The convenience store right outside the neighborhood had a decent supply of Welsh and British items...candies, crisps, magazines/newspapers, etc.
(Same with Spain and Australia although the latter is doing well enough)
Apr 18, 2014, 4:04 pm
#141
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Everywhere
Programs: Delta GM, *G, BA Blue, Hyatt Plat, Marriott Silver, LHW
Posts: 753
The psychology of overspending is fascinating, and probably a topic for another (OMNI) thread. But there are so many people in this country living like this... it's not even funny.