We Advise your Vacation

COLUMBIA, Md., Aug. 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — MICROS Systems, Inc. , a leading provider of information technology solutions for the hospitality industry, is pleased to announce that the European hotel chain Scandic has selected the MICROS OPERA Enterprise Solution as its next generation central system solution. The implementation will include the OPERA Reservation System (ORS), OPERA Customer Information System (OCIS), and OPERA Web Services Suite, all hosted in the MICROS Datacenter located in Frankfurt, Germany.
Scandic, the largest hotel chain in the Nordic countries and one of Europe’s leading hotel operators, has been a loyal customer of MICROS-Fidelio since 1993. With the implementation of the OPERA central solution, Scandic will more efficiently manage its reservations among the sales and distribution channels, the international travel agency community and the central reservation offices. Scandic has also implemented the OPERA Web Services Suite to add a new Internet Booking Engine within that is seamlessly integrated to the OPERA Reservation System. With the OPERA Customer Information System, Scandic can centrally manage client profiles, membership programs and corporate contracts. The OPERA Enterprise Solution ensures Scandic a fully integrated technology solution from individual property level to the central system level.
“Since our acquisition in 2007 by EQT, Scandic has placed a heavy focus on making profitable growth the number one priority. There is a great deal of energy within Scandic that is ready to drive our new growth. Given our history with MICROS and its products, we are confident our continued and expanded partnership will help us achieve these goals,” stated Frank Fiskers, President and CEO of Scandic.
“After evaluation of numerous products and suppliers, we concluded that MICROS and its OPERA Enterprise Solution were the best fit for our corporate requirements. We value MICROS’s vast experience in the hospitality industry,” stated Ms. Pia Hofstedt, Director IT at Scandic.
“We have enjoyed a strong partnership with Scandic over the years and we are honored to have that partnership grow. Scandic is a very strong brand and we look forward to supporting its expansion,” says Mr. Ari-Pekka Heiskala, Vice President MICROS-Fidelio EAME/Nordic.
About Scandic
Scandic is a leading European mid-market hotel company with 147 leased, managed and franchised hotels in operation and under development, with a total of over 26,000 rooms in ten countries. The aim is to grow the number of hotels to 200 over the next years, focusing on the Nordic region, Northern and Eastern Europe and Russia. Since 1994, sustainability has been an integrated part of the business and Scandic is proud of being a recognised industry leader today. From the start in 1963 the business concept has been to offer trouble-free and accessible hotel services for all — today delivered by 6,400 enthusiastic team members. Visit scandichotels.com
About MICROS Systems, Inc.
MICROS Systems, Inc. provides enterprise applications for the hospitality and retail industries worldwide. Over 310,000 MICROS systems are currently installed in table and quick service restaurants, hotels, motels, casinos, leisure and entertainment, and retail operations in more than 130 countries, and on all seven continents. In addition, MICROS provides property management systems, central reservation and customer information solutions under the brand MICROS-Fidelio for more than 25,000 hotels worldwide, as well as point-of-sale, loss prevention, and cross-channel functionality through its MICROS-Retail division for more than 90,000 retail stores worldwide. MICROS stock is traded through NASDAQ under the symbol MCRS.
For more information on MICROS and its advanced information technology solutions for the hospitality industry, please contact Louise Casamento, Vice President of Marketing at (443) 285-8144 or (866) 287-4736. You can also visit the MICROS website at or send an email to .
The MICROS logo is a registered trademark of MICROS Systems, Inc. All other product and brand names are the property of their respective owners
MICROS Systems, Inc.

NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa., Aug. 15 /PRNewswire/ — Suntan lotion, flip-flops and an extra $500? The last thing travelers want to do is shell out any additional money on what they think is an already paid for vacation. Unfortunately, this is the harsh reality for those who want to travel. If the cost of fuel increases, the cost of their vacation increases too. It is no wonder more and more people are staying home. Relief is here however, and it comes in the form of Apple Vacations all-new AVOK Plus Protection.
The all-new AVOK Plus Protection Plan ensures travelers a secured price on their vacation package regardless of the increase in the cost of fuel. AVOK Plus Protection also guarantees that if a discount is advertised on the exact same vacation that a client has booked, they can claim the savings prior to departure. Have to cancel your trip? Whatever the reason may be, AVOK Plus covers that too.
“Apple’s new protection is especially convenient for those who deposit on their trips and pay the balance later,” said Tim Mullen, Senior Vice President, Apple Vacations. “As fuel prices increased, travelers had to make up the difference, but now they won’t have to.”
Apple Vacations is providing travelers the all-new AVOK Plus Protection for only $20 with the purchase of the $49.99 original AVOK Protection, which provides coverage for pre-departure cancellations.
For questions about AVOK Plus Protection, visit
Apple Vacations

BEND, Ore., Aug. 14 /PRNewswire/ — NAVIS, the leading developer of innovative reservation-capture solutions for the vacation rental management and independent resort markets, today announced a new contract for the NAVIS System with Bluewater GMAC Real Estate, Emerald Isle, North Carolina.
Bluewater GMAC Real Estate will utilize the NAVIS System to convert more of their inbound telephone calls to reservations, capture more caller data, leverage their caller data for more targeted marketing, and drive more calls to their vacation rental company.
“During this difficult economic period, our clients are finding that NAVIS is more critical to their business than ever before,” said Kyle Buehner, CEO of NAVIS. “As with other clients, Bluewater GMAC will be able to increase their revenue during good times and bad. And their management team will have greater visibility into their business than ever before — extensive data about their guests, prospects, agents, and marketing. With our Best Practices, we will show them how to convert that information into currency.”
“As Bluewater GMAC Real Estate has grown to be the largest property manager in the Emerald Isle area, with over 1,200 rental properties, we are constantly challenging ourselves to improve our customer service and grow our customer base and we look forward to partnering with NAVIS to reach our goals,” said John Kelly, General Manager of Bluewater GMAC Real Estate.
About Bluewater GMAC Real Estate
Bluewater GMAC takes tremendous pride in being a full service real estate company with vacation & annual rental department, five real estate sales locations and a construction office! Originally founded in 1986, Bluewater GMAC Real Estate has experienced continual growth while concentrating on honesty, integrity and professionalism. For more information, visit .
About NAVIS
NAVIS, founded in 1987, is a privately held company wholly owned by Buehner-Fry, Inc., headquartered in Bend, Ore. NAVIS provides vacation rental management companies and independent resort hotels with web-based technologies, processes and services that capture more information, more reservations, and more revenue from their inbound telephone calls. The NAVIS System tracks and records calls for agent coaching and increased closure rates, provides 24×7 reservation call center services for capturing after-hours reservations, improves the management of sales leads by capturing all calls and emails in one central location, and measures the revenue success of marketing campaigns using unique toll-free numbers. NAVIS can be reached toll free at 888-273-1764 or on the web at .
NAVIS

ABACO, The Bahamas, Aug. 13 /PRNewswire/ — The Ritz-Carlton Club has its sights on The Bahamas, and today the industry’s leading private residence club announces its expansion at The Abaco Club on Winding Bay, A Ritz-Carlton Managed Club.
A secluded residential development and sporting retreat, The Abaco Club offers more than two miles of pristine powder soft beaches, stunning turquoise waters and a multitude of activities from golf and fly fishing to horseback riding and a full-service spa. The fractional ownership, Ritz-Carlton Club, Abaco now joins the property’s existing real estate offerings of estate lots and turn-key cottages.
This fractional program is a points-based concept where Members have three membership options:
— Select Membership - 500 points
— Preferred Membership - 1,000 points
— Premium Membership - 1,500 points

With initial membership pricing starting at $110,000, Members receive points annually for use toward their vacations in Abaco. This approach provides increased flexibility as each Member can select the travel dates and residence floor plan best suited for their trip. Additionally, when choosing from the collection of homes, each residence is assigned a varying nightly point value.
The possibilities are endless on how a Member might enjoy their membership. For instance, a Member could elect to spend 14 nights (1,190 points) in a cliff-side cottage with the family to escape the winter chill, seven nights (280 points) in a similar cottage in summer while the kids are on vacation and four nights (30 points) in a cabana in the fall for a romantic getaway.*
“For those seeking a vacation home alternative in The Bahamas, The Ritz-Carlton Club provides a lifestyle like no other,” said Peter J. Watzka, executive vice president and chief operating officer for The Ritz- Carlton Development Company, Inc. (an affiliate of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C). “It affords a carefree home ownership experience, complete with a staff of dedicated Ladies and Gentlemen to assist Members with their every need. This island destination, and specifically The Abaco Club, is the ideal setting to expand our growing brand.”
Now in sales, The Ritz-Carlton Club, Abaco is targeted for first phase occupancy in December 2008, and ultimately offering 16 homes in the program. Furthermore, the concept grants a deeded interest as part of a Bahamian real estate trust. This approach allows Members to will the interest to their heirs, if desired. Membership also includes privileged access to the 7,183 yard / par 72, Scottish-style links golf course designed by Donald Steel and Tom Mackenzie - named number one in The Bahamas by Golfweek in 2007.
“The key ingredient to this new concept is Member feedback,” continued Watzka. “Our Members told us they are looking for enhanced flexibility when using their second homes. As a result, we designed a program as diverse as their travel plans.”
When making a reservation, Members may choose from four, fully furnished home options. The cabanas will provide approximately 570 square feet of living space. Overlooking Winding Bay, cliff-side cottages will include from two- to three-bedroom floor plans (roughly 1,656 - 2,385 square feet). Two-story, four-bedroom fairway villas (approximately 2,800 square feet) will meander along the golf course, and finally, two-story beachfront cottages will offer a three-bedroom floor plan at approximately 2,250 square feet. All homes will boast a blend of southern hospitality with large porches and comfortable furnishings, as well as a Caribbean color palette.
The Ritz-Carlton Club lifestyle is tailored to each Member’s preferences. Services include pre-arrival provisioning of the Member’s residence, such as pre-stocking of their refrigerator; concierge services; storage of personal items; assistance with travel arrangements; vacation activity planning; and twice-daily housekeeping. Ritz-Carlton Club Members will also take pleasure in the octagonally-designed clubhouse featuring gourmet dining and entertainment, as well as views of the bay and its double crescent shoreline. At the beach, Members will discover numerous water activities including snorkeling at a nearby coral reef, and Buster’s, a casual thatched-roof bar and grill at the water’s edge.
In addition, Members will have the option of traveling to other destinations through reciprocal use privileges at Ritz-Carlton Club locations from San Francisco to Aspen, Colo.
Architects collaborating on the fractional residence designs are Plan It Bahamas located in Nassau, The Bahamas, and Cooper Johnson Smith Architects, Inc. in Tampa, Fla.
About The Ritz-Carlton Club
The Ritz-Carlton Club is a deeded, fractional ownership real estate offering combining the benefits of vacation home ownership with personalized Ritz-Carlton services and amenities. For information, visit .
*Premium membership example.
The Ritz-Carlton Club

BETHESDA, Md., Aug. 12 /PRNewswire/ — Marriott Rewards’ most popular points offer, MegaBonus, is back and bigger than ever. Members can earn up to 25,000 bonus points when they pay for their stay with a Visa(R) Card.
For every third Visa-paid stay, members will earn 5,000 MegaBonus* Marriott Rewards points, up to a maximum 25,000 points at participating Marriott(R) hotels between September 15, 2008 and January 15, 2009. Registration is required and begins August 12. Members must register by October 31, 2008. For more information or to register, visit MarriottRewards.com/MegaBonus or call 1-888-MARRIOTT (627-7468). Once registered, members can log onto MarriottRewards.com/PromoProgress to view their bonus progress.
MegaBonus points can be earned at 2,900 Marriott International hotels around the world, including Marriott(R) Hotels & Resorts, JW Marriott(R) Hotels & Resorts, Renaissance(R) Hotels & Resorts, Courtyard by Marriott(R), Residence Inn by Marriott(R), Fairfield Inn by Marriott(R), TownePlace Suites by Marriott(R), SpringHill Suites by Marriott(R), Marriott vacation Club(SM), Horizons by Marriott vacation Club and Grand Residences by Marriott vacation Club.
Marriott Rewards points can be redeemed for hotel stays, frequent flyer miles, cruises, car rentals, brand-name merchandise and more. Marriott Rewards won the 2008 Freddie Award for “Best Hotel Rewards Program” and has been named best hotel rewards program by the readers of Business Traveler, Global Traveler, Travel Savvy, Executive Travel and BusinessWeek magazines.
To make a reservation, members can call 1-800-228-9290 or visit Marriott.com. For information about Marriott Rewards, guests can call 1-800-450-4442 or log onto MarriottRewards.com.
*Terms & Conditions: Marriott Rewards members who register for this promotion by October 31, 2008, will earn 5,000 MegaBonus points-up to a maximum of 25,000 points, every third paid stay made between September 15, 2008 and January 15, 2009, at a participating Marriott property and payment is made with a Visa(R) card.
Registration is required. Offers are non-transferable. Some pre-existing Marriott Rewards members will receive differing promotional offers. Nights spent while redeeming an award are not eligible for credit. A stay is defined as consecutive nights spent at the same hotel, regardless of check-in/check- out activity. Only one room per hotel is counted toward a member’s nights or stay. Members electing to earn miles are not eligible for this promotion. All Marriott Rewards program terms and conditions apply.
Visit for Marriott International, Inc.’s company information.
Release Available on Media Dedicated Resource Site:
Marriott International, Inc.

RALEIGH-DURHAM, N.C., Aug. 11 /PRNewswire/ — Jackson-Shaw, a national real estate development and investment firm, today announced that it has awarded management contracts to operate two Marriott properties in the Dallas area to Concord Hospitality Enterprises, one of the nation’s top-ranked hotel developer/owner/operators. Concord also will provide pre-opening services for the hotels.
The two properties, a 102-room Residence Inn and 104-room Fairfield Inn & Suites, will anchor The Cascades at The Colony, Jackson-Shaw’s 100-acre, master-planned community in The Colony, Texas, a suburb of Dallas. The hotels are expected to open in the spring of 2009 and represent Jackson-Shaw’s continued commitment to expanding its hotel portfolio, with the planned development of another property in Dallas and one in Jacksonville, Florida.
“We went through an extensive process to choose a hotel management company that was aligned with our vision for the community, as well as with our values as a developer,” said Christopher Sheldon, vice president of hotel operations at Jackson-Shaw. “Concord has the expertise and experience to deliver the level of quality and excellence we expect for these properties, which are located along a major corridor in an emerging suburb.”
The addition of the two contracts increases Concord’s managed properties to half of the company’s total portfolio of more than 50 hotels, and moves the company towards its stated goal of doubling its portfolio size by 2010.
“Jackson-Shaw is one of the most respected real estate developers in the country, and we look forward to partnering with them to extend their track record of excellence,” said Grant Sabroff, senior vice president of business development at Concord. “Concord intends to build on its reputation for successfully positioning new hotels and providing excellence in pre-opening services, in addition to working hand-in-hand with the owners and Marriott to leverage our expertise in managing upper select-service hotels.”
The Residence Inn, located at 6900 Cascades Court, will feature a 350 square-foot meeting room, a business library, exercise room, all-purpose sports center for basketball, tennis and volleyball, guest laundry facility, outdoor pool and whirlpool, complimentary in-room high-speed Internet access and surface parking for 107 cars.
The select-service PLUS, Marriott Fairfield Inn & Suites, located at 5909 Stone Creek Drive, will feature a 5,500 square-foot events center made up of a 3,500 square-foot ballroom and two 1,000 square-foot meeting rooms. Additionally, there will be a business library, exercise room, guest laundry facility, outdoor pool and whirlpool, complimentary in-room high-speed Internet access and a complimentary hot breakfast will be offered each morning. The property will include surface parking for 133 cars.
Jackson-Shaw has completed the first phase of The Cascades at The Colony, known as the Campus @ Cascades, comprising six buildings totaling over 200,000 square feet of flex space, as well as the project’s focal point, a two-acre park with cascading water feature. Upon completion of the entire development, The Cascades at The Colony will include 200,000 square feet of office space, 200,000 square feet of flex space and 100,000 square feet of retail space, in addition to the two hotel properties. In addition, KB Homes will develop 184 townhome units and 108 garden homes.
About Jackson-Shaw
Jackson-Shaw, a national real estate development company headquartered in Dallas, Texas, has more than 37 years of experience in the development of diversified real estate properties. The company has completed more than 38 million square feet of development since its founding in 1971. Today, Jackson-Shaw focuses its development activity on a variety of project types, including office, industrial, mixed use, hospitality and residential. The company’s consistent goal is to increase and enhance values in real property assets for both its clients and capital partners.
About Concord Hospitality
Concord Hospitality Enterprises Company, an award-winning hotel management and development company based in Raleigh-Durham, N.C., manages 50 hotels and with over 6,000 guest rooms in 11 states and two Canadian providences under such well-known brands as Renaissance, Marriott, Courtyard by Marriott, Residence Inn by Marriott, Fairfield Inn and Suites by Marriott, SpringHill Suites by Marriott, and Hampton Inn and Suites, and an independent boutique hotel. Formed in 1985, the company was recently listed as one of the top management companies in the nation by hotel & Motel Management. Concord properties are some of the most awarded hotels in the country, having won nearly 30 honors in the past two years alone. For more information, visit .
Contact: Melanie Boyer, Jerry Daly
(703) 435-6293
Concord Hospitality

HANOVER, Md., Aug. 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — The nation’s largest wireless carrier is broadening the reach of its wireless coverage in the nation’s capital. AT&T Inc. announced today it was the first wireless carrier to provide service at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center — the largest combined hotel and convention center on the East Coast. This system is part of an overall strategy by the company to provide unparalleled indoor wireless coverage in key buildings across the city, where residents and visitors alike, work and play.
Wireless coverage extends over all 470,000 square feet of flexible convention, meeting, exhibition and pre-function space, as well as the lobby, restaurants and shopping at the hotel.
“AT&T is committed to seamlessly connect our customers with the people, information and entertainment they care about - a high quality experience is simply what our customers expect,” said Rob Forsyth, AT&T vice president and general manager of wireless operations in Washington, D.C., northern Virginia and Maryland. “Investing in in-building systems allow us to deliver on that promise, even in the nooks and crannies of some of Washington’s largest hotel and meeting spaces.”
Our continued investment in the greater Washington, D.C. area also includes the recent in-building coverage enhancements of the Hilton Washington and the Marriott’s Renaissance Washington, located across from the Washington Convention Center.
Part of the 2008 plan also includes upgrading in-building coverage in the Hyatt Regency at Capitol Hill to add third generation (3G) wireless broadband technology, giving visitors and guests blazing-fast speeds similar to those of WiFi. AT&T’s 3G network opens the door to a new era of mobile services, including LaptopConnect cards, which provide DSL-like speeds for customers to keep connected to e-mail, the Internet and business applications almost anywhere they can place a call. A 3G network also allows customers to share live streaming video from handset to handset through AT&T’s first-of-its-kind service called Video Share(SM).
Customers who are guests of the Hilton Washington north of Dupont Circle, now enjoy enhanced wireless coverage in the hotel’s common areas, including the main ballrooms, lobby, restaurants and business center. The company also beefed-up coverage in the 64,000 square foot Renaissance Washington, providing a superior wireless network experience for the hundreds of thousands of hotel guests who visit the city each year.
These three in-building systems and one 3G enhancement will compliment the 88 total cell site investment planned for 2008 in the region, which includes a total of nine in-building systems this year. Since 2005, AT&T’s planned investment on network enhancements has exceeded $500 million and AT&T has installed more than 60 in-building systems regionally to expand wireless coverage and add capacity.
AT&T products and services are available at 70 company-owned stores and more than 542 authorized agent and national retailer locations throughout the greater Washington Metro and Maryland region including Wal-Mart, Costco Wholesale, RadioShack and Best Buy.
About AT&T
AT&T Inc. is a premier communications holding company. Its subsidiaries and affiliates, AT&T operating companies, are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. Among their offerings are the world’s most advanced IP-based business communications services and the nation’s leading wireless, high speed Internet access and voice services. In domestic markets, AT&T is known for the directory publishing and advertising sales leadership of its Yellow Pages and YELLOWPAGES.COM organizations, and the AT&T brand is licensed to innovators in such fields as communications equipment. As part of its three-screen integration strategy, AT&T is expanding its TV entertainment offerings. In 2008, AT&T again ranked No. 1 on Fortune magazine’s World’s Most Admired Telecommunications Company list and No. 1 on America’s Most Admired Telecommunications Company list. Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at .
Cautionary Language Concerning Forward-Looking Statements
Information set forth in this press release contains financial estimates and other forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties, and actual results might differ materially. A discussion of factors that may affect future results is contained in AT&T’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. AT&T disclaims any obligation to update and revise statements contained in this news release based on new information or otherwise.
(C) 2008 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. AT&T, the AT&T logo and all other marks contained herein are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies.
Note: This AT&T news release and other announcements are available as part of an RSS feed at . For more information, please review this announcement in the AT&T newsroom at .
AT&T Inc.

BOSTON and SIOUX FALLS, S.D., July 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Brigham and Women’s Hospital and LodgeNet Healthcare, a division of LodgeNet Interactive Corporation , announced an agreement that brings the LodgeNetRX(TM) Interactive Patient Television System to more than 700 patient beds at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. Brigham and Women’s Hospital, an internationally renowned teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School, launched the system this July to provide patients with access to on demand entertainment and patient specific education.
(Logo: )
In support of this agreement, LodgeNet completely re-designed the hospital’s patient TV network and installed the company’s video on demand (VOD) movies, music, and its patient education management solution (which, when fully implemented, will be provided in conjunction with Patient Edu, LLC).
“We did a thorough evaluation of interactive system options in the market and selected the most reliable, proven and scalable system to support our goals of better educating and empowering patients,” said Jennifer Nadelson, MBA, administrative director, Brigham and Women’s Hospital. “LodgeNet’s track record and expertise in planning, managing, and implementing their solutions assured us that the project would be handled professionally and efficiently.”
“The LodgeNet installation crew was professional and handled our cable plant and infrastructure project seamlessly,” added Nadelson. “We look forward to enhancing our patient experiences in the future with the features of this new system.”
A growing number of hospitals now offer hotel-like amenities to ease the stress of hospital stays, and a recent survey conducted by LodgeNet showed that hospitals with interactive patient television systems enjoyed greater patient satisfaction ratings and other benefits than hospitals without such systems. The research supported a key theme that is well recognized by hospital employees: when patients have easy access to rich interactive media, entertainment content and medical information, they feel more empowered and satisfied with their experiences. In addition, U.S. hospitals see some five million re-admissions a year, and experts cite better patient education as one potential opportunity to reduce this number.
Ann Furey, RN, Patient Education Program manager, said, “LodgeNet Healthcare and Patient Edu, LLC are working with my team to better understand our Patient Education Program principles. Brigham and Women’s Hospital strives for excellence in all aspects of patient care, and patient education is no exception. We intend to advance our efforts toward this goal through the application of this solution in our patient interactions.”
“To have such a prestigious hospital rely on LodgeNet for their patient education and entertainment needs speaks volumes about the service they know we can deliver,” said Gary Kolbeck, vice president of Healthcare Business Development for LodgeNet. “Our system can benefit not only the patient but the hospital as well with improved operational efficiencies.”
Brigham and Women’s Hospital is consistently ranked among the top American hospitals and has been ranked on US News and World Report’s Honor Roll of America’s best hospitals for 11 consecutive years. It is the only hospital in the nation to be named for eight consecutive years to Solucient’s list of Top 100 Hospitals. In 2008, it was recognized by the University HealthSystem Consortium (UHC) for being one of five top performing academic medical centers in the country in a quality and safety benchmarking study.
The LodgeNetRX Interactive Patient Television System is a leading solution supporting a growing trend in which more hospitals and healthcare facilities are seeking to deploy interactive TV systems as a way of better informing and empowering patients throughout the continuum of care. LodgeNet Healthcare has sold its interactive systems to 31 healthcare facilities to date. The company will be demonstrating its LodgeNetRX solution at the 45th Annual Conference & Technical Exhibition of the American Society for Healthcare Engineering (ASHE) of the American Hospital Association (AHA), July 20-23 in Washington, DC. For more information, please visit the LodgeNet Healthcare Website at .
About Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) is a 757-bed nonprofit teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School and a founding member of Partners HealthCare, an integrated health care delivery network. In July of 2008, the hospital opened the Carl J. and Ruth Shapiro Cardiovascular Center, the most advanced center of its kind. BWH is committed to excellence in patient care with expertise in virtually every specialty of medicine and surgery. The BWH medical preeminence dates back to 1832, and today that rich history in clinical care is coupled with its national leadership in quality improvement and patient safety initiatives and its dedication to educating and training the next generation of health care professionals. Through investigation and discovery conducted at its Biomedical Research Institute (BRI), BWH is an international leader in basic, clinical and translational research on human diseases, involving more than 860 physician-investigators and renowned biomedical scientists and faculty supported by more than $416 M in funding. BWH is also home to major landmark epidemiologic population studies, including the Nurses’ and Physicians’ Health Studies and the Women’s Health Initiative. For more information about BWH, please visit .
About LodgeNet Interactive
LodgeNet Interactive Corporation is the leading provider of media and connectivity solutions designed to meet the unique needs of hospitality, healthcare and other guest-based businesses. LodgeNet Interactive serves more than 1.9 million hotel rooms representing 10,000 hotel properties worldwide in addition to healthcare facilities throughout the United States. The company’s services include: Interactive Television Solutions, Broadband Internet Solutions, Content Solutions, Professional Solutions and Advertising Media Solutions. LodgeNet Interactive Corporation owns and operates businesses under the industry leading brands: LodgeNet, LodgeNetRX, and The hotel Networks. LodgeNet Interactive is listed on NASDAQ and trades under the symbol LNET. For more information, please visit .
LodgeNet and LodgeNetRX are trademarks or registered trademarks of LodgeNet Interactive Corporation. Other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

LodgeNet Interactive Corporation

DALLAS, Aug. 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Bringing people to and around Florida is what Southwest Airlines is all about. VISIT FLORIDA’s mission is to market travel and drive visitation to and within Florida. That is why Southwest Airlines and VISIT FLORIDA are excited to announce a large scale, integrated promotional partnership designed to raise awareness of Florida’s many attractions in key markets such as Philadelphia, Chicago, Baltimore, Washington, DC, Pittsburgh, the Boston area, and Dallas.
The joint marketing initiative includes television advertising, online advertising, promotions, and public relations elements and is designed to increase visitation to the Sunshine State this fall. As Florida’s largest carrier, Southwest is uniquely positioned to help increase visits and promote the many attractions of Florida.
“Florida is a great year-round destination, and we are thrilled to partner with VISIT FLORIDA to help get the word out about all that Florida has to offer,” said Derek Kuester, Manager of National Promotions and Partnerships. “Florida has been very good to Southwest, and we have been good for Florida — this is a win-win for both of us.”
VISIT FLORIDA is the state’s official source for travel planning. Travelers can find the information necessary to plan the perfect Florida vacation at the award winning web site.
“VISIT FLORIDA is committed to establishing Florida as the #1 travel destination in the world,” said Tammy Gustafson, Planning and National Accounts Executive of Universal Orlando and VISIT FLORIDA’s Marketing Vice Chair. “This partnership with Southwest Airlines will inspire millions of travelers to consider a Florida vacation this fall and winter.”
After almost 37 years of service, Southwest Airlines continues to differentiate itself from other low fare carriers-offering a reliable product with exemplary Customer Service. Southwest Airlines is the most productive airline in the sky and offers Customers a comfortable traveling experience. Southwest Airlines , the nation’s largest carrier in terms of domestic passengers carried, currently serves 64 cities in 32 states with more than 3,400 flights a day. Southwest began serving the Sunshine State in 1996 and is the state’s largest carrier, with service from six Florida cities.

Southwest Airlines

ST. GEORGE, Utah, Aug. 7 /PRNewswire/ — Green Valley Spa & Resort — one of the country’s original luxury destination spas — is so serious about helping guests learn how to de-stress and stay well in these changing times that they’ve introduced a two-for-one summer package that includes suite accommodations, all meals, unlimited fitness classes and a wide array of mind-body wellness programs, starting at $248 per person, per night.
Located in Southwest Utah’s red rock canyon country between Las Vegas and Zion National Park, Green Valley has garnered a list of accolades since being founded 23 years ago by the Coombs family. The July 2008 issue of Health Magazine named the 50-room, family-owned destination spa one of the “Top Ten Healthiest Spas in America.” Luxury Spa Finder readers said Green Valley had the “Best Rooms” and the “Best Hiking” of any U.S. destination spa while a travel Leisure Magazine Reader’s Poll named the luxury wellness retreat the #3 spa in the world!
The “Summer Bring a Friend Fitness Package” ranges from $248 (double occupancy) to $295 (single occupancy) per person, is valid until Sept. 30, 2008 and includes:
— Luxury suite accommodations (Standard room category is 750 square feet
and includes: fireplace, separate whirlpool tub & shower; four poster
beds, kitchenette, DVD/CD player and complimentary internet.)
— Three healthy, organic meals a day plus snacks.
— Daily morning hikes at three fitness levels, including excursions to
Zion National Park, Snow Canyon, Padre Canyon, Silver Reef, etc.
— Mind & body fitness classes including yoga, Tai Chi, circuit training,
boxing, Pilates, water aerobics and meditation.
— Lectures by health professionals.
— A Native American wellness program

* Price does not include an 18% state room tax & resort amenity fee.

Guests also have access the spa’s serene, 20,000 square-foot indoor/outdoor therapy center, the Vic Braden Tennis School with 19 courts, a 4,000 square-foot Wilson Golf Learning Center, one indoor pool and 5 outdoor pools, including a Watsu Pool.
The Fall Air Credit Package runs October through December 2008 and includes a fitness assessment, life coaching, weight management education; one, 50-minute spa treatment a day, a $500 travel credit with a 7 night package; $200 travel credit with 4 nights and $100 travel credit with 3 nights.
For more information visit .
Green Valley Spa & Resort