• What's elliott?
• About elliott
• Contact us

t o p i c s

• Business
• Commentary
• Destinations
• Help
• Leisure
• Technology
• Vault

Copyright Elliott Publishing. All rights reserved. For more information, call (305) 453-4781 or send e-mail to us.

ELLIOTT'S E-MAIL
http://www.elliott.org

June 23, 2003

>> Inside <<

* Turning it Around
* Cell Phone Etiquette?
* Your Memos, Please!
* Double Trouble
* Moneysaving Tips from the Jet Set
* Doggone Sun Valley
* I'm Watching You
* Buy Three, Get One Chump
* Blacklisted By National

>> First Off <<

** Turning it Around
We've got more good news to report this week. Subscriptions have hit a record - we're only a few folks shy of the 15,000-mark - and the newsletter hasn't been this packed with original content in two years. We also extend a warm "welcome back" to the Occidental Tourist, who is in rare form this week as he tackles his personal travel gripes. Also new: A weekly destinations section, focusing on domestic travel. And coming soon, a new "Memo of the Week" page (more info below). Better yet, the scuttlebutt is that the travel business is set to make a comeback later this year - and that's positive news for all of us.

>> Underwritten By <<

** Dream of Italy
Do you know where to get the best deals on designer duds in Italy? How to find a reasonably-priced, well-equipped villa rental? Which Roman restaurants have to best views of the Eternal City? The readers of Dream of Italy, the bi-monthly subscription newsletter do! The newsletter reveals the hidden secrets that can make your next Italian vacation unforgettable. Subscribe now and receive a free copy of Dream of Italy's Special Report: Villa Rentals.

>> By The Way <<

** Cell Phone Etiquette?
Today's cell phones do a lot more than let you talk. They take pictures, play music, and let you send instant messages. But what are the "rules" for using these new applications while you're out there? What are your "dos" and "dont's"? Send us an e-mail and include your full name, city, and what you do for a living.

** Your Memos, Please!
Next month, Elliott's E-Mail is launching a new section called "Memo of the Week" - and we need your help! If you work for a major airline, hotel chain, car-rental company or cruise line, and a memo crosses your desk that makes for interesting reading, why not pass it along to us? A few ground rules: The memos must directly affect travelers (a new fee or policy change, for example), must be in good taste, and verifiably authentic. All submissions will remain completely anonymous.

** Double Trouble
The next issue of Elliott's E-Mail will transmit on Thursday, June 26, because of my travel schedule. Can you handle a double-dose of controversy? Thought so.

>> Elliott's Commentary <<

** Moneysaving Tips from the Jet Set
Pinching pennies is a time-honored tradition among leisure travelers. But it's a practice that's now gaining increasing popularity among an unlikely group: business travelers. Road warriors long have had rich tastes in travel. Back in the late 1990s, when the economy was white-hot, they routinely bought expensive airline tickets and stayed in pricey hotels while away on business. Not anymore. Here's how they've cut costs - and how you can, too. > Details in Power Trip.

> Save Money on Your Next Car Rental
> Spend Miles, Save Money
> Small Savings Can Add Up

> Hear Elliott on public radio's "The Savvy Traveler"

>> Destination of the Week <<

** Doggone Sun Valley
The spring water is served in plastic bowls - on the floor - at Sun Valley's finest restaurants. The biscuits are cold and hard, and they taste doggone funny, come to think of it. But patrons pant for more. Sometimes they bark, too. Welcome to the most dog-friendly resort in America. Canines are a central part of this former mining town known for its celebrity sightings and isolated beauty. > Details in Destinations.

>> Ticked.com Talk <<

** I'm Watching You
Again, the on-the-spot snipings of a most jaded but dogged traveler, the Occidental Tourist. Yes to you - you apathetic hotel operators, you aggressively hostile airlines, you inept resort clerks, you clueless waiters, you worthless rental car counter clerks - the Tourist is still out there. And he is watching ... > Read more in The Occidental Tourist's all-new column.

> Fat Fliers
> Tourist: How to Complain
> Occidental's Off-Season Travel

** Buy Three, Get One Chump
Last month I needed to fly to Philadelphia from Boston. It was going to be a quick trip. Down in the morning and back to Boston in the evening. I checked schedules and everything was OK; then I looked at airfares. They have to be kidding. Round trip airfare to Philadelphia from Boston - an easy six-hour drive each way - cost more than $850. I checked into the next week and found round-trip tickets for about $250. > Read more in Charlie Leocha's column.

>> Triprights.com Ticker <<

** Blacklisted By National
A car rental agent's mistake leads to the blacklisting of a frequent renter. And no matter how hard he tries to clear up the misunderstanding, it seems he just keeps getting mired deeper in trouble. Now he turns to the travel troubleshooter for help, hoping to clear his good name (and possibly rent another car from National). But does he really need help? Find out. > In Fix My Trip.

> Speechless
> Talkative Travelers
> Scramble This!

>> Also Underwritten By <<

** Bonjour Paris
France has recently come under a lot of fire. Access Bonjour Paris if you're interested in the pros and cons about travel to France. Bonjour Paris is the best content site about France and is not afraid of controversy. If you're a Francophile, Bonjour Paris is the best on-line resource about tout La Belle France.

** EasyTravelAir
If you've fumbled with your ID while taking off your shoes and coat, emptying your pockets, and removing your computer, you'll find getting through airport security a lot simpler and less stressful with the Security Pouch. It all started when Judy Jacobs lost her driver's license, everyone's worst nightmare. She vowed she'd find an easier and safer way to negotiate the security maze. When she could not find it, she made it. Now you can purchase her travel-warrior-tested Security Pouch. Get the online special only $10 or call 800-282-1469 to order at $14.99 each.

** The Great Alaskan Toursaver
Developed by Alaska travel expert Scott McMurren, it's full of free and 2-for-1 offers on all the state's top activities and attractions: flightseeing, fishing, whale-watching, adventure lodges, train rides, hotels, rental cars and much, much more. Just $99.95 - it's got $25,000 in travel savings. Everything is 2-for-1 or free! Tell them Elliott sent you.

>> Who's Reading Elliott's E-Mail? <<

* Demographics
* Average newsletter circulation - 14,465
* Last month's total unique visitors
Elliott.org - 46,069
Ticked.com - 23,617
Triprights.com - 7,820
Total E3 Network visitors - 77,506
Change from last month +12,311 visitors/580 subscribers

>> Talk To Us <<

Read something you disagree with? Got a story idea or a gripe? Here's how to reach Elliott.

Phone (305) 453-4781 or e-mail

>> Become an Underwriter <<

This site relies on support from travelers like you. If you care about journalism that's uncompromising, cutting-edge and consumer-focused, then you're invited to become a member of elliott.org. Your contribution will help keep us operating.

>> Please Forward Elliott's E-Mail <<

Did you know the average reader forwards Elliott's E-Mail to two other people every week? We don't mind at all, but you could always save yourself the trouble by inviting them to subscribe. It's easy and it's free: just send an e-mail to this address.

>> Credits and Subscription Information <<

Elliott's E-Mail is published 50 times a year by http://www.elliott.org. (c) 2003 Elliott Publishing.

To unsubscribe, please open your Web browser and click on this address.

NOTE: To successfully unsubscribe, please follow the directions on the Web page. Do not reply to this e-mail with unsubscribe requests. Unsubscribe requests sent to the return address in this e-mail will not be processed.