Update Booking.com, HostelWorld, HostelBookers, Expedia and more with every reservation

Would you like to automatically update sites like HostelWorld, HostelBookers, Booking.com, Expedia, Orbitz, and 150 others, every time you receive a reservation?

Now you can. IWB Channel Manager now offers this incredible capability. Don’t underestimate the power and value of this feature until you’ve tried it.

Here’s how it works:
Whenever you receive a booking on any channel or website (e.g., HostelWorld, Booking.com, Agoda, etc.), your availability calendar is immediately updated on all connected sites. Over 150 booking sites are available. Even update all your calendars when you receive a reservation from your own website (with IWB Booking engine). Imagine the savings you can achieve in both time and money.

Get started today with Channel Manager at prices as low as $14 per month. Get 4 months free when you sign up for a year. Just log into your profile and proceed to the Channel Manager page.

Get Started?
Questions?


Traveling through Eastern Europe by Train or Bus

Courtesy of 3 Bros Hostel in Cieszyn:

Traveling through Eastern Europe seems to be an easy thing. There are a lot of direct trains connecting the most popular tourist destinations such as Krakow, Prague, Budapest and Vienna.  Ticket prices may seem quite reasonable for foreign western tourists, however for Eastern European standards they are extremely expensive. It’s possible to save a lot of money and maintain (or increase!) the comfort of travel.

In a past there were 2 direct trains from Krakow to Budapest/Budapest to Krakow.  However the standard of travel was close to be acceptable, it was the most popular way to get to Budapest/Krakow. There is just one night train from Budapest to Krakow at the moment (number of trains was probably reduced due to poor financial condition of the polish public railways).  Travel takes ages and it is not cheap.

Instead of train you can choose one of two bus companies (Orangeways http://orangeways.com/en or Eurolines http://www.eurolines.pl/en/home-page ).  Tickets are twice as cheap and it takes just 7-8 hours to get to the next destination. Unfortunately the bus only leaves a few days each week – not every day.

Same story with connections: Krakow-Vienna. The train is quite comfortable, but much more expensive than a bus (http://www.eurolines.pl/en/home-page ).

You can also get a bus ticket from Krakow to Prague/Prague to Krakow, but it doesn’t leave very frequently, just 2-3 days a week. Direct trains are extremely expensive (60-70 Euros!), so travelling through Cieszyn (a border city) is becoming a more popular way to get from Prague to Krakow/Krakow to Prague. Starting from Krakow, you simply need to catch a bus from Krakow Main Bus Station to Cieszyn. Buses runs every hour (except the night time – last one departs around 10 pm and the first one around 6 am). It takes about 3 hours to get to Cieszyn and regular ticket costs approx. 5 Euros. After arrival, there is about a 20 minute walk from the Polish to the Czech part of the same city, called now Cesky Tesin (yeah, both Polish and Czech variations are so difficult to pronounce…). From the train station in Cesky Tesin, depart a lot of trains to Prague.  Just don’t forget to exchange money – for train tickets you need to pay in Czech Korunas. Catch train (ticket costs around 16 Euros), relax for about 4 hours, and finally you’re in Prague! So simple, so fast, so cheap!

For any detailed information about your travel – you can check the new Cieszyn 3 Bros Hostel’s website – they’ve got all the important information (timetables, directions) on: http://3broshostel.com/en/how-to-get-there

Other connections seem to be bit easier.

It’s quite cheap to get from Prague to Budapest/Budapest to Prague by bus(check Orangeways www.orangeways.com or Eurolines https://www.elines.cz/en/).

…and Prague to Vienna/Vienna to Prague (Eurolines https://www.elines.cz/en/ or Regiojet http://jizdenky.studentagency.cz/).

If you really enjoy trains – do not hesitate to take the one from Prague to Bratislava/Bratislava to Prague. The price is more than reasonable, and trains are comfortable.

Generally, Czech but also Slovakian railways are quite good and cheap, as compared to Polish and Hungarian ones.

Enjoy your travel!

Hostels in Czech Republic

 


Rome’s Most Important Discovery in 10 years

Archaeologists have considered it one of the most important discoveries since the Roman Forum: a recently completed excavation of a 900-seat auditorium under Rome’s piazza Venezia, believed to have been funded by Emperor Hadrian around 123 CE.

Situated 5.5 metres below ground, with three halls, 13 metre-high arched ceilings and terraced marble seating, the auditorium was part of an ancient arts complex, where Rome’s noblemen gathered to hear poetry recitals, speeches and treatises on philosophy.

Read the full article here:

http://www.theflorentine.net/articles/article-view.asp?issuetocId=8181

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Un Regalo di Capodanno – Più di 150 canali!

Un Regalo di Capodanno – Più di 150 canali!

IWB Channel Manager ha aggiunto nuovi canali di prenotazione. Ora è possibile caricare il tuo calendario di disponibilità di oltre 150 siti di distribuzione in una sola volta.

In precedenza, circa 30 canali di prenotazione erano disponibili per un costo mensile di circa €11 ($14). Questa era già una grande offerta. Ora, abbiamo aggiunto 5 volte il numero di canali di prenotazione, tutti allo stesso prezzo. Questo è un valore senza precedenti.

Iscriviti alla IWB Channel Manager ora.

Iniziare?

http://www.instantworldbooking.com/it.channel-manager.php

Domande?
info@instantworldbooking.com

Vantaggi di IWB Channel Manager (Canale gestione)

- Meno di €11 ($14) al mese
- Aggiorna il tuo calendario su più di 150 siti di prenotazione, più i GDS, per un prezzo basso
- Tutti i siti hostelling principali compresi, anche HostelWorld.com, Hostelbookers, ecc.
- Risparmia tempo e denaro con la gestione del calendario solo una volta
- Moltiplica la tua esposizione con i siti premium come Hotels.com, Expedia, Booking.com, e molti altri

Se non hai provato IWB Channel Manager prima, ora è il momento.
Eliminare le ore e ore di lavoro ogni settimana. Se si utilizza già un servizio di gestione del canale, ora è il momento di prendere in considerazione il passaggio. Smettere di pagare troppo. Instant World Booking offre risparmio incredibile e convenienza.

Iscriviti oggi, e hanno tutti i calendari sincronizzati entro domani.
Non c’è niente da perdere a provare. Basta accedere al tuo profilo in InstantWorldBooking.com e procedere alla pagina di Gestione Canali.

http://www.instantworldbooking.com/it.work-with-us.php

Fai pubblicità ora?

http://www.instantworldbooking.com/listings/it.add_property.php

Ottenere più prenotazioni dal tuo sito web

http://www.instantworldbooking.com/it.booking-engine.php

Prendi un nuovo Motore di Prenotazione per il tuo sito. Gestione calendario una volta sul vostro sito web e tutti i tuoi siti di prenotazione esterni.

http://www.instantworldbooking.com/it.booking-engine.php

Instant World Booking ha il prezzo più basso garantito. Non ci sono eccezioni. Abbiamo anche più opzioni di maggior parte dei dei fornitori di servizi.

Basta contattarci per un preventivo personalizzato. Se non siamo in grado di ridurre i costi correnti, per ottenere il nostro motore di prenotazione gratuito per un anno.

Questa offerta è un virtuale “game-changer”! Scegliere un piano con o senza depositi della clientela. Personalizza i tuoi pagamenti.

Instant World Booking offre più servizi e opzioni di pagamento rispetto a qualsiasi altro fornitore. Inizia subito! Non c’è alcun obbligo.

Crea il tuo motore di prenotazione ora?

http://www.instantworldbooking.com/it.booking-engine.php

Domande?
info@instantworldbooking.com

Inserisci il tuo Hotel, B&B o ostello per iniziare subito http://www.instantworldbooking.com/listings/it.add_property.php

Soluzioni Complete di Alloggi: Software di Ricezione – Motore di Prenotazione – Pagamenti – Gestione del Canale. Ottieni di cui per iniziare.

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http://twitter.com/IWBooking


Tips to Throwing a Safe Holiday Party

Tips to Throwing a Safe Holiday Party

The holiday season means it is time to share memorable moments with family and friends. This can be done in many different fashions, entertaining at home being a popular option. Whether you’re planning a small gathering or a large-scale get-together, these tips may help to keep your holiday guests happy and safe:

  • When serving alcohol beverages, offer a variety of foods throughout the night. Enjoying food with alcohol can help slow its absorption into the bloodstream.
  • Remember that some guests may prefer non-alcohol beverages or may be designated drivers. So provide plenty of options like water, soft drinks, etc.
  • Stop serving alcohol at least one hour before the party ends so everyone will be responsible when heading home.
  • If you are concerned about the behavior of several guests due to alcohol, designate a driver, provide cab rides home, or offer for them to stay the night so they can sober up and be safe rather than cause accidents.

If you plan on hosting a get together, it is your job to be aware of the risks involved. Although you are supposed to be celebrating with those you love, it is also important to be responsible when consuming alcohol. Avoid accidents and injuries by promoting safety at your holiday event!

 

Drive Safely This Holiday Season!

Driving while impaired by alcohol may be considered one of the greatest highway safety problems, especially during the holidays. With many parties being thrown this season, most of which will serve alcohol, it is important that you stay alert and safe on the road. You don’t want to put you and your family at risk with drunk drivers out and about.

Planning is key to being a safe driver during the holidays. Try to find a route that is easy to navigate at any time of the day. Also, staying away from highways can be one of the safest ways for you to get home. If you are concerned about the conditions of the road after a large party has been thrown in your neighborhood, opt to stay the night at a friend’s house or leave earlier in the evening to avoid drunk drivers. In addition, if you are the one consuming alcohol, make sure you have a designated driver or alternative transportation so you don’t put anyone else’s life in danger.

The holidays are a time for celebration and joy. With a little preparation and awareness, you can help keep your loved ones safe on the road this season!


How to Improve your Facebook Interaction

If you run a hostel or other business, you probably already have a Facebook fan page.  But are you getting the most from your Facebook page?  Perhaps your audience is not interacting as much as you expected.  If your fans are not interacting with your brand and sharing your content, what value do they really have?

Here are some sure fire ways to improve your Facebook interaction immediately:

  1. Keep your posts and updates short.  Research has consistently shown that longer updates don’t get as much interaction.  Short, concise, posts with a call to action will get your audience revved up and interacting more.
  2. Use Full Length URLS.  In other words, don’t use URL shorteners like bit.ly.  The reason is that users and followers like to know where the link is taking them.  There’s a certain fear factor when it comes to following links, especially when so many disguised URLS have been known to take users to false pages, or worse yet, pages that will install viruses or adware on your device.  Also, many more users these days are accessing Facebook from mobile devices.
  3. Post your content at the best time of day for your audience.  bit.ly data indicates that the best time to post on Facebook is between 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm, when Facebook traffic peaks.  Links posted between 1 and 4 pm get the highest click-through rates.  And, Wednesday at 3:00 pm is the best time of the entire week.  Also, engagement tends to be higher on Thursdays and Fridays as the work week winds down, and people tend to turn to their facebook accounts for more social interaction.
  4. Know which keywords elicit more engagement.  Call-to-action words like post, submit, like, tell us, etc. will get better response from users.  Tell users what you want from them, and they’re more likely to respond positively.  Excessive use of promotional words like sweepstakes, contest, etc. will turn users away.
  5. Asking questions is a great way to get people commenting.  Keep your questions to the end of your posts for better engagement.  Questions starting with where, when and should tend to get the best response.  Questions starting with why get the least response.

For more information on the research supporting these tips, see:

http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/improve-facebook-engagement/


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Posted in How To by Lauren D. Collins. Comments Off

Did Neanderthals and Humans Live Side by Side in the Middle East?

Neanderthals may have lived side by side with early humans and possibly interbred with them, according to new research.

Stone axes and sharp flint arrowheads of both branches of the human race have been discovered in limestone caves in northern Israel.

The findings, reported in the Times, have led archeologists to believe the two sub-species found harmony in a coastal mountain range that today is in a state of war with its neighbours.

None of the bones uncovered at Nahal Me’arot – a World Heritage site – had lethal wounds which suggested prehistoric men lived in peace with each other 80,000 years ago.

Neanderthals were much more sophisticated than they have been credited, according to archeologist Daniel Kaufman – with their own burial rituals and probably language skills alongside their ability to make tools.

Read more:

Neanderthals Interbred with Humans

Book hostels in Israel


Posted in Best Places to Visit Travel Advice by Lauren D. Collins. Comments Off

A Brief and Excellent History of Sicily, Italy

Until the unification of Italy in 1861, Sicily was the largest, most prosperous, wealthiest and populous of the Italian states. Nearly half of the world’s Italians – in Italy and its diaspora – trace their roots to the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.

A particular myth about the people of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies and their wealth compared to that of other Italians is easily dispelled: The Landless Peasant. Despite the presence of large estates (latifondi) held by the nobility into the twentieth century, especially in grain-growing areas, most Sicilians of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries owned their own homes and at least a garden or small parcel of land. The ready proof of this are the land tax records or riveli retained at Palermo’s state archive. Those of 1748 and 1811 list numerous smallholders in each Sicilian town.

Read the Full History here:

http://www.bestofsicily.com/mag/art425.htm

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Killer App for Channel Management

Manage your calendar just once, yet update dozens of booking sites at once. Save hours and even days each month managing calendars on multiple booking sites.

IWB Channel Manager is pure and simply a killer app.  The advantages speak for themselves.  Read more below.

Wikipedia definition: a killer app is any computer program that is so necessary or desirable that it proves the core value of some larger technology.  A killer app can substantially increase sales of the platform on which it runs.

Advantages:
- Less than $14 per month
- Dozens of booking channels included in one low price
- Over 500 premium IDS/GDS booking sites also available
- Booking.com, Expedia, Hotels.com, Orbitz, Priceline, and many more
- All major hostelling sites included, including HostelWorld.com
- Save time by managing your calendar only once

 Questions?

For less than $14 per month, there’s nothing to lose.

At a price this low, advanced channel management is now available to all types of accommodations.  IWB Channel Manager is excellent for hotels, hostels, and B&Bs alike, regardless of size.  Since there are no long term commitments, purchase as many months of service as you want.  Or buy just one month and try it out.  Once you experience the convenience and time-savings of IWB Channel Manager, you’ll never go back to managing separate calendars again.

Which sites can I send my calendar to?

Already included in one low price are many of the most popular distribution channels.  All of the main hostelling sites are included (yes, even sites like HostelWorld.com and Hostelbookers.com).  You might pay this much elsewhere for just 2 or 3 channels.  And, B&B’s will be happy to know that some specialty bed & breakfast sites are also included.  But don’t stop here, read below to learn how to publish your calendar to more than 500 additional channels (premium sites and GDS/IDS channels like Booking.com, Expedia.com, Hotels.com, etc.).  The following channels are already included with your membership, and we’re adding new ones all the time:

 
  • Agoda
  • ApartmentsZadar.com
  • BBPlanet.com
  • BBPlanet.it
  • BestLondonHostels.com
  • BudgetPlaces
  • Bug.co.uk
  • EasyToBook
  • Escapio
  • Gomio
  • HIHostels
  • Hostelbookers
  • HostelMania.com
  • HostelsClub
  • HostelTimes
  • HostelTraveler (IWB’s 100+ sites)
  • HostelWorld
  • Hostelz.com
  • Hotel.de
  • Hotel.info
  • HotelAdvisor
  • HotelClub.com
  • Inbed.me
  • LetMeGo.com
  • Localo.com
  • MaxBooking
  • RatesToGo.com
  • RealBedAndBreakfasts.com
  • RealVacationRentals.com
  • TheRealHostels.com
  • TheRealHotels.com

What about sites like Booking.com, Expedia.com, and Hotels.com?

Yes, optional connectivity to premium sites like Booking.com, Expedia.com, Hotels.com, etc. is available for an additional cost.  With over 500 premium IDS/GDS booking sites at your fingertips, IWB Channel Manager gives you unprecedented distribution capability.

How frequently can I update my calendar?

You can update your calendar on an unlimited, real-time basis. Channel Manager will update all your external channels instantaneously when you change your calendar on Instant World Booking.

How to get started?

Get started today.  A free Instant World Booking membership is required to access IWB Channel Manager.  Don’t have a free listing yet?   Add Your Property

If you’re already an Instant World Booking member, just log in to your profile and go to “Channel Manager”.  Join now, and start managing your calendar on multiple booking channels within 24 hours.

Questions?

Learn about other ways to work with Instant World Booking:

Work With Us

How about a new Booking Engine for your website?

We offer the lowest cost available for a full-featured Booking Engine for accommodation websites. We also offer many features that other services (like HostelWorld, BedandBreakfast.com, Rezovation, etc.) can’t offer, such as the ability to collect any deposit amount from your guests. Additionally, your Booking Engine comes with Full Cancellation and No-Show Protection. Switching to Instant World Booking now can save you a lot of money. With a free demo and no obligation, you can’t lose. Check out comparisons and more features at:

Booking Engines

How about a fully-functional demo of a new property management system?

IWBFrontDesk.com is Instant World Booking’s new property management system (PMS), designed to satisfy your front desk needs in many ways not previously available to accommodation managers. And, at savings of 30% to 75%+ versus many of the most popular PMS providers, you can’t afford not to try it. For complete details, pricing, and to get started with your free trial, please go to:

IWBFrontDesk

For information about payments services, see:

IWB Payments Services

Don’t have a free listing yet?

Add Your Property


Udzungwa Forest Tented Camp, South Tanzania

Here are the latest updates from Hondo Hondo (Udzungwa Forest Tented Camp).   Located in the little-visited Kilombero Valley in Southern Tanzania, and bordering the biologically diverse Udzungwa Mountains National Park, Hondo Hondo provides a high standard of visitor accommodation and access to the hiking, primate-spotting and birdwatching in the rainforest, mountains and valley.

Key Facts:

  • SIX ensuite tented rooms, each with a newly completed stone floored outdoor bathroom, solar heated showers and comfortable, locally sourced coconut wood furniture
  • FLIGHTS to Udzungwa available from starting June 2012
  • The new Canopy Bar, situated in a beautiful clearing on the edge of the rainforest, looking out at the rainforest canopy and providing a wonderful place to have a sundowner and watch the colobus monkeys and hornbills in the trees
  • 5 comfortable thatched huts, each well equipped with comfortable beds and mosquito netting and with shared access to  solar heated showers and western style bathrooms
  • Campsite area, offering simple cooking and barbeque facilities and with western style bathrooms and solar heated showers.
  • Hiking, waterfall swimming, cycling, village walks, school visits, rubber plantation tours, canoeing on Kilombero River, kayaking on Msolwa river, birdwatching, primate spotting, camping in the rainforest…..
  • Eco-certified with The International Ecotourism Society; member of Stuff your Rucksack and Pack for a Purpose
  • See reviews from our guests on TripAdvisor

Information for Tour Operators including sample itineraries available on our Tours-Ops page