Monday, May 7, 2007

Carlson Hotels Worldwide Announces Plans to Eliminate Use of Trans-Fat Shortening by Year End

Carlson Hotels Worldwide today announced plans to eliminate the use of shortening containing trans fats in food preparation at the majority of its hotels by the end of 2007. This includes nearly 625 of the company's Radisson Hotels & Resorts, Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts full-service locations and any Country Inns & Suites By Carlson and Park Inn select service hotels with food and beverage services on-site throughout the United States, Canada, the Caribbean and South America. Trans fats have been linked to a number of health risks. According to the American Heart Association, eating trans fats or "partially hydrogenated oils" increases a person's risk of developing heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes.

"We care about our guests and are focused on providing healthy choices for their stay, whether it be in our restaurants, guestroom or even our fitness and recreational facilities," explained Yvonne La Penotiere, president of Carlson Hotels Worldwide-The Americas. "Eating healthy should be an option whether at home, traveling for business or even on vacation."



Hyatt Place Launches Four Simultaneous Ground-Breaking Events Nationwide

Hyatt Place today announced the simultaneous ground breakings of four new-build Hyatt Place properties that will open in Spring 2008. The ceremonial launches are taking place in the North, South, East and West regions of the country, where Hyatt Place is working with prestigious hotel developers to build next-generation hotel accommodations that meet specific market needs.

"Hyatt Place truly defines the future of hospitality in travel markets such as ours," said Stephen Schwartz, chairman and CEO of Chicago-based First Hospitality Group. Inc. "The brand addresses the needs of today's travelers by providing the delicate balance of comfortable and functional amenities that transcend geographical regions and age range."

New Book and Hold for Business Travelers Introduced for TripSync by Portaga

TripSync(TM) (www.tripsync.com) announces the launch of a new feature that enables travelers to hold a reservation for 24 hours, without penalty for cancellation or payment required. This 24 hour window is the time for travel plans to be solidified and expenses to be approved. There is no commitment with Book and Hold, just the guarantee of the flights and car reservations for up to 24 hours. The reservation is held in the traveler's name, with price determined at the time of actual booking. Hotels can be booked and cancelled with no penalty up until the day of arrival (may vary by hotel).

'Book and Hold removes the 'do-it-or-lose-it' pressure of booking travel and unlike Expedia, Travelocity and Orbitz, TripSync makes sure your options are secured for car and air bookings. TripSync goes the extra mile for business travelers,' said Robert Kost, CEO of Portaga.

TripSync allows business travelers to control travel and expenses with one free program. Air, hotel and car reservations are made with speed and efficiency and changed with ease as necessary. Booking directly through Microsoft Outlook simplifies and organizes travel planning right into the Outlook daily calendar. Gone are the days of searching through multiple Web pages and starting over at page one to edit an itinerary. With TripSync, the time, resources and personnel needed to book, change and manage travel are greatly reduced. So go ahead and think about it or get it approved before you book. Your trip will be waiting for you.

About TripSync
TripSync (www.tripsync.com) is the free, Web 2.0 travel tool that allows business travelers to book, change and manage travel directly from their calendar with a few simple clicks. TripSync simplifies, organizes and synchronizes business travel for one or multiple travelers by creating live data itineraries right in Outlook. TripSync makes creating or changing travel plans as easy as scheduling a meeting. Designed with an inherent understanding of how small and medium sized companies work, TripSync was developed by veteran business travelers at Portaga, Inc., a web services company based in White Plains, NY. For more information about TripSync and how to get it, go to www.tripsync.com.