As an avid B&B traveler, I know that the gift of a B&B trip for Mother's Day would be something I'd really love.  Yet, I suppose some might say I'm a bit biased, since I work with BedandBreakfast.com, the largest online B&B directory worldwide, and spend my days thinking about beautiful B&Bs.  So, to learn whether other Moms want the gift of travel, in March BedandBreakfast.com sent a survey to people who've visited the site at some point in the last few years, and more than 5300 people responded.  We asked respondents if they were a Mom celebrating Mother's Day, and then we asked those that were celebrating what they'd like most.  According to moms across the USA, flowers and perfume are passé. A gift card for a B&B getaway tied with dinner out with the family as the top gift choices among Moms this Mother’s Day, trumping spa services, flowers, apparel, cards and perfume. 

Nearly 25% of those responding said they preferred a gift card for B&B travel or dinner out with the family.  Only 4.3% of respondents said they hoped for flowers on Mothers Day and less than 1% said they wished for perfume or flowers. Spa and beauty services came in as a second choice with 12% claiming they'd make a nice gift and just over 6% of Moms said they hoped they received cards on Mother's Day.

It's not too late to consider the Getaway Gift Card from BedandBreakfast.com for Mother's Day, perfect for the most discerning Mom or Mother-in-Law.  This year, send Mom far, far away to a choice of more than 4000 B&Bs in the U.S. and Canada.  Best of all it's on sale through Mother's Day. Now through Mother’s Day, take 10% off your gift card purchase of $100 or more; simply enter promo code BBMOM10.

Learn more about the survey and the Getaway Gift Card from BedandBreakfast.com here.

The U.S. Senate is expected to bring the Travel Promotion Act to the floor for debate and a vote beginning as early as Wednesday, June 10. This is an enormous opportunity for the travel industry and a test of our resolve to stand up for travel and play a greater role in Washington. Here is some information about the The Travel Promotion Act, (S.1023). When and if this is passed, it'll finally provide a federal fund for travel promotion which hasn't been seen since the days of USTTA (United States Travel & Tourism Assoc), and an initiative to promote international tourism. For more information, click here.

BedandBreakfast.com joins the US Travel Association to encourage all those involved in the tourism industry to contact their Senators and encourage them to vote in favor of the Travel Promotion Act. Here are some relevant facts that might be included in a letter:

* Overseas visitors to the United States spend an average of $4,500 per person, per trip in the United States. They stimulate economic growth and generate new tax revenues in every state and community without placing a burden on local services.

* In the depths of an economic crisis, America surely must be doing everything it can to attract these walking stimulus packages. Unbelievably, we are not.

* Unlike every other developed country in the world, the United States does not have a nationally coordinated travel promotion campaign to attract international visitors and promote America as a premier travel destination. The consequences are painfully clear:

• While international travel has boomed over the past several years, with 48 million more overseas trips booked in 2008 than in 2000, America actually lost 633,000 overseas travelers last year.

• The stunning loss in overseas visitation since 2000 has cost America $182 billion in lost visitor spending and $27 billion in lost tax receipts.

• If the United States had simply kept pace with global travel trends, the U.S. economy would have created an additional 245,000 jobs in 2008.

The Travel Promotion bill establishes a corporation for Travel Promotion, an independent, non-profit corporation governed by an 11-member board of directors appointed by the Secretary of Commerce. Board members are required to have professional expertise in travel, international travel promotion and marketing, and to broadly represent various regions of the United States.

• Establishes a Travel Promotion Fund whereby private industry contributions (up to $100 million) are matched with a government contribution (up to $100 million).

Federal contributions to the Fund are financed by a $10 fee paid by foreign travelers from Visa Waiver countries and collected via the Department of Homeland Security’s Electronic Travel Authorization system. (American travelers frequently pay similar fees when traveling to other countries.) This fund would put the United States on par with Australia, Greece, Mexico, the United Kingdom and dozens of other countries that spend tens of millions of dollars annually to compete for visitors.

According to Travelpost.com, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has reported that S.1023, the “Travel Promotion Act,” will reduce the U.S. federal budget deficit by $425 million over the next 10 years. “This bill will reduce the deficit and increase jobs,” said Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association. “The Travel Promotion Act will generate $4 billion in new stimulus each year, 40,000 new U.S. jobs in the first year, and $425 million in deficit reduction over 10 years -- at no cost to U.S. taxpayers. This is the type of stimulus Americans are looking for.”

In a recent posting on his blog, Travel expert and Today Show Travel Producer Peter Greenberg responded to comments made by Vice President Joe Biden regarding fear of using public transportation. Peter referred to the present swine flu scare as more of an "infodemic" than pandemic, referring to the ongoing media hype fueling unnecessary fear of travel. 

What's he going to do? Peter's heading to Mexico -- armed with hand sanitizer and a dose of common sense for staying healthy on the road. 

We wanted to share a few excerpts from his blog entry entitled "The Travel Detective Responds to Joe Biden and the Swine Flu Infodemic".  He said...

"It’s been argued—and the last week serves as at least partial confirmation—that Americans are among the most fearful travelers in the world. More than 100 cases in the U.S. of swine flu (aka- H1N1 influenza) and one confirmed death has created a negative reaction of staggering proportions as well as some inflammatory statements from some folks who should know better. Perception versus reality is the name of the game, and as travelers and reasonably intelligent citizens, we may be losing...

...In Europe, foreign airlines appealed to the European Union for permission to cancel all their flights to Mexico and many to North America. The real reason wasn’t the medical emergency, but the economic fallout from the perceived crisis: empty planes. Cruise lines canceled all Mexican port calls and diverted their ships to other destinations.

And what am I going to do? I’m going to Mexico! No, I will not be wearing a hazmat suit. But I’ll be flying down on comfortable, empty planes, staying in empty hotels, enjoying a nice fruity beverage on a deserted Mexican beach. And so should you, with the proper medical caveats and a large dose of common sense."

We applaud Peter's common sense view about traveling, as did most of the other readers who commented. Here's our response to Peter's post: "Here here Peter! We at BedandBreakfast.com applaud your response to Joe Biden’s remarks on the Today Show. We watched his interview incredulously, wondering what additional blows could be paid to the travel industry. We agree, it’s not about surgical masks and staying at home this summer, it’s about common sense. Kudos to you for having plenty of it!"

Remember, as owner-operated businesses, B&Bs are among the cleanest accommodations you will find. Innkeepers consistently hear, "WOW! this B&B is so clean!". While investigations were revealing behind-the-scenes stories about dirty drinking glasses and unkept bathrooms at hotels, the B&B industry was applauded for its cleanliness. While we promote proper hygiene and common sense while traveling, we encourage you to continue planning those vacations.  Afterall, the effects of stress are known to be far more detrimental to health than flu, and vacation deprivation will take its toll on your health, too.

Don't forget to check BedandBreakfast.com's Tanks for Traveling Specials when planning your B&B getaway this summer!

The kids are back to school, so this is the perfect time for a relaxing getaway, so says USA TODAY.  Ten converted schools were featured today in the weekly travel section column entitled 10 great places for studied relaxation.  Says Tim Smight, of USA TODAY: "Kids may not be pleased that a new school year has begun, but for couples who seek a getaway, back-to-school season my be just the ticket. Many old schoolhouses nationwide have been converted into comfortable bed-and-breakfast inns — where the Three R's stand for rest, romance and relaxation." 

BedandBreakfast.com's Sandy Soule was the quoted extensively in this story.  Sometimes called the B&B guru, Sandy has visited more B&Bs than anyone else in the country, making her a leading expert on great picks no matter where in the country you're traveling!