September 12, 2003 -- Giants like Club Med and individual resorts like the Almond Beach in Barbados have one thing in common when it's out of season time -- they need a little sugar to lure more guests to their rooms. Fall is when they roll out the tubs of candy for customers, candy with a creamy, savings center.
Club Med, with it's recently unveiled tagline -- "the new Total All-Inclusive Club Med" -- is offering a second airfare "free" after purchasing an air-inclusive package that includes roundtrip airfare, lodging, full open bar and "endless gourmet cuisine" with all-day snacking, a variety of sports (with gear and instruction), recreational and educational activities, and live nightly entertainment. This deal is good for travel from now through November 1, 2003, on a minimum of seven nights' stay. You must book by September 23, 2003.
Examples of prices for seven-night air-inclusive vacations out of New York: To Sandpiper in Florida, $1,144; to Caravelle in Guadeloupe, $1,265; to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, $1,196; to Cancun $1,299; to Columbus Isle, Bahamas, $1,630. In each case, you pay full price for the first vacation and your companion will receive up to $400 credit towards the cost of airfare. If airfare exceeds $400, however, your companion pays the difference. (The New York sample prices are for travel completed by November 1, with bookings made between now and September 23, all dates 2003.)
Naturally, similar vacations are available from other major cities around the USA. For more information, see your travel agent, phone 800/CLUB MED or visit www.clubmed.com.
What the Almond Beach Resort is doing to lure customers now is pretty much the same it has been promising on other sale occasions, namely, offering a "twofer sale", plus an offer to let kids stay free. Each package includes four nights' lodging, roundtrip airfare, roundtrip airport/hotel transfers, all meals (including snacks and beverages), sports & activities including motorized water sports, all hotel taxes and service charges. Children stay free (maximum two kids per room.) The deal is good between now and October 30, 2003, with blackout dates from now through September 24 at the Almond Beach Village and between September 10 to 13 and October 16-19 at the Almond Beach Club & Spa.
Sample rates start at $789 per person, out of Miami. Typical add-on prices include $50 from Orlando or Philadelphia; $60 from Atlanta, Boston, Hartford, New York or Washington DC; $90 from Norfolk or Richmond; $120 from Charlotte or Detroit; $130 from Pittsburgh; $140 from Chicago; $220 from Los Angeles.
For more information, contact Almond Beach Resorts at 877/256-6631 or e-mail info@almondvacations.com, website www.almondresorts.com.