Travel & Vacation Guide, North Carolina

By David Bain

The Internet offers an effective means for developing a single and sustainable electronic infrastructure for information gathering and business transactions for both travelers and suppliers. It is an ideal method for people to source information on travel. It is an essential for travel-related Websites to offer useful, pertinent and easy-to-find information alongside a booking facility if appropriate.

It can be used to fully research a destination, book all aspects of the holiday including travel and communicate others who have the same ideas or have been through similar experiences. It gives travelers an excellent opportunity to compare and contrast everything on offer before they make a purchase.

The information available online is continually being reformatted and presented in a more logical, easy-to-use and read format. The volume of consumers that rely on this information to make travel-related decisions will therefore continue to rise. In addition, features and benefits of using the Internet to research and book holidays are improving and being added to all the time. For example, consumers no longer have to receive printed tickets from the travel operator. They simply print out any information that they require themselves after they receive it automatically via email.

The ‘Net’ has meant that people can now easily plan trips for themselves. This has not only opened up a greater amount of discounts available to the general public, but also given people the fun and enjoyment of planning and booking their own trips.

Prior to the Internet, travel agents were the primary source of information and facilitating bookings within the travel industry. However, the onset of Net popularity has seriously impacted upon the future success of a telephone or face-to-face based travel agency. The Internet now allows individuals the ability to plan and book their own trips. It has revolutionized the travel industry as a whole and instigated a trend away from the customer using a travel agent.

There are four Internet business models that can be applied to the travel industry. The business models and examples of businesses within them are as follows:

1) The merchant model, which brings buyers and sellers together. It could be argued that this model is effectively an online travel agent. Websites in this business model category include Travelocity who have recently purchased LastMinute.com and Expedia – an offshoot from Microsoft.

2) The advertising model, providing valuable travel information whilst generating revenue through various adverts. The significant advantage of this model is its low cost base. A website in this business model that provides information on the UK is TREKtheUK.com.

3) The direct model allows the service provider themselves to deal directly with the general public. First of all, British Airways is the longest established and has a large marketshare and conventional competitive advantage. Secondly, EasyJet have established the Internet as being key to their core competency.

4) The community model is one of the longest established operating models on the Internet without having a history of generating a significant revenue stream. Two websites reviewed that fall into this category are Lonely Planet – based upon the books that have been published for more than thirty years, and VirtualTourist.com – a community of individuals who have a passion for travel.

Although it can be argued that some websites are using a mixture of several business models, it is interesting to acknowledge that just because a business generates the majority of its revenue online, it doesn’t mean that conventional business models can’t be applied to them.

By Kathryn Lively

Take a trip to the Outer Banks in January or February, and you might find you have the place to yourself. This, of course, is a bit of an exaggeration, but if you have visited the coast of North Carolina in the winter and in the summer, you will know there is a huge difference.

Summertime is normally the peak season in the Outer Banks, with visitors from all over converging on Dare and Currituck Counties to relax on the beach, enjoy a round of golf, or spend the day fishing. Once winter hits, however, beachcombers tend to look further south to satisfy their sun-worshipping needs. Yet, the Outer Banks remains a wonderful destination for snow birds in search of a peaceful vacation.

Contrary to popular belief, the Outer Banks does not automatically shut down at the end of summer. Anyone looking for a place to stay may find a reasonably priced vacation rental at their disposal, and there are a number of motels open year round with clean, comfortable accommodations. Many restaurants, too, remain open during the off-season to cater to locals and tourists. You may not be able to find in-season shellfish, but there is always a catch of the day available to satisfy the appetite.

Just because the Carolinas are farther north than Florida, it does not necessarily mean snow every winter, either. While summer clocks as high as the 80s at the beach, the winter months may deliver cool yet comfortable high 50s. An unusually warm winter may bring temperatures even higher. You may not be able to romp in the surf in a bikini, but there is still plenty to do.

The deserted byways close to the shore make excellent paths for road cycling, and fishing enthusiasts can take advantage of light traffic to stake out a good seat in the sand. Of course, the wild mustangs that roam the area know nothing of time, and may be seen all year long.

So if you are looking for an intimate destination for a winter break, why not try the Outer Banks. Traffic is light enough to allow for a peaceful stay, yet there is plenty to do and see.