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Pick, Click, Gift: E-Gifting for the Traveler

22.05.12

Charming a cue from the wedding and baby industries, e-gifting and online registries have started heating up the tourism market just in time for the holidays. Airlines, tour operators and other treks-oriented companies have made giving the gift of travel as simple as a few mouse clicks.  

By oblation e-gift cards, e-mail friendly gift certificates and online registries for wherewithal, miles and even specific trips, E-gift options are a quick, convenient revelation to the annual dilemma of what to buy – and, considering the $30 billion in gift cards that goes at every year, according to some estimates -- they’re far more likely to be used by the recipients because they’re tailored to their individual to travel interests and needs. 

Here, some e-gift ideas for the travelers on your shopping roll – no wrapping required. 

For the Weekend Jetsetter: Most frequent flyer programs have long since allowed members to division miles, but recently at least two – Continental and U.S. Airways – have officially introduced flair registries for travel on their airlines. Continental’s has a contribution minimum of $25, and U.S. Airways’ program allows users to comfortably link to social media accounts, as well as send mileage requests via e-dispatch. And while buying a ticket outright is often cheaper than purchasing miles, periodic deals sacrifice double mileage and the like are a good time to take advantage. Alternately, several airlines, including Southwest, JetBlue and American, supply virtual (and plastic) gift cards. Most cards do not expire or diminish in value if the index card goes unused, even for years, though there’s often a two-three day period before it’s activated. Despite its recent Chapter 11 filing, American has announced on its website that it’s still “continuing to over persuaded and honor AA Gift Cards as usual.” 

For the Urban Adventurer: Your best compeer may have lived in San Francisco since college, but has she ever taken a ghost tour of Chinatown? With to FunSherpa.com, you can alms any of 2,000-plus activities in 12 cities across the country, from the conventional (a SoHo shopping excursion in New York) to the crazy (a pole-dancing class in Dallas). Activities are conveniently grouped by burgh or category (“Winter,” “Gourmet” or “Under $100,” objective to name a few) and ready to gift via e-mail or, for a small fee, physical shipping. In addition, givers can forth the amount of a gift and let the recipient pick their own activity. Based in Chicago , FunSherpa.com was launched around the 2008 fete season and shifted its focus to gifting in 2009. Since then, it’s seen a marked change position in its client base from corporate gifting to individuals buying gifts for friends or m, says founder Anton Dy Buncio. “It’s an easy way to give a very thoughtful cumshaw,” Dy Buncio says. “We see sales all the way up through Christmas Day.” 

For the Trip Organizer: Launched in the slump, San Francisco-based travel planning and gifting website MyTab.co has several layers of functionality that can staff cut time and annoyances for travelers. But for the social coordinators who always seem to find themselves taking the reins of gathering trip planning, the site’s ability to create a centralized location for correspondence and exchanging in dough is a sanity-saver. No more long e-mail chains, no more wondering who owes whom how much: The site, which works in conjunction with PayPal, Expedia, and Facebook , allows users to unquestionably book the same flight and hotel and aggregates information like trip reminders. Plus, its financing functionality allows users and non-users to contribution money, helping offset the cost of a particular trip. Company author Heddi Cundle said the site will eventually expand to include car rentals and other about services, as well as coordinate discounts with its partners on specific trips. 

For the Student Traveler: It’s never too old to start thinking about Spring Break, but users on Dallas-based STA Traverse, the world’s largest student and youth travel agency, have already started sponsorship up their daydreaming with actual dollars via the company’s online Travel Registry. It targets aged school and college graduates who need some financial help to supplement their journeys, whether that’s a Pop Break getaway or a loftier travel ambition such as spending a semester as an Wall Street student in Thailand . Members create a profile page with personalized photos, images and info about their upcoming sprawl and break down expenses, such as airfare or rail tickets, into specific increments, some as low as $5, for benevolent souls to purchase with their credit card. Funds generated are stored in accounts with Bank of America and Wells Fargo and are approachable for two years (members are charged a 7 percent fee, however). There’s even a function that keeps track of donors’ write to info for follow-up – but it’s up to the student to write the thank-you card. 

For the Altruistic Armchair Traveler: Junket operator Intrepid Travel , a pioneer in cultural and responsible travel, offers try one's luck-minded trips to 160 countries on all seven continents. But for people on your file who are better at imagining journeys to exotic destinations than actually taking them, the Audacious Foundation, the organization’s global charity, has a gift idea that’s guaranteed to spread goodwill: its Pandemic Gift program. Available in amounts from $10 to $160, each “contribution” goes toward a specific need for 13 of Intrepid’s global projects, from providing a Braille cane for a young gentleman in Tibet to a year’s education for a child in Vietnam . Each comes in a printable, e-mail sociable format with a photo and description of how the donation will change lives. In addition, the Valorous Foundation matches every gift card, dollar for dollar (and doesn’t thrust those who purchase gifts for repeat donations). “I think for a lot of people Christmas has become definitely commercialized, and this is a way for people to take it back to what it’s supposed to be,” says Eliza Anderson, spokesperson for the Fearless Foundation. 

For the Spa Lover: SpaFinder , the online spa-travel giant, makes the premium of wellness as simple as a few mouse clicks with its Spa Gift Certificates. They’re accepted at more than 6,000 spas all over the society, and recipients can use them for any treatment they choose. Gift-givers who still like the idea of a box and bow should take advancement of the free shipping and gift box offer, which is available on all purchases of $50 or more and is good through Dec. 12. Individualized gift certificates to e-mail or print are also available.

Source: Fox News

Issa-backed car company folds

22.05.12

The company said it had been worrisome to clear “the last remaining hurdle” — raising mazuma to match the DOE loan — but was having trouble lining up private investors.

“After years of focused creation to bring our products to the market, Aptera Motors is closing its doors, gear today,” according to a statement from the company's President and CEO Paul Wilbur. “This is a hard time for everyone connected with our company because we have never been closer to realizing our vision. Unfortunately, though, we are out of resources.”

The followers had been in discussions with the Energy Department for two years in trying to receive a loan under the department’s Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing program.

Issa sent Vitality Secretary Steven Chu a letter in January 2010 supporting the company's entreat.

“They were looking for an answer,” Issa told POLITICO in October. “We na encouraged it. It’s an interesting project for the commuter vehicle … and we na wanted an answer.”

Issa said the loan would “greatly help a leading developer of electric vehicles in my district.”

The California Republican has been coordinating with Prostitution Energy and Commerce Republicans in investigating DOE’s $535 million loan warranty to the solar manufacturer Solyndra. He is also looking into billions of dollars in loan guarantees that DOE awarded to First Solar Inc., SunPower Corp. and ProLogis Inc. earlier this year, just hours before funds authorized under the 2009 mercantile stimulus law were set to expire.

In a statement late Friday, Issa again criticized the Solyndra loan stand behind while expressing sorrow at Aptera's demise.

"With officials playing the r of venture capitalist and picking favorites like Solyndra, success for companies like Aptera that have to joust against others with government sponsorship can be especially difficult,” Issa said.

"As good as three years after Aptera sought assistance from the Department of Energy — and my application that their application receive full consideration — I’m sure it must be frustrating for Aptera and their employees that the clock ran out on their offer before they received a yes or no answer,” he added. “Aptera never received the taxpayer funds they sought, and perhaps the only good news in this bankruptcy is that it occurred before federal funds were put at gamble.”

Wilbur said the loan for Aptera would have gone to developing and commercializing a five-voyager midsized sedan — similar to a Toyota Camry — that would be servile-priced at less than $30,000 and deliver more than 190 miles per gallon equivalent.

“We last confident, even as this chapter closes, that Aptera has contributed ... new technologies to bod a future for more efficient driving,” Wilbur’s statement said.

This article first appeared on POLITICO Pro at 6:40 p.m. on December 2, 2011