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Fort Lauderdale, FL September 10, 2007 – VRWD.com announces the launch of the Trusted Vacation Rental Seal. The Trusted Vacation Rental Seal allows vacation rental owners to display VRWD.com’s trust in their rental listings, providing a great platform to earn the public’s trust and increase rentals.

 

“Our Trusted Vacation Rental Seal is a great benefit to vacation rental owners and consumers alike,” says John Romano, founder of VRWD.com. “When a rental listing has this seal, consumers know that the listing is approved by our site, the world's first and only marketplace that reviews and rates vacation rental Web sites and rentals. In turn, vacation rental owners that post listings on VRWD.com can reap the benefit of the public’s trust.”

 

Vacation rental owners that place the Trusted Vacation Rental Seal on their Web site and link to it in e-mails provide consumers with instant access to their reviewed, rated and trusted vacation rental listing on VRWD.com, the first and only vacation rental directory that provides a single gateway to thousands of vacation rental Web sites around the world.

 

In addition to building public trust, the seal provides a way for VRWD.com listed properties to stand apart from competitors. Both the seal and e-mail link differentiate a user’s rental from the thousands of others found on the Web. According to a July 2004 study sponsored by VeriSign, 80 percent of online consumers expect to see a trust mark displayed on a Web site’s home page. Listings without the Trusted Vacation Rental Seal lack the assurance that the seal provides consumers. The VRWD.com seal shows consumers that the rental listing is recommended and is not a potential online fraud threat.

 

VRWD.com’s Trusted Vacation Rental Seal can also help a vacation rental owner or business increase profits. According to the VeriSign study, 75 percent of online consumers will only make purchases through sites that include a trust mark. A vacation rental listing with the VRWD.com Trusted Vacation Rental Seal will appeal to the many consumers who are searching for trusted listings, bringing monetary benefit to the rental’s owner.

To display the Trusted Vacation Rental Seal, vacation rental owners and businesses must be listed in the Vacation Rentals Web Directory, must adhere to the Vacation Rental Code of Ethics and must not modify the Trusted Vacation Rental Seal code in any way.

To generate a Trusted Vacation Rental Seal, vacation rental owners and businesses must add a listing in the Vacation Rentals Web Directory and generate html code for the Trusted Vacation Rental seal and link.

For more information about VRWD.com and its Trusted Vacation Rental Seal, visit http://www.vrwd.com/page.php?id=trusted.

About Vacation Rentals Web Directory
Vacation Rentals Web Directory (VRWD.com) is the world's first and only marketplace that reviews and rates vacation rental Web sites and vacation home listings from around the world.

The VRWD.com human-edited directory provides a single gateway to everyone involved in vacation rentals: Renters can find trusted vacation rental websites and homes for free, while vacation rental owners and publishers can become trusted members for free and receive many marketing benefits.

VRWD.com is committed to quality and reviews every submitted listing before approval. The site only lists vacation rental-related Web sites. VRWD.com is led by an experienced team of vacation rental experts who are dedicated to making vacation rentals a more consolidated and trusted marketplace.

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ALKHOBAR, 21 August 2007 — Booking tickets and vacation packages online is something that almost everyone is familiar with in our digital age. What if I told you that you could “book” a friend for your next trip, too? In a way, that’s the idea behind Maurizio Marmotta’s website www.FriendsOnArrival.com. Whether you’re going off on a business trip for a few days or holidaying in an exotic destination, Marmotta believes that FriendsOnArrival can make your stay in a new city more enjoyable.

“FriendsOnArrival is a global online community designed for people of a more discerning age who have moved home or are about to, or who travel for work or leisure, and want to make new connections at their new destination. It is also ideal for locals looking to expand their circle of friends,” Marmotta explained. “The site attracts thousands of people from 57 countries, and because of its broad audience, we set out to make sure it is friendly, safe and easy for everyone to enjoy.”

Marmotta is an Australian, born to Italian parents, who makes his home in London. Having traveled the world most of his life, he’s quite familiar with the pain that goes into leaving old friends and then finding new ones.

“The idea for FriendsOnArrival came from my own experience of moving around, and every time, having to start over — and the older I was the harder it got!” said Marmotta. “I saw there was an opportunity to start an online community which wasn’t youth-centric or singles-based, or focused on just business networking. Something you can feel comfortable about using without the stigma or presumption. One that was more about making genuine friendships.”

FriendsOnArrival is free to join and On Arrival Limited, the company headed by Marmotta which administers the website, has taken serious measures to ensure that members use the site in the comfort of knowing that the information they have provided is kept within the FriendsOnArrival community.

“To that end, we moderate all public content and adhere to the strict TRUSTe privacy program. Members must be 16 years of age or older to join and most of our members are well over that,” said Marmotta.

What does all this mean? First, all online applications to FriendsOnArrival must be approved by On Arrival Limited. On Arrival Limited also ensures that no antisocial or pornographic content is posted. On Arrival Limited discloses its information practices and has its privacy practices reviewed for compliance by TRUSTe, an independent, nonprofit organization whose mission is to build users’ trust and confidence in the Internet. Members of FriendsOnArrival are required to provide a limited amount of information when joining and all other information posted by a member in the viewable profile is optional.

Arab News contacted Steve, a FriendsOnArrival member currently living in Saudi Arabia, and asked him to describe his experience as part of the FriendsOnArrival community.

“I originally registered with Friends on Arrival when I was living and working in the UK,” Steve wrote. “While I have a good network of friends ‘in real life,’ I’m always interested to meet new people wherever I’m living, be they fellow Australian expats, travelers from other countries or locals. I don’t use Friends on Arrival exclusively. It’s one of many sites that I belong to that bring together people of diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds who all share the joy of traveling to new places and meeting and understanding new people. I have made a few good friends through Friends on Arrival and other similar sites, almost all of whom I’ve met up with at some stage.”

He added, “The other aspect of the site that I enjoy is being able to provide advice and tips to other people traveling to places I’ve visited. The benefits of having some on-the-ground knowledge when one arrives somewhere can’t be overstated, and communities such as this thrive on such information. I also like the fact that Friends on Arrival is a moderated community. It means that you don’t have to sift through millions of ‘friend invitations’ from people who are just trying to build their public appearance of popularity. It’s just somehow more genuine.”

Steve has had a positive experience with FriendsOnArrival but he did advise that there are some safety rules everyone should follow in regards to meeting people through travel websites.

“Never give out personal information to people you don’t know,” emphasized Steve. “Never arrange to meet someone in person in a non-public place. Don’t respond at all to inappropriate messages/contact — even to tell the sender to go away. However, that said, with a site like Friends on Arrival, I’m pretty happy that the moderation carried out by the management is of a pretty high standard. I’ve never had a problem there, whereas on other sites spam, unsolicited/unwanted contact is pretty common.”

An example of a site that has a less than ideal policy in regards to control of undesirable content is “The Couch Surfing Project” at www.couchsurfing.com. Couch Surfing is “a worldwide network for making connection between travelers and the local communities they visit.” A novel aspect of the couch surfing experience is the ability to advise if you have a “couch” available for a member to sleep on during his/her stay in your area. Couch Surfing does have a “vouched for” and “verified” program, but it’s possible to both offer and accept a “couch” without any of these assurances in place. The couch surfing community is much less tightly controlled and this would seem to increase the potential risks.

“Many other ‘friend’ sites have less strict polices than FriendsOnArrival, but we’ve actually noticed that because we don’t allow undesirable content, our site attracts quality members. For example we regularly have a married couples join where the husband and wife are both 50 plus years old,” said Marmotta. “The fact is that people over 50 years of age have 80 percent of the world’s spending power. Once we monetize the site we believe that an older demographic made up of well-traveled global professionals will be the most attractive to potential advertisers and partners.”

Recently, many organizations are recognizing that travel is an area where there is plenty of potential for new services. Aramco ExPats recently launched the Aramco Expats Travel Club. This is a travel club for Aramco ExPats wishing to once again experience and enjoy traveling together throughout the world. Club members will share travelogues, travel information and experiences, hospitality and friendship.

Other companies are attempting to unify and streamline older online travel industry offerings. For example, Vacation Rentals Web Directory (www.vrwd.com) provides a single gateway to thousands of vacation rental websites from all over the world. The VRWD marketplace reviews and rates vacation rental websites and vacation home listings from around the world.

VRWD, like FriendsOnArrival, is moderated. VRWD is a human-edited directory where renters can find trusted vacation rental websites and homes, and vacation rental owners and publishers can become trusted members. The directory states that “it is committed to quality and reviews every submitted listing before approval.”

Thus even as people move to online resources for travel and tourism, it’s becoming recognized that the human element combined with appropriate web technology can definitely create a better user experience in our increasingly networked world.

By Molouk Y. Ba-Isa, Arab News

 

The Ogden Dunes Town Council has authorized Town Attorney Chuck Lukmann to take legal action against the owners of a home who, the council claims, have rented that residence for a period of less than 30 days, in what a statement released on Tuesday maintains is a violation of Town Code.

According to that statement, the Dune Acres Town Council voted unanimously to instruct Lukmann to prepare an ordinance violation complaint and a petition seeking a preliminary and permanent injunction against Steven and Lauren Siwinski, the owners of the home at 126 Shore Drive.

That complaint alleges that the Siwinskis’ home is located in a residential district, and that, beginning on June 18, 2008, for days thereafter, they rented their property for overnight accommodations for periods of less than 30 days. “Rentals of real estate for less than 30 consecutive days are a recognized commercial activity in the State of Indiana as the same constitutes the defendants as retail merchants,” the complaint reads. Town Code makes the commercial use of a single-family residential dwelling unlawful, the complaint adds.

Persons found in violation of Town Code in Ogden Dunes are subject to a maximum fine of $2,500 per violation per day of the violation.

“We are a residential town where three generations of families live, raise children, attend church, volunteer, and join our organizations,” Town Council President Judith Styles. “We are not a resort community and we want to defend the character of our town.”

Homeowners in Ogden Dunes may lawfully rent their property for periods of more than 30 days.

Forbes.com has some investment advice for perennial summer renters who are thinking about finally purchasing a second home.

In the online article, "The Best Places to Buy A Vacation Home," author Matt Woolsey says that, "The safest bets are luxury homes in blue-chip locales."

Here, that would be in the Hamptons.

In the Northeast, the village of Water Mill was rated the fastest-appreciating "blue chip" summer destination, with a median home price of $1.38 million and an average price increase over the last five years of 21percent per year.

Number three on the list was Napeague, with a median home price of $862,129 and an increase of 20 percent per year since 2002.

Despite a nationwide dip in home sales, vacation homes are still a bright spot, according to the article, which cites a National Association of Realtors study that shows a 4.7 percent increase, or a record 1.07 million vacation homes sold last year.

BY LAURA MANN | laura.mann@newsday.com

Plans to curtail the practice surprise those who offer their homes part of the year.

ST. AUGUSTINE BEACH - Even those willing to pay for a room with a view could be out of luck in St. Augustine Beach.

Vacation rentals here, which can run anywhere from $1,500 to $5,000 a week, have pitted small investors who have leased out the space for years against city officials who say the practice isn't allowed.

The sudden crackdown comes as a surprise to people like Paulette Lewis, who bought and restored a beach house on First Lane several years ago, building a loyal clientele who book the unit up to a year in advance.

"We were stunned when we found out about it," Lewis said of the city's plans to curtail the rentals. "I don't understand why this is an issue."

Almost always, the renters are a family, often grandmothers hosting their children and grandchildren on vacation, she said - not the type to draw complaints from the neighbors.

The rentals aren't all over the city, she said, but instead in an area east of A1A, near the beach and close to restaurants, bars and other entertainment that dots that area.

The city commission is expected at its next meeting to consider an ordinance that could grandfather in people like Lewis, allowing the vacation rentals with certain regulations in place for at least another year, after which the commission would reconsider the issue.

Several of those who offer the vacation rentals, including Lewis, said they don't mind increased regulation, but are concerned the city may take action to halt the practice entirely.

A law firm representing several entrepreneurs has requested formal mediation procedures between the two sides. That request also is expected to be heard at the upcoming council meeting.

Alicia Curran, one of the lawyers involved, said she believes the city's attempts to limit use of the properties violates the federal and state constitutions and would be a financial hardship for her clients, who bought the seaside properties with the expectation they would be able to rent them out at least part of the year.

Vacation rentals, common in tourist areas, are particularly popular with families, who like the idea of renting an entire house, she said. Living rooms and kitchens allow them to stretch their dollars and relax in a more homelike environment, she said.

"Take that away and families won't be able to come here anymore," she said.

Transient lodging facilities

Geoffrey Dobson, attorney for the city, said he doesn't think conditions are always so idyllic.

He said that frequently more than one family stays in such units, technically called transient lodging facilities, those where renters stay less than 30 days.

Those shouldn't be confused with short-term rentals allowed by the city, which span more than a month but less than half a year, he said.

Rental agreements for shorter periods of time are not addressed by the city's code as a use for medium-density areas, where the rentals under debate fall, Dobson said.

Uses not specifically laid out under that document are not allowed, he said.

Still, vacation rentals are hardly hidden. Many scattered around town have small signs affixed advertising them as being available on a weekly rate.

Nothing new

Marta Roth, who rents out the bottom portion of her beach-side duplex to vacationers, said before she and her husband bought and fixed up their property, the previous owners had done the same for years.

Roth, who also is represented by Curran, said the people who vacation in places like hers contribute to, not hurt, the community.

They often leave books, videos and shells behind in the unit for the next family to enjoy, she said, not only out of kindness but because they consider the house an extension of their home.

"They love St. Augustine Beach," she said. "They love this community."

annemarie.apollo@jacksonville. com, 904-359-4470

By Anne Marie Apollo, The Times-Union

Short-term rentals are a long-term nightmare for city residents, writes Jimmy Thomson .

DRUNKEN guests locking themselves out of their rooms and wandering, lost and naked, through the corridors. These may be everyday - and every night - scenes in hotels around the world, but they are now also common events in a growing number of Sydney CBD residential apartment buildings.

"We have police being called to sort out drunken guests, we've had our concierge staff - who we pay for through our strata levies - being threatened," says Kimball Werner, who heads the executive committee of the 190-unit Trafalgar building on Kent Street. Almost half the units, he says, are operated as serviced apartments, in direct contravention of Sydney City Council zonings.

"This is my home, but now it feels like I'm living in a hotel," says Mr Werner. "One of my neighbours with two small children now fears for their safety and security with so many strangers around constantly. And the same thing is happening in so many blocks around the city."

Mr Werner, 36, a financial broker, bought his two-bedroom apartment off-the-plan 4½ years ago. The developer, however, had sold the building's management rights to an investment services company, which then on-sold an effective 30-year management contract to Oaks Hotels & Resorts Ltd.

Even though the building is clearly zoned as residential, meaning there should be no lets shorter than three months, Oaks now advertises apartment rentals on the internet for periods as short as two nights.

Yet while investor-owners hope to make above-average returns on short-term fees of up to $358 a night, they are a long-term nightmare for those who bought apartments as their permanent homes. And now, after nine months of residents' complaints, the council has finally agreed to act.

"The City of Sydney has received a number of complaints from local residents, and a letter of demand has been sent to the relevant operators to cease the unauthorised use," said a council spokesman. "The City intends to commence legal proceedings in the Land & Environment Court shortly."

But with most owners in the building now investors, Brett Pointon, the chief executive of Oaks, says he is simply making them money.

"We operate for the best interests of the majority of owners in the building, not just a minority of three or four who want the building to be run to suit them," says Mr Pointon. "When people buy into strata they have to be open-minded and accept what the majority of owners want."

Strata experts, however, say that zoning regulations were put in place precisely to avoid this short-term rental versus long-term resident conflict.

"Serviced apartments will always be the rape, pillage and plunder of residential strata plans, as well as creating dangers for others who live there," says strata lawyer Stephen Goddard, chairman of the apartment owners' body, the Owners Corporation Network.

"The fire and safety regimes of residential buildings, for example, are quite different to those necessary for commercial uses."

Mr Pointon lost a vote at Trafalgar's recent AGM to apply to council for the block to be rezoned for commercial lets, but plans to try again soon, believing he now has the numbers to succeed. He also hopes to expand short-term rentals in the Maestri Towers on the corner of Sussex and Kent streets, and Harmony in Haymarket.

"All the hotels in Sydney are being turned into apartments, and pretty soon none of the big events will come to Sydney because there's nowhere for people to stay."

But with several city blocks facing the same dilemma, this latter day battle of Trafalgar could shape the future of strata living in Sydney.

TITUSVILLE - Vacation home owners in Titusville beware: You may soon become a lawbreaker.

On Tuesday, the city began considering a proposed ordinance that prohibits detached single-family home rentals for three months or less within most zoning districts, "in order to preserve the character and integrity of residential neighborhoods."

The measure must go through at least one more reading before a vote.

The ordinance came at the request of City Attorney Dwight Severs, who heard complaints from neighbors concerned about revolving residents and party noise.

But at least one vacation homeowner, whose Spanish-style, 1920s-era home sits in one of the affected zoning districts, questioned whether the measure was necessary.

"Titusville is not a party town," said Greg Valdyke of Titusville, who says Canadian snowbirds and employees on short-term assignments have rented his property. "Neighbors have inquired if there's anyone there, that's how quiet it is."

The ordinance won't apply to many properties, though. In an online search, most vacation rentals in town are condominiums or apartments, which aren't affected by the proposed rules.

Property owners also have some wiggle room within the proposed law. The provision doesn't apply to a single-family detached dwelling if it is located within 100 feet of any commercial zoned district.

Any property owner who qualifies for the exempted area needs to obtain a business license from the city.

Valdyke said he didn't mind getting a business license. But he doesn't think there's any reason for the city to even contemplate this ordinance.

"I think Titusville's got problems with sewer systems and potholes," he said. "We have enough things to spend money on."

Other governments in Brevard County have enacted rules regulating vacation properties.

Cape Canaveral recently approved an ordinance that bans most short-term rentals, 30 days or less, and restricts resort condominium rentals to commercial zones and other conditions.

Brevard County adopted a ban in May 2005 that prohibits private home rentals shorter than 90 days and requires a parking space for each bedroom in the house.

BY JESSICA RAYNOR
FLORIDA TODAY
Contact Raynor at 360-1016 or jraynor@floridatoday.com.

Single parents face several challenges when it comes to vacationing with their kids – not least of which is keeping costs under control. And while the main goal of your trip is likely to spend quality time together as a family, you should be able to have some adult fun in the process sans children. The travel industry has recognized this growing segment of the population and as a result, there are more vacation options for single parents now than ever before.

Of course, the majority of the families you’ll meet on your next vacation will likely be two-parent families. Some solo parents worry they and their children will feel out of place on their next cruise or at the all-inclusive resort. There are three things you can do – the first is get over it, and be proud of your kids and what you have accomplished on your own. The second is travel with a group that caters to single-parent families or take advantage of travel deals for single parents, where the majority of other travelers are likely to be in your same boat. The third is to pair up with another single-parent family – maybe you have a sibling or a close friend who is also a single parent. That way you’ll have adult companionship and the kids will have automatic friends.

Keeping Costs Down
Here’s the problem many single parents face when they try to book a vacation with their kids: Most prices are based on two adults and double occupancy. Obviously you don’t want to pay an adult price for your eight-year old who eats nothing but chicken fingers and won’t be enjoying a poolside pina colada. So what’s the alternative? You could pay the single supplement for yourself and then pay a kids’ fare. There are no clear-cut answers for saving money here – you just have to do the math and see what works for you. Single parents might also want to consider the possibility that booking an individual itinerary, rather than a package deal, might be the more economical route. Just don’t forget to factor in the costs of food and entertainment.

Booking a vacation rental is an excellent way to save money. There are no single supplements and you’ll likely have more room than in a resort or on a cruise ship. You’ll also have a kitchen so you can keep the dining out to a minimum. And vacation rentals aren’t just for weeklong stays at the beach anymore – you can rent homes and villas all over the world, a great way to spend a week with your kids in Europe, immerse them in the culture and have a home base all at the same time.

Think about visiting a national park. You need not be the Swiss Family Robinson – families of all shapes, sizes and leisure preference enjoy these trips. Best of all, you likely won’t have to go far from home to find a national park or seashore – there are many more than you probably realize, some perhaps within driving distance of your home. Accommodations vary widely – you can rough it at a campsite or relax at a rustic lodge. In any case, there’ll be no shortage of activities to choose from.

Single parents face several challenges when it comes to vacationing with their kids – not least of which is keeping costs under control. And while the main goal of your trip is likely to spend quality time together as a family, you should be able to have some adult fun in the process sans children. The travel industry has recognized this growing segment of the population and as a result, there are more vacation options for single parents now than ever before.

Of course, the majority of the families you’ll meet on your next vacation will likely be two-parent families. Some solo parents worry they and their children will feel out of place on their next cruise or at the all-inclusive resort. There are three things you can do – the first is get over it, and be proud of your kids and what you have accomplished on your own. The second is travel with a group that caters to single-parent families or take advantage of travel deals for single parents, where the majority of other travelers are likely to be in your same boat. The third is to pair up with another single-parent family – maybe you have a sibling or a close friend who is also a single parent. That way you’ll have adult companionship and the kids will have automatic friends.

Keeping Costs Down
Here’s the problem many single parents face when they try to book a vacation with their kids: Most prices are based on two adults and double occupancy. Obviously you don’t want to pay an adult price for your eight-year old who eats nothing but chicken fingers and won’t be enjoying a poolside pina colada. So what’s the alternative? You could pay the single supplement for yourself and then pay a kids’ fare. There are no clear-cut answers for saving money here – you just have to do the math and see what works for you. Single parents might also want to consider the possibility that booking an individual itinerary, rather than a package deal, might be the more economical route. Just don’t forget to factor in the costs of food and entertainment.

Booking a vacation rental is an excellent way to save money. There are no single supplements and you’ll likely have more room than in a resort or on a cruise ship. You’ll also have a kitchen so you can keep the dining out to a minimum. And vacation rentals aren’t just for weeklong stays at the beach anymore – you can rent homes and villas all over the world, a great way to spend a week with your kids in Europe, immerse them in the culture and have a home base all at the same time.

Think about visiting a national park. You need not be the Swiss Family Robinson – families of all shapes, sizes and leisure preference enjoy these trips. Best of all, you likely won’t have to go far from home to find a national park or seashore – there are many more than you probably realize, some perhaps within driving distance of your home. Accommodations vary widely – you can rough it at a campsite or relax at a rustic lodge. In any case, there’ll be no shortage of activities to choose from.

Even if you and the kids have your hearts set on a Caribbean cruise or an all-inclusive resort, there are ways to save. Be on the lookout for single-parent specials – this spring for example, Beaches Resorts in Jamaica and Turks & Caicos are offering all-inclusive vacations that waive the single supplement and host an adults-only cocktail party for the parents. VacationsToGo.com is advertising two Caribbean cruises for single parents this summer that include kids-only and parents-only activities, with plenty of time left over for togetherness.

Tips for Taking the Kids
- If you plan on leaving the country, make sure you and your child’s passport are up to date.
- Keep in mind that as of December 31, 2005, all travelers will need a passport to travel to Mexico, Canada and the Caribbean.
- If you are not the child’s sole legal guardian, have the other parent sign a notarized letter of consent if you plan on taking a minor child out of the country.
- Carry a recent photo of your child with you on the trip. Each day, make a mental note of what your child is wearing. This will be important and useful information if your child gets lost.
- Take all essential items for the children, like medication, in carry on luggage.
- If you’ll be renting a car, consider bringing your own car seat – chances are it is a better quality and more comfortable than the ones available from the rental car companies.

By Genevieve S. Brown