Mexican Resorts Raise the Stakes

It's no surprise that the H1N1 flu virus (swine flu) has taken an incredible toll on Mexico's tourist industry. As a result, some resorts in Mexico are going to great lengths to restore tourists' confidence.

The PR strategies began simply, with several destinations in Mexico touting their own lack of fatal swine flu cases. Now resorts are taking a similar approach to American automakers who assuage consumer fears by promising to cover payments in the event of a job loss... with an obvious medical twist:

Real Resorts is offering any guest who contracts the H1N1 flu virus within 14 days of visiting any of its resorts in Cancun or Playa del Carmen up to one free return trip a year for the next three years (same dates, length of stay and accommodation).

The guest must have it confirmed as H1N1 and must provide a positive blood result for the flu by a state-certified laboratory within 14 days of checkout, Real Resorts said. The "flu-free" guarantee applies to travel between May and October.

The deal was released less than a week after AMResorts launched an almost identical offer of three free vacations to any guest who books in Mexico between May 8 and June 30 and contracts the flu while staying at an affiliated property anytime through Dec. 20.

For more information on these incredible deals and resorts, call your travel agent or visit www.professionaltravelguide.com.

Seychelles Goes the Way of Iceland

Clear blue waters. White-sand beaches. Wealthy vacationers soaking up the sun. Seychelles has all of these things. Unfortunately, this tiny island country off the coast of Africa is also bankrupt.

This playground of the rich and famous is saddled with more than $800 million in debt, taking a page out of Iceland's "How To Destroy a Country's Economy" handbook. With sagging revenues from the country's two biggest source industries -- fishing and tourism -- Seychelles' debt is about the same as the country's total economy.

It's already defaulted on one $230 million loan and is now seeking relief from countries -- including the U.S. -- it owes.

"We borrowed more than we can repay," complains Ralph Volcere, the editor of Le Nouveau Seychelles Weekly and a vocal government critic. "This was wholly irresponsible."

In the hopes of boosting its tourism industry, the country is launching an "Affordable Seychelles" campaign with the motto, "Once-in-a-lifetime vacation at a once-in-a-lifetime price," in the hopes of drawing visitors. Affordable might be overstating it, but there are certainly deals to be had.

Swedish Elk Can't Handle Their Alcohol

Sometimes we get some great updates from our correspondents out there. Like this one, from Sweden:

Drunken elks can be a serious road hazard in late fall. The animals feed on fallen apples and other fruits that have fermented, and a bull elk can pack quite a punch. Some "alco-elks" have been known to terrorize whole neighborhoods.

My first thought was, "This can't be THAT big of an issue, can it?" Then, I find this little nugget:

A drunken elk paid dearly after attacking a toddler playing in a sand pit at her home in Kungälv in western Sweden ... The dangerous beast had been spotted nearby on several occasions prior to the attack and returned to the area later that day in an apparent search for more apples. This time, however, local residents took no chances and a group of hunters shot the inebriated elk, putting an end to any further neighbourhood terror.

The lesson, as always? Always look out for drunk elk in Sweden. Obviously.

Senator Craig Bathroom in Minnesota Is, Oddly, Not a Popular Tourist Destination

Have we got the Valentine's Day vacation for you! That's right, friend, nothing says "I Heart You" quite like taking that special person in your life to the Minneapolis - St. Paul International Airport, with the express intent of visiting Larry Craig's famous bathroom.

Wait, what? That's not romantic? Get out. Maybe that's why it's failing as a tourist destination.

Patrick Hogan, spokesman for the Metropolitan Airports Commission, says that the surge of publicity also brought an abrupt end to the type of activity in the restroom that had prompted lewd-conduct complaints.

Plans to modify the restroom to prevent occupants from passing signals were scrapped because complaints dropped.

"It is the busiest restroom at Minneapolis-St. Paul International," Hogan told The Spokesman-Review. "It's right in the middle of our main thoroughfare."

[...] Hogan says one person offered to buy the restroom stall for $5,000, but that airport officials declined.

Now, I'm not entirely sure how they handle things in Minnesota ... but, um, WTF? If you get offered five large for a bathroom stall where a someone -- regardless of how famous they are -- was arrested for soliciting sex, you take the money and run. Also, you never, ever, ever, evereverever try and turn such a place into a tourist attraction. That's just not going to work out well for anyone.