Archive for August, 2009

A Sundance Vacations Customer recently wrote a letter of “Thank You” for their Free 3 Night Royal Caribbean Cruise Vacation. The following is the letter Sundance Vacations received:

“Hello, I just wanted to thank your company (Sundance Vacations) so much for the all exclusive 3 Night Royal Caribbean vacation. I could not believe I won! When I got the phone call from your office saying I was picked from a drawing at the Lancaster Barnstormers game, I almost fell out of my chair! I came to your office in King of Prussia, PA and picked up my prize and now I’m getting ready to hit the seas and take my first plane ride! Thank You Sundance for the Free Vacation! It is a blessing to for me to get a trip I would never see myself in! When I do vacation, it’s mostly spent going to this lake about 10 miles away from home and camping with family. So this is going to be a huge difference! Thanks again, Dustin.” –Dustin Kipple

Thank you for your kind words Dustin! We hope you enjoy your Cruise vacation with Sundance Vacations.
Have you traveled with Sundance Vacations? If so, where have you stayed?

Sundance Vacations recently donated to the RAACE Foundation. The RAACE (Race Against Abuse of Children Everywhere) Foundation is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to protect children against sexual abuse. Sundance Vacations was contacted by Mr. Brad Brickel, a RAACE participant, to sponsor him in a RAACE fundraiser. Sundance Vacations Founder Tina Dowd received the call and was eager to help. Tina Dowd presented an idea to give employees the opportunity to donate their employee incentive points to the RAACE Foundation. When announced, Marketing Department employees were eager to donate their points. The employee’s V-points were then converted into a cash donation. Sundance Vacations raised a total of 85,504 V-points. The company generously matched the money raised, making the GRAND TOTAL– $3,353.00.

Great Job Sundance Vacations, it’s always nice to see employees come together and make a difference!!

What are some charities that you have volunteered with or donated to?

Sundance Vacations gave away a free Las Vegas vacation to one Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers fan during the Conference Semi Finals game against the Kentucky Horseman at the Wachovia Arena in Wilkes-Barre, Pa on August 8th.

Alice Makowski was randomly picked among hundreds of fans who turned out for the Pioneers Semi Final Playoff game. The free vacation was a fan appreciation giveaway. Sundance Vacations provided the lucky fan and one guest with free airfare for two, room accommodations to The Orleans hotel in Las Vegas, and tickets to the Pioneers game against Spokane Shock. “Oh my God, we’re going to Vegas,” boasted Makowski. “I won the Sundance Vacations free trip to Las Vegas. My dream is really true thanks to Sundance Vacations. I really wanted to see the Pioneers play in the finals,” added Makowski.

Sundance Vacations congratulates the Makowski family on their huge win! We hope Las Vegas was a blast with the Pioneers!

Have you ever followed your favorite team into the Playoffs? How far would you go?

The travel intentions of U.S. adults appear to be on the rise, according to the latest travelhorizons™ survey, and the U.S. Travel Association. Almost two-thirds (63 percent) of U.S. adults expect to take at least one trip for leisure purposes between August 2009 and January 2010, up from 61 percent who expressed the same intention in July 2008. Assuming Americans act on their stated intention, this will translate into an estimated 142 million U.S. adults taking at least one overnight trip during the next six months.

According to the national survey of 2,362 respondents conducted between July 21-28, 2009, the average number of overnight trips U.S. adults intend to take during the next six months increased to 2.8 from 2.6 in July 2008. Travelers remained concerned about having sufficient money for travel; however, the majority of adults who are planning to take a trip are adjusting to more limited leisure travel budgets by indicating that they expect to spend less on travel services compared to last year. They also intend to comparison shop for deals, especially online.

This is very consistent with the trend that Sundance Vacations has seen. Sales are still very much on the rise. Especially in the wholesale industry where customers realize they are saving more money. Sundance Vacations still considers itself positioned well during these rough economic times and sales continue to soar at all time highs. A perfect example is the company’s most recent recognition by Inc. 500/5000. Inc. 500/5000 honored Sundance Vacations as one of the fastest-growing travel companies in Pennsylvania. Sundance Vacations executives will receive the award in September.

What do you think of the recent travel trends? Have you taken any vacations this summer?

Sundance Vacations recently teamed up with the Philadelphia Eagles Youth Partnership. The company participated in this year’s fundraising event themed “Flight Night”.

Sundance Vacations has been a proud supporter of the Eagles Youth Partnership (EYP) since 2007. The company has contributed more than $10,000 to the EYP organization. Sundance Vacations King of Prussia employees participated in Eagles Flight Night’s huge success which surpassed attendance and fundraising goals. The event brought more than 31,000 Philadelphia Eagles football fans from all across the region to Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pa on Aug. 2, raising more than a million dollars for the organization!

All funds raised at Eagles Flight Night benefit Eagles Youth Partnership’s (EYP) community programs. Eagles Youth Partnership serves over 50,000 low income children in Greater Philadelphia every year with an immense focus on health and education programming. EYP takes its services directly to kids at their schools and in their neighborhoods. These mobile services – the Eagles Eye Mobile and Eagles Book Mobile programs – are like wings on wheels, blending celebrity with fun in order to reach the hardest to reach children.

Sundance Vacations was proud to be a part of the fun at Eagles Flight Night, and we look forward to next years fundraiser.

Sundance Vacations is the fastest-growing travel company in Pennsylvania according to Inc. 500/5000. The company was recently recognized by Inc Magazine as one of the nation’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies in America. While Sundance Vacations ranked 4,718 on the Inc. 500/5000 list, no other Pennsylvania travel business ranked higher than this Wilkes-Barre based wholesale travel company.

The 2009 Inc. 5000, revealed on Inc.com, serves as a unique report card on the U.S. economy. Despite the ongoing recession, aggregate revenue among the companies on the list actually increased to $214 billion, up $29 billion from last year, with a median three-year growth rate of 126 percent. The Inc. 5000 are responsible for creating more than one million jobs since their founding; making the list perhaps the best example of the impact private, fast-growing companies can have on the economy.

Sundance Vacations is honored to be a part of the Inc. 500/5000. The company’s growth despite the on-going recession was recently noted in a Wilkes-Barre local newspaper The Times Leader by reporter Ron Bartizek. Bartizek beat Inc. 500/5000 to the punch with his piece “Sundance finds a Sweet Spot in our Sour Economy”. “While the daily economic news continues to be gloomy, this recognition is a bright spot for Sundance Vacations and our 700 national employees,” explained Sundance Vacations President John Dowd.

Sundance Vacations executives will attend the Inc. 500|5000 Conference and Awards Ceremony held in September at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland. The conference held by Inc. and Inc.com celebrate the remarkable achievements of today’s entrepreneurial superstars—the privately held small businesses that drive our economy. Inc. 500|5000 Conference & Awards Ceremony brings together members of the Inc. 5000 community, both a new class of Inc. 5000 honorees and the list’s alumni, for three days of powerful networking, inspired learning, and momentous celebration.

Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found on Inc.com.

Whatever happened to the once a year family vacation? Today, people are taking more than one vacation per year, and going for any reason possible. The US Travel Association recently reported on an opportunity for travel growth in several niche markets. An extensive set of new travel segments is attracting attention in the present slow growth marketplace. The sum of niche marketing can be as significant as or more significant that the sum of traditionally dominant players. Watch for these in the travel marketplace: Babymoons, Culinary Travel, Destination Weddings, Gen Xers and Millennials, Girlfriend Getaways/Mancations, GLBT Travel (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender), Medical/Life-Enhancement Travel, Procreation Vacations, Travelers with Disabilities, and Volunteerism.

What are your suggestions for the next market niche? How about a “break from life vacation”? Have you ever taken any of the mentioned getaways?