I don't know about the rest of the country's resort destinations but I do know the Scottsdale market and they are down considerably over 2008.  According to the Arizona Republic's December 25th article Travel slump hurts Scottsdale hotels Scottsdale's hospitality industry continued to struggle in October with a 23 percent decline in revenue per available room from a year ago, according to Smith Travel Research.

Ouch! This means that hoteliers (us poor sales slobs) filled only 61.4 percent of their rooms, not a good number and not good news for hotel management companies who have to answer to investors . On top of that bad news they posted a miserable $136.79. average room rate, down over 21%!

Revenue per available room, which combines occupancy and average room rate, was $83.97. Basically what this all means is that in spite of a horrible travel slump, of the kind never seen before, the bull-whips come out and sales has to come through. I wish them all the luck in the world, I did it for 25 years and I am done!

Take a look at a few of these volunteer and odyssey adventures and see if any of them could change your life. Then vote in our poll as to which vacation you think might cause you to see the world in a whole new way. life-changing vacations

Get Me OUTSIDE!

This is why I don't like treadmills in the spare bedroom, garage, working out at health clubs or other forms of indoor exercise,  other than they are boring, boring, boring, wall mounted TV or not. I don't care if Oprah has Michelle Obama, Tom Cruise, David Letterman, Ellen, Donald Trump and Tiger Woods on the same show! (wouldn't that be a show?), indoor workouts just don't work for me, even if I have a window to look out of.

If you ever wondered why your new year's resolution to exercise and lose weight lost it's momentum after only a few weeks here is a clue:

Hello! It's winter out there, cold, rainy, gloomy, etc. Your brain wants to be doing something outdoors, walking, hiking, just about anything as long as it's outside while your body cringes at the thought. Some refer to exercising outdoors as eco-therapy, or green exercise, although I think that word green is overused. Did you know for example that the color green balances the nervous system and is supposed to have a calm, soothing, effect?

When there isn't a whole lot of green around during winter where you live it can be tough to get motivated, much less stay that way until spring. But don't despair, just by seeking the natural world you can reap the benefits of re-connecting with the environment – a reduction in anger and stress levels only to mention a couple. Take the dog for a walk, bundle up and breathe the fresh air.

I support sensible and non-hysterical interpretations of the 2nd amendment as it applies to today's standards by our lawmakers and wish the NRA would stop whining when an automatic weapon is banned, then using it as a blanket accusation against NRA opponents, those "commie-pinko, patriotically challenged gun control liberals."

I do not hunt but I have friends who do and I support that right.

I believe in having some sort of firearm for personal protection – but reject the idea that it should be an automatic weapon, (I became quite familiar with them as a marine in Vietnam and believe me you do not want to go there).

I also believe only the police should be in possession of weapons in public places, handguns, assault weapons, etc. Didn't I just read about some homeowner getting shot by the police because he was brandishing a gun while protecting his home against an intruder?

My jury is still out on concealed weapons for protection of couriers, precious gem agents, etc, but anyone sporting a gun better be trained and ready to use it – without hesitation. It's a bitch getting shot with your own gun.

Come to Arizona folks, everything is fine here, beautiful scenery, fun activities, golf, fabulous spas and resorts, world-class restaurants, and friendly, genuine, southwestern hospitality. In the 25 years I have lived here no guns of any kind have been visible in bars and I have NEVER seen anyone walking around with an assault weapon. It was all a publicity stunt, orchestrated by someone to discredit the Obama Administration. Nice try but no sale!

Time for the Poll:

It works like this: Homepage of MSN.com today: Arizona says it's legal to bring guns into bars, which, by the very manner it's presented, is inflammatory, made to get us stirred up with outrageous indignation about guns and implanting an image in the readers brain of visiting Arizona and getting "called out" by a drunken cowboy at a bar.

The guy with a Colt Peacemaker at his side, who then proceeds to gun you down out on main street because you looked askance at his girl – the one with no teeth. Just like that movie, Westworld, anyone but me remember the gunfighter droid that ran amok (Yul Brenner) in that movie? Heck, I can't possibly be the first one to come up with this comparison, am I?

It's so ridiculous and it would be funny if people didn't actually pay attention to what guys like Arthur Frommer said. Anyone who has visited our wonderful state can tell you that it's perfectly safe to vacation here. Read my lips: virtually no bar owners in Arizona want guns in their bars. It has nothing to do with the second amendment, it's strictly economics folks: if you bring a firearm into an Arizona bar, guess what? You can't drink alcohol. Now what bar owner is his right mind wants a customer that can't drink? If you don't believe me check out what EJ Montini says about it in his Arizona Republic article; Restaurant Gun Law Changes Nothing

This is the article that you are taken to if you click on the link on MSN.com's homepage: Guns To Be Allowed In Arizona Bars and after giving it a read you should feel the need (like I did) to tell: the rest of the story, Loose talk that Paul Harvey would have nipped in the bud, first time he heard a guy like Arthur Frommer telling people not to come here cause it aint safe. That's nothing short of an irresponsible statement by a man who still has a voice in the travel industry. Paul Harvey LOVED Arizona and would have come to our rescue during these outrageous times. He is about the only one who had the creds to do it and not sound self-serving about it. But alas, dear Paul has gone to that great announcers booth in the sky. We miss him here in Arizona!

This all started with the idiot that appeared in the crowd with an assault weapon across his shoulder when the new president came to Phoenix. I wonder what special interest group put him up to it? But before I get in hot water with the gun crowd let me just say first that I am a former member and supporter of the NRA, (Charlton Heston) was one of my favorite movie stars. I am an advocate of the second amendment to the United States Constitution & US Bill of Rights, that which outlines the rights of the individual to keep and bear arms without infringement by the federal government. My opinion doesn't mean squat but it should come as no surprise to anyone that the American Bar Association has noted "there is more disagreement and less understanding about this right than of any other current issue regarding the Constitution."

Boy! You can say that again. Just look at what I am saying about guns and ME, just a nobody with an opinion. Am I an advocate of guns, an enemy of those against gun control of any kind or just someone who wants the state of Arizona to regain their rightful place in the USA as the Grand Canyon State and the epicenter of tourism in the Southwest? You decide.

A perfect vacation is the goal of every traveler but seasoned travelers know that Mr. Murphy lurks on every corner, they expect the unexpected and are even sometimes eager to deal with adversity, just to see how it gets handled.

Most people I know want things to go smoothly, all the time, on every trip but that might be a bit unrealistic. And that begs the question; where will you travel to where you think you will get the best experience, what destination and why.

How will you spend that precious week, two weeks or if you are lucky, even more, while away from the grind of work and your career? Our readers want to know your opinion.

Go On A Vacation – Where?

Arizona, of course! it's just about as good as it gets for people needing a vacation. As a former travel professional, hotelier and golf packager I have brought thousands here from all over the world, in a career that spanned over 25 years in hospitality. I brought them to Scottsdale over the years to: play golf, have corporate meetings and retreats, bask in the mild-winter sunshine, hike it's unique landscape or enjoy the good life at one of Arizona's world-class resorts, hotels and spas. NEVER ONCE do I remember the safety of a visitor from out of state being in question that was attributable to our gun laws.

It's just a real shame to have to disappoint all the Dr. Doom types out there that foster this kind of negativeness and I hate to be the one that has to break it to em but Arizona just doesn't measure up to all the hype. Gun control nuts may call me disloyal but Arizona as a state is no more sinister when it comes to guns than the other 40 states in this country with similar gun laws, Georgia and Florida among them. Just two US states who are cognizant of the gun rights of it's citizens and support similar gun laws.

Bars and restaurants are caught in the middle of this issue and it's a typical lose-lose situation for the working man just trying to make a buck. If you want to know more just read past the headlines and dig deeper into these stories where Arizona comes off as nothing more than the untamed wild, wild west.

Fact is, it's not anywhere near as dramatic as they would have you believe. Using our gun laws to sensationalize an issue as sensitive as gun control and all this negative and UNFAIR publicity is not a joke, it is hurting my state and I want it to stop. Tourism is a critical component of Arizona's economic health and it has already taken some hard licks with the state of the economy. We don't need any more comments by a few individuals who panic before they think. Are you listening Art? Who started all this nonsense, Nevada?

It's time for us in the business of travel to stand up and be more vocal about defending our state and our industry. One way to do that is to take our World Opinion Poll (WOP): Should Guns Be Allowed In Arizona's (fill in the blank). Another is to react quickly and take offense in writing to those who attempt to put the tar brush to Arizona without ALL the facts, and instead, letting their misleading headlines contribute to the economic blood letting of our tourism business.