With even modest hotels charging from $200 to $300 a room all over the world (and sometimes more), the smart traveler is frequently turning to the rental of lower-cost vacation homes or apartments.

So many large new companies now offer the rental of vacation homes and apartments worldwide that it's hard to keep up. Starting some 12 years ago, there was VRBO.com (Vacation Rental by Owner), followed by several similar but smaller firms, then followed last year by the big EVRentals.com (owned by the immense Wyndham Hotels corporation) and then Rentalo.com.Orlando vacation resorts

Monday April 28, 2008 - 18:56 EST

LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- The airline industry's woes, coupled with the downturn in the economy, are being felt at McCarran International Airport and almost certainly will change the relationship between Las Vegas resorts and their airline partners.

Most tourism experts agree the airline industry's troubles have had little effect on Las Vegas so far, but they said the trend is disturbing, especially as jet fuel costs soar.

One airline analyst said last week that if high fuel prices persist, industry profitability could suffer as much as it did after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The number of flights coming into McCarran each day has fallen 2.2 percent over last year.

Four airlines with flights to and from Las Vegas have ended or will end service to McCarran within a six-month span.

Starwood Reports Strong First Quarter 2008 Results

24/04/2008 10:00:00 Business Wire US8809151033 Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.
(NYSE: HOT) today reported strong first quarter 2008 financial results.
First Quarter 2008 Highlights -- Excluding special items, EPS from continuing operations was $0.44.
Including special items, EPS from continuing operations was $0.42.
-- Excluding special items, income from continuing operations was $83 million.
Income from continuing operations, including special items, was $79 million.
-- Total Company Adjusted EBITDA was $255 million.
-- Worldwide System-wide REVPAR for Same-Store Hotels increased 8.4% compared to the first quarter of 2007.
System-wide REVPAR for Same-Store Hotels in North America increased 2.9%.
-- Management and franchise revenues increased 17.7% when compared to 2007.

aloft Dulles South. (Photo: Business Wire) (2º)

24/04/2008 18:00:00 Business Wire US85590A2033 About Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Worldwide Inc.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.
is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with approximately 900 properties in more than 100 countries and 155,000 employees at its owned and managed properties.
Starwood Hotels is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels and resorts with the following internationally renowned brands: St.
Regis(R), The Luxury Collection(R), W(R), Westin(R), Le Meridien(R), Sheraton(R), Four Points(R) by Sheraton, Aloft(SM), and Element(SM).
Starwood Hotels also owns Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., one of the premier developers and operators of high quality vacation interval ownership resorts.
For more information, please visit www.starwoodhotels.com.

Basketball Vols Will Play In 2008 Old Spice Classic

KNOXVILLE -- ESPN Regional Television, Inc. (ERT), a subsidiary of ESPN, announced Tuesday the field for the 2008 Old Spice Classic, to be held on Thanksgiving weekend at the Milk House at Disney�s Wide World of Sports� Complex near Orlando, Fla.

The field for the third annual Old Spice Classic is loaded with current and traditional college basketball powerhouses. The teams will include Georgetown, Gonzaga, Maryland, Michigan State, Oklahoma State, Siena, Tennessee and Wichita State.

Seven of those eight teams qualified for postseason play in 2007-08, including five in the NCAA Tournament and two in the Sweet 16. Michigan State and Tennessee advanced to the Sweet 16, Siena and Georgetown advanced to the second round and Gonzaga also made the NCAA Tournament.Orlando vacation resorts