Tours.com's Travel-Intel Looks at What American Workers Are Leaving on the Table

SAN FRANCISCO, CA--(Marketwire - Dec 6, 2011) - Are stressed out American consumers foregoing their yearly vacations in order to hold onto their jobs? Tours.com's Travel-Intel, a bi-weekly travel industry publication, looks at two recent surveys that show Americans waste an average of eleven vacation days a year in order to keep the pink slips at bay.

The current issue of Travel-Intel looks at surveys conducted by both Hotwire.com and JetBlue, which found more than half the pool of employees polled to be readily leaving their vacation days on the table. The December 1 issue, which was posted on Tours.com and Sightseeing.com after it was emailed to 103,000 travel agent subscribers in North America, looks at how workers can use the last month of the year to get some of the best deals of the year in travel and vacation packages rather than letting the days go to waste.

The issue also highlights Il Salviatino, a boutique luxury property just outside of Florence, as a winter getaway for shopping, dining and digging into colorful culinary traditions of the Tuscany. The entry marks the first of many such blogs that will be coming from Kurtz-Ahlers & Associates, presenting intimate looks at its eclectic collection of luxury resorts around the world.

Travel-Intel readers can find out what Ski industry pundits are predicting for this season's snow pack at resorts around the U.S. and Canada, and check what ski resorts, hotels and destinations are favored for their peaks and après ski amenities.

Meanwhile, a handy guide to the Christmas Markets of Europe will help any winter traveler to the continent find the best Gluhwein. And adventure seekers can learn about chasing tigers in India and staying in style inside India's national parks with Taj Safaris.

"Travel-Intel keeps the travel industry engaged by offering news updates on destinations as well as tidbits on items that readers probably didn't know," says Travel-Intel founder and Tours.com director of content, Lark Ellen Gould. "Sometimes it's the odd idea that comes from nowhere that really gets things moving in a business or a transaction. Travel-Intel wants serve up that nugget of inspiration to travel sellers."

Gould, a veteran travel journalist who has been covering the travel industry for more than 20 years, brings her incisive perspective to the publication and emails it on the 1st and 15^th of each month to more 103,000 travel agents in the U.S. and Canada, before posting the travelzine on Tours.com and Sightseeing.com. Travel-Intel also partners with CanadaScope and Britain Magazine for easy access to added sources of information.

Tours.com is a comprehensive travel website operating since 1995 with a deep and searchable database of tours and tour companies according to region and experience. Tours.com features of directory 8,000 tour companies around the world. It is also a one-stop resource for visa information, important phone numbers for travelers, regional experts, and travel agents certified with in-depth knowledge in their chosen areas.

For more information visit www.tours.com and www.travel-intel.com.