GULF SHORES and ORANGE BEACH, Ala., Feb. 13, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PBS viewers across the nation will soon follow four girlfriends as they explore the Gulf Shores and Orange Beach area during a new realty television show. "Getting Away Together" is a new TV series airing on PBS member stations nationwide that showcases the increasingly popular trend of sharing vacation rentals with friends and family. From girlfriend getaways to family reunions and milestone celebrations, the series shows the benefits of vacationing together in spectacular rental properties across America.
Locally, the show highlights the journey of long-time girlfriends Michele, Nicole, Rachel and Aimee (all of San Diego) as they visit the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo, enjoy the area's nature attractions, dine at several restaurants and shop in addition to spending time on the local beaches.
"Our trip to Gulf Shores and Orange Beach was everything you could want in a vacation and more: powder soft beaches, spectacular natural beauty, warm and friendly people and delicious regional seafood," said Michele Predko. "We really did experience some of the best Alabama had to offer. It was amazing to be able to share that experience with some of my best friends. It's a trip I will never forget!"
"Being included in a television series of this caliber will enable our beach message to reach PBS viewers across the nation," said Herb Malone, president/CEO of Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism, which collaborated with show producers throughout the episode's development. "The vacation that these four girlfriends experienced is very similar to the countless other vacation getaways enjoyed by many women through the Southeast and Midwest. We are excited to expose more individuals to our sugar-white sand and numerous amenities."
The "Getting Away Together" series began airing in October 2011 and consists of 13, 30-minute episodes featuring meaningful travel experiences in fun locales with vacation rentals as their home base. The series is being produced by the Emmy Award-winning PineRidge Film & Television Company, who has proven travel series success with Great Hotels, Great Vacation Homes, Passport to Europe and more. The Vacation Rental Managers Association (VRMA) introduced the show as part of its Discover Vacation Homes awareness initiative, made possible in part through support from TripAdvisor®, CSA Travel Protection and 10 dynamic travel destinations.
This series is receiving media attention already as Valarie D'Elia of New York 1 named the show as a top travel trend in 2012.
"'Getting Away Together' explores the many ways real friends and families can grow closer through travel - especially by enjoying quality time together underneath the same roof," explains Steve Trover, president of the VRMA and its Discover Vacation Homes awareness initiative. "This is a timely, compelling concept, and one of the many reasons the series is so inspiring to watch."
According to Jerry Smith, CEO of PineRidge Film & Television, producer of the series:
"I'm pleased to announce that the Gulf Shores and Orange Beach episode was distributed to PBS member stations on February 4, and we fully expect to see it begin appearing on schedules of PBS member stations throughout the nation very soon. The series is already "cleared," or accepted for airing in 60 percent of the nation's PBS stations. PBS viewing overall accounts for 121.9 million viewers every month." Just as important, the Gulf Shores episode will be streaming on the show website www.gettingawaytogether.com 24-7 along with a short 3 minute trailer about the destination. Each PBS station puts the show into its schedule at its earliest opportunity." (*Source: Nielsen NTINPower October 2010 Total Day 6a-6a Reach US Persons 2+)
Visit www.GettingAwayTogether.com for a list of PBS stations airing this series. Viewers can then check their local listings for complete details. View the Gulf Shores and Orange Beach episode on this website after March 14, 2012.
For more information on this family beach destination, visit www.gulfshores.com or www.orangebeach.com.
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Media Resources at www.gettingawaytogether.com/about-the-show/press-room .
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Media Contacts:
Kim Chapman
Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism
kchapman@gulfshores.com
1-800-745-SAND
251-974-4625 (direct)
251-752-8448 (cell)
Amanda Drake
MMGY Global
(727) 420-8395
adrake@mmgyglobal.com
About Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism:
Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism serves as the official destination marketing organization for the cities of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach in addition to the unincorporated area of Fort Morgan. To learn more about Alabama's 32 miles of sugar white sand, visit either www.gulfshores.com or www.gulfshores.com . This convention and visitors bureau is an accredited Destination Marketing Organization (2008-2012) and is an official corporate sponsor of the Southeastern Conference (SEC).
About TripAdvisor:
TripAdvisor® is the world's largest travel site, enabling travelers to plan and have the perfect trip. TripAdvisor offers trusted advice from real travelers and a wide variety of travel choices and planning features (including Flights search, Vacation Rentals, TripAdvisor Mobile and TripAdvisor Trip Friends) with seamless links to booking tools.
About CSA Travel Protection:
CSA Travel Protection, a Europ Assistance company, is dedicated to providing affordable travel insurance and emergency assistance services to protect travelers' valuable investments and provide the peace of mind one deserves while traveling. Since its inception in 1991, CSA has developed a reputation for standing behind its customers and evolving products and services to meet their needs. Through superior customer service, extensive experience and industry-leading innovation, CSA is with its clients every step of the way, whenever and wherever they are needed.
About VRMA:
The Vacation Rental Managers Association (VRMA) is the professional trade association of the vacation rental property management and hospitality industries. Founded in 1985, the VRMA has more than 600 property management and associate members throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean representing approximately 150,000 vacation rentals, condos and villas.
About VRMA's Discover Vacation Homes Initiative:
Discover Vacation Homes is the trusted public voice on vacation rentals, providing an official resource for vacation rental travel information. As the awareness initiative of the Vacation Rental Managers Association, it represents approximately 150,000 rental homes, condos and villas from more than 500 of the most well established vacation rental management companies in North America, Central America and the Caribbean.
About PineRidge Productions:
As a division of Jerry Smith Film & Television, PineRidge Film & Television Company develops, produces and delivers quality television programs, utilizing an Emmy Award-winning production team. Since 1985, PineRidge has commissioned more than a thousand half-hour shows and 34 hour-long Prime Time specials. Perhaps best known for their series on Discovery Travel Channel including Great Hotels, Passport to Europe, Passport to Latin America and Samantha Brown's Weekends, PineRidge also produces for HGTV, Fine Living Network, Food Network and PBS stations nationwide.
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