Caroline Allison, president of Viscape, got caught in a blizzard at the VRMA confernce. A “George and Trent Blizzard” of red shoes, that is…check out the video.
Have you done something outrageous and/or crazy to make yourself stand out from the crowd? Viscape wants to know, so share below!
Think? Some films put you to sleep, some serve to placate our usually busy brains, but thank goodness the films (and celebrity packed parties) at Sundance awaken even the most tired of senses. The 2009 Sundance Film Festival will be held January 15 through January 25 in Park City, Salt Lake City, Ogden, and Sundance, Utah. And whether you are traveling to Park City for the movies or to party with the movie stars, you won’t be disappointed. Some say Sundance should be called “Celeb-Dance.” Celebs like Josh Harnett, Paris Hilton, 50 Cent, Mary-Kate Olson, Sarah Jessica Parker, Bruce Willis and Robert Dinero (to name a few)desecend upon this normally low-key rocky mountain city.
So, as you swagger in and out of world cinema cozying-up to the likes of Kim Kardashian, instead of worrying about where you’re going to stay that night or how you’re going to pay for it, why not worry about how to score an invite the hottest party in town?
Sleep on a bench next to Franz the Bear for Sundance to save a buck or two
or find Swanky Accommodations on Viscape
Viscape can be your ticket to post-ticket, post-party accommodations (stay-tuned for our next blog post highlighting tips on how to hang with celebs at Sundance).
If you live in the area, make some extra money and rent out your home to cinema geeks/celebrity seekers that want to experience the full festival splendor. Even better, swap your home and catch big wigs on Broadway instead, or see the real deal in silver screen city, LA.
Egyptian Theater, Park City, Utah
The month of November is certainly a time to unite. The squabbles of campaigning are now, thank goodness, in the recent past and Thanksgiving is right around the corner. That’s why Viscape University is bringing savvy travelers, real estate professionals and vacation homes renters together with a free tele-workshop courtesy of real estate and travel magnate, Tim Kinzler.
A practiced realtor and industry leader at the local, state and national levels, Kinzler wants to help you take advantage of the current market downturn. Next Monday, November 17th at 9pm EST he leads “Growing Your Real Estate Business During Downturn” followed by a Q&A session and discussion amongst participants. After 28 years of real estate experience as both a Coldwell Banker realtor in Palm Beach County and the current National Association of Realtors President Liason to the Bahamas, Kinzler plans on sharing what the right attitude, alliances and actions can do for the state of your real estate, home rentals and vacation properties. He will share what has worked for him and his colleagues.
If you want to join the community of Viscape University alums, travelers and tycoons, send an email request to RSVP@viscape.com. We’ll send you a dial-in code on Monday afternoon. Don’t miss the chance to get together! This seminar is on the house, so grab a glass of wine and dial into Viscape!
You Can Attend Viscape’s Virtual Seminar From Here…
…Or From Here!
Keep reading Viscape’s blog for more courses that grow the travel community and social real estate marketplace by offering exceptional advice during trying times.
Inauguration Day may seem fast approaching, but Viscape already wrote you the study guide.
For those who missed Obama at Grant Park in Chicago, traveling to the nation’s capitol for January 20th’s inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama sounds like a once-in-a-lifetime history lesson. Unfortunately, this field trip isn’t as easy as the ones that we experienced in 7th grade social studies.
No permission slip is going to afford you reasonably priced and available shelter, and “Mrs. Jones” won’t be there to hold your hand when you wind up with nowhere to sleep. If you take a moment to do your homework, you’ll find that Viscape is a treasure chest of great Washington, D.C. Inauguration accommodations. Think ”Cliff Notes” but for travel. Our vacation-planning tools will save you time too.
Browse our Washington DC destination page for the latest 2009 Inauguration rental listings.
Do you live in Washington DC? Already anxious about the packed metro and clogged roadways to come? If the imminent influx of travelers feels more like after school detention than a pep rally, late January might be a good time to visit your conservative relatives that are always aching to show you Scottsdale. Get some sun and make some money by putting your house up for rent on Viscape! Or swap and stay somewhere exotic! Your stoop in Chevy Chase just minutes from the Obama family home (you know, the White House) will be there when you return.
Stay tuned…in the coming weeks, Viscape will publish additional Inauguration travel tips and provide lists of available and affordable accommodations!
Don’t worry if you missed the VRMA 2008 Conference at the Wild Horse Pass Convention Center in Phoenix, Arizona - Viscape has you covered! In the candid interview below, Caroline Allison, president of Viscape, discusses how social media and on-line networking are becoming essential tools in real estate marketing. Check out the video below or watch it on YouTube!
Viscape Events: Don’t miss Viscape’s virtual meet-up on “Growing your Real Estate Business in a Market Downturn“ To attend this event for FREE on November 17 at 9:00 p.m. EST, simply email dcarlow@viscape.com for more details.
Caroline Allison, president of Viscape, gets into George Volsky’s head at the VRMA Conference in Pheonix, Arizona. George offers insight into social media, Viscape and his favorite place, the Outer Banks. What are your thoughts about Viscape? Share your thoughts below after you check out the super fun video below.
In the Halloween spirit, Viscape’s staff has written a few scary travel stories. Three are true stories and one is a complete and utter lie. Can you pick out the lie?
Have a scary travel story? You should share it on Viscape! Happy Halloween!
Third Degree Burns - a short story on life and death
When climbing off the beaten path in Zion National Park in Utah, I got caught at the top of a cliff with no ropes or climbing equipment. I was scared and alone. Backhanded and on my butt, I gripped the walls of the crumbling red rock and slid my way down, straddling small trees to curtail my downward speed. When I finally was safe at the bottom, I had holes in the butt cheeks of my climbing pants and third degree burns on my hands and my bum!
Road Rage
Our vacation road trips always scream “horror movie with grisly ending!” Every single time my husband decides we need gas “Right Now!” it is always the middle of the night and he chooses the most dark, deserted-looking, raggedy exits to search for a gas station. On one particular stop, we both needed to go to the restroom. We left the car, thinking we had locked it. We hadn’t, and our car was gone when we came out. Not only was our car gone, so was everything in it, including our wallets. With no money to pay for the gas we had just bought for the car that had just been stolen, we got arrested and spent the night in jail. Go figure! The next morning our car was found not far from the police station. Wallets in tack, we paid our fines and were on our merry way!
Close to the Edge
Standing at the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland, there is something that pulls you to the edge. When I visited there I was amazed at how some people would carelessly stand directly on the edge while the wind blew what seemed to be a million kilometers per hour. The ocean crashed into the rocks hundreds of feet below. I could not help but think: I do not want to crash into those rocks. So when I got about five or six feet away from the drop I fell to my knees and crawled to the edge. Later that day, in a local pub, I heard a story about a man who had been blown off by the wind. That day, I was glad that my wimpiness stopped me from taking too big of a risk.
One Night in Reno
In college, I spent a night in Reno after my family missed their flight into town for our Lake Tahoe ski trip. To kill some time I decided to walk downtown to check out the casinos, but I guess that wasn’t such a smart move for a single gal in a city where prostitution is legal. Men kept pulling up their cars alongside of me and rolling down their windows. I felt a little safer after winning $20 in quarters, though - I figured I could just throw them at anyone else who got the wrong idea.
Which is the lie? Take a guess or write your own TRAVEL TRUTH on Viscape!
Pumpkins Electric by Kurbis. Happy Halloween!
Caroline Allison recently sat down with Steve Fisher (writer and blogger for Solutions are Power Blog) to discuss her lessons learned as a small business owner and the state of the travel industry. Caroline Allison and Steve Fisher share a similar passion for travel (Steve wants to get to all 7 continents before he kicks it). Steve asked Caroline some pressing questions and here are the highlights from their interview that was published on the Solutions are Power Blog:
Steve: You have worked to help build many technology startups. What was the motivation to start Viscape?
Caroline: My own frustration with travel planning, especially when finding a vacation rental. I found that for each day I’d go on vacation, I would spend an equivalent day on the internet to plan the trip. It got so bad that I stopped planning completely. I just didn’t have the time to surf 100 plus different sites (no joke) to piece together a trip. I just knew that a site had to exist where people could help each other.
Steve: You definitely are passionate about traveling and seeing the world. When you looked at the travel web site landscape and decided to start Viscape, what was most frustrating for you?
Caroline: Just my own frustration with trip planning. I can’t stand trip planning. I go on these travel sites and they are geared towards a business transaction. Many travel sites out there are boring, in my opinion. They have horrible photo-shopped pictures and marketing writing that is cheesy and unauthentic. Our site is about real people sharing their experiences by reviewing destinations and vacation homes. You can connect with the very people who have been to these destinations and get tips and additional information to help plan. This helps optimize your trip especially if you have friends coming.
Steve: How do you see the online travel marketplace now? What trends do you see evolving over the next 12-24 months?
Caroline: I think there will be more sites that allow people to connect with each other and share information. People will be more adventurous because they will learn about new places and want to recreate others’ experiences. More social travel sites will emerge to serve this.
Steve: When you created Viscape, was the motivation to bring social networking into the site something you wanted from the beginning or did the trends social media motivate this?
Caroline: Personal experience. Every time I planned a trip, I just wanted to talk to someone and get the “cliff notes” of what was good. After all, we only get 2 weeks off per year. It better be good!
Plus, I wanted a way to plan a trip with friends that I could feel good about, and not be embarrassed that I didn’t read enough reviews or talk to the right people. Check on my bio on the Viscape site, which tells the story (under “About us“).
Steve: How exactly does the site work for buyers?
Caroline: From my research, there are no sites that exist that focus exclusively on vacation property sales and rentals. There are several national sites, but they do not cater to the vacation property niche like we do.
On our site, search is super simple. All of the homes show up on a map, which is extremely helpful because you see if the house is on the beach, by the beach, or inland. All of this has a big impact on price. It saves you tons of time!
Steve: Does the site allow sellers to market or is this a strictly third party tool? Can they communicate with people looking at renting their properties?
Caroline: Yes. We have an open philosophy, meaning that we enable owners and real estate professionals to list their properties on our site. We know that we will not serve a complete marketplace if we only serve owners or only serve real estate professionals. So as a result, we do not charge listers to list their properties on our site. Many realtors do not have an advertising budget - so “free” is very compelling. Did I mention that it is FREE to list a vacation property on Viscape for rent, sale or swap? Many people don’t believe me when I say this.
When people join our community, they have many tools available to them to communicate with each other and communicate with others in destinations where they are considering either renting or buying. This is very powerful for renters, buyers, and sellers to confidently to transact with each other.
Steve: Switching gears a bit, I would like to talk about entrepreneurship in general. What has been some of your biggest successes in building this company over the last few years?
Caroline: Viscape is growing exponentially. We are growing our membership organically and we have had unbelievable growth in a very short time.
Viscape is my third company. I’ve been working on it for more than two years, but we only went live 4 months ago. We’re already generating revenue. People love our concept. I just have a hunch that Viscape is going to be a roaring success!
Steve: Since we all must fail in order succeed at our highest potential, what are mistakes you have made that you would impart on those entrepreneurs looking to start a business but afraid of failure?
Caroline: Fail forward fast. I live by this daily. We all make mistakes. But its only by learning from our mistakes that we switch gears and make better decisions.
Steve: As we close the interview you have a great new way for people to become travelogues and global travelers. What is the program you are launching?
Caroline: What a great question, Steve! Yes, we do!!! On our site, people can be their own travel writers — share stories and post pictures about their trips! It is such a cool way to share with your friends and with other Viscapers. Plus, we have an extra added bonus where if you write an incredible review, you have a shot at winning our “Be a travel writer” contest. First prize gets to go to Key West or Belize and second prize gets to go to an East Coast destination with the Viscape crew. The details are on the “My Sweet Viscape” blog at http://blog.viscape.com. You can get tips for how to write a great review.
Are you a technology or travel blogger looking for insightful and interesting interview subjects? If so, please email dcarlow@viscape.com and she will schedule a conversation with Caroline Allison (president of Viscape) or Dan Engfer (CEO of Viscape). Dan and Caroline are currently on the road at the VRMA Conference in Phoenix, Arizona.
You don’t need us to tell you that these are some sad times for the real estate industry. Not only is it a tough time to sell; it’s pricey to market your listings when every penny matters.
That is, unless you’ve got vacation properties. These days, hotels are hurting, because the savvy traveler knows that rental homes are the place to stay. In the last year, more than 40 percent of leisure travelers have considered or booked a rental home, according to a recent study by PhoCusWright’s Vacation Rental Marketplace.
So what does this mean for all of you vacation home owners, realtors, and property managers? It’s time to get your piece of this multi-billion dollar pie.
And cashing in couldn’t be easier (or cheaper!). Take some pictures and videos and post your property—or properties—on Viscape for free—yes, free. Then, kick back, relax, and watch our Web 2.0 technology bring the leads to you. Sounds an awful lot like a vacation, does it? Well, it’s just that easy to list your properties on Viscape.
So what are you waiting for? Post your properties now—and start enjoying your delicious sliver of the vacation rental pie!
Have you earned a second income by renting out your home to vacationers? Were you able to afford a family vacation to Maui after renting out your place in Key West to beach-lovin’ travelers? We want to know! Share your vacation rental story below.
Stay tuned for our next blog post: Vacation Rental Market: The Final Frontier for Savvy Travelers
Our community must really love to fantasize…No, not that kind! Get your minds out of the gutter. We are talking vacation fantasy here. Last week, we asked you to send us a one-liner describing your fantasy vacation - and you answered! Here are just a few of the many responses we got back.
Danteling: My fantasy is to rent a villa in Santorini for a summer to experience Greek culture, write a novel, and have friends come visit.
Blueeyedgrrl: Forget hotels! My dream fantasy is a month long backpacking adventure through Europe using housing swaps, hostels, and even trains. I’ve always wanted to visit Paris, Rome, and Spain!
Lnathan: My fantasy is to spend a summer in St. Maarten with my family. When not scuba diving, swimming, or just plain relaxing, I’ll finally tackle that long list of books I have been meaning to read!
AnnaCD: My fantasy is to whisk my three little sisters away on a month long tour of Central America for the cultural experience of a lifetime! When not learning Spanish from the locals, we’ll be scuba diving or hiking through the mountains.
Thesparerib: My fantasy is waking up each day to a floor to ceiling view of sunlit Tokyo, with a fresh sushi breakfast at my door and a long elevator ride down to a day of wonder in Tokyo’s city center or rejuvenating amidst the peaceful aesthetics of Japanese farms and hill country.
Jkotanko: One of my fantasy escapes is to rent a flat in Vienna for a whole year and then simply drink, write, and explore this fascinating city.
Dan: My fantasy vacation would be to take a cruise across the northern Mediterranean, porting in Spain, France, and the Mediterranean islands. The luxury boat would then drop me off in Italy for a cross country culinary adventure!
Jessica_Nunemaker: My fantasy? I’ll let my tummy be my guide! The bakeries of Paris are calling my name - after I do some heavy duty shopping in the tucked away shops and cute little boutiques of course!
Next assignment? Build your fantasy vacation using Viscape. Try to incorporate Viscape’s awesome destination attractions, amazing reviews and of course the many, many fantastic vacation home rentals we have on the site. If we love your itinerary we will publish it for your fellow Viscapers’ enjoyment! Be creative, be funny, but most importantly: be yourself!
Missed the chance to submit your vacation fantasy? Feel free to comment on your ideal getaway below.
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