Travel

Many travelers are ready to disconnect from the constant distraction of their devices and get back to nature, especially business owners who stay connected 24/7. According to Booking.com, nearly 60% of travelers surveyed are looking for vacations that allow them to escape reality and totally unplug. More travelers than ever are ready to experience new cultures and experiences on their 2023 travels. Rather than kicking back at an all-inclusive resort, nearly three-quarters of U.S. travelers want to be pushed out of their comfort zone on their next trip, with many

Business is finally starting to pick up for the hardest hit industry during covid. For more than a year, many cruise lines suspended operations and the entire travel industry came to a standstill. Ships were docked in ports, while others sat idle at sea. The losses were staggering for the major cruise lines. Even now, with an uptick in bookings, the biggest cruise lines are swimming in debt, including Carnival with losses of $35 billion, Royal Caribbean with a debt of $25 billion, and Norwegian owing $14 billion. But Brian

Starting Monday, Augusta residents will have expanded travel options throughout the Southeast, thanks to a partnership between two large bus companies. Megabus and Atlanta-based Southeastern Stages have teamed up to create routes from the CSRA to 12 cities, such as Atlanta, Athens, Myrtle Beach, Madison and Raleigh. These routes will leave from four bus stops throughout the CSRA: Augusta, Thomson, Washington and Aiken. One of the stops is the Augusta Transit Center located at 1546 Broad St. The partnership has also created many new direct routes throughout Georgia, South Carolina

If you just need to get away, Frontier Airlines is offering some new destinations from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. In November and December, Frontier will start flying to San Jose, Costa Rica; Liberia, Costa Rica; Nassau, Bahamas; San Salvador, El Salvador; and Kingston, Jamaica. Less than a year ago, Frontier had also added routes to Cancun, Mexico; Montego Bay, Jamaica; and Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. To celebrate, Frontier is offering some special introductory fares. Flights to Nassau and San Salvador have an introductory rate of $69; to Kingston and Liberia,

Almost as soon as one bridge project over the Savannah River has concluded, another one will begin. The Georgia Department of Transportation plans to replace the 13th Street bridge that connects downtown Augusta with downtown North Augusta in the next few years. The public can offer feedback on the project with the GDOT until Aug. 13. The City of Augusta, Augusta Canal Authority, and the City of North Augusta will be taking comments and questions about the project until Aug. 11. The original two-lane bridge was built in 1939 and

In 2019, Samantha Josephson, a 21-year-old University of South Carolina student, was murdered after getting into the car of a man she mistook for an Uber driver. To prevent crimes like that, a national company has developed a rideshare app specifically for women. Trips 4 Women, which was developed in 2019 to provide secure transportation for women and their children, is now available in Augusta. The app can be used to book, confirm and track rides. Trips 4 Women employs only female drivers, who earn 60 percent of each fare.

Thanks to covid, Masters travel numbers at the Augusta Regional Airport have been significantly lower than usual for the last two years. But that won’t be the case this year. The airport is preparing for a normal tournament week April 4-11 by instituting a new parking policy, introducing a new baggage claim area, and temporarily adding some direct flight options. “As the primary gateway to Augusta, we are diligently preparing for the 2022 Masters and are excited for the prospects of a full event,” said airport Executive Director Herbert L.

Editor’s Note: With staff shortages abounding in all areas of hospitality, there are more and more “service leaks” that are affecting businesses in the CSRA and elsewhere. Recently, Dr. Rick Franza, Dean of AU’s Hull College of Business, grabbed a meal at a Washington Road restaurant with his family en route to Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. He had poor experiences at the start of each customer engagement, and only one of the hospitality companies recovered enough to his satisfaction. This conversation was edited for brevity and clarity. CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

Augusta Regional Airport is hosting a free flight program in private planes on May 29th through a partnership with Owens Aircraft Services and The Brock Foundation. (Photo provided by ARA) This Saturday a local company and a foundation are providing area students a chance to take to the friendly skies at no cost. Augusta Regional Airport has partnered with Owens Aircraft Services, LLC. and The Brock Foundation, Inc. to provide local youth an opportunity to take a flight over the CSRA! “We are appreciative of the generosity of Owens Aircraft

One of the Exxon stations on Washington Road, near the National Hills Shopping Center, had cars lined up to buy gas on Wednesday, May 12 because many other local stations had already run out. (Photo by Josh Heath) Business owners hear all kinds of excuses for why their employees can’t make it to work. This week, some of these employees may have an unusual reason for missing work: a lack of gasoline. Gas stations all over the Southeast have temporarily run out of gas, thanks to a May 7 cyberattack

Classic Collision on Washington Road has been open in Augusta for about three years, but the company has been around since 1983. (Photo by Josh Heath) Being busy is nothing new for Tracy Bryant, but he’s about to add even more to his plate. Bryant, regional director of Classic Collision – a collision repair company – currently oversees three shops in the CSRA: a 70,000 square foot facility on Washington Road, as well as locations in both Aiken and Grovetown. He says Classic Collision has recently bought another company called

Don DiCostanzo is the CEO and co-founder and travels on the tour bus with other executives. Next stops include trips to Pedego stores in Lake Oconee, Atlanta and St.Simons Island. (Photo by Josh Heath) Ronney Hughes retired from the U.S. Army after serving his country for more than 20 years. Like many veterans, Hughes, 64, struggled to stay physically active and having rotator cuff surgery made exercise even more of a challenge. That all changed when he and his wife, Pauline, heard about Pedego electric bikes, which have an integrated