Train In The Tropics

Inc., they most often go through the necessary steps in order to save a buck or two on a great vacation. That buck or two is actually is often more than a thousand.

Everyone likes to save money on travel and vacation, fitness professionals are no exception.

I want to point out a couple methods today that will take that all-inclusive vacation for the fit pro and more than double the savings.  These are often overlooked, but are simple, costs little to nothing, and are available to you at all times.

Multi-Week Teaching Vacation Booking - While the weekly fees remain consistent for each resort, the relative expense of the overall trip goes down with multiple weeks booked.  This is likely obvious to most and is done frequently, but worth a mention/reminder.
Airfare for yourself and a guest is often around $1000 round trip. Booking a teaching vacation for one week spreads this expense over the 7 days. That would be about $143 per day.  When you book a second teaching vacation week you not only get what I fill is a full vacation time, but you also still spend only the same amount on travel.  Over 14 days that averages to $71 per day.
If you and your guest are traveling to one of the family resort locations and you are vacationing with a couple of children, this travel expense savings/value is even more dramatic.

Benefits of Joining FPT Groups – Every member account with Fitness Pro Travel is able to join one group. Premium accounts may join many.  The benefits that comes from group membership can vary depending upon the specific group.  When you join one of the Fit Bodies resort location groups you are setting yourself up for potential savings.  Often discounts are offered specifically to group members or potentially access to a special opportunities.  Simply click on the tab at the top of each page to display all group options.
**When you sign up for a group, you are required to remain in that group for 60 days before your account is allowed to leave and join another.
**Members of the Medallion and Enterprise groups receive 5% and 10% discounts on all items separate of travel found within the Fitness Pro Travel site.  (certain trainings that equates to several hundred dollar discount)

I encourage you to get active in the community to take advantage of the many benefits and suggest you take advantage of these two simple steps to ensure you receive the best value when you take your all-inclusive teaching vacation.

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So, as you travel in and out of your FPT account, reviewing events, posting articles, reading articles, searching classifieds, joining or starting groups, networking, blogging, more more more…. You may notice that we are working harder to add distinction to this outstanding travel program.

One step that is now being taken is the weekly video cast being provided by Suzelle, owner of Fit Bodies, Inc.  When you login and go to Suzelle’s account, you can view her blogs which hold these informative video on many of the insider secrets of travel exchange in the Caribbean.

Here is last weeks specifically on travel to the Dominican Republic:

The teaching vacation is a great program that can save you and your family financially and bring you to some of the greatest Caribbean destinations available.  I met Suzelle and her company while on a teacher exchange program back in 2001 and am happy for all members of our Fit Pro Network that her programs are available and offered within the network.

Login to FPT and leave Suzelle a comment so these short informative video continue to roll.

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Lisa Ownes - Fit Bodies Staff

contracted Dominican Republic Resorts.  While making this tour, teaching at various resorts, and meeting management staff, Lisa is collecting pictures, video and writing a blog to share and answer questions along the way.

This is a guest post of one of those blogs from yesterday… To follow her blog in full, log into your Fitness Pro Travel account and search for Fitness Instructor Lisa Owens.  Her account blog has the full story.

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Sanctuary grace to Dreams Punta Cana excitement

Yesterday we moved from Secrets Sanctuary relative solitude and grace to excitement and socialization of Dreams Punta Cana

It’s true; I am traveling just like any of you fitness professionals would be traveling.  Yesterday Secrets Sanctuary went from 30% occupancy to 100% occupancy and my room was needed.  I was Bumped.  Bummer?  Nah.  But I did offer to stay and sleep on my balcony!

I was told we are going to be moved to another resort just before my 9:30am yoga class.  As a guest instructor, I understood this can happen anytime, although it is rare, and in the spirit of business we should are glad the resorts have so many guests.  In a way, we feel the resort’s max capacity should mean they need more fitness instructors, but alas there are only so many rooms to go around.  Chad and I packed up our things, ate a wonderful lunch and said good bye to my new friends.  Tony is a member of the Activities staff who is very motivating and fit.  He conducts the morning power-walks and also the aqua aerobics.  If you teach here and offer aqua classes I’m sure your skills will be appreciated and this class is at 11:30 or noon.  His class encourages friendship and conversation among the pool people, like myself, and I appreciate this.

Here we are, now at Dreams Punta Cana where Mr. Jose Tolentino personally greeted us with big smile.  This is someone who I correspond with on a regular basis and so to meet him, put an official face and voice to his email signatures is especially meaningful to me.  A cold drink and towel welcome us after the 55-minute ride from Cap Cana to Dreams Punta Cana.

This resort is way big.  Over 650 rooms, and all of them are next to the pool, which the rooms basically surround with the ocean at the end.  Here there are couples, families with young and older kids, groups of friends, singles and senior citizens.  They manage to keep everyone happy!  Despite the size, I feel personal attention from the housekeepers to the restaurant service.  They are almost always smiling, to resort guests and to one another.  I think the staff at Sanctuary is absolutely top notch but here at Dreams Punta Cana they must have written the manual on resort hospitality.

Last night I saw the best resort entertainment I have ever seen.  Dreams Punta Cana is an exciting, activity filled resort and their entertainers are absolutely top notch, coming from a dance or gymnast background and work very hard, practicing from 11a.m. to at least 6p.m. everyday.  This does not even include the time they spend performing.  I have so much respect for them.

The classes here are only 30 minutes long, so prepare to teach more often, but shorter classes.  The guest fitness pros teach 4 thirty-minute classes and Mr. Tolentino wants pros to offer multiple formats.  Being I only teach yoga, I am an exception to this rule.  For all your classes, they are happy to hook your Ipod up to their beach sound system.  I sign off for the moment to teach the 10 a.m. class and then Mr. Tolentino is taking us on a tour of Zoetry Agua.  This is what I have been waiting for and I am very anxious to see the resort.  You can rest assured I will have a detailed report about Zoetry Agua this evening.

Here is a picture of the large beach at Dreams Punta Cana

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Thanks Lisa!

Been busy not only transitioning kids into all their Spring sports, but also settling everything into place with the changes at the Fit Pro Network Site.

While the kids are settled, FPT is a ever evolving project… Love IT.

So, there are several new things going on. None big enough to necessarily warrant a catch up notice to the entire community. But, they are worthwhile and I figured I’d offer the information out to those of you who have joined this “Biz Mailing List” and visit this blog.

New FPT Twitter Account:

@FitProTravel now exists on Twitter. If you play with the birds on that site I encourage you to connect to that account as there are bits and pieces that are mentioned there often that will keep you up to date on travel information and opportunities.

Zoetry @ $300 SALE – Opportunity for additional 10% off:

Fit Bodies is having an insane special in an attempt to get our Mind/Body professionals to give these highend resorts a try. This is a nice savings that can be put toward airfare and on top of that…

When you join the Zoetry Group at FPT you are provided a 10% purchase discount that can be used on top of the sale price. A great reason to join this and other Groups… see below.

New Tennis Instructor Position at NOW RESORT:

Just today was added a new opportunity to the Fitness Pro Travel community. The NOW Resort, which was described by Suzelle simply as WOW! has added this tennis instructor position to the existing Group Fitness OR Yoga OR Pilates position.

Check out the NOW Travel Spots page for more info on this awesome resort.

FPT Network Membership (COUPON):

I have been working hard to make the case that there is great value in upgrading to premium membership for any fitness professional. There are several benefits that come with the premium accounts, the best of which will be different for many of us.

Having jumped in the Free Tutorial or not, Module 3 provides several of the top reasons for an upgrade (In my view)… It also contains a discount that’s good for those going through the tutorial.

I am making that discount available to those of you viewing this until the end of the month (last of April). That’s 20% off the price of any account level.

==> View Module 3 <==

There you have it…

Several small updates that are going on. I hope they find you well and enjoying a healthy fitness business/career. Connect with us, enjoy a discount trip, and check out Module 3 of the training.

The network is nearing very quickly the 10,000 Fit Pro mark.

The value of our connections grows daily and I encourage you to join in and participate using the many features beyond the travel opportunities. My goal is that your career/business runs efficiently and effectively, so you can enjoy more of those awesome teaching vacations…. Upgrade to Enterprise and 30 minutes of my time, dedicated to your optimal use of the network is part of the deal.

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There have been several hints that Phase II planning and building had begun within the FPT Network.  Rumors were true

and the result should be seen before the end of the month.  New member options that include more networking, travel benefit, and participation bonuses.  It’s a good time to be a member as extended benefit will be provided existing members.  Keep an eye here as details are released.

The events calendar currently has a couple special opportunities specifically for our network members. View December events for details and remember you can add events you are attending for the benefit of others.

Golf Pros – Your time has come.  We are now booking golf pros at Breezes Runaway Bay.  We are also working on a golf tournament for April 2010.  More details to follow. Pros be sure to tell your Golf Pro friends of the new opportunity.

Oh Canada – Following are the names of the currently available locations at this new partner site. Further details can be found at Fit Bodies Canada. View all 3 hotels by visiting http://www.iberostar.com

• Hotel Iberostar Varadero,  $375
• The Iberostar Tainos  $300
• Hotel Iberostar Daiquiri  $300

On December 10th, we are opening up all the Superclubs resorts for booking fitness pros starting with the week of  December 13th, 2009…  All your favorites and some you haven’t even seen yet…

Some have changed their name but definitely not their special appeal. See View Resorts Pages

In Jamaica

Hedonism II – adult resort

Hedonism III – adult resort

Breezes Grand Negril  (formerly Grand Lido Negril) adult resort

Breezes Rio Bueno (formerly Braco Grand Lido) – adult resort

Breezes Runaway Bay – adult resort

Breezes Trelawny (formerly Starfish) – family resort

In Curacao

Breezes Curacao – family resort

In Bahamas

Breezes Bahamas – adult resort

And Brand NEW in ~Panama~

Breezes Panama – family resort

In Brazil

Breezes  Costa do Sauipe – family resort

BRAND NEW Starfish Santa Luzia – family resort

Breezes Buzios – family resort (NEW & OPENING SOON)

We will have two positions available each week at all of these hotels.  Group fitness positions for pros who teach land and aqua; yoga/pilates positions for those who teach either or both; and personal trainer positions for those who are qualified to lead fitness camp, sculpting, or group programs in addition to their one on one skills.  Once two pros are booked the other position will be deleted.

Please Note: We will not be able to switch anyone who is presently booked at another resort to one of the above mentioned resorts for any reason.  There will be no exceptions.

Golf Pros – Your time has come.  We are now booking golf pros at Breezes Runaway Bay.  We are also working on a golf tournament for April 2010.  More details to follow. Pros be sure to tell your Golf Pro friends of the new opportunity.

More good news: Haven’t figured out what you are doing for the holidays yet?  Many of these resorts have openings for Christmas week December 20-27 and New Year’s week December 27th – January 3rd.   There are only a few of these coveted positions available so book quickly.  Note: we will be charging $100 extra for these weeks.  This will be added once the order is confirmed.

If you’ve been to these old friend locations feel free to post a comment for others to know of your experience.