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NORWALK, Conn. - Aug. 7, 2006 - As European vacations surge in popularity - and affordability - the time for fine French wine and divine Italian gelato has never been better.
Drink in the tastes and lifestyles of these great destinations while exploring the rich tapestry of Europe, steeped in exciting history and brimming with modern discoveries. Catch colorful cultures dancing across the stage. Picture Paris in the summer or Italy in the fall. Also on the playbill, soak in the great sights of the U.K., Scotland, Wales and Ireland, each with their own unique blend of cultural treasures.
"European vacations are very popular this time of year, and travelers can experience a rich variety of history while discovering the emerging contemporary cultures throughout France and Italy," said Leslie Downey, director of Travelers Advantage and TravelersAdvantage.com. "The Louvre and The Vatican are always popular destinations in Paris and Rome, but there's also many alluring new attractions - special Da Vinci Code tours in France, the Olympic site in Turin, Italy, and the Churchill museum in England."
Paris
Attractions… This French capital is a perennial favorite, thanks to a wealth of culture, delectable dining and that perpetual joie de vivre (joy for living, zest)! New attractions include: special Da Vinci Code tours; the Paris Jazz Festival and the encore of the Paris Plage, an artificial beach along the Seine. From this French gem, it's easy to take a train up to Brussels or Amsterdam to experience two other completely different European cities.
Savoir Faire (Culture) … For centuries, the French have prided themselves in the sophistication of their cultures, the beauty of their spoken language and their diverse accomplishments in literature, the arts and sciences. These sophisticated attitudes remain strong, but an emerging focus on homes, new appliances and cars are also part of the new cultural tapestry. The French enjoy a wide variety of professional sports - soccer and cycle racing rules (the world’s largest race, Tour de France, was recently completed) but not far behind are horse and car racing. As always, the French love eating, drinking and socializing at sidewalk cafes, as well as movies and music concerts. French cuisine is always haute, and plays a very important role in life - a traditional French day includes a light breakfast, large lunch and somewhat lighter dinner. August is the most popular month for vacation.
Rome
Attractions… Italy's Eternal City is always alive with culture, culinary feats, breathtaking architecture and historical delights. Every trip to Rome must include the Vatican, where visitors can now see the tomb of Pope John Paul II, featuring a simple marble slab with gold inscription. Other Rome highlights include the Pantheon, temple of the gods; Colosseum, ancient Rome's huge amphitheater where gladiators and wild animals once ruled; the Roman Forum, a sprawling complex of ruined temples, basilicas and arches; and the famous Trevi Fountain, the cultural centerpiece of the city, where you can soak up the beauty, sites and sounds at the largest Baroque fountain in the country. Italy - winner of the World Cup in soccer - is passionate about this sport, as well as auto racing, cycling and golf.
Buon Appetito … Italian cuisine is a fusion of rich - and historical - culinary traditions from the Greek, Roman and Arab cultures. It is considered among the most famous of Mediterranean diets and is imitated the world over. Pasta is the main attraction of this delectable cooking. Northern Italian cuisine favors butter, cream, Mascarpone cheese, risotto and fresh egg pastas, while Southern Italian tends toward Mozzarella, olive oil and dried pasta - and makes greater use of tomatoes in sauces. Food is truly as diverse as the culture: pizza in Rome, for instance, is as thin as crackers, while Neapolitan and Sicilian pizza boasts much thicker crust.
A three-night package - which includes airfare from New York aboard Delta to Paris or Rome - is available this fall from $1,965. Hotel accommodations include the De L'Ocean in Paris and Hotel Giolli in Rome. This tourist class package without airfare is available for $1,145. A first-class package, which includes the Sofitel Forum Guache in Paris and the Empire Palace in Rome, is available from $2,549. This package without airfare from $1,729 is also available. These offers are valid Sept. 4-Oct. 29*
There are many other great European escapes. Visit the new Churchill Museum in London, or trek to Cardiff, Wales, Europe's youngest capital. Travel to Edinburgh & Glasgow, Scotland to experience the Scottish side of Britain. And Ireland is easily reached on any European vacation Other European escapes - with equally enticing lifestyles to explore - include Scandinavia, Switzerland, Austria, and the Mediterranean for a perfect ending to your cultural journey.
Travelers Advantage was recently named to the 2006 Travel Weekly Power List, a prestigious annual ranking that selects the top 50 companies in the travel industry based on total annual sales revenue. Travelers Advantage ranked No. 27 - and came in at No. 9 among leisure travel agencies - and shares the spotlight with such industry luminaries as American Express, Expedia, Travelocity, AAA Travel and Priceline.
About Travelers Advantage
Members of Travelers Advantage (http://www.travelersadvantage.com or 1-877-841-1335) can save money on air travel, cruises, car rentals and accommodations, as well as earn five percent cash back on eligible travel booked with preferred providers through the service. Membership in Travelers Advantage can be enjoyed during the first month for only $1. The trial membership can be canceled at any time during the one-month trial period by calling toll free and owing nothing further. Unless the member calls to cancel during the trial, the membership will be extended automatically for an entire year at the $99.99 annual fee and automatically renewed annually upon expiration at the then-current annual fee, billed to a credit card account, without the member having to do anything further. Additionally, members may call toll free to cancel at any time and receive a pro-rata refund of their then current membership fee. Travelers Advantage is offered by Affinion Group, a leader in the membership, insurance and loyalty marketing businesses, providing products and services that touch the lives of millions of Americans. State Seller of Travel Registration Numbers for Travelers Advantage Services, Inc.: California 2079291-50 (registration as a seller of travel does not constitute approval by California. Travelers Advantage Services, Inc. is not a participant in the Travel Consumer Restitution Fund); Florida ST-36197; Hawaii TAR-6223, Iowa 800; Nevada: 2005-0034; State of Washington 602 493 651.
About Affinion Group
Affinion Group is a leading affinity direct marketer of value-added membership, insurance and package enhancement programs and services to consumers. With more than 30 years of experience, Affinion Group currently offers its programs and services worldwide through more than 4,500 affinity partners. Its diversified base of affinity partners includes leading companies in a wide variety of industries, including financial services, retail, travel, telecommunications, utilities and Internet. Affinion Group also has a growing loyalty solutions operation which administers points-based loyalty programs. Based in Norwalk, Conn., Affinion Group has approximately 3,600 employees throughout the United States and in 13 countries across Europe.
About Affinion Group
As a global leader with almost 40 years of experience, Affinion Group (www.affinion.com) enhances the value of its partners' customer relationships by developing and marketing loyalty solutions. Leveraging its expertise in customer engagement, product development and targeted marketing, Affinion provides programs in subscription-based lifestyle services, personal protection, insurance and other areas to help generate increased customer loyalty and significant incremental revenue for more than 5,550 marketing partners worldwide, including many of the largest and most respected companies in financial services, retail, travel, and Internet commerce. Based in Stamford, Conn., the company has approximately 4,250 employees and markets in 17 countries globally. Affinion holds the prestigious ISO 27001 certification for the highest information security practices, is PCI compliant and Cybertrust certified.Safe Harbor Statement Under the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995
This press release may contain statements that are forward looking, as that term is defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 or by the Securities and Exchange Commission in its rules, regulations and releases. These statements include, but are not limited to, discussions regarding industry outlook, Affinion's expectations regarding the performance of its business, its liquidity and capital resources, its guidance for 2011, the consummation of the acquisition of Prospectiv and the impact to Affinion's business and the other non-historical statements in the discussion and analysis. These statements can be identified by the use of words such as "believes," "anticipates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "continues," "estimates," "predicts," "projects," "forecasts," and similar expressions. All forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and beliefs only as of the date of this press release and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in, or implied by, the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include, but are not limited to, risks related to general economic and business conditions and international and geopolitical events, a downturn in the credit card industry or changes in the techniques of credit card issuers, industry trends, foreign currency exchange rates, the effects of a decline in travel on the Company's travel fulfillment business, termination or expiration of one or more agreements with its marketing partners or a reduction of the marketing of its services by one or more of its marketing partners, the Company's substantial leverage, restrictions contained in its debt agreements, its inability to compete effectively, and other risks identified and discussed from time to time in Affinion's reports filed with the SEC, including Affinion's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. Readers are strongly encouraged to review carefully the full cautionary statements described in these reports. Except as required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this press release, or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events or circumstances.