On CabinQuest.US I have noticed a significant increase in traffic over last year at this time. I suppose there’s two reasons for this. One is our continued efforts in search engine optimization and I hope that it’s a sign of more recovery in the travel industry. More people searching the sites for vacation rentals.

Some of the areas we have been working on in SEO is increasing the number of properties that we list in the directory, adding richer content and the use of social media. As we released each of these features we saw more and more traffic. Because of this it’s time for our cabin owners to freshen up their site content. Both on  their main site and at CabinQuest.US where we have added areas for more descriptive text, capacity, rates and much more. All of these items help generate the rich content that is needed to direct vacation planners towards your listing.

So while it doesn’t feel like spring yet. It is time to start preparing for the new summer vacation season.

/Steve

The weather is hot and humid. I’m sitting on the deck right now and it’s almost too uncomfortable allready. Another cup of joe and I’ll be ready to go for the day.

/sj

The other list topper this month is Jasper Arkansas, a quaint and scenic small town just north of the Ozark National forest. The links for this town have taken more hits than many states this past thirty days. Take a look and find dozens of cabin rentals in this beautiful outdoor playground.

/sj

Located at The Retreat at Sky Ridge cabin resort, the Sky Ridge Pavilion is less than 6 miles west of Thorncrown Chapel, one of America’s favorite wedding locations. The owners of the Sky Ridge Pavilion hope that it will provide a suitable space for large receptions for Thorncrown Chapel brides and grooms, who currently have to travel a long distance to find a reception space.

The Open House will be held from 4 to 8 pm allowing visitors to tour the Pavilion and select themed cabins at the 130+ acre Sky Ridge resort, located near Route 62 and Highway 187. Drawings will be held for special prizes and a free stay at the resort.

Designed and built by Roger Carter of Coyote Custom Log Homes, the 2,200 square-foot Pavilion seats up to 100 guests, with additional seating and event space on an adjoining outdoor covered terrace overlooking two of the resort’s ponds and the waterfalls that create Cedar Creek.

“When we acquired The Retreat at Sky Ridge resort, we knew Eureka Springs was one of the top weddings destination markets in the US. The property’s proximity to two of the areas most popular wedding venues, Thorncrown Chapel and Blue Spring, was especially important. The need for additional, large, multi-purpose event facilities in West Eureka Springs represented a real opportunity,” said Eric Studer, President of Inn Nature Hospitality, Inc. He added, “There are great wedding and meeting facilities in town, but West Eureka Springs offers a unique alternative with a tranquil, natural setting surrounded by the woods, hills, and water.”

Shannon Magee, Executive VP with Inn Nature Hospitality, Inc. will manage guest relations and event bookings for groups. “In addition to The Pavilion,” Magee explained, “the resort offers a number of alternative wedding locations including the Starlight Gazebo, pond side, private in-cabin ceremonies, or on Sky Ridge overlooking Beaver Lake.” She added, “For casual outdoor gatherings, we have a separate covered picnic patio with huge party grill and fire circle. It’s popular for family reunions and with our stargazing guests.”

The facility will begin taking advance bookings for weddings, receptions, meetings, and retreats on March 1st, 2010.

Company Background

Inn Nature Hospitality, Inc. is an Arkansas-based hospitality company committed to the development of resorts that provide adequate acreage to significantly enhance wildlife and habitat conservation. Corporate consultants include Steve Hoddy, Earthquest founder and Master Falconer, and “Jungle Jack” Hanna, Director Emeritus of the Columbus Zoo and frequent guest of “Good Morning America” and “Late Night with David Letterman”.

Media Contact

Let’s say that the family always like to go to the Lake of the Ozarks and they want to be near Bagnell Dam. Well finding a property close by is easy. Either by clicking on Missouri | Dams | Bagnell Dam or just searching using the search field on the right of the screen, visitors can quickly find properties that are within 25 miles of thier favorite location.

This also adds a significant number of search values for search engines such as Google and Yahoo to index our properties by. Adding more than 40,000 places to CabinQuest.US greatly increases the possbilities for vacationers to find properties that are near their favorite vacation areas.

Minnesota is the Land of 10,000 Lakes and more than 100,000 cabins. Not all of the cabins are on a lakeshore, but there are about 115,200 “seasonal recreational” properties in the state, according to the Department of Revenue. Whether it’s a cabin, summer home or hunting shack, the owner is not eligible for a property tax refund from the state. That would change with HF2348, sponsored by Rep. Ron Erhardt (R-Edina).

The bill was laid over Feb. 29 by the House Property Tax Relief and Local Sales Tax Division for possible inclusion in its omnibus bill. There is no Senate companion.

To be eligible for a refund, the owner’s annual income couldn’t exceed $96,300. The maximum refund would be about $1,800, at an annual cost of about $9 million to the state.

About 25 percent of homeowners claim a refund on their property taxes, and if given the option, about 20 percent of cabin owners would claim a refund, according to the department.

“A house is a house,” said Jeff Forester, executive director of the Minnesota Seasonal Recreational Property Owners Coalition, who added that most cabin owners are not rich, and oftentimes split expenses among a large extended family.

According to the group, the average annual income for a cabin owner is under $60,000, and most have owned their cabin for more than 25 years. He said increasing land values are making it too expensive for people to hold onto their cabins. Oftentimes, owners are pressured into selling to developers who split parcels, resulting in cleared woodlands and crowded lakeshores, Forester said.

If you want to get away to a wilderness cabin, state and federal agencies in Alaska give you more than 200 opportunities. Cabins are located throughout Alaska on trails, lakes, streams, ocean shorelines and in alpine areas. They are managed by different public agencies, each with its own guidelines for rental.Cabins have “rugged” accommodations: usually a heating stove, bunks/sleeping platforms, table and chairs, and an outhouse. You are responsible for providing your own food, cook stove and cooking utensils, water, and bedding.
Access to cabins is by plane, boat, trail or a combination of these. You are on your own for arranging transportation to and from the cabins. Usually a list of operators permitted to provide services within the public land unit can be obtained from the managing agency. Most cabins are used year round although usage may be strongly discouraged during certain times of the year.

Kenai Fjords

Three rustic public use cabins, Aialik, Holgate, and North Arm, are available on the Kenai Fjords Coast during the summer months (from late May through mid-September).

Coastal cabins are equipped with heating stove (propane fuel is provided), pit toilets, table and chairs, and wooden bunks. The Aialik Bay Cabin sleeps up to four people and Holgate and North Arm sleep six. Cabins do not have electricity or running water. Fresh water is available nearby but must be treated. There are no mooring buoys at any of the Public Use Cabin beaches in Kenai Fjords.

Be sure to bring:

• Bedding and sleeping pads
• Cook stove and utensils
• Means to treat drinking water
• Food, clothing, gear and emergency supplies for backcountry travel – see What to Bring for suggested supplies for backcountry stays.

Most of the public use cabins in Wrangell-St. Elias are accessible only by aircraft.

All cabins have a woodstove and bunks. You must bring all personal belongings that you will require, including sleeping and dining equipment. Please leave cabins set up for emergency use and cleaner than when you arrived. Replenish any firewood stored in the cabins for the next user. Although you may not plan on staying in a cabin, it is good to know where they are located in case of emergencies. Generally, these cabins are located near an airstrip, old road, or trail. Please do not remove or relocate any artifacts or deface these historic buildings.

Wrangell-St. Elias

Currently, there are 13 public-use cabins located within Wrangell-St. Elias. Most of these cabins were old mining, trapping, or hunting cabins that are located on public land and have been restored by the National Park Service. All of these public use cabins are available to everyone on a first-come, first-served basis, and with the exception of the Esker Stream Cabin near Yakutat, and Viking Lodge Cabin along the Nabesna Road, presently do NOT require reservations and are not reserve-able. These are remote locations and require hikers/campers to make appropriate plans. Most of these cabins are accessible only by aircraft. One cabin, located at Peavine Bar, is wheelchair accessible.

As you can see the National Park Service is a great source when looking for the extrordinary vacation. The perfect chance to get away from it all.

Then for monthly rates from $4.95 to $13.95 property owners can increase thier visibility by putting thier property at the top of the list in the National, State or City listings. They will also get the ability to upload pictures with descriptions, enable property management calendars, and even build a mini web page that is all included in thier enhanced listing. Stop by and get your free listing and if you want to get at the top of the list try one of the upgrade packages. Try it for 1 month or get the most savings and sign up for 24.

Sj