This was taken from the online service of Travel Agent Magazine from 7/31/07.
GOGO For Solo Travelers
Jul 30, 2007
Travel Agent
GOGO Worldwide Vacations on Friday announced packages tailored specifically for the single traveler. The trips feature the Caribbean, Mexico, the United States and Canada and give solo travelers up to 30 percent off single rates, as well as their own hotel room. A host of activities also are available for booking, including snorkeling, wine tasting and dancing. The impetus for the launch was a noticeable increase in travel agents planning vacations for single travelers, said Tom Hayden, vice president of sales for the company. "[Single travelers] are always looking for a destination that offers a wide variety of activities such as nightlife, entertainment, recreational and experiential activities," he said. Departure dates begin in September.
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Marketing Tips from Holland America
This was on MailPound today. If you haven't already signed up, it is a free daily email service that provides specials from vendors and other info. www.mailpound.com
"Marketing Tips
5 Tips to Create a Stronger Database and Drive More Business
You don’t need to be a "techno-wizard" to develop a robust and highly targeted database; just know a few common-sense rules. Here are 5 tips to consider to creating an even more effective database:
Make sure you’ve got the most up-to-date information on your clients. Check the accuracy of each client’s name (first and last), address, e-address and phone number. This may seem obvious, but you’d be surprised how many databases are out of date, especially with e-addresses.
Look at the RFM (Recency, Frequency and Monetary) behaviors of your current clients. You’ll get the biggest bang for your marketing dollars by staying in touch with those customers who have used your services within the past 12 months rather than those whom you have not heard from within the past 24 months or longer. Consider segmenting customers into how frequently they have used your services and how much revenue they have contributed to your bottom line. Don’t ignore your other clients. Just don’t spend a great deal of time and money sending them direct mail or e-mail as often as your "goldens".
Have a file that tells you what each customer’s travel interest is. Are they "coastal cruisers"…7-day cruisers…10+ -day cruisers? Do they prefer relaxing days at sea…a blend of active and relaxation? Do they want exotic locations…warm climates…historical locales? The more information you have the more targeted your messages can become, and the more you increase your opportunities to build a database of extremely loyal customers who will return to you time after time.
Treat your current customers differently than your prospects. Think of prospects as "window shoppers." You want to provide them with messages that spark their interests, but don’t assume that they are in the same "buying frame" as your current customers. You need to woo prospects. Get them intrigued about your unique selling points, customer service and brand. Again, the more data you have on your prospects (interests, when they are thinking of cruising with Holland America Line, which destination captures their fancy the most) — the more likely they’ll select you as their preferred travel professional.
Make a note on your database as to how your customers wish to be contacted. Do they prefer mail…e-mail…a telephone call…a combination of all three? Do they want to be notified of special events? How often do they want to hear from you?
Remember, you can wow people with great design, catchy and clever headlines and stellar images, but if you are targeting the wrong people, or the right people with the wrong message, your communications will more than likely end up in the round file. Think strategically. Collect pertinent and useful information. You’ll be much more assured of generating more revenue and building a more loyal base of satisfied customers."
"Marketing Tips
5 Tips to Create a Stronger Database and Drive More Business
You don’t need to be a "techno-wizard" to develop a robust and highly targeted database; just know a few common-sense rules. Here are 5 tips to consider to creating an even more effective database:
Make sure you’ve got the most up-to-date information on your clients. Check the accuracy of each client’s name (first and last), address, e-address and phone number. This may seem obvious, but you’d be surprised how many databases are out of date, especially with e-addresses.
Look at the RFM (Recency, Frequency and Monetary) behaviors of your current clients. You’ll get the biggest bang for your marketing dollars by staying in touch with those customers who have used your services within the past 12 months rather than those whom you have not heard from within the past 24 months or longer. Consider segmenting customers into how frequently they have used your services and how much revenue they have contributed to your bottom line. Don’t ignore your other clients. Just don’t spend a great deal of time and money sending them direct mail or e-mail as often as your "goldens".
Have a file that tells you what each customer’s travel interest is. Are they "coastal cruisers"…7-day cruisers…10+ -day cruisers? Do they prefer relaxing days at sea…a blend of active and relaxation? Do they want exotic locations…warm climates…historical locales? The more information you have the more targeted your messages can become, and the more you increase your opportunities to build a database of extremely loyal customers who will return to you time after time.
Treat your current customers differently than your prospects. Think of prospects as "window shoppers." You want to provide them with messages that spark their interests, but don’t assume that they are in the same "buying frame" as your current customers. You need to woo prospects. Get them intrigued about your unique selling points, customer service and brand. Again, the more data you have on your prospects (interests, when they are thinking of cruising with Holland America Line, which destination captures their fancy the most) — the more likely they’ll select you as their preferred travel professional.
Make a note on your database as to how your customers wish to be contacted. Do they prefer mail…e-mail…a telephone call…a combination of all three? Do they want to be notified of special events? How often do they want to hear from you?
Remember, you can wow people with great design, catchy and clever headlines and stellar images, but if you are targeting the wrong people, or the right people with the wrong message, your communications will more than likely end up in the round file. Think strategically. Collect pertinent and useful information. You’ll be much more assured of generating more revenue and building a more loyal base of satisfied customers."
Friday, July 20, 2007
Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau
COME OUT AND PLAY WITH GREATER MIAMI AND THE BEACHES!
The Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau and select Miami hotels cordially invite you to join us for a table top trade show and dinner with round table presentations.
Join us for a fun and educational evening with lots of great prizes.
Please select the show you will attend, complete the form below and fax to: 1-877-278-3838
Monday, September 10 Tuesday, September 11 Wednesday, September 12
SHERATON NEWTON GARDEN CITY HOTEL SHERATON SUITES
320 Washington Street 45 Seventh Street 500 Harbor Boulevard
Newton, MA Garden City, NY Weehawken, NJ
□ □ □
6:00 PM - 9:30 PM
Invitation is limited to two agents per office – wait list is available if space allows.
If you have any questions, contact Linda Stilmann at Linda@gmcvb.com.
AGENCY: _________________ PHONE: ___________________________
ADDRESS: ________________ FAX:______________CITY: _______STATE:____ZIP:___________________________
AGENT NAME/TITLE:_________________IATA/CLIA NO:________________
AGENT NAME/TITLE:_________________IATA/CLIA NO:________________
AGENT WAIT LIST
AGENT NAME/TITLE:_________________IATA/CLIA NO:________________
AGENT NAME/TITLE:_________________IATA/CLIA NO:________________
For additional information contact us at:
Fax: 1-877-278-3838 or;
Phone: 1-800-278-3838
For Miami information visit: www.miamiandbeaches.com
The Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau and select Miami hotels cordially invite you to join us for a table top trade show and dinner with round table presentations.
Join us for a fun and educational evening with lots of great prizes.
Please select the show you will attend, complete the form below and fax to: 1-877-278-3838
Monday, September 10 Tuesday, September 11 Wednesday, September 12
SHERATON NEWTON GARDEN CITY HOTEL SHERATON SUITES
320 Washington Street 45 Seventh Street 500 Harbor Boulevard
Newton, MA Garden City, NY Weehawken, NJ
□ □ □
6:00 PM - 9:30 PM
Invitation is limited to two agents per office – wait list is available if space allows.
If you have any questions, contact Linda Stilmann at Linda@gmcvb.com.
AGENCY: _________________ PHONE: ___________________________
ADDRESS: ________________ FAX:______________CITY: _______STATE:____ZIP:___________________________
AGENT NAME/TITLE:_________________IATA/CLIA NO:________________
AGENT NAME/TITLE:_________________IATA/CLIA NO:________________
AGENT WAIT LIST
AGENT NAME/TITLE:_________________IATA/CLIA NO:________________
AGENT NAME/TITLE:_________________IATA/CLIA NO:________________
For additional information contact us at:
Fax: 1-877-278-3838 or;
Phone: 1-800-278-3838
For Miami information visit: www.miamiandbeaches.com
Taking the kids -- on a Disney European cruise (CNN)
(Tribune Media Services) -- It's grown-up time.
Disney Magic in the Mediterranean
By Eileen OgintzTribune Media Services
But this is no movie-and-dinner night.
We're in Monaco people-watching and gambling. A member of our group won more than 900 euros at the famous Grand Casino in Monte Carlo. As we sip our pricey drinks at a postcard-perfect outdoor cafe, we expect James Bond, or at least a movie star, to stroll by any minute.
This fantasy-come-true (or at least this very pleasant evening out in a world-famous locale) has been brought to us courtesy of Disney Cruise Line, though Mickey isn't anywhere in the vicinity. We're all passengers aboard the Disney Magic, anchored about a half-hour away, where our kids (at least those under 18 who couldn't come along) are happily ensconced onboard, in supervised activities or, if they're teens, simply hanging with their friends in the ship's teen area, the Stack, complete with smoothie bar, overstuffed couches, music and movies.
We're at the tail end of an 11-day cruise that has taken us from Barcelona through some of Italy and now the French Riviera (there is still limited availability the rest of this summer). Many cruise lines report a growing number of families on their European cruises, but on our ship there are 2,480 passengers, more than 900 of them children -- triple the number on other cruise lines. Well over half of the passengers have cruised Disney before, though the majority have not been to Europe.
"When they get tired, they have their own space and when the kids aren't tired they have their own space," says Julie Levi, cruising from San Diego with her husband, two kids and her parents. "This is such a great way to see places they've read about and to decide where we might want to go back to later. We just want to show the kids the world so they realize the United States isn't the center of the universe."
After 10 days aboard this ship, I can't think of a better way to do exactly that -- and get a little rest and relaxation in the process, thanks to the organized programs for kids. How about creating a wall of art in Italy or making crepes in France? Each child gets a journal packed with fun facts and games. Did you know St. Peter's of Rome is almost as long as two football fields? New pages for that day's port are delivered the night before, complete with words in Italian or French for your kids to learn.
"My kids love it," said Julie Levi, whose daughters are 9 and 11. "They like the idea of reading about something and then going to find it."
And, of course, Minnie Mouse is there to greet you when you get back to the ship. There's also a fireworks display, a Pirates of the Caribbean party, ice cream and chicken fingers all day long and always-smiling waiters who move with you as you move from each of the three restaurants aboard ship.
Sure you only get to spend one (exhausting) day in Rome or Florence, but realistically, how much culture can the kids take at one time? Anchorage, Alaska architect Jeff Koonce originally mapped out a more than two-week trip to Europe that would have taken his wife and two teens from city to city via train. "They would have died on that itinerary," he laughs. "The history is incredible, but they need their sleep."
He also figures that he saved some money because with the dollar so weak against the euro, a trip paid in American dollars that includes transportation, food, lodging and onboard entertainment (yes, there are plenty of Broadway-quality Disney shows) is a good deal. (Disney, www.adventuresbydisney.com, also has land-based European adventures for families with availability this summer, complete with kids' and adult guides.)
Just as important, rather than navigating unfamiliar roads (or train schedules) checking in and out of hotels, seeking restaurants, The Mouse does all the work for you, even organizing your forays into foreign cities, as long as you're willing to tool around with 50 other people. Though some of us opted for private guides (in Tuscany, we had a great time with American Donna Scharnagl from www.discovertuscany.biz), and also enlisted help from www.onestepcloser.net, many are more comfortable letting The Mouse lead the way.
"I know if anything happens -- even a flat tire -- that the ship won't leave without us," said Patricia Pasechnick, a hairdresser from Teaneck, New Jersey, who traveled with her mom and her daughter. "I feel safe."
And that's no small thing for families traveling abroad, especially for the first time.
Just as important to moms, smiling stewards will make your bed, leave animals fashioned out of towels for the kids (yes, there are lessons in this art, too) and serve your meals. Does your teen want three servings of beef tenderloin, or will your 4-year-old eat only plain pasta? No problem.
In fact, if parents have any complaint at all, it's that the tours sometimes are too all encompassing. I discovered that firsthand in Rome with my 13-year-old niece, Erica Fieldman. The trip was her Bat Mitzvah present, but I learned very quickly that if an excursion didn't involve shopping or ice cream, she wasn't interested.
We peeled off from our tour group in Rome at The Forum -- to the guide's consternation -- and did our own mini-tour of the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps -- lots of shopping and ice cream, of course. Then we met up again with the group for the special after-hours tour of the Sistine Chapel and Vatican museums that Disney had been able to arrange. Amazing can't begin to describe Michelangelo's ceiling, the centuries-old tapestries and other artwork in the museums. The other teens in the group were busy snapping photos. Erica didn't seem impressed.
Maybe she's too young. Maybe it's because she lives in Las Vegas. Maybe she'll laugh about this "boring " trip to Rome with her aunt when she returns with her own kids.
"The memories won't go away," Jeff Koonce promises.
I can only hope.
(For more Taking the Kids, visit www.takingthekids.com, where Eileen Ogintz welcomes your questions and comments.)
Disney Magic in the Mediterranean
By Eileen OgintzTribune Media Services
But this is no movie-and-dinner night.
We're in Monaco people-watching and gambling. A member of our group won more than 900 euros at the famous Grand Casino in Monte Carlo. As we sip our pricey drinks at a postcard-perfect outdoor cafe, we expect James Bond, or at least a movie star, to stroll by any minute.
This fantasy-come-true (or at least this very pleasant evening out in a world-famous locale) has been brought to us courtesy of Disney Cruise Line, though Mickey isn't anywhere in the vicinity. We're all passengers aboard the Disney Magic, anchored about a half-hour away, where our kids (at least those under 18 who couldn't come along) are happily ensconced onboard, in supervised activities or, if they're teens, simply hanging with their friends in the ship's teen area, the Stack, complete with smoothie bar, overstuffed couches, music and movies.
We're at the tail end of an 11-day cruise that has taken us from Barcelona through some of Italy and now the French Riviera (there is still limited availability the rest of this summer). Many cruise lines report a growing number of families on their European cruises, but on our ship there are 2,480 passengers, more than 900 of them children -- triple the number on other cruise lines. Well over half of the passengers have cruised Disney before, though the majority have not been to Europe.
"When they get tired, they have their own space and when the kids aren't tired they have their own space," says Julie Levi, cruising from San Diego with her husband, two kids and her parents. "This is such a great way to see places they've read about and to decide where we might want to go back to later. We just want to show the kids the world so they realize the United States isn't the center of the universe."
After 10 days aboard this ship, I can't think of a better way to do exactly that -- and get a little rest and relaxation in the process, thanks to the organized programs for kids. How about creating a wall of art in Italy or making crepes in France? Each child gets a journal packed with fun facts and games. Did you know St. Peter's of Rome is almost as long as two football fields? New pages for that day's port are delivered the night before, complete with words in Italian or French for your kids to learn.
"My kids love it," said Julie Levi, whose daughters are 9 and 11. "They like the idea of reading about something and then going to find it."
And, of course, Minnie Mouse is there to greet you when you get back to the ship. There's also a fireworks display, a Pirates of the Caribbean party, ice cream and chicken fingers all day long and always-smiling waiters who move with you as you move from each of the three restaurants aboard ship.
Sure you only get to spend one (exhausting) day in Rome or Florence, but realistically, how much culture can the kids take at one time? Anchorage, Alaska architect Jeff Koonce originally mapped out a more than two-week trip to Europe that would have taken his wife and two teens from city to city via train. "They would have died on that itinerary," he laughs. "The history is incredible, but they need their sleep."
He also figures that he saved some money because with the dollar so weak against the euro, a trip paid in American dollars that includes transportation, food, lodging and onboard entertainment (yes, there are plenty of Broadway-quality Disney shows) is a good deal. (Disney, www.adventuresbydisney.com, also has land-based European adventures for families with availability this summer, complete with kids' and adult guides.)
Just as important, rather than navigating unfamiliar roads (or train schedules) checking in and out of hotels, seeking restaurants, The Mouse does all the work for you, even organizing your forays into foreign cities, as long as you're willing to tool around with 50 other people. Though some of us opted for private guides (in Tuscany, we had a great time with American Donna Scharnagl from www.discovertuscany.biz), and also enlisted help from www.onestepcloser.net, many are more comfortable letting The Mouse lead the way.
"I know if anything happens -- even a flat tire -- that the ship won't leave without us," said Patricia Pasechnick, a hairdresser from Teaneck, New Jersey, who traveled with her mom and her daughter. "I feel safe."
And that's no small thing for families traveling abroad, especially for the first time.
Just as important to moms, smiling stewards will make your bed, leave animals fashioned out of towels for the kids (yes, there are lessons in this art, too) and serve your meals. Does your teen want three servings of beef tenderloin, or will your 4-year-old eat only plain pasta? No problem.
In fact, if parents have any complaint at all, it's that the tours sometimes are too all encompassing. I discovered that firsthand in Rome with my 13-year-old niece, Erica Fieldman. The trip was her Bat Mitzvah present, but I learned very quickly that if an excursion didn't involve shopping or ice cream, she wasn't interested.
We peeled off from our tour group in Rome at The Forum -- to the guide's consternation -- and did our own mini-tour of the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps -- lots of shopping and ice cream, of course. Then we met up again with the group for the special after-hours tour of the Sistine Chapel and Vatican museums that Disney had been able to arrange. Amazing can't begin to describe Michelangelo's ceiling, the centuries-old tapestries and other artwork in the museums. The other teens in the group were busy snapping photos. Erica didn't seem impressed.
Maybe she's too young. Maybe it's because she lives in Las Vegas. Maybe she'll laugh about this "boring " trip to Rome with her aunt when she returns with her own kids.
"The memories won't go away," Jeff Koonce promises.
I can only hope.
(For more Taking the Kids, visit www.takingthekids.com, where Eileen Ogintz welcomes your questions and comments.)
Article from CNN - Travel Troubleshooter: The reservation that wasn't
Yet another reason to use a travel agent! Read on...
By Christopher ElliottTribune Media Services
(Tribune Media Services) -- Beth Zukowski books six airline tickets on AirTran Airways through Expedia. The online agency charges her a booking fee and bills her for flight protection insurance, but fails to buy her tickets. The reason? Her credit card was declined, it says. But her credit card company disputes the story. Now AirTran wants her to pay more than $200 extra to buy new tickets. What should she do?
Q: I bought six airline tickets on AirTran Airways through Expedia. When I got my credit card statement about a month later, I found charges for the Expedia booking fees and the flight protection insurance, but not for the tickets.
It turns out the tickets hadn't been booked. I spent almost four hours on the phone with the online agency trying to find out why there were no tickets. I had to stay on hold because there are no outbound lines at the call center.
AirTran claims my credit card was declined and that they tried to call me. I never received a call or a message, and there is no record of an AirTran call on my caller ID log. I then contacted my bank to see if there were any declines on my credit card. There were none.
The airline offered to rebook at a cost of more than $500 per ticket -- more than $200 more than I originally paid. Or should have paid.
Expedia won't help me either. Is there anything you can do?
-- Beth Zukowski, Glenwood Springs, Colorado
A: Expedia should have booked your tickets, of course. And when it didn't, the online agency should have immediately fixed the problem -- not kept you on hold for hours on end.
Don't Miss
One reason you buy tickets through a site like Expedia instead of directly through an airline is that the online agency will be there to help you when something goes wrong. The company's highly-publicized "Expedia Promise" guarantees, among other things, that you can "count on us to provide support throughout your trip" adding that, "whether you have questions about your itinerary, have a change in travel plans, or need help resolving a problem with the trip you booked, we're here to help 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Our job is to satisfy you!"
OK, then.
The implication is that Expedia is as good as -- if not better than -- the travel agent around the corner. But what kind of travel agent charges you a booking fee, plus insurance, but neglects to buy a ticket? What kind of agent puts you on hold for four hours because there are no outbound phone lines?
When Expedia didn't book your tickets, it should have notified you immediately, offering you the option of using a different credit card or canceling the entire transaction. I find it odd, and a little suspicious, that the booking fee and insurance charges showed up on your card without the tickets. To me, that suggests something might have gone wrong with either Expedia or with AirTran, not with your card.
Your case brings up a question that's often raised by readers of this column: What's the value of a reservation? Is it worth the paper it's printed on?
For you, the answers were: not much -- and no.
Based on Expedia's "promise" I think you should have reasonably expected the online agency to fix your booking problem. Your mistake was to stay on the phone with the agency for hours at a time and then allowing it to pass you off to AirTran. Instead, you should have politely but firmly asked for a supervisor when it became apparent that the phone agent you were dealing with didn't have a clue about how to solve your problem.
Better yet, instead of letting Expedia string you along on the phone, you might have considered sending a short, polite e-mail to the online agency explaining your situation and telling it what you think it needed to do in order to resolve your complaint. (I list the e-mail addresses of key Expedia executives on my site at csr.elliott.org.)
I contacted Expedia on your behalf, and it agreed to honor the original ticket price.
Christopher Elliott is the ombudsman for National Geographic Traveler magazine. E-mail him at celliott@ngs.org
By Christopher ElliottTribune Media Services
(Tribune Media Services) -- Beth Zukowski books six airline tickets on AirTran Airways through Expedia. The online agency charges her a booking fee and bills her for flight protection insurance, but fails to buy her tickets. The reason? Her credit card was declined, it says. But her credit card company disputes the story. Now AirTran wants her to pay more than $200 extra to buy new tickets. What should she do?
Q: I bought six airline tickets on AirTran Airways through Expedia. When I got my credit card statement about a month later, I found charges for the Expedia booking fees and the flight protection insurance, but not for the tickets.
It turns out the tickets hadn't been booked. I spent almost four hours on the phone with the online agency trying to find out why there were no tickets. I had to stay on hold because there are no outbound lines at the call center.
AirTran claims my credit card was declined and that they tried to call me. I never received a call or a message, and there is no record of an AirTran call on my caller ID log. I then contacted my bank to see if there were any declines on my credit card. There were none.
The airline offered to rebook at a cost of more than $500 per ticket -- more than $200 more than I originally paid. Or should have paid.
Expedia won't help me either. Is there anything you can do?
-- Beth Zukowski, Glenwood Springs, Colorado
A: Expedia should have booked your tickets, of course. And when it didn't, the online agency should have immediately fixed the problem -- not kept you on hold for hours on end.
Don't Miss
One reason you buy tickets through a site like Expedia instead of directly through an airline is that the online agency will be there to help you when something goes wrong. The company's highly-publicized "Expedia Promise" guarantees, among other things, that you can "count on us to provide support throughout your trip" adding that, "whether you have questions about your itinerary, have a change in travel plans, or need help resolving a problem with the trip you booked, we're here to help 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Our job is to satisfy you!"
OK, then.
The implication is that Expedia is as good as -- if not better than -- the travel agent around the corner. But what kind of travel agent charges you a booking fee, plus insurance, but neglects to buy a ticket? What kind of agent puts you on hold for four hours because there are no outbound phone lines?
When Expedia didn't book your tickets, it should have notified you immediately, offering you the option of using a different credit card or canceling the entire transaction. I find it odd, and a little suspicious, that the booking fee and insurance charges showed up on your card without the tickets. To me, that suggests something might have gone wrong with either Expedia or with AirTran, not with your card.
Your case brings up a question that's often raised by readers of this column: What's the value of a reservation? Is it worth the paper it's printed on?
For you, the answers were: not much -- and no.
Based on Expedia's "promise" I think you should have reasonably expected the online agency to fix your booking problem. Your mistake was to stay on the phone with the agency for hours at a time and then allowing it to pass you off to AirTran. Instead, you should have politely but firmly asked for a supervisor when it became apparent that the phone agent you were dealing with didn't have a clue about how to solve your problem.
Better yet, instead of letting Expedia string you along on the phone, you might have considered sending a short, polite e-mail to the online agency explaining your situation and telling it what you think it needed to do in order to resolve your complaint. (I list the e-mail addresses of key Expedia executives on my site at csr.elliott.org.)
I contacted Expedia on your behalf, and it agreed to honor the original ticket price.
Christopher Elliott is the ombudsman for National Geographic Traveler magazine. E-mail him at celliott@ngs.org
Why Sell Groups part 1 - from Travel Trade
Why Sell Groups?
By Doris and Phil Davidoff
This is the first in a series of six articles providing in-depth analysis and practical information for travel agents on the importance of group sales and how to find potential groups, develop programs to meet their needs and operate group trips effectively and profitably.
Future articles will focus on where to find groups, packaging and pricing groups, promoting groups, group operations — handling bookings and operating group tours and cruises, and selling unique groups.
Together, the articles serve as a primer for agents with little or no group sales experience, and also reinforce current skills of experienced agents while providing some new ideas.
•
Generating profits in the travel agency industry has become more and more difficult with each passing year. Travel agents are caught between heavy pressures from suppliers who want to control their costs (our commissions) and clients seeking the lowest possible prices.
It has been more than 12 years since airlines instituted commission cuts that have led to the elimination of most air commissions.
As a result, most small and medium-size travel agencies and virtually all Home Based travel agents are focusing their efforts on leisure travel — cruises, tours and resort vacations.
Travel agents who focus their marketing efforts on the vacation needs of specific target market segments have been able to maintain profitability in the face of pricing pressures from suppliers that are limiting profits. For example, non-commissionable fees (NCFs) of $20 per day or more are now a standard part of cruise pricing.
It’s Hard To Make Money on Ones and Twos
The well-managed leisure-oriented travel agent focuses on cruises and tours. However, a large volume of transactions is necessary to produce profits, unless the agent is selling primarily deluxe cruises and tours at $5,000 to $10,000 or more per couple.
With agency costs constantly increasing while income per transaction is not, it is difficult to make a profit on ones and twos.
For example, a couple purchases a one-week cruise on a contemporary (mass market) cruise ship. They pay a cruise fare of $680 per person and NCFs and taxes of $175 per person. Because of NCFs of $350, travel agent commission is based on the cruise fare of $1,360.
If the agency sells a sufficient number of cruises or meets a specific yearly dollar volume of sales, it will earn 15% of $1,360 — or $204 for selling this cruise. If the agency was only an occasional seller of the cruise line, it would only earn a 10% commission ($136).
Because of the $175 per person NCF charge, the client paid $855 per person ($1,710 total), so the $204 is actually 11.9%, not 15% and the $136 is less than 8% instead of 10%.
If over time, the travel agency sells 15 separate cruises on the same cruise line at the 15% level, total commission is $3,060. To earn this, agents must spend time with 15 couples and process 15 transactions.
Many readers will remember at least hearing about Willie Sutton, one of the most notorious bank robbers of the mid-20th century. After he was arrested, a newspaper reporter asked him, “Why do you rob banks?” His answer was a simple one: “Because that’s where the money is!”
Where the Money Is
Ask experienced group sales agents why they sell groups and they will give you the same answer: “Because that’s where the money is.”
Selling groups will increase agency income. If the same 15 cabins the agency sold individually are sold as a group (15 cabins on the same ship on the same date), the agency earns substantially more than the same $3,060 base commission.
Most cruise lines and many escorted tour operations provide one free cabin or room for every 15 sold. The value in this case is the base fare of $1,360.
Cruise lines offer amenity points that can be used for a variety of extra benefits for group passengers or income for the travel agency. Points can be used, for example, for complimentary cocktail parties, photographs, wine and logo items. They can also be used for bonus commissions, onboard credit, cabin upgrades and reduced free cabin ratios — for example, one free for 10 instead on one free for 15. Higher point levels are provided for low and shoulder season sailings.
If the cruise line provides a $50 bonus per cabin, this will add $750 to your income. Adding this bonus, plus the $1,360 value of the free cabins adds $2,110 to the original $3,060. The actual commission level on the sale is now a healthy 20% on the $25,650 paid by the 15 couples.
Other Benefits to Agents
Increasing agency profit is the major reason for focusing on groups, but there are several other important advantages as well.
Traveling in a group with common interests is a growing trend, especially among baby boomers. Like-minded people like to travel with like-minded people, especially to places of common interest.
The market is huge and growing larger every day. Groups are everywhere and many don’t yet know that they are potential travel groups. They are just waiting for an enthusiastic, innovative agent to get them moving.
Groups rarely “price-shop” a trip after they agree to promote a program with you. Individuals who want to travel with others who have booked your program have no choice. They must book your program to travel with the group. There may be some shopping before agreeing to your program, but there will be little or none once the group “signs” with you, especially if there are cancellation penalties.
An Efficient Sale
Selling groups is a time saver. While it will take more time to develop a group trip for an organization than to work with one client, once the program is accepted, very little time is spent with a single participant. The booking and transaction processing can be accomplished very efficiently.
Groups often travel together every year. Once you have sold a group tour or cruise and operated it successfully, the group will look forward to working with you on their next trip. Since you have already earned their trust, your time invested per participant will be even less on future programs.
Suppliers provide higher levels of service to travel agents who produce groups. Many supplier sales representatives receive significantly higher incentives for group sales than for an equivalent amount of individual sales. Suppliers often provide more support because of the larger amount of business represented by a group.
In general, group sales provide a higher level of professional satisfaction to agents than individual travel sales, and your clients will enjoy themselves traveling with other people who share common interests.
Doris and Phil Davidoff, veteran travel agents, are specialists in groups and have developed GroupTrac, a computer database for processing and controlling all aspects of group travel arrangements. The Davidoffs operate a Home Based niche agency, Fan Club Cruises, and formerly were the co-owners of Belair Travel Consultants in Maryland since 1969. Phil Davidoff is a past president of ASTA.
By Doris and Phil Davidoff
This is the first in a series of six articles providing in-depth analysis and practical information for travel agents on the importance of group sales and how to find potential groups, develop programs to meet their needs and operate group trips effectively and profitably.
Future articles will focus on where to find groups, packaging and pricing groups, promoting groups, group operations — handling bookings and operating group tours and cruises, and selling unique groups.
Together, the articles serve as a primer for agents with little or no group sales experience, and also reinforce current skills of experienced agents while providing some new ideas.
•
Generating profits in the travel agency industry has become more and more difficult with each passing year. Travel agents are caught between heavy pressures from suppliers who want to control their costs (our commissions) and clients seeking the lowest possible prices.
It has been more than 12 years since airlines instituted commission cuts that have led to the elimination of most air commissions.
As a result, most small and medium-size travel agencies and virtually all Home Based travel agents are focusing their efforts on leisure travel — cruises, tours and resort vacations.
Travel agents who focus their marketing efforts on the vacation needs of specific target market segments have been able to maintain profitability in the face of pricing pressures from suppliers that are limiting profits. For example, non-commissionable fees (NCFs) of $20 per day or more are now a standard part of cruise pricing.
It’s Hard To Make Money on Ones and Twos
The well-managed leisure-oriented travel agent focuses on cruises and tours. However, a large volume of transactions is necessary to produce profits, unless the agent is selling primarily deluxe cruises and tours at $5,000 to $10,000 or more per couple.
With agency costs constantly increasing while income per transaction is not, it is difficult to make a profit on ones and twos.
For example, a couple purchases a one-week cruise on a contemporary (mass market) cruise ship. They pay a cruise fare of $680 per person and NCFs and taxes of $175 per person. Because of NCFs of $350, travel agent commission is based on the cruise fare of $1,360.
If the agency sells a sufficient number of cruises or meets a specific yearly dollar volume of sales, it will earn 15% of $1,360 — or $204 for selling this cruise. If the agency was only an occasional seller of the cruise line, it would only earn a 10% commission ($136).
Because of the $175 per person NCF charge, the client paid $855 per person ($1,710 total), so the $204 is actually 11.9%, not 15% and the $136 is less than 8% instead of 10%.
If over time, the travel agency sells 15 separate cruises on the same cruise line at the 15% level, total commission is $3,060. To earn this, agents must spend time with 15 couples and process 15 transactions.
Many readers will remember at least hearing about Willie Sutton, one of the most notorious bank robbers of the mid-20th century. After he was arrested, a newspaper reporter asked him, “Why do you rob banks?” His answer was a simple one: “Because that’s where the money is!”
Where the Money Is
Ask experienced group sales agents why they sell groups and they will give you the same answer: “Because that’s where the money is.”
Selling groups will increase agency income. If the same 15 cabins the agency sold individually are sold as a group (15 cabins on the same ship on the same date), the agency earns substantially more than the same $3,060 base commission.
Most cruise lines and many escorted tour operations provide one free cabin or room for every 15 sold. The value in this case is the base fare of $1,360.
Cruise lines offer amenity points that can be used for a variety of extra benefits for group passengers or income for the travel agency. Points can be used, for example, for complimentary cocktail parties, photographs, wine and logo items. They can also be used for bonus commissions, onboard credit, cabin upgrades and reduced free cabin ratios — for example, one free for 10 instead on one free for 15. Higher point levels are provided for low and shoulder season sailings.
If the cruise line provides a $50 bonus per cabin, this will add $750 to your income. Adding this bonus, plus the $1,360 value of the free cabins adds $2,110 to the original $3,060. The actual commission level on the sale is now a healthy 20% on the $25,650 paid by the 15 couples.
Other Benefits to Agents
Increasing agency profit is the major reason for focusing on groups, but there are several other important advantages as well.
Traveling in a group with common interests is a growing trend, especially among baby boomers. Like-minded people like to travel with like-minded people, especially to places of common interest.
The market is huge and growing larger every day. Groups are everywhere and many don’t yet know that they are potential travel groups. They are just waiting for an enthusiastic, innovative agent to get them moving.
Groups rarely “price-shop” a trip after they agree to promote a program with you. Individuals who want to travel with others who have booked your program have no choice. They must book your program to travel with the group. There may be some shopping before agreeing to your program, but there will be little or none once the group “signs” with you, especially if there are cancellation penalties.
An Efficient Sale
Selling groups is a time saver. While it will take more time to develop a group trip for an organization than to work with one client, once the program is accepted, very little time is spent with a single participant. The booking and transaction processing can be accomplished very efficiently.
Groups often travel together every year. Once you have sold a group tour or cruise and operated it successfully, the group will look forward to working with you on their next trip. Since you have already earned their trust, your time invested per participant will be even less on future programs.
Suppliers provide higher levels of service to travel agents who produce groups. Many supplier sales representatives receive significantly higher incentives for group sales than for an equivalent amount of individual sales. Suppliers often provide more support because of the larger amount of business represented by a group.
In general, group sales provide a higher level of professional satisfaction to agents than individual travel sales, and your clients will enjoy themselves traveling with other people who share common interests.
Doris and Phil Davidoff, veteran travel agents, are specialists in groups and have developed GroupTrac, a computer database for processing and controlling all aspects of group travel arrangements. The Davidoffs operate a Home Based niche agency, Fan Club Cruises, and formerly were the co-owners of Belair Travel Consultants in Maryland since 1969. Phil Davidoff is a past president of ASTA.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Happy Returns for Travel Agents - NY Times Article
July 3, 2007
Happy Returns for Travel Agents
By ABBY ELLIN
Gene Luntz, an artist’s representative in Manhattan who flies six to eight times a year for work, is one of the converts.
After years of booking his travel online, through Web sites like Orbitz, Travelocity, Expedia and Priceline.com, he has gone back to using a travel agent.
Yes, they still exist, those people who until the mid-1990s booked about 75 percent of airline tickets and had as much power as God but then seemed at risk of extinction. In fact, many travel agents — or travel specialists, as they are now known — say they have seen an increase in business in the last year or so.
One big reason, they say, is that travelers say they do not have the time or energy to scour the Internet for the best deals. And they crave a personal touch that a disembodied voice in a call center cannot provide. Many of the returning customers offer variations of the tale Mr. Luntz, 60, told.
About two years ago, he said, he bought plane tickets on Priceline.com. The day before he was to leave, he caught a vicious cold. He spent hours on the phone, he said, trying to find someone to help him change his flight. But he was unsuccessful and ended up throwing the tickets away. “Going to the Internet is an absolute nightmare,” Mr. Luntz said.
That is when he called his former travel agent at the Tzell Travel Group in Manhattan. “She’s available for phone calls. She returns calls,” he said. “They take really good care of me, despite the fact that I’m not General Motors. The most amazing thing is that for the price of a Starbucks coffee for my girlfriend and me, I have someone on the other end that can help me, as opposed to a Web site that can give me no response.”
Allen Kay, a spokesman for the Travel Industry Association, a trade group based in Washington, said travel agencies had realigned in the face of competition from online booking. “Travel agencies have gone back to their roots and focused on expertise,” he said.
This is not to say that online travel booking is on the decline. Henry H. Harteveldt, a travel analyst at Forrester Research, said about 77 million of the nearly 141 million American adults who use the Internet and take at least one trip a year will buy their tickets online this year, up from 62.4 million in 2005. He estimated that 64 million people buy all their travel offline.
But, he said, “as the airline centers have scaled back their call centers and it’s harder to get help from the travel providers themselves, finding a travel agent who is knowledgeable and takes the burden off the customer is more valuable than ever.” He said bricks-and-mortar travel agents continue to outsell online travel agents for most airlines and hotels.
At Atlas Travel International, a travel management company with headquarters in Milford, Mass., that works with business and leisure travelers, sales revenue has grown 60 percent from 2005 to 2006, said Elaine Osgood, the chief executive. The Travel Store, in Cincinnati, has had a 50 percent increase in business over the last year; the company recently hired two more employees to help answer the extra calls, many from former customers, said Deborah Morgan, a travel consultant at the shop.
“When you say to them, ‘You were a customer a while back. What happened?’ They say, ‘I went on the Internet and I’d find out the hotels are not what they say they are,’ ” Ms. Morgan said. “Or, ‘It takes too much time.’ ”
Barry Liben, the chief executive of Tzell Travel, a corporate and leisure travel agency with 21 branches across the country, said his company expected to sell about $700 million in airline tickets this year, compared with $300 million five years ago.
“Did some of our clients leave and go to the Net?” he asked. “Yes. But a great percentage have come back because it’s 9 o’clock at night, you’ve just missed your flight, you call Travelocity and see what they’ll do for you, and there’s no one there. If you show up at the Ritz-Carlton and there’s a problem in your room — go call Priceline. No one there. People want service, someone responsible who will answer their problems in a crisis. That’s what top corporate travel companies do.”
Online agencies said they had taken note and were trying to improve customer service. In May 2005, for example, Travelocity officials said, they introduced Customer Championship, which includes a team that contacts travelers before their trip should unforeseen problems arise, like potentially confusing airport terminal changes.
In 2004, Priceline began offering published flight prices in addition to its “name your price” fares. This year, it began working with Zagat to offer hotel reviews, photos, maps and video tours. “The area of expansion is in information,” said Brian Ek, a company spokesman in Norwalk, Conn.
Although many travel agents closed up shop or consolidated after Sept. 11, others found innovative ways to stay afloat. For many of them, that involved persuading corporate clients to use their services rather than the Internet.
Kevin Martin, the owner of Martin Travel Services in Lauderhill, Fla., which caters to business travelers, said his agency lost about half its bookings after Sept. 11. To save the business, which has been in his family for 25 years, he moved into a smaller office, scaled back to four days a week and began promoting his company to corporate executives. “I showed them that their employees should be outsourcing their travel arrangements instead of making an online booking that could take an hour,” he said.
It worked. Today, he said, sales are about $1 million more than they were last year, and he expects them to continue climbing.
Christopher Carmicle, the president of the national accounts and direct imports division at Brown Jordan International in Louisville, Ky., said he did not go anywhere without calling Mr. Martin. He said he learned his lesson in June 2000, when he was bumped from a flight from San Francisco using a ticket he had bought on the Web. “I needed to get back for a birthday party, but I got stuck for a day and a half and I missed it,” Mr. Carmicle, 33, said.
Of course, nothing in life is free. Travel agents, who lost their airline commissions in the mid-1990s when airlines first capped them and then cut them, generally charge from $10 to $75, depending on the transaction. Some also charge a consultation fee, which can then be used toward the purchase of a ticket or package.
But they also offer perks. Agents have given customers cellphones, itineraries, maps and a 24-hour ear in times of crisis.
“I couldn’t do my international travel online,” said Mr. Carmicle, who often flies to China. “I’d be crazy to attempt to.”
Many clients said they wanted help booking more complicated, more expensive trips, especially ones involving international travel.
“When the consumer is making a more expensive choice, more complex and high risk, they’re not just so inclined to push a button,” said Jack Mannix, president and chief executive of the Ensemble Travel Group, an organization of 1,000 travel agencies in the United States and Canada.
“There’s a huge amount of data on the Internet,” Mr. Mannix said, “but there’s a knowledge base between someone’s ears that just can’t be replicated, regardless of how much research you do.”
Traveling with Pets - an article from the NY Times
July 1, 2007
Practical Traveler Readers’ Tips
Traveling With Fluffy or Fido? Be Prepared
By MICHELLE HIGGINS
WITH the summer travel season upon us, many pet owners are facing the question of what to do with the pets when the family goes on vacation. Some choose to take Fido and Fluffy along; others prefer to leave them behind with friends or send them on their own vacations by boarding them at a kennel for pampered pets.
Last month the Practical Traveler column offered tips on traveling with dogs from Cesar Millan, a dog behaviorist better known as National Geographic Channel’s Dog Whisperer. Dozens of readers wrote in and posted their own tips and suggestions at nytimes.com/travel. Some cat owners complained that the column left them out and had hints to pass on to other feline fans. Others had questions about flying pets overseas or as checked baggage. A few took issue with Mr. Millan’s thoughts on sedation. And several shared their experiences about airlines and hotels that were particularly accommodating to their four-legged companions. Here is a sampling of what some had to say, along with a few more tips based on my research and reporting. (Letters have been edited.)
Ron Dylewski from Pittsburgh, Pa., who frequents cat shows and has taken his 20-pound Maine coon cat on the road for more than 40 weekends in the last year, offered these tips:
• Get a soft carrier that has removable wheels. It’s much easier to roll that much weight around than to have it on your shoulder for miles.
• Keep a very close watch on what sort of plane you’ll be on. Many of the regional jets have limited space under the seat, and even if you book a pet ticket online, the lack of space may not be flagged for you. Also, you can be in trouble if the airlines substitute another type of plane at the last minute.
• We generally try to get window or center seats, where the under-the-seat space is better than the aisle seat.
Although Cesar Millan condoned sedating dogs traveling in the airplane cabin — as long as the owner was careful to test the medication and monitor the pet’s reaction to it before traveling — some readers were adamantly opposed.
Kevin O’Brien of PetRelocation.com, which specializes in pet transport, said: “Sedation is by far the worst possible thing you can do to your pet before their long flight. Sedation, mixed with altitude, creates a dangerous cocktail that prevents the animals from using their natural ability to regulate their body temperature and to control their own stress. We suggest that the human take the pill, as the pet will have a better experience than most humans when flying with commercial airlines.”
Alexandra Kovach from Washington, who has a small dog named Ripple that was sedated for a cross-country trip, wrote: “It was really hard on her and her heartbeat slowed and she got so lethargic — it was frightening! She slowly recovered after the flight after getting sick a few times, too.” Ms. Kovach recommended using Calming Essence, an herbal remedy, instead.
Martin Delfin, who said he moved to Madrid from Puerto Rico two years ago with Toby, his “five-kilo mixed terrier,” said the dog “did fine on the eight-hour flight,” having taken half of a Pet Sedate tablet. The only side effect: “He did seem to suffer a day of jet lag (just lay around and slept, like most humans).”
Cesar Millan won’t fly his large dogs, since they must travel as checked baggage or in the cargo hold of the plane. Rather, he prefers to have them travel in a recreational vehicle. But readers who must resort to air travel for their pets wanted some guidelines for large animals on flights.
To help avoid delays and reduce the stress on your pet, book a nonstop flight whenever possible.
During the summer, try to book an early morning, evening or overnight flight, when the temperatures are cooler. Airlines typically will not accept pets as checked baggage or cargo when the temperature is forecast to exceed 85 degrees at any location on the animal’s itinerary. And some airlines will not accept snub-nosed dogs, like Boston terriers, bulldogs or pugs, during the summer as they tend to be particularly sensitive to heat.
FIND out if the country you are visiting has any quarantine or other health requirements by contacting its embassy or a consulate. Pets must be at least eight weeks old and fully weaned before flying within the United States, for example. Dogs must have a certificate showing they have been vaccinated against rabies at least 30 days before entering the United States.
Americans flying to Britain are eligible for the Pet Travel Scheme, or PETS, which allows dogs and cats from certain countries to enter Britain without the normal quarantine, as long as they are fitted with microchip tracking devices and have been vaccinated against and tested for rabies. Information about this program is at http://www.defra.gov.uk/.
For those traveling from Britain, Vanessa K. Will, who relocated from Scotland to Michigan last year with her two border terriers, Ede and Atze, had a suggestion: “The best tip I have is to find a reputable pet relocation specialist in the United Kingdom to handle the booking, etc. It doesn’t cost much more, and they often know the ins and outs in a way that’s very helpful. The people at James Cargo at Heathrow are very helpful (they also run the animal reception center at the airport). ... I did consider taking the Queen Mary 2 from Southampton to New York. They allow dogs in a special kennel area where you can visit them, and they get walked several times a day. Humans are allowed unlimited baggage, and between the cargo and excess luggage charges you’re saving, a small inside cabin comes out to about the same.”
Another reader, Jack McBride, had advice on pet-friendly hotels: “Although some hotels charge extra for pets, it’s worth it, and generally less expensive than putting them in a kennel. The AAA has an excellent guidebook (“Traveling With Your Pet”) that lists pet-friendly accommodations in all states.”
Dale, from Orlando, prefers La Quinta Inns for his two long-haired miniature dachshunds: “The accommodations are minimal, but it beats sneaking the dogs into the room under blankets at the Marriott.”
Related articles: http://travel.nytimes.com/2006/06/25/travel/25journeys.html?fta=y
http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/03/30/travel/escapes/30pets.html?fta=y
http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/04/15/travel/15transpets.html?fta=y
Monday, July 16, 2007
Traveling during Hurricane Season
There was an interesting article in the Newark Star Ledger on Sunday 7/15/07 by Fritz Faerber of the Associated Press.
He and his wife were in Playa del Carmen during Hurricane Wilma in October 2005. I remember that time well since I had a couple scheduled to get married in the Riviera Maya that week and were at a resort there with 12 other family members and lived through the hurricane. Lots of gray hair popped up that week!
Needless to say, the author brings up some interesting points about traveling during the hurricane season. I have taken excerpts from the article for your benefit. This can also equate to any type of emergency, both weather related or not.
1. Buy travel insurance to cover emergency expenses such as extra days in the hotel and airline fees.
2. Don't book online. The Faerbers booked though an online travel booking service. When they called the online travel company for help, they were told to call the airline. When they called the airline, they were told to call the booking agency. Mr. Faerber mentioned that the tourists who were evacuated first booked their vacations as packages through big companies.
I do remember those days well. Some tour operators flew chartered planes in to evacuate their clients, if the clients had booked charter air through them as part of their vacation packages.
3. Before leaving home, find 1 person who will be able to serve as your point of contact for information and updates. This way, you only need to make 1 phone call or send 1 email to alert everyone of your whereabouts and status. This point of contact can also pass along updates to your boss, dog sitter and everyone else who needs to know.
I particularly like this suggestion. During the 5 days it took for me to get everyone home, I was getting a zillion calls from all the family members. Had there been 1 point of contact, I could have spent more time working on getting my clients home, rather than explaining the same thing to all family members.
4. Maintain your prospective about what is going on. You can't control the weather and some things are just out of your control. Remember that the people helping you through any hurricane or disaster are living through it themselves. Their families, homes and livelihoods are in danger as well so please remember to thank them for all that they are helping you with.
I would also like to add a couple of my own suggestions:
1. Take extra medication with you. If you are delayed in coming home due to any reason, including storms, airline delays, etc, at least you won't get sick while you are waiting to return home.
2. Take a color copy of your passport with you, just in case your original is lost during the turmoil. Also, leave a copy with your designated contact.
3. Ask me about which travel suppliers offer trip insurance that allows you to cancel for any reason. If a major storm is anticipated, you may want to just cancel the vacation in advance.
4. Please bring your insurance information with you in case you need to call the insurance company for anything.
5. Please give my phone # to your designated contact so that they can reach me to let me know what your status is and what help you need from me.
6. Always take a credit card with you, just in case. Debit cards are great but if you have to pay for extra nights in a hotel, food, etc, you might end up exceeding the amount available in your debit card.
7. Please alert your credit/debit card company that you will be traveling out to of the country so that they don't deny charges from overseas.
Try not to worry about what can go wrong with a vacation and focus on the fact that you ARE going on a vacation. We can work through any issues if any arise.
He and his wife were in Playa del Carmen during Hurricane Wilma in October 2005. I remember that time well since I had a couple scheduled to get married in the Riviera Maya that week and were at a resort there with 12 other family members and lived through the hurricane. Lots of gray hair popped up that week!
Needless to say, the author brings up some interesting points about traveling during the hurricane season. I have taken excerpts from the article for your benefit. This can also equate to any type of emergency, both weather related or not.
1. Buy travel insurance to cover emergency expenses such as extra days in the hotel and airline fees.
2. Don't book online. The Faerbers booked though an online travel booking service. When they called the online travel company for help, they were told to call the airline. When they called the airline, they were told to call the booking agency. Mr. Faerber mentioned that the tourists who were evacuated first booked their vacations as packages through big companies.
I do remember those days well. Some tour operators flew chartered planes in to evacuate their clients, if the clients had booked charter air through them as part of their vacation packages.
3. Before leaving home, find 1 person who will be able to serve as your point of contact for information and updates. This way, you only need to make 1 phone call or send 1 email to alert everyone of your whereabouts and status. This point of contact can also pass along updates to your boss, dog sitter and everyone else who needs to know.
I particularly like this suggestion. During the 5 days it took for me to get everyone home, I was getting a zillion calls from all the family members. Had there been 1 point of contact, I could have spent more time working on getting my clients home, rather than explaining the same thing to all family members.
4. Maintain your prospective about what is going on. You can't control the weather and some things are just out of your control. Remember that the people helping you through any hurricane or disaster are living through it themselves. Their families, homes and livelihoods are in danger as well so please remember to thank them for all that they are helping you with.
I would also like to add a couple of my own suggestions:
1. Take extra medication with you. If you are delayed in coming home due to any reason, including storms, airline delays, etc, at least you won't get sick while you are waiting to return home.
2. Take a color copy of your passport with you, just in case your original is lost during the turmoil. Also, leave a copy with your designated contact.
3. Ask me about which travel suppliers offer trip insurance that allows you to cancel for any reason. If a major storm is anticipated, you may want to just cancel the vacation in advance.
4. Please bring your insurance information with you in case you need to call the insurance company for anything.
5. Please give my phone # to your designated contact so that they can reach me to let me know what your status is and what help you need from me.
6. Always take a credit card with you, just in case. Debit cards are great but if you have to pay for extra nights in a hotel, food, etc, you might end up exceeding the amount available in your debit card.
7. Please alert your credit/debit card company that you will be traveling out to of the country so that they don't deny charges from overseas.
Try not to worry about what can go wrong with a vacation and focus on the fact that you ARE going on a vacation. We can work through any issues if any arise.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Sticker Shock at Sea vs Travel Trade
'Sticker Shock at Sea' Author Wants Lexus Features at Kia Prices
By Marilyn Green
(Travel Trade’s cruise editor examines the “sticker shock” Conde Nast Traveler columnist Wendy Perrin described in this month’s issue of the magazine.)
"Conde Nast Traveler columnist Wendy Perrin claims in the magazine’s July edition that the expenses she, her husband and two children incurred on a 10-day Caribbean cruise aboard Celebrity Cruises’ Constellation resulted in a cost 54% higher than the base fare.
There are, however, a number of items among her expenses that few would consider “typical.”
Perrin, in her column “The Wendy Perrin Report,” includes dinner for two at the ship’s alternative gourmet restaurant at $220 including wine and tip. The actual fee for the Ocean Liners gourmet restaurant is $30 per person, far less than a similar meal would cost in any comparable land-based restaurant.
It is intended to cover the intensive service and to limit the number of passengers who choose such a dinner to the number that can actually be handled so guests are not disappointed.
Wine and Tip
How Perrin and her husband managed to spend an extra $160 on wine and tip is a little perplexing — either it was a very special wine or a huge tip, and in either case, it was their choice.
Perrin and her husband spent $6 an hour per child for child care while the ship was in port and she and her husband spent $818 for 10 shore excursions for themselves.
The regular children’s program on Celebrity is free of charge and $6 per hour would not be considered an excessive babysitting fee in any hotels I know. Many parents pay more at home.
Perrin and her husband chose the shore excursions they wanted. Again, it would be hard to find any vacation where side trips are complimentary.
She also bought an unlimited soda package at $5 a day — her choice — which sounds like a very good deal, and she and her husband spent $228 on drinks and wine, apart from the gourmet dinner — their choice, once more.
It is true that fees for satellite Internet are costly, but she could have used the ubiquitous Internet cafes in port for a fraction of the price if she’d chosen, and she elected to have additional soft drinks from the minibar and cappuccinos from the coffee bar, which are extra — ordinary coffee is readily available and free.
Trip insurance, which she seems to feel should have been included to make a fair bargain, is not covered by the base price of any vacation I have ever encountered. For one thing, different people require different features on their insurance, and a good agent goes over these features with each client.
Perrin goes to great lengths about gift shop sales announced by flyers, easy to ignore if you aren’t interested — the stateroom does have a wastebasket — and spa personnel urging clients to buy products.
Not Unique to Cruises
Steiner Leisure runs the spa concession on 126 cruise ships, 53 resort spas and two luxury day spas. It is true that they do push products, but it certainly isn’t a practice unique to Steiner, nor unique to cruise ships.
It should be noted that luxury cruises do include some of the features Perrin wanted, and that, even among contemporary lines, there are differences in what is included in the base price. (NCL’s Jewel-class ships, for instance, have complimentary cappuccino and espresso in the buffet area).
One difference is that with the all-inclusive luxury price you pay for the entire package of extras, while with Celebrity, you choose the extras you want to purchase. This is another area where a good agent can advise the client according to the individual’s tastes and needs.
Perrin lists a number of analogous features a buyer might want on a new car, including a long-term warranty, a sunroof and a CD player — options that are in addition to the base price — as were the extras Perrin’s family chose on their cruise. As in other areas of life, you pays your money and you takes your choice."
Just an interesting article for us to be aware of if any of our clients see it in Conde Nast Traveler. Most clients are unaware of the "extras" that they might pay on a cruise but this article by Wendy Perrin just proves that we need to qualify our clients. She and her husband might have preferred Regent where wine in included- but would there have been babysitting for their child? Yes, European cruises will cost more in excursions than the Caribbean, but the client is free to make those choices. Don't let your clients tell you that cruising is too expensive based on this article.
By Marilyn Green
(Travel Trade’s cruise editor examines the “sticker shock” Conde Nast Traveler columnist Wendy Perrin described in this month’s issue of the magazine.)
"Conde Nast Traveler columnist Wendy Perrin claims in the magazine’s July edition that the expenses she, her husband and two children incurred on a 10-day Caribbean cruise aboard Celebrity Cruises’ Constellation resulted in a cost 54% higher than the base fare.
There are, however, a number of items among her expenses that few would consider “typical.”
Perrin, in her column “The Wendy Perrin Report,” includes dinner for two at the ship’s alternative gourmet restaurant at $220 including wine and tip. The actual fee for the Ocean Liners gourmet restaurant is $30 per person, far less than a similar meal would cost in any comparable land-based restaurant.
It is intended to cover the intensive service and to limit the number of passengers who choose such a dinner to the number that can actually be handled so guests are not disappointed.
Wine and Tip
How Perrin and her husband managed to spend an extra $160 on wine and tip is a little perplexing — either it was a very special wine or a huge tip, and in either case, it was their choice.
Perrin and her husband spent $6 an hour per child for child care while the ship was in port and she and her husband spent $818 for 10 shore excursions for themselves.
The regular children’s program on Celebrity is free of charge and $6 per hour would not be considered an excessive babysitting fee in any hotels I know. Many parents pay more at home.
Perrin and her husband chose the shore excursions they wanted. Again, it would be hard to find any vacation where side trips are complimentary.
She also bought an unlimited soda package at $5 a day — her choice — which sounds like a very good deal, and she and her husband spent $228 on drinks and wine, apart from the gourmet dinner — their choice, once more.
It is true that fees for satellite Internet are costly, but she could have used the ubiquitous Internet cafes in port for a fraction of the price if she’d chosen, and she elected to have additional soft drinks from the minibar and cappuccinos from the coffee bar, which are extra — ordinary coffee is readily available and free.
Trip insurance, which she seems to feel should have been included to make a fair bargain, is not covered by the base price of any vacation I have ever encountered. For one thing, different people require different features on their insurance, and a good agent goes over these features with each client.
Perrin goes to great lengths about gift shop sales announced by flyers, easy to ignore if you aren’t interested — the stateroom does have a wastebasket — and spa personnel urging clients to buy products.
Not Unique to Cruises
Steiner Leisure runs the spa concession on 126 cruise ships, 53 resort spas and two luxury day spas. It is true that they do push products, but it certainly isn’t a practice unique to Steiner, nor unique to cruise ships.
It should be noted that luxury cruises do include some of the features Perrin wanted, and that, even among contemporary lines, there are differences in what is included in the base price. (NCL’s Jewel-class ships, for instance, have complimentary cappuccino and espresso in the buffet area).
One difference is that with the all-inclusive luxury price you pay for the entire package of extras, while with Celebrity, you choose the extras you want to purchase. This is another area where a good agent can advise the client according to the individual’s tastes and needs.
Perrin lists a number of analogous features a buyer might want on a new car, including a long-term warranty, a sunroof and a CD player — options that are in addition to the base price — as were the extras Perrin’s family chose on their cruise. As in other areas of life, you pays your money and you takes your choice."
Just an interesting article for us to be aware of if any of our clients see it in Conde Nast Traveler. Most clients are unaware of the "extras" that they might pay on a cruise but this article by Wendy Perrin just proves that we need to qualify our clients. She and her husband might have preferred Regent where wine in included- but would there have been babysitting for their child? Yes, European cruises will cost more in excursions than the Caribbean, but the client is free to make those choices. Don't let your clients tell you that cruising is too expensive based on this article.
Friday, July 6, 2007
Travel Agents are Making a Comeback - from Smart Money 6/07 issue
WHEN SHE WAS PLANNING her birthday trip to New York City, Caroline Koons Forrest started where most of us do: online. She checked everything from Hotels.com to the Four Seasons' site. No luck. Everything was booked solid, outrageously priced or completely unfamiliar to her (the Days Hotel, anyone?). So the West Palm Beach architectural designer did something she hadn't done in ages: switched off her computer and called a local travel agent. Minutes later Stacy Small of Elite Travel International phoned back with a room at her first-choice hotel, the Four Seasons, at half the $1,600 price tag for a suite Forrest had spotted on the web. The icing on the cake? An actual birthday cake, which awaited Forrest and her husband when they entered their room.
After more than a decade of decline, the humble travel agent is staging a comeback. Frustrated with the recent rash of sold-out hotels and airline seats, travelers are discovering that for all the hype, web sites like Hotels.com, Orbitz and Travelocity are losing some of their edge, especially when it comes to high-end locations. And customer displeasure is starting to show; growth in the once red-hot online travel business is cooling, up 20% last year after a 28% increase in 2004. Enter the travel agent, the most savvy of whom can use longtime connections to secure that "sold out" room or coveted aisle seat. Written off as dinosaurs not so long ago, agents are seeing a welcome bump in business, with the 2006 average weekly sales per agent location up 15% over the year before. High-end travel is turning up as well, with members of Virtuoso, a consortium of more than 300 luxury agencies, racking up $4.2 billion in sales last year, an 11% jump over 2005.
Many agents have become a specialized bunch, some offering adrenaline-fueled adventure trips, others pricey safaris. Travelers come to Stacy Small for high-end requests like a line on a Tuscan villa or a lesson with the best ski instructor in St. Moritz. Other agents go after even thinner slices of the travel pie, with specialties ranging from twins-only cruises to kosher dude ranches. Linda Androlia of Sunstone Tours in Malibu, Calif., books nothing but small cruises to wildlife-rich spots like Alaska or the Galapagos. But fair warning: Such expertise comes at a price. Some agents charge anywhere from $150 to redeem a frequent-flier award to a $500 consulting fee for arranging customized trips.
For an industry that was all but left for dead, any recovery is quite a shift. In the 1980s, agents were the gatekeepers of travel, booking nearly 80% of all airline tickets. That changed in the mid-1990s, when airlines began hacking away at the commission rate until it finally disappeared after 9/11. At the same time, the first online travel agencies started to gain traction, and consumers began to discover that they could book their own tickets just as easily — and often for less. Sales plummeted, and the number of agency locations dropped by nearly 50% between 1996 and 2006.
Setting the stage for the agency renaissance is a booming travel market that has vacationers scrambling to find room at the inn. Airports are mobbed, with the major U.S. carriers filling 79% of seats last year, the highest rate since World War II. At the same time, hotel occupancy rates hit their loftiest mark in nearly a decade last year, according to Smith Travel Research. It doesn't hurt that agent-friendly businesses such ascruise lines are also growing, with a record 12.6 million people expected to take a cruise this year.
And while travel web sites point to their service alerts and 24-hour hotlines, traditional agents often have the upper hand when it comes to dealing with the mounting travel hassles. Ellison Poe, president of Poe Travel in Little Rock, Ark., recently fielded a desperate call from client Terry Harris, a marketing vice president who was en route to a meeting in Cuba when a hurricane stranded him in Miami. With all the nonstop flights out of commission, Poe had to get creative, ultimately managing to get Harris to Cuba by way of Mexico City. "I can't imagine booking a trip without her," says Harris.
Paris Deluxe
Do travel agents really earn their keep? We put three to the test, asking them to arrange a midsummer trip to Paris, including a deluxe hotel and an inexpensive round-trip fare from New York. Then we went online to see what kind of bargains we could find on our own.
ASAP TravelJacksonville, Fla.
Air India, $793
Radisson SAS Hotel Champ Elysees, $389
By far the cheapest flight. ASAP usually charges $30 per plane ticket but waives the fee if you also book a hotel.
Family-Friendly VacationsMesa, Ariz.
Continental, $1,098
Starhotels Castille, $336
We thought we might get a good deal at a family-friendly hotel (this one lets one child under 11 stay free), and indeed, it's our most affordable option.
Elite Travel International West Palm Beach, Fla.
Continental, $895
Four Seasons Hotel George V, $871
Beat Expedia's rates, but the savings were more than canceled out by fees: $150-per-person consulting charge, plus $60 per plane ticket.
Travelocity
Continental, $1,108
InterContinental Paris Le Grand, $347
Travelocity appeared to offer the Air India flight for $840, but when we tried to book, the price jumped to $1,782 (Travelocity says airline fares can change at a moment's notice). The site also gave us only one luxury-hotel option.
Expedia.com
Continental, $1,103
Four Seasons Hotel George V, $917
We had the same problem with the Air India flight, but we found Expedia's hotel selection far larger than Travelocity's.
Richard Turen of Churchill and Turen — who prefers the term "vacation consultant" — says it's the white-glove extras that matter at his Naperville, Ill., agency. Not only does he claim to have the pull to get clients space in sold-out properties, but he also promises VIP treatment when they arrive. Turen says he won't use computerized reservation systems, insisting on contacting a hotel manager personally. He sends clients binders detailing each step of the trip, down to diagrams of every airport. At places where the walk between terminals is "interminable" — such as Hong Kong International — he'll even arrange for a golf cart to greet guests at the gate so they won't have to hoof it. Malaka Hilton, an Egypt specialist and president of Admiral Travel in Sarasota, Fla., visits the country at least once a year, often leading her own tours. Over the years Hilton has added more and more well-known Egyptians to her Rolodex; her clients can expect anything from a reception at the home of former First Lady Jehan Sadat to a day in the field with famed Egyptologist Zahi Hawass.
But for all the perks and special treatment offered by this new breed of agent, there's some old baggage for travelers to contend with. Agents still earn commissions, including so-called overrides, the extra-large fees awarded to those who bring the most customers to a specific supplier. Overrides are a red flag to many critics, who wonder what's to stop agents from pushing all of their customers toward whatever earns the biggest bonus. And when not offering actual payouts, suppliers still woo agents with discounted or free trips and incentive specials, like the recent $60,000 sweepstakes offered by Trafalgar Tours, where agents earned chances to win with each Trafalgar booking they brought in.
What's more, all the pampering comes at a price. Where most agents used to be paid strictly by commission, they now charge $25 to $45 for a basic airline ticket. Some have imposed other, steeper fees, like Michelle Voon at GoCarefree Travel, who charges $50 to $75 an hour, or Strong Travel Services in Dallas, where the flat fee for a customized trip starts at $250 per client. Meanwhile, high-end travel-guide provider Nota Bene is launching an invitation-only agency with what founder Anthony Lassman describes as "significant" joining and annual membership fees. And it's not just the higher charges that bother critics. Fees imply that it's only the customer who's compensating the agent, says Christopher Elliott, hostof What You Get for the Money: Vacations on the Fine Living network, when the reality is that the agent is also getting commissions from hotels, cruise lines and others. "They're basically serving two masters," he says.
Agents say that with airline commissions disappearing, they had no choice but to start charging. Travelers could always book themselves, but for many, a couple hundred dollars is a small price to pay. "How much is your time worth?" asks Tony Poe of Poe Travel. When it comes to the influence of override commissions and other perks, agents point out that they rely on referrals and repeat business, so sending clients on a subpar trip is not in their best interest. Besides, the wealth of information online allows customers to double-check prices and agents' recommendations. Joe Brancatelli, publisher of travel web site JoeSentMe.com, puts it this way: "Now you can tell in a second if they're in somebody's back pocket."
After more than a decade of decline, the humble travel agent is staging a comeback. Frustrated with the recent rash of sold-out hotels and airline seats, travelers are discovering that for all the hype, web sites like Hotels.com, Orbitz and Travelocity are losing some of their edge, especially when it comes to high-end locations. And customer displeasure is starting to show; growth in the once red-hot online travel business is cooling, up 20% last year after a 28% increase in 2004. Enter the travel agent, the most savvy of whom can use longtime connections to secure that "sold out" room or coveted aisle seat. Written off as dinosaurs not so long ago, agents are seeing a welcome bump in business, with the 2006 average weekly sales per agent location up 15% over the year before. High-end travel is turning up as well, with members of Virtuoso, a consortium of more than 300 luxury agencies, racking up $4.2 billion in sales last year, an 11% jump over 2005.
Many agents have become a specialized bunch, some offering adrenaline-fueled adventure trips, others pricey safaris. Travelers come to Stacy Small for high-end requests like a line on a Tuscan villa or a lesson with the best ski instructor in St. Moritz. Other agents go after even thinner slices of the travel pie, with specialties ranging from twins-only cruises to kosher dude ranches. Linda Androlia of Sunstone Tours in Malibu, Calif., books nothing but small cruises to wildlife-rich spots like Alaska or the Galapagos. But fair warning: Such expertise comes at a price. Some agents charge anywhere from $150 to redeem a frequent-flier award to a $500 consulting fee for arranging customized trips.
For an industry that was all but left for dead, any recovery is quite a shift. In the 1980s, agents were the gatekeepers of travel, booking nearly 80% of all airline tickets. That changed in the mid-1990s, when airlines began hacking away at the commission rate until it finally disappeared after 9/11. At the same time, the first online travel agencies started to gain traction, and consumers began to discover that they could book their own tickets just as easily — and often for less. Sales plummeted, and the number of agency locations dropped by nearly 50% between 1996 and 2006.
Setting the stage for the agency renaissance is a booming travel market that has vacationers scrambling to find room at the inn. Airports are mobbed, with the major U.S. carriers filling 79% of seats last year, the highest rate since World War II. At the same time, hotel occupancy rates hit their loftiest mark in nearly a decade last year, according to Smith Travel Research. It doesn't hurt that agent-friendly businesses such ascruise lines are also growing, with a record 12.6 million people expected to take a cruise this year.
And while travel web sites point to their service alerts and 24-hour hotlines, traditional agents often have the upper hand when it comes to dealing with the mounting travel hassles. Ellison Poe, president of Poe Travel in Little Rock, Ark., recently fielded a desperate call from client Terry Harris, a marketing vice president who was en route to a meeting in Cuba when a hurricane stranded him in Miami. With all the nonstop flights out of commission, Poe had to get creative, ultimately managing to get Harris to Cuba by way of Mexico City. "I can't imagine booking a trip without her," says Harris.
Paris Deluxe
Do travel agents really earn their keep? We put three to the test, asking them to arrange a midsummer trip to Paris, including a deluxe hotel and an inexpensive round-trip fare from New York. Then we went online to see what kind of bargains we could find on our own.
ASAP TravelJacksonville, Fla.
Air India, $793
Radisson SAS Hotel Champ Elysees, $389
By far the cheapest flight. ASAP usually charges $30 per plane ticket but waives the fee if you also book a hotel.
Family-Friendly VacationsMesa, Ariz.
Continental, $1,098
Starhotels Castille, $336
We thought we might get a good deal at a family-friendly hotel (this one lets one child under 11 stay free), and indeed, it's our most affordable option.
Elite Travel International West Palm Beach, Fla.
Continental, $895
Four Seasons Hotel George V, $871
Beat Expedia's rates, but the savings were more than canceled out by fees: $150-per-person consulting charge, plus $60 per plane ticket.
Travelocity
Continental, $1,108
InterContinental Paris Le Grand, $347
Travelocity appeared to offer the Air India flight for $840, but when we tried to book, the price jumped to $1,782 (Travelocity says airline fares can change at a moment's notice). The site also gave us only one luxury-hotel option.
Expedia.com
Continental, $1,103
Four Seasons Hotel George V, $917
We had the same problem with the Air India flight, but we found Expedia's hotel selection far larger than Travelocity's.
Richard Turen of Churchill and Turen — who prefers the term "vacation consultant" — says it's the white-glove extras that matter at his Naperville, Ill., agency. Not only does he claim to have the pull to get clients space in sold-out properties, but he also promises VIP treatment when they arrive. Turen says he won't use computerized reservation systems, insisting on contacting a hotel manager personally. He sends clients binders detailing each step of the trip, down to diagrams of every airport. At places where the walk between terminals is "interminable" — such as Hong Kong International — he'll even arrange for a golf cart to greet guests at the gate so they won't have to hoof it. Malaka Hilton, an Egypt specialist and president of Admiral Travel in Sarasota, Fla., visits the country at least once a year, often leading her own tours. Over the years Hilton has added more and more well-known Egyptians to her Rolodex; her clients can expect anything from a reception at the home of former First Lady Jehan Sadat to a day in the field with famed Egyptologist Zahi Hawass.
But for all the perks and special treatment offered by this new breed of agent, there's some old baggage for travelers to contend with. Agents still earn commissions, including so-called overrides, the extra-large fees awarded to those who bring the most customers to a specific supplier. Overrides are a red flag to many critics, who wonder what's to stop agents from pushing all of their customers toward whatever earns the biggest bonus. And when not offering actual payouts, suppliers still woo agents with discounted or free trips and incentive specials, like the recent $60,000 sweepstakes offered by Trafalgar Tours, where agents earned chances to win with each Trafalgar booking they brought in.
What's more, all the pampering comes at a price. Where most agents used to be paid strictly by commission, they now charge $25 to $45 for a basic airline ticket. Some have imposed other, steeper fees, like Michelle Voon at GoCarefree Travel, who charges $50 to $75 an hour, or Strong Travel Services in Dallas, where the flat fee for a customized trip starts at $250 per client. Meanwhile, high-end travel-guide provider Nota Bene is launching an invitation-only agency with what founder Anthony Lassman describes as "significant" joining and annual membership fees. And it's not just the higher charges that bother critics. Fees imply that it's only the customer who's compensating the agent, says Christopher Elliott, hostof What You Get for the Money: Vacations on the Fine Living network, when the reality is that the agent is also getting commissions from hotels, cruise lines and others. "They're basically serving two masters," he says.
Agents say that with airline commissions disappearing, they had no choice but to start charging. Travelers could always book themselves, but for many, a couple hundred dollars is a small price to pay. "How much is your time worth?" asks Tony Poe of Poe Travel. When it comes to the influence of override commissions and other perks, agents point out that they rely on referrals and repeat business, so sending clients on a subpar trip is not in their best interest. Besides, the wealth of information online allows customers to double-check prices and agents' recommendations. Joe Brancatelli, publisher of travel web site JoeSentMe.com, puts it this way: "Now you can tell in a second if they're in somebody's back pocket."