Travel Agent Professional Oct 2011

Travel Agent Professional October 2011 Issue 12

Back on the River

By Rusty Pickett, ECC

See things....

18

By Scott Koepf

Saints & Singers

By Paull Tickner

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October 2011

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http://issuu.com/action/page?page=6

By Rusty Pickett, ECC Shellback Cruises http://issuu.com/action/page?page=8

Don’t Leave Home Without Them

By Sherry Laskin Travel Writer, Blogger & Social Media Advisor http://issuu.com/action/page?page=12

See things not as they are But as they could be!

By Scott Koepf Vice President of Sales Avoya Travel/American Express http://issuu.com/action/page?page=20

18 22

Saints & Singers

By Paull Tickner Creator of Special Interest Britain

http://issuu.com/action/page?page=24

Building Your Reputation in The Marketplace

By Mitchell J. Schlesinger Vice President, Sales & Marketing Voyages to Antiquity

Showcase

Ad Index

Affluent Travel ...................................................25 Amadeus ...........................................................13 Auto Europe ......................................................27 Nest...................................................................09 Sabre .................................................................11 Travelsavers .......................................................23

Auto Europe................................IFC http://www.AutoEurope.com

Sabre ...........................................19 www.sabretravelinetwork.com/tmu

Avoya Travel/AVC.........................15 http://www.joinavoya.com/default.cfm?ref=115

Travel Planners Int’l........................7 http://www.myhosttravelagency.com

Leisure Pops .................................17 http://www.leisurepops.com/

Voyages to Antiquity ......................3 http://us.voyagestoantiquity.com/

Royal Caribbean Line ...................BC http://www.royalcaribbean.com/

Travel Agent Professional

2011

Back on the River

Travel Agent Professional October 2011 Issue 12

Travel Agent Professional P.O. Box 120202 Staten Island, NY 10312 E-mail: info@travelagentprofessional.com Phone: 718.227.7541

Joel M. Abels

Legend In the Travel Industry April 1927 to January 2007

Ann M. Hoek Publisher/Creative Design Bonnie Walling Editor

Meet Our Editorial Board Mitchell J. Schlesinger Vice President, Sales & Marketing Voyages to Antiquity www.voyagestoantiquity.com Mary Brutscher Former Host Agency Owner & Travel Educational Instructor cruisefacecruises@yahoo.com Rusty Pickett, ECC Shellback Cruises www.shellbackcruises.com Les-Lee Roland Owner of The Package Deal Scott Koepf Vice President of Sales Avoya Travel/ America’s Vacation Center www.joinavoya.com/default.cfm?ref=11583 Sherry Laskin, ACC Travel Writer/NACTA Webinar Moderator www.cruisemaven.com Sue Shapiro, President Shapiro Travel Resources sue.shapiro@gmail.com www.shapirotravelresources.com Paull Tickner, Creator of Special Interest Britain pjtickner@yahoo.co.uk www.greatdays.co.uk

Contributions Lee Rosen, CEO Leisure Pops www.leisurepops.com

Travel Agent Professional has its roots in Home Based Trade, the first magazine of its kind, started by Joel Abels in 2004. Joel and Lenore Abels ran Travel Trade for nearly half a century – it was started by her grandfather, John S. Lewis, and her father, Sidney Lewis, in 1929, and they took the publication over after her grandfather’s passing.

Under Joel’s direction, the company grew to be one of the travel agent industry’s leading publications, reaching more than 45,000 agents throughout North America. It spawned a famous series of trade shows and three monthly magazines – Cruise Trade, Tour Trade and Home Based Trade.

The Abels also garnered enormous respect – Joel received the Neal Award, called “the Pulitzer Prize of the business press,” for his hard-hitting editorials.

On a personal note, after working with Joel for over a decade and staying with him until the end, I grew to truly care for and respect the man.

He was like a second father to me. Joel was old school, he stood by his word and believed in his work. There will never be another.

While nobody can replace this industry legend, we’re hoping that this new publication, which reunites the original Home Based Trade editorial board, will be able to carry on his passion for travel and those who sell it.

Ann M. Hoek This online magazine is dedicated to the memory of Joel Abels, Travel Trade's editor and publisher. Joel and his life's work may be gone, but with your help it can live on.

September 2011

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By

4

Back on the River

Rusty

As

I write this, we are moored in Linz,

Pickett,

Austria aboard AMA Waterway’s Amadolce. It’s been three years since I was on the Danube, and it has been a wonderful experience remembering the ambiance of the

ECC

AMA Waterways product.

Rusty Pickett, ECC Shellback Cruises www.shellbackcruises.com

I

and 22 of my clients are participating in the Romantic Danube tour, having started our trip in Prague. For those that have never been to Prague, you must put it at the top of your list of European cities to visit. Clean, romantic, historic, and artistic, Prague may be my favorite city in Europe, along with Rome.

After our three nights in Prague, and about a fourhour bus drive through the Czech and German countryside, we arrived at Regensburg for a quick walking tour of this well-preserved German treasure (it was spared Allied bombing during World War 2) We then traveled another 90 minutes to Vilshoven, where we boarded the ship.

Our hotel was the Intercontinental Prague located on the river and a short distance from the Old City Center. Last visit, we stayed at the Hilton Old Town, but the Intercontinental is a better choice.

The walk to the old city is only a few minutes along the “Rodeo Drive” of Prague, which sports glamorous high-end shops and is located right next to the old Jewish district, featuring a cemetery with graves dating from the 1400’s. With a day of free time, you can easily see all that interests you.

My last river cruise was on the Amacello during its third trip on the river. Although the amenities and service weres good, they were clearly working out the kinks. Amadolce has been cruising for more than two years, and our cruise manager is a veteran of more than 65 trips on the Danube.

The service and efficiency of boarding is remarkable. While we were assembled in the lounge area for some snacks and cold drinks, all of the bags were unloaded from the buses and delivered to (continued on page 6)

October 2011

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Travel Agent Professional

6 the cabins. After about 20 minutes, we were in our cabin unpacking and getting ready for the Oktoberfest celebration of beer and entertainment that was hosted by AMA and the town of Vilshoven.

Our cabin on board was a category B Cello Deck cabin, 170 square feet with a French “balcony.” It was clean and spacious, with in-room complimentary entertainment offerings on the multifunction TV system (complimentary WiFi is available in the lounges, which is very efficient).

The beds were very comfortable and with the two sitting chairs, the cabin becomes a great place to watch the river go by. The bathroom was small but very functional with preference given to the space for the shower, with a multi functioning showerhead system over excess space around the sink. There was ample space in the cabin to completely unpack with suitcase storage both in the closet and under the beds.

The food service on board was exceptional – top quality, fresh products prepared regionally depending on your river stop, with quality and selection equivalent the best on the water. The friendly and energetic wait staff was always attentive to your every need.

From bow to stern, the Amadolce is all about professional ser vice and ambiance. Smiles prevail everywhere.

What can I say, other than it’s great to be back on the river?

October 2011

Travel Agent Professional

8

Don’t Leave Home B y

Without Them

S h e r r y

Most of us learn the hard way about what

L a s k i n ,

happens if we don‘t pack a certain little item for our next tri...and still, we end up forgetting it the next time.

Become a hero to your clients by suggesting these somewhat out of the ordinary yet essential items to take along.

A C C Sherry Laskin Travel Writer/NACTA Webinar Moderator www.cruisemaven.com

1.

A flashlight. This seems obvious at first - it’s for when the lights go out. But what about if there’s a fire (not raging out of control of course but escapable)? When keeping low and crawling to the nearest door, it would be nice to have a flashlight. It’s also useful when you find yourself looking behind furniture for that earring that fell. I never travel without one.

2.

Cute little foam earplugs. Yes, they work. Whether your roommate is a snorer or

your neighbors are tossing about all night or even if you’re plagued by a drippy shower, these things really muffle the sounds.

3.

Zip-lock bags. A zillion uses are possible; for packing a piece of fruit for your day trip/shore excursion, safe storage for that gorgeous new silk scarf, accumulation of bar coasters (so you can remember what beer you tried) and business cards, those pesky little amenity bottles, shells collected at that remote beach. You just never know. (continued on page 10)

October 2011

Showcase

EST Signs on Several NEW Preferred Suppliers — Expanded Leisure Offerings Help Home-Based Agents Increase Sales Revenues — The Network of Entrepreneurs Selling Travel (NEST) recently established relationships with several new preferred suppliers, providing the organization’s home-based travel agents with additional product offerings to ensure their clients’ leisure travel needs are always met with innovative solutions at the most competitive prices.

"Our new supplier partnerships are in direct response to our agents’ marketing needs,” said Nicole Mazza, Chief Marketing Officer for NEST. “These trusted names in travel give our home-based NEST agents added opportunities to increase sales and strengthen relationships with their leisure clientele.”

NEST has signed on the following new preferred suppliers: • Anderson Vacations is a leading wholesaler and tour operator offering FIT and fully escorted tours to the South Pacific, Australia, New Zealand, the U.S. and Canada. The company customizes journeys for all types of budgets, and provides a fullservice groups and air department.

Corey Marshall, President/CEO of Anderson Vacations commented about their new alliance: “We at Anderson Vacations believe that our strategic partnership with NEST will allow us each to create more business opportunities for one another.

Their agents are among the best in the business, and we’re combining their network with our highly service-based, specialist knowledge wholesale team selling Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific islands.”

• MLT Vacations is one of the industry’s largest providers of customized vacation packages.

Hundreds of best value trips to the world’s most beloved leisure destinations are available through its multiple vacation package brands including Delta Vacations®, Continental Airlines Vacations®, United Vacations®, and Worry-Free Vacations®.

Terry Morrison, VP of Sales, MLT Vacations, said: “Since the launch of our partnership with NEST, we have experienced first hand the power of their organization. We knew that NEST had the best home-based travel professionals of any organization-that is why we felt so strongly about working together. We are excited to see the results of our relationship and look forward to continued growth in 2012."

• Rocky Mountaineer offers vacation packages to the most unique regions of Canada, including the world-acclaimed Rocky Mountaineer two-day, all daylight rail journey between Canada’s West and the Canadian Rockies.

From mid-April to mid-October, there are more than 70 vacation packages available ranging from two to sixteen days.

• One of the industry’s premiere safari operators, African Travel has been providing travelers with customized safaris for the past 34 years.

Their luxury collection itineraries highlight food and wine, golf, spa, family activities, anniversaries and honeymoons, art, history and culture.

• The culinary travel company Tour de Forks provides “uncommon epicurean adventures” that allow travelers to discover a destination, its history, its culture and its people through its cuisine. Products include a selection of small escorted group tours, easy-to-sell packages and unique cooking school programs. Food-focused destinations include: France, Italy, Spain, South America, South Africa, Turkey, and the U.S. • Wendy Wu Tours specializes in fully inclusive group travel lasting from 9-28 days to the exotic locations of: China, Mongolia, Vietnam, India, Central Asia, Nepal, Bhutan, Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand. The operator provides travelers with the “must see” attractions in each country, and offers innovative programs to previously unreachable areas via itineraries like its Silk Road, "Dreams" and Himalayan trips.

• For travelers yearning to get off the beaten path, Intrepid Travel opens up a whole new world of adventure travel. The tour operator specializes in intimate, small group travel experiences averaging just 10 people per trip. Over 300 trips make up the Intrepid repertoire, including itineraries in Europe, Asia, Africa, Latin America, North America, The Middle East and Australasia.

On behalf of all of its agencies, NEST has negotiated special packages and commissions with these new preferred suppliers.

To learn more about joining NEST, home-based agents can visit www.jointhenest.com or contact Rosemary Sarkis at 888-245-NEST x3007.

Travel Agent Professional

10 4.

Thermos bottle. Don’t go on a trip without one. But you’re going on a cruise, you say? I don’t know about you, however after a few days at sea, I easily tire of having room service deliver my coffee and danish. I don’t put out the hang-tag on the doorknob because it never fails that if I request an early coffee, I will have had trouble falling asleep and would rather sleep late. Or vice versa; I wake up early and have to wait until it arrives.

With my own thermos, here’s what I do: making sure it’s clean, of course, I fill it up at the 24/hour coffee stand just before I retire. In consideration of others, I use one of the ship’s coffee cups to fill my thermos with the near-boiling hot water or coffee. Quickly, I put on the cap and head back to my room. Oh…I bring back a cookie, too. In the morning, at my leisure, I uncap my thermos and pour the still-hot coffee or water into a coffee cup.

Starbuck’s Via instant coffee packets are perfect for adding to the hot water. I keep a carton of milk in the refrigerator and have sugar packets and stirrers. This way, I can enjoy a steamy cup of coffee when I want it, usually within seconds of when my feet touch the ground. Also, bring a nice covered coffee mug, too. But remember, don’t fill any containers directly from the public spouts. It’s just not sanitary. It’s so nice to walk around the deck, not spill your coffee and have those “ahhhh” moments to savor.

5.

Electric power strip. First, make sure that the ship allows this in your cabin. If they do, never leave it unattended and unplug it when not in use. Make sure it has an automatic reset switch.

Fire is the worst hazard aboard a ship.

That said, if you have a lot of equipment that you absolutely must lug around with you, you know it’s impossible to recharge everything at the same time with one, maybe two outlets. The power strip is great because you can recharge your laptop, iPhone , camera batter y and Bluetooth earpiece all at once. Start charging when you return to your room and by the time you’ve unpacked your souvenirs, relaxed for a half hour, showered and dressed for dinner, everything will be ready to go.

Conversely, if the idea of a power strip is either too cumbersome to pack or just in case it’s not

allowed, bring a couple of European converters instead. They’re much lighter and compact. You might be able to plug in three or four electronic pieces, especially if you are on a cruise ship from North America. (Expect to plug in less on European river ships, since they usually have only two, 220-voltage outlets.

6.

Bubble wrap. Huh? OK…so tell me how you manage to bring home those ultra-breakables? Or what if you must mail some of your things home along the way? You can layer the bubble wrap in between your clothes (helps prevent wrinkles, too) and then use as needed. When I’m on a river cruise in Europe, I always end up shipping clothes and souvenirs home. And without (continued on page 12)

October 2011

Showcase

Sabre to Launch World's First B2B App Centre for Travel Industry Sabre Red App Centre to Create a World of Possibilities for Travel Professionals Sabre Travel Network announced today that it is building the world's first B2B application store for the travel industry. Scheduled to open in the coming months, the Sabre Red App Centre will be the first online marketplace to connect travel buyers, including travel agencies, travel management companies and leisure operators, with third party developers.

Sabre Travel Network is a global travel technology company, delivering innovative solutions that make it easy for travel buyers to shop, book and manage travel, and allow travel suppliers to effectively reach buyers through Sabre's global distribution system (GDS).

"The Sabre Red App Centre will open up a new world of possibilities for the travel industry and bring endless opportunities for creative and original applications to be brought to the market quickly," said Greg Webb, president of Sabre Travel Network. "Our agency customers will be able to improve their business and deliver enhanced services for travelers by tapping into the collective creativity of Red App developers from all over the world."

The Red App Centre will include Sabre-certified Red Apps built by third party developers, travel buyers and Sabre. The Red App Centre will connect to the Sabre Red Workspace, launched last year for travel agents to book and manage business and leisure travel. As a result, travel buyers will be able to

easily shop for a wide range of applications that best meet their needs and then quickly deploy those applications down to the individual user.

The selected Red Apps become part of the agent's workspace, leveraging the administrative controls and plugin capabilities of the Eclipse Rich Client Platform, upon which the Red Workspace is built.

In addition to developing new Red Apps, developers will realize new sales opportunities by converting existing applications to

Red Apps that will plug seamlessly into the Red Workspace. At launch, developers will be able to tap into more than 155,000 Sabre Red Workspace users in more than 116 countries.

Developers will use the Sabre Red App Developer Toolkit to create the Red Apps, and in the fourth quarter, Sabre will host a 'Developer Challenge' for developers around the world to compete to build the most innovative, break-through Red Apps.

Sabre Launches Deals + Extras Search Capability in AgentStream Community Agents Offered Free Access to Tool Featuring Expert Reviews and Social Sharing via Twitter & Facebook Sabre Travel Network, a global technology company serving travel suppliers and agencies, today launched AgentStream Deals + Extras, offering travel agents free access to a new search tool featuring thousands of Sabre Travel Deals and Sabre Travel Extras. Through an easy-to-use graphical interface, agents can search for hotel deals bookable by Sabre Red Workspace users, as well as other agentspecific offers and unique in-destination activities and tours.

With AgentStream Deals + Extras, agents can sort deals by popularity based on ratings shared by other agent experts or post their own reviews based on past experience. They can also save their favorites to a personalized trip folder, and share with clients via a customizable PDF brochure or HTML email, as well as through social media sites including Twitter & Facebook.

This new tool is the latest addition to AgentStream, the industry’s largest travel agent community with more than 5,000 active travel agent members from 122 countries worldwide.

Travel buyers and developers can learn more at SabreRedAppCentre.com.

Travel Agent Professional

12 bubble wrap, I used to worry about something breaking in transit.

If you need to know the ins and outs of shipping from Europe, let me know. I’ve done that in a half-dozen cities, while on both river and ocean cruises.

7.

Suction hooks. Goofy little gizmos that are so incredibly handy. Just stick them on the bathroom walls and voila! Instant storage hooks. Depending upon the interior of your room, you can use these for caps, scarfs, light jackets, etc. Most ships only have two or three hooks, usually on the inside of the bathroom door. Hotels never seem to have any hooks at all.

8.

EXTRA AA/AAA batteries. This is so obvious, but so easy to overlook. Not everything is rechargeable. I also suggest bringing a spare camera battery, too.

10.

Extra SD cards and at least an 8

GB flash drive. I could write a book about this idea. In many countries, it’s nearly impossible to find a brand name SD card. I once bought an unpronounceable named SD card solely out of desperation. The next day it “blew up’ in my camera and I lost four days’ worth of photos, including an entire ship tour.

Which brings me to my next must-do: every night, back up your photos in at least one other place. I learned the hard way…the one night that I didn’t download, the next day was when the SD card crashed. Now I back up onto a flash drive and transfer all the photos to my laptop EVERY

9.

Portable battery charger for your iPhone. There are several of these on the market…and I never travel without one. The two that I am familiar with are Mophie and Beam Box Power Pack. Both will allow you to get an additional five to seven hours of use (depending on what you are doing – video burns up juice like crazy.) Just charge it up and snap it onto your iPhone like a protective case. When you get the dreaded “10% power remaining” message, simply flick the switch and it will recharge your phone.

NIGHT. The photos remain on the flash drive until I get home. Bring a small case to keep all of the flash drives and SD cards. Or a small Zip-Lock bag.

Don’t forget to suggest small packets of clothes detergent (Tide and Woolite make small packets but be sure to put them into a Zip-Lock bag!). Your clients will thank you for it.

October 2011

Showcase

Amadeus Improves Access To a Further nine Low-Cost & Hybrid Carriers in 2011 ·

Low-cost carrier bookings through the Amadeus system have increased by 21% in the first half of 2011 Amadeus now distributes the content of approximately 70 low-cost carriers

Amadeus, a leading travel technology partner and transaction processor for the global travel and tourism industry, announced today nine distribution agreements implemented in 2011 with lowcost and hybrid carriers that improve travel agents’ access to the inventory, schedules and fares of the over 74 million seats sold annually by these nine airlines.

Amadeus has signed distribution agreements with Air Arabia (Maroc), Air Méditerranée, flydubai, Porter Airlines and Vision Airlines. These airlines will now be bookable by travel agencies using the Amadeus system.

Porter Airlines has also signed a full content agreement along with Frontier Airlines, another North American carrier. In Europe, airberlin, Germany's second-largest airline, and Norwegian Air Shuttle, a Scandinavian low-cost carrier, have extended their relationship with Amadeus and renewed their existing content agreements.

“We are committed to bringing and guaranteeing Amadeus’ travel agents worldwide access to the most comprehensive range of fares, schedules and inventory,” said David Doctor, Director Airline and Travel Agency Distribution, Amadeus. “Furthermore, airlines on the Amadeus system can improve margins by targeting high-

er yield business passengers and extending their reach into new segments - many low-cost carriers start distributing to travel agencies to pursue revenue growth.”

Two thirds of the international bookings of airlines on the Amadeus system are made by travel agencies and on average the yield per net booking is 66% higher in the travel agency channel than it is in the airline website.

Earlier this year, Amadeus also implemented a solution that enables Germanwings to deploy e-ticketing services to travel agencies but without adding complexity to its operations. All travel agencies using Amadeus can now make bookings, issue tickets and carry out post-sales trip changes for Germanwings flights. The booking and ticketing process is seamlessly integrated into the travel agent’s workflow and mid and back-office systems.

“The easier it is for a travel agent to access a low-cost carrier’s content the higher booking volumes that LCC will attain,” Doctor said.

Total bookings on low-cost carriers by travel agencies using Amadeus in the first half of 2011 increased by 21% compared with the first half of 2010. Approximately 70 low-cost carriers are now bookable within the Amadeus system, including AirAsia, easyJet, Virgin America and WestJet.

Notes to the editors:

Amadeus is a leading transaction processor and provider of advanced technology solutions for the global travel and tourism industry.

Customer groups include travel providers (e.g. airlines, hotels, rail, ferries, etc.), travel sellers (travel agencies and websites), and travel buyers (corporations and individual travellers).

The group operates a transaction-based business model and processed 850 million billable travel transactions in 2010.

Amadeus has central sites in Madrid (corporate headquarters and marketing), Nice (development) and Erding (Operations – data processing centre) and regional offices in Miami, Buenos Aires, Bangkok and Dubai. At a market level, Amadeus maintains customer operations through 73 local Amadeus Commercial Organisations covering 195 countries.

Amadeus is listed on the Madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao and Valencia stock exchanges and trades under the symbol “AMS.MC”. For the year ended 31 December 2010, the company reported revenues of EUR 2,683 million and EBITDA of EUR 1,015 million. The Amadeus group employs nearly 10,000 employees worldwide, with 123 nationalities represented at the central offices.

To find out more about Amadeus please go to www.amadeus.com To visit the Amadeus Investor Relations centre please go to www.investors.amadeus.com

Travel Agent Professional

14

See things not as they are

By Scott

But as they could be!

Koepf

I

recently saw a production of “The Man of La Mancha” and not only was it a fabulous show but I realized there were exceptional lessons that can be learned from the story. Now if you are not a musical theatre fan and tend to the more intellectual pursuits then ignore my first sentence and replace it with — I was recently reading the most famous novel from the Spanish author Cervantes and realized…So if you are right or left brain leaning I should have you!

Scott Koepf Vice President of Sales Avoya Travel/American Express www.JoinAvoya.com

The story is about Cervantes being in jail and pleading for his very life. However right from the beginning he knew that he could not make his case by presenting facts and figures but instead needed to create a story. So he sings “I am I, Don Quiote, the Man of La Mancha……”

the Man of La Mancha....

As he sings he pulls in his jury to actually be stars of the tale he begins to weave. No longer are they listening to information but instead are drawn in to the emotions of the characters and begin to experience, not just observe, the story.

Herein is one of the best examples of what a true travel professional can and should do. Years ago travel agents could make a living by dispensing data that they had the exclusive access to. Today, the consumer can get all the information they could ever want and more. What they need is someone to create a compelling story! (continued on page 16)

October 2011

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16 You can learn from Cervantes to begin to paint the picture of an extraordinary vacation by pulling your clients and yourself into the story. Now I do not mean that you need to describe yourself sitting on the beach with them as that is a bit creepy. However, so often I hear agents wax eloquently about the product or destination and they are not even a part of the story at all. Even if your role is only as storyteller you must be so much a part of the yarn that the customer can’t tell it without you being prominently featured!

Product knowledge is only as valuable as what you do with it and simply dispensing it no longer has value. Get to know your customers so you can craft the story that will excite them and they can see themselves in. If they love food then feature scrumptious meals, if they like water sports then take them for a swim and if you are not sure then go back and ask more questions so you can connect emotionally with them.

I actually tugged on my wife’s sleeve to give me a pen during the show so I could write down the line that really resonated with me.

“Facts are the enemy of truth!”

Brilliant! At first it sounds contradictory but when you understand that people do not take vacations because of the gross registered tons of a ship or the square footage of a room or even the price of the trip. They take a vacation to fulfill a specific emotional need. Your job is to determine that need and then build the story just for them, not just give facts. Remember facts tell but stories sell!

This is a radical approach to selling and I know it

is not easy. No doubt you are thinking of various customers of yours and how they might react to this. The two extremes of clients are both characters in the story of the Man of La Mancha. First there is Sancho. He is like your best clients who trust your every word and wait with utter anticipation for each chapter of your tale. When asked why he was attracted to the Man of La Mancha and followed him he sang:

“I like him, I really like him…”

Pretty simple but at the root of all of this is that when you tell the story and you are a part of it then clients can get to know you and they will like you! However, on the other end of the spectrum are those who will not warm up to you or your story. They may question your motives, be rude and want to cut to the last page before you even start the prologue. In Cervante’s story that client is represented by Aldonza, a fairly unsavory character who is bitter and not ready to embrace a happy story. But as the Man of La Mancha always did, he saw not what was but what could be. So he changed her name and treated her like a queen:

“Dulcinea, Dulcinea, I see heaven when I see you Dulcinea…”

She fought being enchanted by the story but with time she too saw the beauty of it and was swept away. I don’t necessarily suggest changing the names of your resistant clients but I do recommend looking for the best in them, turn their focus to the story and you will have them falling in love with you in no time!

October 2011

Leisure Pops: Your Ultimate Assistant Leisure Pops sits quietly on your desktop and waits for an opportunity to help you. It can save you time and keystrokes, or remind you of preferred-supplier offers, or notify you when there is an opportunity to sell add on products like show tickets or travel insurance, or automatically log your qualified bookings into contest sites like Win With Amex, or Las Vegas Agent Rewards.

With Leisure Pops you "Pick your Pops": meaning tyou turn on the Pop Campaigns they choose and get only those Pops when pertinent.

With Leisure Pops you will never get a Pop that you have not asked for!

Leisure Pops "electronically taps you on the shoulder" at just the right time for your product offerings. Sell more add on products and have access to your specials at just the right time when they can help you.

Leisure Pops saves you time and makes bookings extremely efficient by moving data for you. One click takes you to the chosen site, automatically logs you in, shops the site, and even moves data (client data into and reservation details back) making the reservation process fast and easy.

Leisure Pops helps you make more money as you will sell more preferred suppliers, more add on products and can easily and automatically participate in reward programs.

Everyone wins with Leisure Pops: Agents better service clients and make more money; Agencies and consortia get more preferred bookings, Suppliers get more sales from preferred agents, and perhaps best of the all the consumer's interests are best served developing long term consumer - agent relationships..

To learn more visit leisurepops.com

18 B y P a u l l T i c k n e r

Saints & Singers

One

of the mistakes many travel planners make with UK cathedral based tours is that they tend to pack far too much into too short a timeframe. This often results in huge distances being covered with more time on the bus than in the attractions they so wanted to see. This is good news for the coach operator but hopeless for your customers who will have flown between 3-6,000 miles for a trip that could have been better paced and then packed with interesting things to see and do.

My suggestion is to plan something that travels less, so that the church choir/congregation can see a whole lot more. With fewer hours on the bus, your clients will be able to switch the emphasis from travelling, to doing and experiencing more of what our country has to offer.

If you check some of the cathedral websites, you will be amazed at the extent and variety of what they have to offer and then begin to wonder why so little of it is ever included in a tour itinerary. Because you have to keep up with the schedule, most of this wonderful ‘stuff’ is completely ignored.

At this point, I’d like you to get hold of a good map of the UK and to start plotting on it the cathedral (continued on page 20) cities I’m going to take you to.

Paull Tickner, creator of Special Interest Britain, is affiliated with the Greatdays Travel Group. For over 30 years, he has been developing and operating customized niche travel programs for the United Kingdom and Ireland. For more information, visit his Web site at www.greatdays.co.uk and E-mail him at pjtickner@yahoo.co.uk

October 2011

20 Assuming a LHR/LGW arrival/departure, consider a routing which over an 8 night period starts with a visit to Southwark Cathedral and a tour of the area that was the theatre, bull baiting and red light district in Shakespeare’s time. Then follow a trail that fairly closely parallels the route taken by Chaucer’s Pilgrims through Rochester, where Charles Dickens lived for much of his life, to the cathedral city of Canterbury.

Time it so that you’re in there on Sunday for either Choral Matins or Choral Eucharist in the Mother Church of the Anglican Communion.

In the south of England your cathedral tour should be centred on Chichester, famous for its contemporary art collections, Winchester where their Medieval Times tour includes a viewing of the 12th century Winchester Bible and Salisbury where you can listen to the choir in rehearsal before Choral Evensong. And then, before reaching London, you can add in HMS Victory in Portsmouth, Jane Austen’s House at Chawton, Downton Abbey aka Highclere Castle, Old Sarum and Stonehenge.

Continuing further westwards and into the Land of Living Legends your itinerary should include a tour of the underground passages in Exeter and then after Choral Evensong, a private evening tour of the cathedral plus a visit to the treasure filled Library. The Truro Cathedral visit can be given a Victorian Gothic twist. Also included in this West Country programme will be the Pilgrim Fathers, tales of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, a Birthplace of America tour of Bristol, a

couple of Cornish Cream Teas and at least one Somerset Cider tasting.

Moving up country, you can devise a shorter tour centred on Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford and a visit to the important art collection in their Picture Gallery. The university city is also where the focus begins to sharpen on Alice in Wonderland, C S Lewis, Sir Winston Churchill, and William Shakespeare.

From a base in Stratford upon Avon, Coventry Cathedral is a must see in 2012 as they will be enthusiastically celebrating their 50th anniversary.

Another attractive combination brings together the cathedrals in Gloucester, Worcester and their

October 2011

21 Edmunds. Taking a closer look at this area of England enables you to include John Bunyan’s birthplace, Her Majesty the Queen’s countr y retreat at Sandringham, Jamestown connections at Otley Hall and some renditions of ‘Amazing Grace’ as you travel through Olney, home of its composer, the Reverend John Newton.

love themed tour and Hereford with a private tour of their Chained Library. Make this a two country programme by adding a visit to Llandaff Cathedral, just west of Cardiff, the capital city of Wales. By reducing the mileage, you can build in more time in the Cotswolds, include inspirational Tintern Abbey and feature an evening with a Welsh Male Voice Choir.

In the east of England, another circuit emerges when you link together St Albans, Peterborough (making time to take a tour of the Dean’s private garden), Kings College Cambridge, stunning Ely Cathedral and its Stained Glass Museum, the shrine at Walsingham, Norwich and Bury St

Travel Agent Professional

With one eye still on the map, check out the non-stop flights into Manchester in the north of England from Atlanta, Chicago, Philadelphia, Las Vegas, Orlando, JFK, and Newark. The airside/kerbside service is much faster than London or Gatwick so you’re quickly on your way to see the 12th century castles in North Wales, the Beatles in Liverpool and Beatrix Potter in the Lake District. The overnight accommodations will be in the cathedral cities of Chester, Carlisle, Durham and York, where to be different they have a spectacular Minster.

Looking ahead, why not use the annual Southern Cathedrals Festival (July) or the Three Choirs Festival (August) as the main attraction for a tour.

Later in 2012 and into 2013, the cathedrals in Gloucester, Chester and York will be re-enacting their Mystery Plays, a form of medieval street theatre that was used to teach the Gospel to the largely illiterate populace.

Cathedrals tell the living history of England and as it is often a story we share with you, allow more time for your clients to discover it for themselves.

22

Building Your Reputation in the

By Mitchell

Marketplace

J.

Starbucks, Toyota, Ritz Carlton, State Farm,

Schlesinger

Birds Eye, Apple . . . All of these are extremely well-known brands that, over time, have ingrained the quality, innovation and value of their products and services in the consumer marketplace. This is what developing a brand is all about, and what you have to emulate to establish yourself as a travel selling “brand.�

Mitchell J. Schlesinger Vice President, Sales & Marketing Voyages to Antiquity m.schlesinger@voyagestoantiquity.com

Establishing a strong brand position is crucial in order to: Effectively communicate the value and positioning of your services; Create visibility; Provide sustainable competitive advantages; Generate long-term customer loyalty.

The opportunities in key consumer groups and which products you focus on selling, represents the foundation for how you should develop your brand position.

The premise is based on selling products you will have the most success with based on the demographic profile of the consumer base in your marketplace.

Whatever that product type is will be the foundation of how you build your business, earn your reputation, and establish your brand. (continued on page 24)

October 2011

Showcase

TRAVELSAVER Ireland Agents & Suppliers Gather at Inaugural “Lunch ‘N Learn” TRAVELSAVERS Ireland agents

they come into the office but it did

increased level of business as a

and suppliers gathered for the

take a morning like this for me to

result.”

group’s inaugural “Lunch ‘n Learn”

realise the full potential of what

“The Lunch and Learn session

educational and networking pro-

can be achieved, if we take advan-

was a great success,” said Tony

gramme at the Raddison Blu Royal

tage of the support that TRAVEL-

Bond, Director of Sales, TRAVEL-

Hotel in Dublin on September 15.

SAVERS provide.”

SAVERS. “The presenters were so

Well-attended and held over

Shannon O’Dowd

upbeat and the attendees so

the lunchtime hours, the meeting

of One Stop Touring

enthusiastic about our Cruise into

offered opportunities for TRAVEL-

Savings initiative that everyone

SAVERS Ireland licensees to net-

The Lunch ‘n Learn session

went away feeling very positive.

work with their peers and gather

focused on the ever-growing

We at TRAVELSAVERS will con-

sales-related information from pre-

cruise segment. Sharon Jordan,

tinue to drive business to our

ferred suppliers — without spend-

Business Manager, Uniworld said:

members with other programmes

ing too much of their valuable time

“Uniworld

similar to this one.”

away from their offices. Lasting just

delighted with the opportunity to

Jenny Rafter

three hours, the Lunch ‘n Learn

participate in TRAVELSAVERS’

demonstrates the RCCI

gathering was succinct and packed

first Lunch ‘n Learn in Dublin. It

packing competition

with business-building ideas.

offered us a great platform to dis-

were

absolutely

play our award winning product to

For information about joining

TRAVELSAVERS licensee Edel

TRAVELSAVERS agents and we

TRAVELSAVERS Ireland, agencies

Moore of Maureen Delmar Travel

are confident that we will see an

can call + 353 61 72 0500.

said of the event: "I found it really motivating and thought it was full of helpful hints and tips on generating sales. When I came back to the office I emailed the other staff to make them aware of all of the offers and incentives that are out there at the moment. Then logged onto the extranet and personalised some flyers to send to clients. It's easy to speed read emails when To find out more about how to become part of the TWIN global network, independent travel agencies can visit www.twintravelmanagement.com, email twinsales@travelsavers.com, or call 516-624-0500 x5080.

24 Your brand position will be established and based on two key elements:

1.

Your expertise in the product category you emphasize, whatever it is. If you specialize in selling family vacations, you must be knowledgeable about a broad spectrum of children-friendly experiences, from sun/fun to enriching/fulfilling.

If you primarily promote and sell worldwide destination travel, you must display an expertise in destinations around the world and how customers can best access them. Cruises are better in multi island locales (Greek Isles, Indonesia) and destinations where the primary venues are along the coasts (New Zealand). On the other hand, there are numerous destinations where land tours can provide a more meaningful experience.

2.

SERVICE. It doesn’t matter what you sell, it comes with an expected level of service, which is the foundation of your reputation. And the expectation of service will be commensurate with the amount of money being spent by your clients.

You are in a position that will always be judged after the fact. Was the recommendation of cruise line correct? Did the destination suggested provide the experience clients were seeking? Were the other guests on like me? And most importantly, did my experience represent a strong value based on what I paid?

Once you have established your brand position, the work really begins. Next are multiple steps required for successful communication of the brand position. And as a Home Based agent, this

is more critical because, more than likely, you have “slightly” smaller budgets to promote yourself than the companies I listed at the beginning of the article.

Here are some “musts” to effectively communicate your brand: • The internal delivery must match the external promotion. Whatever you state you offer, you must deliver; • Any employees must reflect the brand. It is YOUR business and reputation and any employees must deliver on this promise. It is also your responsibility to make sure they understand the brand position, what it means and how it must extend to clients and potential clients; (continued on page 26)

October 2011

Showcase The Affluent Traveler magzine Announces $30,000 “Dream Vacation” Contest to the Far East!

Program Expands Agents’ Luxury Repertoire, Helps Them Serve Discerning Market Segment The Affluent Traveler magazine — an award-winning luxury travel publication that provides its worldwide readers with “a guide to the good life” — has announced a spectacular $30,000 “Dream Vacation” contest.

The winner will receive a 7-night stay for two at The Sukhothai Bangkok, a stunning 5-star property that balances legendary Thai hospitality with luxurious accommodations, intuitive service and exquisite amenities. Daily breakfast and a spa treatment for two are included. The lucky winners will fly to their exotic destination via Delta Air Lines in BusinessElite Class. This luxury class of air travel pampers passengers with world-class dining, state-of-the-art entertainment and flat-bed seats on international flights, as well as a streamlined trip with shorter lines, early boarding and priority baggage service. Prior to boarding, passengers also have special access to The Delta Sky Club, a quiet oasis offering rest and relaxation within the bustle of the airport.

To enter the $30,000 “Dream Vacation” contest, simply log onto www.theaffluenttraveler.com/contest and register to win

by December 15, 2011.

The Affluent Traveler magazine is produced by American Marketing Group, Inc., which owns 18 highly successful travel brands around the world. This semi-annual, 200-plus-page magazine is available in 18 countries and is dedicated to affluent travelers. The coffee-table quality publication features lavish photos and enticing descriptions that are used to inspire readers to daydream of new and exotic adventures in the most beautiful and hospitable places around the world.

Each listing provides information about a high-end resort, city hotel, spa, cruise ship, airline or tour operator. In addition, indepth editorial offerings deliver insider perspectives and explore the travel and lifestyle options that most appeal to affluent consumers.

Travel Agent Professional

The Affluent Traveler Collection (owned by American Marketing Group, Inc.) is an elite marketing company targeting the global, upscale luxury market that includes: 1) an exclusive marketing network for luxury travel advisors; 2) an acclaimed consumer travel magazine called The Affluent Traveler that showcases world-class luxury travel experiences and is available at major bookstores, on newsstands and in select airport lounges in 14 countries; and 3) an enriched amenities program that encourages customer loyalty. The Affluent Traveler Collection provides its travel agency members with a range of services from buying power and marketing expertise to technology and training opportunities.

The organization’s select luxury travel suppliers benefit from exposure to a new chain of highly trained sales representatives in key regions around the globe.

For more information about The Affluent Traveler Collection, agencies and suppliers can visit www.theaffluenttraveler.com, email info@theaffluenttraveler.com, or call 877-645-6351.

26

• The brand must be projected in every message you send out and on every “touch point” clients and potential clients come in contact with regarding your agency; Your Web site is the ultimate platform to project your brand. It must be completely obvious by the look and feel of your site that you are the specialist in your selected product range. And this is reflected in the information you provide on the site about your services and those of preferred suppliers. Add links to other destination sites to further educate clients looking to purchase a particular trip. Show pictures (with permission) of clients from recent trips to enhance referrals.

Most will enjoy the 15 minutes of fame!

PR releases sent to local media and all advertising should always reflect the brand — ”Ann Smith Travel, selling groups for 15 years,” or “Exotic Travel, specialists in destinations across the globe”; Be personally visible in your community at events and programs that match your brand position; Make sure all local media in the community are aware of your brand position, so that when they get ready to run a story about that product type

or destination, they contact you for insights, recommendations, quotes etc. You should be proactive and send these media contacts information about popular destinations, trends etc. to give them more ideas for stories.

This discussion of brand establishment and management is important because all consumers are “brand centric” to one degree or another. Think of yourself as a consumer, where you shop consistently, what product “brands” you buy regularly, what companies you are loyal to, and why. It is probably a combination of quality, value and service, which are the same qualities you must project.

Best of all, as consumers age, brand centric loyalty only gets stronger. Once they find a product or service provider they believe in, they stay with it.

For travel this is an enormous opportunity, as seniors travel longer and spend more, so it is crucial you establish brand loyalty while your clients are in their 40’s & 50’s, so that they stay with you in their 60’s and beyond.

Focus on developing and communicating a strong brand position of your agency so that you can reap the rewards of brand centric loyalty in your clients.

October 2011

Auto Europe’s Hotel Division Excellent Hotels™ Announces Exclusive Partnership with Chateaux & Hotels Collection & Exclusive Hotels, Offers Fantastic Savings Auto Europe, a leader in worldwide car rental services, is proud to announce that the latest member of their family of services, Excellent Hotels™, is now the distinct reseller of Chateaux & Hotels Collection and Exclusive Hotels.

This partnership features a network of over 600 unique and prestigious properties with an emphasis on luxury, charm, refinement and character all with a top level of service. Plan your next stay at a charming chateaux or historical building or in the city’s trendiest locations.

To celebrate their new partnership, Excellent Hotels is offering a free one-night stay with a three-night stay at select properties at Exclusive Hotels. Offer is valid for reservations November 1st, 2011 through March 31, 2012 at various locations in Paris and Province, France and central Porto, Portugal. This is the time to visit, whether staying at the designer four-star Elysees Regencia in Paris, just near the Champs-Elysees and Eiffel Tower or at the tranquil five-star L’Hermitage Gantois hotel in Lillle, France.

“We are very proud that Chateau Hotel Collection and Exclusive Hotels selected Auto Europe to distribute their hotels exclusively. The hotels listed are a

fantastic product for customers who are traveling to Europe and want to experience true French and European charm, luxury and gastronomy. Most properties are small, owner managed and offer local culinary experience in a relaxed setting. It is a great addition to our historical car rental product, and our team is highly trained to offer car and hotel packages for the perfect vacation stay.”, states Eric Ledroux, President.

Excellent Hotels offers reservation services at over 35,000 3, 4 & 5 star hotels in 130 countries worldwide. All rates are prepaid in U.S. dollars and are commissionable. Excellent Hotels has call center support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Auto Europe services over 8,000 car rental locations in over 130 countries worldwide. In addition, through their tour division, http://www.FlyInternational.comthey offer scheduled airfare to Europe with over thirty carriers. Their hotel division, Excellent Hotels offers 3, 4 & 5 star worldwide hotels. For additional information regarding their program, contact your local sales representative or Auto Europe at (800) 333-0150.

Visit their web site at http://www.autoeurope.comor http://www.excellenthotels.com

1. 800. 223. 5555 • www. autoeurope. com 39 Commercial St., P.O. Box 7006, Portland, ME 04112

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