Travel Agent Professional January 2013 Issue 21
By Rusty Pickett, ECC
www.autoeurope.com
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anuary
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Tomorrow
ByScottKoepf
Carnival: New Itineraries From West Coast BySherryLaskin TravelWriter/NACTAWebinarModerator
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Worldwide Cruise Sales & Client Loyalty ByMitchellJ.Schlesinger VicePresident,Sales&MarketingVoyagestoAntiquity
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Keeping it Fresh RustyPickett,ECC ShellbackCruises
January 2013 Issue 21
By Rusty Pickett, ECC
Showcase Avoya Travel/American Express.....................15 Cruise Holidays.............................................18
Ad Index
Travelsavers ...................................................16
Amadeus ......................................IFC Avoya Travel/American Express.....13 Britain Greatdays .........................IBC HostTravelAgency.com ...................5 Meridian Travel .............................12
Travel Agent Professional
Oasis .............................................11 Royal Caribbean Line....................BC Travelsavers...................................17 Travel Experts, Inc. ..........................7 Voyages to Antiquity .......................3
2013
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VicePresidentofSalesAvoyaTravel/AmericanExpress
Travel Agent Professional January 2013 Issue 21
Travel Agent Professional P.O. Box 120198 Staten Island, NY 10312 E-mail: info@travelagentprofessional.com Phone: 718.360.3153
Joel M. Abels
Legend In the Travel Industry April 1927 to January 2007
Ann M. Hoek Publisher/Creative Design ann@travelagentprofessional.com Bonnie Walling Editor Bonnie@travelagentprofessional.com Alan Cohen Vice President marketing Alan@travelagentprofessional.com
Meet Our Editorial Board Mitchell J. Schlesinger Vice President, Sales & Marketing Voyages to Antiquity www.voyagestoantiquity.com Rusty Pickett, ECC Shellback Cruises www.shellbackcruises.com Les-Lee Roland Owner of The Package Deal
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.
Scott Koepf Vice President of Sales Avoya Travel/ America’s Vacation Center www.joinavoya.com/default.cfm?ref=11583
The Abels also garnered enormous respect – Joel received the Neal Award, called “the Pulitzer Prize of the business press,” for his hard-hitting editorials.
Sherry Laskin, ACC Travel Writer/NACTA Webinar Moderator www.cruisemaven.com
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.
Paull Tickner, Creator of Special Interest Britain pjtickner@yahoo.co.uk www.greatdays.co.uk Sue Shapiro, President Shapiro Travel Resources sue.shapiro@gmail.com www.shapirotravelresources.com
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.
January 2013
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4
Tomorrow
By Scott
Sales is COMPLEX
Koepf
and is WORTHY of serious study if you plan on making a career out of it. There have been innumerous books written on the subject in addition to an unending series of ar ticles about sales by your s tr uly. While there are more techniques and styles than could be ever committed to memor y, there is one common
Scott Koepf VP of Sales Avoya Travel/American Express www.JoinAvoya.com
If you have perused this series of articles for a while you
theme that is consistent.
know that I use musical theatre as my running analogy to
All the sales gur us,
make points about sales that I hope will resonate through
star ting with the great
the power of song. As to my opening paragraph, the one
man we recently lost,
thing that you must have to maximize your success in sales is
Zig Ziglar, always say
without a doubt best embodied by one entire musical, or at
that there is one thing that the best sales people must have. It is far more
least the title character in, Annie. This classic musical is once again on Broadway as a revival and unless you are jaded
impor tant than
beyond repair, you can’t leave this show without feeling
techniques, approaches,
uplifted and happy. Annie epitomizes a positive attitude, the
skill sets or product
not-so-secret, secret to sales success! Simple songs and a
knowledge. Without this
simple story, but the energy of the little orphan is contagious
one thing all the studying
— as all positive outlooks are. I know you have heard it a
and practicing will simply fail.
million times, but this is the anthem of positive attitudes: (continued on page 6)
January 2013
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6 The sun’ll come out tomorrow Bet your bottom dollar... The sun’ll come out tomorrow Bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow There’ll be sun! Just thinkin’ about tomorrow Clears away the cobwebs, and the sorrow ‘Til there’s none! When I’m stuck with a day That’s gray, and lonely, I just stick out my chin and Grin, And Say, Oh! The sun’ll come out tomorrow So ya gotta hang on til tomorrow Come what may Tomorrow! Tomorrow! I love ya Tomorrow! You’re always a day away! My youngest daughter was in about 100 performances of this show, but even though I may have grown a wee weary of the tune, the message never failed to lift me up. So as we embark on the New Year, while I encourage you to study sales through books, tapes and classes, don’t bother unless you can embrace the attitude of Annie. You will experience trials and there will be intense competition. Retail travel sales can be frustrating,
but you are still in a better position than Annie was when she sang “Tomorrow”! If you start to question if this is the right business for you, then move to one of the other uplifting songs in the show, “I Think I’m Gonna Like it Here!” We are in an amazing business and you help people fulfill their dreams, but sometimes we just need to look around again to remind ourselves that we are in the ‘mansions’ of industries with really fun and exciting products to sell. Now I am not going to suggest that you go into each day singing either of these two songs or one of the other attitude lifting anthems from Annie, but if you want to join me in this strange and yet fulfilling habit, feel free! Just remember that a positive attitude with expectations of great outcomes is the first and most important aspect of sales. So even if you lose a sale, have a bad conversation with a difficult client, or get frustrated with the realities of selling travel remember to at least think to yourself: The sun’ll come out tomorrow So ya gotta hang on til tomorrow Come what may Tomorrow! Tomorrow! I love ya Tomorrow! You’re always a day away!
January 2013
Travel Agent Professional
8 Carnival Cruise Lines http://issuu.com/action/page?page=1
B y L a s k i n , A C C
Carnival Cruise Lines will expand capacity on the West Coast with the introduction of year-round three and four-day cruises on the 2,052-passenger Carnival Imagination from Long Beach, Ca, beginning January 26, 2014. The move will bring the total number of Carnival ships operating from Long Beach to three and further solidify the line’s position as Southern California’s largest cruise operator.
S h e r r y
Short cruises from California plus news for Miami and Panama Canal transit
Carnival Imagination will offer three-day cruises to Sherry Laskin Travel Writer/NACTA Webinar Moderator Ensenada, Mexico, departing on Thursdays and four-day www.cruisemaven.com voyages to Catalina Island and Ensenada departing on Sundays. The vessel’s sister ship, Carnival Inspiration, will continue to offer a similar program from Long Beach with three-day cruises departing on Fridays and four-day cruises on Mondays. Additionally, the seven-day Mexican Riviera and 15-day Hawaii programs from Long Beach currently operated by the Carnival Splendor through February 3, 2013 will continue on the Carnival Miracle seasonally from October 2013 through April 2014. Together, these ships will carry approximately 550,000 guests annually from Long Beach – more than any other cruise operator.
January 2013
9 West Coast
Carnival Ecstasy moves to Miami Carnival Ecstasy, currently sailing from Port Canaveral, FL, will reposition to Miami to assume Carnival Imagination’s current three- and four-day Bahamas/western Caribbean itinerary. A sister ship to Carnival Imagination, the Carnival Ecstasy features a number of balcony staterooms, which is a ‘first’ for a Carnival ship operating short cruises from Miami. Carnival Ecstasy’s first voyage from Miami will depart January 10, 2014. Three-day cruises departing Fridays visit Nassau and four-day cruises departing Mondays visit Key West and Cozumel.
Travel Agent Professional
Cruise with the Carnival Imagination from Miami to Los Angeles, Long Beach Cruise Port Prior to the start-up of its new West Coast schedule, Carnival Imagination will offer a 16-day Panama Canal cruise departing Miami January 10, 2014, and arriving Long Beach January 26, 2014. In addition to a spectacular full transit of the Panama Canal, ports of call on this voyage include Grand Cayman, Montego Bay, Cartagena, Punta Arenas, Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas. Source: Carnival Cruise Lines
10 Worldwide Cruise Sales & By
Client
Mitchell J. Schlesinger
Reap the Rewards of Matching Clients to the Right Ships and Experiences
Mitchell J. Schlesinger Vice President, Sales & Marketing Voyages to Antiquity m.schlesinger@voyagestoantiquity.com
All of your clients are important, no matter how much they spend on travel, in terms of repeat business and as or more importantly, referrals to family and friends. It is, however, reasonable to contend that this value is significantly more important the longer, more geographically expansive and expensive the travel purchased.
It
is important to focus on the importance of tailoring travel recommendations based on the demographic and psychographic trends of your clients as they age past 50. This takes advantage of the desire for longer trips and the promotion of worldwide destination travel that results in dramatically higher commissions and stronger profitability. Your “brand” as a travel professional is very much dependent on the reactions to the travel experiences of your clients and their desire to share these experiences with family and friends, and of course recommend your agency to them as. It is therefore critical that when booking worldwide destination cruises, that the clients are matched psychographically to the right ship, onboard product and destination experience.
Not to minimize the importance of profiling all clients for all travel recommendations you make, but there is significant value in the client loyalty of those purchasing very expensive worldwide cruises to destinations across the globe. Admittedly, the reaction of clients to their experience after spending $5-10,000 per person can have a dramatically more impact on your business compared to clients spending $5-900 per person. And these distinctions are very important when discussing and finalizing travel arrangements with clients:
1.
While the “experience is everything”, the perception of what that experience should consist of varies by client. And the totality of the experience, including ship, onboard product, and destination must be explained in detail so
January 2013
OASIS OASIS ((Outside Outside Agent Agent S Sales ales IIntegration ntegration S System) ystem)
ccording to OASIS there are O A S I S also gives you access to its proprietary ten things you need to sucintranets which contain volumes of informaceed in this business. 1). The tion about cruises, hotels, destinations, supplihighest commission split posers, promotions and the latest industry news. It’s easy and the system facilitates booking as sible. 2). tier cruise & land commisexpenditure can For instance, ships must well.inItthe sions. a3).client making automataedsignificant , and clientravel t also Med, larger you a number of diffdock erent in to commrequiring unicate witlonger ted CRM. 5). High level of sup- ways Naples B o a rd centric make marketing . 4). Sophistica h yo u r p eers. excursion The Bulletintransfers an informed experience. shore port. 6). Quick search capabilities. 7). Extra client amenities Forum through Signature Travel Network is a great way to learn to Sorrento and Capri. On the contrary, smaller and return with over 8,000 Signature agents. And, OASISAgent ommunica & special pricing. 8). Personalized branding. 9). Communicaships canallo anchor very close for only group ws its agen te on tion and networking opportunities. 10). The desire to succeed. Facebook ts and BDMto ’s toSorrento, communica a regular basis, along with its yearly Sales Meeting in Las In terms of worldwide destination 20 minute transfers to Capri. This has a significant OA S I S w i l l p r o v i d e yo u w i t h t h e f i r s t 9 ! W hy r e i nve n t cruising, is paramount to discuss the guestsOA S I Simpact ontowhat to as the “effective allows you tap intIo refer wer, in the wheel . OASIS alriteady has it. more than $5 billion in buying potime with ac c ess t o o v er a 1000 g r oup sailings and a 700-plus-member desires and ability to experience the destination by port”. But, it also depends on how important the O A S I S pays all agents 100% commission, and you will make hotel program, both with value-added amenities your clients. virtue theingsize of theitsship amenities of the ship are to your clients, and they land more on each of book because pref and reditinerary cruise andselected. T h e p h ilosophto y at know OASIS is “that supplierCrucial commissions ar e the highest in the industr y – up t o ur suone ccess will is our affect success”, sthe o youother. can elements include: have 30%. O A S I S also helps you grow your bookings with custom- expect one-on-one attention. OASIS has all the things that you • ebsit the es number of ports visited ed to succegood ed. All yexample izable w , direct mail , automa ted email marketing, and a will neAnother ou need is is theAntarctica. desire. Call OALarge SIS todaships y! personaliz ed social media pla m tha t in t eg r a t es with F ac e • the amount of time in port sailing through Antarctic waters cannot land guests begin your future in travel, please contact OASIS at 800-613book. help you keep track of it all, O A S I S provides you with • the in depth nature ashore therefore “sightseeing” is confined to your own branch of Clien tbase.of the shore experiences offered.8380 or visit wwand w.OASISA gent.com.
2.
(continued on page 12)
Travel Agent Professional Consortium & Host Agency Guide 2012
HO HOST ST A AGENCIES GENCIES O OVERVIEW VERVIEW
Loyalty A
11
49
12 what can be seen through binoculars from the railing of the ship. Smaller ships with fewer amenities allow guests to experience Antarctica “up close and personal”. And even mainstream destinations like Alaska can offer dramatically different experiences, between ships carrying 2,500 passengers versus those with only 300 guests.
3.
Passenger mix is important as well. Clients must understand that they could be on a ship with a high percentage of international nationalities. If the cruise line operates fully in English, this may not be a problem. If the line acquiesces to multiple languages, this may make clients uncomfortable.
4.
Luxury clients are interesting. While loyal to luxury lines, they will sail on non luxury products in order to experience a particular destination not available by a luxury line. In that scenario it crucial that the description of the ship and onboard product must be fully explained so that they clearly understand that there are probably no open dining for dinner, no included alcohol, smaller accommodations and a different level of creature comforts.
5.
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And because the “experience is everything”, be sure to study the optional pre & post extensions and shore excursions offered by the lines so that you can counsel clients on their opportunities in each port of call. If the cruise line does not include it, make sure to recommend a pre-cruise stay where the ship departs, otherwise they could miss experiencing some of the most memorable cities in the world. Memories come from experiences in ports, make sure they have a good idea of what each line offers in shore excursions. These distinctions are extremely important to discuss with clients and prepare them properly for their trip. The expectations for “trips of a lifetime” are dramatic, so that after clients have traveled to far reaching destinations, their experiences must match their expectations. The positive result of this can be very rewarding for your agency in terms of referral business, access to more potential clients purchasing high ticket travel, increased commissions and enhanced profitability.
January 2013
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14 Keeping it Fresh By Rusty Pickett, ECC
Rusty Pickett, ECC Shellback Cruises www.shellbackcruises.com
As
I write this, I am finishing up my second adventure on the Allure of the Seas. These (Oasis and Allure) are my favorite RCCL ships by far, simply because there are such a variety of things to do and see. I personally like deck 6 because you are down one deck to the Promenade, on the same deck as the Boardwalk/Aquatheater and Spa, and up two decks to Central Park. Pick you neighborhood, there is always something to see. This last day we decided to take in the Captain’s Corner, where guests can ask the Captain, Hotel Manager, Chief Engineer, and Cruise Director anything that is on their mind. As it is a perfect Royal Caribbean day in
the Caribbean, the discussion was held in the Aquatheater. My experience in the past was that this was a slugfest of stupid questions from those with little if any common sense — the standard cruise director “top ten” list! Today’s questions were well thought out and displayed a sense of knowledge that we have become to expect from our clients as we complete our qualification. They study the documentation/facilities/specifics in some detail and then ask questions that were quite interesting, and in some cases pretty informative! Of particular note were the questions by the first time cruiser. Each one was truly awed by the experience on Allure, and they made the simple yet challenging comment that even sailing Oasis of the Seas would be a step down. I think all of us have had that experience when the second time cruiser comes home and tells us that it wasn’t quite as good as the first time. Our challenges are two-fold: How do we keep ourselves excited about cruising and how do we maintain the excitement of the second time cruiser? The answer to the first problem is simple — go cruising. All of the companies that we sell offer a unique experience that is incomparable. By keeping your experience fresh by cruising, you will keep your enthusiasm invigorated by witnessing the contagious ‘wow’ of the experience for the first time cruiser that you observe throughout the ship, and the simple satisfaction and aura shown by the experienced cruiser. I, at least, come away from a cruise with a fresher mental attitude than if I had just counted on my memories to support my sales enthusiasm. As for the second challenge, the qualification process that we diligently conducted prior to the first cruise, now has a new aspect — avoiding the inevitable let down. The second qualification needs to focus the client on a new excitement that they may have missed on the first go around. Simply being there again will not provide the same satisfaction. Their second trip should have a goal/ intention to focus their enthusiasm. After that, they will truly return for the complete future cruising experience that multiple time cruisers enjoy.
January 2013
Showcase
Avoya Travel/American Express Delivers Successful Innovative National Conference Ground Breaking Annpouncements Made Avoya Travel®/American Express®, one of the leading travel companies in North America and beyond, today announced the success of its recent National Conference, which provided an interactive platform for its elite Network of Independent Agencies and preferred supplier partners. Entitled, The Avoya Advantage™, the conference showcased new exclusive Avoya® opportunities for customers, travel professionals, and preferred suppliers. Held December 2 – 9, 2012, onboard Holland America Line’s Nieuw Amsterdam Caribbean sailing, Avoya (www.JoinAvoya.com) brought together a record number of Independent Agencies and top industry leaders, along with Avoya Executives and Support Staff. All of the attendees celebrated the success of 2012 as well as participated in unique small-group learning sessions, seminars, networking, and more. While onboard, Avoya unveiled several new features to Agent Power™, its proprietary and revolutionary travel agency operating system. It also announced new direct mail marketing campaigns and an all new platform for connecting customers with travel experts that uses Live Leads™ patentpending technology. These new and exclusive Avoya Advantages improve the customer experience by empowering Avoya’s Independent Agencies to work with more customers more efficiently than ever before.
“At Holland America Line where we create once-in-a-lifetime experiences every time, it was an honor to celebrate and share in the achievements and advancements of Avoya Travel and their professional Network of Independent Agencies onboard the Nieuw Amsterdam,” said Mark Kammerer, Senior Vice President, Marketing and Sales, for Holland America Line. “Together with our focus on performance, the already successful partnership will move to greater heights in 2013 and beyond.” During the conference, Avoya recognized the accomplishments of its Network, including special recognition for the record number of top producing ‘Best of the Best’ Independent Agencies, all of which received free shore excursions, the new Google Nexus 7 tablet, and a river cruise in Europe. The 2012 Best of the Best are recognized for their overall excellence in sales and running their Independent Agencies with Integrity and Professionalism™ while delivering
exemplary customer service. Avoya also awarded its Independent Agencies for top sales for each of Avoya’s preferred suppliers. Avoya also announced plans for the Network’s 2013 National Conference. Next year’s event will be held in conjunction with Norwegian Cruise Line’s Breakaway inaugural out of New York City in May 2013. Avoya’s conference will incorporate on-land and at-sea components, and will reveal a new series of announcements and celebrate the continued success of its Independent Agencies and supplier partners. Avoya (www.JoinAvoya.com) has a long-standing reputation in the travel industry for being one of the top-producing and most innovative travel companies worldwide. The company has been a part of the American Express Travel Representative Network for over 20 years and has an elite Network of independently owned and operated travel agencies.
About Avoya Travel/American Express: Avoya Travel® /American Express® (www.JoinAvoya.com) is one of the largest and most awarded travel companies in North America and beyond. As an American Express Travel Representative for more than 20 years, Avoya® is deeply committed to Integrity and Professionalism™, quality service, and success in every aspect of planning vacations and cruises. With hundreds of Independent Agencies in its Network, Avoya provides exclusive discounts, amenities, and first-class customer service to travelers worldwide.
Travelers interested in booking their next vacation should call 800-753-1463 or visit www.AvoyaTravel.com. For customers located in Canada, call 866-935-4051 or visit ca.AvoyaTravel.com. Travel agency owners and professionals interested in growing their business should contact JoinAvoya at 800-521-2597 or visit www.JoinAvoya.com.
Travel Agent Professional
Showcase
TRAVELSAVERS’
Inaurugural Owners Retreat a Success TRAVELSAVERS' recently held its first-ever Canadian Owner’s Retreat at Le Westin Resort & Spa in Mont Tremblant. Attended by 50 agency owners throughout Eastern Canada and several preferred suppliers, the two night educational event was a tremendous success. Similar events will be rolled out in 2013 and will take place in Western Canada and the East and West Coasts of the United States. Following at the heels of its well-received global Travel Market conference in Scottsdale, Arizona earlier this year, the Owner’s Retreat built upon it to create a series of advanced workshops that catered specifically to the Canadian market. Workshop topics, all of which were led by TRAVELSAVERS executives and preferred suppliers, were intentionally developed based upon member feedback, industry forecasts and current travel trends. Topics included best business practices, growth strategies, the latest technology tools, successful marketing tactics, employee compensation plans and agency benchmarking. Workshops were complemented by supplier networking roundtables, sessions with motivational speaker Stuart Cohen and evening entertainment. “The feedback we received from our agency owners was phenomenal,” says Kathryn Mazza-Burney, Executive Vice President of Sales for TRAVELSAVERS. “Attendees felt the material we covered was insightful, helpful for business and inspirational. Plus the camaraderie of working as a team to share ideas was just fantastic!” “The owner’s retreat was such an incredible opportunity to network with not only other business owners, but actual agency owners,” says Laurie Keith, owner of Romantic Planet Vacations. “I got great ideas and inspirations from both the speakers as well as other owners.”
About TRAVELSAVERS Canada Is an international marketing organization including a retail chain of more than 3,265 independently owned travel agencies in nearly 30 countries that generates more than 20 billion dollars annually in travel industry sales. With offices in Vancouver, Toronto and Quebec, TRAVELSAVERS offers a comprehensive range of products and support services to help its independent travel agency members maximize sales through a select group of suppliers – and stand out as travel leaders in their local communities. The marketing company also features a unique exclusive territory system based on populations of 50,000, providing agents with control over client relationships and
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.
January 2013
The TRAVELSAVERS Difference. ÷ Over 40 years of travel industry success ÷ Full staff of personal business consultants ÷ Unique protected territory system ÷ Excellent preferred supplier relationships ÷ Award-winning suite of marketing programs ÷ Social media tools ÷ Powerful technology solutions ÷ Proprietary cruise booking engine ÷ Website and mobile solutions ÷ Meeting and incentive resources ÷ Hotel program with rich amenities ÷ A full suite of corporate travel solutions ÷ Over 19 travel brands servicing you daily
We invite you to learn more about why our HNLUJPLZ HYL JVUÄKLU[ PU ;9(=,3:(=,9: HUK ^OH[ ^L JHU KV MVY `V\ *HSS \Z [VKH`
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Cruise Holidays® Names Top Suppliers of 2012 Cruise & Non-Cruise Line Partners Receive Awards Cruise Holidays International has named three cruise lines and one land vacation supplier as their preferred suppliers of 2012. The awards go to: AmaWaterways (River Cruise Line of the Year), Celebrity Cruises (Premium-Luxury Cruise Line of the Year), Royal Caribbean International (Contemporary Cruise Line of the Year), and Funjet Vacations (Non-Cruise Supplier of the Year). About 200 Cruise Holidays franchise owners from across the United States and Canada voted on their favorite suppliers, vaulting these four highlyrespected companies into the top position for each category. Many franchise owners base their decision for this award on how easily they can do business with each supplier on a dayto-day basis; quality of the product; strong representation by the supplier locally; and other criteria that may be unique to that particular franchise owner. River Cruise Line of the Year AmaWaterways has the distinct privilege of receiving the award for Cruise Holidays’ first-ever River Cruise Line of the Year award. “We added an award category for Best River Cruise Line because of the skyrocketing popularity of river cruising, and to demonstrate the increasing, vital importance that it already plays for our franchise owners and agents,” said Mark Schiffner, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Cruise Holidays. “For AmaWaterways to win this inaugural award from Cruise Holidays shows what a strong supporter of the travel agency community they have been throughout their extraordinary first decade of river cruising.” “The travel agent community has always been an extended part of the AmaWaterways family and we are so touched and honored to receive this important recognition from a distinguished organization like Cruise Holidays,” said AmaWaterways Executive Vice President and Co-Owner Kristin Karst. “We have welcomed onboard countless guests who have booked through Cruise Holidays over the past ten years and look forward to serving many more in the years to come.” Premium-Luxury Cruise Line of the Year The “Solsticizing” of the Celebrity fleet has helped this premium cruise line become an even more attractive product for Cruise Holidays agents to sell. “Beyond the hardware is
an extremely committed team of people, from its executive offices to the Business Development Managers working day in and day out with our agents – and that’s really what this award from Cruise Holidays is all about,” added Schiffner. “All of us at Celebrity Cruises are thrilled and honored with this recognition, which serves as rewarding validation of our devotion to delivering the best premium vacation experience in the industry. We are grateful for the support we receive year-round from the devoted travel partners at Cruise Holidays, and look forward to continuing to enjoy a mutually rewarding relationship in the New Year,” said Dondra Ritzenthaler, Senior Vice President of Sales, Celebrity Cruises. Contemporary Cruise Line of the Year This is the sixth consecutive year that Royal Caribbean International has been named either the best contemporary cruise line or easiest cruise line to work with by Cruise Holidays franchise owners. “With constant changes in our industry, it is a huge testament to Royal Caribbean International that our franchise owners would continue to select them as their favorite Contemporary Cruise Line, year over year. We appreciate their unwavering support and their dedication to the travel agency community,” stated Schiffner. “Just like our franchise owners consider each other to be like family, so it is with Royal Caribbean.” “We are delighted to be recognized as Cruise Holidays’ 2012 Contemporary Cruise Line of the Year,” said Vicki Freed, Senior Vice President of Sales, Trade Support and Services for Royal Caribbean International. “Travel agents are indispensable in our industry and Royal Caribbean’s Loyal to You Always is our continuous commitment to support our valued partners such as Cruise Holidays and help them sell cruises more effectively; increase their profits; and grow their network.” Non-Cruise Supplier of the Year Funjet Vacations came out on top of an impressive list of 33 suppliers, including tour operators, travel insurance providers, ground transportation businesses and shore excursion companies.
January 2013
Welcome to the exciting world of Special Interest Britain, which will help you to identify, develop and convert untapped sources of new business into high yield, customised groups, both large and small. We’re the experts you’ve been looking for if your niche markets include: •
Girls Getaways
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3-6 night itineraries to London, Bath & the Cotswolds; quilting, embroidery and needlework.
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Garden clubs; herb, rose and other specialist societies; Master Gardeners; flower arrangers.
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Regular and specialist bookstores for murder/mystery; friends of libraries; English teachers.
The Performing Arts
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Fund raisers for friends of the theatre, symphony, and opera; Gilbert and Sullivan societies.
The Visual Arts
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Museums and art galleries; watercolour painters; continuing education college.
Christian Heritage
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Episcopal, Baptist, Catholic, Methodist and Presbyterian choirs and congregations.
Family travel
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Tailor made itineraries to London and the countryside.
Pre and post cruise extensions
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Add-ons for Southampton, Dover and Harwich arrivals and departures
Gardens, Stately Homes and Castles Literary Britain
The Great Outdoors
Golf, cycling, walking, steam train enthusiasts. For over 35 years, we’ve been gaining EXPERIENCE through designing and operating often complex tailor made programmes and we have acquired an almost encyclopedic KNOWLEDGE of Britain, both on and off the beaten track. We also have a very long list of UK/Ireland CONNECTIONS who deliver those special touches to your chosen itineraries, and some GREAT RATES thanks to our handling over 80,000 passengers each year. Our tours carry three distinctive hall marks: •
They TRAVEL LESS so that your customers can SEE MORE
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Are often for SMALL GROUPS of 15-20 people
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Are enhanced by memorable VALUE ADDED EXPERIENCES
As everything we do is designed to meet your client’s interests, time frame and budget, let’s start talking about how we can help you to harness the potential from your chosen niche market(s). For further information please email: pjtickner@yahoo.co.uk
Greatdays UK Incoming
where travel agents ALWAYS come first Offices in London and Manchester, Great Britain Tel: +44 161 928 9286 Fax: +44 161 928 9911 www.greatdays.co.uk
Travel Agent Professional
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THE SEA KISSES EVERY SHORE. WE TAKE THE RELATIONSHIP EVEN FURTHER.
The sea is calling. It whispers your name, inviting you to a place more beautiful than anything you’ve seen. Where light dances on the waves, and the gentle sound puts you at ease. Where you can enjoy a piña colada, a massage, ice skating and rock climbing all in one place. Only Royal Caribbean International® delivers the one vacation that’s a full sea of possibilities.
ROYALCARIBBEAN.COM