Travel Agent Professional July 2016 by Travel Agent Professional

Travel Agent Professional July 2016 Issue 44

Bob Lepisto

How to Be Found & Build Clients By Cindy Bertram

uly

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Expanded Cruise Products By Mitchell J. Schlesinger MJS Consultants

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How to Be Found & Build Clients By Cindy Bertram Cindy's Inside Cruise & Travel Track, LLC

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Cuba By Les-Lee Roland Owner of The Package Deal

Showcase Auto Europe...................................................................24 American Marketing Group .....................................20-23 World Travel Holdings ..................................................26 Trisept Solutions ............................................................27

Ad Index

Cover Photo: SeaDream Yacht Club , Cuba, and Highclere Castle

amadeus..........................................7

HostTravelAgency.com .................15

Auto Europe .................................IFC

RCI ...............................................BC

Britain Greatdays.............................3

TRAVELSAVERS.............................25

Travel Agent Professional

2016

By Paull Tickner

TAP

Brexit A Cloud With A Silver Lining For UK Tourism?

Travel Agent Professional July 2016 Issue 44

Travel Agent Professional 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 Paull Tickner, Creator of Special Interest Britain ptickner@customgb.co.uk www.customgb.co.uk Cindy Bertram, Cindy’s Inside Cruise & Travel Track, LLC cindybert@att.net Mitchell J. Schlesinger President, MJS Consultants mjschlesinger@bellsouth.net Les-Lee Roland Owner of The Package Deal Sue Shapiro, President Shapiro Travel Resources sue.shapiro@gmail.com www.shapirotravelresources.com Rusty Pickett, ECC Shellback Cruises www.shellbackcruises.com Sherry Laskin, ACC Travel Writer/NACTA Webinar Moderator www.cruisemaven.com 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.

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 The opinions expressed in these columns are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Travel Agent Professional.

July 2016

Travel Agent Professional

4 Expanded Cruise Products M i t c h e l l

Resulting In More

J .

Sales & Increased

S c h l e s i n g e r

Commissions During the era I call Phase 1 of modern cruise industry development, 1975-2000, we determined through research that, on the overall, guests were repeating on average every 18-36 months. There were several logical reasons for this frequency;

By Mitchell J. Schlesinger Chief Marketing & Sales Officer, MJS Consultants, mjschlesinger@bellsouth.net

•

Cruising was still relatively new from 1975-90; very Caribbean and Bahamas from Royal, Carnival and Norwegian for departures from Miami and Alaska and Mexican Rivera (plus seasonal Panama Canal) for Holland, Princess and Sitmar on the west coast. Itineraries in Europe and the Med began to expand in the 90s as well.

•

Bigger ships built in the late 80s and 90s were...bigger 1,500-1,800 but not dramatically engag-

•

New mega-ship development with really exciting new enticing onboard features did not begin

•

Royal Viking and Royal Cruise line were both out of business by 1990 which left a void in the

•

With river cruising just starting to develop in the mid-90s, clients relied more on land tours

ing from an onboard standpoint.

until closer to 2000.

worldwide destination niche until Orient Lines started in 1994.

for itineraries to experience destinations up close and personal.

July 2016

Enhance Repeat Cruise Frequency

During the past 15-20 years there have been changes in the industry resulting in dramatic enhancements to cruise ship onboard product offerings and amenities, and itinerary opportunities across the globe that enable travel professionals to entice clients to cruise more often. Here are some feature/benefit marketing messages designed to keep clients coming back:

•

For clients who like to go to Las Vegas for gambling, shows and multiple dining options, 3,000 - 5,000 passenger mega ships offer all of these options PLUS fantastic value since the day of the all-you-can-eat buffet in Las Vegas for $5.95 is definitely over!

•

Clients who enjoy spa retreats will love the spa programs on newer ships, including those with inclusive spa environments where the staterooms on the same deck as the spa, PLUS, exclusive spa restaurants. And the exercise room equipment offerings and classes will meet the needs of those who want to keep up with their work out regimens.

•

Clients looking for itineraries across the globe have options in the ultra-luxury, large ship luxury, deluxe and premium segments offering multiple onboard experiences at a variety of price points. With ships ranging from 400-3,000 guests there are a myriad of opportunities to fulfill clients far flung travel desires.

Travel Agent Professional

•

And speaking of far flung adventures, the industry, more than ever, fulfills the lure for adventure travel. There are more cruises than ever offered to the Antarctic, Galapagos, and Artic. These offerings are traditionally provided by small ship operators and now are also offered by Celebrity, Crystal, Silver Seas and other more mainstream lines.

•

For repeat tour clients looking for those small group “up close and personal” destination experiences, there are more river and coastal ships on more rivers and countries than ever. These itineraries enable guests to immerse themselves into these cities and countries, enjoy indigenous cuisine and mix and mingle with local residents. And again, the value and comfort is far superior versus the on-and-off buses and multiple hotel stays offered by tours where ALL meals are usually not included.

•

And for those clients who have been taking tours for years THERE IS NOT BETTER WAY to see numerous destinations around the world than on a ship. Greece, New Zealand, Australia, South America/Amazon, just to name a few. Cruise-tours in Alaska offer the best of coastal cities and inland scenery. Hawaii by ship, 100 hours in port in 7 days, is far more enjoyable than flying from island to island. Similarly for the south Pacific. PLUS, itinerary variety is enhanced via ship; 7-10 day itineraries in the Baltic provide the opportunity to visit Amsterdam, Copenhagen, 2-3 days in St. Petersburg (with opportunity to flite-see Moscow), Tallinn, Helsinki and Stockholm.

Strategicallyly, cruise lines enhance their product lines to entice their own guests to sail more often. And more than ever these expanded line of products meet more and more of your clients travel desires. This provides you with the opportunity to promote different products which will have clients cruising more frequently. More frequent bookings = more sales = more commissions. And importantly use the feature/benefit approach in your marketing messaging so that your clients understand how and why these cruise products fulfill their travel wants and desires much better than alternatives.

July 2016

8 Brexit — P a u l l T i c k n e r

While clever people way above my pay grade work out the far reaching implications of the ‘earthquake’ caused by the Brexit victory, as far as our hotels, castles, stately homes, gardens, cathedrals, pubs and tea rooms are concerned, the signs are out everywhere to confirm that it’s very much Business As Usual. On Thursday 23rd June, the USD exchange rate was around $1.47. At the time of writing, it has moved in your favour to $1.36 with pundits predicting that it will stay below $1.40 for much of 2016.

By Paull Tickner I’ve been customising UK tours for over 35 years and if you need help in putting these showcase items into a wellconstructed and sensibly priced itinerary, email me at ptickner@customgb.co.uk For more bright ideas, check out my website at www.customgb.co.uk

July 2016

9 A Cloud With A Silver Lining For UK Tourism? This is where the silver lining comes in as enterprising travel agents target their anglophile customers and encourage them to head for the UK this summer. If enough of you get behind the idea, you’ll play an important role in giving our industry a valuable shot in the arm as we in turn give your clients a truly memorable travel experience. To add bubble, fizz and pleasant surprises to their trip and to make their dollars go even further, encourage them to spend less time in London and more time in the countryside where the prices better and where they’ll find we’re celebrating:

• • • • • • •

The Year of the English Garden(https://www.visitbritain.org/year-english-garden-2016) and the 300th the Capability Brown’s Tercentenary Charlotte Bronte’s (https://www.bronte.org.uk/whats-on/news/149/bronte200) 200th anniversary Beatrix Potter’s 150th anniversary (http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/lists/celebrating-beatrix-pottersanniversary-in-the-lake-district) The centenary of Alf Wight aka James Herriot (http://www.hello-yorkshire.co.uk/.../centenary-anniversary-of-famous-veterinary-surgeon-a.), author of ‘All Creatures Great and Small’ The centenary of Roald Dahl (http://www.roalddahl.com/roalddahl100), the creator of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the BFG and Mathilda The 400th anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare (http://shakespeares-england.co.uk/shakespeare-2016) The 950th anniversary of the Battle of Hastings (http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/about-us/searchnews/1066_battle_of_hastings_represented), a living history re-enactment

And don’t forget that Downton Abbey (Highclere Castle) is open until 7th September and the golden age of steam is very much alive with the return of the Flying Scotsman. As the UK extricates itself from the European Union DO NOT lose sight of the fact that all the places your clients want to see are open and ready to give your customers a truly memorable visit the exchange rate is firmly in your favour which means that the UK and Ireland are destinations where you can continue to make very good profits

Travel Agent Professional

10 How to Be Found C i n d y

& Build Clients

B e r t r a m

Building Trust and Elevating the Experience In any sales situation, building that level of trust first is critical. Yes, as travel professionals we do have to “ask for the sale” but that can be handled through the right phasing. In our case, we are also elevating the experiences for our clients, from beginning to end, by eliminating the stress they would go through if they tried to arrange and book

By Cindy Bertram Cindy's Inside Cruise & Travel Track, LLC Regardless of what you sell, one of the ongoing challenges running any business today is first being found. Getting potential clients “in the door” and then turning them into clients who purchase products using our professional services and expertise is the next critical step. In the case of travel agent professionals, once we get that first sale and get the booking in? The next step is getting those clients to come back and continue booking through us. What’s the best way to be found and build your clientele?

everything themselves. Think about a purchase you made yourself. How did you find the business, company or professional in the first place? Was it through a referral, possibly from someone you trust and know who has a good relationship with that business or professional?

Relationship Marketing A key area in being found involves relationship marketing. One of my favorite ways to create future sales goes back to a phase, “build the relationship first, and then the sale will come.” It goes back to getting to know more about a person who could be a potential future client - knowing what they like, what’s important to them, their preferences, their personal style, how they make decisions, priorities, and more.

July 2016

11 Insights from Dean DeLisle, Founder and CEO, Forward Progress Chicago area based company, Forward Progress, headed up by Dean DeLisle, Founder and CEO, has an incredible success when it comes to helping businesses and people connect with leads and closing sales. Dean and his team have helped over 4,000 clients connect with leads (over 25 million) and closing over a billion dollars in sales. But it’s based on helping their clients make the connections that count. I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Dean for a few years and he mentions that online networks are important when building a business, and he’s passionate about helping their clients build a “community.” A “community” is a way to build a longer term resource for potential clients. Getting to know people first, and building those personalized relationships with them is part of what builds social selling. In the travel business, that’s also a good way to think about it — building our own respective “communities” first, and then develop the personalized relationships that can turn into sales, all with that “social selling” element.

Travel Agent Professional

12 SeaDream Yacht Club’s Success — The Little Cruise Line That Could Now celebrating its 15th year anniversary, SeaDream Yacht Club is a wonderful success story and has won numerous awards. When they started in 2001, it perhaps was not the best time to start a new cruise line. They faced some challenges. The terrorist attacks on 9/11 brought travel to a literal standstill. In the cruise industry, cruise lines continued to head into a new direction, building even larger, more massive ships complete with new features, alternative dining venues, lavish spas and diverse entertainment options. So where did SeaDream Yacht Club fit into the picture? SeaDream Yacht Club began with the purchase of two sister yachts, which went through an extensive dry-dock and refit. Re-christened and named SeaDream I and SeaDream II, they accommodated 112 guests, had a 95 person crew and were 4,250 gross registered tons each. With a tagline, “It’s Yachting, Not Cruising,” they provided a more unique, all-inclusive alternative, with a very intimate setting.

July 2016

13 Robert “Bob” Lepisto, President of SeaDream Yacht Club, credits the success to a few key things. He explains, “We sell with passion. Also, ours is a product whose success is really driven by word of mouth. When SeaDream Yacht Club began back in 2001, we had a different vision. We wanted to be a casually different unique private yacht experience, with high end, quality dining and cuisine and impeccable service appealing to like-minded people.” As a result, Bob notes, “Our guests tell us again and again they love the cuisine as well the diverse choices, and being able to make new friends onboard. SeaDream, for instance, has eight massage therapists who can serve a maximum of 56 couples. Our guests can also take advantage of yoga classes and tai chi, and more. Once again, this is where word of mouth has been the most successful way we’ve be able to market ourselves. When you have people who come back and sail with us again and again along with bringing their friends? Yes, it’s their passion that fits in with our selling with passion.”

Focusing on the Uniqueness — More Insights from Bob Lepisto When asked how SeaDream Yacht Club can best be described, Bob explains, “We’re a bit more like a high end boutique hotel, but one that can sail to unique ports. We create our itineraries with our guests in mind — popular ports like Monte Carlo and Mykonos, of course. But the small size of our yachts allows our guests to also visit memorable lesser traveled ports as well.” SeaDream Yacht Club’s clientele is one that has grown more conscious of healthier lifestyles and quality dining. So when it comes to cuisine, this is another area where SeaDream elevates the experience. Bob notes, “We also offer the only ‘raw food’ or ‘living food’ at sea. Our guests have the option of experiencing dishes that are prepared only with organic, raw and vegan ingredients. And none of these are heated above 118 degrees Fahrenheit, by the way. This menu was created in conjunction with the Hippocrates Health Institute. We don’t push it, but we have it all available.” Another part of SeaDream’s unique guest experiences? One of the highlights that occurs during their Caribbean sailings is SeaDream’s Caviar and Champagne Splash ™. Guests can wade out into the water where a surfboard, complete with white linens, festive bubbles, premier caviar, and more is theirs to enjoy. SeaDream also offers Wine Voyages, which offer exclusive, unique wine tastings, wine pairing dinners, and personal winery visits.

Travel Agent Professional

14 Planting the Seeds to Grow the Business When it comes to not just starting but growing a business, which Bob and his team have done at SeaDream over the years, he explains, “You need to plant the seeds. Know when clients want to do something spectacular. For instance, do they have a big milestone coming up? Also, be ready to customize. At SeaDream we’re able to customize in diverse ways — one is offering of full ship charters. Once again, with the SeaDream I and SeaDream II having just 56 staterooms accommodating 112 guests? This provides a great opportunity for travel agents to explore charters and arrange them with us. And we’re an all-inclusive product, which once again is a great selling point.”

Back to the Success – Having Excellent Partners As far as the success that SeaDream Yacht Club has experienced through its fifteen years of existence, Bob mentions that they do a minimum amount of advertising. SeaDream relies on their customers and dedicated travel agents to get the word out. He further notes, “We don’t have to do it all ourselves; we just need to have good partners.” Bob has also found that agents are bringing in an incredible number of their clients who are celebrating milestone events, because people today are now more interested experiences, and not just collecting “things.”

The Many Takeaways It gets back to some key things that Bob Lepisto shared. Find your target audience, get to know them, provide something that will draw them in, and provide that unique experience. With SeaDream Yacht Club, their tagline, “It’s yachting, not cruising,” says it best.

July 2016

16 CUBA L e s - L e e R o l a n d

How much do you really know about Cuba? Well I just returned from the 3rd sailing from Miami to Cuba, on the FATHOM. Will I sell this to my clients — YES. Will I go again — YES. Do I have a better understanding on how and to whom to market this destination — YES. I thought I was already in the know about selling Cuba, when I had booked clients with certain land trips with chartered air. But it is totally different on a cruise. No matter what CNN reports, clients still don’t understand the embargo and how travelling to Cuba works. By Les-Lee Roland Owner of The Package Deal

The problems I had in the past dealing with very reputable companies was securing dates and air, Everything was predicated on the Cuban visa being processed and enough hotel space. Some of these — again — reputable companies would cancel advertised dates, because, as they said it, Cuba couldn’t handle it fast enough. Also, on those tours, the clients had to agree to go to certain places on the itinerary, with minimal free time. Try explaining to a client that US credit cards could not be used, cell phones would not work (except for photos) and they would have to convert their money into Cuban pesos. Plus mandatory insurance must be provided by the Cuban government, along with the visa. Now, FATHOM eliminates a lot of the burden. We can book a cruise the same way we can with any res department. Over the phone or with the online registration, everything is filled in for the cruise line to complete the visa application so the passport is stamped when you enter the country. First the ship. Really great. For us old time agents, it is a former Renaissance ship. Identical to AZAMARA or older OCEANIA ships. And

July 2016

in very good condition. No casino — and we didn’t

painting classes and street photography classes were

miss it at all. Service was incredible — and that’s not

completely filled. After a good showing for the first one,

an exaggeration. Food was exceptionally good. The

attendance increased during the week, due to word or

inventive appetizers and desserts were far better than

mouth. Also large attendance for the Spanish lessons.

on recent sailings on other lines. Now, for Cuba. With over 2 million people in A mastermind has put together the adult activities

Havana alone, Cuba is over 500 years old and is the

onboard. From the first evening when everyone was on

largest island in the Caribbean. It is now on the cur-

the outside decks for the sail away party that included a

rent 7 Wonders of the World destinations. Havana,

scavenger hunt. There were functions going on con-

Cienfuegos, and Santiago are the three ports. The

stantly from having your photo taken and put onto a

rate INCLUDES the tours in each city, walking and

giant US map — So everyone would get to know one

bus tours. All day outings even include the lunches

another faster. Casting a fishing pole into the pool to

and drinks, either in state run restaurants or family

get bottles with written notes inside. The zipline notes

owned paladars.

to start a conversation with a stranger. Write your wishes on windows — the best sail away party ever!

The people to people programs to learn the culture about Cuba included visits to a museum, dancing exhi-

Even the daily programs- all centered around self

bitions, artisans, cigar makers, entertainers, UNESCO

improvement and communication with others. The

World Hertiage Sites, Hemingways’s favorite hotel,

Travel Agent Professional

religious buildings, and a cemetery. Plus the fabulous 1950’s era of cars. We were encouraged to ask questions to talk to people, and find out ourselves about their lives and their living conditions. Nothing was really off limits to us. In fact, when I asked my guide about going to a certain area, he worked it into the tour. Plus he provided tour maps for me to go to places not on the tour. The guides were quite open in their discussions. The government pays for all their health care, and a full education that can include up to 6 years of university. Living in subsidized housing can cost just 2 pesos a month. But their earnings may be just 35 pesos a month. Internet is too expensive for many. The State owns and operates everything, with more private businesses now opening. Yes we saw damage from the many storms and hurricanes. And most buildings need either power washing or paint. But the architecture is still amazing. New construction going on — primarily some very needed updated hotel space. Shopping — well there are plenty of artisans and local painters all selling their works. And a large shopping area near the ship — sort of a big flea market with hundreds of stalls — similar to Nassau’s Straw market. So many of them sold the same style of merchandise — wood carvings, costume jewelry, drums, leather goods. And of course duty free cigars and rum. Everything was so low priced, yet people still did dicker.

July 2016

19 Who to market this to? On our cruise, there were no kids, a couple of college bound guys, and the ages varied for everyone else. Even though I saw passengers with their motorized scooters, please let your clients know about the cobblestone walkways and not easy access into all buildings. Summer sailings are hot — temperature wise. Very hot. There was no worry about mosquitoes. We didn’t go to the beaches, just because we were so busy with everything else. And no political references. Other than the gun museum, where the weapons used by Castro and the others during the revolution were housed. Cuba doesn’t even allow hand guns to be sold. The buses used for the tours were the newest vehicles — provided by China. Comfortable and air conditioned. Compared to the land packages I have sold, the FATHOM is far less in cost. Just slightly more than a Caribbean cruise. And again- the tours are included. The only extra was the evening show at the Tropicana — just like it was back in the 50’s. Everyone loved this

Is this politically correct — only you and your clients can

one optional tour. Again, you can go though the ship or

decide. On our cruise, passengers were from all over the

on your own.

US. I met only a couple of people who were originally from Cuba.

And if you just wanted to get away on your own, it was not discouraged. As long as you check off a couple of para-

When I returned and started contacting my clients,

graphs on the pre boarding papers, it was allowed. And I

someone said she had heard there is nothing to see or

got along quite well on the bicycle cabs or the classic autos.

do there. On the contrary, Cuba is similar to any Caribbean destination. You have the sun and the water,

Stay a couple of days in Havana before setting sail for

music, dancing, culture, and shopping (inexpensive). And

Cienfuegoes. And then on to Santiago — the former

the architecture, forgive the repeat, surpasses other

capital of Cuba, with a magnificent history of its own.

islands. And as everyone is saying- go now before everything changes. It is not a time warp of the 50’s. It was a

I think that each sailing is going to be even better. The

wonderful experience.

FATHOM crew is learning as well, and taking immediate action to make this experience memorable.

Travel Agent Professional

Another destination I just crossed off on my bucket list.

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American Group Recognizes Top Affiliates and Preferred Supplier Partners at Conference Gala American Marketing Group honored top affiliate producers and preferred supplier partners at their Travel Market 2016 Conference at the JW Marriott Desert Springs in Palm Desert, CA this past week. Elite agencies were honored at a private reception and celebrated at the Gala. These agencies earn their status through their dedication and support of our preferred suppliers and programs. The Gala continued with awards to recognize 6 of the organization’s most successful affiliates and 16 top preferred supplier partners in 11 categories for the

United States, Canada and North America overall. The Group introduced a Soaring Eagle and Chairman’s Award for the United States and Canada by segment as follows: TRAVELSAVERS US, TRAVELSAVERS Canada and Network of Entrepreneurs Selling Travel (NEST). The Soaring Eagle award recognizes affiliates with the largest preferred supplier sales growth in 2015. The Chairman’s awards were given to the United States and Canadian affiliates with the highest preferred sales in 2015.

Chairman’s Award:

Soaring Eagle Award:

Preferred Supplier Partnership Awards: United States

Preferred Supplier Partnership Awards: Canada

July 2016

The winners are: Soaring Eagle Award: • Soaring Eagle Award for TRAVELSAVERS US: Peacock Travel Group, Little Rock, Arkansas • Soaring Eagle Award for TRAVELSAVERS CA: The Travel Agent Next Door, Toronto, ON, Canada • Soaring Eagle Award for NEST: Diplomat Travel, Reston, Virginia Chairman’s Award: • Chairman’s Award for TRAVELSAVERS US: Boscov’s Travel, Reading, Pennsylvania • Chairman’s Award for TRAVELSAVERS: CA TTI Travel, Toronto, ON, Canada • Chairman’s Award for NEST: Travel Dreams Unlimited, Manheim, PA Preferred Supplier Partnership Awards recognize the top suppliers for Sales and Services in the United States and Canadian market as well as overall North American Partners of the Year. The winners were selected via survey by American Marketing Group affiliates. Preferred Supplier Partnership Awards: United States • Individual Tour Partner of the Year: Delta Vacations • Insurance Partner of the Year: Allianz • Partner of the Year – Sales and Service: Norwegian Cruise Line • Partner of the Year – Best Educational Program: Marriott International • Chairman’s Award: Travel Impressions Preferred Supplier Partnership Awards: Canada • Canadian Package Partner of the Year: Transat Holidays • Canadian Insurance Partner of the Year: Manulife • Canadian Partner of the Year – Sales and Service: Air Canada Vacations • Canadian Partner of the Year – Best Educational Program: Globus family of brands • Chairman’s Award: Westjet Vacations Preferred Supplier Partnership Awards: North America • Overall Ground Partner of the Year: AVIS • Overall Cruise Partner of the Year: Royal Caribbean International • Overall Specialty Cruise Partner of the Year: Viking Cruises • Overall Air Partner of the Year: Delta Air Lines • Overall Luxury Partner of the Year: Silversea Cruises • Overall Escorted Tour Partner of the Year: Globus family of brands

About American Marketing Group: American Marketing Group, Inc. is the parent company of 18 leading travel brands around the globe, including TRAVELSAVERS, NEST (The Network of Entrepreneurs Selling Travel), The Affluent Traveler Collection, Well-Being Travel, Acclaim Meetings, TRAVELSAVERS Partner Services, TWIN (TRAVELSAVERS Worldwide Independent Network), Travel Market Report, Forte Business Travel Solutions, OnlineXpress, tripXpress, cruiseexpress, travel tix, Travstar Technologies TRAVEL HELPLINE and agent24. Independent travel agencies in 35 countries are part of the organization and generate more than $22 billion in annual travel industry sales.

Travel Agent Professional

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Autism Speaks Gala Silent Auction “Light it Up Blue” Raises a Record $82,000 at Travel Market Conference in Palm Desert American Marketing Group again partnered with its charity of choice, Autism Speaks, the nation’s largest science and advocacy organization, at its Travel Market Conference in Palm Desert, California. The group reached a new fundraising milestone by raising over $82,000 for Autism Speaks. Fund raising efforts at the company’s global Travel Market Conference at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa last week saw travel professionals as well as preferred suppliers and staff participating in several events, including a Walk for Autism around the beautifully landscaped property. Other fund raising events included a demonstration by artist Gregory Adamson who created a painting on-site and that was auctioned off in a live auction. There was so much excitement in the room that two additional paintings were sold during the event as well. Greg is a Californiabased “performance” artist who regularly creates paintings set to music, in front of

an audience at fundraisers, charity events, festivals and conferences. He has received international recognition for his unique work. The Gala on Saturday evening was the final event that had a charitable component. It included a cocktail reception, dinner and dancing, as well as a grand silent auction. “Autism Speaks is thrilled to once again partner with American Marketing Group for their Bi-Annual Travel Conference,” said Christie Godowski, Autism Speaks National Walk Director. “American Marketing Group and its partners have been incredible supporters of Autism Speaks over the past 6 years having raised prior to this conference over $120,000 since the partnership began. Funds raised have been used to provide programs and resources for children and adults on the autism spectrum, at every stage of life.” “The autism cause has always had special meaning for our family, agents, suppliers July 2016

About American Marketing Group: Walk for Autism Group Shot. Painting purchasers: Mr. and Mrs. Tony Fragapane, Voyages Concierge Deluxe Travel, Doug Gollan, Management Board Member Travel Market Report, Jennifer Doncsecz, VIP

and employees. We are proud to partner with Autism Speaks at Travel Market once again and are thankful to everyone who participated in this year’s fundraiser,” said Jim Mazza, Chief Operating Officer, TRAVELSAVERS. “American Marketing Group is proud to raise funds and awareness for those affected by autism spectrum disorders. We are honored and humble that so many of our agents have helped to support this cause – we truly will make a difference in the lives of families affected by autism,” says Nicole Mazza, Chief Marketing Officer, TRAVELSAVERS, NEST and The Affluent Traveler Collection.

American Marketing Group, Inc. is the parent company of 18 leading travel brands around the globe, including TRAVELSAVERS, NEST (The Network of Entrepreneurs Selling Travel), The Affluent Traveler Collection, Well-Being Travel, Acclaim Meetings, TRAVELSAVERS Partner Services, TWIN (TRAVELSAVERS Worldwide Independent Network), Forte Business Travel Solutions, travel tix, Travstar Technologies, cruiseexpress, TRAVEL HELPLINE and agent24. Independent travel agencies in 35 countries are part of the organization and generate more than $22 billion in annual travel industry sales.

About Autism Autism is a general term used to describe a group of complex developmental brain disorders – autism spectrum disorders – caused by a combination of genes and environmental influences. These disorders are characterized, in varying degrees, by communication difficulties, social and behavioral challenges, and repetitive behaviors. An estimated 1 in 68 children in the U.S. is on the autism spectrum.

About Autism Speaks Autism Speaks is the world’s leading autism science and advocacy organization. It is dedicated to funding research into the causes, prevention, treatments and a cure for autism; increasing awareness of autism spectrum disorders; and advocating for the needs of individuals with autism and their families. Autism Speaks was founded in February 2005 by Suzanne and Bob Wright, the grandparents of a child with autism. Since its inception, Autism Speaks has committed more than $570 million to its mission, the majority in science and medical research. On the global front, Autism Speaks has established partnerships in more than 70 countries on five continents to foster international research, services and awareness. To learn more about Autism Speaks, please visit AutismSpeaks.org.

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New Survey Reveals Preferences of North Americans Planning to Travel to Europe New Surve

Auto ofEurSurvey eveals PreEurope ferences of NorReleases th Americans PlanResults ning to Travel to ope Auto Europe Releases Results of Survey

new survey conducted Auto reveal JuneResults 28, 201of 6 -aResults of a new survey conby ducte d byEurope, Auto Eurone ope, of ŽĨ ƚcar ŽŶĞthe ŚĞ Đrental Ăƌ ƌĞŶƚindustry’s Ăů ŝŶĚƵƐƚƌǇ͛first Ɛ ĨŝƌƐaggregators, ƚ aggthat regato r s , re v o v er 4 0 o f o rth A m erican s p lan n g t o v eal that % N m o n ths d o isi t Eur o p e in the nex t 1 2 in over 40% of North Americans planning to visit Europe in the next 12 months do so as part of an annual so as part of an annual trip. These results were gathered to learn more about the travel preferences of trip. These results were gathered to learn more about the travel preferences of North Americans. The survey North Americans. The survey revealed that these travelers will most likely be accompanied by a family revealed will most likely be accompanied by a family member in a group of 2 or 3. mem ber in a gthat roupthese of 2 otravelers r 3. The survey also provided insights into how The survey also provided insights into how European travelers European travelers select their destination. As select their illustrated in the the graph, inAs over 50% o instan illustrate d indestination. ces,graph, in over 50% ons wedestinations re selected because el destinatitravel e oftrav instances, werethselected because the ƚ ƌ Ă ǀ Ğ ů Ğ ƌ Ś Ă Ě ͞ ď Ğ Ğ Ŷ ƚ Ś Ğ ƌ Ğ ď Ğ Ĩ Ž ƌ Ğ ͟ Of ͘ th o se traveler had “been there before.” Of those planning to rent a planning to rent a car while abroad, 57% stated car 57% stated they typically book their car thatwhile they abroad, typically bo ok the ir carthat rental reservreservation ation 2+ months advanceinanadvance d do so and do so because rental 2+ in months b ecause th ey want the be s t p rice and t to relaxed leading up they want the best price and “want͞w toanfeel feel relaxed leading up to their trip.͟ to their trip.”

“We were not surprised to hear that so many of our customers frequent travelers toers Europe,” ͞We were not surprised to hear that so many of our cuare stom ers are frequ ent travel ƚŽ ƵƌŽƉĞsaid ͕͟ saidImad Khalidi, Auto “Our expertise have a smooth ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ƵƌŽmarket /ŵĂEurope’s Ě <ŚĂůŝĚŝ͕ President ƵƚŽ ƵƌŽƉĞ&͛Ɛ CEO. Wƌesident & CE O. ͞KƵƌ Ğin ǆƉĞthe ƌƚŝƐĞEuropean ƉĞĂŶ ŵhelps ĂƌŬĞƚ Śensure ĞůƉƐ ĞŶƐour ƵƌĞ Žclients Ƶƌ clien ts h a v e a s m o o th r ent al ex p eri ence, an d w e go t o grea t len g ths to e n sur e t h at we hav e the t y p es o f rental experience, and we go to great lengths to ensure that we have the types of vehicles they are looking ǀĞŚŝĐůĞƐ ƚŚĞǇ ĂƌĞ ůŽŽŬŝŶŐ ĨŽƌ ĞǀĞŶ ŝŶ ƉĞĂŬ ƚƌĂǀĞů ŵŽŶƚŚƐ͘͟ for even in peak travel months.” Read the full summary of survey results here.

Read the full summary of survey results go to http://www.autoeurope.com/go/european-travel-survey About Auto Europe With over 60 years of experience in the rental car industry, Auto Europe specializes in helping travelers ƚŚĞ ďĞƐAuto ĨŝŶĚAbout ƚ ĐĂƌ ƌEurope ĞŶƚĂů ƌĂƚĞƐ ŝŶ ƵƌŽƉĞ ĂŶĚ ŽƚŚĞƌ ƉŽƉƵůĂƌ ĚĞƐƚŝŶĂƚŝŽŶƐ ĂƌŽƵŶĚ ƚŚĞ ǁŽƌůĚ͘ ƵƚŽ ƵƌŽƉĞ͛Ɛ erstan60 dinyears g o hof of f rthe entinrental g cars car abroindustry, ad paired Auto with their knowl edgeable teinamhelping deeWith p undover e co mplexities oin experience Europe specializes travelers find rental specialists (available 24/7) allows Auto Europe to provide travelers with the highest quality the best car rental rates in Europe and other popular destinations around the world. Auto Europe’s deep service in the industry before, during and after their rental. To find the best rate on a car rental for your the m complexities of grenting knowledgeable team of rental ww.autowith euro their . ore about rentin a car in cars Europabroad e visit wpaired e.com nexunderstanding t trip abroad or tooflearn specialists (available 24/7) allows Auto Europe to provide travelers with the highest quality service in the industry before, during and after their rental. To find the best rate on a car rental for your next trip abroad or to learn more about renting a car in Europe visit www.autoeurope.com.

1 . 8 0 0 . 2 2 3 . 5 5 5 5 • w w w. a u t o e u r o p e . c o m 39 Commercial St., P.O. Box 7006, Portland, ME 04112

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CruiseOne®/Dream Vacations & Founded: JanuaInc.® y 1, 2005 Cruises

Out 2016 Aboard Vista KeSellxe cuti s:National Conference Tolk in, oC-C haCarnival irman and CEO Tolki o-Chairmanand CEO Annual Conference Theme is Believe e Cash,SV P, Techno logy CruiseOne /Dream Vacations and Cruises Inc. , which Da are The 2016 National Conference will inspire & attendees to tion Opera rook s,SV part of World Travel Holdings — the world's largest cruise break mental , models and gain a newfound self-conises I e their Fiorino SV P, /Cru agency and award-winning leisure travel company, have fidence in building relationships and implementing new Do n Gra Ch iefFinan announced that its 2016 National Conference aboard the techniques to grow business. Throughout the week, attenSherota,SV P ,Ho use Brands Carnival Vista, has sold out in record time. The National dees will participate in motivational general sessions, stome r Cameetings Conference will feature the theme BELIEVE and focus on engaging networking Cu events and one-on-one inspiring attendees to evolve their individual agencies James by with suppliers, interactive educational workshops and Cole, Mana gin g Dire WTH ®

introducing new business ideas, new concepts and new

peer-to-peer brainstorming sessions. Attendees will also

ways of promoting the vast array of products sold. be encouraged to connect socially using the hashtag About WorldTravel #BelieveConference. Holdin gs: ld Tra ve gs is th e world “Our award-winning national conference is one of the winn ing leisu vel ompa c becausewith largest in the travel agency industry to take place at sea "We always attend National Conference it givesa por and is one of the most anticipated events of the year,” said us an.opportunity to connect with to other franchises and of In addition ing own some Drew Daly, general manager of network engagement and collaborate on what others are doing to be successful,” ,resort vacations cruis villa performance for CruiseOne / Dream Vacations and said Dream Vacations Franchise Owner Keith Belanger of gs has a vast ld Tra ve po Cruises Inc. “National Conference provides us with the Saco, Maine. “It is also a great opportunity to hear about pa what ships top leis ur/ opportunity to spend one week, interruption-free, engagis going incomprised the industry and withinof the CruiseOne .airline ,lead hotel nd bra s every ing with our network of agents and valued travel suppliers DreamU.S Vacations brand." and partners. The goal this year is for attendees to walk vel company o operates -rated tra away believing in each other, in their customers, in our Use the #BelieveConference hashtag to follow the excitel host ncy, and is country Travel Partners and in the Fort Lauderdale Headquarters ment leading up to the annual CruiseOne / Dream indu wo rk me employme team. We are one team and when working together, we Vacations and Cruises Inc. conference, as well as for includes ra ned and will continue to be a leading team in travel.” updates duringope the week at sea. inthe Un ited ingd K om. Wor For more information on joining these award-winning agencies, Island ,NY, Wilm ington ,Mass.,F Laud please visit www.DreamVacationsFranchise.com to learn more about owning a CruiseOne / Dream Vacations and Chorle ingd om. travel franchise, and visit www.sellcruises.com to learn more about the Cruises Inc. host agency opportunity.

July 2016

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Agency For Major ImmediateHost Release

Endorses Xcelerator to Over 3300 Travel Professionals

Travel Planners International to work with Trisept on platform customization, integration

M M max.

Trisept Solutions, a leading-edge travel technology firm propelling the biggest names in travel, announces that Travel Planners International (TPI) has officially endorsed the company’s Xcelerator product.

Major Host Agency Endorses Xcelerator to Over 3300 Travel Professi

International work“Our withnumber Trisept platform customization, integrat The modernTravel agency Planners operating platform Xceleratorto inteoneon goal is to provide our agents with the grates all the systems leisure travel agents need on a

expertise and resources they need to be successful,”

daily basis, including business management andSolutions, cussaid Jenn Lee, vice president of salestechnology and marketing for MILWAUKEE (June 23, 2016) ʹ Trisept a leading-edge travel firm pro tomer engagement tools, as well as well-established TPI. “The features available on the Xcelerator platform biggest names in travel, announces that Travel Planners International (TPI) has officially en connections to industry-leading suppliers. The platform are invaluable to our travel professionals.” ĐŽŵƉĂŶǇ͛s Xcelerator product. enables agents to organize, automate and synchronize sales, marketing and client services on an easy-to-use

Trisept is directly integrating Xcelerator to TPI Central,

The dashboard. modern agency operating platform Xcelerator all the the hostintegrates agency’s extranet, whichsystems will allow leisure for greatertravel productivity and supplierengagement engagement. Trisept and TPI on a daily basis, including business management and customer tools, as well “Agents serious about building maintaining a suc- suppliers. will also provide training and support to TPI established connections toand industry-leading Theextensive platform enables agents to orga cessful travel business will find that Xcelerator makes agents on the integrated platform. automate and synchronize sales, marketing and client services on an easy-to-use dashboa their job more efficient, their vacation recommenda-

tions more relevant, and their customer and supplier

Clark Reber, director of the independent travel profes-

TPI hosts and provides support to a network of over

TPI agents can sign-up to access the Xcelerator platform

training events and general support.

WayBlazer, which is set to launch later this year.

͞ ŐĞŶƚƐ ƐĞƌŝŽƵƐ ĂďŽƵƚ ďƵŝůĚŝŶŐ ĂŶĚ maintaining a successful travel business will find engagement more effective,” said Lynn Clark, vice pressional channel for Norwegian Cruise Line, said thatthat X makes job more efficient, their vacation recommendations more relevant, and their c identtheir of engagement at Trisept Solutions. “Receiving an “with NCL's dedicated resources focused on the success endorsement from one more of the largest host agencies of independent travel professionalsof and hosts, [they] are at Tri supplier engagement effective͕͟ said Lynn Clark, vice president engagement proves that we are delivering on that value proposithrilled that TPI provides its network with all the tools ^ŽůƵƚŝŽŶƐ͘ ͞ZĞĐĞŝǀŝŶŐ ĂŶ ĞŶĚŽƌƐĞŵĞŶƚ ĨƌŽŵ ŽŶĞ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ůĂƌŐĞƐƚ ŚŽƐƚ ĂŐĞŶĐŝĞƐ ƉƌŽǀĞƐ ƚŚĂƚ ǁ tion.” they need to grow.” ĚĞůŝǀĞƌŝŶŐ ŽŶ ƚŚĂƚ ǀĂůƵĞ ƉƌŽƉŽƐŝƚŝŽŶ͘͟

TPI hosts and to a network over 3300 andhave experienced travel pro 3300 new andprovides experiencedsupport travel professionals. Agents of immediately. Theynew will also access to the platforAgents partner TPI for profit-generating marketing programs,a consumer connect partner with TPIwith for profit-generating marketing prom’s Discover functionality, cognitive search feature opti grams, consumer connect options,events negotiation powered by IBM Watson and technology from negotiation power, training andpower, general support.

͞Our number one goal is to provide our agents with the expertise and resources they need successful͕͟ ƐĂŝĚ :ĞŶŶ >ĞĞ͕ ǀŝĐĞ ƉƌĞƐŝĚĞŶƚ ŽĨ ƐĂůĞƐ ĂŶĚ ŵĂƌŬĞƚŝŶŐ ĨŽƌ dW/͘ ͞The features ava For more information about Xcelerator, visit www.TriseptSolutions.com/ Xcelerator. Xcelerator platform are invaluable to our ƚƌĂǀĞů ƉƌŽĨĞƐƐŝŽŶĂůƐ͘͟ Travel Agent Professional

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July 2016