Travel Agent Professional May 2015

Travel Agent Professional May 2015 Issue 36

Go the Extra Mile —

What We Do Best

By Cindy Bertram

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Oceans of Profits in Worldwide Destination Cruise Sales

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Go the Extra Mile — What We Do Best

By Cindy Bertram Cindy's Inside Cruise & Travel Track, LLC

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Points To Ponder

By Les-Lee Roland Owner of The Package Deal

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New Developments New Opportunities

By Paull Tickner

May 2015 Issue 36

Showcase

Ad Index

TRAVELSAVERS.......................................................15 Alamo Rent A Car ..................................................19 http://issuu.com/action/page?page=10 The Well-Being Travel ............................................20 The Affluent Traveler ..............................................22 Travel MarketPlace ..................................................23

Amadeus .........................................7

HostTravelAgency.com .................11

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

TRAVELSAVERS.............................13

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

Royal Caribbean Line....................BC

Travel Agent Professional

2015

President, MJS Consultants

TAP

By Mitchell J. Schlesinger

Travel Agent Professional May 2015 Issue 36

Joel M. Abels

Legend In the Travel Industry April 1927 to January 2007

Travel Agent Professional P.O. Box 120198 Staten Island, NY 10312 E-mail: info@travelagentprofessional.com Phone: 718.360.3153 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 Rusty Pickett, ECC Shellback Cruises www.shellbackcruises.com Les-Lee Roland Owner of The Package Deal Sherry Laskin, ACC Travel Writer/NACTA Webinar Moderator www.cruisemaven.com Sue Shapiro, President Shapiro Travel Resources sue.shapiro@gmail.com www.shapirotravelresources.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.

May 2015

Issue No. 8 | February 12th 2014

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elcome to a slightly different perspective on your old friend Britain. Since 1980, I’ve been helping travel counsellors to identify, develop and convert untapped sources of new business into imaginative, high yield, customised groups, both large and small.

I’m now applying this to tailor made tours for individuals and families who are flying or cruising in and out of the UK.

Over the period, I’ve gained a great deal of experience, knowledge and many grass root connections who add the bubble, fizz and pleasant surprises to each tailor made tour. Take a leisurely look at the ‘magnificent seven’ listed below and arm yourself with a pen and a piece of paper so that you can note down the contacts you’ll have for most of the niche markets mentioned.

Prioritise them and then email me your thoughts on how you might like to proceed.

Paull Tickner Paull Tickner and Associates Ltd

Girls Getaways London only, London and Batthh, London and tthhe Cotswolds are three options for you to consider. For Quilters, there are programmes for tthhe tthhree major Quilt Shows in England and ttw wo more in Scotland. If Embroidery and Needlework is your niche, my Liverpool (yes Liverpool) and London tour ticks all the boxes. For lady golfers, I can also supply an interesting Cotswold-based Golf, Gardens and Antiques tour that finishes with an international match against a UK team.

Pre and Post Cruise Extensions Let’s talk about London based customised pre and post crruuise extensions that meet your clients time frame, interests and budget. For customers tthhat have been there many times before, find out where they’d really like to go before or after their crruuise and tthhen put my knowledge through its paces.

Family Travel Speed boat rides up tthhe River Thames, side trips to see tthhe making of Harry Potter, living history experiences at our historic castles and palaces, entertaining actor led tours of tthhe Theatre Royal and a performance of Mathilda, family cycle rides through the Royal Parks, a Doctor Who Experience and a ffllight on the London Eye. With tthheir accommodation included, I can customise these and other exciting interactive encounters into a memorable family trip to London.

Up an English Garden Path For Orchid, Herb, Rose and otthher specialist societies, Master Gardeners, Friends of Botanic Gardens/Arboreta and even Flower Arrangers, I can provide a FebrruuarySeptember collection of memorable, value added tours. With demand always outstripping tthhe hotel supply, now is tthhe time to be considering a 2015 Chelsea Flower Show tour (19tthh-23rd May).

Travel Agent Professional

4 Oceans of Profits in M i t c h e l l

Follow the trends and dramatically enhance your profitability

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The cruise industry, via CLIA and individual lines,

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offer travel sellers a myriad of sales, marketing and product training programs designed to enhance professionalism and business skills. By taking advantage of these programs and applying these lessons to your key cruise target markets, you can achieve the goal of selling more cruises, earn higher commissions and do so in a way that is effective, efficient and more profitable.

By Mitchell J. Schlesinger President, MJS Consultants mjschlesinger@bellsouth.net

It is critical that you take advantage of the demographic trends in your cruise market. For instance, one of the most significant demographic trends is the dramatic aging of the population.

Commensurate with this aging phenomena is the psychographic trend of wanting more interesting travel experiences. And these trends present one of the best opportunities to sell more worldwide destination travel:

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The fastest growing segments of the population are Baby Boomers and Seniors/retirees.

Over 40% of the population is over 50, life expectancy is expanding and by 2020 there will be over 70 million Americans over the age of 65.

These 2 segments control more than 70% of consumer spending and have significant amounts of disposable income to spend on travel. They are value conscious, concerned more that the overall content of their purchase is commensurate with the price.

As empty nesters and in many cases DINKS (double income no kids), they are not bound by traditional travel timeframes and in fact can purposely avoid traditionally crowded travel seasons. In fact, these are excellent targets for “off season� spring and fall travel.

May 2015

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Worldwide Destination Cruise Sales

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Psychographically, they are more concerned with experiences that are meaningful, enriching, fulfilling and memorable. Many have already visited core destinations and are ready for new adventures to places like S.E. Asia, South America, Australia, Antarctica and more.

And best of all, they book travel well in advance, are interested in traveling for lengthy periods of time and spend much more than Gen X & Y groups.

The cruise lines have done their part by offering itineraries to all seven continents and by expanding more in depth itineraries in the most popular destinations. An excellent example is the growth of European river cruising which gives clients who have sailed to the Baltic and east and west Mediterranean, the opportunity to immerse themselves into individual countries within these regions.

Your opportunity is to take full advantage of the myriad of worldwide cruise destination products and “manage� the travel experiences of your clients as they get older:

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Recognize the aging trends in your own clientele, and guide them through the selection of longer and more interesting trips as they age.

The main difference between younger baby boomers and seniors/retirees is the length of time they have to travel. Baby Boomers still in the workforce will want to cap travel in the 10-14 day range. Seniors/retirees are prime targets for longer trips, including world cruises. In fact they prefer to be onboard for longer periods of time, so look for cruise lines that offer back-to-back itinerary opportunities with no port duplication.

Access available resources to enhance your own worldwide destination expertise so your clients will recognize this skill when discussing travel alternatives and sending them communication.

Travel Agent Professional

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Most important is the development of marketing materials to entice them to purchase these trips, the detail provided and the questions you “pre-answer”. Be cognizant of the following:

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These target segments are better educated, want extensive detail about trips and are willing to read in depth, so direct mail is still a valuable method of communication.

Key marketing messages must convey: It’s all about the destination experience. You are enticing your clients to travel across the globe to experience a memorable destination.

Value not price Discovery and exploration, not the ordinary Education and fulfillment, not status or hype Action, not passivity

Make sure to plan the distribution of your communication well in advance (8-12 months) of the travel being offered.

And don’t forget that you and your staff will need to provide a very high level of service in response to clients making extremely high ticket purchases.

It is “worth” your while to focus on these trends and become proficient at promoting worldwide destination cruises. You can position the profile of your agency to one that is recognized as the expert in trips of this nature and earning commissions on a steady diet of transactions of $5,000-$20,000 pp. And imagine booking a group of 20 on a world cruise!! You can influence the travel purchased by your clients as they age and in return, be rewarded with dramatically higher commissions and substantially stronger profitability.

May 2015

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Go the Extra Mile —

C i n d y B e r t r a m

How many times have we run into a problem situation that just wasn’t handled well? If you’re like me, I get a bit disappointed thinking, “Is it really worth doing business with this company?” But I want them to know there’s a problem, and immediately reach out, usually via phone call. I do the same when it comes to handling and resolving problems for my clients. And I’ve realized that’s what we really do best as travel professionals — we go the extra mile for our clients.

By Cindy Bertram Cindy's Inside Cruise & Travel Track, LLC

We Don’t Use Toxic Shame I just ran across the term, “toxic shame,” and ironically dealt with it recently. Toxic shame occurs when you’re made to feel bad and guilty, even if you’re not the “bad person.” Think back to when you were young, and maybe treated like the “bad little kid” – where you got the “shame on you, you should have known better” response!

In my case, I ran into this when trying to report a potential “scam” situation that came up. It surfaced through a professional online networking group I’ve belonged to for over ten years. My only avenue to report this was via email. A few days later, one of the representatives responded back, and said they would look into this situation and get back to me. In this email I was also told that I should only accept people that I knew, along with some cut and dried “suggestions.” Yes, they put “toxic shame” on me, but instead I felt they handled this wrong. And they’ve not gotten back to me since then.

I won’t pull out of this particular group, but will be more careful. And I am quietly sharing my experience just to make people aware that there can be potential scams even with higher level online networking groups. I’m dealing with this in a positive way, not a toxic way.

As far as our clients? When an error comes up, what we don’t do is to “point the blame” nor do we create “toxic shame.” Instead we race to get the error solved, keeping our clients’ needs at the top of our list.

May 2015

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What We Do Best Southwest Airlines Changes a Negative into Positive When it comes to flying, we have multiple choices.

In my case, I admit it – I prefer flying on Southwest Airlines, because they do make it a bit more fun, and I’m not just a number. And Southwest Airlines recently changed a somewhat negative situation into a positive one for me.

I was attending a conference in Miami, and opted to fly Southwest Airlines to Fort Lauderdale, rent a car and then drive down. The day I was flying back, I left the conference early, giving myself plenty of time to drive back. Once I got onto the Interstate, however, a traffic accident resulted in two lanes being closed going north. After driving for an hour and a half, I was still a good 15 miles from the airport, and was worried about making my 7:10 pm flight. I called Southwest Airlines and was told it would be best if I purchased a ticket to get on the next flight which wasn’t until 10:15pm. This reservation agent sounded as if I could not go standby, so I paid the additional money ($400) and got confirmed. Including me, there were just 31 people who boarded that flight. I was a bit confused why I couldn’t have tried to go standby, but figured I could call Southwest Airlines to clarify later.

The next day I called Southwest Airlines reservations to find out their rules for flying standby. They said it would be better if I filed a report, either online or mailing a letter to their corporate headquarters. I did both just to cover all the bases.

One of Southwest Airline’s customer service agents contacted me the next week and could not

Travel Agent Professional

have been more helpful. She clarified Southwest Airlines’ standby policy. I could have been put on standby for the 10:15 pm flight back because there was plenty of space. She also did the paperwork needed to get a $400 Southwest Airlines flight credit arranged for me. It would take about 3 weeks for me to receive it, but then I would have $400 to use on a future flight.

A week later, I received a separate email from Southwest Airlines wanting me to call them. This was in response to the separate letter I had mailed them. The customer care agent I spoke with immediately thanked me for calling her and said she was going to put an additional 1000 points into my Rapid Rewards Account. When I mentioned this wasn’t necessary, she said, “Don’t worry – I just put those points in your account.” I told her Southwest Airlines had already taken care of my problem and thanked her. And she thanked me!

My situation was happily resolved and once again Southwest Airlines came through. I felt like they cared about me and went the extra mile.

Mike Julius, Carnival Cruise Lines – “Agents Provide Value” Even though there have been some major changes within the travel industry, the comment, “Travel agents are dead” is really not a reality. The real travel agent professionals today are ones that thrive because they’re the ones who provide extra needed services.

10 where she could go that was local to have some type of vacation and she said the Keys. So I paid for them to stay in a hotel for a week out of my own pocket. I did not want her to lose her vacation time.

Luckily, she had bought insurance and Carnival went well beyond understanding of the missed cruise.

They even contacted me to ask if these clients needed to get to the next port. And Carnival gave her credit for a future cruise, so all was well.”

Deborah went above and beyond, still managed to provide her client with a vacation, and it resulted in many positives.

The “Going Social” Aspects

Mike Julius, Carnival Cruise Lines

Mike Julius, Senior Manager of US Trade Sales for Carnival Cruise Lines, explains, “One of the most important values of being a travel agent is providing above and beyond service to clients. This is something that the Internet simply can’t do and is what ensures the longevity of the travel agent – or as I call it ‘travel expert’ - profession.”

A Go Above and Beyond Example Mike Julius also shared a story from Deborah Fogarty, Be Well Travel. Deborah explained, “I had a client last summer who was so excited to sail on the Carnival Breeze. They had gotten two cabins and she missed her cruise as she had written down the wrong date, even though we had confirmed everything. And all of the other possible Carnival cruises that she could take were sold out that week.” Deborah then mentioned, “I asked her

If we think about how we express our dissatisfaction, today there are multiple avenues. It’s no longer just a “run from the bad experience,” never to return again. Now more than ever, people will openly share their negative experiences online via social media.

But the same holds true with positives. People tend to share those as well. And getting those positive testimonies are valuable, because they’re genuine.

We Can and Do Create the Positives – Why We Excel Going the Extra Mile I think back to numerous times where I’ve gone the extra mile for my clients, and as a result have gained referrals. But like Deborah’s example, as travel agent professionals we want to make sure that our clients can enjoy their vacations, have fun, create life long memories, and return with smiles on their faces. It puts a smile on our faces as well, doesn’t it? And it’s another reason why we continue to thrive - we provide the “above and beyond” service to our clients.

May 2015

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12 Points To Ponder L e s - L e e R o l a n d

When I became a travel agent twenty five years ago, I didn’t work in a travel agency. I was an independent contractor from day one. I literally was self taught. My only travel background was because I owned a public relations company, and one of the clients owned a travel agency in the Detroit area and approached me to help her business.

By Les-Lee Roland Owner of The Package Deal

While visiting her office, I saw a pile of trade magazines sitting on the floor. I asked her if I could take some home to read, and she welcomed it. She said no one was reading them, and she was tired of them piling up until they got thrown in the garbage.

Right next to the pile was another pile.

Brochures! No one had been given the task to file them. And the agents were too busy cleaning their desk space, so they could put on fresh nail polish, and do crossword puzzles. Reading the brochures was obviously not part of their job.

I explained to the owner, that doing a public relations campaign for her business was not to just buy ad space with the local media. It was to set up guidelines and policies for the employees. It was for me to first be the eyes of anyone who walked through the front door.(The employees parked behind the building and walked through the back door). And I was more interested in getting her free publicity, speaking engagements, involvement with local organization, rather than paying for ads.

At first she hesitated, and then she gave in. She wasn’t there to just sign their paychecks. She was not just their friend. She was the boss and everyone who worked was not just an employee, but an outreach

into the community representing her office Now, almost thirty years after our meeting, she has retired and living her bucket list life in Colorado. She was able to sell her office to a longtime employee who understood and witnessed the values and kept them into effect.

In this quarter of a century, I have seen the change in thoughts about travel agencies and the agents.

Before the computers became our number source, it was the agent who was supposed to be the expert on each destination. And where did they get their knowledge? Probably from a fam they took, or a sales call with the rep. In those days, outside agents were looked down upon. The in house agents hated them. They were looked upon as interlopers, earning money but not working as hard as in house people.

Whatever the reasons were, they never made sense.

And believe me, I had my share of conversations with agency owners chastising me on how “we” were giving travel agencies a bad reputation.

May 2015

13 Now, in 2015, every single week, I receive an e-mail from some agency or chain asking me to join forces with them. And I am sure that every reader of this column gets them too.

Commissions have changed from 50% (years ago) to 85% or even 100% in exchange for a sign up fee or monthly fee. So, how do you choose which one to join?

Well, first of all, if you are an outside agent, you don’t have to choose one company. You can choose two if you wish. Loyalty, you ask! The logic is that no one company can ask you to be an independent contractor and limit you to only selling through them. IF you are told you have to sign a contract saying that, you are no longer an IC, you are now an employee. And you are entitled to any benefits given to an inclusive employee.

I haven’t seen any one company that provides the highest commissions paid for each supplier. Yes, some tour operators pay more to one agency than to another. And some agencies are tied to a consortia but not affiliated with another one.

directly, while the other company keeps my identity a secret from the cruise line. They won’t divulge their agent list, because of mathematics. If they do x amount of business per year with no agents listed, they look better to the cruise line than an agency who does the same amount of business but it is split between 100 agents. Some suppliers feel they don’t have to pay high commissions if only 3 sales per agent are producing. It’s a wrong concept, but I have been told that’s why I cannot get personalized support from that supplier. I have no identity with them, other than the phone number of the agency.

I have literally fought for identity over the years. I have been outspoken at the many Cruise-A Thons where the head honchos were appearing. One of the named gurus in the industry actually said I was obstinate and difficult when I approached him about the lack having a policy where the local DSM could call on me even though I was booking with an agency outside of her territory. I told him we were in this altogether, and selling is selling, and support was needed to recognize ICs.

These are decisions you – if you are an IC have to explore. If you are an agency owner, you too have to explore what works best for you AND what works best for your clients. What do you need to do to raise the commission level with certain suppliers.

Now, years later, some of the DSMs, including his do know and will work with agents in their territory, even if you book elsewhere. Some companies even allow you to use your own phone number when booking and it is linked to your booking agency of choice. So I won that battle!

Sounds confusing, so let me further explain. I am an IC with at least two companies. Plus I have my own agency, my own CLIA and IATA. So when I process a booking with a major cruise line, I can check which one is promoting the best deal for my clients and for me. Sometimes the commission is the same. But one may already have group space with amenities in place.

Or one may have a local rep who will work with me

That has been a significant form of progress.

Although I do have problems with Princess and their great booking engine POLAR. One of my companies cannot allow us access to POLAR since any agent in their fold could access all bookings for all agents. That is an obvious no-no, and I wish it could be corrected. Their other problem is that for each agency, I need a separate phone number,

Travel Agent Professional

14 and a separate e-mail address for each agent. How would you like getting a dozen identical E-Mail blasts daily??

Occasionally an agency might say that they need a push with a certain supplier to keep up the commission structure. That’s when you decide YOUR

loyalty versus your deposit slips. Only you can decide.

But, when I did some bookings this week and saw comissions vary from 10%-16%, with no additional perks, it was an easy decision to make.

So, if you’re looking at these generic offers from agencies who use ICs, ask the a few questions before signing anything. But don’t be surprised if some answers are not forthcoming.

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How many agents do they have already. Or ask about their growth in the last 5 years.

Consortia — whether with Vacation.com, Signature, Virtuoso, etc. No need to duplicate Fees. Including mailing costs, penalties, cancellations Reporting policies- how much paperwork

GDS or booking airline tickets if that is what you need. If they say to go to Expedia, what do youneed them for. Expedia already pays agents who book directly.

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Commission levels — check out your preferred vendors as well as theirs.

When do you get paid. Do you earn the TC and the amenity point bonuses. Or do they keep a portion. This is very important if you do a lot of groups. (example- if I get a $50 bonus for each cabin in a group of 50 cabins= $2500. If they take $250 As their portion, compared to another company who gives both the TC and the bonus to the agent).

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How flexible are they when booking groups. Can you renegotiate. (ex. You want to book a supplier but one company is offering 3% less, ask them if they need you to build the revenue, and will they match the other company.

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And who is your contact with the company for accounting, membership, etc.

These are just starting points, because offers may be tempting. Your identity is at stake, as well as your bank statement.

May 2015

Showcase

Mary Lee DeFrance of TRAVELSAVERS Receives Top Supplier Partner Award About TRAVELSAVERS:

TRAVELSAVERS announced that Mary Lee DeFranco, Business Analyst was awarded Top Supplier Partner Award in the Consortia Category by the readers of Travel Agent Magazine and travelagentcentral.com.

“Gleaned from hundreds of responses we are very excited that Mary Lee has been recognized for the hard work, commitment and enthusiasm that she shares with our members every day,” says Kathryn Mazza-Burney, Executive Vice President of Sales and Service, TRAVELSAVERS. “The award appropriately reflects her dedication to serving our members.”

An experienced travel professional, Mary Lee DeFranco came to TRAVELSAVERS after nearly twenty years of service in the airline industry. Prior to joining TRAVELSAVERS in 2012, she was a senior account executive for Northwest Airlines based in New York servicing the corporate and agency communities.

Owned by American Marketing Group, Inc., TRAVELSAVERS is an international travel marketing organization with a retail chain of more than 3,000 independently owned full service travel agencies in over 30 countries that together generate more than $20 billion in annual travel sales. Headquartered in Oyster Bay, New York, TRAVELSAVERS offers a comprehensive range of products and support services to help its licensed agencies maximize sales though 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, so agents maintain control over clients and prospective leads in their exclusive area. Travel professionals interested in learning more about joining TRAVELSAVERS can visit http://sales.travelsavers.com.

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.

Travel Agent Professional

16 New Developments P a u l l T i c k n e r

The eagerly awaited arrival of Princess Charlotte of Cambridge, a new non-stop route into the heart of England and the news about the Year of the English Garden in 2016 have inspired me to inspire you with some new ways of looking at your old friend Britain.

By Paull Tickner

Give some careful thought to these suggestions and think about those anglophile customers who are fascinated by our Royal Family. Think about others who’d love to avoid the congestion at London Heathrow as the starting point for their UK tour and start doing some homework on your gardening contacts ahead of the Year of the English Garden in 2016.

The best news of all is that you can make some handsome sums of money out of each and every one of these recommendations.

Paull Tickner has been designing and operating niche travel programmes for the UK and Ireland for over 30 years.

For more information E-mail Paull at ptickner@customgb.co.uk

May 2015

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New Oppor tunities A Royal Tour with a Twist

To celebrate the birth of Princess Charlotte of Cambridge on Saturday 2nd May, I’ve created a short 2 night pre/post cruise extension which includes a photo op at the Lindo Wing of St Mary’s Hospital and a visit to Kensington Palace as part of a full day tour of places associated with William and Kate. En route to Southampton, there’s a visit to Windsor Castle and a pub lunch in the village where Kate grew up. The programme works well in reverse and can be expanded into a longer Royal themed London tour which includes places associated with Princess Diana and other residences connected to our Royal Family.

Lift Off into the Heart of England On Thursday 7th May, American Airlines started DAILY NON-STOP service from JFK to Birmingham in the heart of England. So what’s to get excited about?

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Airside kerbside takes just over 30 minutes 40 minutes later, your clients can be tucking into a traditional English breakfast in a country house hotel in Broadway, Chipping Campden or Stow on the Wold.

1 hour later they can be strolling around the fragrant and internationally renowned gardens at nearby Hidcote Manor Garden or award winning Kiftsgate Court.

At 1pm, they’ll be having lunch and a pint of Speckled Hen in a pub I can vouch for.

JFK to BHX gives your clients a much better start to their UK vacations.

Year of the Garden 2016 2016 is going to be a very good year for travel planners interested in UK garden tours.

In the February edition of Travel Agent Professional, I gave a heads up on next year’s 300th anniversary of the birth of our most famous Master Gardener Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown.

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This month, I’m flagging up the 2016 Year of the English Garden and I can guarantee that both will receive extensive coverage in the gardening magazines your clients pore over every month.

England has some of the finest gardens in the world from dramatic historic landscapes designed by ‘Capability’ Brown to fragrant English rose gardens and hundreds of privately owned gardening ‘works of art’ that rarely open to the general public.

If this is an area of interest, we should be talking about a customised tour that’s packed with value added visits to some of England’s finest castles and stately homes timed to coincide with the Chelsea or Hampton Court Flower Shows.

To point you in the right direction, start building a list of where you might find potential interest. So far mine includes Orchid, Herb, Rose and other specialist societies, your local garden club, Master Gardeners and Friends of Botanic Gardens and Arboreta, flower arranging societies and the gardening correspondent on your local TV/radio station and newspaper. Among potential co-sponsors for a tailor made tour, talk to your local nursery and explore opportunities with manufacturers of garden equipment, statuary and greenhouses. What have I missed?

In the summer, I’ll be putting together a feature with more on the Capability Brown Tercentenary, UK and European Garden Festivals you may not have thought of and news of many inspired offerings that will capture the essence of the Year of the English Garden 2016.

May 2015

Showcase Alamo Rent A Car Expand Into Paraguay Enterprise Holdings announced today that it has appointed Amigos S.R.L. as its Alamo Rent A Car franchise partner in Paraguay. This appointment continues the expansion of the Alamo brand’s footprint in Latin America and the Caribbean — which now includes 24 countries and territories.

Enterprise Holdings, through its regional subsidiaries, operates the largest fleet of vehicles in the world through a global network of more than 8,600 neighborhood and airport locations in more than 70 countries and territories. In addition to Alamo, the company also owns and operates National Car Rental, as well as its flagship Enterprise RentA-Car brand.

“By opening locations in Paraguay’s largest city, Asunción, we’re connecting our existing Alamo customers throughout the region to a new travel destination, as well as introducing local customers to the value and affordability of the Alamo brand,” said Peter Smith, vice president of global franchising at Enterprise Holdings. “We’re also excited to offer a new Latin American travel option to our tour and travel agent partners around the world.”

Alamo will serve Silvio Pettirossi International Airport and downtown Asunción.

Enterprise Holdings is the largest car rental company in the world, as measured by revenue, employees and fleet. It also ranks near the top of the travel industry, ahead of many airlines and most cruise lines, hotels, tour operators and online travel agencies. The company’s long-term expansion strategy is focused on building a global network that delivers value, choice and outstanding customer service to business and leisure travelers.

For more information about Enterprise Holdings, visit www.enterpriseholdings.com.

Travel Agent Professional

About Enterprise Holdings Enterprise Holdings – the largest car rental company in the world as measured by revenue, fleet and employees – operates a global network of more than 8,600 neighborhood and airport locations under the Enterprise Rent-ACar, National Car Rental and Alamo Rent A Car brands. In addition, Enterprise Holdings and its affiliate Enterprise Fleet Management together offer a total transportation solution, including extensive car rental and car-sharing services, commercial truck rental, corporate fleet management and retail car sales.

Combined, these businesses accounted for $17.8 billion in revenue, employed 83,000 and operated 1.5 million vehicles throughout the world in fiscal year 2014.

Enterprise Holdings currently is ranked as one of America’s Largest Private Companies.

Furthermore, if it were publicly traded, Enterprise Holdings would rank on Fortune’s list of the 500 largest American public companies. Enterprise Holdings, through its regional subsidiaries, operates more than 6,000 fully staffed offices in the U.S. – almost 70 percent more than its nearest competitor – and all located within 15 miles of 90 percent of the U.S. population. In addition, Enterprise Holdings not only accounts for the largest airport market share in the U.S., but its domestic rental fleet also is one of the newest in the industry. The company’s affiliate, Enterprise Fleet Management, provides full-service fleet management to companies and organizations with medium-sized fleets. Other transportation services marketed under the Enterprise brand name include Enterprise CarShare, Enterprise Rideshare, Enterprise Car Sales, Enterprise Truck Rental and Zimride by Enterprise.

This press release and car rental industry news are available in the Enterprise Holdings Press Room.

Showcase Well-Being Travel Symposium Announces Speakers for June 2015 Conference

The Well-Being Travel Symposium, announced speak-

Steve Gillick, President, Talking Travel, will redefine

ers for its June 15-16, 2015 Symposium, at the

what it means to the wellness traveler to be

International Plaza Hotel and Conference Center in

‘unplugged’ including the types of activities and

Toronto. This two-day conference brings together travel

destinations available for those who really want to

professionals, wellness experts and industry leaders

leave the office at home!

including, top hotel executives, spa directors and travel

Anne Marie Moebes, Executive Vice President,

suppliers to discuss the growing trends in wellness trav-

Well-Being Travel, will provide an overview of how

el and opportunities for travel sellers and consumers.

the wellness travel niche fits into today’s consumer

Attendees will have the opportunity to hear from

driven market and how each industry segment pro-

travel professionals, educators, suppliers and indus-

vides information about the benefits and options of

try leaders about trends, strategies and opportunities

traveling for wellness.

in wellness travel. Highlights include:

Carmen Perez, The Well-Being Messenger, Life

Prof. Carolana Dimopoulos, President of Learning

Balance Strategist and Trainer, Creator of Effortless

Journeys powered by Perillo; Aundrea Taylor-

Living, will discuss how to get noticed online and

Caldwell, Leisure Sales Manager, Mandarin Oriental

turn “likes” into sales by building a magnetic plat-

– Las Vegas and Kathy Egan, President of Biggest

form that boosts the bottom line.

Loser Resort Niagara; Adam Glickman, Head of

Mia Kyricos, Chief Brand Officer at SpaFinder

EVEN Hotels & Director of Brand Experience,

Wellness, Inc., will share highlights from a recent

Lifestyle Brands at InterContinental Hotels Group

research report on the top ten wellness trends for 2015.

(IHG), will lead this wellness travel industry panel

“The name Well-Being Symposium defines what the

and provide the inside story on some of the world’s

conference is about. We have brought together

best wellness travel products, what makes them

renowned speakers, industry leaders and suppliers

stand out and how to sell wellness.

to share their unique knowledge and experiences

David Boucher, COO of Companion Global

about health and wellness travel,” says Anne Marie

Healthcare Inc, will answer questions about medical

Moebes, Executive Vice President of Well-Being

travel, highlight opportunities and challenges, and

Travel. “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to

present additional opportunities for travel agents to

bring travel professionals together to learn from the

expand their knowledge. You will also hear first-

best, exchange insights with each other and connect

hand from a recent medical patient traveler.

through our conference network.”

For more information about the speakers and sessions that we have prepared and to register, visit www.wellnesstravelsymposium.com.

May 2015

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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`

Showcase

The Affluent Traveler Magazine Expands Readership American Marketing Group’s, The Affluent Traveler magazine is expanding its distribution channel to include American Airlines Admirals Club lounges. Increasing readership of the magazine is part of the strategy to deliver against our goal to support the growth of Affluent Traveler agencies. The Affluent Traveler magazine is published semi-annually and has a distribution in more than 15 countries. The magazine is also available by subscription, at major bookstores, on newsstands, select airport lounges and in the guestrooms of all Affluent Traveler Collection preferred hotels.

“The continued growth of The Affluent Traveler magazine confirms our commitment to build a following for our Affluent Traveler agencies and to deliver qualified leads to them. The Affluent Traveler magazine gives readers access to exclusive travel options through the global connections of the world’s best travel experts,” says Nicole Mazza, Chief Marketing Officer, TRAVELSAVERS and NEST. “Now with The Affluent Traveler Magazine in Admiral’s Club lounges, discerning travelers can learn about extraordinary new destinations and exclusive experiences that will help them plan their next vacation, with an Affluent Traveler Collection travel professional.”

Whether you are traveling for business or pleasure, Admirals Club members can now enjoy the global collection of world-class luxury travel experiences with editorial features that include; city hotels, boutique properties and luxurious resorts, spas, opulent cruise ships, exotic destinations, traditional guided vacations, dinning spotlights and more, all in one richly appointed publication, The Affluent Traveler. To learn more visit: www.theaffluenttraveler.com.

About The Affluent Traveler Collection: The Affluent Traveler Collection, one of 18 brands owned by American Marketing Group, Inc., is an elite marketing organization that provides its licensed travel advisors with a range of products, tools and services including marketing expertise, cutting-edge technology and training opportunities. Through its relationships with the world’s best travel suppliers, The Affluent Traveler Collection’s licensed travel specialists have access to an enriched amenities program and a variety of exclusive offers. Its semi-annual magazine, The Affluent Traveler, is distributed in more than 15 countries and is available by subscription, through licensed travel specialists of The Affluent Traveler Collection, at major bookstores, on newsstands, in select airport lounges and in the guestrooms of all Affluent Traveler Collection preferred hotels. For more information, visit www.theaffluenttraveler.com. *No purchase necessary to win.

Terms and conditions apply and can be found by logging on to www.theaffluenttraveler.com/contest.

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.

May 2015

Showcase Travel MarketPlace Speakers Announced For June 2015 Conference Travel MarketPlace, the premier conference in Canada that brings travel professionals and suppliers together for education and training announced its speaker list for this year’s conference. The Travel MarketPlace conference will take place June 16-17, 2015 at the International Plaza Hotel and Conference Center in Toronto. Speakers and presentations will explore business growth strategies, marketing tools, how to engage clients and reach personal goals.

Below is a highlight of speakers: Ron Cates, International Director, Digital Marketing Education, Constant Contact, will serve as the emcee extraordinaire and will share his tips and insight on the importance of e-marketing and successful engagement strategies. Ron’s second session will provide an in-depth review of how to create and execute a successful social media campaign.

Simon Gilmartin, Co-Founder and Dave Holt, CSP Facilitator and Sales Performance Coach, DWG Performance, Inc., will give a crash course on how to harness the power of end-to-end selling. This dynamic session starts as a general session and continues with breakout sessions that will deep dive into the comprehensive sales process, value propositions, client motivation and how all of these elements drive business.

Nolan Burris, Chief Visioneer, Future Proof Travel Solutions, brings to light how to create and sustain success in life or business. Based on the premise that success is not an event but an ongoing process, this session suggests how to control your future.

Steve Gillick, President Talking Travel, will share his perspective on; the five key tips to choosing a specialty and his point of view on the six steps to enhancing your reputation as a specialist and understanding how to turn a topic into a passion.

Mike Foster, President, Nexion CA; Rhonda LaFosse, Regional Sales Manager, TPI; Jeff Verman, CEO, Uniglobe; Michelle Palma, National Accounts Canada, Uniworld Boutique River Cruise; Dana Gain,

Travel Agent Professional

National Director, Sales – Canada, Norwegian Cruise Line, join these executives for a view from the top while they discuss daily issues, and trends and open the session up for questions.

John Bateman, Regional Trainer, Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), will share how to position the value of a cruise vacation with details about pricing, river versus ocean cruising, themed voyages and more. Continuing education credits will be available for this session.

Meredith Hill, Founder, Global Institute for Travel Entrepreneurs, will highlight messages from her book: How to Monetize Your Passion for Travel: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Travel Entrepreneurs.

Scott Koepf, Senior Vice President of Sales, Avoya Travel, shares his ultimate approach to sales success that will make a difference in your bottom line.

Kitzia Morales, Co-founder, MeWed; Jennifer Doncsecz, Owner and President of VIP Vacations Inc.; Lisa Sheldon, CTC (Certified Travel Counselor) and Master Romance Travel Specialist; Brenda Washington-O'Neale, Owner/President of With This Ring Destination Wedding and Honeymoon Travel, will discuss the hot destination wedding market, how to build a client base, how to manage a destination wedding and keep them long after they say “I do.”

“Our two-day program is carefully planned with attendees in mind. We are bringing the brightest industry experts and partners together to provide insightful sessions that will send you home with actionable information,” says Anne Marie Moebes, Co-Publisher, Travel Market Report.

There are many speakers from all areas of the industry participating in Travel MarketPlace.

For more information and to register visit www.travelmarketplace.com or contact Debbie Press at 516-624-0500 ext. 6000 or dpress@acclaimmeetings.com