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Staying Ahead Of Clients Requires Education

Larry Norman,
Travel Research Online

With most of today’s travellers doing at least basic research online, travel agent education is more important than ever. True professionals know they must be actively engaged in continuing education and visiting as many new ships and destinations as time and funds allow...read on

Be The Expert: Specialization Pays

Geoff Millar,
Travel Research Online

The best way to give your agency visibility and a competitive edge is to become an acknowledged expert. Specialization lets you develop a reputation over time as the go-to place for a specific type of travel. The day of the generalist travel agent is rapidly coming to a close...read on

America's Twisted Tourism Logic

Charlie Leocha,
Consumer Traveler

The U.S. wants more tourists. To qualify, many visitors will have to pay a fee, be fingerprinted and answer questions about their mental and physical health and whether they were once Nazis. What are they thinking?...read on

Who Foots The Bill When Travel Companies Fail

by Bruce Bishins, ARTA Canada

TICO registrants have paid out $2.8 million in the past year to customers of failed companies. While the direct hit to the fund is bad enough, there is collateral damage which the industry doesn't see as clearly...read on

How On Earth Have We Survived?

John Frenaye,
Travel Research Online

When you look at the list of challenges the retail travel industry has faced in the past couple of years alone, it’s a wonder anyone has survived. It’s all about perseverance, and no industry has more of this precious resource than the travel business ...read on

Social Networking’s Double-Edged Sword

John Frenaye,
Travel Research Online

The old saw goes that if you do a good job, your client will tell someone. If you do a bad job, they’ll tell a hundred people. In the era of social networking, you can often add a few zeroes to the second part. The customer isn’t always right, but if they think they are, you could be in trouble...read on

A Global Community With Global Impact

Nolan Burris,
TravelResearchOnline

When you’re dealing with countless bargain hunters and discount seekers it’s understandable to become a little jaded or frustrated at times. But agents should remember that they are creators of dreams and diplomats of understanding, and a global community with global impact...read on

The Value-Centric Approach

Richard Earls,
Travel Research Online

It’s natural for clients to focus on price, because they don’t fully understand the components of travel value. Your job is to convince the client that price is just one component of value – once that’s understood, the price will be a natural consequence...read on

Do You Know Your Own Strength?

Mark Murphy,
Travel Pulse

Sometimes agents forget the power they hold. Only one person in the transaction has the ear of the customer – and their trust -- and that’s you. You have the choice of the suppliers and destinations that you sell. Make sure you’re selling those that respect your role and your value....read on

Upmarket Consumers Are Not All Alike

Larry Pimentel,
TravelPulse

Luxury travel customers don’t fit any single profile, but you won’t find them waiting in your office. You need to proactively go after them, where they live, work and socialize. It will take time and effort, but it could pay off handsomely...read on

What Would The World’s Best Travel Consultant Do?

Richard Earls,
Travel Research Online

Like the TV quiz show Jeopardy, where the answers are provided and guests have to give the correct question, it’s often helpful to turn your thinking around. By focusing on the outcome rather than the process, obstacles take on secondary importance to results...read on