Travel Agent Professional July 2013

Travel AgentProfessional

July 2013Issue 24

Introducing Cindy Bertram

Smooth Jazz Cruise:Are You Missing the Beat?

http://issuu.com/action/page?page=16






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64 Smooth Jazz CruiseByLes-LeeRolandOwnerofThePackageDeal

66 Create the Fun,

Unexpected Extras for Your Clients... Use LagniappeByCindyBertramCindy'sInsideCruise&TravelTrack,LLC

68 E-Mail CourtesyByRustyPickett,ECCShellbackCruises

10 Developing Ideas

For UK Girls GetawaysByPaullTickner

16 When Words FailByScottKoepfVicePresidentofSalesAvoyaTravel/AmericanExpress

ShowcaseAuto Europe .............................................15Expedia CruiseShipCenters .......................24OASIS .......................................................22TRAVELSAVERS ........................................21

July

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July 2013Issue 24

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Cover art by Entertainment Cruise Productions

Auto Europe .....................IFC, 23, 25

Avoya Travel/American Express.....13

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

HostTravelAgency.com .................17

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

Travel Experts, Inc. ........................19

Travelsavers...................................21

July 2013 Issue 24

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

Under Joel’s direction, the company grew to be one of the travel agentindustry’s leading publications, reaching more than 45,000 agentsthroughout North America. It spawned a famous series of trade showsand three monthly magazines – Cruise Trade, Tour Trade and HomeBased Trade.

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

On a personal note, after working with Joel for over a decade and stay-ing 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 hisword and believed in his work. There will never be another.

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

Ann M. Hoek

Travel Agent ProfessionalP.O. Box 120198

Staten Island, NY 10312E-mail:

[email protected]:

718.360.3153

Ann M. HoekPublisher/Creative Design

[email protected]

Bonnie WallingEditor

[email protected]

Alan CohenVice President marketing

[email protected]

Meet Our Editorial Board

Mitchell J. SchlesingerVice President, Sales & Marketing

Voyages to Antiquitywww.voyagestoantiquity.com

Rusty Pickett, ECCShellback Cruises

www.shellbackcruises.com

Les-Lee RolandOwner of The Package Deal

Scott KoepfVice President of Sales

Avoya Travel/America’s Vacation Center

www.joinavoya.com/default.cfm?ref=11583

Sherry Laskin, ACCTravel Writer/NACTA Webinar Moderator

www.cruisemaven.com

Paull Tickner,Creator of Special Interest Britain

[email protected]

Cindy Bertram,Cindy’s Inside Cruise & Travel Track, LLC

Sue Sh apiro, PresidentShapiro Travel [email protected]

www.shapirotravelresources.com

Joel M. Abels Legend In the Travel Industry

April 1927 to January 2007

June 2013

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

Travel AgentProfessional

Welcome to the exciting world of Special Interest Britain, which will help you to identify, develop and convertuntapped sources of new business into high yield, customised groups, both large and small.

We’re the experts you’ve been looking for if your niche markets include:

• Girls Getaways3-6 night itineraries to London, Bath & the Cotswolds; quilting, embroidery and needlework.

• Gardens, Stately Homes and CastlesGarden clubs; herb, rose and other specialist societies; Master Gardeners; flower arrangers.

• Literary BritainRegular and specialist bookstores for murder/mystery; friends of libraries; English teachers.

• The Performing ArtsFund raisers for friends of the theatre, symphony, and opera; Gilbert and Sullivan societies.

• The Visual ArtsMuseums and art galleries; watercolour painters; continuing education college.

• Christian Heritage Episcopal, Baptist, Catholic, Methodist and Presbyterian choirs and congregations.

• Family travelTailor made itineraries to London and the countryside.

• Pre and post cruise extensionsAdd-ons for Southampton, Dover and Harwich arrivals and departures

• The Great OutdoorsGolf, cycling, walking, steam train enthusiasts.

For over 35 years, we’ve been gaining EXPERIENCE through designing and operating oftencomplex tailor made programmes and we have acquired an almost encyclopedicKNOWLEDGE of Britain, both on and off the beaten track. We also have a very long list ofUK/Ireland CONNECTIONS who deliver those special touches to your chosen itineraries, andsome GREAT RATES thanks to our handling over 80,000 passengers each year.

Our tours carry three distinctive hall marks:

• They TRAVEL LESS so that your customers can SEE MORE

• Are enhanced by memorable VALUE ADDED EXPERIENCES

• Are often for SMALL GROUPS of 15-20 people

As everything we do is designed to meet your client’s interests, time frame and budget, let’sstart talking about how we can help you to harness the potential from your chosen nichemarket(s).

For further information please email: [email protected]

Greatdays UK Incomingwhere travel agents ALWAYS come first

Offices in London and Manchester, Great Britain Tel: +44 161 928 9286 Fax: +44 161 928 9911 www.greatdays.co.uk

July 2013

4Let me ask you a question.

Do you ever listen to music —whether it’s jazz,

oldies, country or classic soul? Do your clients? If

the answer is “yes,” then what are you waiting for!

You are missing out on selling the most lucrative

cruises available — and the most memorable

experiences for both you and your clients.

By

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R

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Les-Lee RolandOwner of The Package Deal

Smooth Jazz Cruise:

Are you Missing the Beat?

Entertainment Cruise Productions, LLC (ECP) is the

only company that provides all of the above choices.

It is the largest full ship charter company, using

Holland America ships. It’s probably the only compa-

ny of its kind that works with travel agents and pays

a high commission.

Why the emphasis on working with travel agents?

Because they not only welcome us, they offer train-

ing, co-op funds, and everything agents need to

deliver a memorable experience — which could lead

to continual referrals for their agency.

What is a full ship charter? It means one company

has taken over the entire ship. HAL provides the

food and beverage, spa and casino. But all the activi-

ties are provided by ECP.

These music cruises often feature continuous shows

through different venues aboard the ship. Guests are

free to go from show to show — everything is the

client’s choice!

The performers are not just the entertainment, they

are your fellow passengers. Guests interact with

them throughout the week. They lead shore excur-

sions, offer mentoring, and let cruisers join in their

jam sessions. Other activit ies include meet and

greets, cocktail parties and music contests. Let me

emphasize that these cruises offer 10 times more

entertainment than on any cruise.

These are all big statements, so let me break them

down. As one example, the 7-night Malt Shop Cruise

features entertainment provided by 50 or more stars

— including Neil Sedaka, Petula Clark, Bobby Rydell,

Lesley Gore, the Righteous Brothers, Shirley Reeves,

the Four Tops and Gary Lewis and the Playboys. Get

the idea?

The Country Music Cruise lineup is led by Kenny

Rogers, Vince Gill, Patty Loveless, Ronny Milsap, and

many more. The Soul Train Cruise features Gladys

Knight, the Isley Brothers, Roberta Flack, Jeffrey

Osborne and Peabo Bryson.

Travel Agent Professional

5

Yes, these cruises cost more than just the typical

Caribbean cruises. But isn’t this caliber of entertain-

ment — a true all day and all night party at sea —

worth it? And the commissions offered are the high-

est in the industry. So let’s do the math. It’s easy to

make a $1,000 commission on one cabin.

Yes, this type of cruise is not in everyone’s budget.

But it is on everyone’s bucket list. That’s why, when

offered once a year, the sailings do sell out, with

waiting lists. Returning guests have already expressed

interest in the 2015 dates.

One way you can better understand this successful

concept is to experience it. There is some fam space

left on the Oct. 12-19 Smooth Jazz Cruise roundtrip

from San Diego (the only West Coast departure of

this l ineup) to the Mexican Riv iera . Performers

include David Sanborn, Brian Culbertson, Boney

James, Marcus Miller, Tower of Power and Oleta

Adams.

The cost for agents is $1,250. But that amount is

refunded to you after you sell 3 cruises on ANY of

the ECP sailings if booked by Jan 31st. Gratuities, port

fees and taxes are extra.

If you answered yes to the questions in the first para-

graph, if you like music, if you have clients who like

music, ECP has choices for the most memorable

cruise ever!

Contact Amy at Entertainment Cruise Productions at

(888) 852-9987 and visit www.thesmoothjazzcruise.com

to learn more about this sailing. Please note that this

special rate is not listed on their website.

As an aside, if you want a travel agent’s view, I and

my clients have sailed on four of these cruises and my

feet are still tapping to the music. These were the

most favorite of the over 100 cruises my husband

and I ever sailed on. Just writing about it has brought

a smile to my face.

Smooth Jazz Cruise:

Are you Missing the Beat?

www.thesmoothjazzcruise.com

6

Cin

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July 2013

We always hear about creating a

lasting good impression. And in the travel

indust ry , that ’ s even more cr i t i ca l ,

because when it comes to our clients, we

want to make sure they have great expe-

riences.

At the heart of this is building a positive

ongoing re lat ionship . You want your

clients to realize you’re their trusted pro-

fessional and that they are “the center of

your world,” so to speak. Personalization

is part of that but something else you can

use? Lagniappe. It ’s a genuine way to

build natural loyalty with your clients,

keep them coming back and, possibly, get

referrals down the road.

Create the Fun, Unexpected Extras for Your Clients...

Use Lagniappe

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

So what is lagniappe?A Spanish term that also has strong ties to New Orleans and

Louisiana; lagniappe traditionally is described as “a small gift

given to a customer by the merchant at the time of purchase.”

A quick example is getting that extra, unexpected 13th donut

when you’ve only purchased a dozen donuts, sometimes called

a “baker’s dozen.” So what does that have to do with success-

fully building your travel business? Everything. It’s taking the idea

of “lagniappe” to a different level.

When it comes to our clients, it’s critical to build genuine rela-

tionships with them. We need to know what’s important to

them, what their “hot buttons” are, understand their likes and

their lifestyles. What exists in their lives carries over to how

they like to travel, what they like to see and do, along with who

they travel with.

Our work to provide those extraordinary experiences for them

can also include some extra, unexpected fun surprises should

the occasion come up. And if we think about getting that 13th

donut when we only expect to get 12 donuts analogy, we can

use lagniappe.

Rudi Schreiner, president and co-owner of AmaWaterways, spoke

about the concept of “Under market and over-deliver” at a

national conference I recently attended. And I’d have to agree

with him. It does have merit. Sometimes, if a product is over-mar-

keted and doesn’t measure up, we get disappointed, don’t we?

So this is where lagniappe comes in, creating an unexpected

good surprise.

7


Create the Fun, Unexpected Extras for Your Clients...

Use LagniappeOne of the best rea l examples I ’ve run across

occurred last year, when Mississippi River cruising

resumed. On Ju ly 3 , 2012 , Amer ican Queen

Steamboat Company gave their guests onboard the

American Queen their own version of lagniappe.

They included an unexpected extra port cal l in

Chester, Illinois while the American Queen was on

her way to St . Lou i s for the c i ty ’ s spec ia l

Independence Day celebration.

The American Queen was making excellent time – in

fact, she was running considerably ahead of schedule.

So instead of spending a whole day on the river,

which they could have easily done, the American

Queen provided that “little something extra.”

Chester, the birthplace and chi ldhood home of

Popeye creator E l z ie Cr i s ler Segar , has fu l l y

embraced its cartoon heritage. Highlights include The

Spinach Can/Popeye Museum and statues of charac-

ters like Olive Oyl placed throughout the town.

This was a terrific way of sharing an unexpected gift

for their guests on board by creating that lagniappe

stop.

One of my own lagniappe “gifts” happened to also

take place year - I just didn’t know I was creating a

lagniappe experience. A business owner who’s also

become a friend likes to travel with her husband and

they’ve always tended to be more destination-orient-

ed. Her husband had been diagnosed with a rare

form of cancer, which had been in remission for a

year. But there were some signs that the cancer

might be coming back.

They decided to take a cruise where they could

“turn off the rest of the world” and enjoy each oth-

er’s company. They booked on very short notice

because her husband was going to have to go

through some tests and possible treatments when

they got back.

After they booked, I reached out to one of my con-

tacts at that particular cruise line. He graciously pro-

vided several unexpected surprises and amenities for

them onboard. When they came back, she said they

had a much needed escape and it was an amazing

time. But most importantly? The extra little gifts

throughout really made it even more wonderful and

memorable.

For them, this was a much needed escape and the

lagniappe gestures really elevated their experience.

They felt incredibly special.

For me? It was a way to make their trip extraor-

dinary . At the end of the day, that ’s what we

really like to do for our clients, don’t we? And by

occasionally using lagniappe, it can make it make

that unexpected surprise even more special and

memorable.

July 2013

8

By

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P

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tt, E

CC

Rusty Pickett, ECC

Shellback Cruises

www.shellbackcruises.com

E-Mail Courtesy

In the July 18th issue of

Travel Market Report,

Robin Amster wrote an

article titled “Four

E-Mail Habits that You

Should Break Today,”

based on an interview

with Rieva Lesonsky,

founder and CEO of

GrowBiz Media. Her

points offer food for

thought.

“Bad Habit #1: Multitasking while E-mailing.” I am

not sure what she means by multi-tasking. If I see an

E-mail preview from Outlook from a client that I

know has an important issue, then I stop what I am

doing to answer that E-mail.

I have no problem changing focus from one task to

another. Perhaps this is my military background,

where we learned early on that running a submarine

requires keeping a bunch of balls in the air at the

same time. Certainly, if you are prone to not being

able to refocus easily in the middle of a project, then

her advice is sound. You need to know your own

administrative strengths and weaknesses to deter-

mine what you can and cannot do.

“Bad Habit #2: Constantly checking E-mail.”

Lesonsky said, “Once a quarter, also look at your

newsletters and promotions, see if you’re paying

attention to them, and if you aren’t, take the time to

unsubscribe. You can always go back and re-sub-

scribe.”

This would drive me nuts. I have to keep a “clean” E-

mail inbox. I leave only those E-mails in my inbox

that have near-term unanswered questions and nec-

essary actions.

She does have some valid points. She suggests that you

use multiple E-mail address for different functions. I do

9


E-Mail Courtesythat. I fact I have four different E-mail addresses

that I use in the business, one for client com-

munications and three for supplier E-mails.

Additionally, I have multiple folders in my

Outlook account to move E-mails into (I do

that; I don’t program Outlook to automatical-

ly move the E-mails into those folders). For

example, I have folders for client inquiries,

client admin, cruise advertising, tour advertis-

ing etc. When clients call about a proposed

trip, I can quickly open those folders to find

out what the recent promotions were.

“Bad Habit #3: Replying immediately.”

Lesonsky noted, “I tend to answer E-mails

immediately, but once you do that you’ve

now set a tone; people get used to that

instant response. It’s up to you to set the

tone at the beginning.”

My response: “WHAT?” I have my Outlook

set to check E-mail every five minutes. I used

to have it at every minute, but was having

some program issues with my Internet

provider, so I slowed it down somewhat. As a

professional delivering the best of service, I

want to respond to E-mails quickly — even if

it’s just to tell the clients that I will get back

to them later in the day.

I have received much client feedback that

what differentiates me from others is the

prompt response to phone calls and E-mails

— people really feel that you care. The tone

that I want to set is that I care about the

client as a first priority, not as a second, when

I get done with what I am doing.

I believe that every client should feel that

they are the most important. As many have

said, tell the client when you will get back to

them, and then get back to them sooner than

promised!

“Bad Habit #4: Defaulting to E-mail.”

Lesonsky said, “E-mail is not always the easi-

est or the most efficient thing. Sometimes

you might as well pick up the phone, especial-

ly if you find yourself typing a War and Peace

length E-mail message.”

Lesonsky’s point is valid here. E-mail is easy,

calling is sometimes hard — especially calling

a client whom you know will talk for 30 min-

utes or more when all that is needed is a five-

minute discussion. Use E-mail when E-mail is

sufficient, use phone when it is more efficient.

“The primary rule of communication for a

business owner is to be where your clients

are,” Lesonsky said. “You need to embrace

the technology or methodology your clients

use.” So be it!

July 2013

By

P

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ll T

ic

kn

er

Paull Tickner, creator of Special Interest Britain, is affiliated with the Greatdays Travel Group. For over 30 years, he has been developing

and operating customized niche travel programs for the United Kingdom and Ireland. For more information, visit his Web site at

www.greatdays.co.uk and E-mail him at [email protected]

From my eyrie here in the Cotswolds, I’ve been watching the

furor generated by a misinformed article that appeared on the online

version of Women’s Day entitled “Ten Things Your Travel Agent Won’t

Tell You.” This led to a flurry of interviews with travel agents in the

mainstream press, in which the true facts about the industry began to

emerge. I was struck by a statistic quoted by ASTA’s V P John Pittman in

one such piece: “Sixty-seven percent of travel agents are women.”

I’ve been thinking about some of the “Girls’ Getaway” themes this huge

army of female travel sellers could use to generate customised FITs and

small groups for long weekends to London — especially when they take

advantage of the often better air fares from October onwards (bearing

in mind the improved exchange rate — $1.52 at the time of writing).

10Developing Ideas

For UK Gir ls Getaways

11Royal LondonGiven the extensive media coverage about the

imminent arrival of the royal baby, a 5-night Royal

London tour should include:

Windsor Castle;

The new ‘Fashion Rules’ exhibition at Kensington

Palace, now the home of Prince William and the

Duchess of Cambridge;

The Royal Mews & the Queen’s Gallery;

A side trip into the English countryside that fol-

lows in the early footsteps of the former Kate

Middleton;

Some By Royal Appointment Shopping;

Dinner at one of the Princess of Wales favourite

pizzerias.

London for Shopping & FashionFor those who like to shop ’til they drop, a Friday

morning transfer from Heathrow or Gatwick can go

straight to the colourful Bermondsey market (open

from 5 a.m.). It can then be followed by a quick visit

to the nearby Fashion and Design Museum and then

lunch at Borough Market, a unique corner of London

that captures our rich culinary history.

On the Saturday morning, avoid the crowds and

make an early start for Portobello Road Market.

On the way to Harrods that afternoon, it’s well

worth slipping in a visit to see “Fashion Rules” at

Kensington Palace.

Sunday should be spent rubbing shoulder with the

thousands of Londoners who flock to Petticoat

Lane and Spitalfields Market in London’s East End

while Monday can be devoted to DIY shopping

wherever clients want to go.

If your clients have an interest in antique hunting,

their visit should be timed to coincide with the

International Antiques and Collectors Fair at

Ardingly, Oct. 29-30. It’s the largest in the south of

England and easily accessible from London.

(continued on page 20)


July 2013

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12London for FoodiesTaking some of the ingredients from the selection above, you can now add in a culinary day with a master

of his art who was for over 12 years the personal chef to the Prince of Wales.

To this, you should then add a couple of days at the Great Bath Feast, Oct. 1-31. The culinary calendar of

this “feastival” include taste trails and chef demonstrations, street food and supper clubs, wine tastings

and tutorials, brewery visits and baking tips, a gathering of the nation’s top cheese makers, high profile

guest chefs, celebrity book signings and cookery schools.

Fly, Buy & ShipThis Girls Getaway long weekend stars Stoke on Trent, aka The Potteries, the china and porcelain capital

of the United Kingdom. For most of you, it’s very accessible indeed thanks to non-stop flights to

Manchester from Atlanta, Chicago, Newark, New York and Philadelphia. Guests can be decorating their

first piece of china about 90 minutes after arrival at the airport.

Hands-on opportunities at Wedgwood, snapping up bargains, a private tour of one of the UK’s finest

ceramics collections and shopping time in the picturesque city of Chester are just some of the highlights

in this eye-catching itinerary.

Off-season air fares, a decent exchange rate and some sound local advice as to where to get the best

deals makes this an extremely attractive shop and ship trip.

We are committed to helpingindependent travel agencies live alifestyle of success and are looking forpassionate experts that sell cruises, tours and vacation packages, andwho run their businesses with Integrityand Professionalism™.

O�ered 24/7, Live Leads™ enable travel

professionals to focus on selling to new

and repeat customers, earning top

tier commissions, and living a lifestyle

of success.

Live Leads™ are sent via the phone,

Internet, and now text message to only

one Independent A�liate per lead based

on their expertise and performance.

Choose what you want your agency

to sell, specialize in what you’re good at

selling, and have the freedom to focus on

your clients - we’ll take care of the rest.

Get Paid NOW

with Avoya® Instant Commission™!

Ready to Grow Your Travel Business?

888-426-6184www.JoinAvoya.com

CST# 2016664-10 | Fla. Seller of Travel Ref. No ST36781

July 2013

14Three tips for the timing of this tour: Travel between Sept. 28 and Nov. 10, so you’re there for the British Ceramics Biennial, a 7-week celebra-

tion of contemporary ceramic artists including a new exhibition and special events;

Use the UK’s biggest antiques and collectables fair at Newark as another hook. The autumn dates are

Oct. 10-11 and Dec. 5-6;

From the first week of November, put together Chester, china (Stoke on Trent) and Chatsworth House,

which will be beautifully decorated for Christmas, including its own Christmas market between Nov. 14

and 24.

A Stitch in TimeIf Stoke on Trent is the capital for china and porcelain, you might be surprised to know that the great mar-

itime city Liverpool is THE place to go for embroidery and needlework. You can find ecclesiastical vest-

ments, stumpwork, tapestries and stunning collections of 17th and 18th century master craftsmanship in

the home of the Beatles.

Dressed for ChristmasSpeaking of grand houses decorated for Christmas and

Christmas Markets, with a bit of imagination you can put

together a tour that’s filled with fabulous festive food and

fun features that includes:

• Christmas markets in Belgravia London,

Winchester, Salisbury and Bath;

• Stately homes decorated for Christmas, includ-

ing the amazing display at Waddesdon Manor;

• A Christmas Tree Festival in the picturesque

Cotswold market town of Chipping Campden.

Add in off-season airfares and hotel rates and the small

group you’ll produce will fill you with Christmas cheer,

especially if you lead the group yourself.

For those with an interest in customised Girls Getaways,

this menu of UK based bright ideas will generate some

very valuable new business this winter.

Paull Tickner has been customising UK FIT and group tour

programmes for over 30 years and you can contact him at

[email protected]

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 m39 Commercial St., P.O. Box 7006, Portland, ME 04112

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By

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tt K

oe

pf

July 2013

Scott KoepfVP of Sales Avoya Travel/American Express

www.JoinAvoya.com

16 Love Me...A LittleThe other night, I attended an

exce l l en t p roduc t i on o f S t ephen

Sondhe im ’ s Company . I t i s a un ique

musical that explores the relationship of

marriage through the eyes of a bachelor

who is terri f ied of commitment. He is

exposed to many of the challenges that a

few of his fr iends go through in their

marriages and he introspectively deter-

mines how relationships affect him.

Throughout the show, I was reminded

how, as travel advisors, our relationship

with our clients is fundamental to long-

term success. Product knowledge, technical

expertise, sales skills and customer service

are all just resources to draw on to create

a strong, trust-filled relationship.

Like the leading man in Company, you may

be hesitant in fully committing to a relation-

ship. You may have tried before and the

clients didn’t click with you. Or worse yet,

bought the vacation directly online! The fear

of rejection is the same in personal relation-

ships as it is in business relationships, so we

put up walls to keep from getting hurt. Yet

if you do not take the risk, you may never

have the kind of lifetime clients that can

bring you the success you desire.

In the musical, after watching a few of these

couples, our bachelor came to an interesting

conclusion. He really liked some of the ben-

efits of a relationship, but only on his terms.

As he contemplates his future he sings:

Marrymealittle,

Lovemejustenough.

Cry,butnottoooften,

Play,butnottoorough.

Keepatenderdistance

sowe’llbothbefree.

That’sthewayitoughttobe.

I’mready!

Marrymealittle,

Lovemejustenough.

Warmandsweetandeasy,

Justthesimplestuff.

Keepatenderdistance

Sowe’llbothbefree.

That’sthewayitoughttobe.

I’mready!

(continued on page 10)

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18

July 2013

This is the same as we are with what we want from

our clients. How often do I hear about what agents

want – just make the booking, just give me the

deposit, just choose the ship or destination and let’s

move on. Maybe you are not consciously focused on

these things but it could be that instead of focusing

on what you can provide to your client, you are only

interested in what they give you.

I recently heard a conference speaker ask, “In a success-

ful relationship, what percent do each of the two people

have to commit to?” The answer from the audience was

almost unanimous as they shouted out, “Fifty percent!”

In other words, a great relationship, in the opinion of this

audience (and I think most people), was defined by an

equal share of give and take and participation.

The speaker shocked us all by saying that a great

relationship is achieved when each of the two peo-

ple give 100%. There can be no expectation of any-

thing in return and one enters a relationship purely

to give, not to get.

While the speaker was right, he also admitted that it

is almost impossible to live this out. His point was

that if we set it as our goal, then everything changes.

In travel, we could go broke by simply giving away

information and never expecting compensation but

maybe we have gone too far.

I recommend spending serious time determining and

documenting what you will give to each client. It

won’t take much time to write down what you want

to get (Show me the money). However, the list of

what you give should fill multiple pages! You may

provide invaluable advice and service, yet most of

our conversations and correspondence with our cus-

tomers is about trying to get instead of giving.

At the end of the show, the bachelor yells out:

“Stop! What do you get?” but then realizes that to

fully embrace a relationship with all of its risks and

issues is what life is all about, so he sings:

Someonetoknowyoutoowell,

Someonetopullyouupshort

Andputyouthroughhell.

Someoneyouhavetoletin,

Someonewhosefeelingsyouspare,

Someonewho,likeitornot,

Willwantyoutoshare

Alittle,alot.

Someonetocrowdyouwithlove,

Someonetoforceyoutocare,

Someonetomakeyoucomethrough,

Who’llalwaysbethere,

Asfrightenedasyou

Ofbeingalive,

No relationship is perfect, and some of your rela-

tionships with your cl ients wil l never take root.

However, don’t be afraid of giving all of yourself with

the focus on giving instead of getting. Those life time

client relationships will truly result in the feeling of:

Beingalive,

Beingalive,

Beingalive!

Over 40 years of travel industry success Full staff of personal business consultants Unique protected territory system Excellent preferred supplier relationships Award-winning suite of marketing programs Social media tools Powerful technology solutions Proprietary cruise booking engine Website and mobile solutions Meeting and incentive resources Hotel program with rich amenities A full suite of corporate travel solutions Over 19 travel brands servicing you daily

We invite you to learn more about why our

The TRAVELSAVERS Difference.


TRAVELSAVERS Appoints Wayne Spector

As Director Of Sales

TRAVELSAVERS announces the appointment of sales vet-eran Wayne Spector as Director of Sales today. In his newrole, Wayne will be responsible for increasing TRAVEL-SAVERS’ membership base of independent travel profes-sionals throughout the United States.

“We’re pleased to have someone with Wayne’s extensivesales experience join our expanding team,” says KathrynMazza-Burney, Executive Vice President of Sales & Servicefor TRAVELSAVERS. “Wayne joins us with a proven trackrecord of sales success, and we know he’ll be an asset toour company.”

In addition to sales, Wayne brings extensive experience inbusiness development, operations and customer service tothe company. Prior to joining TRAVELSAVERS, Wayneheld leadership roles both outside and within the travelindustry, including a position at Enterprise Rent-A-Car,where he headed up a team of more than 200 to lead allphases of the sales cycle.

“I’m thrilled to join the TRAVELSAVERS team,” saysWayne Spector. “Being part of a company that boastsmore than 40 years of travel sales and marketing successis very exciting. I look forward to supporting our networkof travel professionals while also helping to bring onprospective new members.”

Wayne is based at TRAVELSAVERS’ global headquarters inOyster Bay, New York and can be reached [email protected].

Showcase

To find out more about how to become part of the TWIN global network, independent travel agencies can visitwww.twintravelmanagement.com, email [email protected], or call 516-624-0500 x5080.

About TRAVELSAVERS:

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 30 countries that together gen-

erate more than $20 billion in

annual travel sales.

Headquartered in Oyster Bay,

New York, TRAVELSAVERS offers

a comprehensive range of prod-

ucts and support services to help

its licensed agencies maximize

sales through a select group of

suppliers – and stand out as travel

leaders in their local communi-

ties. The marketing company also

features a unique exclusive terri-

tory system based on populations

of 50,000, so agents maintain

control over clients and prospec-

tive leads

in their exclusive area. Travel

professionals interested in learn-

ing more about joining TRAVEL-

SAVERS can visit http://sales.trav-

elsavers.com.

July 2013

OASIS 2013 Sales Meeting to be Held at theNewly Renovated Tropicana Las Vegas

Industryexpertstoprovideattendeeswiththeknow-howtooptimizetheirdigital,socialandtraditionalmarketingefforts.

The 4th annual OASIS Sales Meeting & GetTogether, will be held November 13, 2013 at theNew Tropicana in Las Vegas. The meeting pre-cedes the annual Signature Travel Network SalesMeeting & Tradeshow, November 14 – 16, whichis also held in Las Vegas. Both meetings are freeof charge to qualified independent travel agents.

“By attending both the OASIS and Signaturemeetings back-to-back, agents walk away withvaluable product information and inspiring ideasfor optimizing their marketing efforts, to achievea higher sales volume and greater profitability,”says Kelly Bergin, OASIS vice president of busi-ness development. “The theme this year is LearnSo You Can Earn. Presentations by leadingexperts in technology and social media as wellas Signature Travel Network educational pro-grams, will illustrate how innovative technologiescan help agents to differentiate themselves whichdrives increased sales and profits.”

Agents will also attend breakout sessions androundtables at the Signature Sales Meeting. Ahighlight will be Shawn Achor, the keynotespeaker. Shawn is the author of the internationalbestseller, The Happiness Advantage: HowPositive Brains Raise Performance. He is regard-ed as one of the world’s leading experts on theconnection between happiness and success.Shawn’s research on happiness made the coverof Harvard Business Review, his new lecturecalled “The Happiness Advantage” began airingon PBS stations nationwide.

In addition to informative presentations, atten-

dees will meet the many premier sponsors whoare providing meals, refreshments and educa-tional programs for the OASIS meeting. Sponsorsto-date include:

Paul GauguinClassic Vacations/AMResortsUniworld TrafalgarBrendanEurope ExpressDisneySilversea

“Attendance at the OASIS meeting has doubledeach year. Early registration suggests that we willeasily reach maximum capacity in 2013. Spaceis limited, agents are encouraged to registerbefore the October 31st deadline,” Bergin added.

Showcase

OASIS, the Outside Agents Sales Integration System, is a division of Smart Travel Group of Boca Raton, Florida.For more information about OASIS Agent visit www.OasisAgent.com or contact Kelly Bergin at 800-613-8380extension 120, or by email at [email protected]

About OASISOASIS is a division of Smart Travel Group, Ltd.

Headquartered in Boca Raton, FL, Smart TravelGroup is the holding company for a variety of travelrelated businesses. Founded in 1987 as Palm CoastTravel by CEO Lee Smolinski, the company hasexpanded to become one of the leading online cruiseagencies in the U.S.

Palm Coast Travel, the agency division of SmartTravel Group, is a full service travel agency. It is amember of Signature Travel Network, Iatan, ASTA,NACTA, OSSN, CLIA, and PATH. For more informa-tion please contact Kelly Bergin 561-393-7274ext.120 or [email protected] and referencehttp://www.OasisAgent.com.


*Some conditions apply. See next page.

July 2013

Learn How Michelle is Growing Her Business with Expedia CruiseShipCenters

Whether you’re new to the travel business or a seasoned industry veteran, ExpediaCruiseShipCenters can provide you with the tools you need to build a fun and flexible trav-el business that fits your lifestyle.

All of our training, marketing and technology were designed with your success in mind, soyou can achieve your goals, even with no industry experience! Don’t just take our word forit, here’s what one of our Vacation Consultants from Weston, Florida had to say about join-ing our team:

"I was a travel agent for 18 years before joining Expedia CruiseShipCenters in 2010. As amother, flexibility is really important to me and being a Vacation Consultant has allowedme to work from home and celebrate my passion for travel. I decided to join the ExpediaCruiseShipCenters family to take advantage of higher commissions, professional marketingand the influence I get from aligning myself with the world’s largest travel brand. I have theadded benefit of having a local Franchise Partner to mentor me, provide me with industryknowledge, and create a sense of community. I enjoy getting to know my customers andlove that I can offer them one-on-one service."

Michelle Donner, Vacation Consultant

Learn more about our agents by reading some of our other testimonials and discover howpeople just like you turned their love for travel into an exciting new business.

With 29 new ships to debut by 2016 to meet the growing demand for cruise vacations,there has never been a better time to join our team! Attend an upcoming webinar and dis-cover all of the ways that joining the Expedia CruiseShipCenters family can Change YourLife. RSVP now or choose the session to the top right that best suits your schedule.

Warm regards,Pat HeathfieldExpedia CruiseShipCenters

Showcase

Expedia CruiseShipCenters, Just Cruises43277 Garfield Rd, Clinton Township, MI 48038

Phone: 586-840-7447/800-837-4477 Email: [email protected] • www.cruiseshipcenters.com/JustCruisesHB

ROYALCARIBBEAN.COM

THE SEA KISSES EVERY SHORE.WE TAKE THE RELATIONSHIP EVEN FURTHER.

The sea is calling. It whispers your name, inviting you to a place more beautiful than anything you’ve seen. Where light dances on the waves, and the gentle sound puts you at ease. Where you can enjoy a piña colada, a massage, ice skating and rock climbing all in one place. Only Royal Caribbean International® delivers the one vacation that’s a full sea of possibilities.

Travel Agent Professional July 2013

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Transcript of Travel Agent Professional July 2013