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Transcript of Travel Agent Professional July 2015
Travel AgentProfessional
July 2015Issue 37
Keeping Clients —Taking Dating to Long Term MarriageBy Cindy Bertram
Vicki Freed, RCI
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Travel Agent Professional TA
P2015
Ad In
dex
64 Keeping Clients — Taking Dating to
Long Term Marriage
By Cindy Bertram
Cindy's Inside Cruise & Travel Track, LLC
68 My Summer Adventure Begins
By Les-Lee Roland
Owner of The Package Deal
12 The Season of Mists &
Mellow Fruitfulness
By Paull Tickner
16 The Affluent Traveler
By Mitchell J. Schlesinger
President, MJS Consultants
ShowcaseAuto Europe.............................................................15The Well-Being Travel ............................................20Travel MarketPlace..................................................22
July
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July 2015Issue 37
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Amadeus .......................................19
Auto Europe .................................IFC
Britain Greatdays.............................3
HostTravelAgency.com .................23
TRAVELSAVERS.............................21
Royal Caribbean Line ....................BC
Cover Photo: Roelof Bakker
July 2015 Issue 37
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 Professional
P.O. Box 120198Staten Island, NY 10312
E-mail:[email protected]
Phone: 718.360.3153
Ann M. HoekPublisher/Creative Design
Bonnie WallingEditor
Alan CohenVice President Marketing
Meet Our Editorial Board
Paull Tickner,Creator of Special Interest Britain
Cindy Bertram,Cindy’s Inside Cruise & Travel Track, LLC
Mitchell J. SchlesingerPresident, MJS Consultants
Rusty Pickett, ECCShellback Cruises
www.shellbackcruises.com
Les-Lee RolandOwner of The Package Deal
Sherry Laskin, ACCTravel Writer/NACTA Webinar Moderator
www.cruisemaven.com
Sue Sh apiro, PresidentShapiro Travel [email protected]
www.shapirotravelresources.com
Joel M. Abels Legend In the Travel Industry
April 1927 to January 2007
July 2015
The opinions expressed in these columns are solely those of the authors and donot necessarily reflect the views of Travel Agent Professional.
This online magazine is dedicated tothe memory of Joel Abels, Travel
Trade's editor and publisher. Joel andhis life's work may be gone, but with
your help it can live on.
Travel AgentProfessional
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Travel Agent Professional
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July 2015
While attending travel conferences over the past several
years, this question always comes up - “What’s the best way
to not just get that first booking, but get that client to come
back and book again?” Statistics shared are a bit disturbing.
Three out of five people don’t use the same travel profes-
sional when they decide to book their next trip.
So what’s missing? I really think it gets to one key thing. For
people to come back and rebook again and again, our focus
should be on building relationships. We also need to make
sure those clients realize they’re important, that we provide
value, and are passionate about making their travel experi-
ences wonderful and amazing.
In a way, it really is like dating, isn’t it? We need to transition
from dating and “courtship” into building a long term mar-
riage.
By Cindy Bertram
Cindy's Inside Cruise & Travel Track, LLC
The client relationship just begins with the first sale
Theodore Levitt, a well-known, famous professor at Harvard Business School and author of numerous
business books, including The Marketing Imagination, was also editor of Harvard Business Review.
During his lifetime, Levitt contributed over 25 different articles to Harvard Business Review. One is a
personal favorite of mine - “After the sale is over…”
In this piece, he wrote, “The relationship between a seller and a buyer seldom ends when a sale is
made.” He further explained, “The sale merely consummates the courtship, at which point the mar-
riage begins. How good the marriage is depends on how well the seller manages the relationship. The
quality of the marriage determines whether there will be continued or expanded business, or troubles
and divorce.”
If we think about how that fits building ongoing relationships with our travel clients, it really is like a
marriage, isn’t it? To avoid that “divorce” situation, Levitt so wisely brought up, we need to focus spe-
cial ongoing attention, time and efforts managing the ongoing relationships with our clients.
Keeping Clients —Taking Dating to
Long Term Marriage
5
Travel Agent Professional
Keeping Clients —Taking Dating to
Long Term MarriageInsights from Vicki Freed, Royal Caribbean International
Vicki Freed, senior vice president of sales, trade support and
service at Royal Caribbean International, has often addressed
this question of why people don’t come back to rebook.
One key point, she said, is that people usually travel on just
one vacation a year. When they return, they talk up the trip,
share things with their friends, and remember the brand,
including the cruise line and ship they sailed on.
However, during that time, they’ve probably forgotten who
booked their vacation - unless that travel agent professional
has reached out and done ongoing, subtle follow-ups, all in a
genuine, relationship building way.
Pick up the Phone!
“You have to pick up the phone and touch base with those people on a regular basis to build an ongoing
relationship,” Freed said. “In today’s technology world with all the noise around, people want to feel valued
and appreciated.”
She added that travel agents should use the communications tools available to them, but remember some
key points: “E-mail is a monologue, while a phone call is a dialogue.”
It’s critical to view that first client interaction as building the relationship along with having that face to
face connection. Staying in touch with clients after they return from their trip is an ongoing part of building
that relationship. It can be as simple as sending a birthday or anniversary card and just reaching out from
time to time, in a non-sales way.
Pull the “Referral Gene” out of People
“It’s the little things that stand out from the clutter,” Freed said. “People are
loyal to brands, but are not born with a referral gene. We need to ‘pull’ that
referral gene out of people, and there are ways to do that.”
6
How does one do that? “It’s really using a cer-
tain type of phasing when you talk to those
clients.” She added that she likes to tell people, “It
was such a pleasure planning your trip and I’m so
happy I was able to help you have an amazing expe-
rience.” Then she likes to mention that she would
also love to provide the people closest to them the
same type of amazing travel experience as well.
Vicki Freed is also one who’s known for one who
practices what she preaches. While on supplier panels
at a wide range of cruise and travel conferences, she
has talked about how she sends out personal cards
with handwritten short notes on a regular basis.
A favorite quote of hers is from the great
American poet Maya Angelou: “I’ve learned that
people will forget what you said, people will forget
what you did, but people will never forget how you
made them feel.”
Freed noted that for travel agent professionals, it’s
really all about making a connection with your
clients. “Be proud of the services you deliver to
people, because your clients will never forget how
you made them feel.”
Bonnie Friedman of VIP Vacations –
Building the Personal Level
A travel colleague of mine, Bonnie
Friedman, owner and president of
VIP Vacations, Inc. already had a
successful business track record
when started her own travel
agency in 1999. A former health
educator and university lecturer,
she is a natural born sales person
who’s passionate about travel.
Over the past 16 years, she has successfully grown her agency and with that, an extremely loyal client base.
She recommends, “Get to know every customer on a personal level. Value their friendship and appreciate
the opportunity to plan their exciting adventures. I maintain the VIP motto of ‘Value, Integrity and
July 2015
7
Travel Agent Professional
Professionalism.’ I strive to give each client the ‘VIP treatment’ and provide a personalized and unique
travel experience. Also, never fail to follow up, ask for referrals, listen, share in their enthusiasm, and show
gratitude.”
Building the excitement for upcoming group trips, including her cruises, is another savvy talent Friedman
has. She does this via social media, creating special Facebook pages for those upcoming trips. Her clients
“chime in” about how much fun this particular cruise group trip will be, sharing real stories.
She noted, “My customers have become my advocates. They are my unpaid sales team that keep my
phones ringing. I’m not sure if I’m just lucky or blessed.”
Bonnie Friedman is really what I like to call
the consummate matchmaker. She even said,
“Sometimes I think I’m a ‘travel pimp,’ but in
a good way. I actually network and socialize
to ‘pick up’ clients. Sometimes I use shame-
less lines and surprisingly, they work!
“My best elevator pitch is ‘I can change your
life.’ Although I sell all types of travel, my
most successful trips have become repeat
cruise groups that are predominantly single
professional people.
“Social media has been an easy platform for
my customers who love the idea of traveling
with the camaraderie of a group of like-
minded peers. I loved hearing my last cruise
group described as ‘Summer Camp for
Grown-ups.’
“When I host a group, I always introduce my
clients to each other and make sure that no
one feels left out. The fun times, lasting
friendships and memories made bring them
back year after year. There’s a lot of work
that goes behind the success of these
groups and I can’t think of anything more
rewarding.”
Know Your Clients –
Taking dating into a long term
marriage
Think back to any successful personal genuine rela-
tionships you’ve built over the years. What was
important to you? Being made to feel like you were
special and important? Extra touches that person did
for you that were “above and beyond” what was
normally expected? Perhaps some fun, unexpected
surprises? Along the way, it was very evident that
this person was also genuinely enthusiastic about
creating these memorable experiences for you.
As travel professionals, we can use that passion,
along with taking that same dating scenario mindset
into building long term successful relationships with
our clients. It’s about knowing them, taking it to a
personal level, and realizing that the first sale is
merely a way of “consummating the courtship.” This
is where the long-term marriage actually begins.
I took my first sailing on Star Clippers. I emphasize
the word “first” since I am certain I will return.
It was a total surprise to me that I enjoyed my
one week so much. I have a fear of being in the
water, I do not swim. I was in a boating accident
over 40 years ago, and I was rescued only because
people saw me and my orange life jacket bobbling
in Lake Huron. The bathing suit was already in
shreds. Not a pretty sight.
So why would I even go on a small vessel with
emphasis on water sports, snorkeling, paddle
boarding, kayaking, and interesting destinations?
Even though the Star Clipper, my ship, didn’t
have a platform that came down, their larger
ship, the Royal Clipper does. And they made
sure that we had morning stops at beaches and
provided the equipment FREE for whatever we
wanted to do.
With my way over 100 cruises, I have never been on
a ship that has so many repeaters. I estimate that way
over 80% were constant customers, and many had
signed up for a two week sailing, going to the same
ports! They said they never tire and are never bored.
They fly into Nice and transfer to Cannes — how
bad is that?
The cabins are a decent size with such good
storage, I actually had a place for everything.
July 2015
8
What a whirlwind in June. So much to share.
Le
s-
Le
e
Ro
la
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By Les-Lee RolandOwner of The Package Deal
My Summer Adventure Begins
9
Travel Agent Professional
Service was exemplary from the first hello to
the last goodbye.
This was a new sailing for Star Clippers - doing the
coastline of Corsica. Even though it is a French
island with an Italian sounding name, everyone is
proud of being a Corsican. We visited L’lle Rousse,
Figaro, Bonifacio (my favorite) Porticcio, Ajaccio,
Porto and a surprise visit to Elba.
Let me get the downsides out of the way, and
this will be quick. There was very limited TV
access for English speaking viewers. Basically, it
was just BBC news. The upside of this is that
you have more interaction with the passengers
enjoying something that is missing from big
ships: conversation! With about 140 people,
everyone becomes a family quickly - yes, even
those from France and Germany and the U.K.
There was always conversation – evening enter-
tainment consisted of interaction, not produc-
tion shows.
The only thing I do recommend is to do your own
research in advance about the ports. On this new
sailing, little info was given out. But I have been
told that on their other ships, the info is plentiful.
Shore excursions are optional, but at most stops,
the passengers explored on their own. With a lit-
tle fast checking on the Internet, you could have a
surprise adventure every day.
The one excursion most people signed on for was
to visit a World Heritage Site, the Scandola Nature
Reserve. It was a maze of jagged and sheer cliffs,
with inlets and coves that only a small vessel could
maneuver through. So very interesting!
I discovered the art of walking – yes, walking is a
big part of the ports and of the ship, since
there’s no elevators. But with the minimum of
steps between the three decks and top side, I
actual ly looked forward to the exercise .
Anything to work off those extra calories. I
My Summer Adventure Begins
10
July 2015
especially loved the plentiful veggies and salads –
so European.
The beauty of the ship that makes it unique to
other vessels with sails is that 70% of the time you
are sailing and not motoring. That’s almost double
the under-sail time of other lines. The way the keel
is designed, the ride is smooth and quiet. You can
feel comfortable booking your clients on the lower
deck – or for a slight increase of $100 or so, the
middle deck. Now why can’t river cruises have
price equality like Star Clippers?
Our final port was to be St Tropez, But a rain-
storm was brewing that would hinder our tender-
ing in. If this had been a mega ship, they would have
just stayed at sea to wait out the storm. But our
Captain had options and made sure we didn’t miss
a sightseeing day.
He announced we would sail to Portofino. Who knew
that these cobblestone narrow paths were the Rodeo
Drive of the area? The scenery was breathtaking.
11
Travel Agent Professional
I will certainly market this to groups of couples
or singles, especially people who like to take pho-
tos. One gal on our sailing took 4000 shots.
Thank goodness for digital cameras.
The cruise is what you choose to make it. If
you want quiet time, just hang out on the top
deck and relax – possibly by sharing a giant
hammock off the side of the ship, big enough
for 20 people. You can stretch out and watch
the dolphins swimming next to the hammock,
an experience you can’t have on these 4000
passenger ships.
For the daring, you can climb a rope ladder to the
crow’s nest, wearing a safety belt. And the first
person in line for the climb was a 70-year-old
woman! Besides my fear of water, I have a fear of
heights. So I had fun watching the others do this
once-in-a-lifetime adventure.
The Captain must live on coffee, since he was
always around. He would go out and check the
areas, before we got on the tenders. And he was
welcoming us back when we returned.
Passengers were able to mingle with the officers
who would explain the charts and share their
experiences and watch the crew hoist the sails -
on this ship, 17 was the magic number. Their larg-
er ship has 42 sails.
With ships in the Med for the summer, and in the
Caribbean during the winter, (out of St Maartin
or Barbados), and their new sailings in Asia, I rec-
ommend you go through your database to see
who you can market this to.
Just remember to qualify your clients. Even with-
out the elevator, no casino, and some multilingual
sailings, this can be a unique experience.
The rates are extremely reasonable with many
dates where single supplements are waived, and
the itineraries so interesting, Star Clippers is
more affordable than the mega ships.
July 2015
Pa
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Ti
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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 [email protected]
12
This first line in John Keats’ “Ode to Autumn”
sums up the appeal of England in the fall when the
Indian summer days are awash with bright ideas for
shoulder season travel. An abundance of fairs and fes-
tivals have themes like food, gardens, literature, tex-
tiles and antiques, offering creative tour planners the
chance to develop eye catching new travel experi-
ences.
Here are a few suggestions for you to think about for
the many untapped sources on your doorstep.
By Paull Tickner
The Season of Mists Mellow
Fruitfulness
Top Photo By: Henry Wilmer
A Taste of Olde England
Think about a foodie tour that starts with the Melton Mowbray Food Festival
(Oct. 3-4), one of the largest regional food events in the country. Set in the
heart of the U.K.’s rural capital of food, it is home to traditional Melton
Mowbray Pork Pies and Stilton Cheese, delicious artisan cheeses, gold-infused
bubbly, steamed puddings, chocolate kebabs, gourmet British game and locally-
brewed ales.
With a couple of days of
pubs and tearooms in the
Cotswolds, complete the
trip at The Great Bath
Feast, held throughout
October. It’s one of the hottest prospects on the food
calendar this year, with an extensive list of unique
activities, celebrity appearances, and remarkably
diverse gourmet food.
Shades of Autumn
If your garden contacts missed this year’s Chelsea
Flower Show, talk to them about a trip to the Shades
of Autumn Show. Staged by the Royal Horticultural
Society (RHS) in London between Oct. 23-24, it’s an
art and design show that celebrates the beauty of
autumn colour and it’s packed with inspirational planti-
ng ideas to extend the gardening season. Expand the
potential with a visit to Kew Gardens, a side trip to the
RHS Garden at Wisley, a West End theatre show and
some shopping time.
Travel Agent Professional
13The Season of Mists Mellow
Fruitfulness&
July 2015
Girls Getaway to London and Paris
October is a great time for a Girls Getaway. Start with a sophisticated London 3-
night shopping program and add a Eurostar train ride to Paris for three more nights.
There, you can browse at leisure in the Galeries Lafayette or Printemps depart-
ment stores on the Boulevard Haussmann in the Saint-Honoré fashion district,
or go designer shopping on the Avenue Montaigne and Avenue des Champs-
Elysées. Also, check out the St-Ouen flea market (the city’s largest) and for
eclectic fashion, unique jewellery and fine art head for Le Marais. Fly into
London and back from Paris or vice versa.
Quilting, Knitting and Stitching
As you’re sure to have clients who are interested in quilting, let’s put our heads together and create a tour
based around the Scottish Quilt Championships, Sept. 25-28. If sewing and knitting is more their thing, let’s
apply our little grey cells to the Knitting and Stitching Show in London (Oct. 7-11) or in Harrogate (Nov.
26-29). The two shows cover everything from home furnishings and crochet to quilting and dressmaking.
Antiques, Collectors Fairs and London Markets
Here’s another shopping trip, but this time with a focus on 1700 indoor and outdoor stalls at the
International Antiques and Collectors Fair at Ardingly (early September and early November) and the
London markets at Bermondsey, Portobello, Spitalfields and Petticoat Lane. I’ve also included a tour of the
exotic Royal Pavilion, a visit to a privately owned castle on the way to London and a visit to the extraordi-
nary Dennis Severs House as part of the Sunday Londoner’s London programme.
The Cheltenham Literary Festival
For lovers of fiction, culture and books, the Cheltenham Literary Festival (Oct. 2-11) boasts one of the
most remarkable line-ups of writing greats that you’re likely to see. In its spectacular program of over 500
events, the festival touches upon subjects as diverse as history, politics, sport, food and fashion.
All the events are carefully designed to bring together highly sought-after speakers creating stimulating,
surprising, and entertaining events that ignite once-in-a-lifetime conversations. The festival’s spectacular
Book It! family program also offers an unrivalled array of events for children and young people. Sign up at
www.cheltenhamfestivals.com to be the first to hear the 2015 line-up.
14
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
Auto Europe Introduces New Wi-FiCalling App
Auto Europe is introducing their new Wi-Fi Calling App, Auto Europe Talk, which allows
travelers to make calls via Wi-Fi avoiding high roaming charges, to any phone from over
195 countries for pennies per minute.
The free Auto Europe Talk App is available from iTunes or Google Play App stores and is
compatible with iPhone® 4S, 5, 5S, 5C 6 & 6 plus as well as iPad®, iPad® mini and
Android phones. Additional benefits include free app-to-app calling, crystal clear Wi-Fi
calls as low as $.02 a minute (comparable to 98% savings with other North American
Network providers), domestic and international calling, US telephone number and voice
mail. The App is also preprogrammed with a speed dial to Auto Europe’s customer ser-
vice department for assistance from Europe. Visit http://autoeurope.wirelesstraveler.com
to learn more.
“More and more travel agents have indicated to us that staying in touch is very important
to the traveler especially when abroad. We also want to make it as easy as possible for
our customers to contact us if they need to so we see the calling App as another big step
to satisfying the needs of our travelers and another tool for our travel partners. The Auto
Europe Talk program also fits in perfectly with our mission which is to provide our cus-
tomers with meaningful products and services at the best rates,” said Imad Khalidi, CEO.
Auto Europe services over 20,000 car rental locations in over 180 countries worldwide.
In addition, through their tour division, Destination Europe, they offer scheduled airfare
to Europe with over thirty carriers and service 3, 4 & 5 star worldwide hotels. For addi-
tional information contact your local sales representative or Auto Europe at (800) 223-
5555. Visit their web site at http://www.autoeurope.com.
Showcase
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July 2015
The affluent travel market
represents a HUGE earning
opportunity, IF you are prepared to
fulfill the “caviar wishes and
champagne dreams” of the affluent
travel market. And never has the
phrase “follow the money”, been
more meaningful.
By Mitchell J. Schlesinger
President, MJS Consultants, [email protected]
16The Affluent TravelerExceptional Service, Experien ces & Value =
Exceptional Earning Opportunities
From a demographic standpoint, the affluent segment, has its own distinct characteristics:
•It spans a wide spectrum of age and family groups. We have never been more affluent as a society
and this attainment of wealth, includes a younger demographic with “new” money, baby boomers
who are inheriting in significant amounts, and seniors/retirees with a lifetime of “old” money.
•The extent of the wealth is significant. While small in terms of percentage of the population,
affluent consumers are valued at $400-500 billion worldwide and luxury research resources
indicate that could double over the next 5-10 years.
•And because affluent consumers span demographic groups, it is even more important to follow the
money. In many cases affluence creates its own indicators of where these consumers live and spend
dollars in a local market. While they may not be “recognizable” in a supermarket, they certainly are
in expensive housing communities, foreign car dealerships, upscale shopping malls, specialty bou-
tiques, country clubs etc. Following the money is an excellent way for you to source these clients.
17
Travel Agent Professional
It is the psychographic characteristics of the affluent segment that are
challenging and you must be prepared to
meet their extensive needs:
•SERVICE is central. It must be very personalized, (but not stuffy), attentive, professional and
reflect the experience they will encounter on their trip. There is an expectation by each customer
that they are literally, your ONLY customer. This is how you earn their initial trust.
•The second aspect of fulfilling service expectations is your cataloging all of their personal tastes,
needs, wants, etc. This includes room locations at hotels or on cruise ships, favorite wines, dining
arrangements, activities, etc. As you plan for them, you are not asking, but confirming that this
meets their desires. It reflects a very personalized approach to service.
•Luxury travel is about experiences and emotional reactions to them. These experiences come in
two (2) major categories. The first is the physical surroundings, at a resort, on a cruise ship etc. It
includes both the things they expect (great beds, high sheet thread counts, fancy bathroom ameni-
ties, wonderful dining etc.) and special touches and services they did not expect (neck massages at
the pool, special transfers, champagne on the beach, cold towels brought to them on a golf course),
especially at unexpected locations.
•The second category is focused on the destination and how they “experience” it. This cannot be
the standard or ordinary, but must enable them to return with “emotional memories”. Boutique
lunches or dinners, tickets for performances in St. Petersburg or the Sydney Opera House, exclu-
sive tour events, personal interactions, etc. The goal is for your clients to return with memories of
specific experiences. You must be cognizant to attract them with travel opportunities that will fulfill
these “experiential” expectations.
The Affluent TravelerExceptional Service, Experien ces & Value =
Exceptional Earning Opportunities
18
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July 2015
•Don’t ever presume that the affluent with are not concerned with cost. They have achieved affluence
in most cases because they are savvy consumers. They understand that the things they want cost
more, but value is something they will demand. They may live in expensive homes and drive expensive
cars, but they also shop at COSTCO, just like everyone else. The expectation of value never escapes
them, ESPECIALLY, if they have a sense of what something should cost. Sell them the travel that will
fulfill their psychographic for prestige and exclusivity, just make sure that they clearly see the “value”
in what they are spending.
•There are excellent websites (justluxe.com and 4hoteliers.com) with information and articles on lux-
ury traveler expectations and new and innovative products for them.
There are two final vital aspects you must incorporate if you are to besuccessful in dealing with the affluent market:
1Be imaginative in sending information to stimulate travel appetites and retain
loyalty. A personalized letter on textured paper with a new brochure from a
luxury cruise line including a request to “make an appointment” to discuss new
itineraries and destinations. An email with a web link for a new resort in a des-
tination they indicated interest in visiting. For golfers, a complete itinerary for a
7 day package in Hawaii, Pinehurst or Scotland. And at birthday/anniversary
time, send something they will regard as personal.
2And finally, everything comes down to your ability to have prospective clients
recognize that you are an expert at selling luxury travel and servicing affluent
clients. This includes a style you portray that reflects the level of service clients
can expect, communicating the “experiential” elements they seek and recom-
mending upscale travel alternatives that meet their expectations. You must
establish yourself as a “luxury service” brand that clients will trust, learn to
rely on and best of all, share with their affluent family and friends.
1The affluent customer segment represents a significant compensation opportu-
nity that can change the way you approach selling travel overall. I have a very
close friend in the retail business who, every year, sends a group of 20-30
guests on a full world cruise. Consider that. If there is an affluent audience
prevalent in your marketplace, you have the opportunity to make this travel
July 2015
Well-Being Travel Symposium DeliversUnmatched Content and Trade Show
Showcase
For more information about the speakers and sessions that we have prepared and toregister, visit www.wellnesstravelsymposium.com.
The Well-Being Travel Symposium two-day conference,
held in Toronto, was attended by over 150 travel profes-
sionals. The attendees participated in group and panel
sessions, networked with peers and attended a trade
show that had nearly 70 exhibitors, including many
tourism boards. Although wellness travel is a relatively
new niche, it has already broken the rules and now
spans everything from spa getaways and spiritual healing
to holistic nutrition, medical travel, wilderness programs
and wellness resorts and cruises. The theme at the con-
ference brought to the surface the overwhelming
demand to reconnect with a simpler healthier way of life
and how travel agents can embrace this new market.
“We are thrilled that so many travel professionals
joined us in Toronto to exercise their minds to learn
more about wellness travel, products and services
and to hear how suppliers are responding to the
healthy consumer,” says Anne Marie Moebes,
Executive Vice President, Well-Being Travel.
“Travelers are becoming more conscious of their
mental and physical well-being when they're travel-
ing and they want to blend these interests and activi-
ties into their vacations. We are so excited about the
success of this year’s Well-Being Travel Symposium
that we are already planning the 2016 program!”
“I attend this conference to learn from; wellness profes-
sionals, spa directors, my peers, hotel executives and
destinations that are related to health and wellness trav-
el, including the ever popular traveling for medical
treatments,” says Jeri Donovan, Founder of Well
Traveled, Certified Wellness Travel Specialist. “In addi-
tion, the conference offers sessions about how to;
advance my business, create a future vision, and use
social media and marketing to grow my bottom line.”
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.
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.
July 2015
Travel MarketPlace Conference and Trade Show Exceeds Expectations
The second annual Travel MarketPlace Conference drew over400 attendees to Toronto last week to educate travel agents withover 30 sessions and panel discussions, a trade show with nearly70 exhibitors and networking opportunities. Topics ran the gamutfrom; learning the power of the end-to-end sales process to digitaldata, marketing and social media and how to create partnershipsand the importance of hiring the right person for your team. Theexhibit hall brought everyone together to share experiences andmeet with suppliers and the many tourism boards who do notgenerally get to meet directly with agents.
“The Travel MarketPlace conference is my annual resource foreducation about how to manage and grow my business. Itprovides the right mix of broad concept sessions, detailedworkshops and panel discussions. The trade show was filled withenergy and offered the perfect balance for agents to network withsuppliers,” says Flemming Friisdahl, Founder, The Travel AgentNext Door.
“I have not seen anything like the Travel MarketPlace conferencein a long time. The event was the perfect platform to delivereducation and training for travel agents to fine-tune, brand andgrow their business so that they can add greater value toconsumers,” says David McCaig, President & COO, ACTA.
Travel Marketplace was a great show. Air Canada was excited toparticipate in this educational event for the travel agencycommunity in Canada. The speakers, agents and suppliers wereengaged and we were able to meet many of them during the tradeshow to discuss their marketing plans for the remainder of theyear,” says Steve Goodfellow, Director, Sales - Eastern Canada.
“We doubled the number of attendees in just our second year! Atrue testament to that fact that we are meeting the learning needsof Canadian travel agents by providing them with education andtopics that are relevant and meaningful, enabling them to growtheir business to new levels of excellence,” says Anne MarieMoebes, Publisher, Travel Market Report.
Showcase
About Travel Market Report
Travel Market Report is an online
business publication that serves as
an independent forum and voice for
retail travel sellers around the globe.
We provide in-depth coverage and
analysis of news and trends affecting
leisure and corporate travel agents,
along with practical business advice
and insights into key growth
markets. The editors are guided by
an independent Editorial Advisory
Board whose members represent a
cross-section of the retail travel
industry in North America.
Launched in 2009 by American
Marketing Group, Travel Market
Report delivers news updates by
email to subscribers.
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