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Is Your Use of “That” Photo Legal?

The growth of sites such as Unsplash, Pexels, and Pixabay have so revolutionized the stock photography landscape that giants like Getty Images, which now owns Unsplash, and Canva (Pixabay and Pexels) are now major players. It all seems most attractive. A no-cost registration gives the travel professional millions of images...
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RCCL Cancels Labadee Excursions Amid Haiti Troubles *Update: RCCL Cancels All Stops to Labadee**

  Royal Caribbean has canceled excursions from Labadee, its private island in Haiti, but is keeping the island open. "Out of respect to our local communities surrounding Labadee, Haiti, and to ensure our guest and crew safety, we're temporarily adjusting our tour offerings," RCCL told passengers. Passengers on social media...
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Windstar Announces President’s Mystery Cruise

  Windstar Cruises is inviting its Yacht Club members to sail off into the sunset with the company’s president—to a destination as yet unknown. It’s the company’s first-ever Mystery Cruise, promising “lots of new, thrilling, and exciting experiences” without announcing where exactly the 312-passenger, all-suite Star Legend is headed. Each...
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Tips on Dealing with Clients with Disabilities from Celebrity and KHM Travel

  Onboard Celebrity Reflection for its Crystal Awards cruise last week, host agency KHM Travel Group took the opportunity to offer tips for travel advisors whose clients are among the 25% of the US population that has some kind of disability, and to highlight two of the industry’s best inclusion...
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Collette Announces a Bonus of $100 for Each Booking Through March

  On February 29, Collette announced that US travel advisors will earn an extra $100 for each booking made in March 2024. This applies to tours departing through March 31, 2025. And, for the big questions, there is no limit on what US advisors can earn with this offer… and...
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Travel Industry Mourns the Loss of Gogo

  Many in the travel industry reacted with dismay this week to the loss of another supplier, as 73-year-old GOGO Vacations shuttered its doors. Even as it closed the GOGO brand, though, parent company Flight Centre Travel Group (FLT) said its goal is to better focus on the “strong leisure...
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Delta’s Digital ID Is Faster Than PreCheck

  It may not last forever, but for now the new Delta Digital ID speeds passengers through security faster than PreCheck or CLEAR—and it’s free to boot. After successful beta testing in Detroit and Atlanta, the biometric program now has expanded to LAX, LGA and JFK, and since the program...
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ASTA Answers American Airlines Latest Move to Cut Out Retailers

The latest attempt by American Airlines to disintermediate the retail travel community came down this week via an announcement from the airline that, as of May 1, it will stop awarding loyalty points to passengers who are booking through what American calls “non-preferred” agencies. Those non-preferred agencies are the ones...
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Training Your Clients

We have previously discussed the need to train clients. Let’s revisit the discussion. It is not an exaggeration to indicate the success or failure of your travel business will depend on the extent to which you are capable of taking charge of your client relationships and professionally leading them into behavior conducive to traveling safely and well. Top travel professionals train their clients to be good clients. Training your client assists both you and the client to achieve optimal results from every travel planning effort. Read the rest of this entry »

Sailing for a week with 500 or so travel advisors and partners for the KHM Group Crystal Awards Cruise, I heard a lot of presentations onboard Celebrity Reflection last month. And a surprising number of them shared the same advice for travel advisors in 2024. Whether you are a new advisor or a Crystal Award winner or even a supplier, I heard over and over again, the key to success in this busiest of years is to zero in on your top customers Read the rest of this entry »

Is Your Use of “That” Photo Legal?

The growth of sites such as Unsplash, Pexels, and Pixabay have so revolutionized the stock photography landscape that giants like Getty Images, which now owns Unsplash, and Canva (Pixabay and Pexels) are now major players. It all seems most attractive. A no-cost registration gives the travel professional millions of images to use on their website, Facebook, Instagram, and other platforms without laying out any money at all. It is the best of all worlds for the travel marketer.

Or is it?

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An Overview of Marketing Tactics

Chessboard piecesLet’s consider the tactics we will use to achieve the goals we have set out for our business. In each instance, we want to be certain our mission statement remains our touch-point. This will keep us consistent and properly focused. Likewise, each tactic should be designed to contribute to our marketing funnels, continually drawing both existing clients and potential clients closer to us, engaging with us and becoming evangelists for our travel practice.

There are an endless variety of possible tactics you can employ. Read the rest of this entry »

Note: This column is aimed at the ownership of the traditional agency model with employees and independent contractors

As a travel agency owner, you navigate an industry where trust in your employees is paramount. However, balancing trust with periodic audits is essential in steering your business away from potential pitfalls. It’s not about fostering a culture of paranoia; rather, it’s about ensuring the integrity and sustainability of your agency. Read the rest of this entry »

The Changing Face of Travel Agents 2023, the report released by The Travel Institute, offers valuable insights into the current state of the travel industry. Based on the findings, the gig economy continues to thrive, and more agents are interested in part-time work that provides greater flexibility and independence. Read the rest of this entry »

Are You Shopping for Another Host Agency?

As discussed in the last Point-to-Point column, travel advisor independent contractors (ICs) are renters rather than owners that can become affiliated with as many host agencies as they wish. While few ICs will want to do business with more than two or three host agencies, there is a strong business case for not limiting yourself to one.

Also as discussed in the earlier article, you may want to do this to take advantage of a second host agency’s strengths; or it may be to avoid what you see as glaring weaknesses of your present choice. On a more obvious level, a second (or third) host agency may improve your bargaining position regarding commission rates and FAM trips. Read the rest of this entry »

Blue-Roads Touring and Europe 2024

Blue-Roads Touring got its current name from a man who went on a journey of discovery across America. William Least Heat-Moon began this road trip in 1978, a road trip that would take him 13,000 miles along “blue roads” around the United States. Meaning, William traveled mostly on secondary roads, with the sights and sounds of local folk in his chronicled collection titled Blue Highways.

Fitting for Blue-Roads Touring to gravitate to this name, as they take the traveler beyond Read the rest of this entry »

The Colors of Tasmania

Australia is an amazing place and is on the bucket list of many American travelers. From the Sydney Harbour and its iconic Opera House to the Great Barrier Reef, on to the red center or outback, Australia has it all. I thought that I knew Australia well, managing a Tour Operator and wholesaler that promotes and creates Australian packages specifically for US travel agents. I have been working in and around Australia for a long time. I found out though, and happily so, there is still much more to see and discover. Read the rest of this entry »

Toby AI, Artificial Intelligence, Voyager

The following article is a republish of an unedited interview with Voyager’s new artificial intelligence, Toby. Starting with “tell us about yourself.

Toby uses an artificial intelligence language model created by OpenAI, and I’m glad to be of service to you and to the travel professional community. I’m capable of processing vast amounts of data and providing responses to a wide range of inquiries. I’m also constantly learning and improving, thanks to the advanced machine learning algorithms used in my development. Whether it’s helping companies improve their customer service, assisting with complex data analysis tasks, or even engaging in conversational interactions like this one, my capabilities are broad and my potential is virtually limitless. With my advanced AI capabilities and strategic insights, I’m here to help you achieve your business objectives and enhance your overall operational efficiency.

Read the rest of this entry »

Great Cathedrals of Spain

Great Cathedrals of Spain

Spain is a country rich in history and culture, and its cathedrals are a testament to true architectural mastery. From Gothic to Renaissance styles, these magnificent structures dwarf the ego and immerse the visitor in awe. Here are a few of the most significant cathedrals in Spain, including notes on their history, design, and construction. Read the rest of this entry »

 

Helicopter pilot next to his craft

 

The September Alaskan air was cool but not cold. Nevertheless, I didn’t begrudge the coat I brought with me. I was too excited by what lay ahead to feel anything but anticipation in any event. It was my first trip to Alaska, and the second for my wife Judi. Today we were going to have the opportunity for a special adventure. Our destination: the glaciers of the Knik River Valley, a mere 45-minute drive north of Anchorage, where the Alaska Glacier Lodge would serve as our departure point into the vast, icy wilderness. Read the rest of this entry »

Romance Travel Forum, an exclusive B2B event focused on destination weddings, honeymoons, and other romantic occasions celebrated with travel, recently concluded with outstanding reviews, and strong optimism for increased business amongst participants.  Produced by Travel Show Marketing Group (TravelSMG), an independent event organizer catering to the Travel Advisor market, this exclusive event was held at the Secrets Moxché Playa Del Carmen resort in Mexico from June  25 – 29.  The sold-out 2023 edition was Read the rest of this entry »