TravelResearchOnline.com Blog

After I posted Seven Reasons Why Europa 2 Can Command The Luxury Cruise Segment’s Highest Prices — For Now, a few people wrote to me to ask if I liked the new ship. In my first post, I tried to be as objective as possible, withholding my opinions. But because you asked, yes, I do like Europa 2 — quite a lot. If I were to put them in order, my favorite aspects of Europa 2 would be: Read the rest of this entry »

Dear Stephanie,

I keep hearing about mobile sites. I already struggle to update my site with posts and deals.  I’m often behind.  Do I need a mobile site and how do I keep that updated?!

- Zoe S. 

Hey Zoe,

Last month we dove into the importance of keeping your site updated and if that wasn’t possible, to convert it to a static site.  This month, we talk about why mobile is important for travel agencies.

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Vicky Puig is an integral part of the Member Services team, a group of six employees that acts as first level support for the general Nexion Membership. The department’s primary function is to handle incoming phone calls from the members and provide support on Nexion products and service inquiries. They also coach agents to help them grow their home-based businesses.  

I joined Nexion in 2011 after our company had moved to our new offices. Though new to Nexion, I’ve been in the travel industry since 2007, working for Sabre as a trainer and customer service business analyst. It was this experience that made me the first new Montevideo employee to become part of Nexion’s six-person Member Services team.

Less known than Nexion’s Dallas office, but absolutely crucial, our office in Montevideo, Uruguay is where a group of dedicated in-house employees – including me – strive to provide the extra edge to over three thousand North American travel agents. Read the rest of this entry »

Telling my story has always seemed to come naturally. I never tire of rehashing and embellishing tall tales of my decade plus as a cruise ship entertainer – always weaving in some of the epic fails along with the romance. Listeners get what sounds like the ‘Love Boat’ resurrected as a modern day reality show. (Yes, I endured several tours of duty on the Princess ‘Love Boats’ of that era.) Plus, the process provides the perfect segue to a cruise presentation.

I rarely think of storytelling as a branding process but – according to dozens of business books – that is exactly what’s happening.

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WCBS4Printing, (“WCBS”)  is a seasoned, full-service premium printing resource for travel companies, mid-sized businesses, corporations and marketing & design professionals nationwide. From printing and graphic design to editing, proofreading and bulk mailing, the company’s mission is to make life easier for our customers by providing a high-quality, low-cost, one-stop resource for all your printing and physical marketing needs. WCBS began as West Coast Business Systems in 1981. The first year it had a total of five travel agency clients, all on Sabre and all in Los Angeles. From there, with its dedicated focus on the travel agency community, it has grown to serve over 7000 active accounts domestically throughout the United States and internationally in the Pacific Rim, Canada and the Caribbean. To serve these accounts cost effectively and efficiently WCBS has production facilities in the Western, Central and Eastern U.S. and Canada.

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What type of formal sales and marketing training have you undertaken? If you look at most professions, the sales people are continually taking sales courses on a regular basis. In travel, however, sales and marketing often take a back seat to destination courses and product knowledge. Seldom do you see real sales and marketing training in our industry. Even at industry trade shows, “sales seminars” usually end up being more product knowledge in disguise. How important do you think formal training in sales and marketing is and how have you invested in it in the past? Read the rest of this entry »

“Don’t you worry about a thing… ’cause every little thing is gonna be all right.” These wise words from Bob Marley encompass the kind of laid-back calm you can achieve as you lie on a beach, explore a jungle or take a guided tour around the beautiful island of Jamaica. No matter where you’re from or what your background is, you’ll be welcome on this tropical paradise. While it’s tempting to never leave the grounds of your luxurious all-inclusive resort during a trip to this gorgeous isle, you should resist the urge long enough to get a taste of Jamaica’s singular unique culture and natural beauty.

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A 3-hour plane ride from Miami will place you within one of the most beautiful countries in all of Central America. Costa Rica offers attractions for all ages; revel in natural beauty left untouched thanks to the government’s strong efforts to preserve the island’s ecosystems. The rainforests that populate this gem are some of the most unique in the world; combine this with the perfect year-round climate and atmosphere, not to mention the extremely friendly locals, you are sure to desire another visit as soon as you return home.

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