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“Peculiar travel suggestions are dancing lessons from God.” ~ Kurt Vonnegut, Cat’s Cradle.

You probably think of yourself as a travel agent, travel advisor,  a travel counselor or a travel planner or some variation thereof.  People entrust you with their vacations, their dreams, travel plans, their travel ambitions. You, in turn, access the tools at hand and make your clients’ dreams come true. Your tools are your experience, your relationships with suppliers, your sense of detail and customer service. Every now and then, however, maybe you glimpse that you are something more than a travel agent, counselor or planner. Sometimes you might just sense that you pass right over into the realm of the magician – that ability to transform travel from a trip into an experience. Read the rest of this entry »

As the world moves unsteadily toward eliminating the threat of COVID-19, navigating the world can seem like moving across a map on which all the countries are different colors. The pandemic has been global, but the response to it is highly fragmented. There is no standard international code for how to create a safe environment while COVID continues to be present. Every country is going about it in its own way.

That’s great for the spirit of independence, but it creates a whole lot of annoying complications for travelers who, a couple of years ago, used to cross many international borders with ease. For Dan Austin, president of Austin Adventures, an operator of tour programs on several continents, it has become like an endless series of changing conditions Read the rest of this entry »

The Haven moves aft, the sea comes closer, the rooms get bigger. The Waterfront doubles in size, wraps around the deck and adds a global food hall. There are new infinity pools, glass bridges and an outdoor lounge. And, to add to the excitement, some lucky travel advisors get to sail free.

In a series of hints, tweets and press conferences, Norwegian Cruise Line ended months of relative quiet this week with one big reveal of what it has been quietly working on while the pandemic raged around it. The Norwegian Prima, the first new ship and new class in a decade, goes on sale today. Read the rest of this entry »

More and more people are getting vaccinated across the United States each day, and countries across the globe are starting to reopen for American travelers who are vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus. As reported by the New York Times on April 25, 2021, tourists from America who have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 will be able to visit the European Union over the summer. This is exciting news for all of us that have been waiting anxiously to begin traveling again. Read the rest of this entry »

To celebrate National Nurses Week, AmaWaterways has opened a selection of Europe sailings between October through December 2021 for eligible frontline medical heroes to enjoy a complimentary river cruise with one paying guest in the same stateroom. Read the rest of this entry »

If there is a single question I am asked more often than others, it’s: When do you stop calling on a prospect who either (1) fails to answer your emails, (2) does not return your phone calls, or (3) tells you they are not interested. This is a valid question. But it is also one that every single sales professional tussles with regardless of their industry.

Let’s look at this quandary from a different angle… by taking a walk in your prospect’s shoes. Read the rest of this entry »

Three months and counting… that’s all the time you have left to grab your data from your Facebook Analytics account! Facebook is eliminating this tool!

Yikes! This announcement from Facebook comes as a surprise to most marketers. More surprisingly, there is no solid reasoning or explanation from Facebook. What’s the fix? Tune in to the video for more details and work-arounds. Read the rest of this entry »

With the dominance of social media marketing, you might think that sending an old-fashioned email might be akin to a letter, right? Wrong!

When it comes to keeping clients and prospects engaged with your agency — email marketing is king.

New tech comes and goes daily it seems. Google+…out. Tik Tok…in. Snapchat…who knows. But you know what is always “in?” Email.

Maintaining an email list is no longer something nice to have, but it is imperative if you want to grow your travel business, and here are four reasons why. Read the rest of this entry »

AmericanTours International’s (ATI) Drive America customizable road trip packages make it easy for travel agents to set up, save clients money (compared to booking it on their own online), and generate commissions on a $3,000 couple booking and up to $10,000 or more for a small or multi-generation family. ATI support team knows about the ins and outs of traveling within your destinations and is always available to help you. Read the rest of this entry »

More than a year ago, the CDC set its bargaining position: Cruising couldn’t resume until all guests and crew members were safe. The rules the CDC adopted to enforce this position were to mandate a series of “simulation cruises” before any revenue-producing cruises could begin and creating a mountain of paperwork that each ship was required to complete.

The CDC said that the simulation cruises had to be cost-free for guests. It also required that the cruise lines craft individual agreements with every port that a ship visits, describing how activities such as quarantines and evacuations will be carried out. These rules stopped cruising dead in its tracks until about a month ago. Then, movement occurred Read the rest of this entry »

As the vaccine rollouts increase, destinations are beginning to plan the grand opening of travel once again. The excitement is palpable, an electrical current moving along that has started the idea of planning getaways and seeing the world. It is guaranteed New York City, one of the most popular cities in the world, will be on the traveler’s list. And this is where Beyond Times Square comes to the rescue. Read the rest of this entry »

The recent Scotland Reconnect trade show has given me a great opportunity to take a closer look at a destination I know well and, over the next couple of weeks, I’ll be introducing you to/reminding you about a wide variety of wonderful Scottish travel experiences you can offer your customers.

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Located where the Blue and White Nile Rivers converge into one great river, Khartoum-proper is a city moving quickly into modern times. This metropolis is the capital of Sudan, which did not gain its independence until 1956. It is now a center for trade and economics in North Africa, but still holds onto its traditional roots just outside of the glass and steel of its center. Markets, mosques, and Sudanese culture await the traveler. Read the rest of this entry »

Miki is in love with travel, culture, event planning, planning destination weddings, and creating Taylor Made Travel Xperiences & Events To Fit Your Lifestyle. She has been an accountant, domestic & international, for over 23 years. During that time she created & implemented a travel program for a software company that grew from 50 employees to over 200. With this experience came her love of working in the travel industry. When the best boss one could ever ask for decided to leave the company Miki was working at, Miki decided she needed more, and needed to feel able to make a difference. So, she left the security of a 6-figure income, became a Global Concierge, and created Taylor & Co. Travel. Read the rest of this entry »

There’s a reason that La Fortuna remains one of the most visited areas in Costa Rica. Simply put, it is paradise. This small town, located in an area named the same, is a fortune of relaxation and allowing the richness of life to wash over the traveler. With a magnificent volcano as a backdrop, La Fortuna’s lush natural surroundings and laid-back atmosphere lets the traveler settle into a worthwhile vacation.

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In a continued look at the beauties of Hungary, I’ve covered some of the more well-known cities such as The Best of Budapest – as well as The Interests Around Budapest. Today’s article on Hungary will dive a little deeper into the premier holiday destination of Central Europe, Lake Batalon and its surrounding areas. As central Europe’s largest freshwater lake, Lake Balaton is a prime in Hungary destination to enjoy it’s Mediterranean-like climate.

Once exclusively the home of resort centres for the aristocracy of Hungary, Lake Batalon’s tourism expanded to the middle class in the late 19^th century. And, while resort towns line the lake these days, the more historic towns gain quite the attention of visitors. Read the rest of this entry »

Egypt has always been a draw for travelers. The monuments of ancient civilizations stand as rugged reminders of empires and cultures passed. These grand palaces, temples, and tombs are tremendous feats of engineering – milestones in the history of the world. Which brings us to Luxor. The Luxor Temple and Karnak are sites to behold, to wander about in awe of its hieroglyph-covered walls and columns… a magnificent museum open to the elements.

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