How do you really feel?

Your knee-jerk response might sound something like these: “I feel fine.” “I’m okay.” “Can’t complain.” “Good as usual.” Quickly responding with a reply like this is nothing more than a quick way to by-pass the interrogation. I’ll ask you again— How do you really feel?

Have you taken the time in the last few weeks/months/years to give yourself the old once-over, as it pertains to your true feelings? If not, I strongly suggest you do… sooner, rather than later.

To assist you in this meaningful reflection, allow me to do a deep dive into Read the rest of this entry »

A key objective of marketing your travel planning practice is assuring a flow of new clients through the door. Retention of your existing clients is absolutely necessary and challenging in and of itself, but the acquisition of new clients provides for growth. If you are not taking measures to acquire new clients, attrition of your existing base will mean your business will decline over time.

Remember our discussion of the sales funnel?  Typically, only a small percentage of your leads pan out into actual travel planning opportunities.  In order to maintain the volume you need for a healthy business, your marketing activities must be robust and continual.  Read the rest of this entry »

Last week I got a spammy email telling me how I can travel the world for free. No, it was not YTB rising from the ashes; but an online course to teach me how to become a travel writer and blogger.  The premise was that if you say you are a writer, the airlines, cruise lines, hotels, and tour operators will all rush to you to let you travel for free—usually first class. Well, when something sounds too good to be true, it usually is. However, I don’t doubt that legitimate travel writers are quite a few notches up from the lowly travel agent! But, all that aside, this email got me thinking. Read the rest of this entry »

AmaWaterways announced a partnership with Metropolitan Touring to introduce a new river cruise experience in Colombia.

Starting in December 2023, guests will be immersed in experiences on shore as well as on board a new custom-built, all-suite, eco-friendly river cruise ship. The new ship and cruise program will incorporate design experience from AmaWaterways’ President and Co-Founder Rudi Schreiner, plus Metropolitan Touring’s expertise in expedition cruising in the Galápagos Islands. Read the rest of this entry »

Anita has been in the travel industry for over 28 years. She founded the host agency Ticket to Travel in 1993, which was merged into KHM Travel Group in 2020. Her voice has been one of inspiring the at-home advisor with books such as “How I Made a Small Fortune as a Home-Based Travel Agent”, and “From Home-Based to POWERHOUSE! – Marketing Strategies to take your Travel Passion to Profit”. Anita is currently the Vice President of CCTO (California Coalition of Travel Organizations), and the Vice President of Industry Relations at KHM Travel Group. Read the rest of this entry »

A recent press release confirming the restaging of the popular York Mystery Plays (every 4 years) started me thinking about how this medieval form of street theatre could become the star attraction in a customised tour for a couple of clients, two-four friends travelling together, or a small group from a local church.

In addition to attending a Mystery Play performance, there’s a Vikings to Georgians journey-through-time walking tour, a cathedral celebrating its 1350th anniversary; a 12th century Cistercian Abbey; a Georgian water garden complete with ornamental lakes, avenues, temples and cascades; a treasure-filled Baroque castle; and, for light relief, a fascinating collection of period rooms ALL in miniature!

I know you’re extremely busy, but this novel approach to a 3-4 night York-based programme could generate a profitable outcome.

Read the rest of this entry »

As a guest of the US Tour Operators Association at one of its “Wednesday s At One” seminars, Tom Jenkins, the CEO of USTOA’s European counterpart, the European Tour Operators Association (ETOA), recently gave a Zoom presentation about the prospects for recovery of the travel industry in Europe.

Though no one is in possession of the proverbial crystal ball, Jenkins always has canny observations to share. A shade contrarian by nature, he picks out contradictions embedded in current conventional wisdom, and he provides insights that others may miss.

From his vantage point in the UK, Jenkins gave a quick Read the rest of this entry »

Now that vaccinations are available everywhere in the United States, and are free and sometimes linked to one million dollar lottery prizes; it’s tempting to rejoin the travel cheerleaders. Here’s a “rapid test” to determine whether COVID-19 is still a significant threat to travelers:

Will the hospitalization rates (per 100,000 people) for July in the states with the highest vaccination rates be greater than the hospitalization rates for July in the states with the lowest vaccination rates? Also, will the hospitalization rates for July 2021 will be greater than the hospitalization rates for June 2021 Read the rest of this entry »

Here we are, a world opening back up after a global pandemic that has ground travel to a halt for more than a year. Travelers, advisors, suppliers, economies… all have been hampered by precautions in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The countries within the European Union were no exception. But, as good news surfaces from around the world, many countries are opening their borders once again. The Republic of Poland, a popular member of the EU, and a land of diverse terrain and historic sites, is now accepting US citizens.

Even during the heights of the COVID-19 pandemic, Poland was preparing for the return of tourism. Its #CityWillWait campaign highlighted the cities around the country, and that they will await the traveler. From the capital of Warsaw to the old town of Gdansk, the wait has been worth it. Read the rest of this entry »

CONFIDENT PEOPLE. I recently had the pleasure of attending my great niece’s dance recital. Mila will be five years old in August, and she is on her way to becoming a multi-talented young lady. This year’s performance was staged under a tent in a freshly mowed hay field in upstate New York—to satisfy the open-air mask requirements of Covid-19. This little girl exudes confidence, and I applaud her parents for that. In a word, the entire afternoon and performance was FABULOUS.

On more than one occasion, I found myself smiling and feeling my emotional button being pushed. I was watching a group of young people “doing their thing” after hours of training, rehearsal, practice, corrected errors and polished dance routines. In addition to being entertained, I was being reminded of how overnight success does not come by accident. Each and every one of these kids was earning the respect of Read the rest of this entry »

245* years ago, it was a new day for Colonialists. And today is a new day for the travel industry.  We are ready to get down to business and grow ourselves much like Jefferson, Adams, Paca, Hancock, and the rest needed to do back in 1776. Read the rest of this entry »

It’s a CEO’s job to be inspirational, and a reporter’s job to be skeptical. But I have to admit, I was moved by Brad Tolkin’s buoyant tone as he kicked off Dream Vacations/CruiseOne/Cruises Inc.’s Travel Advisor Learning Summit on Zoom last week—and inspired by the great tips offered up by the speakers.

Overnight, it seems, all those dire predictions for the travel industry in general and cruising in particular have been put to rest by that pent-up demand industry leaders have been promising through the pandemic Read the rest of this entry »

Lindblad Expeditions has announced it will be reactivating National Geographic Explorer for a series of voyages in Iceland this summer. Plans call for the 148-guest polar vessel to explore the mythical land of the midnight sun on two alternating itineraries, Wild Island Escape and The Circumnavigation of Iceland. On both expeditions, guests will discover why Iceland is known as the “land of fire and ice” as they journey through the country’s fjords, tundra, waterfalls, and geothermal hot springs. Read the rest of this entry »