“Why doesn’t anyone ever try softer?” ~ Lily Tomlin

Last week I received a call from a business associate who was expecting a spreadsheet from me.  With the best of intentions I had promised to have it to him mid-week.  Then suddenly it was Friday and the half-finished project was still, well, half-finished.

If I had to tally the partially complete projects on my desk, I’m afraid the number would point to a revealing fact – I’m easily distracted and try to do too much. It is always tempting to over-commit to any number of personal and professional activities with the result that none of them are done as well as I originally intended. I sometimes manage to convince myself working harder is the best way to achieve my goals.

I hear there is a road somewhere paved with nothing but good intentions. Read the rest of this entry »

Early on, we all want THE SECRET, the magic trick that transforms ordinary marketing to extraordinary. The secret that will drive more business through your door than you can handle.

YOU are that Secret.

As we begin our travel practice, we are convinced that there is a bag of tactics we can use to generate business. All we have to do is learn what the tricks are and we will be successful. We believe everyone else knows all of the “tricks” and if we can learn them then we will be on our way to the mountain top. Read the rest of this entry »

Americans mark autumn with two major holidays: Thanksgiving in late November, and Halloween on Oct. 31. The latter is a personal favorite: Ever since I watched It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown! as a  child, Halloween has been one of my anchor points for the fall season. Halloween as we know it, with trick-or-treating and funny costumes, is for all intents and purposes a strictly Western practice. Though it has in recent years spread to South America, the Far East, and Eastern Europe, some of these places have their own traditions which resemble our own Halloween.

Take for example our southern neighbor, Mexico, where Halloween is just the precursor to the two-day celebration of Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. Halloween itself is celebrated very similarly to how we celebrate here in the U.S.: Kids may dress up and go around to houses, asking “¡Noche de Brujas, Halloween!” (“Witch’s Night, Halloween!”). Older generations may throw a Halloween-themed party which could include dressing in costume or “traditional” Halloween games. The two days after Halloween, though, Nov. 1 and 2, play host to much more foreign, exciting, and (in some ways) somber or serious forms of “celebration.” Día de los Muertos is meant to be an opportunity for people to honor their deceased loved ones or relations.

Millions of Mexicans will spend time during the year gathering the deceased’s favorite foods, drinks, or possibly toys and games. Over the Día de los Muertos, they will lay these on their loved ones’ graves and pray for them. Tradition states that the items are there to encourage their loved ones’ spirits to return and hear the prayers for them. This holiday traces itself back to Mayan traditions of praying for ancestors, though it nicely intersects in subject matter with Halloween and the Catholic All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day.

In Europe, Halloween takes several different forms. Ireland and Great Britain are both similar to the United States — kids may dress up and go trick-or-treating, and parties are held with bobbing for apples and the like. You might come across a carved turnip instead of a carved pumpkin, though! Elsewhere in Europe, you may find heavy Dracula themes in Romania (Transylvania) or Catholic traditions of All Saints Day in Greece. Overall, Europe is subject to a peculiar “re-adoption” of Halloween traditions from America, so everything might be a bit too recognizable.

China, though, is where we can again find something similar yet different to our own celebrations. While it does not take place on Oct. 31, the Chinese Hungry Ghost Festival is similar to Halloween in some interesting ways. They both feature a preoccupation with the dead, and both involve numerous festivities and entertainment. The Hungry Ghost Festival is more similar to Día de los Muertos, though, in that the focus is on appeasing or communicating with the dead specifically. Chinese will set out food, burn money (today usually fake money) and pray earnestly to appease and gain protection from evil spirits. Some of the more well-known festivities include fantastical parades and the famous floating candle ceremonies, where candles are set to float on rivers in honor of the dead.

Many cultures in the world have almost exclusively integrated American Halloween customs into their own traditions; other cultures, like Australia, discourage Halloween celebrations for being so commercialized/American. No matter the case, the traditions exemplified by Mexico and some Gaelic countries, the integration of American traditions with the country’s own traditions and concepts, are fun and interesting to natives as well as travelers looking for a dash of their home celebrations and a healthy dose of foreign culture.

Just before the “Summer of Chaos” began in June, I wrote an article suggesting we all anticipate the problems that would occur as travel returned and the need to practice patient generosity. Yesterday, returning to Tallahassee from Dallas, I arrived in Atlanta to learn my 10:30 PM flight, the last of the night, had been canceled due to “unexpected crew complications,” and I needed to see a Delta Agent to rebook my flight. Having also written an article on the new DOT Dashboard, I sought out my Delta Agent armed with a new set of rights. As it turned out, Delta had beaten me to the punch Read the rest of this entry »

In February of this year, Hawaii County Mayor Mitch Roth closed the Waipio Valley Road to both pedestrian and vehicular traffic, for all but residents. Access is now being restored with the partial reopening of the road to more traffic effective September 19th.

Officials cited the hazardous conditions present due to the deterioration of the steep roadway. Since that time, road crews have been working on safety improvements for the only vehicle entrance into the popular tourist area, held sacred by many native Hawaiians.

The Waipi’o Valley Road is one of the steepest roads in the United States, with a 45% grade and hairpin turns on the 1.5 mile stretch. Cars can barely pass each other in differing directions on the narrow road, and a four-wheel-drive vehicle is a necessity.  Reaction to the closure was mixed, with some applauding the effort to reduce traffic into the secluded valley and others protesting the closure on cultural grounds. Security guards were posted at the entrance to the road to check for proof of land ownership or residence.

The black sand beach at the bottom of the road is popular with surfers. Waipi’o Valley, (meaning “curved water” in Hawaiian), now hosts fewer than 100 actual residents, but traffic in and out by surfers, locals, and tourists on any given day can be quite heavy.

We sometimes exhibit auto-magical thinking about websites much like Field of Dreams. We believe if we build a site, then people will just come to it, and “Sales” will happen.  I hate to break it to you, but that is not the way it works. Read the rest of this entry »

Rental Escapes, a full-service luxury villa company specializing in providing unparalleled private villa rentals worldwide, today announced the launch of a new series of bonus commission rewards for travel advisors. In anticipation of the company’s 10-year anniversary taking place in December, Rental Escapes will offer a new travel advisor promotion each month, commending the important role that the constant support and dedication of travel advisors have played throughout its history.

This September, travel advisors can now take advantage of a bonus commission of up to $2,500 on every booking made throughout the month. The commission is valid on bookings made through the end of September for stays between October 1, 2022, and December 31, 2023. Bonus commissions will be paid out and included with the travel advisor commission check upon the guest’s departure.

“Travel advisors remain our most valued partners, and we feel it is important to express our gratitude with a series of celebratory offerings designed to benefit these advisors,” says Willie Fernandez, chief marketing officer of Rental Escapes. “Over the next four months, we will introduce new, month-long offerings that travel advisors can take advantage of to convey our immense appreciation for their support.”

After 10 years in the business, Rental Escapes has continued to prioritize its partnerships with the travel advisor community, evidenced through its various tools to help advisors grow their business, as well as their absence of booking fees. In addition, advisors have the ideal opportunity to work alongside Rental Escapes’ dedicated villa specialists and concierge team to provide around-the-clock care for guests. Rental Escapes even offers the opportunity for advisors to earn commission on customized concierge packages when working with the concierge team. When banded together, advisors and Rental Escapes are able to deliver unparalleled support to guests, ensuring the ultimate vacation.

“Over the last 10 years, we have rapidly expanded our unforgettable product offerings, our first-in-class team, and our network of loyal travel advisors who have played an essential role in our business,” says Brian Schwimmer, chief executive officer of Rental Escapes. “When creating Rental Escapes, we sought to establish a customer-centric culture, where exceeding travelers’ expectations is the goal. This philosophy has helped forge our relationship with advisors and made Rental Escapes one of the leading luxury villa rental companies in the world today.”

For more information on Rental Escapes, visit RentalEscapes.com. Stay up-to-date on the latest news by following Rental Escapes on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

I have a fondness for words both simultaneously a noun and a verb. The word “craft” is a wonderful word. “Craft” denotes expertise, intelligence, intuition, and skill. A craft is more than a hobby, more than a pastime. When you craft an answer, you work it, paying attention to details, to the magic that is in the turns and twists in the subtleties of language and insight. A craftsman is devoted to a chosen trade, and practitioners of a craft are both learned and wise in the application of their practice. Read the rest of this entry »

Most of us have had the experience of purchasing an automobile from a car dealership. There are certainly many, many aspects of the experience that are good examples of bad examples for anyone seeking to learn something about sales. Too often, the “come-on” is too strong and the salesperson inauthentic. What is most obvious, typically, is that the salesperson on a car lot is all about the transaction, and your needs are secondary.

But.

Car dealers know how to get you to relate to their product and to find your emotional connection to the vehicle. Let’s go for a test drive. Read the rest of this entry »

I am a yoga convert. Let me first tell you that my 65-year-old  body so strenuously objects to yoga that at times I resemble a trauma victim more than a practitioner. I know I am making progress by the simple fact that fewer people at each session ask me the question “Are you OK?” But your local yoga studio has something to teach travel professionals that perhaps we should examine.

Yoga stresses the value of practice to both body and soul. Yes, stretching is great exercise. By performing yoga on a regular basis, the dedicated student becomes more limber, less susceptible to muscle strains, and to the perils of everyday movements. By diligently practicing yoga, a student can gain strength and flexibility and can even lose weight.

But there is more. Read the rest of this entry »

Hairdressers. Stylists.  Barbers. Beauticians. The profession goes by many names, but chances are pretty good that you have one in your circle of acquaintances. As I was once told by a wise woman, only crazy people cut their own hair.  Certainly, my own experience with stylists indicates some important qualities: Read the rest of this entry »

The U.S. Department of State is permitting an initial test of online passport renewal for 25,000 individuals. The pilot program is part of a Biden administration effort to make travel and passport acquisition easier to accomplish. Read the rest of this entry »

King Puck Statue (Photo Wikimedia contributor User:Itub)

For three days each year in August, more than 20,000 people converge on Killorglin in Kerry in Southwest Ireland for the coronation of a goat. But not just any goat. Read the rest of this entry »

Good bartenders are almost a breed apart.  Alternating between multiple clients, these professionals have developed a skill set useful to travel consultants.  The most accomplished bartenders deftly manage their many clients while effectively multitasking their way through the evening. Let’s look at the characteristics the most proficient resourcefully exhibit. Read the rest of this entry »

There are loads of lessons to be gained by watching a professional waiter. In many ways, the profession of being a server in a dining establishment is especially instructive. Not only do most of us have frequent exposure to waiters, but many of us have actually been servers.

Who does not enjoy a truly great waiter? It does not matter if the meal is in a breakfast diner or a fine restaurant, a great waiter improves the experience. Equally true, a bad waiter can ruin the best of food. Here’s what I see as the quality that makes a great waiter great: intuition and timing. Read the rest of this entry »

The cruise industry appears to be booming with 99% of ships sailing and with demand way up since the end of the Covid-19 pandemic, the end of the CDC’s reporting program for ships, and the cessation of many of the vaccination protocols both on ships and in ports of call.

However, cruise lines now find themselves up against a rising tide of anti-cruise sentiment in Europe. Protesters are confronting passengers in some ports as the tourists disembark for shore excursions. The protesters complain about the crowds brought by the ships which are perceived as overwhelming the streets of cities like Dubrovnik, Venice, and Barcelona while spending very little money on food, goods, and services in those same locales.

Protests broke out in Norway this week at five different ports of call, with protesters confronting cruise passengers protesting the “environmental and social damage” caused by cruising. The protests are led by the anti-cruise group CruiseNotwelcome. Protesters and academics alike argue the cruise industry is a major source of environmental pollution. Posters in the Norwegian ports of call point out the cruise ships are registered under foreign flags, pay no local taxes, and flood the streets of the port towns.

Lot of these up in the harbour pic.twitter.com/Vimkutbvv1

— Ketan Joshi (@KetanJ0) July 16, 2022

Similar protests and issues have arisen in the United States, most notably in Key West.

In response to such criticisms, the cruise industry is undertaking major sustainability initiatives. In January of this year, the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) released its “2022 State of the Cruise Industry Outlook Report”. The report asserts the cruise industry has implemented progressive protocols and points to the value of cruise tourism to both local and national economies worldwide, and acknowledges and plots a course to achieving carbon neutrality.

A free service with the potential to speed up entry at a number of U.S. ports and airports, the Mobile Passport Control app (MPC app) should be on your radar. Read the rest of this entry »

At the heart of every business is what many call a “customer value proposition.”  Simply put, what value do you offer the customer?  Can you answer, without hesitation, the question, “Why should I use your services?” At countless trade shows and presentations, I’ve witnessed too many agents stumble over this important question.  Your value proposition should be a matter of muscle memory, not a pop quiz.

To assist you with developing your own answer, let’s consider three very important issues. Read the rest of this entry »

The UK Met Office, the national meteorological service for the United Kingdom, yesterday issued the first “Red Extreme heat wave alert” ever issued in the UK. The Met Office was forecasting a temperature of 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) next week, with temperatures likely in the high 30’s in many areas.

See updates on Twitter:

⚠️⚠️🔴 Red Extreme heat warning issued 🔴⚠️⚠️

Parts of England on Monday and Tuesday

Latest info 👉 https://t.co/QwDLMg9c70

Stay #WeatherAware ⚠️ pic.twitter.com/YHaYvaGh95

— Met Office (@metoffice) July 15, 2022

The Red Extreme heat warning covered July 18th and 19th for central, northern, eastern, and southeastern England. An Amber Extreme warning was already in place for much of England and Wales for the 17th – 19th.

Met Office Chief Meteorologist Paul Gundersen, said “Exceptional, perhaps record-breaking temperatures are likely early next week, quite widely across the red warning area on Monday, and focussed a little more east and north on Tuesday. Currently there is a 50% chance we could see temperatures top 40°C and 80% we will see a new maximum temperature reached. Nights are also likely to be exceptionally warm, especially in urban areas. This is likely to lead to widespread impacts on people and infrastructure. Therefore, it is important people plan for the heat and consider changing their routines. This level of heat can have adverse health effects.”

The previous record high in the UK was 38.7 degrees Celsius at the Cambridge Botanic Garden on 25 July in 2019. Temperatures were predicted to begin to fall to a more normal range toward the middle of next week.

The Transport for London office advised residents and visitors to only travel if essential on Monday 18 and Tuesday 19 July, due to very high temperatures

Andy Lord, Chief Operating Officer, TfL said: “Due to the exceptionally hot weather that is expected next week, customers should only use London’s transport network for essential journeys. If customers do need to travel, they should check before they travel as we are expecting there to be some impact to Tube and rail services as a result of temporary speed restrictions we will need to introduce to keep everyone safe. It is also vital that customers always carry water at all times with them when traveling.”

After failing a US Coast Guard Certificate of Compliance exam, all passengers of the Margaritaville at Sea Paradise cruise ship were asked to disembark and a “No Sail Order” was issued for the vessel.  The exact nature of the ship’s deficiencies was not disclosed.

That order was lifted on Friday after the cruise line cured the outstanding issues causing the No Sail Order to be issued. Read the rest of this entry »

The word “radical” denotes the idea of getting to the root of a problem. When mathematicians want to find the square root of a number, they use the radical symbol to express the equation. For travel agents, getting radical on a problem means seeking out its cause. One of the best ways to do so is to work backward and ask, quite simply, “WHY?” Read the rest of this entry »