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1. You’ll have a 20 hour work week with a computer (circa 1989)
2. A vacuum robot will make your life easier
3. Blog writing can be easy

Which of these statements is true?

If you chose C, you’re absolutely right!  Whether you LOVE to write and can’t wait to write your next article or if you HATE to write and procrastinate, you’ll find some reassurance and tips here.

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Greetings!

I am having some trouble narrowing down my niche.

I wanted to start a travel business because my family and friends are always asking me to help them find affordable airfare and accommodations for various locations.

I think I want to do budget/bargain travel because so many people think that travel has to be expensive. Have you seen anyone specialize in shoulder season travel?

Also, I am big into yoga, wellness, and I’m a mom! Definitely want to add that into something. Can I have a few niches?

Thank you for your time!

Natalia Carden, MindYourTravelLLC.com

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After years of writing articles for Travel Research Online I often ask myself, “Mike where do you keep coming up with new ideas?” The answer is always the same. “It is easy. Just look around.” And so it is. Today’s message comes to you thanks to a recent referral.

The “target” of today’s article works for an eye doctor. This article could just as easily be titled,  “How To Punch Mike’s Hot Button Before The Day Has a Chance To Unfold.” The operative word here is “REFERRAL.”

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Hi Mary,

Hope you are doing well. We are in south Florida and I’m just getting back to work. I’ve had a lot of time to think and solidify my niche. I would love to know if you have any hosting agencies you would recommend that would/could assist in promoting travel to foodies.

I’m really excited to book travel to areas that offer amazing seaside cafes with must-see views. Thoughts?

I look forward to hearing from you…

Warm Regards,

Rhonda

Culinary Latitudes, LLC

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It amazes me why straightforward, logical, and fundamental approaches to solving problems takes years to formulate in the adult brain. This question is only superceded by why it took man so long to put wheels on his luggage.

I recently stumbled upon a formula that not only makes sense, but I am betting will make the year 2017 your absolute best year to date when it comes to selling group travel space.

Regardless of your current practices or how successful these efforts have been to date, try to internalize the logic behind my recommendations. Read the rest of this entry »

Have you been looking for a way to really get your business name out there in a bigger way and firmly establish yourself as the go-to expert in your niche? There is no better way to do that than to be published and featured as an expert on a high-traffic website or publication.

Content marketing is always a great way to raise your expert profile, but a lot of travel professionals aren’t quite sure where to get started with something like this. Finding places that accept guest posts, editorials, or (even better) advertorials isn’t always easy.

Since I know you are busy growing your business and taking care of your fabulous clients and their vacations, I thought I might compile a list of a few places that not only accept guest submissions, but quite often actually pay for them! Read the rest of this entry »

We generate leads through various channels of distribution. If you hand out your business cards on a regular basis at business functions, that is a channel of distribution. If you get leads through your website, then it is also a channel of distribution. If you have a well developed referral program, there is a channel of distribution. Today’s effort in setting up a lead generation program, then, is examining your channels of distribution.

Typically, some channels of distribution are better developed than others. For example the company’s website may be very polished, easy to navigate and collects many leads for the company, while the company’s referral program from existing clients may be sporadic and producing leads on an irregular basis. It is important to periodically examine each of your channels of distribution and ensure each is a sharp as possible and represents your company well. The idea is to not be dependent on any one channel but to have only so many channels as you can reasonably manage and maintain well.  Read the rest of this entry »

While we have lived with market uncertainty for several years at this juncture, there has been noticeable improvement for most regions of North America. As you consider your business strategies, appropriate decisions have to be implemented. Here are a few tactical principles that will keep business coming through the door through the balance of this year and into the next: Read the rest of this entry »

You have at your disposal a variety of ways in which to reach out and touch your clients and potential clients.  Let’s drill down on this topic by looking at the concept of distribution channels. Consumers of your service will see your ads in print and on the web. They might hear of you through a referral or see you give a talk at the local chamber of commerce. They might read an article about you or even by you in the community newspaper. Each of these avenues where a client might encounter your services are rivulets off of a distribution channel, a conduit to consumers that you use for marketing your services as a travel consultant. Read the rest of this entry »

“Public Relations” refers not to a single tactic but to a varied number of ways that a travel agent can reach out to the public at large and raise the profile of their travel agency. Public relations tactics tend to be a favorite of guerilla marketers as they depend more on personal effort than outlays of capital and, properly executed, can be highly effective. Public relations also have the great advantage of being a more personal approach to marketing. The personality of the travel consultant is at the center of each effort, and the authenticity of the travel consultant is immediately available to everyone within the effort’s sphere of influence. Taking on a public relations effort is no small feat in that it requires that the travel agent put themselves in full view of the public with little margin. Read the rest of this entry »

The list of possible tactics a travel consultant might employ building their business can be long and, at times, overwhelming. For new agents, it is typically best to choose a few tactics and learn to do them well, rather than to attempt every possible tactic. A few efforts well accomplished will typically yield better results than an entire array of marketing efforts poorly executed. As we earlier discussed, stay focused, work within your plan in a series of campaigns, and you should turn good results for the majority of your efforts. From time to time you can add new tactics as you become more accomplished and efficient at implementing your marketing plan. Read the rest of this entry »

Word has it the economy is improving. My experience is the activity levels of travel agents are one of the best early barometers of the health of the economy. Judging from the chatter I hear, business is up and that’s good news for everybody. Here’s some good news you may not have considered. Because you survived one of the worst economic times in many decades, you are likely well prepared to take advantage of the upturn. You have pared down your expenses, you have mastered some marketing and sales fundamentals and improved your customer service technique. Whatever skill set you developed over the past three years will serve you well now.

I understand the desire to be cautious with funds when there is still a great deal of uncertainty in the air. However, marketing does not necessarily require hard currency when some sweat equity will do nicely. Here are a few thoughts that should keep you moving forward. Read the rest of this entry »

After five years, Jerry Mpufane has left his post as president of the North American hub of South African Tourism, the government tourism board, to pursue other opportunities. Although his tenure 2019-2024 included the time of COVID’s global rampage, Mpufane leaves SAT in a better position than when he took the post in May 2019. When he started, North America, including Canada and the United States, was the third largest source market for South African visitors. Now it’s the largest Read the rest of this entry »

(Part 2 of 2. For two more great ideas, see Nine Great Ideas for 2024: Travel Advisors Share New Agendas for the New Year | Travel Research Online. I know that’s 10 in all, I’ve added one more since last week!)

It’s going to be a busy year, travel advisors say. While for some the focus is on building their client base, making it more profitable, or marketing to new customers, others say their biggest challenge in 2024 is time management.

At Cruise Planners-The Zeneri Team, Melissa Shanks is looking more to grow her high-end customer base through a luxury travel club she is organizing with two of her associates Read the rest of this entry »

Public relations includes:

• ​media (articles about you),
• networking
• speaking opportunities,
• events; and
• writing (articles by you).

In each of these efforts, your personality is at the core of the marketing tactic. When the public reads an article about your agency, hears you speak, works with you at an event, or reads an article you have written, they engage you as an individual, not as a faceless company. That encounter is intensely personal and carries an authority that an advertisement cannot. People are trained to ignore advertising. They are equally well-trained to engage those in their presence. Read the rest of this entry »

Viking^® has revealed plans to add 10 new Viking Longships to its river fleet. Eight of these vessels will navigate the popular routes along the Rhine, Main, and Danube rivers, while two will join the Seine River. This expansion includes a Longship for the Seine, announced in February 2023.

The construction of Read the rest of this entry »

Britton has been learning quite a bit about trip insurance. You’ll find her articles at this link. I recently reached out to Suzanne Morrow, Senior Vice President for InsureMyTrip.com to ask a couple of questions.

1. What are the top three coverages that a U.S. traveler to Europe would want in trip insurance?

Travel insurance isn’t one-size-fits-all. Every trip is different, and every traveler has different needs and concerns. With that said – if an American is traveling out of the country, we recommend they consider emergency medical and evacuation coverage. Most domestic health insurance, including Medicare, will not cover medical bills overseas. Read the rest of this entry »

In 2024, for the first time, AmaWaterways will begin its European river cruising season on February 11 with two ships on the Danube and Rhine rivers. As a direct response to the increased demand for new off-season travel options, this strategic move reflects AmaWaterways’ commitment to evolving travel preferences. As AmaWaterways announces record results for 2023 and continued strong growth for 2024 and 2025, several key trends are setting the stage for a bright future of the river cruise industry.

Guests embarking on their river cruises and land journeys with AmaWaterways in 2024 can anticipate curated experiences embracing the following trends: Read the rest of this entry »

You could be forgiven for not knowing about Riverside Luxury Cruises. After all, the company is a newcomer, first mentioned on our site one year ago.

That was in November 2022, when Riverside acquired the double-width river cruiser Mozart. The ship had been operating for Crystal River Cruises, which went bankrupt. Riverside snapped up Mozart and has since added two more of the ex-Crystal ships. Read the rest of this entry »

Though we primarily focus on European river cruises, we would be remiss not to mention Black Friday/Cyber Monday deals on the Mississippi. Here are two from American Queen Voyages and American Cruise Lines. Read the rest of this entry »

Award-winning luxury river cruise line AmaWaterways announced an exclusive 2-for-1 Land Package offer for guests reserving a full six- or eight-night land package in conjunction with select 2024 and 2025 seven-night river cruises in Vietnam and Cambodia. Guests reserving select Charms of the Mekong or Riches of the Mekong itineraries are able to take advantage of this offer* until December 31, 2023. The 2-for-1 Land Package Read the rest of this entry »