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Well, it is that time of year. The geese fly south and the bears go into hibernation. And believe it or not, so does TRO—but just for a little bit. As the year winds down, we ease up on our daily publishing, spend some time with our families, and focus on the loose ends that invariably exist in our own travel businesses.  About a month ago, we all celebrated Thanksgiving. Now we are in the midst of the December Holidays—Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and a few others I probably left off; but I want to take this time to offer my personal thanks to some individuals who have made working on TRO a true pleasure. Besides, my thanks can stay up for two weeks! Read the rest of this entry »

We all read so much these days in the current economic climate about marketing, advertising, technology and strategic planning.  And yes – much is talked and written about customer contact and customer relationship management.

It seems to me that when contact with our clients and customers is referred to using some of these terms, that it almost implies a detached and impersonal manner.  Unintentional for sure, but nevertheless that’s how I perceive it!

I’ve spent my entire working life (over 40 years) in the travel industry and I’ve considered every one of those years to be also working in the customer service business.  That’s right – interacting and dealing with people, human beings…..not faceless entities that I have to ‘manage a relationship’ with. Read the rest of this entry »

Last week, I had the pleasure of meeting with a group of agents from a small, yet powerful consortium called the IT Group on board Carnival’s Elation. This meeting was not nearly as large as the Baltimore Home Based Travel Agent Show, but in a more intimate setting you really get a chance to see the seriousness of some of the agents and owners of today’s agencies.

I was invited to speak about niche marketing due to my success with Single Parent Travel.  While everyone seemed to understand the reasons behind creating a niche to supplement (or even replace) their current business, few had any actionable methods to get there. We discussed specific ways to discover, develop and promote to any niche market. It was well received and I was flooded with questions for the duration of the cruise. Read the rest of this entry »

Are these the times that try peoples’ souls?  Are these the best of times or the worst of times?  Are we living and working in one of the most difficult and challenging environments in our lifetime?

You and I both know the answers to those questions so the ‘real’ question is “What do we do now?”  How do we deal with the current market and how do we ride out the storm?

I’ve been involved in the travel industry for over forty years and have experienced countless ‘storms’ before and yes – this one is a real humdinger. But I never cease to marvel at the resilience and fortitude shown by all of the true professionals Read the rest of this entry »