Travel Agent Professional Jan 2014

Travel AgentProfessional

January 2014Issue 27

Full Steam AheadBy Paull Tickner

http://issuu.com/action/page?page=12



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64 Attached at The HipByScottKoepfVicePresidentofSalesAvoyaTravel/AmericanExpress

66 Full Steam AheadByPaullTickner

10 Becoming Highly RecommendedByCindyBertramCindy'sInsideCruise&TravelTrack,LLC

ShowcaseAvoya Travel .................................................16Expedia CruiseShipCenters .......................14National Car Rental.......................................15Well-Being Travel .........................................13

January

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January 2014Issue 27

Full Steam Ahead� ��

Cover Art: Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways

Auto Europe .................................IFC

Avoya Travel/American Express.....17

Britain Greatdays.............................3

HostTravelAgency.com ...................5

Royal Caribbean Line ....................BC

Travelsavers.....................................9

January 2014 Issue 27

Travel Agent Professional has its roots in Home Based Trade, the firstmagazine of its kind, started by Joel Abels in 2004. Joel and Lenore Abelsran Travel Trade for nearly half a century – it was started by her grandfa-ther, John S. Lewis, and her father, Sidney Lewis, in 1929, and they tookthe publication over after her grandfather’s passing.

Under Joel’s direction, the company grew to be one of the travel agentindustry’s leading publications, reaching more than 45,000 agentsthroughout North America. It spawned a famous series of trade showsand three monthly magazines – Cruise Trade, Tour Trade and HomeBased Trade.

The Abels also garnered enormous respect – Joel received the NealAward, called “the Pulitzer Prize of the business press,” for his hard-hit-ting editorials.

On a personal note, after working with Joel for over a decade and stay-ing with him until the end, I grew to truly care for and respect the man.He was like a second father to me. Joel was old school, he stood by hisword and believed in his work. There will never be another.

While nobody can replace this industry legend, we’re hoping thatthis new publication, which reunites the original Home Based Tradeeditorial board, will be able to carry on his passion for travel andthose who sell it.

Ann M. Hoek

Travel Agent ProfessionalP.O. Box 120198

Staten Island, NY 10312E-mail:

[email protected]:

718.360.3153

Ann M. HoekPublisher/Creative Design

[email protected]

Bonnie WallingEditor

[email protected]

Alan CohenVice President Marketing

[email protected]

Meet Our Editorial Board

Rusty Pickett, ECCShellback Cruises

www.shellbackcruises.com

Les-Lee RolandOwner of The Package Deal

Scott KoepfVice President of Sales

Avoya Travel/America’s Vacation Center

www.joinavoya.com/default.cfm?ref=11583

Sherry Laskin, ACCTravel Writer/NACTA Webinar Moderator

www.cruisemaven.com

Paull Tickner,Creator of Special Interest Britain

[email protected]

Cindy Bertram,Cindy’s Inside Cruise & Travel Track, LLC

[email protected]

Sue Sh apiro, PresidentShapiro Travel [email protected]

www.shapirotravelresources.com

Joel M. Abels Legend In the Travel Industry

April 1927 to January 2007

January 2014

TheopinionsexpressedinthesecolumnsaresolelythoseoftheauthorsanddonotnecessarilyreflecttheviewsofTravelAgentProfessional.

This online magazine is dedicated tothe memory of Joel Abels, Travel

Trade's editor and publisher. Joel andhis life's work may be gone, but with

your help it can live on.

Travel AgentProfessional

Welcome to the exciting world of Special Interest Britain, which will help you to identify, develop and convertuntapped sources of new business into high yield, customised groups, both large and small.

We’re the experts you’ve been looking for if your niche markets include:

• Girls Getaways3-6 night itineraries to London, Bath & the Cotswolds; quilting, embroidery and needlework.

• Gardens, Stately Homes and CastlesGarden clubs; herb, rose and other specialist societies; Master Gardeners; flower arrangers.

• Literary BritainRegular and specialist bookstores for murder/mystery; friends of libraries; English teachers.

• The Performing ArtsFund raisers for friends of the theatre, symphony, and opera; Gilbert and Sullivan societies.

• The Visual ArtsMuseums and art galleries; watercolour painters; continuing education college.

• Christian Heritage Episcopal, Baptist, Catholic, Methodist and Presbyterian choirs and congregations.

• Family travelTailor made itineraries to London and the countryside.

• Pre and post cruise extensionsAdd-ons for Southampton, Dover and Harwich arrivals and departures

• The Great OutdoorsGolf, cycling, walking, steam train enthusiasts.

For over 35 years, we’ve been gaining EXPERIENCE through designing and operating oftencomplex tailor made programmes and we have acquired an almost encyclopedicKNOWLEDGE of Britain, both on and off the beaten track. We also have a very long list ofUK/Ireland CONNECTIONS who deliver those special touches to your chosen itineraries, andsome GREAT RATES thanks to our handling over 80,000 passengers each year.

Our tours carry three distinctive hall marks:

• They TRAVEL LESS so that your customers can SEE MORE

• Are enhanced by memorable VALUE ADDED EXPERIENCES

• Are often for SMALL GROUPS of 15-20 people

As everything we do is designed to meet your client’s interests, time frame and budget, let’sstart talking about how we can help you to harness the potential from your chosen nichemarket(s).

For further information please email: [email protected]

Greatdays UK Incomingwhere travel agents ALWAYS come first

Offices in London and Manchester, Great Britain Tel: +44 161 928 9286 Fax: +44 161 928 9911 www.greatdays.co.uk

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January 2014

Scott KoepfVP of Sales Avoya Travel/American Express

www.JoinAvoya.com

4 Attached atThe HipLoyalty. In some ways, we all con-

sider it the holy grail of customer relations.Many naysayers claim it no longer exists andto pursue it is as futile as pursuing, well, theHoly Grail. However, I think we should joinMonty Python and any others who stillbelieve it is an attainable prize on the questfor customer loyalty!

How do know when we truly have the loyal-ty of a client? Is it when they book with usover a period of years? Is it when they referto you as “my travel agent?” Or could wedefine it by an old cliché description of anextraordinary connection and relationship –“You and your client are attached at the hip!”

I am not sure of the origin of this referencebut was reminded of it when watching amusical about conjoined twins who are trulyphysically attached at the hip. Side Show is aslightly dark look at the lives of these twinsand their desires for relationships. In someways, those desires are what travel agentsneed to pursue in the quest for loyalty. Intruth though it may be that the client is actu-ally the one in pursuit of a deep relationshipwith you, but just doesn’t know it yet!

Most consumers today are not sure whattravel agents do or if they even still exist.However, they are probably yearning forsomeone to save them hours of researchtime, provide expert consultation, to cus-tomize their vacations to their very personalneeds and be available before, during andafter their trip for peace of mind.

You know that describes you, the mostwonderful travel agent in the world, but still,potential clients still lament, like a song inthe show:

WhowillevercalltosayIloveyou?Sendmeflowersoratelegram?

Whocouldproudlystandbesideme?WhowilllovemeasIam?

This powerful ballad cries out for the rightperson who, in the context of this article, willnot just sell travel to them but know them,guide them and yes, love them as they are!

Sometimes when I hear conversations about loyalty, theytend to be infused with comments like, “They are not loyal,”“They’re only interested in price” and “They will go else-where for almost no reason.” It seems, therefore, that thecustomers’ lack of loyalty is because “they don’t get it.”

I beg to differ. Well, actually I don’t think Ineed to beg at all, as I believe loyalty is 100% up to you!What are you doing to ensure that your clients will stay withyou through thick or thin? Do you provide service andknowledge so spectacular that your clients are like barkers ata Side Show bringing more customers under your tent? Areyou so in tune with what your clients really want out of theirvacations that simply can’t risk leaving you? If you are a travelagent of extraordinary value then you will earn extraordinaryloyalty so that you and your clients will be singing this duet:

IwillneverleaveyouIwillnevergoaway

WeweremeanttoshareeachmomentBesideyouiswhereIwillstay,ForIwillneverleaveyou!

Travel ProfessionalC O M M U N I T Y

www.TravelProfessionalCommunity.com

www.FindaHostTravelAgency.com

• Host Agency Pro!les• Host Agency Reviews• Host Agency Articles• Host Agency Events

Forum • Special Interest Groups • BlogsForms and Documents • Air Consolidators

Cruise & Niche Cruise Directories • Video

Live Chat Every Tuesday!

11,000 Travel Professionals Can’t be Wrong!

It’s FUN and it’s FREE!

www.HomeBasedTravelAgent.com

Home Based Travel Agent Books

“How to Start a Home Based Travel Agency Independent Study Guide and Workbook”

“Selling Cruises, Don't Miss the Boat“

“Home Based Travel Af!liate“

“Marketing Prescriptions, For Today's Economy and Beyond“

January 2014

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Paull Tickner has been designing and operating niche travel programmes for the UK and Ireland for over 30 years.

For more information email him at [email protected]

6Full Steam Ahead

I’m always on the lookout for niche

markets which enterprising travel

agents can conver t into an air/land

sale worth at least $30,000.

If you take the time to do the

research, you’ll find untapped sources

all over the place and YOU are the

only people who are capable of con-

ver ting them into memorable and

profitable U.K. travel experiences.

7

Examples include:Dozens of orchid societies who would enjoy a visit tothe annual Orchid and Botanical Art Show stagedevery April by the Royal Horticultural Society;

Theatres that stage Shakespeare productions and fes-tivals who might fancy a U.K. tour during the 2014celebrations of the Bard’s 450th anniversary.

Railroad museums offer another rich niche for you tocheck out. Take a look at www.railwaymuseums.orgwhere you’ll discover contact details for anotherAladdin’s Cave of worthwhile prospects.

Some of the museums will be quite large and there-

fore capable of generating a small group of 15-20 intheir own right. Others will have smaller member-ships and you may need to bring together two orthree of them to create enough interest in a cus-tomised tour.

With plenty of castles, stately homes and gardens towork, with you’ll be able to grow the numbers byensuring that there’s enough interest for wives andpartners.

With clear evidence of a sizable market that’s not amillion miles away from where you live and whereyou may a l ready have contacts , take a look at

(continued on page 8)

Travel Agent Professional

January 2014

8www.heritagerailways.com, where you will see eye-catching examples of remarkable heritage railways,railway centres and museums here in the U.K. (I’vealso found details of dozens of streetcar and trolleymuseums at www.dctrolley.org/othermuseums.htm -but more on them in a moment.)

Largely concentrated in England and Wales, everyone of them offers a wide range of unique experi-ences . Some are in beaut i fu l set t ings l i ke theSnowdonia National Park in North Wales, the NorthYorkshire Moors, the Cotswolds or among the rollinghills of Kent and Sussex. Others show off their indus-tr ia l heritage in places l ike Shi ldon in northeastEngland, Birmingham in the heart of England and inSwindon due west of London.

Common to all of them are the wine and dine trains,footplate experiences and behind the scenes valueadded opportunities that make the 3,000- to 6,000-mile journey to our shores so worthwhile and totallyunforgettable.

To avoid spending endless hours travelling from placeto place, you need to create itineraries that enableyour clients to travel less and see more of the placesthat really interest them (which I can help you with).

If you take a look at the map on the Heritage RailwaysWeb site, some very obvious concentrations of excel-lence jump out at you. Some examples focus on:

The southeast , where I can br ing together theBluebell Railway, the narrow gauge Romney, Hytheand Dymchurch Railway, the Kent and East SussexRailway, 13th century Hever Castle, fairytale LeedsCastle, spectacular Canterbury Cathedral and a ride

on the Volks Electric Railway in Brighton which willfinish with fish and chips on the Palace Pier;

A scenic run on the North Yorkshire Railway, specialtours of the National Railway Museums in Shildonand in the ancient Viking city of York, tasting visits tolocal breweries, a pub supper and York’s renownedGhost Tour;

The Cotswolds, where in addition to privately ownedstately homes and gardens, pub lunches and Englishafternoon teas there are special rides on the SevernValley Railway, the Gloucestershire and WarwickshireRailway and the North Gloucestershire Railway, aswell as a few hours at the Didcot Railway Centre;

A close encounter with the narrow gauge Great LittleTrains in North Wales where I can add the historiccastle at Conwy and Caernarfon, wonderful gardensat Bodnant and the Italianate village at Portmeirion, astep back in time on the Isle of Anglesey, an eveningwith a Welsh Male Voice Choir and a medieval ban-quet in Ruthin Castle.

Harking back to those with a nostalgic interest introlleys and streetcars, think about an itinerary thatbrings together the horse drawn trams in Douglas onthe Is le of Man, tram rides along the BlackpoolPromenade, a closer look at the modern system inManchester and a VIP day at the National TramwayMuseum at Crich in Derbyshire.

Take a close look at the Web sites I’ve identified asthere may be a source of untapped potential close towhere you live. Check your customer base becauseyou may already have clients who’d be delighted tohelp you to promote a U.K. tour for their friends.

Over 40 years of travel industry success Full staff of personal business consultants Unique protected territory system Excellent preferred supplier relationships Award-winning suite of marketing programs Social media tools Powerful technology solutions Proprietary cruise booking engine Website and mobile solutions Meeting and incentive resources Hotel program with rich amenities A full suite of corporate travel solutions Over 19 travel brands servicing you daily

We invite you to learn more about why our

The TRAVELSAVERS Difference.

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January 2014

In today’s business world, it’s not “one sizefits all” when it comes to successful market-

ing. Social media and leveraging word ofmouth are key tactics to use as far as mar-

keting effor ts. But what’s even more critical?How do you not just make a list of “recom-mended” travel agents, but instead be at thetop of the list – the “go to person” who is

“highly recommended?”

BecomingHighly Recommended

By Cindy BertramCindy's Inside Cruise & Travel Track, LLC

Think About How You Recommend

First, consider how you make your own buying decisions. Chances are it didn’t come about

because you happened to see an advertisement. More than likely, it came about as a result of someone

who provided you with a word of mouth recommendation. And with social media connecting people

with thoughts and opinions, word-of-mouth (also referred to as WOM) is even more powerful. Latest

statistics by Nielsen note that 92% of consumers today by a service or product due to a recommenda-

tion made by word of mouth.

11


BecomingHighly Recommended

I’ve found it’s easy to recommend people who havehelped me solve a problem. A quick example — I’mpretty handy when it comes to things around myhouse, as well as a few things on my car, but am alsosmart enough to realize I can’t do everything.

Just a month ago on a cold winter Saturday evening,a front side headlight burned out on my car. I knowthat changing a car headlight doesn’t just involveopening the hood and changing the light. I didn’twant to wait until Monday to take it in to the car

dealership, and honestly, I was afraid of what theymight charge me.

The business and person who solved my problem?Brian, who works at an Auto Zone (a car parts retailchain) in my area. I ran over to Auto Zone, boughtthe bulb as well as bulb grease, and then Brianinstalled it for me, at no extra charge. It wasn’t theeasiest of installations (tight fit) but Brian got it donein no time. Will I recommend Auto Zone, as well asBrian, to everyone I know? Of course!

How & Why People Recommend You

In the travel industry, we provide escapes and experiences and help people create memories for a lifetime.But the role of travel agent professionals is even more important, because we’re also problem solvers.

During the first part of January, the intense snowfall, arctic blasts and subzero temperatures (50 degreesbelow zero when wind chill was factored in) resulted in Chicago airports being closed, hundreds of flightcancellations and delays in travel plans. Despite these challenges, the travel agent professionals I know(as well as others) still managed to get clients rebooked, and also got special travel plans pulled backtogether.

One was for a honeymoon that got delayed for a week and a half due to airport closures. Margie, a travelcolleague, had booked this couple’s honeymoon months ago. She worked every angle to pull this honey-moon trip back together for them.

(continued on page 12)

The Power of Someone Who Helped

You Solve a Problem

Thanks to the excel-lent relationship the agency has with the tour company,their account/sales manager was more than happy toprovide a few more extras for the couple. So despite theunexpected delay, this will still feel like a honeymoon andnot just a vacation for this couple.

Does Margie probably have a client for life? Yes. Andwill these clients highly recommend her? Yes, and

they’ll be sharing it with friends and family via differ-ent avenues of social media.

For Margie, it wasn’t just a matter of doing her job.Marg ie went through the extraord inary e f fortsbecause she truly and genuinely cares — she is a stel-lar example of being a true professional, as are hercolleagues.

This is where becoming “highly recommended” begins.

One of the best, most cutting-edge books around isHighly Recommended, by Paul Rand, CEO and presidentof Zocalo Group. Rand is the founder of one of the mostsuccessful social marketing and digital firms and is also aleader when it comes to word-of-mouth marketing.

Paul Rand gave a presentation this past fall at theChicago Social Media Week, and I had the pleasure ofmeeting and hearing him speak. He talked a bit aboutthe “Science of Being Social Proof.”

For instance, Paul mentioned that 91% of consumersmake a recommendation after having a positive expe-rience with a particular brand. He also noted that49% of people say they make a recommendationbecause “they want to help a person out that theymake a recommendation to.”

Rand provides terrific examples and gives some greattips throughout his book. Towards the end of HighlyRecommended , Rand covers “What a High lyRecommended Business Looks Like.”

These include seven key things that a social businessshould look like. Focusing on the fundamentals alongwith making sure the business drills down to eachindividual relationship and using the “less is more”approach are critical.

Also, Rand notes that participation is required – busi-nesses need to remain active and engaged in a mean-ingful, real way. Then he mentions businesses need tocontinually improve, as well as continually evolve,adapt and respond. Rand mentions, “Highly recom-mended businesses are businesses first and social sec-ond.” Finally, there is a need for “call to action.” AsRand explains, “Highly recommended businesses act ofthe information they gather and continually integrate itinto new product plans as functionality allows.”

The Perfect Fits for Travel ProfessionalsFinding advocates to be our “cheerleaders” reallygoes back to focusing on our clients, and their needsalong with performing those ‘miracle worker,” behind-the-scenes tasks when needed. But it’s also makingsure that our genuineness, as well as sharing thosestories. also evolves. Incorporating the suggestions

Insights from Paul Rand & His Book

Highly Recommended

12

January 2014

Well-Being Travel AnnouncesIts Speaker Line Up For Next Month’s

Inaugural Well-Being Travel Symposium

With 2014 serving as a year of health and wellness, Well-Being Travel is working with

experts in the field to lead educational sessions at the first-ever Well-Being Travel Symposium next

month in Las Vegas. The two day conference, taking place February 18th and 19th at the MGM

Grand, will bring travel sellers together with leaders in the health and wellness field to discuss the

growing trends in wellness travel and the opportunities for travel professionals to sell it. Attendees

can expect to hear from industry experts, hotel executives, spa directors and suppliers, with high-

lights including:

Showcase

For more information and to register, visit www.wellnesstravelsymposium.com

• Anne Marie Moebes, Executive Vice

President of Well-Being Travel will provide an

insightful overview on what wellness travel is

exactly and where it’s going in the future.

•Anne Dimon, Publisher/Editor, Travel To

Wellness Inc., will discuss what consumers are

looking for in wellness vacations and the

opportunities for travel sellers to leverage that.

•Mia Kyricos, Chief Brand Officer of

Spafinder Wellness and Board Member, Global

Spa & Wellness Summit will share research

findings on wellness tourism and results from

the Spa Finder 365 Travel Agent survey.

•Dr. Stowe Shoemaker, Dean of the William

F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration,

UNLV will lead a dynamic session about how

hospitality meets health and wellness.

•Leading spa directors including Shannon

Stringert of The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas,

Laura Tuerck of Canyon Ranch SpaClub Inside

the Venetian and Palazzo, Blake Feeney of Red

Rock Casino & Spa and Becky Leuluai of Trump

International Hotel, Las Vegas will give an

update on new spa products and treatments in

the marketplace, consumer spa trends and share

strategies for selling spa travel.

“We sought out the very best speakers in the

industry to lead the educational sessions of our

inaugural Well-Being Travel Symposium,” says

Anne Marie Moebes, Executive Vice President

of Well-Being Travel. “We’re very excited to

bring travel sellers a thought-provoking pro-

gram that will give them a competitive edge in

selling health and wellness vacations.”


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January 2014

National’s Emerald Club Makes Earning

Rewards as Easy as “One Two Free”

National Car Rental, the Official Rental Car of the PGAof America, and the PGA today announced the launchof the National Car Rental PGA ProAm Series at the2014 PGA Merchandise Show. Keegan Bradley, thewinner of the 2011 PGA Championship, and his father,PGA Professional Mark Bradley, will serve as ambas-sadors for the Series. The father-son team will also pro-mote the National "Go Like A Pro" mobile experience, acustomized, golf-themed tour bus that will travel toevents throughout the ProAm Series.

National has created the ProAm Series to help furtherthe PGA's mission to grow interest and participation inthe game of golf at local levels by, for the first time, link-ing together 82 new and existing amateur tournamentsacross the 41 PGA of America Sections nationwide. Theseries will run February through October, and one of the82 winning teams will be randomly selected to receive aVIP golf experience with Keegan and Mark Bradley.

The National Car Rental PGA ProAm Series will be sup-ported by print, social media and digital marketing cam-paigns, featuring Keegan Bradley.

"Many of our business travel customers have a passionfor the game of golf, so we wanted to create a tourna-ment series that would draw excitement and participa-tion nationwide among amateur golfers at the locallevel," said Rob Connors, assistant vice president ofbrand marketing, National Car Rental. "Also, as anOfficial Partner of the PGA of America, one of ourgoals for the ProAm is to celebrate the hard work andtalents of the PGA membership. We are thrilled thatKeegan and Mark Bradley will be working with us tospotlight the efforts of local PGA Professionals acrossthe country."

National's "Go Like A Pro" mobile experience will bemanaged by IMG Live and will provide on-site activitiesfor golf fans at select ProAm Series tournaments andevents. The traveling tour bus will feature state-of-the-artTrackman swing analysis, allowing participants theopportunity to see how their swing compares withKeegan's, some of the golf industry's newest democlubs, a club re-regripping service, and a KeeganBradley replica golf bag. Mark Bradley will lend hisyears of experience as a PGA Professional by offeringparticipants online golf tips for common swing flaws atwww.pga.com/nationalcargolf.

"The National Car Rental PGA ProAm Series providesan exciting opportunity for PGA Professionals and thou-sands of amateur golfers across the country to experi-ence high-profile events at the grassroots level," saidPGA President Ted Bishop. "We are delighted to partnerwith National Car Rental and are pleased to have thesupport of the father-son PGA Professional team ofKeegan and Mark Bradley."

"Practically all my life I've been proud that my father is aPGA Professional," said Keegan Bradley. "Now I'm real-ly excited to partner with National Car Rental and be apart of the effort that he and 27,000 teaching pros aremaking to grow the game on such a massive scale."Keegan Bradley is currently ranked 22nd in the officialWorld Golf Ranking, while Mark is the PGA director ofinstruction at Jackson Hole (Wyo.) Golf and Tennis Club.

National is the Official Rental Car of the PGAChampionship and the Senior PGA Championship pre-sented by KitchenAid, and an Official Partner of the 2014Ryder Cup. Additionally, National is the title sponsor ofthe National Car Rental PGA Assistant Championship.

Showcase

Club Members Can Earn Free* Rental Days by Renting Vehicles, Participating in Bonus Activities

For more information about the National Car Rental PGA ProAm Series, please visitwww.pga.com/nationalcargolf. Beginning March 1, fans can follow the Series on Instagram andTwitter @NationalCarGolf and participate in the conversation using #proamseries.


January 2014

Avoya Travel Founding Family Celebrates

50th Anniversary in Travel Business2014 Marks Milestone Year for Anderson Family and Avoya Travel

Avoya Travel®, an AmericanExpress Travel Representative andone of the world’s leading travelcompanies, today announced it iscelebrating the 50th anniversary ofthe company’s founders, theAnderson family, first entering intothe travel business.

Avoya’s founders, Pal and PatAnderson, began the family’s careerin the travel business when theypurchased a Hawaiian tour compa-ny in 1964. When they moved tothe mainland with their children,Brad and Van, they opened brickand mortar travel agencies through-out San Diego County and grew asuccessful business over severaldecades. By seizing opportunitiesfor change throughout the lastdecade, the family has evolved theirbusiness model into Avoya Travel.Now, three generations ofAndersons work in the family busi-ness and are helping travelers andtravel entrepreneurs to be more suc-cessful than ever before.

“Our company has expanded sig-nificantly over the years and ourfamily’s and company’s core val-ues of integrity and professionalismremain steadfast,” said BradAnderson, Co-President of AvoyaTravel. “We are proud of the her-itage our parents created 50 yearsago and we are confident that the

next 50 years will be even betterfor Avoya Travel and our networkof Independent Agencies.”

With the Andersons and nearly150 Avoya leadership and supportteam members working in partner-ship with the Avoya network ofIndependent Agencies and pre-ferred supplier partners, Avoya’saward-winning business model hasforever changed how travelers buycruises and vacations, and the waytravel professionals connect withcustomers.

“We have leveraged the opportunitieseach decade has presented to createthe business model we have todayand are committed to innovation forthe future,” said Van Anderson, Co-

President of Avoya Travel. “We arecontinuing our parents’ dream andlove for the travel business by grow-ing Avoya Travel and creating oppor-tunities for others.”

Avoya is hosting a celebratory galato commemorate the career of Paland Pat Anderson and their familyon January 15, in Carlsbad,California. Event attendees includetravel industry leaders, seniorexecutives from Avoya’s supplierpartners, and Avoya’s top produc-ing Independent Agencies. The daywill include an open house atAvoya’s support office, workshopsessions led by Avoya, Google,and Operation America Cares, anda formal cocktail party and dinnercelebrating the Anderson family.

Showcase

Travel agency owners and experienced professionals interested in growing their businesses should contact Avoya Travel at800-521-2597 or visit www.JoinAvoya.com. Travelers interested in booking their next vacation with Avoya Travel, shouldcall 800-753-1463 or visit www.AvoyaTravel.com.

L to R: Bethany Anderson and fiancé Ian Walter; Megan and Michael Anderson; Lynnand Jeff Anderson and their sons Ethan and Jacob; Brad Anderson; Pat and Pal

Anderson; Alyssa Etheridge, David Anderson (behind Alyssa), Van Anderson and TracyMcSorley; Sheila Anderson-Etheridge holding daughter Stella, and husband Patrick

Etheridge holding daughter Jolie.

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ROYALCARIBBEAN.COM

THE SEA KISSES EVERY SHORE.WE TAKE THE RELATIONSHIP EVEN FURTHER.

The sea is calling. It whispers your name, inviting you to a place more beautiful than anything you’ve seen. Where light dances on the waves, and the gentle sound puts you at ease. Where you can enjoy a piña colada, a massage, ice skating and rock climbing all in one place. Only Royal Caribbean International® delivers the one vacation that’s a full sea of possibilities.

Travel Agent Professional Jan 2014

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Transcript of Travel Agent Professional Jan 2014