Looking for The Bargain

Now more than anytime in my travel professional life, people are looking for the “hot” deal. Whether an airline ticket, hotel stay, cruise, resort vacation, or combination of the above.

For many years I have preached about the woes of booking online. But some still want to go that route. So now, I have a vehicle for you to do that and earn a commission for yourself as well as finding that “bargain” you have always wanted.

The online site is called Blastoff. This is a giant online shopping mall with over 400 stores and services. The Travel section of the Mall has every online booking company you can imagine. As well as car rentals, luggage, hotels, etc. Here is the address to access this site:
ppl.blastoffnetwork.com/sharoncemerson53

Put that into your browser, watch the videos explaining the site and sign up for FREE!!

When you get your login that will be similar to mine except with your name after the /, send emails to everyone to you know and have them sign up on your site. Now you are making money from your purchases and their purchases, as well.

Why waste your gas, your time, and get all frustrated when you can shop in your PJ’s? So grab that cup of coffee and go shopping – online!!!

But never forget, sometimes you may need a Certified Travel Agent for guidance, and you can call me.
866-367-7657

Happy Shopping and Traveling.

I Can Do It Myself!!! Thanks, anyway.

No matter what I say, some people just want to “do it themselves”. I think that is where the lumber yards and hardware store came up with the “Do it yourself” slogan. It is almost like a 2 year old wanting to dress themselves!! Just in our nature to be independent.
If that is you and you like to book your own travel, well go right ahead. But know this, if you are on your own, it can can expensive and uncomfortable.

Here is a new site to book on. Go to ppl.blastoffnetwork.com/sharoncemerson53.
Sign up, it is FREE, really FREE. Book your travel there and get a commission as well as deeper discounts than you get on the 1,000# Gorillas. Check it out. Then give your login in, which is like mine except for your name and number, to everyone you know and have them do the same. The more people you sign up, the more commissions you make, the more you can travel!!!
A win win for everyone.

Check it out.

BROWN BAG TRIP #2 Summer 2009

As you can see, our brown bag is getting some use.  It has seen many miles in the last few weeks.  It would have stories to tell, could it talk.  So, where did it go this past week?

Our 19 year old granddaughter, Katie, came to visit and her favorite place is the ocean.  So, we packed our bag and her back pack, with Grandpa’s wallet and off we went to the coast of Washington State to a seaside town of Ocean Shores. 

Many long years ago this was a forsaken stretch of sand dunes owned by a corporation that Pat Boone was involved in.  But it never took off and soon that corporation was gone.  Now it is a serious town of about 5000 residents (some are only parttime) with many wonderful mid size hotels and condos for rent.  New houses are popping up all over.   Katie would like to live here, but we have to be ON the beach.  The main part of OS has public beach access and a beautiful sandy beach.  Many of the properties have dunes between them and the water/beach.  These are not S. California beaches.  Some people were in the water, but it is COLD!!!

The activities are many – kite flying is king, mopeds on the beach, horseback riding on the beach, go carting, miniture golfing as well as a nice golf course.  There are a number of good places to eat and a small strip mall with a store that Katie loved.    A new Ice Creamery that makes it’s own ice cream with all kinds of additions caught Grandpa and Katie’s eyes.  So a couple of stops there.  Grandpa says the coffee ice cream is the best of anywhere.

We stayed at the Shilo Inn right next to the road to the sandy beach.  You can walk the long block to the water.  Also, walkable to the shopping strip.  There is one casino just before the main town, but none of the rest of the town has casinos.  A very family friendly place.

Much to our surprise, it was Sun and Surf weekend with over 2000 bikers in town.  So the town was bursting with activites.  The whole main part was roped off for bike parking.  What an awesome collection of beautiful bikes.  I am sure all put together we could pay off the national debt. 

Summer is a good time to visit any Washington State beaches.  But our favorite time is Novermber.  Then we get some fierce storms.  Park yourself in front of a fire place, have some good music and a book and watch the waves crash.  We have been there with snow coming sideways from the water.  It is spectacular.

FACT OR FICTION BUYING TRAVEL?

From time to time I like to check travel blogs and particularly cruise blogs to see what is being said about my industry.  Statements of fact, are not always true.  Take for instance:

• “Travel agents don’t charge fees.”  True or false?  For many years this was true.  But when the airlines chopped off our commissions, those travel agencies who were still in business, began to charge fees to run airline tickets.  Now the cruise lines are beginning to chop off our commissions.  In order to stay in business, most of us are now charging fees for booking cruises.  The majority of hotels in other countries do not pay commissions, so now we are charging fees to do those bookings.  Researching these hotels takes many hours and many emails, faxes and phone calls.  We can no longer work for “the fun of it”. 
• “If you wait till the last minute, prices will go down.”  Fact or fiction?  This used to be true but no longer.  Start with the airlines,  If you can even get a seat waiting till the last minute, you will pay way more than if you booked at least 21 days in advance.  With the cruise lines, you may not even get on the ship.  The fewer cabins, the higher the price.  Depending on the season, resorts may not have space.  Waiting till the last minute, does NOT mean lower prices.
• “Booking your travel online will save you money.”  Fact or fiction?  In many cases you have no idea what you are doing.  A travel professional can give you advise on that airline, cruise line, and tour operator.  Perhaps they just filed bankruptcy or have cancelled routes.  With hotels the big issue is location, location, location.  The price has a definite relation to the location.  Some areas are down right dangerous.  Pay the fee and get good advise.
• “Always pay with a credit card so you can get a refund“.  Fact or fiction?  You best check your own credit card company.  Some give you 3 months to dispute a charge.  Some more some less.  Never expect the credit card company to ALWAYS give you a refund.  If you signed a credit card slip, you may not get your money back.  Check your credit card statement and be sure that the charge is from the supplier of travel, not the travel agency.  If it is the agency taking your credit card, a red flag should go up.  The agency may not be sending your money to the supplier. 
• “Travel agents only sell what they get bigger commissions on“.  Fact or fiction?   I can only speak for myself and my collegues that I know personally – FICTION.  We qualify our clients and sell them the travel plan that fits them.  This requires us to know about all kinds of ways to see the world.  We are experienced travelers and have proper certifications.  I am sure that there are agents out there who put commissions above what is best for their clients.  Talk to me for the best service.

When I was in Jr. High School, I had a teacher who had never married.  She seemed very old to us at that time.  She taught my Home Economics class.  She has lots of advise on being married and having children!!!  This is exactly what is happening with some of these travel bloggers.  They have never sold one trip and wouldn’t have a clue how.  It takes many years to become truly professional selling travel the right way.  A true professional lays awake nights praying the hurricane away, figuring how to get clients out of a dangerous city when fighting has broken out, gets up at 5 AM to call about a client’s travel problems and on and on.  Don’t think this is easy.  Call me, a professional and don’t believe most of what you read.

I Love to Travel…Think I’ll be a Travel Agent

Is that right???!!!  You woke up this morning and that was your decision? Maybe you need some enlightenment.

Having owned businesses of various kinds for over 30 years, this is the most mentally difficult business I have ever owned.  The responsibility for a clients “dream” vacation or trip rests totally on my shoulders.  Even though there are a multitude of pieces in this puzzle, in my client’s eyes I am the airline, the cruise line, the hotel, the car rental and on and on.  24/7/365 is the length of responsibility.  You don’t clock out at 5 PM. 

In addition, you are holding control of thousands of dollars of someone else’s money.  Remembering the deadlines, keeping watch on all the supplier’s documents to be sure all the names, dates, dollars, destinations, etc. are correct.  Some of those supplier’s are minimum wage people who just don’t care!!  Let me break it down:

• Airlines.  Oh my, what can I say?  Getting harder all the time to work with them.  Every day we get “misconnects” and have to straighten those out.  They change people’s flight times, connections, even days of flying.  And they just aren’t nice.  Not to mention all the luggage regulations and new charges popping up daily.  Next you will need coins for the former attendants who have nothing to do now but sit at the bathroom doors and hand out tissue squares.
• Hotels.  Management changes, renovations, closures and on and on.  It can be a beautiful property one day and new management trashes it the next.  The biggest thing is location, location, location.  I have to know every little town in the whole world and where the good areas and bad areas are. 
• Car Rentals.  Not so much a challenge.  Just making sure the size holds all the luggage and size of passengers.  Automatic or stick?  Airconditioning?  And taxes…oh my word!!!  Almost more than the car rental.  And don’t forget total insurance coverage.  You can be stuck in a city or country for days if you try to use your own. 
• Cruise Lines.  Knowing all the lines and all the ships in each line.  What are the conditions of each ship?  Are they being maintained?  What are the new ships coming out?  Destinations…what are the ports all over the world?  What is the best and worst time of year to go somewhere?  And cabins…good locations vs. bad locations.  Cabin categories, what are they?  What sizes are the cabins?  Booking a cruise is like buying a pair of shoes..if it doesn’t fit you, you won’t ever cruise again. 
• Tours.  Escorted, guided, independent, and a mix.  The best and worst.  There are scores of tour companies.  Knowing them all takes a long time.  Getting passengers on a wrong one is disaster. 
• Destinations.  I am required to know the whole world, and to have traveled to all or most all of it.  That costs a lot of money and travel agents DO NOT travel free.  What is there to see in every area?  People often take too big a bite and have no idea how far distances are.  What are seasons for pricing? 
• Type of Travel.  There was a study some years back defining kinds of travelers.  Those who want total comfort to those who want a hammock in a hut.  Where do clients fit on that graph?  Now I have to find the right mix so they will come back happy.  And better still, tell all their friends and family.  Selling travel is about repeat business.

Now that your eyes are open, I will add a few more details.  You need education so you can educate your clients. 

• The Travel Institute has a 2 step process that takes about 6 years to complete.  It starts with CTA after you have been an agent for 5 years and then CTC, taking as long as you need.  A very difficult course.  I have my CTC.
• Cruise Lines International has a 3 step certification process starting with ACC – Accredited Cruise Counselor to MCC- Master Cruise Counselor to ECC-Elite Cruise Counselor.  This is an ongoing training until you reach ECC.  I was #43 to get my ECC out of 250,000 or so travel agents.  It took me 13 years to reach that point.  Very few home-based travel agents can achieve ECC because of the number of cruises we have to sell to reach that certification.
• Destination Specialist courses offered by The Travel Institute as well as Tourist Boards of various countries and cities.  These are ongoing.  I have several of these.
• Seminars, Conventions and Trade Shows are being held constantly.  In our local area there are scores of agents who never attend any.  There is no way to keep up on all the changes if you are not constantly being trained.  In larger agencies, representatives do onsite training and many will come to home-based offices. 

That’s a good start.  Now what do you think?  But most of all, what does the public think about someone who just hung out a shingle or someone who has been around the “block” and can give you the best service and advise?

 

I’m Dreaming Part II

I HAVE A DREAM VACATION.  HOW DO I MAKE IT HAPPEN?  Part 2

 

 

WHERE??

 

Get a nice big map of the world.  Try to visualize the distances you are considering.  If this is a new destination for you, make a plan to take small bites, thinking you may not come back again.  Then do a thorough tour of the area.  Or do you just want “notches in your belt” for having stopped in a city or destination and the sites are not important, in which case you can go as far as your time and money permits.

 

v     Family trip?  Consider the ages and how much information they can handle.  A vacation at a beach is easier on younger people than a tour of a country.

v     Group trip?  Church, organization or club trip needing a tour bus and guide.

v     Couple trip?  Sun, sand and surf or skiing.

v     Heritage research?  Where are your ancestors from and how did they come to your country?

 

HOW??

 

Whether you think so or not, you DO need some professional assistance.  Even the simplest of trips need someone who knows and understands the travel process.  Without a travel professional, you are on your own and that can be very expensive and uncomfortable.  When you reach a destination, how do you plan to tour it?  Have you read up on the history and know what you will be looking at?  Going to a foreign place gives you a chance to learn about this history of the people and places.  A tour guide for a day or for the whole trip is worth every penny.  You can find them at Information Offices all over the world.  Some cities/countries require special documentation for visiting. 

 

v     Are you backpacking?  You probably need an airline ticket and perhaps a hotel for the first and last night.  Maybe you need a train ticket and some tips on the countries or cities you want to visit. 

v     Group tour?  This is so comfortable and a great way to learn a lot.  No worries about what hotel or what restaurant.  Someone to hold your hand from start to finish

v     On Your Own?  You may need a car rental, train ticket, a tour guide for 1 hour or 1 day.  Maybe knowledge about driving in certain areas and what kind of license or insurance is needed.

 

Your own research is part of the adventure.  A travel professional may have been there, done that, but that person doesn’t have the very same likes and dislikes you do.  Give us some ideas and we can fill in the blanks.