Positano, Italy

One of my clients just sent me this photo from her patio in Positano.

Melia Cayo Guillermo

I just had clients return from this resort:

"We had a wonderful time and great weather.  The beach was extraordinary with wonderful sand and beautiful turquoise water. This resort is popular with fishermen and the kids loved snorkeling off the pier. We saw needlenose fish, trumpet fish, lion fish, puffer fish, octupus, crabs, barracuda, and many small colourful fish.  The food was great! We all love sea food and there was a great variety.  The resort was smaller than the Ensenachos in Santa Maria but everything was close by and well cared for.   I would recommend this resort to anyone with children for it was very family friendly."

Is Bigger Better?

Last Fall I attended an event presented by Bruce Poon Tip of "G Adventures". One of his themes was "Is Bigger Better?" and examples he cited were mega resorts and mega cruise ships that seek to capture a larger proportion of the travel market. Often these projects result in excess capacity and reduced profits for the company. He countered this pursuit by inferring that many people travel to pursue new experiences and relationships that fall outside of mass market programs.

As an agent I recently have tended to establish working relationships with smaller companies that offer me services that match my needs. Like Norm in Cheers we like to be recognized by the people we do business with. Many of the suppliers that I now prefer are smaller companies that specialize in a destination staffed by representatives who handle a specific client's file exclusively. Their “ownership” of the project has led to suggestions which enhance the passenger’s travel experience.

Hotel Search Engines

I previously wrote about search engines and advised that it was necessary to consider the source of the information provided. While researching a destination prior to arrival helps to build your anticipation. The amount of information available on different websites is extensive and can be over whelming. Simple hotel inquiries often generate pages of results. The nature of the internet means that it might not be edited for accuracy and a passengers expectation my not match the service purchased. Filtering out unnecessary information aids in travel planning and dealing with trusted suppliers reduces the risk of unmet expectations.

The reservation systems I subscribe to allow me to filter the results by location, price or property type. One booking engine allows me to look for hotels based on a location's postal code, price or distance from an attraction. From there I can browse sites that map out the hotel locations or link into traveller reviews. 

River Cruises

River cruises are becoming very popular and are available in Europe, Africa, Asia and South America. There are several companies which supply these travel experiences and each line has its own character and pricing point. Part of the appeal of these vacations is that passengers do not experience the motion that is normal on a larger body of water. Many tourist attractions are located on major rivers because traditionally goods and people were transported by water.

Similarly to Ocean Cruises, River Cruise Lines offer port tours but passengers have the opportunity to step off their ship and be within walking distance of historic attractions. When not in port you get to witness transitioning landscapes from wilderness to metropolis.

Search Engines

Yesterday I saw an interesting e card on a friends website:

I use a variety of websites for booking flight, hotels, cars and often have to weigh the results against the reliability of the source. Many sites are based in countries where there is no consumer protection or venue of recourse should the product not be represented correctly. This is what I look at first when reviewing the components of a trip. We all hear stories about hotels that misrepresent their facilities, car rental companies that add extra charges or airlines that cancel flights without advising passengers. Simply dealing a responsible individual or organization can help you avoid problems or compensate you if they occur.

March 9, 2014

Yesterday I attended a Sales Discussion about specialization in your field and it lead me to think about the areas of specialization. My first thought went to destination which would be straight forward then there is the ability to help clients mark milestone life events. I then considered why most of my customers speak to me and recognized that they value my attention to the fine print. "We cannot match you to this insurance product but if we shorten your trip duration you will be eligible for another product that will protect you from risk" or "that car rental company is notorious for not honouring quotations". Those are insights that I have gained through hands on experience with the product as a travel broker and administrator.