Home-Based Travel Agent - February 2008 - (Page 57)

FOR THE AGENT A SAMPLING OF ADVENTURE TOURS From Alaska to Africa, here are a few ideas for the trip of a lifetime for your clients the spiritual path from Thailand to Laos. The journey takes place through Tordrillo Mountain Lodge private guided travel backcountry, led by a guide and local biking expert. The 10-day trip starts and ends in Bangkok and though it may sound intense, the luxurious accommodations and amenities more than make up for it. Highlights include riding elephants to the door of a luxury resort, discovering the secrets of Thai cuisine at the Four Seasons’ cooking school and, of course, biking through forests to the monastery of Wat Umong. Departure dates are November 5 and December 28, with prices starting National Geographic Adventure Best Travel Companies on Earth 2008 As with the creation of any itinerary, scheduling an adventure tour requires careful attention to detail—though this time, there are some questions to ask that might not be in your usual repertoire: How fit is the client? Is there a medical history to consider? When planned right, the results can be lucrative for you and highly satisfying for your client. If you’re looking to expand your adventure travel sales, check out Gordon’s Guide (www.gordonsguide. com), a free resource for agents on adventure trips, sorted into more than 75 categories—including jungle tours, cruises, dogsledding, snowcat skiing and even storm chasing. Agents can carry the products and packages in Gordon’s Guide on their own web sites and take bookings for them. Participating tour operators pay a minimum 10 percent commission. A longtime leader in active travel is Butterfield & Robinson (www.butter field.com), operator of deluxe bicycle and walking tours all over the world. In one special itinerary, clients can ride at $9,895 per person double for accommodations, some meals, guides, support vehicles, admission to events, maps, all transportation, gratuities and use of custom-made bikes and equipment. Butterfield & Robinson pays a commission of 10 percent (12 percent to Virtuoso agents). For further information, e-mail morgan@butterfield. com or info@butterfield.com, or call 800-678-1147. If sun and surf is more your client’s turf, suggest G.A.P Adventures’ (www.gapadventures.com) trip to Hamanasi Dive & Resort in Belize, which has treehouse accommodations. The eco-friendly resort sits between the Maya Mountains and the Caribbean Sea and offers such activities as barrier reef diving and snorkeling, waterfall hikes and visits to a jaguar preserve. Guests can choose to be as active as they want, as G.A.P has dubbed the trip an “independent” adventure without a guide. To ensure a treehouse stay, be sure to ask for the “Reef & Rainforest” package. Each of these nine Continued on page 58 Private guide & vehicle per couple India China Peru Egypt Kenya Tanzania 6 days from $1332 6 days from $1206 5 days from $1880 9 days from $1616 6 days from $1608 6 days from $1924 Customized Luxury Tours 24/7 Local Client Support 10% Commission K ensing ton To u r s.c om Toll-Fr ee (8 6 6) 4 45 -8978 FEB RUARY 2008 Home-BasedTravelAgent 57 http://kensingtontours.com http://www.gordonsguide.com http://www.gordonsguide.com http://www.gapadventures.com http://www.butterfield.com http://kensingtontours.com http://www.butterfield.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Home-Based Travel Agent - February 2008

Home-Based Travel Agent - January/February 2008 Editor's Note Publisher's Note Your Lifeline Agent Spotlight: Tracy Dennis News Hot Deals Reader Survey All-Inclusive Resorts Home-Based Travel Agent Expo Portugal New York Bermuda Cover Story: Singapore Cruise: What's New Tours: Adventure New Products

Home-Based Travel Agent - February 2008

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