Home Based Travel Agent - May 2008 - (Page 27)

to stay together in the same cabin before their marriage. So Reece planned a tropical wedding for the couple at Shaw Park in Montego Bay several days after the start of the cruise. Reece and her son also sailed on the cruise; the future bride stayed with Reece at night and her son stayed with the fiancé. After the nuptials, the couple retired to their cabin for the honeymoon and Reece’s son returned to his mom’s cabin. Such attention to detail is critical when planning leisure travel or meetings. “My delivery technique is to watch the details and work with people you trust,” says Gross, but know that “meetings are much more stressful [for the agent] than doing a honeymoon or family vacation.” Cruise ship meetings are the easiest, she says, noting that “the crew is so organized that they make me look like a hero to my clients.” But, while revenue can be lucrative from meetings in hotels worldwide, be prepared for more intricate details, time-zone changes, navigating through Louise Gross, a home-based Ensemble Travel consultant for Wylly’s Travel in Coral Gables, FL cultures and plenty of job pressure. A big plus, says Gross, is that the meetings business is fee-based and paid up front. 10. Treat it Like a Business, But Love What You Do. To excel as a home-based agent,“you have to treat it like a business, you have to have set hours, you need a big place to work, and you have to be faithful to that schedule,” says Skrzynski. Some of our agents say their previous entrepreneurial or corporate experience was a big asset in helping them transition to a home-based agent career. Outside the office, surround yourself with people who live and breathe travel. “I am on the board of the Miami Chapter of the Circumnavigator Club and active in the Travelers Century Club,” says Gross. “Both clubs give me access to people who have been all over the world.” Passion for the job is a huge plus, says Reece. “I love [planning and booking] destination weddings.” She adds that after months of work, “it’s extremely exciting to see a couple so emotionally high on a beautiful island for even just a few short minutes.” “The obvious answer to measuring success is ‘monetarily,’” says Gross, adding, “I measure it by the responses from my clients when they return from a trip. When they’re happy, I’m happy.” HB O U R D I S C OV E RY C H A N N E L . Your clients won’t get to know the real Florida behind the buttons of a remote. But they will in The Keys. From exploring our backcountry to snorkeling our living coral reef, it’s one episode in life they won’t want to miss. fla-keys.com ~ 1-800-FLA-KEYS M AY 2008 Home-BasedTravelAgent 27 http://fla-keys.com http://fla-keys.com

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

Home Based Travel Agent - May 2008 Contents Editor’s Note: When It’s Just Not Worth It Publisher’s Note: Never Underestimate Your Lifeline: When Things Go Wrong, You May Need To Agent Spotlight: Odyssey Travel’s Michelle Duncan New Technology: Resources That Can Help You Quickly Industry News: Costa Names Field Sales Director Hot Deals: From the Caribbean to Canada and London Success Stories Independent Associations Southern Swing Mexico Dominican Republic Cover Story: Australia Family Trips Theme Tours New Products: Urban At Ease Laptop Messenger Bag

Home Based Travel Agent - May 2008

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