Luxury Travel Advisor - September 2008 - (Page 8)

EDITOR'S LETTER Letting Your Efforts Be Known I gnacio Maza, Signature Travel Network’s executive vice president, made an interesting point when I interviewed him in his Manhattan office for this issue’s cover story. Luxury travel advisors, he said, would do well by conveying all of the things that they’re doing for their customers throughout the planning process. “Many times, consultants will say, ‘I’ll take care of it; or, I’ll book it,’ even though they may be jumping through hoops or using their hard-won connections to get the job done.” Ignacio was not suggesting, however, that clients receive an exhausting account of every effort. “I’d much rather the consultant say, ‘Let me find a room that will surprise you when you walk in through the front door. Let me speak to the general manager of the hotel, who is going to help me find the right room facing the river.’ Maybe they’re at The Oriental, Bangkok and they’re going to stay in the Somerset Maugham Suite because this person is a great lover of books. That is going to be a ‘wow’ and you want to be able to articulate that. Then the client will say, ‘This person is really going the extra mile for me. I am so fortunate to have found somebody who is so meticulous and so particular.’ So many travel consultants work so hard for their clients but they never convey what they’re doing. And, unfortunately, when they don’t do that, it opens the question in the customer’s mind of, ‘Well, what is this person really doing for me? Why am I using a travel consultant when I could just as soon do it myself?’” I agree wholeheartedly with Ignacio. For many, it’s human nature to be humble. However, if you paint the picture of the travel-planning process to your client, as Ignacio suggests, you’ll actually excite them about the trip they’re taking and engage them along the way. Today’s customers are smart and savvy and want to be a part of their vacation planning. They don’t want to be back-seat drivers, either. They want to ride shotgun, staring at the map and spewing out alternative routes. You’ve been down this road before, so it’s up to you to take control. Make your VIP clients aware of how vast your knowledge of the world is and don’t be subtle about the fact that you’ve got amazing connections around the globe. It will give them something to brag about to their friends and that fits in with their key values. Getting to spend quality time with Ignacio Maza and Signature’s president, Michelle Morgan, for this cover story was a joy. These are two of the hardest working individuals in the industry and their dedication to the Signature membership knows no bounds. They’ve developed a natural balance in their working relationship, too, even though they’re on separate coasts. Most remarkably, they both carry the same “team” philosophy and credit Signature’s successes to the hard work of its staff. For more on this fascinating association, see the cover story, which begins on page 72. New Addition Switching gears, I am pleased to announce that David Eisen (pictured left) has been promoted to the role of managing editor of Luxury Travel Advisor and Premier Hotels & Resorts. He replaces Lindsay Lambert, who recently moved to Boston and will continue to work with us as a contributing editor. Some of you have already met David at various industry events. He previously was the cruise editor for Travel Agent, while also covering the hotel and car rental beats. He has now been with the Questex Travel Group for two years and tells us that he looks forward to his new duties, as well as meeting more of you in the coming months. RUTHANNE TERRERO, CTC Vice President-Content/Editorial Director rterrero@questex.com 8 LUXURY TRAVEL ADVISOR | September 2008

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Luxury Travel Advisor - September 2008

Luxury Travel Advisor - September 2008 Contents Publisher's Letter Editor's Letter Provence India Alvear Palace Hotel Oceana Santa Monica English Country Houses Chewton Glen Summer Lodge Chilston Park Hotel Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago Park Hyatt Milan Intercontinental Montelucia Jackson Hole World Cruises French Riveria Spas Voluntourism Vacations Signature Travel Network The Pulse Profile Luxury Travel Expo Sightings Source List Leaders Speak

Luxury Travel Advisor - September 2008

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