Luxury Travel Advisor - December 2008 - (Page 4) PUBLISHER'S LETTER LUXURY T R AV E L A D V I S O R jmcmahon@questex.com rterrero@questex.com deisen@questex.com We Shall Survive Inspiring and Educating Sellers of Affluent Travel Group Publisher: John McMahon (212) 895-8243 Editorial Director: Ruthanne Terrero, CTC (212) 895-8423 Managing Editor: David Eisen (212) 895-8436 H urling ever closer toward 2009, I have been trying to wrap my brain around what is happening in the travel market. The information and research I have looked at has been mixed at best. Speaking to suppliers and luxury travel advisors, then, is the smart way to go. Guess what? Both have also expressed a mixed bag. For some agents, business is up; for others, it’s down. At the end of the day, I have to draw my own conclusion: Travel hasn’t stopped completely, nor will it. That being said, it’s also true, however, that those who were only riding the wave of the recent boom, without being innovative and without providing top-notch service, will fall by the wayside. We’ve seen this play out before, after the commission cuts and after 9/11. Those who focus and deliver excellence will be the ones who get through this downturn. The good news for luxury travel advisors is that your business is a bit more recession-proof than other agents. Yes, your clients may trade down a hotel here and there, or look for value-added offers, but you will survive. Actually, our side of the business is still growing. Why? Well, travel suppliers are relying on the travel professional distribution channel, as it proves to be more cost effective than the direct-to-consumer approach. Coincidentally, Luxury Travel Advisor influences more luxury travel decisions than any other medium. So, we are all in vogue this time around! My prediction is that once we pull through this period, you, the luxury travel advisor, will be the most soughtafter channel. So, use this time to sharpen your skills. In honor of the Gloria Gaynor 70’s hit, let’s show the travel industry that “we will survive.” By the way, pictured here with me is Paul McManus, who is moving on from his role as president and CEO of The Leading Hotels of the World to take on the title of vice chairman, Leading Ventures, LLC. I had the pleasure to toast Paul on a wonderful career as he rides off into semi-retirement. Paul led The Leading Hotels of the World for 10 years and was an arch supporter of luxury travel advisors. What’s next for Paul? Aside from his new role, he told me that he plans to sit in on a few board of directors meetings and play a lot of golf—with me, of course! Happy Holidays from all of us at Luxury Travel Advisor. 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Young, Lindsay Lambert, Mackenzie Allison, Jena Tesse Fox, Roberta Roberti, Kirk Cassels ADVERTISING & SALES STAFF Eastern U.S./Europe Associate Publisher Kimberly Ziegler (212) 895-8268 Caribbean/Latin America/Mexico Stephanie Gordon (305) 854-1622 Western U.S./Western Canada/Hawaii Associate Publisher Pattie Lincoln (818) 788-4488 Europe Ritchie Markus (41) 1 918 1717 Catherine Tondelli (39) 06 522 46 050 Asia: Hazel Li, InterAct Media & Marketing kziegler@questex.com stephanie@gordonmediagroup.com plincoln@questex.com ritchiemarkus@ggaweb.ch ctondellli@alice.it hazelli@starhub.net.sg TRAVEL AGENT CUSTOM SOLUTIONS: Director of Custom Solutions: Neil Strickland (954) 296-9515 Senior Managing Editor: David K. Moseder (212) 895-8447 nstrickland@questex.com dmoseder@questex.com ART, CIRCULATION & PRODUCTION, MARKETING Associate Art Director: Debbie Sheehan dsheehan@questex.com (212) 895-8429 Assistant Art Director: Alba N. 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Evans JOHN MCMAHON Vice President/ Group Publisher jmcmahon@questex.com Copyright © 2008 Questex Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopy, recording or information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Authorization to photocopy items for internal or personal use, or the internal or personal use of specific clients, is granted by Questex Media Group, Inc. for libraries and other users registered with the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Dr., Danvers, MA 01923; phone: (978) 750-8400; fax (978) 750-4470; call for copying beyond that permitted by Sections 107 or 108 of the U.S. Copyright Law. For those not registered with the CCC, send permission request in writing to questexpermissions@reprintbuyer.com or phone 800-494-9051 ext. 100. 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Outside the U.S., please phone (216) 706-3705. 4 LUXURY TRAVEL ADVISOR | December 2008
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