Travel Agent - January 7, 2008 - (Page 74)

TR ANSPORTATION RAIL Secret Society Let The International Society of Rail Travel help with your next (or first) private train trip BY JENNIFER MERRITT The Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian AFTER YEARS OF CRUISING, YOUR CLIENTS MAY BE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING DIFFERENT—and, let’s be honest, perhaps you’re tired of the same old bookings, too, despite the profitability. Private rail travel is an equally lucrative option, if not more so, and many of the comforts known to cruisers also can be found on trains—so long as you know which ones to book. Enter The Society of International Railway Travelers (www.irtsociety.com). Using its 25 years of experience riding private trains around the world, the organization helps agents select a trip that best fits a client. What’s more, IRT Society pays a 10 percent commission and each booking nets agents and their clients a year’s subscription to IRT Society’s quarterly magazine, The International Railway Traveler, 74 | TravelAgent January 7, 2008 worth $85. Private train travel rates span all price points, with some trips costing as much as $48,795. Prices include all meals, transfers, gratuities and excursions. “If an agent knows that a client only wants a deluxe experience, then we can work that out. If it’s a client who wants to do something adventurous, we can do that too,” says Eleanor Flagler Hardy, president of IRT Society, adding, “some of our products are not luxury, but in some places you’ll see them listed as a luxury train. We say what these trains are.” Options offered by IRT Society include the Sierra Madre Express through Mexico’s Copper Canyon, which Hardy admits isn’t suitable for clients used to traveling on the Venice SimplonOrient-Express, which also is an itinerary available through IRT. Other notables include the Agent Offer Contact Eleanor Hardy for more information at ehardy@irtsociety. com or visit the IRT Society’s web site to fill out a form for more information. Bonus offer: The first 500 agents who mention “Travel Agent” in the source box will receive a free copy of “The IRT Society’s Best-Loved Railway Journeys 2008,” a value of $35. Agents can choose to receive either a hard copy of the issue or a PDF via e-mail. http://www.irtsociety.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Travel Agent - January 7, 2008

Travel Agent - January 7, 2008 Online Now Contents From the Editor From the Publisher Contributors Europe: Top Hotels in the Czech Capital, Prague Europe News & Notes Pacific/Asia: India's Tourism Boom Hawaii Spas: Send Your Spa-Loving Client to these Havens of Relaxation in the Islands Hawaii Briefs Las Vegas: Restaurants are Taking Center Stage as Vegas Becomes a Destination for Foodies California: San Diego, La Jolla and Coronado Offer a World of Options Close Together Ski/Snowboard: Mont Tremblant in Quebec, Canada New Orleans: Hotels for All Types of Travelers and Can’t-Miss Events to Consider Central & South America: Selling Santiago, Chile Caribbean & Bahamas: The Reef Atlantis, Cape Eleuthera Debut in the Bahamas in Time for the New Year Caribbean News & Notes Cruises: Onboard Enrichment Programs Grow as Cruisers Seek to Work on More than their Tans Cruise Lines Expand the Variety in their Shore Excursions with Special Activities and Adventures Cover Story: A New Era for Classic Luxury Travel Expo & Home Based Travel Agent Expo: Photos and a Recap of the Events Rail: Company Books Private Train Trips Agent Profile: Dave and Christa Krick, Advantage Cruise & Travel in Northern California Technology: XML Enhances Sabre and Amadeus Agenda: Fam Trips, Deals & Incentives, Calendar Onsite Reports from Queen Victoria Christening and Marriott Headquarters Funjet Vacations NCL’s New Ship, Norwegian Gem The African Country of Djibouti In the Spotlight Editorial Index Classified Marketplace Advertisers Index Trendwatch

Travel Agent - January 7, 2008

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