Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 - (Page 41)

After a dismal 2008, the industr y looks to breathe new life into the European travel segment BY MICHAEL BROWNE AND JENA TESSE FOX OME MAY say that Europe’s sagging tourism scene may be unable to resuscitate itself in 2009. There are certainly enough indicators to support that belief: U.S. visits to Europe dropped 9 percent in September 2008, according to the latest figures from the U.S. Department of Commerce. That completed a peak season (May through September) in which U.S. visits declined 7.3 percent, the first peakseason decline since 2002. In fact, last year ended well short of the record 13.33 million U.S. visits to Europe in 2007. All told, travel to Europe by Americans was down 4.8 percent in the first eight months of 2008, compared to the same period in 2007. As we enter 2009, U.S. travel appears to be dropping at a steeper rate—10 percent or more. In addition, it may be harder for Americans to get to Europe in 2009. More airlines are considering mergers as passenger demand declines, which will result in fewer flights. British Airways, for example, has been in talks with Spain’s Iberia and American Airlines as worldwide air travel fell for a third consecutive month in November. Virgin Atlantic Airways recently announced it is slashing fares and may trim seats to ride out a slump in demand for air travel. And according to the latest Hotel Price Index (HPI) study from Hotels.com, although European hotel prices were not significantly impacted in 2008—due to a reasonably strong summer season—prices are now starting to come down and they will likely be forced to cut room rates significantly in 2009. That’s all a pretty bitter pill to swallow for travel agents who have in years past counted on high-ticket European vacations as a significant part of their sales. Add to all of this the global economic crisis and an unstable euro-to-dollar exchange rate, and it becomes even more difficult to market Europe as a destination for U.S. travelers. The Pricing Problem As of the end of 2008, the euro was poised to post its first annual fall against U.S. currency in three years as the financial crisis sparked a rush into the dollar this year. While the euro suffered an overall 3.9 percent drop in relation to the dollar over the year (and stood at $1.36 at press time), it is difficult to forecast what the future holds for these two currencies. After all, it was just last spring that the euro was at an all-time high of $1.60. With the currency fluctuating as much as it has, tour operator Isramworld, which primarily serves Eastern Europe, Russia, Spain and Portugal, offers a price-protection guarantee option on all its packages. “Although the dollar did get stronger against the euro, the economy is still worsening and these two forces will offset each other in the short term,” says Isramworld’s president and CEO Ady Gelber. “We see people losing jobs, and Americans are facing an unprecedented credit squeeze. I expect people to adopt a wait-and-watch approach and things should start moving again sometime in the middle of 2009.” For $100, Isram passengers now have the option of locking in a rate and being protected from adverse movements in currency, rates, etc. Even as the euro-dollar exchange rate stabilizes, most operators have deals locked in with their suppliers that allow them to pass on added value to their customers. Should the euro go up, customers are locked in at their rate in dollars; if things equalize, or the euro drops below CONTINUED ON PAGE 42 ABOVE, LEFT: London’s Tower Bridge ABOVE, RIGHT: A farmhouse in Valley D’Orcia in Tuscany FAR LEFT: Der Gendarmenmarkt square in Berlin LEFT: Deilmann Cruises’ MS Cezanne navigates through the Seine River in Paris January 19, 2009 TravelAgent | 41 S http://www.Hotels.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Travel Agent - January 19, 2009

Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 Contents A New Direct Route from New York to Atlantic City Might Help Casinos New Villas from CuisinArt, Controversy from the CTO and Pages from Hemingway in Cuba From the Editor New Zealand: These Lodges and Farms Offer Intimacy and Luxury Pacific/Asia: Mumbai's Damaged Hotels Reopen After Tragedy Alaska: Alaska Commemorates 50 Years of Statehood with Cruise Packages for Your Clients Las Vegas: Tips for Agents on Demystifying Deals Speaking of Deals, Here are Some Great Ones for Vegas Mexico: Get to Know Some of the Finest Properties in Cancun Caribbean: Political Change Might Make Travel to Cuba a Reality Sandals' Star Awards Cruises: Luxury Cruise Share Insider Advice Cover Story: Bringing Europe Back Luxury Travel Expo: The 10th Anniversary of this Event Was One to Remember Tours: Tapping into the Gay and Lesbian Market JoyStar Collapse May Involve More Agents and Higher Losses Marriott's Spirit of Aloha Tour Rolls Along the West Coast Cruise Lines Continue to Pour Dollars into Advertising Small Business Resources Can Help Your Agency Stay Afloat Editorial Index Advertising Index

Travel Agent - January 19, 2009

Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 - Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 (Page Cover1) Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 - Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 (Page Cover2) Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 - Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 (Page 1) Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 - Contents (Page 2) Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 - Contents (Page 3) Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 - Contents (Page 4) Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 - Contents (Page 5) Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 - A New Direct Route from New York to Atlantic City Might Help Casinos (Page 6) Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 - A New Direct Route from New York to Atlantic City Might Help Casinos (Page 7) Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 - New Villas from CuisinArt, Controversy from the CTO and Pages from Hemingway in Cuba (Page 8) Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 - New Villas from CuisinArt, Controversy from the CTO and Pages from Hemingway in Cuba (Page 9) Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 - From the Editor (Page 10) Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 - From the Editor (Page 11) Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 - From the Editor (Page 12) Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 - From the Editor (Page 13) Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 - From the Editor (Page 14) Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 - From the Editor (Page 15) Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 - New Zealand: These Lodges and Farms Offer Intimacy and Luxury (Page 16) Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 - New Zealand: These Lodges and Farms Offer Intimacy and Luxury (Page 17) Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 - Pacific/Asia: Mumbai's Damaged Hotels Reopen After Tragedy (Page 18) Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 - Pacific/Asia: Mumbai's Damaged Hotels Reopen After Tragedy (Page 19) Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 - Alaska: Alaska Commemorates 50 Years of Statehood with Cruise Packages for Your Clients (Page 20) Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 - Alaska: Alaska Commemorates 50 Years of Statehood with Cruise Packages for Your Clients (Page 21) Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 - Las Vegas: Tips for Agents on Demystifying Deals (Page 22) Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 - Speaking of Deals, Here are Some Great Ones for Vegas (Page 23) Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 - Speaking of Deals, Here are Some Great Ones for Vegas (Page 24) Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 - Speaking of Deals, Here are Some Great Ones for Vegas (Page 25) Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 - Mexico: Get to Know Some of the Finest Properties in Cancun (Page 26) Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 - Mexico: Get to Know Some of the Finest Properties in Cancun (Page 27) Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 - Mexico: Get to Know Some of the Finest Properties in Cancun (Page 28) Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 - Mexico: Get to Know Some of the Finest Properties in Cancun (Page 29) Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 - Caribbean: Political Change Might Make Travel to Cuba a Reality (Page 30) Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 - Caribbean: Political Change Might Make Travel to Cuba a Reality (Page 31) Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 - Caribbean: Political Change Might Make Travel to Cuba a Reality (Page 32) Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 - Caribbean: Political Change Might Make Travel to Cuba a Reality (Page 33) Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 - Sandals' Star Awards (Page 34) Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 - Sandals' Star Awards (Page 35) Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 - Cruises: Luxury Cruise Share Insider Advice (Page 36) Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 - Cruises: Luxury Cruise Share Insider Advice (Page 37) Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 - Cruises: Luxury Cruise Share Insider Advice (Page 38) Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 - Cruises: Luxury Cruise Share Insider Advice (Page 39) Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 - Cover Story: Bringing Europe Back (Page 40) Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 - Cover Story: Bringing Europe Back (Page 41) Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 - Cover Story: Bringing Europe Back (Page 42) Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 - Cover Story: Bringing Europe Back (Page 43) Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 - Cover Story: Bringing Europe Back (Page 44) Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 - Cover Story: Bringing Europe Back (Page 45) Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 - Luxury Travel Expo: The 10th Anniversary of this Event Was One to Remember (Page 46) Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 - Luxury Travel Expo: The 10th Anniversary of this Event Was One to Remember (Page 47) Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 - Luxury Travel Expo: The 10th Anniversary of this Event Was One to Remember (Page 48) Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 - Luxury Travel Expo: The 10th Anniversary of this Event Was One to Remember (Page 49) Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 - Tours: Tapping into the Gay and Lesbian Market (Page 50) Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 - JoyStar Collapse May Involve More Agents and Higher Losses (Page 51) Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 - Marriott's Spirit of Aloha Tour Rolls Along the West Coast (Page 52) Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 - Cruise Lines Continue to Pour Dollars into Advertising (Page 53) Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 - Small Business Resources Can Help Your Agency Stay Afloat (Page 54) Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 - Editorial Index (Page 55) Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 - Advertising Index (Page 56) Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 - Advertising Index (Page Cover3) Travel Agent - January 19, 2009 - Advertising Index (Page Cover4) 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