Travel Agent - March 2, 2009 - (Page 10) DESTINATIONS Alaska’s Denali National Park & Reserve is made up of more than 6 million acres of wilderness ALASKA Fights Back Tour and cruise operators step up to combat low visitor count WITH THE UNSETTLING NEWS from the Alaska Travel Industry Association (ATIA) (www.travelalaska.com) that visitation in 2009 will be off anywhere from 10 to 30 percent during the state’s high season from May to September, tour and cruise operators are going into high gear offering deals to combat what is shaping up to be one of the state’s slowest travel seasons on record. ON TRAVEL AGENTCENTRAL .COM EXPLORE THE CULTURE and environment of Alaska by visiting www.travelagent.com/ video, search “Alaska.” In response, the ATIA is launching what it calls an “emergency campaign” to market Alaska travel values heavily this winter and spring. The campaign’s centerpiece is the newly developed website www.alaskas hottestdeals.com, which will be regularly updated with specials and deals offered by the 1,100 member businesses that make up the association. Television advertising and public relations efforts will also herald the deals available for travel to Alaska this year. Of course, as everywhere else, the worldwide economic crisis is at the heart of the expected decline in visitation to Alaska. With more and more people choosing “staycations,” the state’s travel industry is working hard to demonstrate to consumers that an Alaska trip is a better deal this year than ever. “The reports we’re hearing from our members are alarming,” said Ron Peck, president and COO of ATIA. “Bookings are coming in very slowly right now. We’re hoping this campaign will change some minds and convince people that a vacation BY MICHAEL BROWNE to Alaska is really more affordable and accessible than they may think.” With cruise lines and tour operators cutting prices and adding value—along with the 50th anniversary of statehood promotion—the ATIA is advising agents that this year could be a good time to sell your clients on an Alaskan vacation. Cruise Blues? While trying to remain positive in this challenging environment, there have been some unhappy developments in the Alaska cruise market. Royal Caribbean (www. royalcaribbean.com) announced that it would be pulling Serenade of the Seas out of the region in 2010. The move will leave two Royal Caribbean ships—Radiance of the Seas and Rhapsody of the Seas—in service in Alaska next year; the loss of Serenade, which will make 20 Alaska trips this year, could cost the state an estimated $37 million in passenger and cruise line revenue. Also, small-ship line Cruise West (www. CONTINUED ON PAGE 12 10 | TravelAgent March 2, 2009 PHOTO BY ROBIN HOOD http://www.travelalaska.com http://www.alaskashottestdeals.com http://www.alaskashottestdeals.com http://www.TRAVELAGENTCENTRAL.COM http://www.royalcaribbean.com http://www.royalcaribbean.com http://www.travelagent.com/video http://www.travelagent.com/video http://www.cruisewest.com
Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Travel Agent - March 2, 2009 Travel Agent - March 2, 2009 Contents From the Editor From the Publisher Alaska Europe Las Vegas Central & South America Caribbean, The Bahamas & Bermuda Cruises Hot Hotels Agent Access Advertising Index Editorial Index Travel Agent - March 2, 2009 Travel Agent - March 2, 2009 - Travel Agent - March 2, 2009 (Page Cover1) Travel Agent - March 2, 2009 - Travel Agent - March 2, 2009 (Page Cover2) Travel Agent - March 2, 2009 - Travel Agent - March 2, 2009 (Page 1) Travel Agent - March 2, 2009 - Contents (Page 2) Travel Agent - March 2, 2009 - Contents (Page 3) Travel Agent - March 2, 2009 - From the Editor (Page 4) Travel Agent - March 2, 2009 - From the Editor (Page 5) Travel Agent - March 2, 2009 - From the Editor (Page 6) Travel Agent - March 2, 2009 - From the Editor (Page 7) Travel Agent - March 2, 2009 - From the Publisher (Page 8) Travel Agent - March 2, 2009 - From the Publisher (Page 9) Travel Agent - March 2, 2009 - Alaska (Page 10) Travel Agent - March 2, 2009 - Alaska (Page 11) Travel Agent - March 2, 2009 - Alaska (Page 12) Travel Agent - March 2, 2009 - Alaska (Page 13) Travel Agent - March 2, 2009 - Alaska (Page 14) Travel Agent - March 2, 2009 - Alaska (Page 15) Travel Agent - March 2, 2009 - Europe (Page 16) Travel Agent - March 2, 2009 - Europe (Page 17) Travel Agent - March 2, 2009 - Las Vegas (Page 18) Travel Agent - March 2, 2009 - Las Vegas (Page 19) Travel Agent - March 2, 2009 - Las Vegas (Page 20) Travel Agent - March 2, 2009 - Las Vegas (Page 21) Travel Agent - March 2, 2009 - Central & South America (Page 22) Travel Agent - March 2, 2009 - Central & South America (Page 23) Travel Agent - March 2, 2009 - Central & South America (Page 24) Travel Agent - March 2, 2009 - Central & South America (Page 25) Travel Agent - March 2, 2009 - Caribbean, The Bahamas & Bermuda (Page 26) Travel Agent - March 2, 2009 - Caribbean, The Bahamas & Bermuda (Page 27) Travel Agent - March 2, 2009 - Caribbean, The Bahamas & Bermuda (Page 28) Travel Agent - March 2, 2009 - Caribbean, The Bahamas & Bermuda (Page 29) Travel Agent - March 2, 2009 - Caribbean, The Bahamas & Bermuda (Page 30) Travel Agent - March 2, 2009 - Caribbean, The Bahamas & Bermuda (Page 31) Travel Agent - March 2, 2009 - Cruises (Page 32) Travel Agent - March 2, 2009 - Cruises (Page 33) Travel Agent - March 2, 2009 - Cruises (Page 34) Travel Agent - March 2, 2009 - Cruises (Page 35) Travel Agent - March 2, 2009 - Cruises (Page 36) Travel Agent - March 2, 2009 - Cruises (Page 37) Travel Agent - March 2, 2009 - Hot Hotels (Page 38) Travel Agent - March 2, 2009 - Hot Hotels (Page 39) Travel Agent - March 2, 2009 - Hot Hotels (Page 40) Travel Agent - March 2, 2009 - Hot Hotels (Page 41) Travel Agent - March 2, 2009 - Hot Hotels (Page 42) Travel Agent - March 2, 2009 - Hot Hotels (Page 43) Travel Agent - March 2, 2009 - Agent Access (Page 44) Travel Agent - March 2, 2009 - Agent Access (Page 45) Travel Agent - March 2, 2009 - Agent Access (Page 46) Travel Agent - March 2, 2009 - Agent Access (Page 47) Travel Agent - March 2, 2009 - Editorial Index (Page 48) Travel Agent - March 2, 2009 - Editorial Index (Page Cover3) Travel Agent - March 2, 2009 - Editorial Index (Page Cover4)
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