Travel Agent - March 2, 2009 - (Page 4)

FROM THE EDITOR Rate Your Consortium! WE WERE DELIGHTED RECENTLY TO RECEIVE SO MANY QUALITY RESPONSES TO A SIMPLE QUESTION WE ASKED ON TRAVELAGENTCENTRAL.COM: “What do you think of your consortium?” The answers just flooded in. We were pleased because the high number of responses confirmed that the travel agency community feels that TravelAgentCentral.com is the place where they can voice their opinions and where they can read what their colleagues think. Every one of our online articles, in fact, has a “comments” section in it, making it easy for you to speak out and to read what others are saying. But, back to the consortium issue. If truth be told, some agency groups were much more vocal than others, including Signature, Virtuoso, Ensemble, Travel Leaders and Results!, but all told, we seem to have heard from nearly every group out there. The common positive traits that drew praise from our travel agency community included marketing tools, supplier relationships, education and technology and support. For example, Ben Catalina told us: “I was treated so well as a client of Cruises Inc. that I joined the company in 1997. I searched long and hard for the ‘right consortium’ to join. I made the right decision then and it remains the best one now. The tools, technology and teamwork are superb!” As a new agent, Tina Cook feels that Travelsavers is serving her small agency well. “Travelsavers has been a lifeline for generating new business in this hard time,” she says. “My rep, Kathie DeVincenco, offers tons of support from advertising opportunities to specials (highest commissions for partner suppliers), so I know I’m always offering the best for my clients and getting the best in return.” Michele Keeley says that she feels Travel Leaders has assisted her well on the public relations front: “When I started in the industry 17 years ago, I worked for two small independent agencies. A few years into my travel career, the TAI agency at which I was working was purchased by Carlson Wagonlit Travel (now Travel Leaders). For the first time, I saw what it could mean to me as an agent to be able to have the support and training opportunities that this organization offered. When it was time for me to move across the country I knew I wanted to remain with them. Travel Leaders not only provides fantastic networking, education opportunities and innovative marketing programs, but they also have given me many media opportunities that have resulted in many new clients from across the country for me.” Vice President—Content/ Editorial Director, Ruthanne Terrero Members Only Others felt a member-owned infrastructure worked best for them. For example, John Nigro wrote that “After being associated with two consortia and being a franchisee, I have to say that Signature Travel Network is the best organization of its kind. Its marketing programs, commission structure and education and training are fabulous and come with minimal expense on our part. But more important is the sharing of profits as Signature is a cooperative and owned by its member agencies—unlike the consortia.” Chuck Maida of All Seasons Travel is also a fan of the member-owned structure. “When we switched to Ensemble in 2000,” he says, “we did so because of its emphasis on marketing and the quality of its marketing programs. The direct mail, website and e-mail promotions produced and distributed by Ensemble under the names of its member agencies are both professional and effective. And it’s easy! As a member, we provide our client list and Ensemble takes it from there, leaving us time to do what we do best—sell! “Ensemble is unique among consortia in that it is member-owned,” he continues. “This means that all of its profits go right back into the hands of the member agencies responsible for generating them, meaning more money for all of us.” Doug Risser feels that American Express provides great value: “American Express offers programs for both leisure and business travel, which is important to us, and it offers great networkCONTINUED ON PAGE 6 4 | TravelAgent March 2, 2009 http://www.TRAVELAGENTCENTRAL.COM http://www.TravelAgentCentral.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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