Travel Agent - March 17, 2008 - (Page 64)

CRUISES THERE’S LITTLE GETTING AROUND THE MASSES THAT ARE THE NORM on most contemporary cruise ships. Scoping out and landing a lounge chair next to the pool on a cloudless day can be an arduous task, as can snagging a sliver of space in the hot tub. But while the lines at the Lido buffet may be palatable (sure, I once waited a half-hour for a ham on rye!), the backup to get off the ship or onto a tender ship (a subject that needs its own column) can be downright brutal. And this is even before your shore excursion kicks off, which, if unlucky, can be a harsh mishmash of crowded busses, apathetic guides and overrun tourist sites. Shore excursions are big business for the cruise lines and make up a sizable portion of onboard revenues, however; as the lines contract with outside tour companies, the excursions can sometimes be less personal and lack flair. If your clients are looking for exclusive excursions that stray from the mundane and offer flexibility, recommend using a tour company that specializes in shore excursions. This niche has been broadening as more cruisers express either dissatisfaction with the current crop of excursions operated by the cruise lines or the need for more variety. Off-Ship ADVENTURES Many cruisers are ditching shore excursions provided by the cruise lines in favor of tours operated by outside companies BY DAVID EISEN A seaplane excursion in Alaska 64 | TravelAgent March 17, 2008 Budding Operators One such company is Fairfax, VA-based Key Tours International (www.keytours.com, 800-576-1784), which has been in business for 16 years. What started off as a company offering religious tours to Turkey and the Eastern Mediterranean grew into its current role of facilitating tailor-made custom shore excursions by word of mouth, according to Nigel Osborne, Key Tours’ executive vice president. In fact, the influx of larger, higher-capacity cruise ships is a key contributor to Key Tours overall success in the customized shore excursion business. “They are becoming a high demand product due to the bigger ships where 60 coach busses can sometimes line up for the crowds,” he says. “Our growth has grown exponentially over the past two years due to these larger ships.” Business also has increased due to the personalization and flexibility custom excursions offer. Of the latter, many shore excursions CONTINUED ON PAGE 66 PHOTO COURTESY OF PRINCESS CRUISES http://www.keytours.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Travel Agent - March 17, 2008

Travel Agent - March 17, 2008 Online Now Contents From the Editor Contributors Africa: Lodges that will Make your African Safari through Tanzania Unforgettable Special Supplement: Honeymoon Specialist Africa News and Briefs Caribbean: The Hyatt Regency Aruba Resort and Casino is a Perfect Choice for all Types of Clientele Hawaii: The Less-Visited Island of Molokai Provides a taste of Old-Time Hawaii Central and South America: Where to Enjoy the Reefs, Rainforest and Ruins in Belize’s Maya Country Hotels: Properties that Cater to the Growing Trend of “Girlfriend Getaways” Cruises: Increasingly, Cruisers are Choosing Outside Companies for their Off-Ship Excursions Barbados: A Caribbean Travelers' Dream Airline Update: Several European Airlines Offer New Nonstop Service Ski/Snowboard: Three New Hotels Hit the Slopes in Wyoming, Utah and British Columbia Multi-Generational Travel: Cavallo Point: the Lodge at Golden Gate is a New “Green” Hotel Outside of San Francisco Agent Profile: Lynda Turley of Alpine Travel of Saratoga in Saratoga, CA Agency Profile: Largay Travel’s Company Retreat Cover Story: Barbados Technology: Open Travel CRM Agenda: Fam Trips, Deals & Incentives, Calendar Onsite from Jordan Travel Mart Harrah’s Draws Younger Clients to Atlantic City Cruise News India’s New Hotels and Nonstop Flights Saluting Travel Industry Contributors Report from Travel South In the Spotlight Editorial Index Advertising Index Classified Marketplace Trendwatch

Travel Agent - March 17, 2008

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