Travel Agent- March 30, 2009 - (Page 16) DESTINATIONS PACIFIC/ASIA Marketing TAIWAN A group of Signature Travel Network agents explore Taiwan and return with mixed feelings STELLA TRAVEL SERVICES’ GLOBAL WHOLESALER TRAVEL2 AND CLOSE TO 50 SIGNATURE TRAVEL NETWORK AGENTS explored Taiwan as the final leg of a recent Asia mega-fam— and Travel Agent tagged along. Reviews were mixed. “The countryside was beautiful, without factories, and I saw no beggars or poverty,” said Liliane Nash, manager, Altour. “This will help motivate U.S. visitors to come. The landscape was marvelous. I compare it to an Asian Switzerland.” Not everyone was as impressed. “Taiwan is a good fit for the young, active adventurer market,” said Diane Hagopian, travel consultant for Somerville, MA-based The Travel Collaborative, “but it’s not ready for prime time.” The friendliness of the Taiwanese people and the beauty of the landscape were noted time and again, but the destination itself presented some problems. “I don’t know how to sell it,” said Jacintha Perera, owner, Elk Grove, CA-based Island Getaways. “My advice for travelers is to get out of the city and explore the countryside.” During the visit, Travel Agent met with Michael Londregan, the president of Travel2; Stanley C. Yen, group president of Landis Hotels & Resorts; and Jean Chang, president of Golden Foundation Tours Corp. We asked Yen how Taiwan planned to promote itself to the U.S. market next year. He replied, “We have a marketing budget of $70 to $80 million (U.S.) this year, which is much higher than in years past.” “What we’re seeing is that everyone has a deal, but not everyone has a message,” observed Londregan. “It’s delicate, you have to build demand and then train the agent. CONTINUED ON PAGE 18 16 | TravelAgent March 30, 2009 BY MARK ROGERS THIS PHOTO: The Taipei skyline, dominated by Taipei 101 BELOW: Stella Travel Services’ global wholesaler Travel2 executives and Signature Travel Network agents at Taiwan’s Taroko Gorge
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