Travel Agent - May 12, 2008 - (Page 8)

Agent CONTRIBUTORS Insider What is your favorite European hotel, or where would you love to stay? JENNIFER GLATT, a freelance writer, is happiest when she has her toes in the sand and a pen in her hand. In this issue, she fills agents in on the recent renovations to the Westin Aruba Resort, formerly a Wyndham property (page 46). Glatt is also a frequent contributor to our sister publication Home-Based Travel Agent. She lives in Wilmington, NC, with her husband and their two perpetually barefoot children. SWITZERLAND “I really like the four-star Hotel National in Dabos, Switzerland,” Eric Ardolino of A&S Travel Center Inc. in Wallingford, CT, says. “I have booked ski groups there five times in the past 10 years. The man who owns the hotel treats you as if he was your butler. My wife got sick and he took care of her. He even set up the dining room table for her for free. For me, that is the best.” GLENN HAUSSMAN, contributing editor, takes his job as a Las Vegas expert seriously. That’s why he makes it a point to stake out every hot spot in town each and every time he visits Sin City. Haussman has shown our readers the ins and outs of Vegas from men’s grooming to traveling with the kids in tow. In his article “Las Vegas Nightlife” (page 40), he lets readers in on a few of Vegas’ causal—and somewhat rowdy—offerings, which are anything but glitz and glam. SUSAN J. YOUNG is a frequent contributor for Travel Agent. In this month’s cover story, “Staying Profitable in a Down Economy” (page 60), Young looks at how agents are coping and staying above the fray in an increasingly difficult economic environment. Also serving as Travel Agent’s contributing editor for cruises, Young is a veteran of 60-plus cruises, which have transported her from the Panama Canal to Egypt, from Alaska to the Baltic. A member of the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) and that organization’s Editor’s Council, Young freelances for various publications including Luxury Travel Advisor. Her favorite close-to-home travel experience is viewing hundreds of slumbering manatees in the waters off the Big Bend Power Station in Apollo Beach, FL. Further abroad, she enjoys exotic travel to Nepal, Colombia and Laos. IRELAND “After researching manor houses in Ireland for a client, I would love to stay at Dundrum House in Cashel,” says Liz Weist of Morris Murdock Travel in Salt Lake City. “This is like being the lord of your own castle. And who wouldn’t want to stay in a castle?” JOE PIKE, associate editor, covers the Caribbean, the Bahamas, Bermuda, Mexico and Central and South America. In this issue, he shares tips with agents on how to sell Guatemala (page 44). Pike recently returned from Tianguis Turistico 33 in Acapulco, and visited Trinidad earlier this month for the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Investment Conference (CHTIC). ITALY “My favorite hotel is Le Sirenuse Positano on the Malte Coast in Italy,” says Gabriel Peodorescu of Pisa Bros. Inc. in New York City. “The location and view are wonderful, as well as the service and interior decorations. The hotel is an old villa and is filled with antiques. The ownership spans four or five generations.” MARK ROGERS, senior editor, covers Hawaii, the South Pacific and Asia, as well as California, where he is based. In this issue, he writes about the diverse array of condo resorts available in Hawaii (page 24), and notes how they make for great options when planning a vacation for the family. He also takes a look at upscale hotel options in the Philippines capital of Manila (page 30). 8 | TravelAgent May 12, 2008

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Travel Agent - May 12, 2008

Travel Agent - May 12, 2008 Online Now Contents Contributors From the Editor From the Publisher Europe: Bruges Might be One of Belgium’s Best-Kept Secrets Hawaii: Condo Resorts Provide a Plethora of Vacation Choices Pacific/Asia: Manila has Plenty to Offer Visitors of Every Taste Alaska: Icy Strait Point Offers Authentic Alaskan Adventure Pacific Northwest: Airplane Buffs and Wine Aficionados Enjoy Washington Las Vegas: Let Your Hair Down at Some of these Casual Bars Central & South America: History and Culture Beckon in Guatemala Caribbean & The Bahamas: Recent Renovations Have Made the Westin Aruba Resort a Jewel of the Island Cruises: A New Musical is Making Waves on Disney Wonder San Diego Becomes a Major Cruise Port Cover Story: Top Tips for Selling in a Down Economy Rail Travel: Sightseeing and a Gourmet Meal on the Royal Livingstone Express Hotels: There is Plenty to Do at Ski Resorts in the Summer Tours: Photos from the 33rd Annual Mountain Travel Symposium Agent: Eric Ardolino has Won the Technology War Customer Relations: Ensemble Agents use CRM tools Agenda: Fam Trips, Deals & Incentives, Calendar Luxury Travel Expo Jamaica Will License Casinos Enormous Cruise Ships are Planned ResortQuest Hawaii Continues to Grow 2008 TMU Conference Recap In the Spotlight Agent Access Classified Marketplace Editorial Index Advertising Index Trendwatch

Travel Agent - May 12, 2008

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