Travel Agent - July 7, 2008 - (Page 8)

Agent CONTRIBUTORS Insider What are some of your shopping tips for travelers? “Bringing lots of money wherever you go pretty much covers the board,” says Sandra Wilkins of Affordable Tours.Com GLENN HAUSSMAN, contributing editor, is a Las Vegas aficionado who has visited Sin City dozens of times. That means he’s stayed virtually everywhere and knows the best hotels to enjoy on and off the Las Vegas Strip—and in this issue, he takes a look at a few of the hotels and casinos that have sprouted up away from the Strip. Haussman is also a hotel industry expert, speaking frequently at conferences, and is an adjunct professor at New York University. in Houston. “It is good to buy things indigenous to the area when you travel. For example, Dubai is good for gold, South America is good for topaz, Mexico for silver and the Far East for jade and semiprecious stones. Hong Kong and Shanghai are a shopper’s paradise, especially for tailor-made clothing.” “I like to bring back something small from everywhere I go because it is a reminder of the experience,” says Dale White of Camarillo Travel in Camarillo, CA. “Because of the airline restrictions on packing, I would suggest bringing back something small for friends and family. I like bringing back reminders of the area, not something I will throw away the following year.” “In Italy, people shop at the outlet stores outside of Florence,” says Judy Nussbaum of Unique Travel in Delray, FL. “Shopping is also great in Argentina—the dollar really goes far in Buenos Aires. If you have a lot of money, go to France.” GEORGE DOOLEY is Travel Agent’s contributing editor covering retail and technology. Dooley reports back from Las Vegas that the buzz among the 1,400-plus attendees at the recent Vacation.com conference focused on two issues: Vacation.com’s new EZguider desktop booking system and the impact of soaring fuel costs on airlines and the industry. In his Technology column, Dooley expands on the benefits of EZguider as state-of-the-art technology, and in his Transportation piece, he takes a look at the Business Travel Coalition’s new study of the impact of soaring fuel cost on airline services and the travel industry. JOE PIKE, associate editor for Travel Agent magazine, covers the Caribbean, the Bahamas, Bermuda, Mexico and Central and South America. Pike recently returned from Washington D.C., where he covered the first Caribbean Tourism Summit at the International Trade Center in the Ronald Reagan Building. In this issue, Pike reports on Dominica and ecofriendly initiatives the destination is taking (page 52). He also recounts his recent stay at Maxim Bungalows, Confresi Beach (page 50). DAVID EISEN covers the cruise and hotel beats for Travel Agent. In this issue, he writes about his experiences shopping for an engagement ring and how travel agents should not take any sales tips from one of the proprietors he encountered. “Every person who walks through your door or gives you a call is a potential lifelong client,” he says. “Don’t lose them at hello.” Also in this issue, Eisen takes a look at the new CLIA study, which reveals that travel agents continue to play a vital role in selling cruises. And, speaking of cruises, Eisen will be traveling to Europe for the inaugural of Holland America Line’s Eurodam and spending some time in a city he’s never been to before, Amsterdam. MARK ROGERS, Travel Agent‘s senior editor, writes this month’s cover story, profiling Wendy Goodenow, a second-generation travel agent and owner of HNL Travel Associates, the only Virtuoso agency in Hawaii. Also in this issue, Rogers interviews the new minister of Tourism Malaysia, Dato’ Sri Azalina Othman Said, who outlines her country’s plan to increase the number of U.S. visitors. He will travel to Malaysia later this month, visiting Kuala Lumpur (whose assortment of upscale hotels are covered in this issue), Penang and Sarawak. Rogers’ beat includes Hawaii, the South Pacific and Asia, as well as California, where he is based. 8 | TravelAgent July 7, 2008 http://Tours.Com http://Vacation.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Travel Agent - July 7, 2008

Travel Agent - July 7, 2008 Online Now Contents Contributors From the Editor Europe: History and a Scenic Landscape Define Normandy Pacific/Asia: Kuala Lumpur Offers Luxury Shopping and Hotels Hawaii: Honolulu’s Nightlife is as Dazzling as its Sunshine Canada: VIA Rail Offers a New Way to Enjoy the Great North Las Vegas: Hotels and Casinos Away From the Strip Florida: Hilton Daytona Beach Offers Budget-Friendly Packages Central & South America: Panama is Poised to Become a Hot Destination Mexico: The ME Cancún Targets an Upscale Clientele Caribbean: Maxim Opens a New Resort in Puerto Plata The Latest News and Notes from Dominica Cruises: A CLIA Study Offers Good News About Cruising Cartagena and Santa Marta Offer Two Different Sides of Columbia Cover Story: Wendy Goodenow Industry In Crisis: A New Report Offers a Gloomy Forecast for the Airline Industry Hotels: Prince Edward Island Celebrates Anne of Green Gables EZGuider: Vacation.com Launches a New Platform Agenda: Fam Trips, Deals & Incentives, Calendar Opinion Consortia Can Be An Agent’s Best Friend MLT Expands Roles and Offerings Malaysia Continues Agent Push In the Spotlight Agent Access Classified Marketplace Editorial Index Advertising Index Trendwatch

Travel Agent - July 7, 2008

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