Travel Agent - July 7, 2008 - (Page 86)

TRENDWATCH Are Americans Still Traveling to Europe? According to monthly air-travel reports issued by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of Travel and Tourism Industries, while travel to Europe by Americans has dropped, the percentage is not as significant as one might think, considering the weak dollar-to-euro conversion. For the first quarter of 2008, the drop was only 0.2 percent from the same period in 2007. Here are the numbers: PhoCusWright Study on Online Travel PhoCusWright’s new report, “The PhoCusWright Consumer Travel Trends Survey, Tenth Edition,” notes that in 2007, more Americans used the Internet to book their trips than ever before; specifically, it accounts for adults who have taken a commercial air trip and stayed at a hotel for leisure in the past year, and used the Internet in the past 30 days. The report also states that the online travel population is “evolving.” Those who have regularly booked online continue to dominate, but those who have formerly fought the growth of online booking are giving in and are now frequently using the Internet to book. But these new users need assurance, according to Susan Steinbrink, senior analyst at PhoCusWright. “Providers should focus on offering more personalized technology,” she says, including “an intuitive and step-by-step shopping and booking process, and prominent ‘human touch,’ such as customersupport phone numbers, click-to-call and live chat.” U.S. citizens on flights with first arrival in Europe 2007 2008 % Change from 2007 January 739,893 753,241 + 1.8 February 626,434 668,385 + 6.7 March 1,041,834 982,679 5.7 TOTAL 2,408,161 2,404,305 0.2 SOURCE: Donald N. Martin Company Inc. NYC Gains Visitors According to a NYC & Company survey, the number of international visitors to New York City is increasing. These are the countries showing the biggest increases in visits to New York from 2006 to 2007. (Canada showed the smallest increase with 5 percent; Japan decreased visits by 5 percent.) 40% 35% 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0 37% 36% 31% 27% 25% 21% CONNECTING YOU For more data and statistics on consumer and industry trends, visit www.travelagentcentral.com/stats Spain Italy France Russia UK BeNeLux* * Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg TRAVEL AGENT (ISSN 1053-9360) is published bi-weekly 26 times per year, by Questex Media Group, Inc., 306 West Michigan St., Suite 200, Duluth, MN 55802. Subscription rates: $250 for one year in the United States; $350 for one year in Canada and Mexico; all other countries $350 for one year. Single copies (prepaid only): $4.95 in the United States, Canada and Mexico, and in all other countries. For air-expedited service, include an additional $75 per order annually. Include $6.50 per order plus $2 per additional copy for U.S. postage and handling. For current single copy or back issues on CD-rom, call 866-344-1315. Outside the US, please phone 847-763-9594. Periodicals postage paid at Duluth MN 55806 and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to TRAVEL AGENT, PO Box 1267 Skokie, IL 60076-8267. Canadian G.S.T. number: 840033278RT0001. Publications Mail Agreement Number 40017597. Printed in the U.S.A. Copyright 2008 Questex Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including by photocopy, recording, or information storage and retrieval without permission in writing from the publisher, Questex Media Group, Inc. Authorization to photocopy items for internal/educational or personal use, or the internal/educational or personal use of specific clients is granted by Questex Media Group, Inc. for libraries and other users registered with the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Dr., Danvers, MA 01923, 978-750-8400 fax 978-750-4470. For those not registered with the CCC, send permissions request to: questexpermissions@reprintbuyer.com or 800-494-9051, Ext 100. http://www.travelagentcentral.com/stats

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

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.