Travel Agent - August 27, 2007 - (Page 10) News Vital Signs Vital Signs Exclusive Holland America Line, Princess Cruises and Royal Caribbean International. “It’s a big undertaking,” Davison says of the cruising addition. “This company has about 50 to 60 cruise lines that they deal with and we have agreed to jointly offer packages. It was a quick and efficient way to get into the market.” Davison has been named as COO of Certified and will retain his CFO duties I The company will launch luxury, cruise and rail programs, and Davison expects to announce partnerships in the next few weeks I The result is that agents will have more variety to sell from CVG, though Continental, Delta and Future Vacations will remain the core brands I Nick New Certified Vacations’ COO Previews The Bottom Line New Products With new COO Nick Davison at the helm, Certified Vacations Group (www.certified vacations.com), the umbrella company encompassing Continental Airlines Vacations, Delta Vacations and Future Vacations, is headed in a new direction. In addition to recent brand announcements that include products in Dubai and South Africa, Davison has plans to expand the company’s product line in ways that include cruising, rail and luxury offerings. Continental, Delta and Future Vacations will remain the core brands of Certified. These product expansions will be completed by cultivating various partnerships, says Davison, who joined Certified as CFO in 2004 and still holds the title. These partners could not be named at press time, as deals were awaiting signatures. “We expect to be specific about that in the next five to seven days,” Davison said last Wednesday. Packaging Luxury What’s more, Certified is looking for ways to tie the new cruise offerings into the company’s luxury collection. “I’m trying to create the whole package so that discerning travelers will say, ‘I’m not just taking a vacation, I’m doing something different,’” Davison says, adding that options may include taking a river barge down the Seine and staying at a European chateau. “We know we have this hotel in this city where these cruise lines are and that Delta or Continental flies there,” he continues. “Our regional sales managers are coming to us and saying that these will work beautifully, so we know demand is high.” Davison expects finalized plans in the next three to five weeks, as well as a name for the new luxury division. New Cruise Products Even so, last Monday the company went online with its new cruise products offered through Future Vacations. Deals appear from most major cruise lines, including Cunard, Disney Cruises, In addition to all this, Certified also is in talks with operators in the United States and Europe to provide rail-based vacations. This is a far cry from a year ago, when the company made a failed attempt at a sale. “We realized that this company has a lot of potential and that it was not the best option to do what we did,” Davison says. “Now, we’re getting it back on track.” This renewed commitment has revived enthusiasm. “I’ve met with agents and suppliers one-on-one to give them comfort and ensure them that the guarantee is there. With that perspective, they’ve come back to us and said that they’re committed, too.” — Jennifer Merritt Hurricane Dean Has Little Effect on Tourism Yours truly was set to travel to Belize last week but instead of enjoying rainforests, I had to settle for the less tropical scenery of my Manhattan cubicle. The affected regions could have experienced the same devastation that Hurricane Wilma or Hurricane Ivan brought to tourism but the Caribbean’s tourism infrastructure squeaked by virtually unscathed. Here’s a recap for those who weren’t glued to the National Weather Service reports like myself. Meet Dean At press time, Hurricane Dean, the most intense tropical cyclone in the Atlantic basin since 2005’s Hurricane Wilma, had claimed at least 14 lives and caused about $1.5 to $3 billion in damages. However, most Caribbean islands reported that there was no significant structural damage to any major resort and that all airports were opened just a few days after Dean’s arrival. Travel as of the end of last week Continued on page 12 Dean’s position on August 23 Photo by NOAA 10 TravelAgent August 27, 2007 http://www.certifiedvacations.com http://www.certifiedvacations.com
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