Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - (Page 58)

N IC HE TR AV EL GIRLFRIEND GETAWAYS GOGIRL.TRAVEL This agency caters to all aspects of women’s travel needs BY JENA TESSE FOX DALLAS-BASED TRAVEL AGENT RALPH IANTOSCA didn’t originally intend to get involved with girlfriend getaways. But back in November 2005, he was hunting for a niche that would set him apart from other travel agents. “I wanted to go into a part of the travel industry that was very deserving and underserved,” he recalls. “So I found myself drawn to women’s travel, and working with women-only departures.” And so GoGirl.Travel (www.gogirl.travel) was born in early 2006. After a while, however, he found the niche was not “very lucrative,” and began looking for ways to expand and increase the company’s revenue. “I realized that the woman I work with probably takes a romantic trip with her significant other, and also does a family trip,” he says. Rather than limiting the agency to girlfriend getaways, he realized, he could keep his deals focused on all facets of a woman’s travel needs: romance travel and family travel, as well as women-only travel. “We’re in the travel industry, and it’s fun and it’s exciting, but I’m a business owner,” Iantosca says. “I look at this through the eyes of a business owner, so we want to be able to maximize our potential and earn some money. And for the agents who work with me—and work for me—my goal is to keep them here forever and earn a lot of money for them. So if I can teach an agent how to make three times what they make now without extending their clientele, it’s just a much better system: working smarter, not harder.” The concept and website were both kept low-key until Iantosca could trademark and patent his idea. A full-service agency affiliated with several tour operators, GoGirl.Travel seeks to save women time with their travel 58 | TravelAgent September 29, 2008 planning, and help them find the locations that they and their companions can enjoy. “They spend so many hours on the Internet researching everything,” Iantosca says, “and then they call their girlfriends and friends to find out if they know anything about it, and they’re reading up on it—but they’re really insecure about their decision to book.” Once the agency collects all the vital information from the client, he continues, they are able to put what he calls “a plan of action” in place. “And the client loves that, “because now they have something to look forward to, instead of something they dread, which is taking all the time to look something up.” Not Cookie-Cutter Travel GoGirl.Travel started out selling trips with Gutsy Women Travel, but Iantosca and his associates found that their Texas clients wanted something different. “We started to do custom touring,” he remembers, “and now we’re heading in a new direction with Abercrombie & Kent and their womenonly journeys.” At the end of October, for example, Abercrombie & Kent will be offering a women-only trip to Egypt that is scheduled to include high tea with former First Lady Gihan El Sadat. They’re also doing women-only safaris for adventure seekers (see the sidebar for more information). “There’s really not been a cookiecutter pattern for women,” Iantosca says, then amends, “There’s never going to be a cookie-cutter pattern for women. That’s what makes it so exciting. They’re not going to do the same old thing.” As an example, he says, women who want to stay closer to home and enjoy a more relaxing getaway can accompany GoGirl.Travel agent Mary Jo Jennings to a spa in Green Valley, UT. “They’re going to do hiking and [get] facials and [participate in] all kinds of different health programs,” Iantosca says. “We have a bunch of different kinds of programs. CONTINUED ON PAGE 62 http://www.gogirl.travel

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Travel Agent - September 29, 2008

Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 Online Now Contents From the Executive VP From the Editor Europe Pacific/Asia Hawaii Alaska Las Vegas Mexico Caribbean Cruises Travelmart Latin America Girlfriend Getaways Agent Profile Agenda Tours Luxury Travel Expo Taiwan's New Golden Triangle Despite Weak Economy, Americans Are Still Cruising In the Spotlight Editorial Index Advertising Index Trendwatch

Travel Agent - September 29, 2008

Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 (Page Cover1) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 (Page Cover2) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 (Page 1) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Online Now (Page 2) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Online Now (Page 3) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Contents (Page 4) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Contents (Page 5) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Contents (Page 6) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Contents (Page 7) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - From the Executive VP (Page 8) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - From the Executive VP (Page 9) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - From the Editor (Page 10) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - From the Editor (Page 11) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - From the Editor (Page 12) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - From the Editor (Page 13) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - From the Editor (Page 14) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - From the Editor (Page 15) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Europe (Page 16) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Europe (Page 17) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Europe (Page 18) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Europe (Page 19) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Pacific/Asia (Page 20) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Pacific/Asia (Page 21) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Pacific/Asia (Page 22) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Pacific/Asia (Page 23) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Hawaii (Page 24) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Hawaii (Page 25) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Hawaii (Page 26) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Hawaii (Page 27) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Alaska (Page 28) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Alaska (Page 29) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Las Vegas (Page 30) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Las Vegas (Page 31) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Las Vegas (Page 32) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Las Vegas (Page 33) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Mexico (Page 34) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Mexico (Page 35) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Mexico (Page 36) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Mexico (Page 37) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Mexico (Page 38) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Mexico (Page 39) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Mexico (Page 40) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Mexico (Page 41) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Caribbean (Page 42) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Caribbean (Page 43) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Caribbean (Page 44) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Caribbean (Page 45) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Cruises (Page 46) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Cruises (Page 47) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Cruises (Page 48) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Cruises (Page 49) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Travelmart Latin America (Page 50) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Travelmart Latin America (Page 51) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Travelmart Latin America (Page 52) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Travelmart Latin America (Page 53) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Travelmart Latin America (Page 54) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Travelmart Latin America (Page 55) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Travelmart Latin America (Page 56) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Travelmart Latin America (Page 57) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Girlfriend Getaways (Page 58) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Girlfriend Getaways (Page 59) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Girlfriend Getaways (Page 60) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Girlfriend Getaways (Page 61) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Girlfriend Getaways (Page 62) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Girlfriend Getaways (Page 63) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Agent Profile (Page 64) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Agent Profile (Page 65) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Agent Profile (Page 66) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Agent Profile (Page 67) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Agenda (Page 68) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Agenda (Page 69) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Tours (Page 70) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Tours (Page 71) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Tours (Page 72) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Luxury Travel Expo (Page 73) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Taiwan's New Golden Triangle (Page 74) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Despite Weak Economy, Americans Are Still Cruising (Page 75) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Despite Weak Economy, Americans Are Still Cruising (Page 76) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - In the Spotlight (Page 77) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Editorial Index (Page 78) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Advertising Index (Page 79) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Trendwatch (Page 80) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Trendwatch (Page Cover3) Travel Agent - September 29, 2008 - Trendwatch (Page Cover4) http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-120709http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-112309_v2http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-083109_tsphttp://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-112309http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-jamaicahttp://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-europehttp://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-110909http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-102609http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-101209http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-101209_skihttp://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-092809_cshttp://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-092809http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-091409http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-083109http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-081709http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-080309http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-072009http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-070609http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-060809http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-062209http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-052509_weddingshttp://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-052509http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-051109http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-042709http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-041309http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-033009http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-030209http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-021609http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-020209http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-011909http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-010509http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-122208http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ct_2009winterhttp://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-120808http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-112408http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-111008http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-102708http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-skiuhttp://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-101308http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-092908http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-091508http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-091508_tsphttp://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-090108http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-dw08http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-080408http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-072108http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-070708http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-062308http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-060908http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-052608http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-051208http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-041408http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-033108-dshttp://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-031708-barbadoshttp://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-033108http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-031708http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta031708-HShttp://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-030308http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta030308-sshttp://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta030308-phhttp://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-021808http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-020408http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-012108http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-010708http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-122407_bfchttp://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-122407http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-121007http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-112607http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-111207http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-portugalhttp://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-102907http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-101507_ski-univhttp://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-101507http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-100107http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-092407http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-091707http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-comphttp://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-091007http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-090307http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-091007-tsphttp://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-082707-dw0807http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-082707http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-082007http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-081307http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-080607http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-073007http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-072307http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-071607http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-070907http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-070207http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-062507http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-061807http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-061107http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-060407http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-052807http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-indiaplannerhttp://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-052107http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-051407http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-050707http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-043007http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-042307http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-041607http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-040907http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-040207http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-032607http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-lv031207http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-031907http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-031207http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-030507http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-destinationgermanyhttp://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-022607http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-021907http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-021207http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-020507http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-azsales011507http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-012907http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-012207http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-011507http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-010807http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-010107http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-121806http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-121106http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-120406http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-112706http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-112006http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/visitsouthafricahttp://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-111306http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-110606http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-103006http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-102306http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-101606http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-100906http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/southafricahttp://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-100206http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-092506http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-091806http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-091106http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/talv090406http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-090406http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-082806http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-082106http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-081406http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta080706http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta073106http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-072406http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-071706http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-071006http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-070306http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-062606http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-061906http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-061206http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/lasvegas060506http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-060506http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/destinationweddingshttp://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-052206http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/Wynn-LasVegashttp://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-051506http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-050806http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-041706http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-041006http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-040306http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/hbta0406http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-032706http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-032006http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-031306http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-030606http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/hbta0306http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-022706http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/hbtaehttp://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-022006http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/portugalsalesplannerhttp://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-021306http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-020606http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-013006http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta012306http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/questex/ta-011606http://www.nxtbookMEDIA.com

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.