Travel Agent - October 1, 2007 - (Page 80)

THE INDUSTRY DONNA FLORA I BY RUTHANNE TERRERO American Express’ travel industry advocate speaks out on what makes an ideal supplier and a great travel agent, and on how going green makes good business sense replete with people who are passionate about what they do, Donna Flora stands out as being especially ardent about her vocation. The vice president of travel industry relations for American Express is a road warrior 85 percent of the year, meeting with suppliers, attending trade shows and maintaining a strong presence at industry events, yet when asked to reveal her preferred travel destination, she stills shows great enthusiasm for seeing new places. “My favorite is always the last place I visited,” she tells Travel Agent. “Every new place is a fantastic learning experience. The travel industry offers us the opportunity to visit amazing places all around the world and I have had the good fortune of seeing so much of the world. Wherever I travel, I meet interesting people and make new friends.” If pressed, Flora, who was born and raised in Puerto Rico and married in the U.S., will concede that her honeymoon in Hong Kong and Thailand and “falling in love all over again in a hot-air balloon over the Masai Mara in Africa” were travel highlights. But then, she also fondly recalls that very recent trip to Buenos Aires, where a visit with her sisters “created memories that will live forever in my heart.” N AN INDUSTRY that cardmembers, on average, used a travel agent 5.1 times in the last 12 months. These same customers spent more than $4,700 with their travel agent in the last 12 months, and report a 76BY TKTKTKTKTKTKTKT percent repeat factor with the same agent. “So, there isn’t a mystery in why we support the travel agency distribution channel,” says Flora. “We are committed to the agency community because our customers are committed to them.” Integrity and Reliability Are Keys to Success Being a supporter of the travel agency community puts Flora in front of suppliers constantly, and so Travel Agent couldn’t resist asking her, “What makes a great travel supplier?” “The most successful suppliers always deliver what they promise. Integrity is the key for any supplier,” she was quick to respond. “No one wants to get the used-car sales pitch; they want to be assured that their expectations will be met, if not exceeded,” says Flora. Other attributes suppliers should display? “Safety, security and reliability are paramount. They must conduct business with competence and professionalism, representing truthfully and accurately all facts, including quoting prices that match actual deliverable prices. Suppliers must demonstrate ethical and financial responsibility, and their business conduct must instill confidence in their reliability and integrity,” says Flora. In turn, the question begged to be asked: What makes a great travel agent? “A great travel agent embraces new technology while offering personalized service,” she says. “They have the ability to anticipate client needs by getting to know their customers and keeping their profiles and preferences for customized service. You must think of the client as a family member, knowing birthdays, anniversaries, food allergies, etc. “A great travel agent is a great listener, always soliciting feedback from their customers. An agent has to be the customer’s best advocate and always be three steps ahead when anticipating their needs; the customer should always expect their agents to exceed expectations. A great travel agent is also someone who is resourceful; they will not accept a ‘no’ from someone not empowered to give them a ‘yes’ for an answer. Finally, a great travel agent is someone who inspects what they deliver, because so much of what they do relies on a third party via airlines, hotels, tour operators, cruise lines, etc.” Flora’s expertise comes not only from her years with American ExCONTINUED ON PAGE 82 Reaching Out to Agents Flora’s responsibilities for American Express could almost be called two-fold, which explains her need to be on the road for much of the year. She is charged with advancing awareness of the American Express brand and card acceptance within the travel trade; at the same time she is the primary liaison to the U.S. travel agency community and travel industry associations for American Express. “We understand the importance of investing in the travel industry. We support every major industry organization, including board seats and significant financial contributions to The Travel Industry Association, the Travel Business Roundtable, USTOA, the World Travel and Tourism Council, ASTA, ATME, CLIA, SATH and The Interactive Travel Services Association, just to name a few,” says Flora. Indeed, investing in associations that promote travel to consumers is a key interest for American Express, whose customers “are the travel industry’s customers,” says Flora, who notes that 85 percent of American Express Cardmembers purchased individual travel products through travel agents in the last 12 months. Further research shows 80 | TravelAgent October 1, 2007

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Online Now From the Editor From the Publisher Contributors Caribbena: Porta Caribe, Puerto Rico, an Unspoiled Retreat Carribbean Deals Mexico: Insider Tips: Hotels, Dining and Shopping in Cancun Mexico Deals Las Vegas: Tell Clients About Day Trips Into the Great Outdoors Europe: Budapest: Off-Season Promotions Pacific/Asia: Korea Expands its Offerings Seoul Primer: All the Info You Need For a Smooth Trip Pacific/Asia Deals Hawaii: Captivating Kauai: Enhanced Resorts, Natural Beauty Cruises: Building Revenue with Themed Cruises Cruise Deals Hotels: London: The Lanesborough’s New Guest Rooms Tours: Gutsy Women Travel’s New Morocco Itinerary Tour Deals Spas: Escape to Tranquility: Three Spa Havens Spa Deals Cover Story: Donna Flora Agent Profile Podcasts Offer a New Way to Give Your Clients Added Value Car Rental Navigation 101: Shift Profits into High Gear with These Tips Agenda: Fam Trips, Deals & Incentives, Calendar Cruise: Commission Cutting, Hurricanes Pitch Colombia, Impress Your Clients Malaysia’s Minister of Tourism New Alaska Products for Families In the Spotlight Editorial Index Advertising Index Classified Marketplace Trendwatch

Travel Agent - October 1, 2007

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