Travel Agent - November 10, 2008 - (Page 14)

FROM THE EDITOR Maintaining Marketing Integrity in Tough Times HERE AT TRAVEL AGENT MAGAZINE, WE’RE BEING DELUGED WITH PRESS RELEASES FROM suppliers trying to spur travel with deals and discounts—and I have to say, some of them are more than excellent. There are many value-added promotions that provide free nights and meals and airfare rebates and, in other cases, the minimum-stay required for that precious Christmas-New Year’s week has been reduced. I, as a consumer, am also being offered substantial savings from those retailers with whom I’ve entrusted my e-mail address. This week, the bargains have gotten better daily, with free shipping and decent discounts being offered if I’ll just agree to buy something… anything. In the offline world, we recently went to Lowe’s and bought a number of items for the house because we’d received a $10 gift card just for spending only $25. Not bad! I suspect the deals in the marketplace will continue across the board for some time as retailers try to navigate this muddled economic landscape in the coming months. During such times, it’s vital that those pushing out the offers keep in mind that there is a human being at the other end of the line. USA Today recently described in an article how online retailers are becoming more and more aggressive with their e-mail marketing campaigns. While the article described similar experiences to what I’ve described above, the most notable comment came from the one consumer who complained that the e-mail offers he was receiving were not customized to his demographic or buying patterns; instead, he was being bombarded with discounts on everything from baby goods to women’s clothing. He made a good point. Today’s customer expects to be approached on a one-to-one basis. Those suppliers who don’t do that will have their massive amount of unread e-mails deleted. The Moral of This Story: Take care to maintain best policy practices for e-mail marketing even when times get tough. Your customers will appreciate it, and you’ll stand out from the fray. Editorial Director Ruthanne Terrero Are the Cruise Lines Overdoing It? During tough financial times, it’s important that retailers and suppliers take care not to erode the integrity of their product by discounting too much. I’m hearing from travel agents that some of the cruise lines are overdoing it with what appears to be bottomless discounting. I’m surprised this is occurring because I’m sure those in question will find that it’s difficult to return to more realistic pricing when the scene improves. Moreover, deep, deep discounting can change your customer base to such a degree that those clients who had been loyal to your product in the past will simply find it’s no longer for them and turn elsewhere. An alternative to price slashing is to increase the value of what’s being offered while maintaining price. Provide the free upgrade, the free breakfast, the welcoming cocktail, but avoid the 50 percent price reduction. A last word of advice: In this environment, working with your consortia partners is more vital than ever. Think about it. These groups, in an effort to remain competitive with one another, are working all year to develop programs that will make your lives easier. If you are a member of a larger group and haven’t had the time to focus on what it is doing for you, now is the time. The health of your business is in their best interest. As for those value-added deals in the marketplace, has there ever been a better time to travel? If you have clients who are just holding their breath because times are bad, tell them to exhale on a Caribbean island. CONNECTING YOU For more from Ruthanne Terrero, visit www.travelagent central.com/edletter RUTHANNE TERRERO, CTC EDITORIAL DIRECTOR 14 | TravelAgent November 10, 2008 http://www.travelagentcentral.com/edletter http://www.travelagentcentral.com/edletter

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Travel Agent - November 10, 2008

Travel Agent - November 10, 2008 Reality Check Online Now Contents Contributors From the Editor Special Supplemement: Business & First Class Travel Specialist 2.0 Hawaii: Art Lovers will Appreciate the Islands’ Offerings Europe: Barcelona is Blooming with Terrific Hotels Pacific/Asia: French Colonial and Asian Styles Blend in Hanoi Alaska: Adventure Abounds In and Around Juneau Canada: Edmonton is Canada’s “Festival City” Las Vegas: Where to Find Inner Peace in Sin City Central & South America: Buenos Aires Brings European Flavor to Argentina Caribbean, The Bahamas & Bermuda: Romance and History Meet in St. Kitts The Slot Spot River Cruises: European Itineraries Offer Convenience and Value Cover Story: Selling Mexico Car Rentals: Tapping an Underappreciated Revenue Source Consortia Profile: Ensemble Travel Group Launches New Initiatives and Tools Luxury Travel Expo WESTA Offers Growth Opportunities for Agents Hawaii Gets New Inter-Island Service Caribbean, Mexico Ramp Up Resort Plans Classified Marketplace In the Spotlight Agent Access Editorial Index Advertising Index

Travel Agent - November 10, 2008

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