Travel Agent - November 26, 2007 - (Page 10)

FROM THE EDITOR Are You a Social Scientist? WHEN I INTERVIEWED IAN SCHRAGER FOR THE COVER STORY OF THIS ISSUE, THE WORDS “SOCIAL SCIENTIST” CAME UP IN TWO INSTANCES. The first was when he referred to himself, describing how he builds his product based on the way the people are currently socializing. Then it came up toward the end of our conversation, when we were speaking about travel agents. Schrager is high on the power of a good travel agent (you can read his comments on page 91), and he encourages those who may be discouraged by the competition brought on by the Internet “to hang in there,” since other industries have seen their fair share of transitions. “The record business is undergoing change and the automobile industry is undergoing change. When something undergoes change, you have to figure out—like a social scientist—how your expertise stays relevant,” Schrager told me. Is your expertise still relevant to the way people are traveling? You may know more about travel than anyone in your community, but do you know the type of travel your clients are interested in enjoying? For example, are you recommending to your Gen-Y clients that they visit the same resort area that everyone else in the neighborhood is going to? They may have different tastes and they may have a fatter wallet. But even more importantly, are you servicing what this clientele truly values in a vacation? It might be access to the top table at a bar in a Las Vegas resort or the VIP seat at a Mykonos nightclub. And perhaps you’ve been wise enough to reserve a private car and driver to take your clients around a city during the day to visit the cultural attractions, but have you done the same thing for them for the evenings, when they’ll want to go out on the town and not have to worry about driving or tracking down a cab? Pay Attention It’s not all about reserving the higher-end amenities, either. Paying attention to the way clients socialize might reveal that they want to take a simple trip to reconnect with a loved one. Has a client indicated that she’s worried about her 16-year-old daughter, whom she doesn’t get to see anymore because she’s so busy with her friends? How about suggesting a girlfriend getaway for the mother, the daughter and one of the daughter’s friends? If you’re shy about proposing it, show off some of the many articles that have been written about this trend, which is growing steadily. You should similarly apply your social scientist skills to examining how people are sharing their travel experiences. Social networking online has moved past its nascent phase, but there’s still time for you to have an impact on this new wave. Invite your clients to share their trip stories and photos easily on a section on your website, and ask them to tell their friends to visit often. Ensemble Travel Group has already created this capability for its members, a clear sign that the consortium is implementing practical approaches to consumer behavior. Creating dreams is not just about the trip itself; it’s about engaging the traveler before, during and after. Remain relevant by examining closely how your potential clientele sees itself, then use that perception to create a journey for them. Editorial Director Ruthanne Terrero on location at Club Med Yucatan in Cancun RUTHANNE TERRERO, CTC EDITORIAL DIRECTOR 10 | TravelAgent November 26, 2007 CONNECTING YOU For more from Ruthanne Terrero, visit www.travelagent central.com/edletter http://www.travelagentcentral.com/edletter http://www.travelagentcentral.com/edletter

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Travel Agent - November 26, 2007

Travel Agent - November 26, 2007 Online Now Contents From the Editor From the Publisher Contributors Europe: InterContinental Geneva Puts Forth a New Look and a New Way to Get to Know the Swiss City London’s Soho Hotel Pacific/Asia: Taichung: Taiwan’s Third Largest City Pacific/Asia Briefs and Packages Tanzania Travel Specialist Mexico: A Roundup of Premier Hotels in Mexico City Q&A with U.S. Director of the Mexico Tourism Board Mexico Deals Las Vegas: A Three-Day Itinerary for Gen-X couples Creating a Kid-Friendly Vacation for Gen-X Clients that Still Includes Alone Time for Parents Richard Harper of Mandalay Bay Caribbean & Bahamas: What’s Happening in St. Kitts Puerto Rico’s Other Rainforest, Toro Negro Hawaii: The Big Island: First-Class Resorts and Native Culture Hotels: The Sky Lodge in Park City; The Lodge at Vail Tours: American Safari Cruises in Alaska’s Inside Passage Pacific Northwest: Suncadia, Eco-Friendly Resort Near Seattle Cruise: The Added Lure of Sailing with a Celebrity Onboard Small Ships Offer Up-Close Experience Cover Story: Hip Hotelier, Social Scientist Supplier Profile - Maximilian Brockmann: The New Face of Auto Europe Agent Profile: Sigrid Carter of Envoyé Travel The Orient-Express: Fabled Train Remains an Elite Product Agenda: Fam Trips, Deals & Incentives, Calendar Europe Bookings as Dollar Falls Freestyle Cruising Casinos On the Rise in the Caribbean Maui’s Grand Wailea Resort Prepares for Major Renovation Visit Europe Media Exchange In the Spotlight Editorial Index Advertising Index Classified Marketplace Trendwatch

Travel Agent - November 26, 2007

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