Recommend January 2016 - (Page 6)

E d it o r 's N o t e s If the USTOA member survey findings released last month during the organization's annual conference and marketplace are any indication, 2016 is going to be a banner year for travel. Nine in 10 tour operator members anticipate a growth in sales in 2016 with more than half of members (57 percent) "optimistic" and forecasting a "boom That's me at last month's year" with growth anywhere from 7 to 10 2015 USTOA Annual percent. In fact, when members were asked Conference & Marketplace how business was in 2015, 75 percent reported an increase in business, with 40 percent of those saying it was an increase of 10 percent or higher. Additionally, more than 70 percent of members saw an increase in passengers this past year. Best part of those numbers is that travel advisors have a major impact on this growth. Eight-seven percent of members reported using travel agents to sell their product this past year, and more than half (55 percent) of member bookings were made through a travel agency in 2015. Going into this new year, 91 percent of members expect business booked by travel agents to maintain the same or increase. According to Terry Dale, USTOA's president and CEO, travel advisors are truly an integral part of the bookings because "you need that educated travel advisor to guide you to the right product, the right company, and the right price point. It's so critically important. We are all time-deprived. Yes, we can do a lot of research, but it takes such diligence, and it takes a lot of time to get it done right. Kudos to the travel agent community, too, for upping the game when it comes to education. The professionals are taking it seriously. I think the travel agent community should feel pretty confident." You can continue to help that growth by targeting the right client, and according to USTOA members it's the baby boomers that continue to be the ideal consumers. Members note that more than half (55 percent) of their customer base are 51 or older, with the next largest group, representing about 23 percent of customers, being from 35 to 50 years old. Those between 18 and 34 years old accounted for 13 percent of the customer base. And although multigenerational family travel is still one of the most popular types of travel, keep an eye on solo travelers because 53 percent of members saw a growth in the number of solo passengers this past year. Here's to a great 2016! We have a correction to make: In the Africa piece that was included in the December issue (page 64), we wrote that the starting price for the 11-day African Travel, Inc. tour was $6,665; it's actually $7,145. -Paloma Villaverde de Rico 2016 Delta Air Lines Caribbean, Mexico & Latin America Guide In this issue, we've included the 2016 Delta Air Lines Caribbean, Mexico & Latin America Guide, which highlights the must-do experiences-insider tips, if you will-for each of Delta's gateways in this region of the world. From tango lessons in Buenos Aires to museum-hopping in Mexico City, not to mention scuba diving in Bonaire, Delta's 50+ gateways in the Caribbean, Mexico, and Central and South America offer an array of vacation experiences. E-mail me at paloma@recommend.com let's get social Hang out with us @Recommendmag on both Twitter & Instagram, as well as on facebook.com/recommendmag. And if you want to see what our editors are up to away from the office, follow them @EdWetschler & @AreanWanderlust. 6 january 2016 group publisher/editorial director associate publisher editor-in-chief associate editor art director latin america editor caribbean editor cruise editor web editor/copy editor contributing editor corporate director of marketing production manager ad traffic coordinator laurel a. herman terence k. murphy paloma villaverde de rico michelle marie arean janet del mastro carla hunt ed wetschler vivian holley melissa bryant sergio ortiz sharon lewen estrella bibas daimee feliz chairman/founding editor hal herman president/editorial director laurel a. herman executive vice president gary herman miami corporate headquarters: 5979 nw 151st. st., suite 120, miami lakes, florida 33014 tel: (305) 828-0123; fax: (305) 826-6950 caribbean, central & south america, south florida, georgia: terry murphy, terry@recommend.com tel: (305) 828-0123; ext. 120; fax: (305) 828-0799 northeast usa, eastern canada, europe, maryland, virginia, D.C.: monique agaliotis, monique@worthit.com, tel: (917) 244-7000 colorado, utah, idaho, montana, wyoming, texas: laurel herman, laurel@worthit.com; (305) 828-0123 ext. 121 florida, southeast and midwest usa: brenda goodwin, brenda@worthit.com, tel: (305) 828-0123; ext.160; fax: (305) 826-6950 western usa, nevada, new mexico, alaska, arizona, western canada, asia: lisa marie costa, lisamarie@worthit.com, tel: (949) 244-4760 hawaii: alan rock, alanrock1@gmail.com, tel: (310) 721-2825 cancun: margarita alvarez, margarissima@gmail.com tel: 011 52 998 287 1545; fax: 011 52-998 884-1716 RECOMMEND, Vol. 31, issue number 4, (ISSN 0034-1452) is published monthly by Worth International Media Group. OFFICE OF PUBLICATION: 5979 N.W. 151st St., Suite 120, Miami Lakes, FL 33014.Periodicals postage paid at Hialeah, FL and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to RECOMMEND Circulation Department, P.O. Box 171070 Hialeah, FL 33017-1070. RECOMMEND is distributed at no charge to qualified travel agents and tour operators. Paid annual subscriptions are available for $48 in the U.S., $96 in Canada, payable in U.S. dollars in advance. Published for North American distribution. Canada Post: Publications Mail Agreement #40612608. Canada Returns to be sent to Pitney Bowes International, P.O. Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2 Copyright© 2005 Worth International Media Group. All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A. Recommend is not responsible for unsolicited photography, art or manuscripts. 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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recommend January 2016

Editor’s Notes
Hotel Desk: On Your 2016 Radar
Tour Talk: Travel Impressions
River Cruising: What’s Hot Now
AmaSerena
2016 Delta Air Lines Caribbean, Mexico & Latin America Guide
5 Places to Hang in Tokyo
The National Parks: Centennial Celebration
Universal Orlando
Value Travel
Egypt is Hot!

Recommend January 2016