Travel Research Online | The voice of the travel agency community

I like both endings and beginnings. In less than two weeks, 2025 will come walking through the bar door like a character in a Western movie. There are many uncertainties in the plot line, absolutely.  Given recent events, with all the twists and turns lately, most crystal balls have been downgraded to paperweights. What is certain, however, is the need for planning. If you have delayed crafting a 2025 business plan, there is still a bit of time to do so, and here are a few ideas to help you along the way.

A business plan has the following two goals:

• the retention of existing clients; and,
• the acquisition of new clients.

Your existing clients are your base and represent your steady income. New clients represent growth and replace clients you may lose or fire along the way. Whatever steps we take in building a plan, we will want to ensure that we are acting to either retain desirable existing clients or acquire desirable new ones.
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It was a travel writer’s dream: sailing with 800 Dream Vacations franchisees and a slew of top travel executives. And while I have lots of great stories to tell about the travel advisors, I’m going to first share some advice on selling travel from four amazing women who spent the week with us: our hostess, Celebrity’s Katina Athanasiou; Vicki Freed, of sister company Royal Caribbean; Princess’s Carmen Roia, who will host the conference next year; and Debbie Fiorino of Dream Vacation/Dream Vacations parent World Travel Holdings

Rather than waste space and your time, I’ll just share some of what each one told me.

Twenty years ago there was concern in the travel industry that not enough young people were becoming travel retailers. If trends were to continue, as the older generation retired it might leave the field with a shortage of competent retailers.

That wasn’t long after another fear had gripped the industry, the fear that new technologies and airline disintermediation would render the whole profession of travel retailer obsolete. Read the rest of this entry »

Travel is about exploration and excitement, not enduring endless security lines. Programs like TSA PreCheck and Global Entry make the process smoother, but how do they differ, and which is best for you? Essentially, TSA PreCheck expedites security checks for domestic travelers within the U.S., allowing you to keep on shoes, belts, and light jackets while leaving laptops and liquids in your bag. Available at over 200 airports, it’s a time-saver for frequent flyers. Global Entry not only speeds up your arrival at U.S. customs but also includes TSA PreCheck, allowing you to sail through security at domestic airports. Read the rest of this entry »

How do you solve a problem like Maria? You don’t. In fact, you let Maria solve your problems.

On my recent Avalon cruise, I sat down with Maria Pascual to ask her about what she’s learned in the 31(!!) years with Globus. She reflected on her career with Avalon, the evolving demographics of river cruise guests, and how her team goes above and beyond to create a welcoming and unforgettable experience for everyone on board. Read the rest of this entry »

I pride myself as being an upbeat, self-motivated, make-it-happen type of guy. In fact, my business card introduces me as a “Motivational Speaker”, so I must appear squared away more often than not.

I am also a seasoned realist: a guy who has been around the bases more than once and who has developed the skill of spotting a creep from 50 yards. I am a student of the customer service game and not much slips by me. I am good! This week alone, four organizations entered my world and rapidly positioned themselves in need of a “customer service” transfusion. In each case, I was prepared to make the contents of my wallet lighter with each of these companies being the beneficiary Read the rest of this entry »

KHM Travel Group began their journey as a host agency in the travel industry with a small, family-owned business. Now, they have a team of over 70 in a multi-office complex. These days they work to support over 5,000 independent home-based travel agents with unlimited support, one-on-one coaching, educational events, group travel support, and the in-house client management system called myTravelCRM. They have also offered marketing advice to Advisors mostly including boot camps and group camp events, basic marketing essentials, and regular updates via newsletters and blogs. Now, in a recent press release, they have announced an increase in what they offer in regards to marketing a travel agency. Read the rest of this entry »

As 2024 comes to a close, it’s time to reflect, recharge, and prepare for an exciting new year in travel. It’s been a year of challenges and growth for the industry, and I want to thank all of you who have followed along, shared insights, and offered valuable feedback. Your engagement inspires us to provide the best resources and support at Travel Research Online. Read the rest of this entry »

Every once in a while, even the most jaded travelers come across a delightful surprise. And if you take the time to peruse some of the “Tourism Hot-Spot” lists, you’ll come across such a surprise – Ecuador.

This country sits astride the sky-piercing spine of the Andes, and everywhere you look reveals scenes of breathtaking natural beauty, of bursting-with-color valleys, meadows and wildflowers punctuated by snow-capped peaks. But Ecuador offers even more. It’s filled with ancient Colonial cities and towns, classic architecture, and history at every turn. Read the rest of this entry »

Cabarete hardly misses a beat, even in a pouring tropical deluge.  Arrive by taxi along the main coastal road from Puerto Plata on a mid-summer day, and the route into this ever-lively resort town swiftly becomes jammed with traffic—cars, taxis, the local guaguas (mini-vans that make frequent stops), and of course the Dominican favorite, the motorbike.  As they enter the center of town, all ply their way at maximum speed along the two-lane road overburdened with the rush to development on this stretch of the Dominican Republic’s northern coastline.  Still, the spirit that keeps Cabarete pulsing and thriving remains on display along the rain-clogged main artery: surfers dodge past front fenders on their way back to the beach, an open air vendor optimistically keeps his place next to his stand selling sunglasses, blond teenagers negotiate earnestly with the owners of motoconchos, a hair-raising means of commercial motorcycle transport. Read the rest of this entry »

Our last article showcasing Costa Rica Dream Adventures included the thrill of walking along suspended bridges over the jungle forest below. And for the more adventurous there was ziplining through those jungle canopies, as well as how their safety standards for this experience are top tier.

CRDA’s customized Costa Rica trips are a traveler’s dream. But what about the support the traveler gets while indulging in the best this country has to offer? What about the travel advisor?

My first interview with Lisa Watson went great. She was easy-going and her dedication of work to the creation of FyndTravel was obvious. However, a dead computer on my end took all text and recordings with it to the scrapyard. Chaos happens, I suppose.

We tried again and, as expected, I found the conversation just as enjoyable and informative.

Lisa started our conversation by pulling up a screen share Read the rest of this entry »

In a bold stride to strengthen its dedication to advisor education and training, American Marketing Group (AMG) has grown its professional development team, focusing on delivering the exclusive benefits of its innovative programs to a broader audience. With the recent appointment of Diana Hnatov and Clare Burke, advisors affiliated with AMG’s renowned travel agency networks—TRAVELSAVERS, NEST, and The Affluent Traveler Collection—can expect significant advancements in their professional development journeys. Read the rest of this entry »

Bill Coyle has become an essential travel industry resource with over 30 years of experience leading his own brick and mortar travel agency, serving on several agent advisory boards, and advocating for travel advisors on a national level with the American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA). His experience empowers and educates KHM Travel Group’s agents as the Vice President of Agent Engagement. As KHM Travel Group’s first-ever Limelight Award recipient for going above and beyond, Bill brings a spirited passion for travel in all his professional endeavors and continues to book travel for his longtime clients. Read the rest of this entry »

It’s difficult to imagine Abu Dhabi before oil was discovered in the 1960s. Once a small community known for fishing and pearl diving, Abu Dhabi now sprouts from the deserts and stretches to the sky with heights previously unrecorded by humans. The extreme wealth of this city has also brought luxury beyond the standard. Let’s dive into Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates and UNESCO City of Music.

Perched dramatically on a mountainside in Italy’s Liguria region, the medieval village of Triora, known as the “Salem of Italy,” has embraced a haunting history of dramatic, infamous witch trials. The town’s strategic position at 780 meters above sea level made it a crucial defensive outpost during medieval times. The village’s name derives from “Tria Ora,” meaning three mouths, referring to the three gates that once protected this fortress town. Its robust walls and commanding position earned it the nickname “Keys to the Alps,” as it controlled important trade routes between the Ligurian coast and Piedmont. Read the rest of this entry »

Central Holidays has been a leader in creating remarkable travel experiences since 1972. Together with their parent company, SGI, Central Holidays has been at the forefront of delivering travel programs, value, and service across Italy, the Mediterranean, Egypt, Africa, West Asia, and Latin America. Specializing in bespoke group and individual travel, their itineraries are comprised of luxury, ultra-customization, experiential journeys, and cultural adventures that bring destinations to life in unforgettable ways.

Rainy season. Two words that are almost sure to make you rethink your holiday plans. Like Costa Rica in soggy September, when anyone visiting this small Central American country is bound to need a raincoat. So why go to a place knowing you’re likely to get drenched when you can pick other months that promise glorious sunshine?

The crowds, that’s why. I’d far rather run the risk of rain rather than face a flood of other travelers.
Over-tourism is spoiling destinations around the world, and it’s only a matter of time before Costa Rica goes the same way. Already in the high season, tickets for the most popular national parks sell out weeks in advance, long queues form at the entrances, and if someone spots a monkey or, even better, a sloth, you’ll join another queue for a mere brief moment of viewing time. Read the rest of this entry »

PRESS RELEASE FROMKHM TRAVEL GROUP

Award-winning host agency offers a new online experience to learn about becoming a travel agent

Brunswick, Ohio (December 11, 2024) – KHM Travel Group offers a comprehensive program for new and experienced travel professionals and now has a website that helps to fully showcase the benefits of partnering with this leading host agency. The modern look and refreshed content of KHMTravel.com provide a preview of the experience one can expect when joining KHM Travel Group’s growing agent community. Read the rest of this entry »

Romance Travel Forum, an exclusive B2B event focused on destination weddings, honeymoons, and other romantic occasions celebrated with travel, recently concluded with outstanding reviews, and strong optimism for increased business amongst participants.  Produced by Travel Show Marketing Group (TravelSMG), an independent event organizer catering to the Travel Advisor market, this exclusive event was held at the Secrets Moxché Playa Del Carmen resort in Mexico from June  25 – 29.  The sold-out 2023 edition was Read the rest of this entry »