Agent's Gripe with Tropicana Las Vegas Resolved through Facebook

If you're a fan of our Facebook page, then you may have noticed an interesting situation taking place there on Friday, August 27 of last week. As we always do with our destination-specific newsletters, we shared a link to our most recent Las Vegas newsletter at our Facebook page and received an interesting comment about it. Well, the comment wasn't so much about the newsletter, but more about a particular supplier in the city: Tropicana Las Vegas. Here's how it went down.

Diane McIntye Mason posted the following at our Facebook page:
Well, I spent 3 months talking 6 ladies (3 rooms) into going to Vegas for 3 nights prior to their UTAH Spa week and then after convincing them it would be a great pre-spa add on, we started checking rates at all the hotels. They asked me a...bout the TROPICANA and I quoted the rates as posted in the GDS, CCRA and as well as what was posted on Tropicana's own website. The client decided to register on Tropicana's website to learn about all promotions and instantly received a e-mail reply from them stating that if they book directly on Tropicana's Website OR call Tropicana directly to book their stay and mention a promo code they would save 30%. The client forwarded the e-mail to me and of course I called the number at Tropicana about this and asked "does this cut the Travel Agents out of the picture then so that we don't earn any commission?" and the agent said "YES!" SO I personally advise all Travel Agents to BAN together and Bocott booking or recommending the Tropicana to your clients as the STEAL bookings from the Travel Agents! SHAME ON THEM!

To add some validty to her argument, Diane shared a story in which a similar incident apparently took place, writing:
A well known travel writer reported this incident (or so I was told) to the LVCVB .... if actions like what the Tropicana did are allowed to happen, I will cut off selling Vegas completely! I can easily sell cruises & all-inclusives and ma...ke much more money! I have received promo offers in the past (as a past guest) from both the Mandalay Bay and the Venetian and have called both as an agent and would have been able to sell the offer as an agent and receive commission. Don't know if that's the case with all the promo's that these 2 hotels always send out - let's hope it is! The hotels in Vegas need to understand that if you BITE the hand that feeds you, then we will stop feeding you!

Needless to say, this set off a miniature firestorm from agents who were ready to stand behind their peer and boycott the property along with her. Although Travel Agent's initial concerns remain the interests and well-being of our readers, we were not about to cover this story without speaking with representatives from Tropicana Las Vegas or its public relations firm, Ruder Finn.

So we contacted them, sharing a screenshot of the ongoing conversation among Diane and other agents, and asked for a response. Ruder Finn sent us a response from Donna Marcou, vice president of leisure sales, which read:
Tropicana Las Vegas has always supported travel agents and continues to reach out to them with the latest news, offerings, and packages that are commissionable. Due to a miscommunication, one of our call representatives wrongly stated that the specific package on the website was not commissionable, when in fact it was. Once it was brought to our attention, we immediately reached out and offered the commission that was due to the agent for recommending her clients to experience the new Tropicana Las Vegas. We also welcome and encourage the agent to experience the transformation that is happening at the Hotel

On Tropicana Las Vegas' behalf, Ruder Finn added:
Tropicana Las Vegas does make every effort to reach out to travel agents and know that they are an important part of the travel experience. Not only do they have a dedicated phone number for agents to call, agents are also added to the hotel’s personal press release distribution list (those who opted in), on a monthly basis agents in the program also receive an eblast with the latest updates and special offers. For the most part, ALL packages promoted on the website are commissionable to travel agents.

So we came in Monday morning all excited to share the update and see what agents, Diane, in particular, had to say. But it looks like Tropicana contacted the agent before we could post this story, as Diane shared:
Let me update what has happened---- Travel Agent Magazine must have forwarded a copy of this blog to the media reps of the Tropicana because this issue was a huge discussion by the GM's of the hotel this morning. They were not happy to hear about the experience that occurred with me & my clients and especially the fact that I did call and spoke with their in house resv agent and was advised we were cut out of the picture. There's a GREAT VP of Leisure Sales onboard at the Tropicana that is very PRO travel agent and she said that she is there to work with us and build a great agent relationship with the hotel...if anyone out there runs into any challenges with this property and can't resolve them the normal way, I strongly suggest you contact Ms. Marcou and let her know of any conficts your having as she really wants to build a strong relationship with us.--- of course be professional and don't waste the woman's time with the things that other people can handle. Tropicana is working things out with me and I thought it only right to fill you all in and let you know how quickly they jumped in to let me know that what happened was not their standard operating procedure. Thank You TA Magazine for stepping in as well and forward the blog to the appropriate people as well!

We're thrilled to see that Tropicana contacted Diane to address this situation. It was our pleasure to help you Diane.

This scenario is yet another represenation of how Travel Agent, through our print publications, online stories and social media outlets, can be there for travel professionals and our readers in any way that we can. Hopefully, it will remind our readers, fans, users and friends to keep checking in at our Facebook page, our Twitter page and at AgentNation (the only social community online for all kinds of travel agents) to share issues of concern to them. As we did with this situation involving one agent's experience with Tropicana Las Vegas, we'll do what it takes to help your operations. So please, keep your feedback coming.

What Did Your Client Just Say?

It's amazing how a few words can change everything. Years ago, I was in the midst of a summer romance with a young lady who had all the physical features I salivated over since my adolescence. She was very sweet, very fun and had a free spirit take on life that made the relationship very laid back and drama-free. But then, something happened.

After hitting up the Bank of America ATM for some cash to take said young lady out to dinner, she said something I will never forget. After suggesting I change banks, I asked her why, and she said, "Think about it... if the terrorists attack a bank, which one are they going to hit first? The Bank of America."

It was right there and then that I realized this relationship was not going to last past summer. Fortunately, we ended things well and still keep in touch. But that was a personal relationship which had little to do with my career or business. So I'm curious as to how agents react when one of their clients says or asks something that makes you do a double-take.

ASTA recently shared a list of the most outrageous travel queries the Association's agents have ever heard, and it was indeed filled with some doozies. So we asked readers of our Facebook page to share some of their more bizarre, but perhaps entertaining, stories as well. Get ready to laugh, because here they are:

Phyllis R Chambers' client asked "can you drive to Hawaii?"

Kimberly Mann Phyllis had a client with a similar misunderstanding of the Hawaiin islands who said they "want to do a four-day cruise, from New York -- to Hawaii."

Karen Lowry's traveler asked, "Can you take your beach chairs on the cruise ship?"

Dianne Papineau had a customer how asked that she "figure out why she hadn't received her Italian rail pass, she was leaving the next day, when she chose not to book it through me, didn't have a confirmation number and wasn't sure who she purchased it through. Maybe a scam as I worked for AAA at the time and she thought I'd just give her one since she was a member?"

Melissa Sutton had a client on a seven-day Caribbean cruise who wanted "to make sure they are allowed to get off the ship when in port."

Meanwhile, Shop Around Tours "was escorting a tour and got a late night call from two pax because the sink in their room was stopped up. I told them I neglected to pack my plunger and asked them if they called the front desk or housekeeping. Nope, they just called me... as if I was their personal plumber."

Vacations To Remember had a client who asked, "Do I need a passport to go to Hawaii?"

Sharri Moore Cta Ds had two outrageous questions to share. One said she wanted to meet her boyfriend on his sabbatical in India and asked, "Can't I take a train?" The other, who is a receptionist at a law firmm asked "Where is Tokyo?"

Natalie McLeister Smith ‎had two head-turning questions proposed to her as well. The first was, "Do I need a passport for New Mexico?" The second was, "I can't take the train from New York to London? It looks so close on the map."

Sue Clark Koenig's most outrageous questions were "Will I be able to fish from my balcony on the cruise ship?" and "I don't have a passport - can't I just fly to Tahiti? Then I won't really touch another country." '

Virginia Tucker See had a client who said "No one told me I needed a visa... all I have is a Mastercard,"  and another who "wanted to know if they had a felony warrant out for their arrest if they could still go on a cruise they have already paid for."

David Huber  had one traveler flying from Phoenix to Seattle inquire, "So if I am flying to Seattle on Southwest, does that mean that I will be returning on Northwest?"

Terry Guy Larke had a customer who asked, "My son is on a plane to Vancouver can you tell me if he arrived?"

Idress Cheriet has a star-struck client who asked, "How many famous people am I supposed to meet in St. Barth?"

Finally, at least for now, Carolyn Mysogland Dudgeon "had a guy come back from Mexico and complained because I didn't tell him they don't speak no English down there."

In addition to asking readers and agents to share some of the more ridiculous comments and questions made by their clients, I'd also like to know how do you respond? As I mentioned earlier, my unfortunate moment with the lovely lady cited in the story above ended easily and did not affect my business. But when a client asks or says something so stupid, how does that affect the means in which you do business with them? Is there incompetence or craziness worth your time? Does their absent-mindedness serve as a positive in that your expertise becomes more valuable?

Let us know your stories and how you responded, reacted and/or followed up. We want to hear from you. Post a comment below. Write us at our Facebook page. Send a tweet to our Twitter page. Join the discussion thread at AgentNation.

Kirk Cassels' Weekly Wrap of User Comments: May 10-14

Before we get started this week, I'd like to suggest agents (particularly those with clients who are eager to visit Great Britain) take time this weekend, or sometime soon, to go see the new Robin Hood film by Ridley Scott, starring Russell Crowe, Cate Blanchett and William Hurt. I had the privilege of seeing an advance screening this past Wednesday and, in my layman's opinion, not only is the film a subtle and original take on the legendary figure (that is neither hoaky nor driven by a Robin Hood that speaks with an American accent- sorry, Costner), it has some beautiful scenery that could further entice clients to make the journey across the pond. The backdrop of the film can remind clients about the bucolic regions of the country where they can go to truly escape and, perhaps, get in touch with the original sources of thei heritage. Visit www.visitbritain.com/en/campaigns/robinhood for more and you'll see what I mean.

That being said, let's take a look at what readers have been saying at TravelAgentCentral this week. I'm glad to report that most of the comments this week have been focused on helping agents through advice or warning.

More on Vacation Rentals

We've been discussing the potential impact that vacation rentals can have on an agent's business for almost a month now, and the conversation is not going away just yet. In fact, two readers shared some information on the topic just this week.

First up this week was michael chisholm, of Wimco Villas. He wrote:

As a sales agent working for a villa reservation company, we help Travel Agents all the time as we apprciate the need to further the villa vacation market. The company I work for, www.wimco.com represents villas in the Caribbean, Hawaii, Mexico, Europe and Nantucket and ALL our destinations have on island support for vactioners. In the ever expanding vacation rental marketplace, specialising in specfic destinations is important as this provides better accuracy overall.

Perhaps you are weary of potentially subjective information coming from a supplier, which is understandable. Therefore, I suggest you listen to Amanda, who posted:

Staying in hotels on vacation is a thing of the past! So many more people love the option of getting a vacation rental and having more privacy and more space. Not to mention how affordable they can be. I believe that vacation rentals are a great market for travel agents. I myself book vacation rentals and get nothing but great reviews.

Lisa is another non-supplier who is a strong supporter of this niche market, stating:

When in Hawaii, staying in a vacation rental whether it is in a villa or a home, it is the only way to go. I had the opportunity to work with the friendly staff at Tropical Villa Vacations, who showed a genuine concern for all of my travel needs. The location that we chose was perfect!

The fact that so many comments have been coming in on this topic over the course of a month (which is like years in Internet timing) is more than encouraging, to say the least. I hope agents take the opportunity to keep sharing more on the topic both here and at a discussion thread on AgentNation.

Speaking of AgentNation

Last week, we reported on Expedia's new Travel Agent Affiliate program and, although there have been no comments posted (yet) directly on the story, we've received feedback at our discussion thread on the matter at AgentNation. If you haven't signed up and/or logged in yet, here's what some agents had to share on the matter.

Angie was the first to respond, writing:

I am excited about this because now clients can't say "we booked it on Expedia". They will know we can get them the best price available no questions asked. I do have one question. I am trying to sign up online for the free sign up before June promo. It wants my bank info. Is that so they can bill us the 50dollars?

Meanwhile, user macaw_mom does not appear as enthused as Angie, posting:

I am not that excited. I see the online agencies like this worried they are losing to the True Travel Agent. Commission levels for TAAP are: 10% for Expedia Special Rate hotels $6 per booking for Agency Hotels 5% on vacation packages (flight+hotel, flight+car rental, flight+hotel+car rental). Note Minimum 3 night/3day Land Content 3% on vacation packages (flight+hotel, flight+car rental, flight+hotel+car rental). Note Less than 3 night/3day Land Content 10% for activities I just booked a 7 day vacation - Hotel/Air - my commission is $347.00 If I did it through Expedia - at 5% - my commission would have been $160.00 I work hard for my money - to build my business not theirs If people want to book from Orbitz or Expedia, I say okay... In 2010 I have seen an increase in customers, who say they are tired of spending so much time on the internet finding the best price. I will remain "true" to my agency & my customers, without affiliating with these online booking companies.

What's your take? Is the Expedia program an opportunity for agents as online travel agencies (OTAs) seek new relationships or is it, perhaps, a waste of time too late in the game? Agents chimed in on the subject at our Facebook page as well. Here is what some of them had to say.

Dedra Shahan wrote:

While it's wonderful to be recognized as valuable, I can't help but think these giant companies will market direct to our clients thus becoming Their clients. My prefered tour operators will price match. I work with companies that have always valued my expertise.

Laure Poffenberger shared:

They are chasing their tails now & realize what a great asset using a travel agent is. So much of travel just cannot be planned over the Internet & when there is a problem our clients want help from someone the know & trust. I in turn want to use a tour operator that I know & trust. I think OTA's are in trouble & are grasping at straws.

What are your thoughts? Hit us up by posting a comment below or at the original posting. You can also join the conversation at our Facebook page, send a tweet to us at our Twitter page (@travelagentmag) and join the discussion in real time at AgentNation.

Readers Request Answers

Sometimes, we write a report about a new business or supplier and some readers, apparently, believe that means we are that same business. That's flattering, in some regard, as they consider us the ultimate source of information on the matter. But as an organization that does its best to cover all aspects of the travel trade, it can be hard to answer specific questions.

For instance, we've received a lot of attention to our initial report on the introduction of Pet Airways to the industry. Most recently, one reader inquired about potential flights to Europe on the carrier.

Gisela Gonzalez Flores-Clarke wrote:

Your service looks fantastic!! When are you opening flights to Europe? I need to travel to England twice a year and need to bring my 5 kilo Yorkie. Sending him in the hold is definately not a option for me!!! I do hope you start service to Europe asap!!!!!!!!

I wish I had an answer for you, Gisela. With the company now just more than a year old, I kind of doubt they will be doing flights outside of the United States just yet. However, perhaps if you take a gander at the Help section Pet Airways web site you can find the answers you need, be it a timetable on potential flights or a straight up answer if it is going to happen, ever.

James Collier recently commented on a story in a similar manner. After learning about Tourism Ireland's new Golden Trekker for seniors riding Irish Rail, he commented:

This development is very welcome, my sister was born in UK of Irish parentd and they returned to Ireland when she was 2, she went to nurse in UKwhen she was 18 and has lived there since. She comes to stay with us each year and this will be very useful. I write for the Senior Times and I would appreciate an e-mail of this information and any other useful information for seniors travelling, including reserving seats, etc.
Best Regards,
Jim Collier
116 Sea Park, Malahide

James, I'd be delighted to help you by sharing any information I can find. However, you did not provide an e-mail for me to contact you. Can you post it in a comment or contact me at kcassels@questex.com and I'll see what I can do? Until then, if any agents and readers out there can share additional information on this program, that would be a great help. It runs through the end of the year. Here's the Tourism Ireland web site, which may provide answers: www.tourismireland.com.

America('s Vacation Center) is Under Attack!

Two months ago, there was a lot of attention on the temporary demise of Travelport and it transitioned to discussions on how an agent's leads may be affected. But as much as the conversation was based around Travelport, one reader brough America's Vacation Center (AVC) into the fray.

Mary brought it up, writing:

Beware of AVC They will take 70% of your commission and all referrals generated from that one lead will be their's, again taking 70% commision. I was promised the referrals as my own, which I thought would be worth giving up that initial commission,but boy was I wrong. I was hounded on every extra person that booked their trip and asked if they came from their live lead. They took that customer as their own because they were referred.. Also, all of my customer base that I put into their system at the time so I could market to them, are still being marketed to by AVC after I quit them as my host agency. That is so wrong. Just my 2cents worth.

Note that this is Mary's opinion and not that of the staff her at Travel Agent. Regardless, that's disappointing to read. Anyone out there able to support or rebuff Mary's take on AVC? I'd like to learn more (and I doubt I'm alone).

Advice for an Editor

Normally, an exchange between readers and writers/editors on the site involves our staff responding with some information to help our audience. But this week, we was a bit of the reverse happen as our own Jena Tesse Fox journeyed to Durban, South Africa for the 2010 Indaba trade show (the largest in Africa). Read her most recent report here.

But before Jen hit the trade show floor to share reports, she took a seemingly endless journey across the Atlantic Ocean, most of it pleasant thanks to South African Airlines. On the topic of drinking too much or not enough coffee before a flight, reader Alfredo Tor-Paz made a suggestion to Jena, stating:

In spite of the strong coffee, never drink so much caffeine after 6pm, it is a very good airline, SAA, my comment, would be over the transfer to domestic, there is no place to complain much....have you tried to fly via the USA??? Horror, thanks for reminding that, I still prefer transferring thru JNB...my grain of sand or salt.

I am currently in the midst of what has been numerous attempts to cut back on coffeed, and it is indeed hard. Still, Afredo's comments are spot on regarding drinking it at night. Hopefully Jena takes his advice before flying back next week.

Speaking of next week... we'll catch up again on what's causing buzz around the industry and at TravelAgentCentral. Keep the comments coming (below or elsewhere) and don't forget to extend to conversation to other outlets such as our Facebook page, our Twitter page (@travelagentmag) and in real time at AgentNation

Kirk Cassels' Weekly Wrap of User Comments: May 3-7

What a couple of weeks it's been when it comes to news that relates to and/or directly affects travel. From the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and its potential impact on Florida, to the Arizona law regarding illegal immigration. I can't think of the last time there were so many stories for agents to comment on, especially with an absence of YTB or other constant hot topics. So let's dive right on into them.

Arizona's Law & Affect on Tourism

Last week, I shared a few of the initial comments from agents and others regarding the controversial law's impact, or lack there of, on travel to the Grand Canyon State. So, in the interest of avoiding someone feeling left out, here's a look at some of the more recent statements posted here at Travel Agent.

Commenting on our open forum on the matter, Rick Long appears to believe it is not a travel issue at all, saying:

This is no more a trend than when people cancel for any of a myriad of seemingly trivial reasons. This is an illegal immigrant matter with people on both sides of the issue. Let's not make it a travel and tourism issue unless we see some real evidence to substantiate it.

I am going to respectfully disagree with you, Rick. Although it may not be major and/or braod evidence, we've recevied a few reports from agents saying that either their clients are pulling out of travel to the region or that they would prefer not sending their customers there. Also, when the U.S Travel Association weighs in on the scenario, I think it certainly becomes a travel and tourism issue, but perhaps I'm wrong? I'd like to hear from anyone who disagrees with me. (UPDATE: The U.S Chamber of Commerce weighed in on the issue today as well.)

Meanwhile, when reading the news about the U.S Travel Association's stance on the issue, several other readers shared their two cents.

Lori wrote:
As a daugher of immigrants, it's not fair for illegals to sneak over the boarder while others wait 15 - 20 years to come in legally.

Diane stated:
The majority of the people in Arizona support Bill 1070! And it is about time we start following the laws. I believe that tourism will be supported by others who believe in the law. What part of illegal does this country not understand.

Bradley R. Olinger added:
While I do appreciate the position of the travel industry in this, I also understand that this is a problem that needs a better approach rather than just jailing illegals. I feel the best option is to offer the illegal immigrants that are of otherwise good character a road into citizenship through better regulation. This xenophobic approach to immigration does not work in a nation built on immigrants. After all, most Americans had an immigrant in their own ancestry, so why let what should be a minor political problem cripple both an industry and a society.

Obviously, this issue is not going away anytime soon, and we invite more comments on the matter as it continues to develop.

Fuel Supplements Making A Comeback?

It's been nearly two years since agents needed to address or be concerned with the issue of cruise lines charging surcharges to counteract rising oil prices. But, after an announcement by Cunard that the line is preparing to add a fuel surcharge, it appears agents may need to be concerned again. And some are already expressing their disappointment.

Libbie was the first to comment, writing:
It's like airlines charging for luggage. I would feel much better about these companies I'm representing if they would simply raise their prices to cover all costs and eliminate the games. My message to these large companies is this: Be honest, so we can be honest, and everyone will have much more respect for you!

Harry Jones agrees, posting:
I concur w/Libbi. Make the fare all inclusive. Add ons etc just get folks more upset w/everynoe, lines, oil ocmpanies, travel agents etc etc.

What's your take, agents? Would you prefer an "all-inclusive" price if rates will be raised? What other alternatives would you prefer if this issue is here to stay?

Pay for What You Get

Speaking of cruises, we wrote a brief last year about a new cruise line's cheap jaunts to the Bahamas, and one reader does not appear too happy about the sacrifices you must accept if you are going to pay a low price. Lucy Mae was not too pleased, posting:

just sailed on this ship and all I can say is BE SCARED BE VERY SCARED. They will put you in a broom closet as your room even if you paid for an upgrade. They charge for almost everything. 2.00 for an ice cream cone, 21.00 for soda, 15.00 for a drink. The crew was great, the cruise line was not. I reported to the Florida Attorney General, Coast Guard and the Better Business Bureau. They didnt even go over the life jacket drill with the passengers that got on late. I was one of them. They changed the sailing date of my ship without telling me, they changed my room classification without giving me a refund for the upgrade I paid for. Dont do it, spend the extra money and go on a better cruise line.

I think her last sentence says it best. If you want guaranteed quality and experience, go somewhere that isn't marketing itself as a low price option. Hopefully Lucy's report to the Florida Attorney General, Coast Guard and BBB will illuminate the situation more for agents and their clients.

Take Advantage of Crisis in Bangkok

Political unrest has been infecting Thailand since late 2008. According to all of the reports we've read or written, travelers and tourists have remain unharmed from the political protests, most of which have been peaceful demonstrations. Commenting on a recent report that Bangkok is still safe amidst the protests, one reader encourages other to leverage this opportunity to save money.

John Nathaniel commented:

I think it is safe despite all these disruptions and tourists’ accommodation has become easier with some terrific Bangkok hotel discount that is now available.

Any agents out there seizing the opportunity to pass value on to their clients? If so, let us know and we'll share your experience with our readers.

Let's Hear It for the Flight Attendants!

As much as some airlines are either cutting back on services or increasing fees, you can always count on an airline's flight attendants to do what they can to make your flight more enjoyable. That's why we were happy to share United Airlines' recognition of these sky employees, and one of our readers is just as happy to read the news.

Speaking on the matter, Pat wrote:

Flight attendants have given their lives for the safety of passengers. If airline companies (particularly United) really want to show their appreciation, why not give them a new contract that is up to date and financially acceptable rather than continually asking for concessisons?

Pat, I assume you are a flight attendant, friends with one or related to one. Or, perhaps you've had a pleasant experience on every single flight while admiring their hard work. And I fully agree with you. Hopefully, reflecting on 80 years of their service will encourage United and other carriers to make these hard-working employees happier with their position.

Contest? What Contest?

Last month, I was in the Riviera Maya in Mexico for an event in which Iberostar Hotels & Resorts announced that Antonio "Desperado/Puss in Boots" Banderas is the new global face of the brand. I attended the event as a member of the press trip to the region and had the opportunity to explore the many properties at Iberostar Playa Paraiso (and I highly recommend it to agents and their consumers, be they families, couples etc). But when we filed our very first report on the event, it appears that an agent feels she was left out of a contest that, to the best of my knowledge, never existed.

Gerrie Power Sears stated:

I can not imagine why the United States was left out of the contest to win a vacation at the Iberostar resorts in Mexico or Punta Cana ect. I would have liked to send this offer to my many clients that I have sent to these properties.

Thank you for your reply,
Travelbygerrie@msn.com
Gerrie Sears: Leisure Manager
Wood's Travel

Gerrie, I'm sorry if there was anything written that implied there was a contest to win (I'm pretty sure there was no such mention). Had there been a contest, we would have definitely reported it. In addition, if it was solely for Mexican entities, I would have been up in arms as well. Sorry for any confusion that was caused. I still highly suggest agents look into the property. It was an outstanding, albeit exhausting, experience.

As always, the conversation doesn't end with the week, so please keep the comments coming. Post your opinion below or at any of the stories linked to above (and check out our content throughout the deep recesses of the site to learn more). You can always share your opinions with us at our Facebook page, at our Twitter page, and at AgentNation. We want to hear from you, and we want to share your feedback with our readers.

Until next week...

Kirk Cassels' Weekly Wrap of User Comments: April 26-30

If you have missed the Weekly Wrap during the course of the past few weeks, I apologize for its absence. I was on the road for three separate occasions in April.

A trip to Iberostar Grand Hotel Paraiso for the announcement that Antonio Banderas is the new face of the company's global campaign (jealous much, Pike?) preceded my attendance at the 2010 Virtuoso Symposium in Mexico City before finishing up just this week at American Express Publishing's Luxury Summit 2010. It was as exhausting as it was engangin and intriguing, plus I got to stay in some cool places. Check out the videos below of the suites in which I stayed when at the Iberostar Grand Hotel Paraiso, the St. Regis Mexico City and the Mandarin Oriental at CityCenter in Las Vegas.

Iberostar Grand Hotel Paraiso

St. Regis Mexico City

Mandarin Oriental Las Vegas

But enough of me sharing my travels, let's take a look at what readers have been talking about here at Travel Agent Central.

Names in Travel

There was sad news this as Donald N. Martin, whose firm Donald N. Martin & Company represented the 39-nation European Travel Commission in the U.S. for more than 40 years, passed away April 23. For those who did not know or work with Martin, Evan A. Pezas had some kind words to share about the man:

A sad day indeed for all of us that served in European Tourist Offices in NY.
I was with the Greek National Tourist Organization when I first met Donald Martin. His professionalism and love of Europe were most imporrtant for the success of Europe in the US. We'll miss him.

Our hearts, thoughts and prayers go out to Martin's family, friends and colleagues.

Another name that received recognition from one of our readers was Joan Werner of Valerie Wilson Travel in New York. George Dooley recently interviewed Warner about travel to Cuba as well as her outlook on 2010 for agents. She must have made an impression, at least on Naomi Cogan, who shared:

Joan Werner is an excellent travel agent - very knowledgeable and creative.

That's quite the endorsement. Glad to see Dooley's choice of interview subject is so highly regarded.

Voices on Vacation Rentals

After reading a report about TripAdvisor's top vacation rentals in the U.S. and across the globe, we asked agents at our Facebook page if they felt the niche was a good business opportunity for them. Not only did many respond to our query, but we also received information from vacation rental businesses that are eager to work with agents. Here's some who wrote in, who you may want to look into for some sales:

Amanda Drake
On behalf of the Vacation Rental Managers Association (VRMA), I can share that vacation rentals represent a huge area of opportunity for agents to become specialists, as the category remains one of America’s best-kept lodging secrets, but is one of the fastest-growing lodging segments today. Nearly 9 in 10 past guests plan to rent again in 3 years, and would recommend a vacation rental to family/friends, according to PhoCusWright.
The vast majority of VRMA member companies across North America work with travel agents and their clients - Commissions may vary from company to company, but rates can range from 10 to 15% on average. Visit http://www.discovervacationhomes.com for a map that lists the most established professional vacation rental management companies by destination, or for more info about vacation rentals in general to help you get started.

Diana Sheehan
WE love our Travel Agents, Global Resort Homes has been in business since 1993 and is a trusted vacation management company in Orlando, Fl. We pride ourselves in high quality vacation home rentals near the Walt Disney and Universal area. #1 vacation destination in the world! We would love to do business with anyone who may be interested. Here is our website www.globalresorthomes.com
Feel free to contact us with any questions.

Melinda DiPerna
We love working with travel agents to bring their clients a better vacation rental experience. We know how impotant it is that the agent can trust us with their client, and do pay comission. This is a great way to show more travelers the joys and value of staying in vacation rentals.We service the beach in Oceanside CA, in North San Diego county, and can be booked at http://www.bettervacationrentals.com or call 800-277-2734 for assistance. If your clients want to go to Disneyland & Sea World or the Zoo - this is the perfect spot.

Nan
For Hawaii, Tropical Villa Vacations on Maui has a nice selection of beautiful exclusively managed villas and homes. They work with travel agents to offer their clients and nice option to hotels especially for families or groups of friends traveling together. 888-875-2818 x6 www.tropicalvillavacations.com

Nanci Benefiel Owner
Yes, vacation rentals are a good business for travel agents and an untouched market. No need to add a fee as I pay a commission. You asked to hear from suppliers. I have over 100 homes and condos in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico that we offer as vacation rentals and pay all of our travel agents a commission. If you would like to discuss our services or want information please feel free to contact me by e-mail or at our toll free number 1-888-332-8477. Nanci@bajasurvacationrentals.com

But before everyone starts dialing up or surfing to these companies web sites, let's see what some agents said about their experience with vacation rentals.

Tina M Erskine posted:
I will book whatever is in the best interest of the client. There are resources to use that pay a commission and when there aren't I have no problem charging a fee for my services. I am a professional and if a client comes to me, they expect to pay me for my training and experience. Sometimes that means a commission, sometimes, it means a fee. I encourage clients to save money booking air on the airlines website that I find them on ITA Software all the time. Most of the time, they aren't confident enough and are happy to pay my service fee.

Bob Malmerg, meanwhile, seems a little cautious about vacation rentals, writing:
VACATION RENTALS HAVE A LOT: LOCATION, FACILITIES, FEATURES AND ACCESSABILITY. The single most important thing that they do NOT have is MANAGEMENT. Without management what you have is a box with beds. And that's all you have. Do agents really want to assume the risk in such a fly-by-night enterprise? Think it over. Agents have been entrusted with the customers money (which can always be replaced one way or another) but more precious is the time involved, that once spent is gone forever. In risk management, the least attractive of the threee available is to absorb the risk and that's exactly what agents are doing with vacation rentals.

Amanda Drake, whose first comment is also shared above, quickly responded to Bob, commenting:
Bob - When choosing a vacation rental from an established property management company, agents can be assured that there’s a reputable business maintaining and servicing the property and its guests each day. This includes dedicated guest hospitality services & amenities, all of the proper inspections, reservations, housekeeping, landscaping, laundry, a trained customer service staff, etc. Many feel it's the only way to travel! :)
We'd recommend looking for third-party endorsements on the websites of rental management companies, including membership in industry associations like the Vacation Rental Managers Association, Better Business Bureau (BBB) and local property management groups, or approval from AAA, among others.

After hearing from suppliers and agents, do you have any additional thoughts on this market? Let us know.

Arizona, Immigration and Tourism

The Grand Canyon State's recent legal reform about immigration has certainly been a hot topic in the news and political blogosphere. When we received a phone call from an agent saying that clients just canceled a vacation to Arizona, we asked readers on our Facebook page if they were experiencing anything similar. The responses were rapid, so we wrote a piece to share them with our Travel Agent Central readers, and got even more rapid responses. While most of them lean toward politcal views, let's take a look at ones that relate to the tourism industry and travel agents.

Carol was the first to address the topic, posting:
I have many clients who work for a major US city. They have received a directive that they are not to spend city funds in AZ, including no connections in PHX. Many nonrefundable tickets will be thrown away and public funds spent on new ones. Sensible?

And it appears that Veronica is experiencing similar situations, as we writes:
I have a group of women who do a Girls Weekend in AZ every summer. They've called to ask for suggestions for other spas not in AZ!

Meanwhile, Lillian Nawman is pleading for agents to do what they can to keep clients heading to Arizona, stating:
Arizona is in the state of emergency. Their people are scared to death of the atmosphere created there because of the failure of the politicians and government to overlook the critical situation that has been there for years. A boycott on Arizona could destroy their travel industry economyly to say nothing of the other businesses Folks, if you want your country back allow the citizens to DO something about it for a change. When the World Centers collapsed on 9-11 were we told to boycott New York City? Of course not. As for me, I will not discourage my clients to stay away from Arizona. Those Arizonans need our suppport now, and your support too.

It appears Lillian has a backer in June S, who shared:

People should only be allowed to immigrate legally like every other country in the world. If more lazy Americans would work we would not have a labor problem. I will be glad to send my clients to AZ

In addition, we got some outside perspective from an agent in Canada, named dmshea, who posted:
From a Canadian standpoint, the new AZ bill will probably have little effect on travel. Our agency has had no cancellation whatsoever because of the law thus far, and don't expect any! We have a fair few AZ home owners in Western Canada. We are far removed from it and although I don't personally condone it, I guess every state needs to try something to combat the illegal immigration issue.

With the announcement today that the U.S. Travel Association is opposed to any boycott of travel, in addition to the comments shared above, it appears Arizona has a lot of support in keeping tourism alive in the state. There are a lot of nuts out there trying to make our query about the law's effect on tourism some political statement (one even removed his comment from our Facebook page after we called him out for putting words in our mouth), and I would like to politely ask that you don't come round here with that.

I don't say that because I am aligned to one side of the issue or another. I say it because you're just wasting our time and travel professionals' time while coming across as one of those crazies that does nothing but sit on the computer all day and look for pages online to go off on a rant about an issue that, admit it, you cannot directly change yourself. I'm all for free speech in opinion, but that doesn't mean hard political rhetoric (from any end of the spectrum) is going to get a lot of air time here.

Avoid this Beach

We'll end this week on a lighter note, about a state that's not Arizona. Awhile back, one of our interns wrote a brief about the top 10 most dangerous beaches in the world. Recently, someone added their own choice of beach to the list. The reader goes by the name top ten beaches of the world, and he/she/it(?) wrote:
All 10 beaches are dengerous. But i think Long Beach Island, New Jersey is very dengerous.

I wish the reader would say why he/she/it(?) thinks the New Jersey beach is "dengerous," but there's no details. So I searched for some video about it and stumbled upon a nice piece about the region by Erik Hastings, who I met when in the Riviera Maya in Mexico while in town for the Iberostar event. Check out what he found about the area and judge for yourself.

Seems like a pretty "non-dengerous" place to me. Did I miss something?

As always, we don't want to conversation to end here. Whether it's about the issues cited above, or any others for that matter, we always want to hear from you. Post a comment below. Write us at our Facebook page. Send a tweet to our Twitter page. Log in to AgentNation, we have a discussion thread about the Arizona situation, among others. We look forward to hearing from you.

Kirk Cassels' Weekly Wrap of User Comments: February 22-26

If you're feeling down because of the imminent end of the 2010 Winter Olympics or tired of cold, and perhaps snowy, windy and/or slushy, winter weather conditions, there's almost some semi-good news: we're almost halfway through those six weeks Puxatony Phil told us to eat. And as winter nears its end, some apparently are the plethora of comments we've been receiving about YTB, and that's even in light of recent events.

For now, the focus appears to be on Washington, D.C, both what's going on therein and the people involved. Let's take a look.

Agents and the Nation's Capital

When George Dooley recently spoke with Paul Ruden, ASTA's senior vice president for legal and industry affairs, about what agents can expect regarding the travel industry and the federal and state governments, some readers addressed the issues discussed while others responded to the publisher.

The first to chime in was Elizabeth Griffin, who commented:

This article is pure political propaganda, designed to make people afraid of health care reform and other bills now in Congress. Now that the Supreme Court has opened the doors to corporate sponsorship of politicians and parties, I suppose we'll see even more of this type of misinformation pretending to be news

Mary Louise Gross concurred, saying:

Are we sure that ASTA did not write this? It appears to be a huge endorsement of that organization!

ASTA did not write this article. George Dooley interviewed a ranking member of the organization, and then shared the more relevant and interesting material. There was no mention of health care reform or Supreme Court decisions, so I'm not sure why Liz and Mary seem so upset.

Regarding issues discussed in the interview, janet hillsong, shared:

seller of travel, should go after independents, agents that sell for hosts agencies and so called home based agents shuld contribute to the coffers. Not only ARC/IATAN agents who are registered- anyone who wants to sell travel or promote travel.. ie hotels, car rental, and espeically outside agents.. think of all the $$ that can be added to the coffers of sell of travel if they included all the agents from the MLMs

R.D. focused on agent-related matters as well, stating:

I only wish agents and agencies were MORE concerned about these issues than they seem to be. It's absolutely outrageous that California, for instance, can regulate and extort money from businesses outside its purview. Hypothetically, every single state, and even city, could decide that agencies must register and pay in order to sell travel to their residents - it's absurd. And Kerry's bill to add a further burden to small businesses who truly do utilize independent contractors is yet another worry. I hardly see these as "political propaganda!"

Meanwhile, when touching on a recent story about Las Vegas and its relationship with President Obama (although commenting on an article that is now more than a year old), one reader directed attention at the man in charge in Washington.

Jonathan wrote:

Given President Obama's degree of success thus far, I'd feel more comfortable with him opposing than supporting me. The "greedy large corporations" (including GM) shouldn't have gotten taxpayer money in the first place. I don't care how they spend their money so long as it isn't mine. That said, nobody in the history of American federal budgets wastes money like Obama.

Perhaps Jonathan will feel better about Obama if the President signs the Travel Promotion Act, which was recently passed by the Senate. Although it appears that legislation will not involve bailouts or taxpayer money. But that's to be confirmed with time.

Does Electronic = Not Luxury?

The Yachts of Seabourn has a reputation among agents as an ideal choice for those seeking a luxury cruise. But as the cruise line recently decided to offer paperless tickets, one reader sees the move as a step down in class.

Jim wrote:

Sorry to see a luxury product go down this road. I belive it lowers the appeal.

What do you think? Is a policy that is, perhaps, eco-friendly and more convenient for customers not as classy as the use of paper documents?

First-Hand Advice

I like to end a review of comments with something on the lighter side, particularly if it benefits any party. So when John asked a question about Scrub Island snorkeling, it was great to see our Caribbean editor Joe Pike respond.

John posted:

Thanks for your report. Looking forward to my May visit to Scrub Island. How were the beaches and snorkeling?

So Joe responded:

John, you picked a great time to go. By May, the resort will be 100-percent finished.

There is only a very small portion of beach on the resort's property, but still enough to enjoy.

Snorkeling near the resort's marina is amazing and further down the resort (where the villas will be) is also a great spot.

If you want to snorkel off property (and I highly suggest you do), take a ride on Dive BVI. You HAVE to go to The Baths on Virgin Gorda (about 20 minutes away).

I don't know much about fish, but there are tons of them of every color and every size. The folks at Dive BVI are experts and can tell you more about great snorkeling opportunities on the island.

Also, be sure to check out my blog posts on Scrub Island and other destinations at www.thejoepikeblog.com. And thanks for reading!

Whether it's a direct response from one of our editors, or a dialogue among readers and agents, sharing your feedback on all things travel adds more to the story. So keep them coming. And don't forget to check in at AgentNation, the only social community online for all kinds of travel agents, for real-time discussions.





 

Kirk Cassels' Weekly Wrap of User Comments: January 25-29

I follow politics, but rarely get too involved in taking sides or arguing for one issue or another. So when President Obama made an extensive call during his State of the Union speech to eliminate the bickering in Washington that he believes is hindering progress on issues he feels the country must improve I began to wonder if the plethora of entertainment I find in crazy exchanges between punidts, politicians, and their commenters and fans would soon diminish. Then I realized that even if such an improbable taske were achieved that I can still look forward to the occasional wackness submitted by readers here at TravelAgentCentral.com. It only took a month for someone to bring God into a conversation fused by comments about a controversial company in the travel industry... and it's not YTB this time.

In The Name of Traverus

As we approach 365 days since the story was first published, it seems more and more readers keep coming back comment to George Dooley's initial report on Traverus. As noted above, one reader, Seneca Johnson, feels pretty holy on the subject, saying:

TraVerus is changing lives one person at a time. TraVerus is not a get rich quick scheme! TraVerus is a company created to help the new network marketer with no experience have a fair chance in the industry. I thank the lord for being TraVerus in my life. Now I tell God less about my problems and tell problems more about my God. TraVerus4LIFE!

After weeks of re-publishing much vehement vitriole about Traverus, I admit it is refreshing to see such joy in a comment about the company for once. This story has been a solid one for quite some time and, if you looked carefully, you can see that it may be subject to a court case involving one Peter Stilphen.

Speaking of Stilphen

"Who is Peter Stilphen?" you may ask. It just so happens that George Dooley checked in with the man about his latest venture, STARS. The name of the piece is "Will STARS Gain Traction Among Agents?" If you look at the comments, it appears the answer may be "No.

Joe said:
I think anyone under 80 doesn't want to hear his mouth. If anyone looks at the membership, which is free, I think there's a total of 17 in CA. This shows you the value of the membership!

R.D. wrote:
What stymies me is why he continues to get press. This publication, ASTA, etc. should exercise a bit more discretion in their choice of "news."

Kyle Bruening commented:
Me too! This guy marketed me I sent in the application twice. Then reached out to him and he never responded. I then faxed him and wanted confirmation to remove me from his list.  He never responded. He provided poor follow up and communication. Forget STARS.

Tim Huggins posted:
Is anyone else tired of hearing this guy go on and on. Nothing worse than a miserable old man. Peter retire already. Any Travel professional under 45 doesn't want to hear your mouth.

Seems like STARS is far from traction and actually quite slippery among agents. Anyone have anything positive to say about the host agency?

Helping Haiti

We received several comments about whether Royal Caribbean was right in choosing to continue its cruises to Haiti after the devastating earthquake. Click through the hyperlink to see them yourself, but I wanted to spotlight one in particular as it appears one reader was a recent passenger and has shared their experience. Roberta wrote:

Sailed on the Independence that docked on Friday. We did bring some relief supplies and all proceeds were donated as promised. Due to poor weather conditions, most passengers did not take advantage of the the island's festivities. The general feeling was while we on the island, we were bring in some humanitarian supplies and we were happy to be there.

It's great to read that the passengers had the right thing in mind while vacationing. This ties in a lot to a recent piece by Joe Pike on how voluntourism is essential to Haiti right now.

Apply Yourself

I just got an iPhone last month and am addicted to its ability to entertain me and make work easier. Clicking through e-mails and articles while on the bus saves me so much time. Which is why I enjoyed reading Michael Browne's piece on using mobile technology to improve business. One reader, Norm Rose, added a nice suggestion, stating:

Home based agents should work with their consortium or host agency to develop a downloadable app

The efficiency of mobile devices combined with the conveneince in home office operations should make for quite the streamlining of business, eh?

Until those magical mobile applications for agents come out, and even after they do, don't forget to connect digitally with your peers in real time at AgentNation, the only social community online for all types of travel professionals.

Until next week...

Kirk Cassels' Weekly Wrap of User Comments: January 18-22

Every week, I peruse the comments and do my best to say something witty or entertaining about them while tying them in to pop culture references or travel industry topics. But this week is a different. For travel professionals, among many others in various industries, the past week has not been the most uplifting in regards to news. Reports on the earthquakes in Haiti, as well as in the Cayman Islands, continue to saturate the airwaves and web with saddening images and stories. Please keep texting "Haiti" to 9099 and searching for ways you can help those who need support in rebuilding their lives and homes.

With that being said, let's take a quick look at other topics that are on the minds of readers.

What's In A Name?

For more than a year, we've been releasing reports on Disney's plans to build a family-oriented resort in Hawaii. This week, the entertainment and resort giant finally named that new resort, Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa, Ko Olina, Hawaii. But as many in the industry get excited about this new selling point, one reader, named unclepat, is not as enthused, writing:

It seems that Disney hasn't done a good job of embracing the Hawaiian culture and using a name that identifies or closely resembles their resort, surrounding area or experience.
According to Hawaiian dictionary au.lani means
n. Messenger of a chief. Rare.
One would hope that this global giant would be more aka mai (smart) when it comes to embracing the local people and culture to create a true sense of place.

I guess unclepat feels Disney's naming is arrogant? unclepat, if you're reading this (or if anyone in concurrence with unclepat is), can you shed some more light as to why the name of the resort is not so aka mai?

Versus Over Viceroy Anguilla

When our own Joe Pike profiled the Viceroy Anguilla property in the Caribbean last September, a reader named Freddie Elmon posted the following shorly thereafter:

Viceroy Anguilla is a dump. This is simply a reprint of a press release written by the developer. The place is way behind schedule and will not be fully open in November.  Virgil Napier is a jerk. There are NO sunrise views at Viceroy and Barnes Bay is a tiny strip of sand and is the main beach for this resort. Their restaurants will be empty as they are too big to ever be full. They are nasty people and have hired one Anguillian for every 10 foreigners they employ. They are bad for Anguilla and will fail in short order.

I wasn't around to add my two cents on the comment becase I was on my honeymoon at the time. However, it appears another reader has recently visited the story to share her own point of views. Ashley Metz posted:

Wow! What a ridiculous comment from Freddie Elmon. He obviously has a hidden agenda by posting this comment. I have been to Viceroy Anguilla personally and can state without hesitation this is one of the most beautiful and luxurious resorts not only in the Caribbean, but possibly the world. How he or anyone else can say otherwise is quite absurd. They are employing hundreds of Anguillan's and providing a substantial tax base for the island. The villa I stayed in was fabulous. The food was amazing and the location was serene. Please don't listen to this man's jaded comments, as he obviously has a hidden agenda.

Pike is currently attending the Sundance Film Festival so he can't shed any light right now and neither can I since I've never been to Anguilla. So, for those of you familiar with the island or the property, please add your take on the matter. As of now, we have one pro and one con for the property. Who's going to be the tie-breaker?

While we're on the topic of Viceroy, it appears another one of the company's properties is receiving some not-so-friendly revies. Commenting on the news that the Viceroy Hotel Group is taking over L'Ermitage Beverly Hills, reader gtd writes:

Shame really. Fine hotel; probably won't be a great fit for the neighbors either.

What's the deal with the neighbors that they won't be so happy? Elaborate please.

Time to Talk Traverus

Traverus is rapidly becoming as controversial a company as YTB or JoyStar. You may recall a reader named Jimmy Plymouth posting a comment on a recent weekly wrap about Traverus, to which I responded last week. It appears Jimmy was not satisfied with what I had to say. So he returned to the original story to share the following:

I served my country, I went to school and became a chef. $40,000 for a piece of paper that says I'm Certified to cook.
I have two children, do you know how much time cooks/chefs spend in the kitchen?
I've had the privalege to date two "TTA" and trust me all I heard were complaints. And after working a "hard day" at the office they come home tired. What kind of life is that?
I changed my career thanks to TraVerus, and the things I've learned using the Network Marketing aka Word of Mouth aka People to People method open my eyes to "the Corporation" way of life.
In my opinion, if you aren't in network marketing your a slave! You've been brainwashed into believing that someday all that hard work will pay off.
The Truth Will Set Us Free!
http://MoneyMakingDads.com
Good Men Net-Working Together!

I don't think anyone would try to discredit Jimmy for his work, nor dare dishonor him after his service to our country. Most readers have been very anti-Traverus, and Jimmy is obviously a supporter of the company. I greatly value his input as I belive opposing voices help foster dialogue that can hopefully clear the air on this issue, which does not seem to be going away anytime soon. Jimmy, thanks for coming back to share. Hope to hear more from you and hope your job searches are going well.

Cut By Carnival?

A 16-month old story about Carnival Cruise Lines' travel agent forum with executives recently received a bold and unhappy complaint by one reader. Let's cut to the chase and take a look. Mary Levin wrote:

COURTESY CALLS TO AGENCY SHOULD BE GIVEN WHEN GROUP SPACE IS BEING CALLED WHEN MINIMUN DEPOSITS ARE IN ACCOUNT, NOT JUST TO CANCEL AND THE AGENT HAD NOT RECEIVED A CALL. MY GROUP WAS CUT FOR JULY 18, 2010, ON THE PRIDE AND THIS ISN'T THE FIRST TIME... WITH OUT NOTICE AND I AM ANGRY. NO ONE GIVES A HOOT. I NEED ASSISTANCE TO RETAIN THE PRICE ...4 OUT OF 8 CABINS WERE CANCELLED AND THE CLIENT CAN'T UNDERSTAND...NEW RULES SHOULD BE THAT $250.00 DEPOSIT SHOULD BE GIVEN AT ALL TIMES IN THE INITIAL CONTRACT. I HAVE BEEN DOING BUSINESS FOR 35 YRS ROYAL TRAVEL PLANNERS....TANYE'JOHNSON'S GROUP... THIS IS A WEDDING PARTY AND SHE IS FUMMING. HER RELATIVE GAVE AN AGENCY JUST 125.00 DEPOSIT AND THEY WERE NOT CUT...WE WERE NOT NOTIFIED...

So a wedding, a cruise and a vacation were ruined for consumers as an agent's desire for courtesy and professionalism is shunned, right? Is that what I'm seeing here? I'm very sorry to hear about this, Mary. I hope someone that reads the site can help you out. It's a shame to hear about this news, particulary on the heals of Carnival's preparations for travel agent webinars to aid agents. Perhaps the webinars are a good opportunity to address the issue?

No matter what the issue may be, don't forget to check in with AgentNation as often as you can. Plentiful travel professionals (in addition to our editors) are meeting there daily to network about anything from the best places to visit to how to find the best dude ranch for family reunions. Log in now. And if you haven't signed up yet, don't wait any longer.

Until next week...

Kirk Cassels' Weekly Wrap of User Comments: January 11-15

I'll bet you it would be easier to find more people who have been successful with Traverus than it is to find those who haven't.
I know, I know, it's just marketing right? You pick the hottest topics to try and attract attention to your blog. I should try it sometimes.
Are you a Hater or what, people need income, Corporations are laying off, and you try to come up with the silliest thing you can to try and cause confusion.
What's your suggestion? Got any Job Openings?

Jimmy Plymouth - Travel Agent reader commenting on last week's wrap.

It's been a while since a reader posted a comment directed toward me here at this weekly blog, and I already got one in for 2010! I always appreciate feedback etc so I'd like to respond to Jimmy piece by piece.

I'll bet you it would be easier to find more people who have been successful with Traverus than it is to find those who haven't.
I agree that searching for people who have benefited from working for/with Traverus would produce a good amount to counter those who have not. I don't search for either party but it appears someone from one side came here to talk about it.

I know, I know, it's just marketing right? You pick the hottest topics to try and attract attention to your blog. I should try it sometimes.
You could say marketing is involved. These days, everything needs a little business development to generate extra income in a tough economy. I bring up the hottest topics brought up here at TravelAgentCentral.com to gauge interest from other readers or interested parties and see if the conversation can become a more developed discussion. If in passing I happen to mention, allude or correlate something I find interesting (be it a sci-fi movie mirroring competition between human travel agents and OTAs or what not) it's all because that's what's on my mind. As far as attracting attention to the blog? Let me just say that I hope everyone has a magnificent weekend and Martin Luther King Jr. day that avoids the current tension between Conan O'Brien, Jay Leno and NBC over "The Tonight Show," the political hubbub of the Massachusetts Senate race, and the drama over Lane Kiffin leaving the University of Tennessee Volunteers football team (once led by Peyton Manning, whose team, the Indianapolis Colts, will play the Baltimore Ravens in the NFL Playoffs with hopes for another Super Bowl). And while you're at it, check out the latest hit to come out of American Idol:

Are you a Hater or what, people need income, Corporations are laying off, and you try to come up with the silliest thing you can to try and cause confusion.
I am certainly not a hater and don't think I came across as one if you look at what I wrote regarding the commentary on Traverus. After a reader named Blake shared his/her experience in leaving Traverus in the comments section of the story, I asked if he/she (or anyone else metaphorically, I guess) could share more for anyone involved with Traverus. Ok, so I did say "It's great to see that [Blake] got out in time," but that's because he/she was glad to be out and I enjoy knowing that readers are happy. I'm not sure where I am trying to be silly regarding Traverus. And when I am being silly, so to speak, I'm not trying to cause confusion. The whole purpose of this weekly column is to get people talking about issues that matter to them. And as for haters, it looks like reader nlj65 is a hater, at least of MLMs, when writing:
Bottom line, the MLM concept sucks... sell a legitimate project and stop looking to build off of the backs of other people with all the empty hype.... I HATE MLM's...

Will you respond to him, Jimmy?

What's your suggestion? Got any Job Openings?
I can see that employment is an issue to you, and I don't blame you and would like to help. The official Questex policy on jobs as of now is

Our open positions can be found on HotJobs, Craigslist, mediabistro, Monster, and many other jobs sites. Please e-mail resume, cover letter, and salary requirements to jobs@questex.com. Due to the large volume of resumes, we cannot take unsolicited phone calls regarding our open positions.

I actually found the description for my current position at one of the above mentioned sites, but found said site by going through www.indeed.com. If you are looking for a job, I suggest going there as the website is a search engine of job sites. You find jobs, and you find other job sites to search. Best of luck, Jimmy. I'd be glad to take a look at your resume if you want to e-mail me at kcassels@questex.com and perhaps I can pass it to the right people. I'm not being silly when I say that.

Speaking of not being silly, I hope everyone has made taken the time to keep Haiti in their thoughts and prayers or, even better, taken action to help. Friends and I have been texting "Haiti" to 9099, which sends $10 worth of Red Cross International relief to the country. You can think of other ways to help by reading Michael Browne's piece on helping Haiti, Joe Pike's call for voluntourism and checking out the links in our initial report on the earthquake.

When you're done (take your time), please continue reading to see the wrap of this week's user comments:

Crazy for Cougars

The new and exciting cougar cruise was our biggest story of 2009, and it's on track to maintain the title for 2010. After Carnival  decided not to carry on the trend after its ground-breaking, first-ever international cougar cruise took place last summer, Royal Caribbean came along to pick it up fast. While some cats may be excited about this news, some of our readers are offended and/or disheartened. Take Jerry Vaughn, for example, who wrote:
What a blatant display of hypocrisy. If someone organized cruises for older men looking to hook up with younger women and called it "Lions Cruise" and called the younger women "kittens" (i.e. Cougars and Cubs), the outrage would be enormous and feminists would be howling to no end. For Royal Caribbean to put its stamp of approval on "Cougars" cruises so older ladies can prowl for younger men is offensive.

Meanwhile, justin is a tad more concise yet as profound, saying:
Sad. Whatever happened to couples growing old... TOGETHER?

Commenting on the initial report on the matter, jeff added a noteworthy two cents, stating:
There is a much older name for Cougar; not fit for print; but they have always existed. The older name fits them better.

I see Jerry's point on the hypocrisy and don't disagree about there being a double standard. Still, sex sells. No matter how much outrage there may be over it, I don't think this trend is going away anytime soon. Justin, I hope to tell you decades from now about the old and gray adventures me and my wife are having. She's an older woman, too. But four months my senior certainly doesn't qualify her as a cougar. As for Jeff, I know what old word you are referring to: sabertooth!

More Tourism, More Problems?

While attending the 2010 Caribbean Marketplace this week, Joe Pike broke the news that Bonaire will open its first U.S. brand hotel and is planning some more flights to the island. That's good news for agents, right? It's not for RandyP, who wrote:
First it was too many cruise ships for the ecosystem and non-existent waste handling. Now a big-box hotel and more pollution.
It won't be much longer before "Diver's Paradise" becomes yet another third world toilet that hosts the pod people.
It is truly a shame.

Paul half-agrees with RandyP, saying
I look at the addition of a new direct flight as good news. The addition of a 120-room Hilton, not so much. An island that has no formal sewage solution does not need another big complex.

As an travel professional, what are your thoughts on new properties in and flights to Bonaire?

Your Weekly YTB Fix

Maybe I was wrong earlier when I wrote that the cougar cruise is on track to be the biggest story of 2010. I forgot about YTB. The rage goes on over this company. I need not explain. Just tank a gander at the comments below, posted on George Dooley's piece about the company's latest trouble, and all directed at a reader named Peter:

JJ
Peter is typical of those in YTB. Call everyone names. Deflect from the real debate. This is part of the reason why TTA's are upset with YTB. They can't play nice. They tell us we're jealous and call us dinosaurs. They tell us they are taking over & putting us out of business. They name call. They can't debate the issues at all. SEC filings don't lie. Personally, I would like to see them go away. They have conned way too many people out of their hard earned money.

knowthefacts
You're the idiot Peter because you just don't get it. They can't run too much longer fool!
Your Six-Figure Ring Earners have either left or the ones who stayed incomes are 1/5 of what they where..meaning your 500k earners are at $100k or less and haven't left because their loyal which is a great quality but costly when you're just blind.
Travel is a highly duplicable industry therefore COMPETITION is high and PROFITS are low! The trillions are there but will be spread amongst millions which gives you pennies!

Doug
Peter;
While I appreciate your passion and I understand your frustration that regardless of how many times Council has been thrown out regarding this case they nevertheless feel the need to "defend their position over and over again" (And over - and over - a-a-and over.)
Please just stick with the facts - and refrain from the name calling.
Your voice would have been much better served (and understood) about selling $425 million in Travel as apposed to $122 million in Internet Business Centers in 2008 if the words "idiots" and "dolts" were removed from comment.
I do however agree...this third attempt to move back into proceedings it's a real stretch - especially after reading all the filings in their entirety along with the response from the Court. After having an "ungainly monster" rolled up and whacked over my head I would be far more cautious about submitting current arguments that "don't pass muster".]

(...silenty eating potato chips and watching in amusement...)

As Peter, JJ and company continue their dialogue, why not join in yourself on YTB or maybe something different here at TravelAgentCentral.com, or get more involved with other agents at AgentNation, the only social community online for all types of travel agents. We've alrady been off to a busy start for 2010. Don't feel like talking there? That's fine. You can always tweet us at our Twitter page or post something on our Facebook page. We'll connect. Until then...

Kirk Cassels' Weekly Wrap of User Comments: January 4-8

Happy Frozen New Year to all! Wherever you are, I hope it's nowhere near the below 20 degree temperatures we've had in New York at times. Whether through the grapevine, on Facebook or elsewhere, I've heard plenty of friends, friends of friends, colleagues, friends of colleauges, and, finally, colleagues of friends, complain about the 40 degrees in Orlando and I empathize, but don't sympathize. Just the other night I was outdoors when the wind chill and "feels like" factors were below zero. But it was worth it. Let's dive right on in to the first comments of the year.

New Year, Same Old YTB & Traverus

YTB

Just because I sounded off on one of the people who get over-crazed about YTB doesn't mean I'm going to leave them out of the lineup forever. George Dooley wrote his first report on the company for the year, which included some insight from John Frenaye. That insight has been addressed by one reader, Peter, who wrote:

Frenaye is an idiot and so is the Legal Team who can't grasp that the "lions share of the income derived" does not require payment in order to participate.
YTB sold 5 times that amount in TRAVEL but derived $27m from $425m in travel sales.
Do you dolts actually think this pipe dream of a suit is going any further than it did the first two times?
Good luck with that.

It doesn't suprise me that an outraged reader has reverted to childish name calling. Peter, I can't tell if your point about the money made has anything to do with the manner in which it was made by who. Plus, if this suit goes as far as the one in California, YTB may have some paying to do, poopypants.

Traverus

For nearly a year now, a Dooley piece that questioned the operations of TraVerus Travel Network has received a lot of comments (one we even had to remove due to court order). But the latest appears of great significance as it is, apparently, by a former employee named Blake, who shared:

I was a Regional Executive with TraVerus about to go National. I had recruited many, many people and things were looking great...the things changed!! The AG stepped-in and instructed TraVerus to make changes or shut-down! Products were introduced and became mandatory to purchase. TraVerus became what I hated the most about the MLM industry, just another Lotion & Potion company with very little travel being sold! Glad I got out when I did even though I had a huge downline!!

It's great to see that you got out in time, Blake. Do you have any advice for anyone affected by the company or wish to hear from others like you? Post something below, I'll get you connected.

Return to Cruise Rebating

In the last weekly wrap, not the yearly wrap, agents were at the high point of discussing whether cruise rebating got better or worse or stayed the same in 2009. Carrying the the conversation into 2010 is Denise, who offers her opinion and a potential solution, stating:

All the cuise lines should eliminate the ability to rebate which would force us all to play on a level playing field. For a small online agency, competing directly with VTG and Smart Cruiser, it is difficult to not offer discounts.

I'm no expert on this matter, but it seems that Denise's idea in eliminating all rebating may create an "only the strong survive" environment among agents. Is that what travel professionals want?

Paws Before Passengers

One of the sweeter stories of 2009 was Pet Airways, the airline for animal travelers only. It comes as no surprise that people are still talking about it in 2010. Pat Griswold wrote:

This is a great service for pet owners and I would imagine these pets will get service than their humans will get with the regular airlines.

I am sure those pets get the best experience anyone could wish for. After all, your "business" is cleaned up by someone else as you walk away. Most pets deserve that, like this golden retriever that saved one of its owners from a cougar in Canada.

By the way, Pat, did you get a chance to see Clark Griswold this holiday season? If so, I hope it was better than some of his past Christmas experiences.

A "Super" Comment

If you ask me, in all honesty, the Cruise Lines International Association launching a new website is not the most exciting story to discuss. But I'm just a web journalist, not a Super Bowl quarterback like Tom Brady, who apparently took time from his busy schedule of leading the New England Patriots to the playoffs and being the husband of Giselle Bündchen to share his enthusiasm, saying:

CLIA is reaching more millions of cruise consumers with this new web site www.cruising.org and 16,000 CLIA travel agents on a regular basis. It is very user friendly and a useful cruise reference tool for the industry, agent, and family, couple, or group who are planning their next cruise vacation.

Tom, thanks so much for stopping by. Please continue reading this page every day instead of your playbook. Please browse our site every day instead of practicing (you need to rest those ribs anyway). Not only do we want your support and interest, I don't want you to be at your best this weekend. Why? Check the link above where I said the time I was outdoors was "worth it."

Speaking of CLIA, the other day we showcased an ongoing discussion by agents about whether it was better to go through a host agency or not regarding CLIA. It just goes to show that AgentNation is the place for travel professionals to network on anything from business tips to operations questions. If you haven't signed up yet, do so today and find out what you've been missing.