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: 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.

Kirk Cassels' Weekly Wrap of User Comments: December 14-18

As much as I would like to say this will be the last Weekly Wrap column of the year, in part to the upcoming Christmas and New Year's holidays making for short work weeks, the fact remains that there was such a plethora of intriguing comments posted since I started this column back in June that A Yearly Wrap is certainly in the works. So, note to readers, you only have a few more days to share your wackiest, zaniest, and most profound statements here at TravelAgentCentral.com if you want to make that list. Otherwise, you're just another target on a day-by-day basis. So let's wrap up this week.

Apparently, U.S. Beaches are Lame

In the spirit of Memorial Day weekend marking the symbolic start of summer, we published a story late last May about Dr. Beach's top 10 beaches for 2009. Now, almost seven months later, a reader named Murray chimes in about the list and the headlin that accompanied it, saying:

You don't think that "Top 10 US Beaches" would be a better title? I only want to know where the REAL Top Beaches are.

Murray has a point about the headline. Perhaps "Top U.S. Beaches" (note the periods) would have been more specific (and more effective for our Search Enginge Optimization). However, I would like to know, in Murray's opinion, what constitutes a "real" beach. While I was working for Dan's Papers and the Montauk Pioneer almost 10 years ago, I had the fortune to spend plenty of time at the third best beach in the list (Coopers Beach, Southampton, NY) as well as the sixth best (Main Beach, East Hampton, NY). These places seemed pretty real to me. Both have nearly-white sand and are popular among locals and visitors. Surfers and bodyboarders have their territory, swimmers have their space, and sun bathers have easy access to public bathrooms and an expansive parking lot. Also, the lifeguards were always kind enough to let you know the water temp and sea condidtions if you call them up. So Murray, and anyone else who wants to speak out on this, what is not real enough about these two, or any other beach?

In the interest of sharing other beaches that have made our lists, here's the list of the most dangerous beaches in the world, here's the list of the best city beaches in the world, and here's the list of the best dog-friendly beaches. Hopefully, some of these live up to Murray's high standards.

Another Cuba Comment

As you recall my citing last week, we received a fair amount of comments on Joe Pike's story on his visit to Cuba (available in our print edition next week!) and fortunately Joe picked up the baton for me to address the comments himself. One of the commenters Joe addressed was J August. Who has since returned to original story to post a direct response to a comment made by another reader. J August posted:

Hey Mark Mc, dunno where you've been getting your information but please quote your sources, what you describe is not the Cuba I have seen.

With his first comment, August nearly stole my heart with the use of the word "hooey." But now he/she is asking one reader to cite sources when he /she didn't cite any when sharing his/her opinion. What gives, J? Do you think the rules don't apply to you? Oh wait, there aren't really any rules on the Internet. Still, there's some hypocrisy in his demands. And, just for the record, here is what Marc Mc orginially wrote:

Learn about Cuba? What? This agent knows all I need to know about Cuba - enough to never recommend it to any of my clients. Could you recommend a destination where you are advised to bring your own toilet paper? Where you might not have electricity 24 hours a day? Where the only citizens you will see smiling are those whose raft is ready to set sail for the Keys? The only thing that is acurate about this story is that a five star "resort" in Cuba maybe equal to a three star in the US. That is a gross understatement. I don't need to know ANYTHING else about this country that I have not known thru history and current events. No thanks. This agent will not be recommending or booking Cuba.

How did Joe respond to these comments himself? Check it out here.

Home-Based Is NOT A Dirty Word

Last Friday, Michael Browne engaged our independent readers in a conversation with a column inquiring about how home-based agents feel about not working in an office or brick-and-mortar agency. Two agents shared their story to shed some light.

Karen Quinn wrote:
When I began my home-based agency in 1990, I didn't mention I was home based, as it was seen as unprofessional. I still do not advertise as such. However, I do have a lovely home office, and I do meet with clients in my home office. Most are quite impressed with the professionalism of my business. In fact, many express how ideal my set up is.

Rich Walton said:
Home-based may be seen by some as being unprofessional. I have operated a CruiseOne franchise out of my home for 15 years and meet with customers at my home office at their leisure. Most often I can take care of issues or questions over the phone, but I am always available to meet at any hour.
I am also a wedding photographer. I have met with customers out my home for 30 years in this business. In fact, it is accepted that most wedding photographers do work out of their home studios. Photography clients recognize the advantages of a home-based enterprise: low overhead saves them money, easy parking and a come-as-as-you-are mentality. There is no pressure in this setting. Folks can relax, ask questions and not be disurbed by people waiting in line to speak with an agent or by the noise of other conversations going on around them.
Mostly, I believe the modern customer wants good advice and a good price, without waiting. If the home office can provide this, the customer will buy!

In short, I believe that you should be proud of what you do if it brings something postive to others lives while benefiting your own. Although I'm no travel professional, I hope my word means something on that account.

Rebating IS A Dirty Word

When we posted a poll last week asking agents if they felt cruise rebating was getting better or worse or staying the same in 2009, we received more than 100 votes as well as a storm of comments. In fact, we received enough juicy comments (including ones comparing cruise rebating to being a thief or a prostitute) to create a web-exclusive story to showcase what has been said. With the exception of a few votes and only one comment defending cruise rebating, it appears the phrase is not looked at favorably in the industry. Just click through the links above to see for yourself, because listing them (again) would take up valuable space and time. But before you do that, there are three comments that were posted in the last 72 hours that are of interest.

One appears to be directly from a supplier. Noting our story in which we addressed the comments, Mimi Weisband of Crystal Cruises had this to share:

Crystal Cruises has a strict no-rebating policy.
We will apply stiff commission penalties to any agency found to be offering consumers any kind of cash rebate, discount, payment in kind or in any other manner, a Crystal cruise fare below Crystal Cruises’ published savings rate.
Under the new policy, agencies may continue to offer value-added, non-cash amenities including Crystal shipboard spending credits, provided that the total value of the amenities does not exceed 8 percent of the cruise revenue – the line’s lowest published fare less applicable Crystal discounts. Additionally, amenities offered or granted by a Group and a member agency of the Group must be combined so as not to exceed the 8 percent limit. Under the policy, gift cards or certificates having a cash value, such as a retail or credit gift card, are not permitted.
We want to provide travel agents the confidence to sell our product based on the value of the product and one's ability to sell.

It's always great to hear from suppliers. So thank you Mimi for joining the discussion for agents to get your line's perspective.

The other two comments on the matter were shared by agents.

Joy Feinstein posted:
The client who looks for rebates is not the client you want. Lookfor any available amenities to enhance their experiences, but maintain a level playing field. That's the honorable thing to do.

Kim Johnson wrote:
When you have 10-year clients who have found smartcruiser.com or affordable tours.com (selling Globus) that blatently rebate 10% and more --and the vendors do nothing about it-- you either have to match and work for 2-5% commsn or lose the clients forever. Even loyal past clients don't care what kind of svc you have given if they can save hundreds of dollars. The best you can do is tell your clients about the heavy rebaters who are now out of business/bankrupt. Even then, most clients only see $$$ and are willing to risk a ruined vacation. It's a shame vendors don't retract overrides from those who advertise rebated prices.

I'm going to be honest with you. This story has become as big as the lack of knowledge I have on the cruise industry that I cannot add much light here. So instead of wasting your time with my two cents, how about you share yours here in the weekly wrap, here in the original poll, here in the story about the comments and poll, or even here in a forum on AgentNation, the only social community online for all types of travel professionals. You can also hit us up on our Facebook page or on our Twitter page. Whatever is easiest for you is fine with us. We just want to hear from you. Talk to you soon, my friends.

Kirk Cassels' Weekly Wrap of User Comments: December 7-11

It's below freezing in New York City today for the first time since the first quarter of 2009, and temperatures breached the 60-degree mark just last week. If I were an activist, or perhaps if I were just active, I'd be up in arms about the climate summit in Copenhagen this week as I wonder why I am sweating one day (in December) before freezing the next.

Instead, there's been other questions occupying my mind, such as, "how the hell did the Pittsburgh Steelers (last year's Super Bowl champions) lose to the Cleveland Browns (coached by a man who was fortunately let go from my New York Jets) last night?" and "will James Cameron's Avatar live up to the hype when it comes out next week?" The fact that the film merges three major elements from Cameron's best films (aliens, machines and super soldiers) into one screening, leads me to believe that I'll be satisfied enough.

Also on my mind, of course, is what the readers of TravelAgentCentral.com have been saying during the past week. Most have been talking about what one can assume most travel professionals would enjoy discussing: Caribbean islands, Mexico beaches, cruises, making money, and, of course... YTB! Yes, they're back. Lets' take a look.

Why More YTB?

We came so close to going a full month without mentioning YTB in the weekly wrap, but you can't appreciate the holiday spriti without a grinch. Not to say that I consider a reader named Jeff a grinch, but what he posted as a response to JJ's comment on a lawsuit against YTB in Illinois may damper his mood, as well as Tracy's. Jeff wrote:

JJ: Seems your GED advice applies equally to "real" travel agents; read Tracy's comments. Sue the CTC she is, also is English impaired.

Ah, that sweet, sweet buzz of banter and babble that doesn't address an issue but gets personal. I almost missed it, much like someone who once lived near an airport must miss the sound of planes taking off and landing after they move into a new home.

Addressing Antigua Again

Last week, I cited a comment made by a reader named pellucid about the crime rate on the island of Antigua. The comment was posted on a Luxury Travel Expo report about Antigua's promotion of its luxury product. This week, a reader who chose the name of Good Luck responded to pellucid's comment, stating:

Antigua is a beautiful island with so much to offer...sadly in a tourism-based economy it's going to take a lot more than a few decent PR hits to entice visitors from abroad to go and spend. Frugality and conservation are power-words in everyone's vocab these days ....and as pellucid so inaccurately pointed out, there are a lot of negative incidents that paint a terrible picture of this island paradise. Addressing domestic issues first, then showing your best face to the rest of the world would be you're greatest asset right now ANU... I've got unconditional love for you, but the rest of the world needs to be reminded of what a gem you truly are...

Good Luck, whoever you are, those are some pretty words. Sounds like Renee DeSuza, and the rest of the Antigua and Barbuda Department of Tourism could use your talents in promoting the island. What do you say? Shall we make some calls?

Pike Does Me A Solid

Recently, we published a story by Joe Pike about his visit to Cuba because, although the story is not released in print until later, we just could not wait to see how readers would respond... and respond they did. J August was the first to spout of, writing:

What a pile of hooey, whoever wrote it spent more time on the internet than in Cuba.
Majority of rooms are not in Northern Havana and there are 1.5 golf courses in all of Cuba, one 9 hole in Havana and one 18 hole in Varadero and Hemingway hung out at the Floridita

Pike obviously took the opportunity to retort the comments made by J August and a few others, and I can't thank him enough not only for taking some time off my hands but for engaging the audience further with his responsive piece. I could cut and paste it all for you hear but, as you just read, I enjoy taking time off my hands. So read his original report on Cuba here and catch his response to comments here, where you can see others have shared their opinion as well.

Is Anyone Here A Marine Biologist?

Staying on the topic of our Caribbean, Mexico and Latin America editor, another Pike report this week was on Cancun's beach recovery project, which will add tons of sand to the destination's shores. Sounds like a good idea, right? Not according to Andrew Seligman, who posted:

According to recent reports, by changing the shapes of the sand structures they risk the destruction of coral reefs and disruption of other marine life.

My brother was a biology major at Duke University and he concentrated somewhat in marine biology. So I'll check in with him to get his take and fill Andrew and Joe in about it later. But until then I can't say whether I think this beach project in Cancun is good or bad for the local habitat. But I will see that it seems like so many other environmental issues in that one solution may spawn another problem. For instance, solar power sounds like a fabulous idea for renewable energy that is eco-friendly. But mass usage would require tons of water, which could certainly intensify drought fears. On a lighter note, did anyone get my "Seinfeld" reference in the sub-headline?

What's Your Opinion on Cruise Rebates?

We asked our readers if they thought cruise rebating was getting better or worse, or staying the same in 2009 and as several voted, one shared their two cents. Azzouz Amirouche shared:

We only do it when we have to match a price. Most of the time we have the best price and amenities anyway thanks to our wonderful consortium, Signature travel network!

A nice enorsement for your consortium, Azzouz (BTW feel free to give your consortium a shoutout via comment here). As of now, the majority of voters appear cruise rebating is getting worse. Anyone disagree? Anyone agree but want to add some detail and clarity?

Words to Work by in 2010

As is to be expected, Ruthanne Terrero recently shared some encouraging words and sound advice for agents who are anxious to shrug off the rough patches that were in 2009 and look toward promising times in 2010. Her advice on setting a 2010 strategy struck a chord with one Dilworth E Daley, who commented:

I fully agree with all the words stated here. I will follow whats said here also.

Dilworth, I am sure Ruthanne appreciates your feedback. Please let us know about the success you find after following what was said. You can share it with us here, you can e-mail me at kcassels@questex.com, and you can share it with all of your peers at AgentNation, the online social community for all types of travel agents. While you're there, you can share some other tips of the trade with your peers and get some in return.

Until next week...

Kirk Cassels' Weekly Wrap of User Comments: November 16-20

Since the last time we last chatted, I've been a pretty busy guy. On Thursday, November 12 (my brother Sean Cassels' birthday— sorry buddy but I had to be somewhere), I flew down to Aruba and stayed at the Hyatt Regency Aruba Resort & Casino while covering Hyatt's Travel Agent Awards. Yes, I was in Aruba but it wasn't like I was splashing around in the Caribbean Sea the whole time. I took a property tour, seen in the video below, and am still working on my follow-up for the next print edition of Travel Agent.

Upon my return, I had to perform my civil duty by participating in the justice squad... that is attend jury duty for two days. Fortunately, being married to a legal marketer and the offspring of a doctor and nurse gave the lawyers plenty of reason to excuse me from a medical malpractice case (Attention patient: next time try medical tourism).

Now back in the chilly Northeast and away from near sequestration, I see that this whole Twilight New Moon is the big deal this weekend, Sarah Palin's book tour is mainstream media's dream come true, and professional sports should change the label on marijuana from recreational drug to performance enhancer as Cy Young-winner Tim Lincecum has been busted for possession of pot (not too long after Michael Phelps was caught smoking after winning eight gold medals at the 2008 Summer Olympics).

But as exhilarating as brawling teenage vampires and werewolves, former vice presidential candidates, and hippy athletes may be, we've got other topics to discuss here this week, so let's take a look.

Hate Them, Can't Leave Them

George Dooley's feature piece on airline fees and how they may lead to more disaster in the industry broached familiar territory for travel agents and their clients. One reader, John, shares a recent experience he had and touches on it to iterate his take on where airline baggage fees are leading us, saying:

I was on a flight a few weeks ago when a small passenger was trying to put a large heavy bag in the overhead bin. She lost control of it and injured another passenger who was seated under that spot. If she had been allowed to check that bag for free, the other passenger would not have been injured. I can see what is coming - weigh the passenger and all the bags and charge accordingly. That way everyone is paying their fare share. Run the airlines like a freight company - it cost so much per pound to transport from point A to point B. Charge what it actually costs, plus 15 percent profit and everyone will be happy.  Then the airlines can compete again on who has the best meals and best service.

I have to disagree with John's point that everyone will be happy. Something tells me only new problems would arise (especially for agents getting phone calls from clients complaining that they cannot board and that they feel fat). Meanwhile, he could be right about treating passengers like cargo. After all, United Airlines is implementing a pay-more-to-fly-if-you-are-fat policy while Ryanair customers are heavily in favor of a "fat tax" for obese passengers.

Stuck Between A Terminal & A Jetway

Continuing with the air travel and passenger theme, I'd like to address a comment made by Katy about the best airports for getting stranded. She asks:

Being a travel agent, this info will be helpful when choosing connection cities for my clients. Would you be able to expandy on this list and tell us more?

Katy, glad to help. For starters, click through the related story link about the 10 best and worst airports for sleeping, where you'll get more informatio about other airports.

From my personal experience, I can name two airports and one terminal where I've been stuck for awhile and was not destroyed by the experience. Chicago's O'Hare airport may be famous for delays, but its easy access to public transportation to the center of the city and back was quite convenient when I had a five-hour layover there back in 2004. With 90-minutes of roundtrip travel time, I was able to enter the Windy City and grab a beer while watching Bears fans throw a conniption over one Rex Grossman.

Meanwhile, as much as I understand many would not want to visit Philadelphia (I lived there for two years), it's airport is also easily accessible/departable via the city thanks to public transportation.

Finally, as much as New York's JFK is a living hell for some, JetBlue's Terminal 5 is pretty kick-ass. The free Wifi, array of shops and dining, the salon (in which I have not yet partaken but have heard good things) and the proximity of bar service near all gates was quite ideal as I journeyed to Aruba last week (granted the Bloody Mary the bartender comped me to bring on the plane my have slanted my judgment here).

But I am just on person, and I am not an agent, so what say you readers? Can you help Katy and I expand on this list of airports where it's not so bad to get stuck?

American Airlines, Anxiety & Angst

There were two stories we recently published that invovled American Airlines (AA) which received some interesting comments. This first was about the ongoing tussle between AA and Virgin Atlantic over Japan Airlines (JAL). I have no opinion on the matter, so I'm steering clear of who I would say is right or wrong in this situation. But it appears an AA employee, going by the name Ryan M, felt the need to state his company's case on the matter, writing:

Once again, Virgin’s comments are long on accusations and rhetoric and short on the facts. American is opposed to a Delta-Japan Airlines (JAL) tie-up for the same reason we are confident our transatlantic immunity application will be approved: to preserve and enhance competition.
SkyTeam with a Delta-JAL combination would account for nearly 60 percent of U.S.-Tokyo passengers, as opposed to oneworld’s approximate 44 percent share of U.S.-London passengers. AA and British Airways only account for about 40 percent of U.S.-U.K. traffic, whereas Delta-JAL would consolidate the positions of the two largest U.S.-Japan carriers with more than 60 percent share of U.S.-Japan passengers, leaving oneworld with just a 6 percent share.
The bottom line is we’re aiming to level the playing field for alliance competition in the transatlantic market and to prevent an unlevel field for alliance competition from evolving in the transpacific.

Ryan, it's an honor having your eyes perusing our site. I am not taking sides here, but I'll say I had a pleasant experience flying AA from New York to San Juan, Puerto Rico and then over to St. Thomas for my recent honeymoon before flying back from St. Thomas to Miami and then back up to New York (and yes, the Miami airport deserves its placement in the top five airports for getting stranded mentioned above), so if you want to help me out with another flight sometime I'd be very happy. I've never flown Virgin, if that helps persuade you :)

Another commentator had some curious words to share about AA, but they were not in defense of the airline nor about its competition with other carriers. This time, it was about the recent announcement that ARC and AA are going to develop a dupicate ID tool to avoid mishaps with overbooking flights. Sounds like an interesting idea, but for NYC Travel Agent it sounds a little Orwelian, sharing:

I'm very curious on how a fool-proof system will be created to make matches on duplicate bookings?Something tells me they will use their access to now-required APIS & Secure Flight data in order to create the cross-check ...legal use? Privacy matters?

I think something being so publicized and, hopefully, regulated could avoid trouble related to NYC Travel Agent's concerns, but I'm not industry expert and the only type of law I am adept at is communicaiton law (say whatever you want as long as it's true). Privacy concerns will never go away. Hardcore liberals accuse the government of using security as a reason to invade privacy whereas hardcore conservatives say healthcare reform will contribute to the removal of our civil liberties. But I think NYC Travel Agent is right in raising this issue right away. Does anyone else share his concern or, perhaps, think he/she is getting too paranoid like Mel Gibson in Conspiracy Theory?

What's In A Word?

Hurricane Ida has come and gone and seems to have been the worst of the season. It sadly killed hundreds in El Salvador before disrupting many cruise itineraries in the Gulf Coast region near Florida and Alabama. Our own Dave Eisen wrote about the subject, choosing "Hurricane Ida Wreaks Havoc Along Gulf Coast" as the headline, and one reader did not agree on the choice of verb and adjective. Paul Graber, commented:

I think the headline is sending out the wrong message.

Because Paul neglected to share what in the headline was wrong and what he thinks a better message would have been, it's not easy to answer this statement precisely. On one hand, I think anyone who was on those cruise ships or about to embark would consider trip cancelation and storm-battling havoc. On the other hand, when places like Panama City report that the storm left them "unscathed," then perhaps the headline was a tad dramatic. Still go you to read it though, right?

Crucon Cruise: Good or Bad?

In the last weekly wrap, I addressed Maria Jones' critical comments on the company and asked readers to reply in agreement with or in contrast against Ms. Jones. Peter Blank answered the call, stating:

I have found Leana and CruCon customer service to be responsive and especially quick to apply price reductions.

Thank you Peter for chiming in. We now have one for and one against the company, so who is going to jump in and be the tiebreacker in this rubber match of comments? Anyone? Anybody? Bueller?

BTW, YTB

Guess who's back?! Don't be surprised, YTB remains one of the more highly-contested topics of conversation round these parts of the Internet. So when Dooley reported on the company's third-quarter earnings (or lack thereof?), it was only a matter of moments for someone to chime in. And that someone was Jay, who asked:

Will someone please pull the plug on this scam?

It may take awhile Jay. Despite YTB's court troubles in California as well as in Illinois, it is likely not going away anytime soon. Fallout from court settlements can take forever (I know from experience as I await word on what's happening after Tishman Speyer lost its appeal of a class action lawsuit over rent stabilization in Stuyvesant Town neighborhood). Best of luck to all of us, eh?

Beauty Queen Babble

No, we're not talking about Sarah Palin's stint as a beauty queen contestant nor are we talking about Carrie Prejean's little display on Larry King, we are talking about Miss Texas USA Brooke Daniels. We have mentioned her a few times before as a result of her attendance at the Miss Spain contest in Cancun, and some people are ANGRY! Check the comments for yourself, because this latest one, posted by someonewhoknows, just has me confused:

I don't understand how people can judge from afar???? I wonder what they thought about the stockers who were obviously watching them the whole time.....you are just sad girls who dont have lifes!! Btw thier mother is beautiful and far from preggers!

I think someonewhoknows means stalkers, not stockers. That aside, as amusing as I find this I am confused as to a story can elicit such raw emotion from some commentators, which then only spawn more craziness. But I'm not going to complain, it makes this part of me week that more interesting. Anyone else want to throw some turpentine on this brush fire?

Thanks to the Thanksgiving holiday, I won't be writing the Weekly Wrap next week so we'll be in touch again later in the month. Until then, don't forget to keep these conversations and topics of discussion going in real time at AgentNation, the only social community online that is for all kinds of travel agents and professionals. Log in and/or sign up today.

Kirk Cassels' Weekly Wrap of User Comments: October 26-31

Happy Halloween to all! The best part about this Saturday's holiday is the extra hour we get for celebrating. But before we get our costumes on, let's take a look at what some of Travel Agent readers had to say this week.

Permitting Plugs for Progress

Every week, some submitted comments are nothing but attempts to leverage traffic to a website or shamelessly promote a brand. Usually, I click "disapprove" and move on to the next comment, hoping it's not another one that evokes YTB and God's judgment all in one sentence. But this week, I received one that may or may not be of use to agents, and I'd like to share it.

Before I regurgitate the quote, however, I should say (as I have before) that I am not a certified travel professional or agent. I do my best to keep my ear open to the buzz I hear around my office as well as what I find online. So when one reader commented on a piece about how vacation rentals may benefit agents' sales, I felt it was worth sharing. Sylvia Guarino commented:

A new tool now exists for property/rental managers. The innovative Facebook application, Second Porch, now allows PM's to list. The Porchlight on Second Porch listing gives property managers the ability to list 10 homes...and if they want more they can contact Second Porch for special prices to list more. Also an owner can direct their home listing inquiries to a PM and be cc'd. In this economy, vacation rental owners and vacation rental managers need all the help that they can get in obtaining bookings!

Though it seems this Second Porch thing-a-ma-bob is not directed toward agents, perhaps it can still be of use for them. It may be an intial platform through which agents can connect with property managers who are looking to fill their establishments with guests— guests that could very well be your clients. If vacation rentals are a relatively new or alternative means for agents to obtain more sales, can it hurt to check this one out? Just asking.

Le Sommeil est Bon

While some of you may take advantage of the "fall back" hour of time this week to party with ghosts, some may rather get some extra shut eye, and who can blame them? After all, a recent Westin survey stated that some travelers would rather get an incredible night's sleep instead of some great sex. I bet Bob Smith, who commented on our story about new boutique hotels in Paris, is one of those travelers. He wrote:

Thank you Mary for this great review. Always amazed by the mix of novelty & chic that Paris upscale hotels can offer. Also very intrigued by the NightCove 'Sleep Support System' you mention. If hotels can help me sleep better with an excellent mattress + a light & sound sleep system, this is a win!

Now I'm not saying that I think Bob can't get any nooky, I'm just saying he must really really like sleep. So enjoy that extra hour this weekend, sir.

A Tad on Twitter

Last week, I enjoyed sharing a conversation-via-comments here on the site that was based on Ruthanne Terrero's piece on how to best utilize Twitter for your business. One of Ruthanne's tips was on using tiny URLs to save character space while getting your message across with more information. It seems that Bruno Ribeiro has an alternative suggestion for a tiny URL, writing:

Excellent article. I would just change the reference from tinyurl for http://bit.ly. Bit.ly not only shortens the url (and has less characters then tinyurl) has it allows you to see click trough stats, which can be useful to see if you're indeed reaching your followers.
I think sharing (tweets or links) is one of the best things you can do on Twitter (insight being the best one). In our company's Twitter profile (@DouroAzul) we try to share info and articles on the Douro Valley region as well as to engage with actual or prospective customers, or travelers who are or plan to come to Porto and the Douro.

Anyone out there tried both methods and prefer one to the other? Let us know, please.

Come Together

JoyStar has not been the most popular topic of conversation here at Travel Agent and, for those who are aware of the history, that's quite understandable. So although I do not know exactly what it is like to be an agent that has been screwed over by the host agency, I still sympathize with the frustration shared by one reader, who goes by the name R. He/she shared:

I worked for Joystar at their 'headquarters' for a number of years not because I liked the job BUT because it was better than no job at the time. They not only stiffed the agents, but they robbed the employees as well. I was unaware of the bankruptcy until August of this year and wish I had known of it. I have some knowledge that possibly could have helped the agents get their money back.
I left joystar because both Kathy and Bill are cheats and liars who spent more time partying and playing than trying to run a business. I witnessed this first-hand!
For those of you still in the industry, be advised this is NOT the first time Bill Alverson has pulled this scam on the travel industry at large - He has the big million dollar home in Newport Beach, house in Park City, Utah and other toys to prove it.
My question is: Why has not anyone hired a top notch PI to get the goods on them, The trail is there is someone would just look!
I would be great to have a forum where all of us could talk directly versus individual posts. If such a place exists, I would like to go there and possibly get answers...
If anyone is willing to engage in this please let me know and I can provide contact info. Thanks!

R, I feel for you. At my last job (which will remain nameless), I was there because I didn't want to not have a job. Although I didn't have anything stolen from me, I do know that one of my managers would read employee e-mails while my other manager would tell me not he "preferred" I didn't use vacation days during summers, and then he would go take a two-week trip in July.

Fortunately, I had many friends and peers to network with to help get me out of there while also improving my skills (which for reasons that will remain unmentioned were certainly not going to develop at that place). R, there are people here for you too. They are here reading the message boards and they are also at AgentNation, the only social community online for all kinds of travel agents. In fact, there is even a specific group for JoyStar agents to connect and come together on what the next best step is to take. Hopefully, you can find what you are looking for there. I know I mention it every week, but if you sign up or log in today you'll be able to communicate with fellow agents in real-time, 24/7.

Enjoy your tricks and treats!

Kirk Cassels' Weekly Wrap of User Comments: September 7 - 11

There's a lot of wind and rain in New York City today— as if spirits are flying and crying at the same time. As our country continues to move on from the September 11, 2001 tragedy, we must never forget the day and the people affected. So today, I'd like to publicy remember Tyler Ugolyn, an All-American high school basketball player and a world-class friend to me and so many others. Ty had a way of making many of us smile and laugh, even during the toughest of times. So as much as I did not wake this morning in the snarkiest of moods, it's time to have some fun with the comments some of our readers posted this week. Love and miss you, #34.

More Messing with Miss Texas

In July, Miss Texas USA Brooke Daniels traveled down to Cancun in Mexico to assist in the Miss Spain contest, which had been moved south this year because of the economic strain of production at home. While many at the pageant were appreciative of Daniels' support, it appears that several readers were not that impressed with her (or her sister)— inclusing Lisa Laney, who commented:

I was there also and the sister was knocking the drinks down and she is def not 21. Oh, in Mexico I guess it is OK! Mama don't care. THey were all wearing loads of makeup and you could tell the hair was fake. Sister is desperate.

ME-OW! The Daniels girls must have done something outrageous, because this isn't the first time that aggressive comments were posted about them. Seeing that no one has come to the defense of the beauty queen and her sister, one must wonder if they were stand-up representatives of their state and country.

I Lost My Hotel Rate in San Francisco

This economic downturn has consumers and travel professionals scouring for and obsessing about the best rates and bargains one can find, and I don't blame them. So when Carole inquired about some discrepancies between information she found and information George Dooley shared in an article about the top 10 wallet-friendly hotels in the country, I empathize with her concern. She wrote:

not sure were you got the info for the Orchard garden hotel, San Fran. but i checked the rates and for Oct. they start @ $296.00. is there a special site for these rates?

As much as I empathize, Carole, I must point out the George cites from where he got the information (TravelPost) in the very first sentence of the story. Also, perhaps travel to San Francisco is in higher demand in October when compared to the spring. After all, the month of October brings the San Francisco Jazz Festival to town, along with Fleet Week, 49ers games, Giants games, and more. I bet that's got something to do with the price difference.

The War Against the Machines Rages On

Anytime someone posts a comment about the competition between human travel agents and online travel agencies I get excited because it gives me an excuse to drop a sci-fi cinema reference, as I have in the past with The Terminator and Transformers. So this week, I'm just going to share the trailer for the upcoming Bruce Willis movie, The Surrogates, which looks kind of cool.

And now back to the comments.

When reading about the competition between travel agents and online tour sellers, Vijay Rimal, a tour operator from Nepal, shares some encouraging words for agents, saying:

Being a tour operator i think online sale is good for the customers, but there is risk factor, might be the customer will not have when they land in their destination. So passenger must verify the agent.

Although Vijay is just one person (at least I assume), it's good to see that U.S. agents aren't the only ones analyzing the benefits that a human brings to the table when planning a trip for clients.

Meanwhile (although the story isn't necessarily about competition between humans and machines), a recent article about positive data from an online travel agency, as well as an online travel platform, that hints that the demand for leisure travel is increasing, struck a chord with a reader named treebadger, who shared:

it's got to be all inclusive nowadays, great article

With the peace-of-mind and value that all-inclusive resorts can provide these days, it's hard to disagree with Mr./Ms. treebadger, especially when an all-inclusive operator such as Sandals is expanding. Hopefully, it will be more than all-inclusives that soon begin to rebound out of the recession. And yes, although I am subjective, it is a great article. You can always count on Dooley to deliver solid industry reports, and we are going to miss Alexia Dellner, who interned with us for months before returning to her homeland in Sweden.

As always, you can discuss these topics and more in real time at AgentNation, the only social community online for ALL types of travel agents. Sign up or log in now!

See you next week, friends.