| November 16, 2009 | News for travel agents |
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| Business and Industry Watch |  | |
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- Cruise lines' offerings sway even most reluctant clients
More than 1,300 travel agencies held World's Largest Cruise Night events this year, resulting in roughly $45 million in sales. The successful sales push adds to agents' optimism over cruise sales, which is one of the industry's most reliable segments. To help with sales, cruise lines are offering a variety of deals, new ships and other incentives, making it a great time to be selling cruises. Travel Agent
(11/13)
     
- Asia expected to lead recovery in business travel
Travel industry observers, suppliers and international groups say that China, India and other emerging Asian economies will likely be among the first to see recovery in business travel. Some markets, including those in Latin America, Africa and the Middle East, have already seen an uptick in air traffic. Europe, on the other hand, continues to lag. The Transnational
(11/12)
- Luxury hotels continue to pop up across Caribbean islands
Developers in the Caribbean appear to believe that if they build it, tourists will come. Despite significant challenges to the global economy as well as the economy in the Caribbean, luxury hotels with lavish spas, large suites and infinity pools are being developed on many of the area's islands. Airlines and tourism boards are helping keep the tone optimistic by adding flights and activities. The New York Times
(11/15)
- Analysis: BA-Iberia merger likely to lead to major changes
Comparing the route maps of British Airways and Iberia, it's obvious that the airlines have few overlapping flights and their merger presents many opportunities. According to this analysis, the deal could make it easier for passengers to book flights in the short term. In the long term, however, passengers may see some changes that are not so beneficial. The Times (London)
(11/13)
| Trends and Technology | | |
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- Caribbean remains top-selling cruise destination, poll finds
A poll of roughly 1,000 home-based travel agents and franchise owners found that the Caribbean remains the top cruise destination. While more than 75% of the survey respondents said Caribbean cruises sold the best in the third quarter, 58% said the Caribbean is the most requested destination for travelers interested in a cruise next year. Travel Weekly
(11/16)
- Column: Some types of clients can be extremely frustrating
Columnist John Frenaye explains that there are three types of clients he finds irritating. For example, he wonders why some would-be travelers ask questions to which they already know the answer. He also says that trying to please some clients is an exercise in frustration. Finally, clients who ask for advice and then do nothing about it frustrate Frenaye. He wonders how other travel agents deal with these types of clients. Travel Research Online
(11/14)
| Consumer Travel News | | |
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| Regulatory and Legislative | | |
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- U.S. warns about continued al-Qaida threats in Germany
Al-Qaida threats against German interests mentioned the country's federal elections in September, but the terrorist group continues to make threats against the country. The situation has prompted the U.S. State Department to issue a Travel Alert for Germany. Read the alert. TravelPulse
(11/16)
- Real ID "on life support" following Senate budget vote
The Senate's 2010 budget bill for the Department of Homeland Security slashes funding for the Real ID program by 40%, proving "there isn't any love for Real ID on Capitol Hill," according to an analyst at the Cato Institute. But despite widespread political opposition, Real ID "isn't dead yet," says the executive director of the World Privacy Forum. One possible reason: Lawmakers fear a vote to kill the program entirely will make them appear soft on national security. Computerworld
(11/16)
| Best Practices | | |
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- Ask questions before turning to technological solutions for low sales
Before throwing technology at a problem, an organization must make sure that its core sales processes are in order. Contemplate whether you are seeking to bring automation to an already-productive process or whether you are viewing the technology as a panacea for resolving more fundamental problems in your sales operation. Selling Power (free registration)
(11/9)
| ASTA Spotlight | | |
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ASTA's job board
ASTA and the Travel Staffing Group (HotTravelJobs.com) power ASTA's job board on ASTA.org. The board offers ASTA members the chance to post job opportunities at a discounted rate and find the next generation of travel professionals. Employers can post jobs for 30 days on the site for the discounted ASTA member rate of $99. For $179, ASTA members can post a job opening for 30 days and also have access to the national resume database. Visit the job board now and start posting or looking for a new job!
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Member benefit spotlight
Now there are 50 new online benefits such as RSS feeds that help you get current news and information from ASTA headquarters and fellow members right to your desktop. RSS, which stands for Really Simple Syndication, is an easy way to keep up with your favorite news and information. An RSS feed contains headlines, summaries and links to full articles and other content on www.ASTA.org. Currently, ASTA provides RSS feeds for press releases, member alerts, consumer leads and postings on WebExchange. An RSS reader will keep you updated, as long as the reader is running on your computer, with any updates that occur. Click here for more information about RSS feeds or to sign up for this free service.
| Editor's Note | | |
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Poll: Do you use a travel agent when booking a trip?
Look out for the ASTA SmartBrief Year-End Report on Dec. 8 and 15. The results of this poll will appear in Part 2 on Dec. 15.
 | Yes, all the time. |
| Yes, but only when I take complicated and longer trips. |
| No, but it's a good idea. |
| No, I like planning and booking my own trips. |
| I'm a travel agent! |
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 | Nothing is so contagious as enthusiasm."
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| | Recent ASTA SmartBrief Issues:
- Friday, November 13, 2009
- Thursday, November 12, 2009
- Wednesday, November 11, 2009
- Tuesday, November 10, 2009
- Monday, November 09, 2009
| | | Lead Editor: Angela Giroux-Scheide
Contributing Editor: Bridget Lux | Nancy Fonti
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