| December 3, 2008 | News for travel agents |
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| Business and Industry Watch |  |  |
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- Drop in air travel demand prompts Delta to cut capacity
Delta Air Lines locked in capacity cuts of up to 8% for next year after demand in November proved to be much lower than previously expected. Delta isn't the only airline reacting to the decline in demand. Southwest's fleet won't grow next year for the first time in the carrier's 35-year history. Continental Airlines plans to retire 30 Boeing 737s while adding just 19 new planes. USA TODAY
(12/2)       
- Travel industry keeps an eye on situation in Thailand
Now that the weeklong siege of Bangkok's two largest airports by anti-government protesters has ended, travel and tourism representatives are watching to see how the industry will be affected. "From everything we heard, it appears as though everything is getting settled there, but you can never tell with these things," said Leslie Seden, president of AER World Tours. "Now, we just have to wait and see how every[thing] turns out." Travel Agent Central
(12/2)
- British Airways in merger talks with Qantas
In an effort to weather the economic storm, British Airways and Qantas are discussing a possible merger. Justin Urquhart Stewart, an analyst at Seven Investment Management, said a merger between BA and Qantas could be a logical step. "There are great economies of scale between them in terms of sharing routes and equipment," Stewart said. "They would complement each other very nicely indeed and, of course, take out competition on the route." The Australian
(12/3)
 | Our special thanks to you
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| Energy Observer | | |
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- Cruise lines' fuel surcharges frustrate agents, cruisers
When gas cost around $4 per gallon, travel agents and their clients said they understood why cruise lines were assessing fuel surcharges. Now that gas has dipped below $2 a gallon, cruisers and agents are wondering when the surcharges will be fully lifted. "The fuel surcharge is very much a thorn in my side," said Michael Hennes of Ask About Travel. "I live in California and just filled up my tank at $1.89 per gallon. During the summer, I was paying over $4 a gallon for gas. My costs have dropped by 50% for fuel. I know the cruise lines are still trying to protect themselves. Why don't they just raise the base fare?" Travel Weekly
(12/2)
| Trends and Technology | | |
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- Column: Agencies' Web sites evolve to prove that content rules
Greg Kott, president and CEO of Passport Online, discusses the evolution of travel agencies' Web sites and how agents can either help or hurt themselves with their online presence. He offers examples of interesting, informative sites, explains tools available and offers suggestions for building and maintaining a site. TravelPulse
(12/2)
| Consumer Travel News | | |
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- Uruguay's Juanico region becomes oenophile destination
Consisting of mostly family-run vineyards, Uruguay's Juanico region is becoming a popular destination for wine tourism. "All the wineries in our wine tourism association export their wines, which guarantees excellent quality," explains Wine Roads coordinator Ana Ines Motta. "Visitors can take organized winery tours from Montevideo, rent a car or hire a private car and driver who will take them on a self-directed tour of the vineyards. Many vacationers also like to combine winery visits with golfing and trips to the beach on the eastern seacoast." Los Angeles Times
(11/25)
| Regulatory and Legislative | | |
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- DOT may allow passengers to sue airlines in state courts
The Transportation Department is proposing a rule that would make a carrier's contract of carriage govern how airlines treat their passengers when they are delayed on the tarmac. The rule would effectively enable passengers to sue the carrier in a state court. The DOT is taking comments about the proposal. Travel Weekly
(12/1)
- Biometric data could make metal detectors obsolete
An Israeli security expert says stocking feet and metal detectors could soon be a thing of the past, because "'brain-fingerprinting,' or technology which checks for behavioral intent, is much more developed than we think." Omer Laviv says Israeli technology companies are developing sensors that read such bodily functions as heart rate and respiration for signs of emotional stress. One company is experimenting with flashing subliminal messages across a video screen, then measuring passengers' biometric response to the stimulus. The U.S. Transportation Security Administration is funding some of the research. CNN
(12/2)
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| Best Practices | | |
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- Breakthrough leaders innovate -- not replicate
Most directors of leading global companies agree that innovation is critical for their long-term success, and pressing questions include how to sustain innovation and how to develop future leaders to move the company toward its goals. An extensive review of 25 organizations in multiple industries shows that instead of remaining innovative, most companies develop leaders who only replicate past strategies -- for a variety of reasons. Harvard Business Review
(12/2008)
| ASTA Spotlight | | |
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ASTA answers your ESTA questions
ASTA's Government Affairs department has written an FAQ in the form of question and answer about the ESTA program to help you understand it better. The ESTA application Web site is available in 16 languages and includes a help section that provides additional information for VWP travelers to guide them through the application process. Additional information about ESTA may be found here.
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Travel agents: Choose several ways to experience best of South Africa
Explore South Africa at the International Destination Expo, March 8 to 11 in Sun City, the only event dedicated to destination training! Choose from more than 50 provincial packages offering safaris, cultural tours, wine tours, animal sanctuary visits, hiking/biking tours, shark cage diving and more. The provincial packages are filling up quickly! Each includes land transportation, a two-night hotel stay and a tour. Register online by Dec. 21 to receive our early-bird discount and your choice of provincial packages!
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