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Monday February 09, 2015 |
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DestinationsMorocco, From Coast to DesertA seven-day journey turns up a kaleidoscope of centuries-old souks, dusty colonial-era outposts, livestock markets and luxury… Mauritius wildlife holiday: beyond the beaches and luxury hotels This Indian Ocean island is known for its beaches and luxurious hotels, but John Gimlette heads into the interior for a family adventure and finds the spectacular volcanic landscape filled with extraordinary… 9 reasons to visit Oman Yes, the country has deserts, but it also has fjords, mountains, canyons, waterfalls, incredible views and ancient…  Tours and ActivitiesWhere to eat in Hong Kong: Join the queue for a culinary roller-coasterThe formalities of hotel dining usually run on the same well-trodden lines – what you might call the César Ritz lines. You walk to the entrance and a well-mannered, agreeably dressed member of staff swoops in and leads you, usually with the solemnity of a cardinal, to your table; which is usually covered in a thick, off-white cloth and all the other glinting appurtenances of fine… Riding holidays: From Wales to the Wild West A riding holiday offers unlimited opportunity for adventure, whether you want to gallop past giraffes in the Okavango Delta or round-up cattle in the Rockies. For those who have ridden before, a holiday on horseback brings new challenges in unfamiliar and often dramatic… 10 wacky U.S. restaurants If you're considering going to Olive Garden again, stop right now and consider these 10 wacky…  CruiseCruise News Shorts: Get Married at Sea with MSC, Cunard Gets Jazzy, Great Viking Bake OffCunard teams up with Blue Note; MSC launches legal at-sea weddings and Viking sponsors Mary… Photo tour: The luxury of a Silversea ship Thinking about a luxury cruise for your next vacation? Our latest Cruise Ship Tour, in the carousel above, offers a deck-by-deck look at one of the most elegant vessels at sea, the 296-passenger Silver…  TransportationAirlines cancel flights as another snowstorm hits NortheastAnother Monday and another winter storm is causing problems for air travelers. A massive storm is dumping snow and ice throughout the Northeast… Northern lights shine on Icelandair plane It's a treat to witness the astronomical phenomenon known as the aurora borealis, or northern lights, but you have to travel to the right part of the world at the right time to see…  LodgingTop 10: best spa hotels in the south of EnglandA guide to 10 of the best spa hotels in the south of England, featuring fabulous pools, intense massage, Ayurvedic treatments and aromatherapy… 2015 Travelers' Choice Hotel winners announced! 13th annual awards showcase more than 8,000 winning properties from around the…  Other and OddRio de Janeiro beach theft risesBeach thefts have increased on Rio de… Don't Touch This: Combating Travel's Riskiest Germs Zones In a perfect world, a magical bubble of vacation immunity would protect us all from getting a trip-ruining…  Today in HistoryJohn Quincy Adams becomes PresidentIn the Presidential election of 1824, none of the four candidates received a majority of the electoral… Editorial Musings
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is fierce out there. Not only are we competing with the travel agency down the road, we are competing with the one across the globe. We are competing with the big, bad Internet. And, we are even competing with our “valued partners” who are still leveraging their direct to consumer sales. So, how does a small agency (or a large one for that matter) compete in today’s market? Easy! 
Do you feel comfortable when asking your customers, "How was your experience with us?" You should be. But, I am betting that you aren’t. The reason for that is you are afraid you might hear something you don’t want to hear.Yet, the truth of the matter is that you are in total control of this scenario. It is entirely up to you to make your clients, customers and guests feel very special.
ve written articles about how travel professionals can learn from really good companies and industries. An incident over the past week, however, reminds me of how much we have to learn from companies whose sense of customer satisfaction was apparently developed in a vacuum. On a positive note, because most consumers have to deal frequently with these bungled attempts at customer service, the cosmic bar has been lowered and good customer service is a very welcomed change you can deliver on with surprising ease. Nevertheless, it is worthwhile to briefly study some good examples of bad examples:
