by John Frenaye
Monday August 24, 2015

Last week, Travel Weekly published the results of the 2015 Consumer Trends survey. Any agent worth their salt, should take some time to read the results, and adjust their business accordingly; or at least see if their business needs adjusting. The topic that caught my eye was that consumers say they will be (or have been) taking shorter vacations—quick getaways, versus the 7-night or longer trips. I can concur with that from my own experience and have adjusted my business to meet that need.

I have a niche agency and have been specializing in single parent travel for more than a decade when the first “specialize, specialize, specialize” mantra was uttered. It has worked very well for me. While I certainly have to know my…

This is the first of four marketing tips devoted to FREE press coverage.

Often, it is not a dearth of ideas that may be slowing you down, but the technical details of submitting the press release.

I will address seven frequently asked questions over the next four…

by Richard Earls
Sunday August 23, 2015

Mike Marchev has a saying every travel agent should repeat each day: "Your clients are somebody else's prospects."  With others in the marketplace vying for the attention of your clients, it is important for you to consider exactly how accessible the public perceives your travel business. Accessibility is sum of the characteristics that makes you easy to remember, easy to find, approachable, likable, and worthy of trust. Each of these elements are wrapped up in your approach to the market and should be given fair consideration as you position your company in your community.

The public's perception of your accessibility is shaped by how often they see your brand and the brand image you project. If the elements of your branding indicate a…

Cindy Mitchell is the Concierge Director at Rental Escapes - her passion, interest, and experience in the Travel and Tourism industry drove her to focus on VIP and concierge services. She loves thinking outside the box to exceed her clients’ expectations of what their vacation can become.

Travel Research Online (TRO): How did you find yourself pursuing a career in the travel?

Cindy Mitchell (CM): I have always loved to travel and wanted to have a career where I was working with the public. Travel seemed to be the perfect fit. It is the type of job that everyone you work with is in a great frame of mind and the guests are always excited about their future travel plans…