by John Frenaye
Monday August 31, 2015

Times have changed. There used to be a time when travel professionals went home with red smudges on their hands, welcomed and lauded by the travel suppliers. Not so much any more. If nothing else, today’s travel professional is a survivor. There have been countless times when the industry has been pronounced dead—or at least put on life support. Heck, even President Obama dissed us a few years back. But we learned how to survive. Some of it was trial and error; much of it was sheer determination and planning. We were told to nichify (yes, I invented that word) and we did. We were told that to compete against Travelocity, Expedia, and Orbitz, we needed to add value to the equation and eschew…

I received an email from an old friend and business associate this week that brought to light two important business lessons. I would like to share them both with you today.

We had lost touch along the way and after a year of futile attempts trying to contact him, his email came in via "Linkedin " This is an online networking personal database based on the "who-you-know" theory of success.

by Richard Earls
Sunday August 30, 2015

For many travel professionals, social marketing and media has proven its worth. Those who have succeeded using Facebook, Twitter and the like to generate business are actively engaged  by being both creative and authentic. No doubt, the fundamental marketing tactics of local, community oriented public relations, networking, and advertising are far more important and necessary to most travel agents than any social marketing efforts will ever be. However, layer your social marketing tactics on top of a solid foundation of fundamentals and truly excellent results can be the order of the day.

What works? First, narrow your social marketing platforms to one or two and then become an expert. Once you decide on a media choice, make a study of…

Rich Heller is currently the Marine Operations Manager for G Adventures and has been a member of the company's marine programs since 2006. During his near-decade with G Adventures, Rich has had the opportunity to visit some of the world’s most remote and beautiful destinations, usually by boat. With years of experience guiding and supporting tours in the Antarctic and Southeast Asia, Rich brings a mix of field experience and passion for wildlife, remote destinations, and shipping that collectively assists G Adventures to create life-changing experiences for its travelers and partner communities around the globe.

Travel Research Online (TRO): What motivated you to pursue a career in the travel industry?

Rich Heller (RH):  In college, I studied business and international development, but by the time I graduated, I had one of those moments where you ask yourself: “What do I want to do with my life?” Initially, a healthy dose of wanderlust and a desire to travel drove me to pursue a career in travel, but as I looked into it, I realized more and more the connections between my educational background and tourism…