Unless you are living under a rock, you know about the latest airline screw up. United oversold a flight and needed seats for their crew to staff another plane at the destination. The solution United came up with (as all airlines will do) is to bounce a few passengers. Where United differed was that, for some still yet unexplained reason, they decided to forcibly remove one passenger causing injury and embarrassment to both the passenger and the company. We can follow along with the unfolding saga and will ultimately find out what truly happened. But all that aside, there is another valuable lesson to be learned…

Until now the letters B-T-E stood for my first sales book, “Become the Exception.” It was written to remind travel professionals they needed to stand out and position themselves as the go-to source for arranging travel.

In our “me-too” industry when you see one travel-related website, you see them all. When you visit one brochure-adorned travel agency, you’ve been there and done that. When you meet one bored and over-taxed travel agent, the stage is set for the next two-dozen. What is a motivated, interested, sincere, focused and energized travel professional to…

True story: I once asked directions from a man I met in Dublin.  I asked him how to get to a particular address in the city.  He told me, and I quote, “You can’t get there from here.”  For a moment, however brief, I thought all was lost.

Many of your clients feel the same way. They can’t travel because it costs too much.  They can’t travel because they don’t have passports. They can’t travel because they are afraid of terrorism, norovirus, foreigners, all things German, and strange food. They need some new appliances. Really!

No, not really. In reality, they can’t travel because of you.  They don't think they can get there from here. Listen.  It's your job to…

Terri Burke (MCC, CTC) has an extensive and varied travel background spanning over 30 years.  Her travel industry career began as a frontline agent and includes executive positions with supplier and retail industry leaders including Norwegian Cruise Line, Holland America, Cruise Planners/American Express, AAA National and the Globus family of brands. As part of her travel industry career, she has successfully developed and coordinated two award-winning online travel agent universities and is a champion of travel industry education and accreditation.  Through the Avalon Waterways Specialist program, Burke inspired travel professionals to become certified with this important online river cruise training…