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Special Editorial
Volunteers Needed
(www.TravelProfessionalsNetwork.com)
The Travel Professionals
Network is looking for volunteers to go through the
application process. Travel Professionals Network is the
agent initiative to separate professional travel agents from
all of the rest. Those that volunteer will be awarded
founding member status and there will be absolutely no
charge. All that TPN is looking for is feedback on the
completeness and functionality of the process itself. Take
advantage of this opportunity and send an email with the
word "Volunteer" in the subject line to
TPNApplication@yahoo.com
New Articles Just Added
Airline Bankruptcies, Fuel Prices and You:
Which major airline faces a 50% chance of going bankrupt by the
end of 2008 according to 247WallSt.com? Here is a must-read
article for every travel agent that sells airline tickets on how
to avoid getting caught up in airline failures and the financial
consequences.
Niche Cruises and the Future for Cruise
Professionals: Larry Dessler of the Niche Cruise Marketing Alliance (NCMA) did
a presentation at the Cruise-A-Thon in Vancouver that was right
on the money. Read how niche cruise products are the way to your
future profitability.
An
Interview With Larry Dessler of the NCMA:
After watching
Larry Dessler's presentation at Cruise-A-Thon in Vancouver, I wanted to
interview him regarding the obvious opportunities NCMA offers cruise
professionals. Larry agreed and here it is. The only reason that you wouldn't
read this interview and take its advice is that you are already making too much
money and don't need any more.
Marketing Special Groups on YouTube.com:
Here is an excellent article with Karen Dawson CTC, CTIE about her success at
marketing a cooking tour to the U.K. on YouTube.com. This is very interesting
reading and will get your imagination going about the opportunities.
New Educational Opportunities
Hawaii's Big Island Specialist Program:
Sponsored by the Hawaii
Visitors and Convention Bureau, agents can earn their Big Island Specialist
designation for free and enjoy numerous benefits.
C.O.S.T.A. Specialist Program: Offered by
Costa Cruise Line this specialist program offers many rich benefits including a
3% bonus commission for the first year after earning the C.O.S.T.A. Specialist
designation.
Macau Specialist Program: The Macau
Government Tourist Office is offering travel agents the opportunity to earn the
Macau Specialist designation. Agents that complete this training will be invited
on a Macau Government familiarization program.
Oahu Specialist Program: Agents can earn
this valuable designation offered by
the Oahu Visitors Bureau and
Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau. The cost is free and there are numerous
benefits once the designation is earned.
Korea Specialist Program: The
Korea Tourism Organization is
offering this free designation, which offers numerous benefits to designees
including invitations to fam trips and other discounts.
Nexion
Host Agency
Interview
I had the opportunity to run
into Jackie Friedman of Nexion at Cruise-A-Thon in Vancouver
and sat with Jackie for an interview on what was new at
Nexion. Check it out if you ever thought about pursuing
Nexion as your host agency. Click
HERE to read the
interview.
NEW!
Domain Names For Sale
HomeBasedTravelAgent.com has
added a new feature this month. If you are looking to
acquire a high quality travel domain name, or sell one,
check out the list of domain names for sale.
Domain Names For Sale
New From
HomeBasedTravelAgent.com
Every week I get telephone
calls and e-mail from folks looking for recommendations for this host agency or that one. Look, I will not
say anything negative about any host agency, but I do offer
a list of recommended host agencies and am going to make the
above logo available to companies that I can recommend in
confidence. So when you are looking at host agencies (or
other companies) look for this logo. There is no way anyone
can buy the use of it, they con only earn the right to use
it by performance and satisfied travel agents. If you would
like to use this logo on your site and are on my list of
host agencies, just drop me an e-mail and I will make sure
that you get it.
Odds and Ends
TAUnite.com is a website/forum that was
created to allow travel agents an independent and free resource to connect with
travel agent suppliers and vice-versa. As the number of home based agents
continue to grow, with many agents new to the industry, a new vehicle was
created to allow agents the opportunity to ask questions of suppliers in an open
format, and allow them also to learn from other questions that have already been
answered. Visit it at www.TAUnite.com.
Travel Affiliate Marketing
What's it all about? The
travel industry is going through another paradigm that will
affect us all. Contextual advertising, affiliate marketing
and pay for performance selling in the travel industry is
booming and if you are not cashing in on it, you need to
understand it and act now.
Tom's new book "Home
Based Travel Affiliate" will show you the
opportunities that all travel professionals have to cash in
on the burgeoning travel affiliate market. Virtually every
travel supplier has affiliate programs that pay handsomely
and by joining one of the advertiser publisher networks you
can achieve the same (or better) results that Tom has. Click
Here for more
information.
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