| February 12, 2013 | News for travel agents |
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| Business and Industry Watch |  |  |
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- Royal Caribbean unveils cruise schedules for summer 2014
Royal Caribbean International has unveiled its cruise program for summer 2014, which will include Caribbean voyages launching out of Bayonne, N.J.; Port Canaveral, Fla.; and Baltimore. The ships that will operate these sailings will include the Grandeur of the Seas, fresh from a renovation. It will launch out of Baltimore on seven-night cruises to Bermuda or the Bahamas. TravelPulse
(2/10)      
- Part of Hong Kong's new cruise port is set for June opening
The first half of a $1 billion cruise ship terminal in Hong Kong will open in June, and many say it will reshape the city as a cruise destination. The terminal will include five passenger bridges and 100 check-in stations. Its customs facilities will be able to process about 3,000 travelers per hour. Travel Weekly
(2/8)
 | ezBook: One Click to Grow Your Commissions
ezBook by ABC™, our advanced hotel booking engine, leverages three decades of relationships with hoteliers around the globe. It gives you instant access to comprehensive hotel room inventory, all rate types, flexibility to mark up rates and a faster, easier way to collect commissions. Take advantage of the benefits ezBook offers. Register at www.ezbook.travel |
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| Trends and Technology | |  |
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- Travel agents rushed to rescue clients amid blizzard
Travel agents found their skills put to the test during the massive snowstorm that tore through parts of the Northeast over the weekend, this feature says. With lessons learned from the recent Superstorm Sandy, agents proactively contacted their clients on the road to either persuade them to cut trips short or reroute them to avoid the storm, this feature says. TravelMarketReport.com
(2/11)
| Travel Weekly Spotlight | | |
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- Three months after Sandy, travel still feeling business impact
Although the ravages of Hurricane Sandy had a devastating initial impact on the travel industry, delayed or canceled vacations appear to have created pent-up demand that is now working to the benefit of sun-and-sand spots in Mexico and the Caribbean. Still, the lingering impact of the storm on travel remains a mixed bag.
| Home-Based Agent Update | | |
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- Column: Closing the sale requires little effort, with the right mind-set
Travel agents who present themselves as consultants rather than salespeople will find that closing a sale becomes a foregone conclusion initiated by clients themselves, without need for added pressure from the agent, Richard Earls writes. "In an appropriately structured relationship, we are not selling anything, so there is no sale to close. In the relationship paradigm, there is no pressure to buy other than the pressure of the consequences of not buying," Earls writes. Travel Research Online
(2/11)
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- Quirky attractions still thrive in Singapore
Spotless, structured Singapore still harbors a number of refreshingly quirky attractions steeped in the country's diverse cultural roots, this feature says. Haw Par Villa, for instance, offers sculptures depicting traditional Chinese values and the punishments that await the sinful in the afterlife. Mustafa Centre draws crowds with its array of items for sale, including Indonesian sarongs and flashy wristwatches. The Washington Post
(2/7)
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| Best Practices | | |
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| Small-Business Strategies | | |
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- 4 ways to expand your business
Expand your business by entering a new geographic area, introducing a new product, solving customers' related problems or searching for new customer groups. One example of the last tactic is the clothing retailer Gap, which started new brands to serve new groups of customers. Inc. online (free registration)
(2/8)
| ASTA Spotlight | | |
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Make NACTA's calendar your calendar
The National Association of Career Travel Agents' website features a comprehensive calendar that allows agents to register for webinars, regional meetings, Seminars @ Sea and more. It is the best place to plan your educational opportunities.
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ASTA guide helps agents with Airline Unused Ticket Validity Policies
ASTA's updated guide to major North American carriers' unused ticket validity policies provides agents an easy-to-read summary of rules for retaining and reusing the value of unused, nonrefundable airline tickets. The chart includes airline expiration policies for ticket reissue, travel commencement or travel completion for wholly or partially unused tickets. For details, see ASTA's Guide to Airline Unused Ticket Validity Policies.
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