Kirk Cassels' Weekly Wrap of User Comments: July 12-16

Don't get me wrong. I thoroughly enjoy scouring TravelAgentCentral.com to find interesting, engaging and relevant comments posted by readers on the site. But, as I say every week, the conversation doesn't end there. That's way I'm taking the opportunity this week to share what agents, readers and users have been saying where Travel Agent is present in the deeper recesses of the Internet. But before we go there, let's take a quick look at some of the comments that have been posted this week.

Just This One Time

There are many instances where someone will post a comment that, at first, seems like an initiation into a good conversation. But by the time the text ends, there's usually a link listed hoping that our site is leveraged to drive traffic to and promote another site. I'm not usally a fan of sharing such comments in the wrap: A) because it can be a waste of time and B) we're not a marketing firm!

But during George Dooley's extensive coverage of airline ancillary fees and their impact on agents (check out Dooley's latest opinion piece on the topic here), a reader posted a comment that, although it appears to be blatantly promoting another site, could be of use to travel professionals. Commenting on a piece citing the Business Travel Coalition's (BTC) take on the matter, Steven Hall wrote:

I enjoyed your great article on airline fees and I wanted to let you know that since 2008 www.CompareAirlineFees.com has offered an easy to use Airline Fee Comparison tool.
CompareAirlineFees.com is a free web-based airline fee comparison tool helping business and leisure travelers evaluate their options in a straight-forward and logical manner. The site lets you quickly compare airline fees at all major carriers before you buy.

Hopefully, I didn't just waste time and throw someone a bone in vain. I hope this site can aid agents in there operations when it comes to booking flights for their clients.

What Are You Talking About?

Since its acquisition of ITA Software, Google has become an intimidating spot of interest for the travel industry as of late. Related to Google, but not it's latest purchase, is a story at TravelAgentCentral.com that grew some legs this week (and is the focus of our July 19 issue's Trend Watch). Ruthanne Terrero got some inciteful information from Google's industry director of travel about how consumers search online. Someone posted a comment about something, but I don't really know what that something is. Marc Donaldson wrote:

I cannot understandwhat this means:

This term is used over 30 times in this article!

I wish I understood what it meant too, Marc. But a blank space doesn't help much. Looking at the article, I have found a few terms that appear near, if not more than, 30 times: the, travel, consumer, online, a. Is it any of these? Either way, I don't think I can really help you. Sorry.

Bad Guys Busted

As you may have read, 38 people were recently indicted for committing fraud when selling travel. Safe to assume none of you reading this is involved, right? If you were involved, shame on you! You deserve to be riduculed by Bill who shared:

Wow, Look what you get for 44 cents (the price of a stamp) all that protection against identity theft!

As the value of the traditional travel professional comes more to light in the wake of the Iceland volcano crisis as well as the lack of service some find in online travel agencies, it's disappointing to see this story make so many headlines. Hopefully, agents can spin it to remind their current and potential clients about the benefits of using a professional.

Don't Shoot the Messenger

In order to provide travel professionals with as much information as possible to better sale vacations to their clients, we here at TravelAgentCentral.com turn to sources both within and outside of our organization. Sometimes, we share information but spare some details in the interest of space and time, trusting that those who seek more information will click through the links to the respective suppliers and sources. Such did not appear be the same this week when Kim and Misty Ormiston commented on our story about popular vampire themed cruises, saying:

This is fabulous information! My friends and I would DEFINITELY love to hit up one or a few of these cruises (depending on price) =) =) The only downfall about this page is that there isn't enough information. Where exactly are the cruises scheduled to hit and land? What's provided on the boat? How much are the tickets and what do they cover? Discounts? (ex. with AAA card, etc.) PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE email us more info! We are definitely interested however can't make 'the next step' without knowing vital info. Thanks SO MUCH for providing this excellent new "gothic" cruise line ;) :) ~Mintykiss

Kim, Misty, Mintykiss... whoever you are, if you read the piece again, you'll note that Cruise Critic was the source of the information (we provided the link but here it is again in case you want to learn more: www.cruisecritic.com). In addition, we also linked to the respective suppliers: Cruises Cruises Cruises Inc can be reached at www.twilightfanscruise.com; Carnival can be reached at www.carnival.com; P&O Cruises can be reached at www.pocruises.com; and you can reach Viking Cruises by clicking on the link at the end of this piece profiling the line's new itineraries and ship for 2011— but I am going to assume you may have trouble with that, so here's the link: www.vikingrivercruises.com.

By the way, is Misty your given name, Wiccan name, Gothic name, or just what you want to be called? Let me know when you emerge from the beautiful darkness.

Social Community Commentary

Next week, we'll be starting a new feature online titled Keep in Touch with TravelAgentCentral.com, where we'll be sharing all of our latest social media initiatives and interaction in one place for you to find and follow up on with more feedback. But until then, here's what members have been saying at our Facebook page, Twitter page and at AgentNation.

Hot Spots

We asked agents on Facebook and Twitter what some of the more popular destination and trip types they have been booking thus far in 2010. Here's what some had to say:

Tracee Grammer Williams: Lots's and lot's of Italy this year!!!!

Ed Stiles: I primarily deal with cruise vacations, and Alaska has been extremely popular.

Binta S. Yero: The Caribbean!

Lois Paganini: Tie between Hawaii and Alaska cruises - but I'm in Cali so that's probably why. Both are a short flight away...

Nancy L Brazill: Hawaii, Tahiti & Panama Canal

Betsy Long Bouchard: Caribbean cruises and Europe.

Serendipity Traveler: Europe and Caribbean

Sharri Moore Cta Ds: European FITs

You can obviously never go wrong with cruises and the Caribbean. It's great to see Alaska cruises in the mix after the state's decision to lower taxes on such vacations. As for Europe, the value of the dollar against the Euro is key right now. If you're selling Hawaii and want some more help, look into the Hawaii Travel Exchange, which just started accepting applications.

Gearing Up for the Games

We also asked on Facebook about what sports events are garnering interest among clients now that the 2010 FIFA World Cup has concluded. The two top items mentioned were the Tour de France and Miami Heat basketball games, obviously due to the Lebron James factor. Of course, there's the 2012 Summer Olypmic Games in London, but I am interested in seeing if the Super Bowl coming to New York is going to pick up any steam.

Sizzling Summer Sales

If you haven't booked any summer vacations yet, and if there's still time, get cracking. According to agents at our Facebook and Twitter pages, the season is bringing in the business. We asked how summer vacation business has been, and here's what some had to say:

At Facebook, Debby Boisse Stevens said business is: Crazy/Busy-much better than last!!!

Meanwhile, HeatherC06 tweeted:, Typically we're slow in the summer, we have been SLAMMED, but loving it of course! :)

Which WiFi and Why?

At AgentNation, our own Michael Browne asked agents (primarily home-based ones) which wireless service provider they prefer using. Here's what some had to say:

saykay recommended AT&T, saying it is: bundled with everything else.   

But Michael has a little problem with AT&T, regarding an issue I have trouble with as well. He responded, saying
Because I'm on the iPhone, I'm stuck with AT&T, at least for now. The dropped call reputation they have is no myth...it's even worse when you call other AT&T users. But I love the iPhone.

So Andi recommended Verizon because it is: an awesome feature that doesn't use up your minutes!

Somewhere, T-Mobile is crying.

Puerto Rico Points

In addition to feedback on WiFi service, Browne also inquired about travel to Puerto Rico as his friends plan a vacation there. User jeftravel shares some helpful insight, writing:

I did a fam trip with the board of tourism a couple of years ago and one of the things i would recommend is to rent a car and travel the whole island. go beyond san juan. in a car you can see the small towns that are very quaint and quite interesting. don't forget to visit the churches. you might also want to do the rum plant and the forts in san juan (not all of them). the rain forest is nice but the girls might not like to get their hair wet. the flora is worth the trip for great pictures.

One of my best friends (who I saw get hitched in a destination wedding at Killington in Vermont last year) lives in Puerto Rico, and my wife and I plan to visit them soon. Thank you jeftravel, your feedback is certainly going to help us and I hope it helps Michael's friends as well.

Sandals or Iberostar

Finally, we come to another exchange at AgentNation, this time with a specific query about choosing the right hotel in Jamaica.

newjerseytravel asked the following in a discussion thread:

I have a client that can't decide whether to go to the Iberostar Grand Rose Hall in Montego Bay area or Sandals Negril.  Has anyone stayed at these resorts and which beach has less rocks, seaweed, seagrass that would danger them from getting in the water.

So we had our Caribbean expert, Joe Pike, weigh in. He responded:

Wow, this is a really difficult choice. The beaches at both are really clean and well maintained. In May, Sandals added 14 new beach huts that are pretty cool. But I got someone who can answer better than me. Contact Sales Manager Jeffrey Burke (876-957-5216, sngmail@grp.sandals.com).
Iberostar is also pretty impressive. For a contact there, I'd suggest Luis Velez, inventory manager, at 876-680-0000.
Let me know if you need anything else. You can also e-mail me directly at jpike@questex.com or call me at 212-895-8286.

I visited Jamaica when I wsa six years old, and don't recall what resort we stayed in or what beach we visited. Recently, I had the opportunity to tour Iberostar properties in the Riviera Maya. Based on my experience, I'd say go with Iberostar. But that's because I haven't had the chance to visit any Sandals properties yet, but I'd be glad too! (wink wink).

As always, don't let the discussion end here. Keep the comments coming here at the Weekly Wrap and elsewhere at TravelAgentCentral.com. Stay in touch with us at our Facebook page and our Twitter page, and keep coming back to AgentNation for real time conversation.

And before I forget, and in the interest of shameless plugging, keep in touch with what I'm following in the print edition of Travel Agent. In every issue, the Hot Buttons column goes over some of the more popular trends in the travel industry. Give it a read by signing up for a subscription or get a copy of the digital edition today!

Until next week...

Kirk Cassels' Weekly Wrap of User Comments: January 11-15

I'll bet you it would be easier to find more people who have been successful with Traverus than it is to find those who haven't.
I know, I know, it's just marketing right? You pick the hottest topics to try and attract attention to your blog. I should try it sometimes.
Are you a Hater or what, people need income, Corporations are laying off, and you try to come up with the silliest thing you can to try and cause confusion.
What's your suggestion? Got any Job Openings?

Jimmy Plymouth - Travel Agent reader commenting on last week's wrap.

It's been a while since a reader posted a comment directed toward me here at this weekly blog, and I already got one in for 2010! I always appreciate feedback etc so I'd like to respond to Jimmy piece by piece.

I'll bet you it would be easier to find more people who have been successful with Traverus than it is to find those who haven't.
I agree that searching for people who have benefited from working for/with Traverus would produce a good amount to counter those who have not. I don't search for either party but it appears someone from one side came here to talk about it.

I know, I know, it's just marketing right? You pick the hottest topics to try and attract attention to your blog. I should try it sometimes.
You could say marketing is involved. These days, everything needs a little business development to generate extra income in a tough economy. I bring up the hottest topics brought up here at TravelAgentCentral.com to gauge interest from other readers or interested parties and see if the conversation can become a more developed discussion. If in passing I happen to mention, allude or correlate something I find interesting (be it a sci-fi movie mirroring competition between human travel agents and OTAs or what not) it's all because that's what's on my mind. As far as attracting attention to the blog? Let me just say that I hope everyone has a magnificent weekend and Martin Luther King Jr. day that avoids the current tension between Conan O'Brien, Jay Leno and NBC over "The Tonight Show," the political hubbub of the Massachusetts Senate race, and the drama over Lane Kiffin leaving the University of Tennessee Volunteers football team (once led by Peyton Manning, whose team, the Indianapolis Colts, will play the Baltimore Ravens in the NFL Playoffs with hopes for another Super Bowl). And while you're at it, check out the latest hit to come out of American Idol:

Are you a Hater or what, people need income, Corporations are laying off, and you try to come up with the silliest thing you can to try and cause confusion.
I am certainly not a hater and don't think I came across as one if you look at what I wrote regarding the commentary on Traverus. After a reader named Blake shared his/her experience in leaving Traverus in the comments section of the story, I asked if he/she (or anyone else metaphorically, I guess) could share more for anyone involved with Traverus. Ok, so I did say "It's great to see that [Blake] got out in time," but that's because he/she was glad to be out and I enjoy knowing that readers are happy. I'm not sure where I am trying to be silly regarding Traverus. And when I am being silly, so to speak, I'm not trying to cause confusion. The whole purpose of this weekly column is to get people talking about issues that matter to them. And as for haters, it looks like reader nlj65 is a hater, at least of MLMs, when writing:
Bottom line, the MLM concept sucks... sell a legitimate project and stop looking to build off of the backs of other people with all the empty hype.... I HATE MLM's...

Will you respond to him, Jimmy?

What's your suggestion? Got any Job Openings?
I can see that employment is an issue to you, and I don't blame you and would like to help. The official Questex policy on jobs as of now is

Our open positions can be found on HotJobs, Craigslist, mediabistro, Monster, and many other jobs sites. Please e-mail resume, cover letter, and salary requirements to jobs@questex.com. Due to the large volume of resumes, we cannot take unsolicited phone calls regarding our open positions.

I actually found the description for my current position at one of the above mentioned sites, but found said site by going through www.indeed.com. If you are looking for a job, I suggest going there as the website is a search engine of job sites. You find jobs, and you find other job sites to search. Best of luck, Jimmy. I'd be glad to take a look at your resume if you want to e-mail me at kcassels@questex.com and perhaps I can pass it to the right people. I'm not being silly when I say that.

Speaking of not being silly, I hope everyone has made taken the time to keep Haiti in their thoughts and prayers or, even better, taken action to help. Friends and I have been texting "Haiti" to 9099, which sends $10 worth of Red Cross International relief to the country. You can think of other ways to help by reading Michael Browne's piece on helping Haiti, Joe Pike's call for voluntourism and checking out the links in our initial report on the earthquake.

When you're done (take your time), please continue reading to see the wrap of this week's user comments:

Crazy for Cougars

The new and exciting cougar cruise was our biggest story of 2009, and it's on track to maintain the title for 2010. After Carnival  decided not to carry on the trend after its ground-breaking, first-ever international cougar cruise took place last summer, Royal Caribbean came along to pick it up fast. While some cats may be excited about this news, some of our readers are offended and/or disheartened. Take Jerry Vaughn, for example, who wrote:
What a blatant display of hypocrisy. If someone organized cruises for older men looking to hook up with younger women and called it "Lions Cruise" and called the younger women "kittens" (i.e. Cougars and Cubs), the outrage would be enormous and feminists would be howling to no end. For Royal Caribbean to put its stamp of approval on "Cougars" cruises so older ladies can prowl for younger men is offensive.

Meanwhile, justin is a tad more concise yet as profound, saying:
Sad. Whatever happened to couples growing old... TOGETHER?

Commenting on the initial report on the matter, jeff added a noteworthy two cents, stating:
There is a much older name for Cougar; not fit for print; but they have always existed. The older name fits them better.

I see Jerry's point on the hypocrisy and don't disagree about there being a double standard. Still, sex sells. No matter how much outrage there may be over it, I don't think this trend is going away anytime soon. Justin, I hope to tell you decades from now about the old and gray adventures me and my wife are having. She's an older woman, too. But four months my senior certainly doesn't qualify her as a cougar. As for Jeff, I know what old word you are referring to: sabertooth!

More Tourism, More Problems?

While attending the 2010 Caribbean Marketplace this week, Joe Pike broke the news that Bonaire will open its first U.S. brand hotel and is planning some more flights to the island. That's good news for agents, right? It's not for RandyP, who wrote:
First it was too many cruise ships for the ecosystem and non-existent waste handling. Now a big-box hotel and more pollution.
It won't be much longer before "Diver's Paradise" becomes yet another third world toilet that hosts the pod people.
It is truly a shame.

Paul half-agrees with RandyP, saying
I look at the addition of a new direct flight as good news. The addition of a 120-room Hilton, not so much. An island that has no formal sewage solution does not need another big complex.

As an travel professional, what are your thoughts on new properties in and flights to Bonaire?

Your Weekly YTB Fix

Maybe I was wrong earlier when I wrote that the cougar cruise is on track to be the biggest story of 2010. I forgot about YTB. The rage goes on over this company. I need not explain. Just tank a gander at the comments below, posted on George Dooley's piece about the company's latest trouble, and all directed at a reader named Peter:

JJ
Peter is typical of those in YTB. Call everyone names. Deflect from the real debate. This is part of the reason why TTA's are upset with YTB. They can't play nice. They tell us we're jealous and call us dinosaurs. They tell us they are taking over & putting us out of business. They name call. They can't debate the issues at all. SEC filings don't lie. Personally, I would like to see them go away. They have conned way too many people out of their hard earned money.

knowthefacts
You're the idiot Peter because you just don't get it. They can't run too much longer fool!
Your Six-Figure Ring Earners have either left or the ones who stayed incomes are 1/5 of what they where..meaning your 500k earners are at $100k or less and haven't left because their loyal which is a great quality but costly when you're just blind.
Travel is a highly duplicable industry therefore COMPETITION is high and PROFITS are low! The trillions are there but will be spread amongst millions which gives you pennies!

Doug
Peter;
While I appreciate your passion and I understand your frustration that regardless of how many times Council has been thrown out regarding this case they nevertheless feel the need to "defend their position over and over again" (And over - and over - a-a-and over.)
Please just stick with the facts - and refrain from the name calling.
Your voice would have been much better served (and understood) about selling $425 million in Travel as apposed to $122 million in Internet Business Centers in 2008 if the words "idiots" and "dolts" were removed from comment.
I do however agree...this third attempt to move back into proceedings it's a real stretch - especially after reading all the filings in their entirety along with the response from the Court. After having an "ungainly monster" rolled up and whacked over my head I would be far more cautious about submitting current arguments that "don't pass muster".]

(...silenty eating potato chips and watching in amusement...)

As Peter, JJ and company continue their dialogue, why not join in yourself on YTB or maybe something different here at TravelAgentCentral.com, or get more involved with other agents at AgentNation, the only social community online for all types of travel agents. We've alrady been off to a busy start for 2010. Don't feel like talking there? That's fine. You can always tweet us at our Twitter page or post something on our Facebook page. We'll connect. Until then...