Celebrating 80 Years: Winter Travel in 1995

Off-Peak PeekThrough the fall and winter months, finding a true-and-trusted yet relatively untapped destination for clients becomes as essential as a heavy overcoat. Not off the beaten track, though not widely visited like the Caribbean or Mexico, Eastern Mediterranean destinations like Greece, Turkey, Cyprus, Israel and Egypt have proven to be exceptional picks when considering recommendations throughout the years.

Besides its ideal weather, the region is known for its easier pace and off-peak rates. In 1995, the market of Israel had just opened up following its peace agreement with Jordan, attracting an increase in 17 percent from the United States alone. Other developments include Greece reporting a 20 percent increase during 1993 while Cyprus saw 2.2 million tourists in 1994. Egypt's numbers went up 23.8 percent that year, and Turkey reported its U.S. audience as having tripled from 79,000 in 1991 to 271,000 in 1994. (For the full article, see page 1 here and page 2 here.) Looking back 15 years later, we're delighted to report that all five have maintained their elite status among discerning travelers to the still-untapped charm of the shoreside locales.

As we celebrate our 80th anniversary, we're taking a look at what was happening in the industry in the past and asking agents to share their thoughts on what has changed in the industry up until the present. So please share your thoughts by posting a comment below, writing us at our Facebook page, sending a tweet to our Twitter page or by engaging in a discussion in real time at AgentNation (the only social community online for all kinds of travel agents, which certainly wasn't around 80 years ago). We want to hear from you.

And while you're here, learn more about how we're celebrating eight decades of covering the travel industry for travel professionals.