MAST Travel Network reports that year to date MAST is 27 percent ahead of 2013 in reaching its sales goals, according to John Werner, MAST Travel Network president and COO. Werner reported the gains to more than 250 members and suppliers attending the recent MAST Conference in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
For the first time, MAST said it combined its Owners Summit with the Annual Conference. During the Owners Summit, agency owners were able to take part in sessions focused on managing groups and effective time management, facilitated by Nancy Baumann of Baumann Enterprises.
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Highlights of the conference include:
At the Owners Summit Guy Young, president of Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection, stated “Selling our product equates to amazing commissions averaging $1,856 in 2014 with 95 percent of our business going through travel agents.”
The program also included Keith Powell, who challenged agency owners to ‘think outside your desk’ with five questions he feels agents should answer before returning to their offices. These questions were:
1. What 1 or 2 things will make the biggest difference in my business?
2. What is my #1 marketing challenge that I need to address?
3. What needs to be done in 2014, 2015, and 2016?
4. Do I have a company mission statement and can I repeat when asked?
5. What new project am I debuting this year or next year?
Powell told agents: “Time is the new currency. Get a grip around your time and the money will come.”
Monique Jacobson, Secretary of Tourism for the State of New Mexico, spoke at the opening dinner.
Educational sessions included; the MAST Marketplace, which contained member led discussions on marketing, back-office, and operational issues, “The Power of Planning” by Keith Powell and “World Class Email Marketing for Everyone” by Ron Cates, director of Digital Marketing Education for Constant Contact.
According to MAST the conference included visits to the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, the Santa Fe School of Cooking, tethered hot air balloon rides, stargazing with an astronomer, excursions to Bandelier National Monument and Los Alamos, Historic Walking Tour of Old Santa Fe, Combination of Historic Walking Tour of Old Santa Fe and Canyon Road Art Gallery District and Museum Hill.
MAST Travel Network has agency members in nine states and Canada.
Visit www.mvptravel.com