It's been awhile since we rounded up some of the latest topics at AgentNation, the only social community online for all types of travel agents. So let's take a look at what's on agents minds and how fellow peers can contribute to the conversation with hopes of supportin each other's business.

Group Dining with Carnival

User bsholland is planning a cruise for a group of clients, and she apparantely is having a bit of a cruise conundrum when it comes to setting up dining options for her customers. She writes:

I have just booked my first group on Carnival. I have learned that over half of my group is waitlisted for the 6pm dining. How could they not have groups dining together? We are about 5 months out, I am just going to hold my breath that this is going to work out. I don't want to tell my group we may not all be dining together. I'll wait and see what happens. Anyone out there with a Carnival group.... does it usually work out to be OK?

We're looking for any travel professionals who have booked groups with Carnival in the past. If you can, chime in at the discussion thread and let her know if you expect everything to work out or if there's something she can do to ensure her clients have a pleasant journey.

Going with A Good GDS, Online Lead Provider

Needless to say, the right GDS can make a world of a difference for any travel agent, be they home-based or not. Hence, stevea's query about choosing the right platform for his agency, one can assume, should hit home with some agents. He asks:

Some publications are talking about the great offers agencies are receiving for renewals- Amadeus is offering me .20 per segment after I reach 2,500.  We are small and only produce 2500-3000 per year.  Any ideas or input ?  What are others getting ?  If you don't want to post, feel free to contact me at [email protected] or just call 1-800-869-6588

Looks like the best help stevea can receive here is from any agent working with a less-than-gigantic group of clientele. Who can help him out by answering his question?

Another topic raised by stevea was that of online travel leads, particularly compete4yourseat.com. He asks:

Does anyone use online Travel lead services. I am using one with no luck yet. I am looking closely at a site that gives you unlimited leads for $49.00 a month. I don't know if they are any good though. The name is compete4yourseat.com Does or has anyone used this service and if so what is your assesment?

Travel Agent basically endorsed compete4yourseat.com a few years ago, in some manner anyway, when we wrote about the company in the past. The story received a comment from a reader back in June, which relates to stevea's query. The reader, going by the name of Travel, wrote:

There are no feedback on compete 4 your seat, especially on the very questionable travel agency called: "Select Travel Club" which bids through the Compete4yourseat web. There are high suspicions raised concerning the legitimacy of this web and of the travel agency. Could anyone confirm that select travel club is not a fraud?

Between stevea's query as well as Travel's comment, who can chime in about compete4yourseat.com and other online travel lead services?

Vegas, Baby, Vegas!

Las Vegas may be one of the only cities in the world that is a destination unto itself. It's practically one of those places every traveler wants to visit before he/she dies. But that doesn't mean that selling Sin City to a client is easy. Perhaps that's why user sautieri wants some feedback from his peers. He asks:

I would like to see what others are doing to sell Las Vegas. What is your approach? Do you specialze in a particular segment of Las Vegas? Online leads for Vegas seem to be very price driven, do you respond diffrently?

Some agents already responded. j9travels wrote:

Interview your client. The interview could be a simple dialogue to learn their interests. Watch the way they are dressed and mannerism. Ask for the Budget they are working with. For instance my clients were women who wanted to experience  Las Vegas but did want to stay on the strip. The wanted to a Hotel with a Spa (lux) and be able to see a show. But be in walking distance of the strip enjoying the sights, restuarants and if they wanted a casino. PH was the hotel for them.  Another client he and his wife wanted to be in mist of everything. Luxor fit there budget and lux accommodations they wanted.

morristravellv added:

as a long time las vegas resident, yes, in many cases it is price driven.  you have to explain the difference of being on the strip and downtown, or off strip properties.  some off strip are wonderful locations,  hard rock hotel, the palms, rio.  some local casinos are 4 and 5 star, red rock, green valley ranch.  it all depend on what type of experience the traveler is looking for.

These are some great answers which will certainly help our friend sautieri. But I'm sure other agents out there have more to share. So please add your take to sautieri's question when you can.

Who's the Best?

Everyone has their favorite suppliers and companies with which to do business. Sometimes it depends on the relationship with the supplier, the client involved or the itinerary being planned. So when sekhmet asked for some feedback on which tour operators are the best, we wanted so share, in her interest and in ours. She asks:

I am trying to establish relationships with various suppliers/tour operators and am having a difficult time trying to narrow down the best companies to do business with. In your opinion who is the best?

Tour Oprator for each region ( eg Trafalgar, A & K)
Africa
South America
Europe
Asia
Middle East
Caribbean

Suppliers that offer vacation packages for any region(eg Pleasant Holidays, GOGO)

Who do you like working with in these regions? Add your take at the discussion thread.