• In 2006, CCRA International had unprecedented growth in membership. Growing from approximately 18,000 travel agencies to over 19,000 qualified travel agencies. That translates into about 72,000 travel agents using our hotel program!

• We re-launched our B2B booking portal and have received rave reviews from the travel agency community. Our portal provides the unique ability to view five different inventory types in a single interface including GDS and internet rates. It is our continued goal to keep the travel agent firmly in control of the booking process, never to be undersold or overshadowed by consumer direct websites again.


• Our outreach to new hotel partners increased and, as a result, our number of participating independent hotels is higher than ever. With the introduction of a year-round hotel enrollment program and a convenient online RFP tool for hotels, you will see the benefit of a continually growing inventory offered on the CCRAtravel.com portal.

Q & A with ASTA Director, Ken Walsh

To kick off our monthly eNewsletter, we've contacted key industry leaders for insights on the travel agent business trends.  Here’s what we heard from Ken Walsh, ASTA's Director of Partner Marketing and Membership Retention. ASTA is the largest association of travel professionals, representing over 20,000 members. 

How does today's travel agent harness the power of the web?

Our clients are on the web all the time and have access to a huge amount of information. Agents need to be familiar with what consumers are looking at (top sites, booking engines, etc.) so they can ensure the customer that the agent already has the knowledge of what is out there on the web.

The agents need to explain to the traveler that they have even more tools at their disposal than Internet discounts, such as consolidators, GDS web engines and products like CCRA’s web portal. Agents need to use the web to ensure that they are getting competitive pricing (which doesn’t always mean the “best price”) and explain to the customer that the time savings for the client far outweigh any fees the agent might impose.

How do travel agents successfully compete with online agencies?

Don’t focus on price. You provide a valuable service that you should feel confident in charging for. You have expertise, the ability to make changes and ask for favors, you are accessible when there are problems, and you can anticipate their needs. When you design your web site or create your sales proposition, focus on your expertise and services, not on the lowest price.

How can an individual hotel increase their travel agent bookings with the type of business they need?

Hotels should get involved in travel agent groups like ASTA and its local chapters to see what types of business the agencies are focusing on. Then target promotions to agencies that sell business or leisure or groups or whatever business the hotel is targeting. ASTA also has a list of travel agent specialties so hotels can target their promotional messages.

Ken Walsh
Director, Partner Marketing and Membership Retention
American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA)

Many thanks to Ken Walsh for giving us his expert insights to help kick off our new year's business goals.

By Joanie Ogg CTC MCC
http://www.homebasedtravelagent.com/Articles/5SuccessTips.htm

1. Do your homework in advance

Working from home is a tremendous opportunity to lower costs and increase profitability for many agents, be they agency owners closing a storefront location, past employees of agencies that may have closed or new entrants to the world of travel sales. However as in any new business direction, there are a unique set of objectives and even challenges to operating from home. Read anything you can about operating a business from home so that you are prepared and ready to take on this new direction.  The book “How to Start A Home Based Travel Agency” can certainly propel you on your way.

2. Zoning, Permits, Travel Seller Registration and Insurance

These are four very important things to study up in advance of your move. Certain cities and counties across the United States may have zoning restrictions and or permit requirements in order to operate a home based business. Be sure to check with the local and city authorities to be certain you are in compliance.  Additionally, some states have what are known as travel seller registration programs that may require your compliance. Generally the attorney generals office of each state can assist you with information as can NACTA at the NACTA Members Only website. 

If you are planning on having clients come to your home to discuss travel, you need to check with your home owners insurance provider to be certain you arrange for coverage should they harm themselves in some way on your property.

3. Invest in your home office

Take pride in this exciting move home by furnishing it comfortably and efficiently.  Just think of all the money you are saving on office space rent and other overhead costs and invest some of that money back in your new location.  A new desk, comfortable chair, state of the art computer, printer, scanner, fax, good phone system and more can have a tremendously positive impact on your drive to succeed in this new venture.

If at all possible, dedicate a spare bedroom or other location in your home that can be isolated from the daily home life. A quiet office where you can shut the door and keep out the sounds of the barking dog or lawn mowing gardener is very necessary to maintain your professional approach to your business.

4. It’s all in the family

If you do not live alone and have family members who share the home with you, you will need to get them all in your corner from the onset. Have a family talk and discuss the plan with them. Include them in the decision and make them feel a part of the success of your business. There is bound to be some times when you are just too busy to attend to their needs because you are on the phone selling travel. Have a plan on how you will handle home life and work life so that everyone is happy and fulfilled.

5. Go tell it on the Mountain

When you make this decision to move home with your business, enlist the support of everyone you know. Tell all your suppliers and be proud of your smart business decision. Tell your clients with enthusiasm and they too will feel your passion for this change and support you in your endeavors. On the flip side, if you are unsure about making the move home and have concerns that clients and suppliers might misinterpret your move as a financial failure, then you will certainly have a challenge convincing them otherwise. Instead, share your direction as a brilliant move to make better use of technology and the ability to better service your clients with more personal attention. The most common statement I hear from agents who have moved their business home is “Why didn’t’ I do this 10 years ago, I am making more money now and having more fun!”

Introduction
The student and youth travel industry continues to be one of the fastest growing revenue producing segments in the travel industry. Not surprisingly, the industry’s 2007 forecast calls for continued strengthening as an industry segment.

Market Overview
Student and youth travel is travel by youth 25 and under, away from their community, not for business, and not primarily to visit friends or relatives. Includes: day and overnight trips and tours, domestic and international travel, and group and individual travel.

Mega Trends Affecting Student Travel
The phrase “the world keeps getting smaller” is especially applicable when talking about North American students and young adults. Not only are today’s youth more technologically savvy than most adults, they also view the world as a place to see and explore. While student and youth travelers do want to see typical tourist destinations hey are also more likely to travel to places that may have intimidated older generations. The world’s political climate also influences the evolution of student and youth travel. Tour Operators address parent and school concerns over safety issues and implement plans to be prepared to deal with any emergency that might occur. When considering both the desire of young people to experience new cultures and different parts of the world, and the political and safety concerns of school administrators and parents, it is easy to apply two natural assumptions:

• Group trips, typically organized by adults for youth aged 10-18, tend to be to destinations that are more tried and true.
• Young adults ages 18-25 are planning their own trips and are more inclined to travel to new destinations, envisioning themselves as pioneers when it comes to seeing the world.

Current Environment
It is estimated that student and youth travelers make up over 20% of all international travelers worldwide. In the U.S. and Canada, there are 85 million young people between 5 and 25 years of age. Of these, the largest youth group consists of 15-19 year olds, which is a prime target age for student travel. There are approximately 18 million students in colleges and universities in the U.S. and Canada.

In a nationwide study conducted by Michigan State University’s Student and Youth Travel Research Institute (SYTRI) it was found that during a one year period, 60.5% of young people aged 12-18 took a group trip. Further, the research reported that 23.1% of the groups used a tour operator. Total spending by 5-25 year olds on group travel continues to rise. Not only is there a growing percentage of students traveling, but students are tending to start traveling at a younger age.

Educational Ties to Travel
Student travel has evolved based on factors such as the No Student Left Behind Act and safety and liability concerns by parents and school administrators. The student and youth travel industry has been able to address these concerns by helping trip sponsors identify and provide curriculum based itineraries for school sponsored trips.

There has been a trend in recent years toward weekend and school vacation travel. Additionally, there has been a rise in the number of other, non-school based travel. SYTA (Student and Youth Travel Association) expects this trend to continue to rise in 2007.

Factors Influencing Future Growth
The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) is of great concern to many in the student and youth travel industry. The main concerns are based on the cost to the individual traveler. Since American youth are least likely to have a passport, and also often less able to afford one, there is concern that this will impact travel to and from Canada, the Caribbean, and Mexico.

Overall 2007 Predictions
The future looks bright for student and youth travel. The industry’s forecast for 2007 is for continued growth.
Based on a 2006 survey of SYTATour Operator members, 53% of the responding companies expect sales and number of tour participants to be up for the year ending 2006. When surveyed, SYTA Tour Operator members on average projected a 6-8% revenue growth rate for 2007.