WRTA surpassed the number of expected registrations this year. Although 300 were expected, the final number of registrants topped 550 agents! Due to the partnership of WRTA with the National Tour Operator Association (NTA), numbers attending joint functions were over 2,000.

Suppliers from 15 countries attended WRTA including: Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Jordan, Armenia, Turkey, Bahrain, Canada and the United Kingdom. Approximately 100 suppliers exhibited at WRTA. The agents who attended were truly interested in the products presented and spent time with each vendor to learn and understand their services. During the conference CCRA showed live examples of how to book on CCRAtravel.com. This gave the agents hands-on experience with our portal and a personal connection with CCRA's Director of Global Membership Services, Liz Badras.

During our time at the show, Liz was happy to learn that agents are thrilled CCRA offers a great alternative to the GDS with CCRAtravel.com. Some agents have been afraid to move away from the GDS because they don’t know any other alternative … CCRA to the rescue!

Liz had an opportunity to present in front of the entire audience of agents at the conference, where she reminded agents of our mission, CCRA is committed to the travel industry and especially the travel agents! Liz also shared with agents CCRA’s new 15% commission and upcoming COMMISSION/Express. These new initiatives reminded agents that CCRA continues to put agents first.

We look forward to seeing what 2010 brings to the travel industry, as we continue to strive to make agents’ lives easier!

Its official, "persistence, persistence, persistence" has replaced "location, location, location" as the three most important words in business during a slow economic recovery. The most powerful strategy you can employ in pursuit of success during lousy economic times is simply to outsell the competition. No rocket science is required—just good, old fashioned determination.

According to Orvel Ray Wilson, co-author of Guerrilla Selling, “Bad selling, done on a consistent basis, will always outperform brilliant selling done sporadically.”

The average travel industry person works 53 hours a week. Ironically, these same people only spend, on average, eight hours a week face-to-face with clients or prospects. Just by doubling the time you spend communicating directly to customers, you can double your sales performance.

It is also important to become “professionally persistent” when pursuing fist time customers. Research tells us that you have to approach a prospective customer multiple times before he or she decides to buy from you.

The good news is, these contacts aren’t necessarily sales calls – they might be a business card handed out at a Chamber mixer, or a press release in your local paper. It could be an ad in the penny saver or participation at a bridal show. And never forget … every follow-up letter or thank you note is a sales contact to. The goal is to put your name and your service “out there”, every chance you get.

Tom Peters says, “Any idiot can come to work with a 25-item to-do list. The brilliance is … never doing 20 of them.” Simply put, we often get sidetracked with unimportant tasks that keep us from doing our primary job—generating revenue.

To combat this tendency, I recommend you place a simple white label on your phone, your computer screen, and the sun visor of your car. On this label, boldly print your revenue target for 2010. Every time you look at any of these labels, ask yourself, "Is what I’m doing now directly contributing to the achievement of this goal?" If the answer is no, stop what you're doing and start doing something that will drive sales.

About Bill
Bill Todd is one of the travel industry’s most sought-after sales and marketing speakers and coaches. He is the co-author of the book Speaking of Success which also features best-selling authors Stephen R. Covey (Seven Habits of Highly Effective People), Ken Blanchard (One Minute Manager) and Jack Canfield (The Secret and Chicken Soup for the Soul). BTodd@BTodd.com | www.BTodd.com | 301.633.5856

Tourism Cares, the tourism industry’s premier charitable organization for preservation, conservation, restoration and education, has announced its association partnership with the World Religious Travel Association (WRTA), the leading global network for the 300 million traveler faith tourism industry.

“We are excited and privileged to name Tourism Cares as WRTA’s official philanthropy,” said Kevin J. Wright, WRTA President. “Preserving the travel experience for future generations is imperative for all segments of the tourism industry. For this reason, WRTA looks forward to promoting and supporting Tourism Cares’ many important events, including this fall’s Tourism Rocks at the co-located NTA Convention and World Religious Travel Expo in Reno, Nevada.”

WRTA exists to serve as a networking and educational venue for religious tourism, including both trade and traveler. WRTA’s role is to also promote the faith-based travel experience around the world. The partnership with Tourism Cares provides the travel industry with another significant voice to preserving the travel experience for future generations.

“There are no travelers in the world more conscious of culture and antiquities than those who travel to discover the roots of religion. Part of Tourism Cares’ mission is to make sure these treasures are there when they arrive.”, said Bruce Beckham, Executive Director, Tourism Cares. “I am sure the WRTA members will be avid supporters of our cause.”

As part of the partnership, WRTA will be highlighting direct to its members the many ways they can get involved with the mission of Tourism Cares. This includes everything from promoting Tourism Rocks to the NTA Convention Auction to volunteering time at Tourism Cares projects and much more.

Tourism Cares
Tourism Cares is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity that benefits society by preserving the travel experience for future generations by awarding grants to natural, cultural and historic sites worldwide; by presenting academic and servicefocused scholarships to students of hospitality and tourism; and by organizing volunteer efforts to restore tourismrelated sites in need of care and rejuvenation. For additional information about Tourism Cares, please visit www.tourismcares.org.

World Religious Travel Association (WRTA)
WRTA is the leading global network for the $18 billion faith tourism industry. WRTA's primary purpose is to guide, enrich, and expand religious travel and hospitality around the globe via the trade, consumer, and media. Its membership is comprised of tour operators, travel agents, group planners, destinations, DMOs, accommodations, attractions, transportation services, media and other key players in the tourism industry. www.wrtareligioustravel.com.

You have heard all about social media, you know what a tweet is, you know that a blog is not some Star Trek character, but where do you start? Here are 5 hints and tips that will help Travel Agencies start out using social media. They are not all tactical suggestions, but also some strategic suggestions:

Social  Media is a 2-Way-Street
No matter which sites / technology you use it is always going to be about openness, transparency and relationships. If you are constantly sending messages out there, and not engaging in conversations, then you are missing the point.

Know Yourself
The Travel Industry is massive, if you don’t focus on your specialty then you have little hope online. There are so many different niches in the travel industry that you need to spend energy identifying your ideal customer. This will allow you to focus.

Hang Out
Once you know who you are looking for, you need to find out where your target client hangs out online. There are hundreds of social media communities, groups (Facebook shows over 500 groups when you search ‘Travel’) and many amazing blogs. Start by reading what everyone else is talking about, and see if they are similar to your target group, and then start to join the conversation. A good way to start is look for people with travel related questions, and then help them out.

Tweet-le Dee, Tweet-le Dum
Twitter is growing in popularity very quickly, and businesses are able to use this channel to drive business and gain new customers. For those that are not familiar with twitter, here is a good getting started resource, and here is a list of travel companies already on Twitter: http://bit.ly/DdvY. It is a good idea to see how others are using the service before you dive in. On that note, Tweetdeck is a great, free tool for helping you organize your Twitter experience.

The Blog Fog
Some people think that they don’t have time to blog, and if they think it is a good idea, they fear that they don’t know what to write about. The great thing is that once you get started, it just gets easier and easier to write, and if you are writing about something you are passionate about, then it is even easier. If you use your website to generate business, then blogging is the cheapest and most effective way to generate traffic to your site. It may take some time, but it is well worth it.

Some Hints
Use your own domain: Your blog should be similar to http://yoursite.com/blog. If you use a 3rd party blog that doesn’t use your web URL, you loose all of the SEO benefits. Use a designer to get set up. If you are not comfortable with HTML and design, you should skip the hassle and pay a professional to setup a blog for you.

These 5 suggestions will give you some direction on how to get started.

For the original post by Phil @ Tourism Tide, click here.

top

The Jumeirah Lowndes Hotel in Belgravia has been named “Most Excellent London Hotel” by Condé Nast Johansens at their annual Awards for Excellence.

The awards ceremony took place on Monday, November 9th at the Jumeirah Carlton Tower in Knightsbridge. Jane Renton, General Manager of the Jumeirah Lowndes Hotel picked up the award from Bob Cotton CEO of the British Hospitality Association (BHA) and Condé Nast Johansens Preferred Partner Stuart Macdonald of Eakin Macdonald.

Commenting on the award, Jane Renton said: “This is a wonderful achievement and one which I believe we thoroughly deserve. I’m incredibly proud of my entire team here at the Jumeirah Lowndes Hotel who all deserve congratulations for the part they have played.”

The Condé Nast Johansens Awards for Excellence are made annually to those properties worldwide that represent the finest standards and best value for money in luxury and independent accommodation.

From celebratory award to a fantastic celebrations venue, the Jumeirah Lowndes Hotel offers everything for a memorable Christmas adorned with traditional tree and decorations, serving up a warm festive experience to remember.

The hotel also makes an excellent choice for the serious fashionista with a weakness for designer labels. Only a street away is Sloane Street, famous for its A-list shops with Gucci, Tiffany, Prada and Harvey Nichols among the catwalk names and one cannot miss out Ice skating at either Hyde Park or the Natural History Museum.

Jumeirah Lowndes Hotel | 21 Lowndes Street | Knightsbridge | London | SW1X 9ES

top

Fairmont Hotels & Resorts
All Willow Stream Spas are sanctuaries inside Fairmont Hotels, in some of the most beautiful places in the world. Each reflects its surroundings - the desert, the mountains, the sea, or the cityscape. All offer Fairmont's unique brand of luxury and outstanding service, coupled with authentic spa experiences and a place to escape that simply makes you feel fantastic.

We're serious about creating authentic experiences where just being here is a joy. Our spas are relaxing, comfortable and sensorial. The layers of details, the small touches, make the difference. We help you escape your fast-forward, mad current world and bring you to a quieter place to recover, so you can dive into life again - energized.

Our resorts and urban oasis' are perfect playgrounds for kicking back and having fun. A round of golf, watching a sunset or laughing with friends over a delicious meal are all great pastimes and a perfect compliment to your spa experience.

Our hotel spa experiences are authentic - they work. Some are inspired by local traditions, plants and herbs, others are designed for specific results like stress relief, diminishing the appearance of fine lines or connected to your favorite interests like golf, skiing or spending time outdoors. Some are just pure pampering.

Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts
The legend says, from the dawn of time, deities were in search of ‘Amrita’, a magical elixir that would grant eternal youth. This mythical assurance of renewal is the mission of Amrita Spa's around the world.

Amrita Spa, our lifestyle brand, offers exclusivity and choices to improve your health and enhance your quality of life.  We provide exceptional spa treatments and fitness facilities to promote health, beauty, and wellness.

This exclusive luxury wellness concept focuses on providing a haven of relaxation and nurturing to members and guests, while providing complete care of the skin and body by a highly skilled team.

Raffles Hotels & Resorts
Raffles Amrita Spas welcome savvy travelers in search of fitness, serenity and rejuvenation. The name is inspired by an ancient Sanskrit legend, where deities searched for “Amrita”, the elixir of youth. This legendary assurance of renewal is a promise of all Raffles Amrita Spas around the world.

Raffles Amrita Spas offer residents a gift of living well, delivered by way of an enchanting experience in which each passageway opens new doors to discovery on their life journey. This is provided through an integrated approach to wellness, combining treatments, relaxation, fitness and nutrition.

Launched in 2000, Raffles Amrita Spas are found in Raffles hotels and resorts in Singapore, Cambodia, Dubai, Beverly Hills and Canouan Island. They have been consistently rated as one of the best spas in the world including “Best of the Best Spa” by Robb Report for Raffles Resort Canouan Island.

top

Accor Hospitality is Europe’s largest hotel chain and represents over 4,000 hotels and more than 500,000 rooms in 90 countries worldwide. As a global hotel leader, our family of more than 15 complementary brands, ranging from economy to luxury, are recognized and appreciated around the world for their commitment to quality. We constantly adapt to your emerging needs by offering a portfolio of repositioned, innovative and strategically aligned brands:

Sofitel Luxury Hotels strive for excellence and aim to please. Discover the French “Art de Vivre” in the enchanting settings of the finest hotels throughout the world.

Pullman Hotels is a new upscale global hotel network specifically designed for Business Travelers with a personalized offer based on the three key elements of the brand: Conviviality, Calm and Connectivity.

MGallery represents a collection of upscale hotels, remarkable in their personality, each offering a distinctive experience based on historic buildings, unique designs, visionary creations and outstanding locations.

Novotel is designed for natural living. In Novotel’s light and spacious rooms, created to ensure complete comfort for business travelers and a welcoming environment for families, guests can work or relax in comfort.

Mercure is a friendly and personal brand. Comfort and service quality are the foundations of the reputation of all Mercure hotels, embodying the hospitality know-how that makes every stay unique.

Suitehotel is a new way to experience hotels; a modern and innovative concept. Those mid-scale hotels are made up exclusively of suites, featuring high-speed Internet, media space, video and music on demand and a small kitchen.

All Seasons is a network of innovative and comfortable hotels for the economy traveler located in city centers and lively hubs, with breakfast, Internet access and a welcome gift included in the room rate.

Ibis offers consistent quality accommodations and services for the best local value: well-designed and fully-equipped en-suite bedrooms, major hotel services available 24/7 and a wide choice of on-site food and beverage options.

Accor Hospitality appreciates your important role as a professional travel partner and our mutual commitment to exceeding customer expectations. We continuously strive to find ways to streamline the booking process and make it even easier for you to sell rooms to leisure and business travelers.

We are pleased to introduce our brand new website. Easier to navigate and more enjoyable to use, we have given our site a completely new look and added features that make it even easier for you to choose your hotel. On this site, discover our professional solutions dedicated to Travel Agents, Meeting Planners and Leisure professionals. You can also sign up for our online tutorial “Learn with Us” to learn about all that Accor Hospitality has to offer you and your clients. You will also receive insider news, discover how to earn additional commission and view special offers.

Discover the A|Club guest loyalty program, Special Travel Agent Rates (STAR) program where you can benefit from industry discount rates of up to 75% off for your personal travel.

For travel reservations, please use our GDS chain code RT and book the CCR rate code or book Accor Hotels through CCRAtravel.com.

top

Experience the rolling foothills and Southern Hospitality of North Carolina at the Millennium Hotel Durham, perfectly suited for sightseers as well as business travelers. We are steps from Duke University and Duke Medical Centers and minutes from the Durham Bulls Athletic Park, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina Central University and UNC Chapel Hill. Raleigh-Durham Airport is only a short drive away and shuttle service to and from the airport and is available to registered guests at a nominal fee.

Of special note, as part of a Yale and Duke University collaboration, a large art exhibition featuring the works of Picasso is coming in August of 2009 and will be on display at The Nasher Museum at Duke through January 3, 2010. The exhibit will only be stopping in Durham and is expected to draw 100,000 visitors, with 60% of those numbers coming from out of state. This notable venture will provide a once in a lifetime opportunity for the city, the hotel, and their many guests. The Boston Globe called the Picasso exhibit “a show crowded with gems… and you should travel to see it.”

Discover genuine Southern charm in our 316 guest rooms and six suites, including our Club level rooms with upgraded amenities and services. Business guests will appreciate amenities such as high-speed Internet and 24-hour fax/copy service. Wireless also available in our lobby and lobby bar area. Here for pleasure? You’ll find it at every turn. Stroll through Sarah Duke Memorial Gardens. Take in a game at Durham Bulls Stadium. Or pamper yourself with our Club room accommodations, offering added services and amenities. Accessible rooms and non-smoking rooms are also available.

There’s so much to savor. Dine indoors or on the terrace at Millennium Hotel Durham’s Bel Gusto. This festive Mediterranean restaurant, renowned for its Milan-style rotisserie meats and poultry, is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Favor lighter fare? You’ll find it in Bel Gusto’s delectable focaccia sandwiches, Roman-style pizza and signature soups, pastas, salads and desserts. When the day winds down and the night revs up, visit Varsity Lobby Lounge for cocktails, to relax fireside, or follow your favorite team on the large-screen plasma TV. Salads, sandwiches and snacks from our casual menu are sure to satisfy.

More than 16,000 square feet of flexible meeting space and a superb professional staff assure a successful event. We make entertaining easy, and our experienced catering department can tailor menus to your precise tastes and budget. With our nine conference suites, two ballrooms, large pre-convene areas and a beautiful poolside terrace, you can host small gatherings or entertain groups as large as 500. Designing a distinctive reception, banquet, workshop or conference is not only a possibility...it’s our pleasure.

Guests can look forward to unwinding in our heated indoor swimming pool, whirlpool, or simply relaxing on our sundeck. For more of a workout, visit our fitness center featuring state-of-the-art equipment. The Raleigh-Durham area boasts a huge offering of championship and executive courses for all levels of golf, making it easy for family vacationers and serious golfers alike to sneak in a round or two.

GDS Access Code: MU

Millennium Hotel Durham | 2800 Campus Walk Avenue | Durham, North Carolina | 27705-4479