In This Issue

• CCRA Introduces Better than BAR Rates at 18,800 Hotels
• Be More Competitive with CCRA's Better than Best Program
• CCRA Exclusive Webinar: Increase Your Knowledge on Fairmont | Raffles | Swissotel Hotels & Resorts and Be Entered to Win a VISA Gift Card!
• Thank you for playing Fairmont's crossword puzzle incentive
• Take That Expedia!

Featured Destinations

• "Stay More, Play More!" at Vail Cascade Resort & Spa
• LaPlaya Beach & Golf Resort, Naples, FL
• The Madison in Washington, DC Joins Destination Hotels & Resorts' Collection

CCRA Introduces Better than BAR Rates at 18,800 Hotels

Welcome to CCRA's February Newsletter. January just seemed to fly by, so we can only assume that you're keeping busy with your 2011 bookings. This is a big year for travel as the economy rebounds. With rates and inventory at over 160,000 hotels around the world, CCRAtravel.com is always there to help. This is good news for you and your clients. Book a low rate for them, and a high commission for you!

This month CCRA introduces "Better Than Best" program. Over 18,800 hotels have agreed to offer travel agents like you, fully commissionable rates that are lower than the Best Available Rate (BAR) your client would find online. Read all about how CCRA has championed travel agents through tough times, and how hotels are responding.

Also in this issue learn about CCRA's upcoming appearance at the Travel Weekly show. This is our first tradeshow of the year, and we look forward to meeting you. We always enjoy these face-to-face opportunities with you, so please make sure you stop by our booth #323 to say hello!

You'll want to take advantage of the opportunity to participate in this month's exclusive webinar from Fairmont | Swissotel | Raffles Hotels & Resorts. Join us on the 24th to learn how to become a Fairmont Specialist and earn the chance to win a prize.

Read on about our featured destinations. The resorts in Naples, Florida, Vail, and Washington DC, are ideal for your clients to travel to anytime of the year. They're romantic and fun – and the best part they are offering specials for CCRA agents!

Enjoy the newsletter!

Sincerely,

The CCRA Marketing Team

Be More Competitive with CCRA's Better than Best Program

Over 18,800 hotels offer agents better rates than consumers find online!

CCRA is proud to introduce a new rate program, "Better than Best," which features over 18,800 hotels that offer travel agents like you a rate that is lower than their published best available rate (BAR). These discounts off BAR range from 5 – 30% or more; and, Better than Best rates are fully commissionable and based on last room availability.

What does Better than Best mean for you?

Said Mai Meyaart, Vice President and Managing Director of CCRA, "With CCRA's new "Better Than Best" Rate Program, travel professionals will now be able to access and book fully commissionable rates that are lower than what their clients are able to find online – at a large selection of hotel properties that range from economy class to luxury resorts worldwide."

Better than Best rates are now loaded in all four GDS under the ccr/ccra rate code. To view a comprehensive list of participating hotels click here.

No access to the GDS? No problem. Better than Best rates are also available under the "Internet Promotional Rate" at CCRAtravel.com.

During some of the leanest times the travel industry has faced, CCRA remained an advocate for you, the professional travel planner. We consistently worked with our hotel partners to demonstrate the continued value of travel agents and agencies. Our new Better Than Best Program, with over 18,800 participating hotels, proves these efforts have paid off. In turn, we urge our agent partners to support the hotels that offer agents rates that are "Better than Best."

CCRA Exclusive Webinar: Increase Your Knowledge on
Fairmont | Raffles | Swissotel Hotels & Resorts and
Be Entered to Win a VISA Gift Card!

Increase your knowledge with Fairmont | Raffles | Swissotel Hotels & Resorts.  Learn more about our locations, our products, services and programs.  Our portfolio has something for everyone and we want to ensure your clients are getting the right fit with our brands.

Fairmont Raffles Hotels International boasts an extraordinary collection of properties through three award-winning brands. Fairmont Hotels & Resorts delivers warm, exemplary service and an authentic expression of place. Raffles Hotels & Resorts, each a landmark in its respective locale, is distinguished by the ultimate in elegance and residential charm. Swissotel Hotels & Resorts combines renowned Swiss quality with fresh contemporary design, and personalized service with charm and efficiency. For exceptional travel experiences, our 90-plus hotels and resorts promise the utmost in service and amenities, treating your clients to the best a destination has to offer

One lucky attendee will win the grand prize, $100 Visa Gift Card!

Space is limited, reserve your space today! After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.

Thank you for playing Fairmont's crossword puzzle incentive

Fairmont-Raffles-Swissotel has asked us to send a big THANK YOU out to our CCRA travel agents on their behalf for all of your support.  We had amazing success with the monthly crossword puzzle incentive, and could not have done it without the support of agents like you!

As CCRA Travel Agents you received the crossword incentive in our weekly eBlasts. And we're happy to see that so many of you took part! As of December 2010, 37 additional CCRA agents have enrolled in Fairmont's Famous Agent program, and have noted their affiliation to CCRA for a total of 4,770 agents in the program.
 
We are pleased to announce December's final results of the Fairmont-Raffles-Swissotel monthly travel agent crossword incentive. Congratulations to Gisela Toribio with Archer Travel as well as Maria Estacio with Adventure Travel. Both agents receive $50 gift cards.
 
We look forward to more great success in 2011!   

Take that Expedia!
Written by: Bill Todd

You've just finished a client meeting where you presented three great options for a two week vacation.  Your client promises to get back to you just as soon as they've talked to their spouse.  During the meeting you clearly laid out the features and benefits of each option.  Your client had absolutely no questions when they left or hung up.  Yet, a week later, it suddenly dawns upon you that the client has not called to book their vacation. 

You send a quick email and find out the client's spouse found another option on Expedia and booked it.  You do a quick search on Expedia and discover the package selected has nowhere near the value of the three you proposed.

Unfortunately, you may think that you didn't do a good job presenting all the details. Allow me to let you in a little secret, you probably did a great job! The problem was not your presentation but your clients' memory. 

It is not their fault. A Harvard study concluded that the human brain is like a sieve when it comes to remembering information.  In fact, within 1 hour of a prospect hearing your options, they will forget 55% of the information presented.  Within 8 hours that number will increase to 62%. In short, all the details of your presentation literally began to evaporate the minute the client walked out your door or hung up the phone. 

To combat this, I use a hot new technology called "AudioGenerator."  It allows me to send unlimited e-mail "audio postcards" to my prospects. This affordable tool empowers me creatively to prompt my customers right from my computer at any time.  More importantly, an audio postcard can increases your client's information retention by over 50%. 

I employ the same service to create fun birthday cards, anniversary cards and to publicize any local promotions. This service also allows me to effortlessly get audio referrals and recommendations from my satisfied customers. 

AudioGenerator will provide you with a free 800 number so that satisfied clients can call in with a testimonial while on vacation. The 800 number will record their referral, and you can post it on your own website or send it out as an email in just a few moments.

The cost is less than $1.00 dollar a day. It was the most beneficial promotional tool for my business in both 2009 and 2010. If you want more information just click on the link below. You can send yourself a free audio postcard immediately or kick the tires with a free trial.

http://members.audiogenerator.com/specialinfo.asp?x=786599

Bill Todd
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 new 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). Todd has served as vice president of sales and industry marketing for the 5000+ franchises and seven global brands of Choice Hotels International, and was vice president of sales and marketing for Marriott International's Corporate Lodging Division. BTodd@BTodd.com | www.BTodd.com | 301.633.5856

Featured Destinations

The snow just keeps falling and this ski season is shaping up to be epic! Vail is already recording the fourth best snowfall in its history, at nearly eight feet above average at the top of the mountain. And now through April 24, 2011, winter sports enthusiasts can ski, snowboard, sled, skate and savor more in this alpine wonderland with Vail Cascade's new "Stay More, Play More!" offer*.

Another reason to get excited: Vail Cascade, Vail's only ski-in/ski-out, AAA Four-Diamond ski resort, was just ranked one of Travel + Leisure's "Top 500 Hotels in the World" for 2011. And no wonder. Resort guests can ride an on-site mountain chairlift, literally steps from the resort's back door, and be in knee-deep powder in minutes. At the end of the day, nothing soothes sore muscles like pampering treatments at the opulent Aria Spa, recently named one of the "25 Best Spas in Colorado" by Denver Magazine.

Adding to the accolades, the resort's rating as No. 20 among Travel + Leisure's "World's Best Family Hotels" is a boon to vacationers who want their free time to include some quality family time. An entertaining mix of multigenerational events and all-ages activities are specially created to bring families together through beloved traditions, from the excitement of SpringFest and KidVenture to the simple pleasures of snow cones by the pool.

From the moment guests arrive at Vail Cascade, they feel the inviting warmth of a true mountain retreat. Roaring fireplaces, a cozy mountain lodge ambiance and 24-hour personalized services come together to create unmatched comfort and a sense of home year-round.

Just like the resort itself, culinary pursuits at Vail Cascade are a refined yet relaxed experience. The signature creek-side restaurant, Atwater on Gore Creek, includes two distinct dining venues. Opt for a casual tavern serving up drinks, appetizers and small plates or a formal dining room featuring a full dinner menu and a more sophisticated atmosphere. Atwater also embraces the drama of nature with an adjoining alfresco patio overlooking Gore Creek.

Vail Cascade's ideal location and breathtaking mountain surroundings create the ultimate natural playground for all-season adventure. Once the snow melts, guests enjoy hiking, biking, fly-fishing, rafting, Village strolls and poolside sun during pleasantly warm summers and cool falls.

Secluded yet picture-perfect for creating memorable experiences, Vail Cascade is a destination where families bond while hiking through emerald aspens. Where mind, body and spirit are balanced with rejuvenating treatments and invigorating workouts at Aria Spa & Club (the area's biggest fitness facility). And where a romantic mountain backdrop is the setting for meaningful connections – and more of everything your clients love.

Nestled at the base of Vail Mountain and along the banks of Gore Creek, Vail Cascade is less than two hours from Denver International Airport.

*Offer valid now through April 24, 2011. Travel agents will receive a 20% commission on bookings.

For all the best rates at Vail Cascade, visit CCRAtravel.com. For the best rates in the GDS, select the CCR rate code in Amadeus, Sabre and Worldspan, or CCRA in Apollo/Galileo.

If you wish to share more opinions or info on this topic, please go to our Facebook page or tweet us. 

LaPlaya Beach & Golf Resort offers travelers a refined respite on one of Travel Channel's best beaches in the world, Vanderbilt Beach. Beach Butlers provide the ultimate luxury for guests relaxing in private cabanas along the cascading pools, from arranging a poolside cabana massage and parasailing excursion to creating personal favorite beverages and providing chilled towels. This Naples beach resort reflects the classic Florida charm through charming accommodations with lush bedding on the luxurious four-poster beds draped with delicate butterfly netting and crisp blue cabanas along a cascading falls pool.

SpaTerre takes spa goers on a sensory stimulating journey, offering Thai- and Indonesian-inspired treatments such as the signature Javanese Lulur Royal Treatment, originally reserved for royalty.  Intimate treatment rooms that lead to private patios with traditional outdoor Japanese Relaxation Tubs filled with aromatherapy infused waters and topped with fresh flower petals.

Much acclaimed fine dining restaurant, BALEEN, recently reopened its doors with enhanced style amidst the epicurean enclave. Toes-in-the-sand dining takes place as BALEEN offers three daily seatings with palate-pleasing options all consisting of a coastal twist on traditional favorites. Spilling out through grand doors is a terrace with tables overlooking the sweeping beach, and a fire pit beyond.

LaPlaya Beach & Golf Resort is the only true beachfront, boutique resort on the Gulf Coast rivaling the élan of South Beach. Capturing a spot on the coveted Condè Nast Traveler "Gold List" and the "Great Hotels" ranking of Travel + Leisure, the stylishly simple escape features a sweeping soft private white beach with Beach Butlers, crisp blue cabanas along a cascading falls pool, David Leadbetter Golf Academy with a private 18-hole Cupp golf course, exotic SpaTerre and stunning sunsets
 
Book our Frostbite Relief Package through April 30th and your clients will enjoy $75.00 per day in FREE Resort Spending Credit and complimentary nightly Resort Fee (value $17.00 per day).  The longer they stay the more credit they earn – with no maximum number of credits! 

*Credit applicable toward incidentals only and may not be applied toward package rate.   Unused credit will not be refunded.  Credit may not be combined with other packages, discounts or offers.  Promotional code: FROSTBITE.  Subject to availability.

For all the best rates at LaPlaya Beach & Golf Resort, visit CCRAtravel.com. For the best rates in the GDS, select the CCR rate code in Amadeus, Sabre and Worldspan, or CCRA in Apollo/Galileo.

The Madison, located in the heart of downtown Washington, DC, is now part of Destination Hotels & Resorts' collection of premier properties. The sophisticated hotel features 353 guestrooms including 13 suites designed to provide the utmost elegance and privacy to the hotel's elite guests.

Each guestroom is complemented by oversized desks and ergonomic chairs, allowing guests to easily work while traveling on business in Washington, DC. The Madison is only a short stroll from the White House, Embassy Row, National Mall Monuments and Smithsonian Museums.

At PostScript Lounge, guests can relax and dine for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Enjoy light fare and creative small plates from innovative menus created by the hotel's award winning chef.

Washington, DC is not only known as the Nation's Capital city and home to historic monuments including the White House, but as the site of the annual Cherry Blossom Festival. Occurring at the very beginning of spring, guests interested in visiting Washington, DC during this special celebration can take advantage of The Madison's 'Cherry of a Spring Deal' vacation package and special rate. In its 99th year, the 2011 Cherry Blossom Festival celebrates Japan's gift of 3,000 cherry blossom trees to the United States.

Whether visiting Washington, DC on a sightseeing tour, a romantic getaway or just because, stay with The Madison and experience the city's unique charm.

For all the best rates at The Madison, visit CCRAtravel.com. For the best rates in the GDS, select the CCR rate code in Amadeus, Sabre and Worldspan, or CCRA in Apollo/Galileo.

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