In This Issue

• Save Your Clients Money, While Making More Yourself
• Notes from Liz: Winding Up the Year
• CCRA Agents Win Big in the Cash In on Vegas Summer 2011 Incentive
• Travel Marketing's Dynamic Duo

Featured Destinations

• Exploring the Hidden Side of Charleston, South Carolina at Charleston Place
• Enjoy Resort Credit Packages this Fall at WaterColor Inn & Resort, Located in Northwest Florida
• Kick Start National Chocolate Week at William Curley's Pop-Up Chocolate Box at St Martins Lane
• Stay connected with complimentary hotel-wide internet access at Aloft Phoenix-Airport, a vision of W Hotels

Save Your Clients Money, While Making More Yourself

Dear Partners in Travel,

Welcome to the October newsletter! Fall, already? Where has the time gone?

We hope this has been a successful year for you and your business. Even as the time flys by, CCRA continues to make time to bring you the latest updates from our prestigious hotel partners, as well as news and trends that affect your business.

Have you been taking advantage of the latest and greatest Safety Net rates on CCRAtravel.com? Remember, Safety Net not only offers block space at over 60,000 hotels worldwide, but Safety Net rates are net; allowing you to markup your commission up to 100%. Start booking today to save your clients money, while making more yourself.

Please join us this month for the following webinars to learn about their latest offerings and specials for you and your clients. La Quinta will be presenting Thursday, October 20th and Noble House Hotels & Resorts will be presenting on Thursday, October 27th. These monthly webinars are free, and attendees are eligible for prizes. Don't miss out!

This month, three CCRA agents each won $1,000 in the "Cash in on Las Vegas" incentive on CCRAtravel.com. There's still time for you to win too. See details below.

And finally, our partners at Accor want to advise agents that the CCR rate code issue in Apollo/ Galileo has been corrected, and you can now book ccr rates at all Accor hotels in both GDS.

Enjoy the newsletter!

Your CCRA Team

Notes from Liz: Winding Up the Year

Baseball's World Series is just about to take place and football season has started. To me, this means fall is here. Another sign of the fall season is travel agents getting their books cleaned up for the end of the year. We have a myriad of agents who are making sure their commissions are collected and are calling on us to help chase down their commission.

Please remember you have a reporting tool to aid in your book-keeping. Go to the REPORTS tab at the top of the page in the online portal and you will see a record of your bookings and the commission status. For those who are administrators, you have access to see your bookings and the bookings of all agents registered under your company.

As a recap and rule of thumb, I want to give you the order in which we pay commissions:

• "N" Safety Net Rates - These are the rates in which you add your own commission. This commission, if you added a mark up, is paid out within seven to ten days of the date you made the booking. Since Safety Net rates are non-refundable, we do not hold up payment and send it out to you (or direct deposit to your USA bank account) in seven to ten days of the actual booking. You do not have to wait until the stay is consumed.

• "$" Enhanced rates - This is our 15% commissionable rate. We pay out these commissions within seven to ten days of the booking date, similar to the Safety Net rates. You do not have to wait until after your guest checks out.

• "I" Internet Discount Rates - Here, as you already know, you have the same rates that your clients find on Hotels.com or Expedia, it is the same live inventory. For this inventory you do have to wait for the guest to check out. After the guest checks out, we receive commission payment from Hotels.com or Expedia with 30 to 60 days after check out. CCRA processes the payment and the agency is paid within seven to ten days after we receive payment. These bookings receive 10% commission.

• "P" Promotional/ GDS rates - Here you have Amadeus rates. Once the guest checks out, the hotel pays out commission. Some hotels are great about paying out commissions 30 to 60 days after check out. Other hotels are not as forthcoming and we have to remind them of their obligation to pay out commission. Some hotels take 90 days or longer to pay out commission.

For those agents who have collected commission on their own, you know this can be an arduous task! Statistics show hotels pay out commission only 65% of the time! CCRA is proud to state we have a 97% success rate in our commission collection efforts. Please note: CCRA is not a collection agency. We do our best to collect commission and are majorly successful, but we do have to draw the line at outright collections.

Once the hotel pays out commission, we process the payments and send out these commissions within seven to ten days after the commissions are received.

• "C" CCRA negotiated rates - These are the rates our sales team works hard to negotiate with hotel chains worldwide. Included in these rates are amenities that may not be found when booking a "P" GDS rate. The commission for this inventory is also paid after the guest has checked out. In general, commissions are received from USA hotels within 30 - 45 days and from hotels outside the USA within 45 - 90 days.

It is important to note that hotels usually do not pay commission if left for more than six months without an inquiry. While most agencies are up to date on their record-keeping, there are exceptions. CCRA will always help to make the inquiry, but many hotels will not assist or reopen old records.

Information about commission payments is posted on our portal under the Terms and Conditions tab. If you have questions or if we may be of assistance regarding questions on commissions, please contact us at service@ccra.com.

Sincerely,

CCRA Agents Win Big in the Cash In on Vegas Summer 2011 Incentive

CONGRATULATIONS CCRA WINNERS!

CCRA is delighted to announce that three CCRA travel agents are winners in the "Cash in on Vegas Summer 2011 Incentive" sweepstakes running on our booking portal, CCRAtravel.com.


Each of the following agents won $1,000 in gift certificate prizes:

Congratulations, Pam, Sandra and Lisa ... and thank you for your support of CCRAtravel.com.

Thanks too to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority for making this incentive available to CCRA travel agents.

IT'S NOT TOO LATE! YOU CAN BE A WINNER TOO!

The Las Vegas CVA has extended the "Cash in on Vegas" incentive through the end of October. There's never been a better time to book Vegas for your clients. The best part – entering is simple. Just go to CCRA Cash in on Las Vegas and you'll find everything you need to know to earn your chance at prizes up to $1,000.

Travel Marketing's Dynamic Duo

Travel professionals love marketing via e-mail. Not only is it easy to use, but the cost is a fraction of traditional marketing tools. In fact, e-mail fits so nicely into everyone's marketing budget that clients are now being bombarded with a stream of travel offers and promotions. We frequently overlook the fact that our customers and prospects alike are receiving a record number of e-mails from airlines, resorts, attractions, destinations, third-party reservation providers and our direct competitors.

A recent in-depth study tracked over 570 million outbound e-mails. Only 14.5% of messages sent by individuals or companies in the travel industry were opened. Many e-mails sent by travel professionals contained a clickable link or an embedded special offer. Astoundingly, only 2.71% of these e-mails attained a click-through.

The good news is that you can instantly and affordably increase your e-mail success rate by combining it with a strategic voicemail message. You call your key clients just before your marketing e-mail is about to drop. Identify yourself and inform them you are about to send an important e-mail. State that you realize how busy they are and how appreciative you would be if they took time to review your e-mail. This single call will catch your client completely off-guard and may cause a state of shock. Rarely does anyone in the travel industry ever call and politely ask that their important e-mail be read. Skype is a fantastic service that allows you to make phone calls - many for free and others for just pennies.

Dan Tyre, a marketing expert at HubSpot, reported that his e-mail success rate jumped by 55% when he added a voicemail message. In fact, his success rate increased to 65% when he added a second voicemail that arrived a few hours after the e-mail was sent.

As travel professionals, we must rethink how we approach e-mail marketing. Most of us have been trained to calculate the number of marketing e-mails we can afford to send. The real question should be - what is the minimum number of sales our e-mail must generate to justify the investment.

Starting today you can dramatically increase your e-mail marketing success rate by adding a strategic voicemail message.

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

Charleston Place Concierge Shares Tips on Exclusive Opportunities
Available to Visitors

The list of reasons travelers continually rank Charleston, South Carolina as one of the top destinations in the country is quite extensive. Comfortable year-round weather, Southern hospitality, amazing history, and one of the most dynamic and diverse culinary scenes in the country, just to name a few. In addition to helping you explore Charleston's most popular activities and attractions, the concierge at Charleston Place Hotel can arrange one-of-a-kind experiences, ones that guests typically would not find on their own.

We asked our concierge to share a list of their favorite hidden gems that they've planned for guests over the years.

1. An exclusive private walking tour of Charleston's private gardens in the historic district, by native author and expert, Louisa Pringle Cameron.

2. A tee time at either the Seabrook Island or Daniel Island Clubs, both which are closed to the public.

3. A private "behind-the-scenes" carriage ride at Middleton Place Plantation (reservations are not normally accepted).

4. A charter of the sailing yacht, The Fate, which is a privately owned 49-foot Beneteau that sleeps up to six people.

5. A private driving tour of "Little Jerusalem" by the past president, Ken Goodman, of Temple Beth Elohim, the oldest reform synagogue in the world.

6. An exclusive "behind-the-scenes" tour of the Calhoun Mansion.

7. Private tours of artists' studios as well as introductions to the artists themselves.

8. A private historic district tour via bicycle with native authority Harlan Green—author of six books on Charleston history.

9. A morning or afternoon of horseback riding along the beach at Seabrook Island.

10. A private flying tour, either by Cessna or helicopter.

11. For a special occasion, a private dinner in a historic home with a famous local chef.

Whether you're looking to explore the hidden side of Charleston or enjoy a relaxing getaway, Charleston Place is the ideal location. Annually recognized as one of the top hotels in the country by readers of Travel + Leisure and Conde Nast Traveler, Charleston Place evokes the feeling of a grand, 17th century residence―from its lush personal suites to the Italian marble lobby with its signature Georgian Open Arm staircase and 12-foot crystal chandelier.

With renowned dinning options including Charleston Grill, a recipient of the coveted Mobil Four-Star and the AAA Four-Diamond, as well as a full-service spa and a staff dedicated to indulging guests with the finest in Southern hospitality, Charleston Place is ideally located in the heart of historic downtown and provides luxurious accommodations for an unforgettable getaway.

To book this offer, visit CCRAtravel.com and simply select the C rate category. Offer also available in the GDS - select CCR in Amadeus, Sabre and Worldspan or CCRA in Galileo.

Enjoy the ultimate beach retreat at WaterColor Inn & Resort, located in Northwest Florida on scenic 30A. The Gulf Coast's premier luxury destination borders a 220-acre dune lake on 499 acres, with 1,400 linear feet of beachfront on the renowned sugar-white beaches of South Walton.

Recently renovated, the David Rockwell-designed WaterColor Inn captures the essence of a tranquil getaway with the intimacy and hospitality of a traditional Southern grand hotel. Beachfront rooms bring the outdoors mere footsteps from the beach. From the soft linens to the spa-inspired toiletries, every well-appointed room has been furnished for the full comfort of the guest.

All guests of WaterColor Resort receive our award winning service and resort amenities including complimentary bikes, kayaks and canoes at Western Lake, access to Kids Camp, WaterColor Signature Bath Amenities and the ease of the Resort Charging Privileges.

Families can enjoy the spacious, well-appointed vacation homes that are infused in the park-like setting of the 499 acres. Each 1-6 bedroom vacation home offers a full kitchen with ample room for family dinners and plenty of gathering space to enjoy time together. Vacation homes offer the perfect setting for family reunions, weddings and groups.

Dining options are as plentiful as the accommodations. Fish Out of Water, with floor to ceiling windows overlooking the Gulf, offers casual breakfast and dinner. The Gathering Spot & Sushi Bar offers a delightful selection of drinks, entrees and sushi. The BeachClub serves up refreshing salads, sandwiches and snacks to guests enjoying the sun by the pool, overlooking the Gulf, inside, or on the upstairs deck.

The InnSpa is a wonderful retreat, and Camp WaterColor keeps children busy all day long with crafts, activities and games. Keep up that exercise regime at WaterColor Workout with classes, personalized training and specialized equipment.

Resort credit package available this fall! Your clients will receive up to $75 per day in resort credit to use at our exquisite restaurants and spa facility.

To book this offer, visit CCRAtravel.com and simply select the C rate category. Offer also available in the GDS - select CCR in Amadeus, Sabre and Worldspan or CCRA in Galileo.

Monday 10th October, the beginning of one of the most popular weeks of the year - National Chocolate Week - sees the opening of Britain's Best Chocolatier, William Curley's residency in the Front Room at St Martins Lane, Covent Garden.

Open until the New Year in the Front Room at St Martins Lane - one of London's leading design hotels - William Curley's CHOCOLATE BOX will offer a mouth-watering assortment of his finest chocolate creations - from his renowned house blend hot chocolate, his notorious Nostalgia range, a selection of couture chocolates (including Britain's Best Chocolate - the William Curley Muscovado Caramel), chocolate nibbles, bars and biscuits.

Pop into the Front Room, in association with Morgans Hotel Group, for a box of chocolates to wow dinner party guests or sit in and relax in chocolate heaven whilst enjoying a delicious chocolate treat. For those on the run pick up a takeaway hot chocolate to warm up as the Winter draws in.

A fabulous calendar of special chocolate inspired events will be hosted by William himself in the CHOCOLATE BOX from perfume and chocolate pairing evenings, chocolate speed tastings, chocolate master-classes and more.

"I am hugely excited about the Chocolate Box pop up at St Martins Lane hotel - the hotel is incredibly iconic and the concept of the Front Room is fantastic. St Martins Lane is far from our usual haunts - we are looking forward to being accessible to a different audience ... ayoung, more urban crowd..." William Curley.

Head down to the CHOCOLATE BOX on the Monday 10th October to receive a FREE chocolate truffle or couture chocolate. Not to be missed!

National Chocolate Week has never looked so good ... and this chocolate dreamland is available to chocolate lovers until the New Year!

For further information and images please contact:
christabel.mcconville@quintessentially.com
stevie@purplepr.com

CHOCOLATE BOX opening times:
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday: 11am – 8pm
Thursday, Friday, Saturday: 11am – 9.30pm
Sunday: 12pm – 6pm
St Martins Lane, 45 St Martin's Lane, London, WC2N 4HV

About Morgans Hotel Group
Morgans Hotel Group Co. (NASDAQ: MHGC) is widely credited as the creator of the first "boutique" hotel and a continuing leader of the hotel industry's boutique sector. Morgans Hotel Group operates Morgans, Royalton and Hudson in New York, Delano and Shore Club in South Beach, Mondrian in Los Angeles, South Beach and New York, Clift in San Francisco, Ames in Boston, Sanderson and St Martins Lane in London, and a hotel in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. Morgans also owns, or has ownership interests in, several of these hotels. Morgans Hotel Group has other property transactions in various stages of completion including a Mondrian at Baha Mar in Nassau, The Bahamas, a Delano in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, a Delano in Cesme, Turkey, a Mondrian in Doha, Qatar and a hotel in New York to be branded with one of MHG's existing brands. For more information please visit www.morganshotelgroup.com.

To book this offer, visit CCRAtravel.com and simply select the C rate category. Offer also available in the GDS - select CCR in Amadeus, Sabre and Worldspan or CCRA in Galileo.

Aloft Phoenix-Airport is a vision of W Hotels with a loft inspired design creating a whole new travel experience! Situated between Phoenix and Tempe, we are located less than 4 miles from Arizona State University, 5 minutes from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and the Downtown Phoenix Convention Center. The Phoenix Light Rail is within steps of the hotel which allows easy access to Tempe (ASU Campus), Downtown Phoenix & Mesa.

Come mix and mingle with friends at the ever popular and social w xyz bar, where you can enjoy our signature drinks and appetizers while shooting a game of pool and listening to your favorite tunes. Get your fix from re:fuel our grab and go 24/7 pantry with a variety of sweet, savory and healthy snacks. Plus, you can always stay connected with complimentary hotel-wide internet access, stay fit in our re:charge gym, or in splash our outdoor heated pool. Plus, Aloft Phoenix-Airport is pet-friendly so grab the leash and bring along your four-legged friend!

Once you've enjoyed the scene downstairs you can breeze upstairs to our aloft guest rooms featuring spacious 9-foot high ceilings, our ultra-comfortable signature platform bed, oversized showerhead, custom amenities by Bliss Spa and more. Our plug & play connectivity station charges all types of electronics and links to the 42" LCD TV to maximize work and play. Plus, during your entire stay you'll receive complimentary in-room WiFi.

To book this offer, visit CCRAtravel.com and simply select the C rate category. Offer also available in the GDS - select CCR in Amadeus, Sabre and Worldspan or CCRA in Galileo.

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