Ten "Travel" Commandments – Travel
Ten "Travel" Commandments
Marli Davis
I. Thou shalt pack HALF the clothes you want.
II. Thou shalt take TWICE the money you will need.
III. Thou shalt pack an abundance of Patience.
IV. Thou shalt NOT count calories, especially on cruises.
V. Your extra large luggage shalt have wheels.
VI. Thou shalt NOT feel guilty if you don
What Is A Home Based Travel Agent – Real Estate
What Is A Home Based Travel Agent
Jennifer Dugan
Many people are unclear about the travel industry. Travel agents are often thought to be the same as real estate agents. Becoming a travel agent or more specifically a home based travel agent is an exciting career change or retirement option. Some people do it full time while many do it as a part time business.
A travel agent books travel for customers and is paid by suppliers a commission on the booking. For bookings that suppliers do not pay a commission on, a travel agent also can charge the client a service fee for his/her time. An example is if you were to book a hotel for a client, the hotel would then send a check to the agency after the client checked out. Most hotels pay 10% of the price of the hotel before taxes and fees. A $100 per night hotel reservation would mean $10 a night for the travel agent who made the booking. This hotel would cost the same whether the customer uses a travel agent or books through the hotel directly. In many cases the travel agent can get a better price. It costs the customer nothing to use the travel agent unless the travel agent charges service fees.
Can anyone do this In order to work with suppliers, you must have an account set up with the supplier. Most require an agency to hold an IATAN, CLIA or ARC number. IATAN stands for International Airlines Travel Agent Network. CLIA stands for Cruise Lines International Association. ARC stands for Airline Reporting Corporation. Each of these memberships requires different things including sales, money in the bank, experience or training in the industry, and membership fees. Many will require Errors and Omissions insurance of $1,000,000 or more.
For the average travel agent, membership is not a possibility with some organizations so the agent will team up with an agency and work as an independent agent or outside agent. There are also advantages of working with an agency because most travel agents cannot make enough in sales with a particular supplier to obtain higher commission levels and bonuses. Working with an agency with many agents can increase the commission percentages the agent gets because of the joint sales of all the agents at the agency. Support is also a very important aspect of being a successful agent. Agents who do not work with others tend to feel more isolated and have to learn to do it all solo. Since no agent can have the experience of being everywhere in the world or staying at every hotel or resort, having others that you can get advice from is really helpful.
The future of travel agencies is always questioned. The truth is the industry has changed in many ways. Some changes were for the better, some for the worse. Many airlines have cut commissions for travel agents. However, there are many other suppliers who are paying travel agents more than they were ten years ago. Cruises used to be booked by only the rich and now people in every income book cruises. Each year more and more people go on cruises. Most people say they want to go on a cruise at least once and many who go on their first come home to want to book another.
You can earn commission on many travel reservations.
Hotels
Rental Cars
Tour Packages
Cruises
Some airline tickets
International airline tickets
Travel insurance
Ground transportation including limos
Attraction tickets
Train tickets
People all need travel arrangements at some point in time. Those who take road trips need hotel reservations. Those who need to travel for business need airline tickets, rental cars, and hotel reservations. Families want to experience vacations with their loved ones. People visit family and relatives. Most people who win money say they are going to spend it to take a nice vacation. Newly married couples go on honeymoons. You are not selling something that is hard to sell. People contact you for help, you are not calling them or approaching them trying to sell them something they don
Costa Rica Travel Packages – Travel
Costa Rica Travel Packages
AVEL ON LINE
Located in southern Central America, Costa Rica is surrounded by three different bodies of water including the Panama Canal on the southeast, the Pacific Ocean on the southwest and west and the Caribbean Ocean on the east. Because of Costa Ricas close proximity to several bodies of water, the country is an ideal stopping point for various cruise ships carrying throngs of adventurous vacationers. Depending on the area of Costa Rica you are in, the climate can differ dramatically. There are cool wet mountain ranges, rain forests, dry tropical forests, cloud forests, the very dry Pacific coast and the damp Caribbean coast. Because of Costa Ricas diverse climate, the country is home to 850 species of birds, 205 species of mammals, 9,000 species of flowering plants, 1,200 species of orchids and 376 species of reptiles and amphibians. For a country that only measures 51,060 square kilometers, this is a wide variety of natural wildlife. Costa Rica strives to maintain the lands natural beauty and wildlife by designating one sixth of the country to national parks and wildlife refuges. Costa Rica is also home to several active volcanoes. Arenal erupts daily every fifteen minutes or so. The locals welcome foreigners with open arms making Costa Rica one of the most desirable vacation and retirement spots in the world. It is for these and other reasons that a Costa Rica vacation cruise should be booked today. The memories will last a lifetime.
An Abundance of Outdoor Recreation: Costa Rica is big on water related activities. Wave riders travel from all over the world to test out their expertise in Costa Ricas waters. Both the Pacific and Atlantic coasts offer up some notorious surfing. On the Atlantic Coast, Puerto Viejos Salsa Brava gets some great breaks during the winter months although this area is often crowded. On the Pacific side, Playa Hermosa is the most consistent place to catch some waves. If these areas are flat, no need to worry, snorkeling and kayaking are always an option. Wind surfers have nothing but praise for Lake Arenal. It is considered one of the worlds best wind surfing spots and on good days you can cruise over 25 miles across the lake. There might not be anything more romantic when youre on vacation with the one you love than enjoying a horseback ride. Whether its on the beach or through a National Park, the experience is sure to be memorable. Other popular outdoor activities to be enjoyed while in Costa Rica include hiking, mountain biking, deep sea fishing, bungee jumping, sailing, bird watching and ballooning. More adventurous activities include repelling down through the center of waterfalls, canopy tours through the tropical trees and white water rafting.
A Mecca for Nature Lovers: Nature lovers should take advantage of Costa Ricas numerous National Parks and refuges. Crocovado is both a rain forest and black sand beach. The Tabacon Hot Springs is natures equivalent to the Jacuzzi. Unwind near cascading waterfalls in the various pools and hot springs. A trip to the Monteverde Cloud Forest will almost guarantee a sighting of Costa Ricas most famous bird, the Quetzal. The Rain Forest Aerial Tram is located out of San Jose, the countrys capital, and offers a guided canopy tour of the rain forest. Manuel Antonio Park is teeming with monkeys and other wildlife. The Tortuguera is Costa Ricas most famous protected nesting area. If you are not a fan of outdoor activities, dont worry, there is plenty else to do and see. The National Museum traces Costa Ricas colorful history and culture. The museum was founded in 1887 and is located in San Jose. Patrons of the arts should try and catch one of the numerous performance put on at the National Theater. The National Theater offers classical music and opera performances in addition to others. Sarchi is located outside of San Jose and is a great place to visit and admire the countrys handicraft.
Visit www.mytraveltocostarica.com to receive a FREE Costa Rica vacation package quote.
About The Author
Aventuras Elegantes, AVEL, S.A. We are an american and costa rican group. Aventuras Elegantes, AVEL, S.A., started operation in 1995 as a receptive tourism agency specialized in promoting Costa Rica as a tourist destination worldwide.
www.mytraveltocostarica.com
info@mytraveltocostarica.com