TomTravel2

Today a panel of leading economists agreed that the awful recession of 2008-2009 probably ended some time this summer. (article) As some of you will recall, back in August I took exception to the gloom and doom outlook of the keynote speaker at Virtuoso Travel Mart. Larry Hochman spoke at length on “cutting costs without cutting your throat” and other cheerful concepts. My response to that tone was that the elephant had left the room. Most economists have a great rear view mirror, but that usually is not a good way to drive. As I suggested at the time it would be wiser for travel businesses to focus ahead on how to cope with the imminent recovery. If you were cutting in August you were late to the game.

I am not an economist and have no formal education in the field. I like to say I went to the Levy school of economics. For 18 years I worked managing a bond portfolio and trading stocks with a former floor trader in commodities. In order to maximize our investments we spent much time reading economic tea leaves focusing on getting ahead of the market when things change. I was taught to focus on leading indicators and often mundane things like how many shopping bags one can see at the local mall. In travel 2009 brought fire sale prices on hotels, cruises and tours. By May I noticed a sharp drop in what was being offered at a steep discount. There were still good deals on select travel products this summer, but I felt the everything must go sale had ended.

There are still some relative bargains to be had in travel this fall, but even those places like Arizona and Las Vegas which were hardest hit are starting to tick up in price. My many conversations with the “boots on the ground” people from the luxury travel suppliers reinforced my belief that the worst of the economic pain was behind us some time this summer. As business slowly picks up (it may be a very gradual recovery) hiring will as well and the lagging indicator of employment will begin to improve as well. The most important thing Mr. Hochman pointed out at Travel Mart was the only point of agreement for me: are you ready to deal with recovery? What goes down will eventually go back up. The only market strategy I ever used was to try to buy as close to the bottom as possible. I would have been buying travel this summer.

The bigger challenge facing our industry is how to cut through the clutter and get our message heard in the brave new world of information technology. The Internet has indeed changed the rules of the game. Just as we have begun to rise out of the economic mess, we can also find a way to rise above the noise on the web. New media represent not a problem, but an opportunity. The winners in the internet game have been those that connect people to what they are looking for, not those who are selling to people. The emerging stars are those sites and services that are finding the best ways to connect people to one another such as Facebook and Twitter. This sea change in the internet game works in the favor of a business model that works on person to person contact. The challenge facing the travel consumer using the internet is not finding information, it is finding information they can trust.

As the luxury travel business gathered at the Bellagio in Las Vegas for the world’s largest luxury travel exposition the elephant was an expected (though not very welcome) arrival by nearly all of the participants. A little birds also flitted into the halls. “The elephant in the room” at any gathering of people who work in the travel business these days is of course the economic malaise that has dragged down the world economy. At the opening ceremony Matthew Upchurch addressed it in his opening remarks. The keynote speaker spoke about it at length. It was of course a topic on the table in many of our discussions and at the meetings with travel suppliers.  We all knew it would be. We speak to people all the time and the subject often comes up.

The travel business has been one of the industries most effected by the deep recession of the past year. The elephant needed no introduction to the people at this event. We all know more than one person who has lost a job this year. Many in the industry have had to scramble to survive on lower revenues and bookings. We have all had our villages visited by the elephant. Our gardens and often many of our houses have been trampled by the beast. Most have learned to adjust to life with this unwelcome intruder. In fact, it was my overwhelming impression from discussing the outlook for business with hundreds of people, most of us are looking past it. Despite a rough year we in the travel business are mostly looking forward with hope or outright optimism. “The Power of One to One” in this case put the issue on the table and dismissed it forthright.

Those who know me are not surprised that I am optimistic. What surprised even me was how many shared that outlook. When asked how business currently is  most reported things have already improved somewhat. Looking forward most of what I heard indicated that bookings for the coming quarter, and for next year are continuing to show improvement. The worst of the damage from the elephant is probably behind us. Despite its large presence none of us let the elephant ruin our party! Whether the recession has ended already or will be ending this fall won’t be known until after the fact. I consider the positive outlook of many travel suppliers and travel agents very reassuring. One of my favorite stories heard during the doings was one of the agents being asked by the elevator security man “What type of convention are you attending.” She replied “We are travel agents and suppliers.” The man said “I have never seen a happier group of people in my life, and I have worked here a long time.”

Well before the elephant was addressed at the opening session, the bird had slipped into the picture. For many the splash they would go on to make was a huge surprise. For those “bird watchers” like me in attendance the impact was anticipated, but the scale of the buzz created shocked even me. For the first time Virtuoso introduced trainings on social media at Travel Mart. The first of these events preceded the Opening Ceremony by a day. By the evening’s events at VAST Globetrotting Expo I was already becoming aware of the bird buzz that would follow me around for rest of the event. Several people recognized me from seeing my picture at the training (or from seeing and hearing me answer questions at the behest of the trainers). There was a shared recognition by several people I have mutual follow relationships on Twitter. Several others recognized me from my profile head shot but couldn’t place where they knew me from. As these two use a company logo instead of a head shot I had no idea where we might have met until they remembered that Twitter was where they knew me from.

The little bird flitted throughout the massive conference center tweeting the news about social media everywhere it went. It became probably the hottest topic of conversation at Travel Mart. As one of the visible bird watchers at the event I had anticipated some bird buzz. The scale of the buzz was way beyond anything I had imagined. I ended up having several hundred conversations with people who sought me out to comment or ask questions about social media. It took me several hours to make my way to the door to leave one of the cocktail parties because people kept stopping me to talk about it all. Take my word for it, Twitter, Facebook, and Linked In were the hot topics for this year’s Travel Mart.

Not all of the twittering about social media was from fans. There were a good number of people who asked me very pointed questions indicating strong skepticism about the whole phenomenon. Even though some of these people weren’t so sure of the value of all this online sharing they were aware of it and at the least curious. A few of the most cynical questioners have since shown up following me on Twitter or friending me on Facebook. As interesting as those conversations were, that fact may be far more telling than the words we exchanged. No person is now unaware of the existence and trendiness of social media networks unless they live in a total media vacuum. Television and radio networks and personalities happily chirp out “Follow us/me on Twitter and Facebook” with increasing frequency. Even those who are convinced it all amounts to a hill of beans feel the need to become more informed about it.

While we all knew the elephant was coming to Travel Mart most of us gave little heed. The little bird’s arrival was much less anticipated but far more dramatic. The jury is still out on exactly what the long term impact of social media will be on the travel industry as a whole or on it’s individual constituents. This is what I take away from my rather unique experience of the bird buzz at this year’s Virtuoso Travel Mart: the players in the travel game are aware of social media and it’s potential import. Many people are jumping on the social media band wagon and trying to quickly learn all they can to get up to speed. Some are sitting back and observing to see where it all leads before they do anything. The smallest number are those who choose to ignore the whole thing. An elephant and a little bird went to this year’s Virtuoso Travel Mart. The elephant will soon be an unpleasant memory for most of the participants, but the bird will be on the radar screen for many years to come.

We had a Venice style Carnival and masquerade dinner for the closing ceremony at Virtuoso Travel Mart. Costumed sprites impishly greeted us at the entry. We were treated to Italian opera arias sung by a woman high above the crowd. The singer was up on a platform and draped so as to appear to by 30 feet tall in a flowing gown. The decor was very festive and the evening started off with so much buzz that it took a while for Virtuoso CEO Mathew Upchurch to get their attention!

Everything that occurred at all the dinners was overshadowed by the presentation of hotelier of the year. Karambir Kang of the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower lost his wife and two children in the cowardly terrorist attacks in Mumbai India. He kept working and did what he could for his guests and staff. The emotional standing ovation went on and on. The respect of his peers and those who have worked with him across the table was very touching.

I present a small slide show to give some of the flavor of the event below…

In four days of meetings I met with over 400 representatives of luxury travel suppliers. These included hotels, cruise lines, tour companies, airlines, visitors bureaus, specialty providers and on sights. Most occurred at this cluttered table that Judi and I shared. One to three people from each supplier would come to the table and talk to us about their product or service. Each meeting lasts for four minutes. The meetings are split into morning and afternoon sessions and between the two sessions 100 are scheduled each of the 4 days. There are two “tracks” due to the large number of suppliers that come to Travel Mart. We were on the “B” track, though Judi often would switch over to an “A” table next to us if she had a particular supplier that wasn’t our track she wanted to meet.

It is a lot to take in! The process is at the same time stimulating and exhausting. The people who attend this event are an enthusiastic group. Often conversations continue in the halls between the sessions. Some people who are on different tracks seek one another out in less formal meetings. One such meeting occurred in the alcove in front of the elevators. This enthusiastic lady was one of my acquaintances from Twitter and caught me on my way up to the room. Her company is new to Virtuoso and to me. I recognized her name from Twitter when she pointed out we had tweeted at times together. I was really glad we ran into each other as her customized Asian tours looked amazing. So thanks @catherineheald for finding me!Other informal meeting places are at cocktail mixers, breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. Networking is non-stop from early morning to late at night.

It would be impossible to share all that I learned at this intense event. What I most want to convey is the sense of connection that we make at Virtuoso Travel Mart. The motto for this event is “The Power of One to One.” We attend this event to create and reaffirm the partnerships we have between travel agents and travel suppliers. This is something that is, and will forever be, absent from the internet booking process. The other important thing that we agents gain is a breadth of knowledge about the products and services available to meet all of our clients travel needs. We are doing the research for our clients so that we can help them avoid the tedious task of learning all this on their own. Everything you need to know about travel can be found on the internet now if you have the patience and time to seek it out. It is much easier and less time consuming to talk to someone who already knows what you would have to find on your own.

What follows is some of the highlights of what I learned at Virtuoso Travel Mart meetings. I will focus on the new vendors, the less known, the unusual, and on some of the presentations that were creative or amusing. I will also present some of our old friends that we know and love. As I reviewed my notes I realized there is a whole world of travel that comes to Travel Mart. Here is one slice of that world…

• Regent Seven Seas Cruises informed us that the very generous sales offers they have had starting in the winter of this year will mostly end by September 30th. If you want 2 for 1 pricing and included air call your travel agent soon! One of the special offers is going to be a regular inclusion and that is the free shore excursions. What an exceptional value with included beverages, gratuities, and now shore excursions!
• Cruise West’s new more luxurious ship The Spirit of Oceanus is offering speakers from the Smithsonian Institute on 14 of it’s voyages. This ship is also embarking on a 350 day world cruise. It is broken up into segments that can be booked separately. They are following the voyages of the great explorers of history. As a small ship it will take passengers to more unusual ports and up close and personal with natural wonders. One of their mottos is “will stop for whales and dolphins.” They will literally vary an itinerary schedule if it means special experiences for their guests.
• Ritz Carlton is opening new hotels and resorts in Lake Tahoe (ski in-ski out), Dove Mountain near Tucson, Charlotte, and a villa resort in Thailand.
• Princess Cruises focused on new itineraries. They have added to their “exotics” offerings for 2010 and beyond. They are also offering 7 night sailings in Europe for the first time.
• We are very familiar with the Four Seasons Prague and the Four Seasons Budapest. Seeing the wow factor of these two lovely hotels in pictures was a great reminder.
• A new river cruise ship named the Volga Dream will be cruising between St. Petersburg and Moscow in Russia. It looks like a very modern and luxurious ship.
• Spain is excited about the completion of more high speed rail connections throughout the country. They have also opened new state of the art airports in Barcelona and Madrid.
• Our favorite Virtuoso On Sight in Spain “Made for Spain” is offering private tours with art historians at the many wonderful art museums. They also are featuring a hands on experience at a fighting bull ranch for the would be bull fighters out there. Other tours will focus on wine, regional dance, culinary classes, and Jewish heritage.
• The Marques de Riscal in the Rioja region has major wow factor. This hotel was designed by the famed architect Frank Gehry. It is an ultra modern twisting design that is truly one of a kind. It is reminiscent of the Bilbao Museum that has become an icon of modern architecture. The spa offers a red wine barrel bath. They also offer perfume making programs and a two hour tasting dinner. This is one unique luxury resort in a rural setting.
• The Kempinski Bruges is in a former palace of a Burgandy King. It features both modern decor and historic decor in it’s various suites. Bruges has one of the most famous Christmas Markets of Europe. It is also a city known for it’s large number of gourmet restaurants.
• Grand Hotel du Cap Ferrat has completed a 70 million euro makeover and the results are stunning! They now feature 8 suites that each have a huge private pool.
• Le Couvant des Minimes is housed in a 17th century convent. The rustic stone exterior contrasts with the very sleek and modern decor within. This 46 room retreat is a member of Relais & Chateau and has a beautiful new spa. It is in a rural setting in Provance.
•  Chateau Saint-Martin and Spa occupies a hilltop with Mediterranean views near Vence, France. It has 51 huge suites on 14 lush acres. There are Roman ruins on the property and a lovely pool. The private helipad gives easy access to nearby attractions and cities.
• The Four Seasons Resort Provence occupies 260 lushly landscaped acres in a scenic rural setting. It offers easy access to nearby market towns. The resort is inland, but not far from Nice and Cannes. This family friendly resort has several pools including an indoor pool that is absolutely gorgeous!
• The Luna Baglioni in Venice, Italy will complete a 100% renovation by February. This is one of our favorite classic retreats on the canals of Venice. Balcony views from upper level suites here are stunning.
• I met the Villa Palazzo Aminta Beauty & Spa in Lake Maggiore Italy. They have stunning lake and mountain views in most suites. Pampering service in a lovely setting is the focus here. They are part of Small Luxury Hotels.
• Have your cliff top view and beach it too at Il San Pietro di Positano! Their elevator will take you to the sand beach and back up to your sea view room. They are offering cooking classes on the beach. They also have 2 hour coastal sailings twice daily on their private yacht which are complimentary to guests.
• Grand Hotel Westin Excelsior in Florence Italy has added a rooftop restaurant. This is not just any dining venue, it is on the tallest building in this lovely city and has floor to ceiling glass walls. Eat while you are afforded a 360 degree view of one of the most view worthy places on earth.
• L’Albereta is a vine rural covered gem in Italy focused on spa, cuisine, and their private winery. This 59 room boutique features one room on the top floor with a retractable roof! A luxury hotel that lets you sleep under the stars!
• Bushman’s Kloof focuses on place and culture. The setting is breathtaking with rock formations and panoramic views. They offer tours to rock art and have their own museum of indigenous artifacts. Opportunities to view game, fly fishing, and a seasonal desert wildflower display explodes in August to September. The rooms? Wow!
• Park Hyatt Goa is a glitzy ultra modern beach resort outside Goa India. Set on 46 acres of tropical gardens it has a huge pool on a white sand beach. The rooms are also large and the bold design says wow! The full service spa is state of the art and chic. They offer Yoga classes daily.
• Pezula in South Africa has added “Pezula Castle” which is a more luxurious resort within the resort. This coastal property is on a point between the ocean and a lagoon. 78 “afro-chic” designed suites all offer butler service. Spa and golf by the sea.
• Amirandes Resort on a sandy beach in Crete keeps it earthy and local with wood stoves and local source cuisine. Suites offer private swim out pools. The resort pool is large and lovely. Family friendly.
• The Intercontinental Amsterdam has historic charm and canal views in all suites. Elegant design features high ceilings and wood floors.The pool has a river view. They offer a saloon boat for dining on the water and private tours. Michelin star dining.
• The Dorchester London added a new spa at the cost of 52 million pounds. Glamour and indulgence are the keywords here. “Spati’cery dining” is offered within the sumptuous spa. This is a rather English take on spa food which features dessert and Champaign. I said indulgence!
• The Lodge at Doonberg Golf This Irish resort features a Greg Norman golf course, spa, modern decor, local culture, and  fishing. They made a most amusing presentation! These are people who like people!
• The Old Course Hotel in Scotland is now owned by Kohler. They have built a great new spa and are a member of Leading Hotels of the World.
• Intercontinenal London Park Lane at Hyde Park Corner has rooms with a view of the Queen’s back yard. They offer a full culinary school program. The decor is “cozy London.” They now offer automatic upgrade to club level access with Virtuoso at the time of booking!
• The Scotsman Hotel is housed in a 1905 news paper office building. They feature lovingly restored marble walls and pillars and classic decor. The location is at the center of Edinburgh and convenient to all historic sites. They are offering 50% off all dining with Virtuoso bookings!
• Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park is actually in Hyde Park! Guests can dine al fresco as the Royal Horse Guards parade just feet away! Classic British style and Michelin star dining are offered. The spa was named #1 in London by Conde Nast.
• Bovey Castle Exeter occupies an historic castle on the border of England and Wales. Local laws still allow shooting the Welsh if they approach though no shooting occurs these days. Being part Welsh I found this amusing. This member of Small Luxury Hotels offers PGA golf, falconry, fishing, shooting, and equestrian. Virtuoso bookings include transfers and luggage porterage.
• Isle of Eriska Is a private island golf and spa resort on a nature reserve. Only 25 rooms make this a private retreat. This was one of the most amusing presentations with many visual aids. Very personable people here!
• Londolozi a game lodge in Krueger National Park South Africa is going green. They now offer electric vehicles for game drives and soon all of their vehicles will be electric. They have 3 lodges and 2 camps which are family friendly. This is one of the best places to see leopards. They offer a photography instructor.
• Shangri La Hotel Xian is the first Virtuoso lodgings for those visiting the famous terra cotta warriors. It is stylish and contemporary and offers huge suites. There is a health spa and multiple dining options including Thai and Chinese cuisine.
• Amankora in Bhutan has five Himalayan luxury lodges. They focus on an immersion in local culture and Buhddism.
• Amangiri brings Amanresorts ultimate luxury to Lake Powell country on the Arizona Utah border. Occupying 600 acres and nestled below red rock cliffs this resort has rooms that say “wow!” The spa focuses on Navajo healing and yoga. Activities include biking, hiking, climbing, horse back riding, Colorado River and Lake Powell boating.
• Four Seasons has three new resorts in Thailand. Combining two or all three can make a varied vacation experience. Koh Samui is on the beach, Chiang Mai is designed like a Thai village, and Golden Triangle has a spa and offer elephant encounters.
• Treetops has been garnering acclaim far and wide from Travel & Leisure, Conde Naste, and as a Best of the Best finalist from Virtuoso. “Made Out of Dreams” is this 24 guest resort on 2,500 acres. Suites and villas are huge and they are now moving to 100% hydropower. Fine cuisine and wine are included. Enjoy hot springs, fly fishing (one of the best in the world), visit a private island by helicopter, and private transfers by car or helicopter.
• Orion Expedition Cruises is offering new itineraries and some old favorites. For the first time you can take a shorter 7 night cruise on this Australian owned and operated luxurious purpose built expedition ship.  They are offering 20% savings for bookings made before December 14th. Tasmania voyages join the line up in 2010.
• Fairmont Hotels Canada: Chateau Whistler is offering ski free or golf free. Fairmont Empress will have all of it’s Gold Floor rooms renovated by December (tea at the Empress is a must do). Fairmont Banff has added a Gold Floor (this is the club level area at many Fairmont properties with private Gold room offering breakfast and h’ors devours and private concierge). Fairmont Lake Louise has doubled the number of Gold Floor rooms. Banff and Lake Louise offer unlimited canoe rentals.
• Trails of Indochina has a new luxurious river ship sailing the Mekong river. This 27 cabin ship offers 7 night sailings between Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Siem Riep. They also offer home hosted dinners at the U.S. Ambassadors residence. Cultural immersion, culinary experiences and customized private travel are their speciatles.
• The Nines brings modern design to Portland, Oregon in a convenient location. Located in the top nine floors over a Macy’s department store this is shopping heaven. It has a huge atrium, a rooftop restaurant, and a club level floor.
• The Fearrington is a family farm turned country resort. A member of Relais & Chateau each room has it’s own unique English country style decor. 5 diamond contemporary American cuisine featuring specialties from their own extensive gardens. Historic farm buildings are incorporated into the resort including a large wooden barn that is a grand spot for a wedding.
• The Cloister Sea Island in Georgia has completed 100% of their renovation. Rooms start at 750 square feet and have wood ceilings. The offer 5 diamond dining, 2 golf courses, tennis, equestrian, kayaking, and fishing including their own charter for offshore fishing.
• Four Seasons Hotel Seattle on the waterfront 1 block from Pike’s Market has 147 rooms starting at 550 square feet. Rustic rock and stone lobby is highlighted with many original art pieces. There is an infinity pool on the roof that is visually stunning. 160 wines by the glass, spa, and free cruise drop off are just some of what they offer. 

The photo above is one of two large halls where the magic of Virtuoso Travel Mart occurs. Later this morning this room will buzz with activity. I will sit at a table with my colleague and suppliers will come to our table to meet with us and introduce their hotel, tour company, cruise line, destination or other travel product or service. Each meeting lasts for only four minutes. I have been taking notes of the highlights of each meeting. We have a chance to exchange cards, shake hands, and connect with the people who can make our clients travel experiences extraordinary. I have been shown photos, videos, and power point presentations. Some people come up with clever visual aids to showcase their offerings. It is an exhausting process and with 100 of these brief meetings each day it would just be a blur without notes. Virtuoso does provide access to all the information on their web site for us to refer to and refresh our memories at any time. It is the connections we make that are most important. As I walk through the various events here I see people I have met face to face. There are no strangers at Travel Mart. I have never been to any event that fosters this type of connection. It truly is the “Power of One to One.”

This cluttered space is where Judi and I sit each day for the meetings. She is a veteran of 5 of these events, while I am at only my second. The schedule at the bottom of the picture lists the suppliers we will be meeting with. The pad is where I jot down notes and “take aways” about each meeting. Suppliers give a brief presentation and we have the opportunity to ask questions. For some old friends, places we have been to or book often, we skip the presentation and emphasize the relationship. It gives us a chance to let people know we have clients coming or thank them for taking great care of recent guests. We can also find out what’s new or coming soon. The people we meet with our sales managers or general managers of properties and providers. In the case of smaller tour companies we often meet with the founders or owners of the companies. When we need to connect travelers to places and services these are the people we have access to. People who book travel on the web only get a room. Our clients get a connection.

During the lunch breaks the past two days I have eaten at events hosted by The Yachts of Seabourn one day and by Oceania Cruises on another. You see, at Travel Mart the fun never stops! From early in the morning until late in the evening we are learning about travel products and experiences and meeting and mingling with those who provide them. Cocktail mixers are held after the dinners where we can reconnect with the people we have met with in a more informal setting. We also talk shop with other Virtuoso travel agents.

Last year as a rookie I spent most of the event listening. I soaked it all in like a sponge. This year has been much different. Due to my visible presence on Twitter, this blog, and being noted at the social media trainings I am far from anonymous. There is a great deal of interest and curiosity surrounding Twitter and this has led to many people recognizing me. It also has led to many side conversations with people pumping me for information. Judi told me “You’re a rock star.” That is a bit of an exaggeration but I have gotten a lot of attention here. Yesterday a had four people tell me they follow me on Twitter and six people tell me they are following my blogging about Travel Mart. I also had a several hour conversation with a most interesting woman that started with her saying “I know who you are…” Two hours later I still didn’t know exactly who she was and that is what made it so fascinating.

We had two tweetups yesterday and it has been really fun to deepen those connections in person that we have all been making on Twitter. Like Travel Mart Twitter is all about the power of one to one. The connection points we make here connect us to whole teams of people that can make travel dreams into realities. Similarly the power of Twitter is how the connections we make there also connect us to broader networks of people through our friends there.

There is not enough time available for me to really cover the meetings process. I have tweeted a few highlights of things that made the biggest impressions each day. It is really hard to pick a standout when you see so many wonderful things in such a compressed time frame. When I get home and am no longer in the hectic environment of Travel Mart I will try to review my notes and share some of the new or interesting things I have learned about.

How apropos that we entered the hall for the Destinations Showcase Dinner to a multi-ethnic band playing world fusion music. This event was formerly known as the On Site Dinner but was expanded this year to include tour companies that operate across borders,  visitors boards and specialty travel companies. This is an event that truly brings the world together. Over the past four days I have met people from hundreds of countries representing lodgings and travel service providers of all sorts. The Power of One to One is the theme of this year’s event. and I have had the opportunity to connect with one person after another after another. As Travel Mart brings the world together, it highlights the power of the Virtuoso network. Through this web of interconnected travel professionals we are given the ability to connect clients to amazing experiences the world over. I am always an email or phone call away from the people who can make travel dreams into realities almost anywhere in the world. I have been on a madcap tour of the world for four days and I haven’t left the Bellagio.

As you will see in my slide show the dinner tables were decorated by the on sites and other suppliers in often very creative salutes to place. It made for a dizzying display of colors, shapes and symbols evocative of dozens of distinctive places the world over. We were also treated to inspirational words and a piece of performance art that put the art into the performance. I was hosted by Classic Vacations and the Royal Hawaiian Resort along with other Virtuoso advisors. Their table had a pink theme as does the hotel. Let you mind wander the world via the slide show that follows. Click on the first image to open a slide show in a pop up window. Mouse over to the arrow on the right to advance the slides.

The opening session of Travel Mart gave me mixed feelings. They introduced some new initiatives that are helpful and some even exciting. The Virtuoso Composer looks to have made major improvements on Vnet and it’s many limitations. On the other side of the coin there was more focus on the the economic malaise than I would have liked. Since we never know a recession has ended until after the fact, and leading indicators have started moving in the right direction I prefer to focus on the positive. You can’t get out of tough times thinking negatively. The keynote speaker talked about cutting costs without cutting your throat. That was a lovely image. If companies are cutting at this point they are missing the one point he made that I thought was most valid: You need to prepare for business picking up.

The entertainment and mixer was very nice. I even made it up to an after party upstairs at a colleagues urging. I saw some familiar faces there. I am posting some photos and then off to dinner at the Destination Showcase. Should be a blast!

This morning the real work of Travel Mart begins: the meetings. Judi and I will sit at a table and meet with suppliers for four minute meetings. We exchange cards and learn about their hotel, cruise line, tour company or other travel product. After four minutes the next supplier sits with us and on and on it goes. We will meet with 100 different suppliers each day for the next four days. There are also gala events in the evenings so it is a very busy week.

Last night was the cocktail reception and training expo for “VAST” which is an acronym for Virtuoso Active and Specialty Travel. This is a select group of travel vendors who have products that are for the more adventurous types who still want the quality of Virtuoso type travel experiences, and for suppliers with niche specialties.  It was a whirlwind where the members (Virtuoso travel agents) were divided into groups of about 10 and assigned a vendor to start with. They had six minutes to introduce their product at which time we rotated to the next booth. Many of these booths were wildly creative! There were many visual aids and props used to make points for us to remember. Some used games or activities and one Swain tours even used a game show format! Well done ladies! Cruise West was highlighting their 350 day world cruise this year so they presented it as a news cast. They were very entertaining! Even at 10:54 they put on a heck of a show. Micato safaris highlighted their give back to Africa theme by donating a book for each guest who joins one of their marvelous safaris. The reps for Volcanoes Safaris were dressed in gorilla costumes as they are known for getting a select few guests face to face with that amazing species. You should see their photos! Clayoquot Wilderness Resort in beautiful British Columbia gave us a craft project that. Apparently I am not meant to be a weaver of willow bark headbands.

I did not get photos of all the booths during this face paced tour but at the end of this post will be a slide show of what I got. What follows is a bullet list with a brief summary of the providers of VAST experiences.

• A season away- They offer more than villa rentals. For those who want 3 weeks to 3 months immersion in Italy and France in a luxe villa with absolute concierge service from a villa host this is the thing. The hosts are well connected to the local people and will help you connect in meaningful ways. This is a high end high touch live away experience.
• Abercrombie & Kent Extreme Adventures- You really want to climb to the top of Kilamanjaro and do it in A & K style with their absolute standard of perfection? You can! This is only one of the many physically challenging adventures they can outfit and guide you on.
• Absolute Travel- We met “The Travel Guru” who was Absolute Travel founder Ken Fish. They provide bespoke private guided journeys in Asia, Africa, and South America. We use this wonderful company frequently, and they are highlighted on our web site. He highlighted the personal service on trips and from the representatives that help us plan the trips. He believes in sending his people frequently on all their journeys so they know first hand what clients will experience. It would be a great company to work for.
• Alpine Adventures- The ski, snowboard, and other snow sport experts. We called them with a last minute request for skiing in Zermatt, Switzerland departing in 12 days! A man was leaving from Boston and wanted to meet his son who would be coming from Dubai for seven days of skiing in a great lodge close to town nightlife and dining but very convenient to skiing. Alpine Adventures had a perfect itinerary for me that day! The clients had a great trip!
• Aqua Expeditions- Ultra Luxe Amazon River (and nearby rivers) expedition cruise ship. Gourmet food large modern staterooms in the world’s biggest rain forest. I just so want to do this one. They showed us a video inside a tent (nice touch) that had me ready to book myself.
• Backroads- The bike and hike pros. They can do bike trips for people who are at different levels at the same time, groups, custom tours, and do it almost everywhere. Popular trips are wine and bike in France and italy. They also do hiking treks for easy, moderate to hard hikes.
• Big Five Expeditions- @bigfivetours on Twitter. It was great to put a face on someone I have been tweeting with. They do active trips form safaris and now onto extreme experiences. They had a red sports car and a guy in a racing outfit and helmet to emphasize how they are moving to custom thrill experiences like driving on a race track at 200mph or flying a fighter jet. Very cool!
• Bill Peach Journeys- Australia or New Zealand by private aircruise. See the highlights of these great places without getting on multiple commercial flights. Not a large jet like TCS but a similar concept with private tours and Virtuoso hotels at the top destinations like Great Barrier Reef. They use a 34 seat Dash 8 aircraft and fly at low altitudes so you sight see to the next place and don’t waste time getting there.
• Butterfield & Robinson- “Slow Down to See the World” Hiking, biking, walking and small ship trips to the world’s great places. They have done this type of travel for over 40 years. Very immersive one of a kind experiences that can be “life altering” and cannot be found on your own.
• Clayoquot Wilderness Resort- This is a very luxurious very isolated property on the Northern Coast of Vancouver Island which is an amazing place. “All inclusive eco-safari resort” it is on the west coast where the raw Pacific waves put on an amazing show and is in the Clayoquot Sound World Biosphere. This is the place that basically invented North American “glamping” luxury tents with gourmet food and wine and one included adventure after another. They gave us a craft project which was most vexing in a six minute lesson. I won’t hold it against them because this is one place I would love to experience. If I had more time even i could make the headband.
• Silversea Prince Albert II-  Expedition cruising’s most luxurious new ship. This is a adventure ship from a super luxury cruise line. See amazing natural wonders and out of the way places while dining and wining like a king or queen. Large modern well appointed staterooms many with balconies. 132 very pampered passengers will see Antarctica and other exotic sights in style.
• Swain Tours- All things custom in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific. From the urban to the rugged outdoor stuff they do it all. They planned the Today Show plans a wedding Honeymoon this year with a Virtuoso advisor.
• Tahiti Legends- French Polynesia, South Pacific and Australia and New Zealand tour operator based in the US.
• Tauck Culturious- They are one of the best group tour packagers and this is their new offering featuring active components like hiking, walking, biking, kayaking and horeback riding. Europe, Asia, Canada, Central and South America.
• TCS- I did not see them at the exhibit but know them well. The ultimate tour by private jet. Never touch your bag or stand in an airport line. They whisk you personally through customs at each stop and put you right into your private tour vehicle. When you return to your hotel (which will be the nicest property in that destination) your bag will be waiting in your room. They specialize in exclusive insider experiences in each stop. Trips go around the world and all are themed. Oh I wish!
• The Andean Experience- Peru based boutique hotel developer and trip planning. Authentic immersive experiences face to face with people and culture of Peru. Cusco, Machu Picchu, Sacred Valley, Titicaca and much more in this fascinating country.
• Travel Dynamics International- This was a new one to me. They have been doing small ship voyages on deluxe ships for three decades. Learn about cultures up close and see great sights. Unusual Itineraries and top scholars and experts on each voyage.
• Volcanoes Safaris- The gorilla people. They run “great ape ecotourism” lodges specializing in mountain gorilla encounters for their guests in Uganda and Rwanda. They limit the number of guests and do everything they can to make a very small footprint. The pictures were stunning. There were some showing gorillas strolling through the lodge grounds. Wow.
• Zegrahm Expeditions- Small ship excursion cruises. Adventure travel experiences in remote and intriguing destinations. The bring in expert naturalists and experts on local cultures to make an educational trip not to be forgotten. 75% of guests come back for more.
• Cox & Kings- Luxury tailor made travel in Africa, the Indian Ocean, The Far East, Latin America, the Middle East, and one of the best at India. They featured luxury rail journeys and tiger safaris in India. The presenters were dressed in Indian garb which was very cool. Judi and I had met with the sales rep. in Scottsdale a few months back and she was awesome.
• Cruise West- Small ship excursions in Alaska, Siberia, the Sea of Cortez (my long time stomping grounds) and now offering a 350+ day world cruise on their new luxury ship the Spirit of Oceanus. The newscast simulation they did was very funny. I like that new ship!
• EuroPanache- Paris based luxury themed travel company. They do Fashion, perfume, art, antiques, cooking, wine and Champaign themed custom trips with the top chefs, sommeliers, fashion experts, and all other types of experts for very high-end clients. I guess shopping is now an extreme sport for some.
• Explora Lodges- Chile based eco lodge company adventure in stunning outdoor settings. Unique properties, gourmet food, luxurious rooms in Chilean Patagonia, the Atacama Desert (where they have a telescope), and Easter Island or Rapa Nui. Urbane comforts in wild remote settings. Very eco oriented and seek to open minds not just pass on knowldege.
• Great Southern Rail/The Ghan- Australian luxury rail journeys. See the scenery don’t just do a fly by. Great service and unbeatable Aussie style as you travel by train. Great Australian cuisine and wine while the unusual sights roll by your window.
• Greaves Tours- India specialists. “Unlimited access to India” Small group and FIT travel to “India, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep.” I have to look that last one up, and I am pretty good at geographic trivia.
• Heritage Tours Private Travel- I also did not know this company very well. We have had several clients look for a package tour or cruise that combined Spain, Portugal, and Morocco. These are the places this company plans out of the ordinary trips to. They also do southern Africa. Need to learn more on these guys.
• Horizon & Co.- Canada, sports events, small groups, and corporate travel. Bespoke experience type trips for the above as well as families and Indivduals. They said call us for The Masters Golf.
• Inkaterra- Machu Picchu, Cusco, Amazon and Titicaca lodges of the utmost quality. They salute the native culture and do it in a very high end way. Very immersive customized experiences in Peru. Yes, this is the place to stay to really have a Peru high.
• International Expeditions- Another vendor I had met with recently. Jennifer Reynolds brought me more up to date on this wildlife focused small group and private tour provider. They also do small ship adventures. All of their trips are perfect for those who may not need the five star hotel if they can see the world’s amazing wildlife up close and personal. Bring your cameras!
• Lindblad Expeditions- They do most of the National Geographic Explorer small ship excursions. This is the company that invented this type of trip more than 30 years ago. Their head expedition leader gave us a talk that featured pictures of him 20 and 30 years ago when he was less grey. He was awesome! They are the experts in educational nature, history and culture immersion.
• Metropolitan Touring- Ecuador and Galapagos on site. This almost assures a company that does nature trips does it not? They have their own small ships for the Galapagos as well as hotels and villas there. They have full ground operations on the islands as well for custom tours and small groups.
• Micato Safaris- Judi is in love with this company and rightly so. They focused on how and what they give back to the local communities they operate in. Schools, libraries, clinics, clean water systems and more. They have awesome safari lodges and safaris as well. They hire local and immerse you into the community as well as the natural wonders.
• Natural Habitat Adventures- All nature all the time. All over the world for small groups with top naturalists and expedition leaders. Africa, Alaska, the Arctic, the Galapagos and more,
• Nomads of the Sea- Ultra luxury, ultra high-tech, ultra small ship expeditions. 32 crew and 28 guests experience Chile’s Patagonia coastline by sea, by land and even by helicopter. Who like’s fly fishing! Me! Me! I volunteered as the guinea pig and did a lousy job. The guy asked for another volunteer. This nice young lady came up and got it right away. I love the look of this one!
• Orion Expedition Cruises- We really like this company. At my urging Judi consented to feature them on the alliance travel partners web site. This is the only shipping line in the history of the world to be founded and owned by a woman. I think that is very cool. It is a small very modern, very luxurious expedition ship that is ice rated and state of the art. Australian crew insures a bonzer good time and a relaxed convivial atmosphere. No tux for this one mate! They go to some amazing places that no one else cruises to like North Australia’s Kimberley, the Aussie side of Antarctica where you land on the continent, and remote parts of Papua New Guinea.
• Permier Sports Travel- The name says it all. College football, major sports events, NASCAR, golf tourneys, Wimbledon, Kentucky Derby, Super Bowl, boxing, award shows, concerts, theatre and etc.
• Roadtrips Sports Travel- First class sports travel packages to 5,000 events and games including but not limited to the Olympics, World Cup, Monaco Grand Prix, the Kentucky Derrby,  the Masters etc.
• Rocky Mountaineer Vacations- Canadian scenic luxury rail trips in western Canada focused on the Rockies in British Columbia and Alberta. They do various rail and land combinations as well. They will flexibly customize the itinerary you desire based on the existing rail schedule. They work closely with the amazing mountain lodges and the urban hotels of Fairmont.

All of this was thrown at me in one night. That was the first night of Travel Mart. combined with the afternoon trainings it was an exhilarating and exhausting day. I got to my room after 11:00 and made it to bed around midnight. Such is the hard work I do so I can learn about all these great Virtuoso travel options for my people. During all that I remembered to snap a few photos! Click on the first image below to open a slide show in a pop up window. Mouse over the pop up and click on the arrow to the left to advance the sldes…

Panel: Malaka Hilton Admiral Travel Gallery, David Lowy Renshaw Travel, Shane Paquette  En Route Travel, Randy Yaroch Travel Society

Gen X= people born 1964 and 1984

Gen Y= people born 1980s to early 1990s

Moderator Joshua Bush: 65% of all travel agents over 45. Number of full time agents has dropped by 50% in ten years or so. Same time a big increase in travel spending. Gen X and Y grew up with internet and are self reliant do it yourselfers. Research there own purchases and like to control the process. Children of parents who use travel agents more likely to do so themselves for big ticket trips. Will trust honeymoon to Mom’s travel agent.

Panel-direct mail can work. social networking: twitter and facebook. Panel-search facebook for trip discussions homeymoons. Linked In network with other professionals. 20-30 ages are self starters and self sufficient not so trusting of people they are not connected with. Panel- These people are doing their own research come in knowing the destination and hotel etc. Advisors should emphasize our contacts VIP treatment. Randy- need new hooks for new generation. uses a rental car co in L.A. that meets clients with name on card and a town car instead of a shuttle at competitive rates. X-Y generations love it. Panel- facebook don’t do only for business it is also important to be social. Make it personal we are going to see Placido Domingo back stage. We are driving alfa romeos in Italy etc. Drop names and places to stimulate interest. David- important to have a blog. Questioner asked how can I get all these facebook friends without getting bombarded by all these “I’m walking my dog now” updates. <Me I am cool with the mundane updates and following my kid’s friends is a source of potential bookings. They got me on facebook in the first place> Questioner is facebook going to be passe by the time we older folks get up to speed? How can we know what the next trend the youngsters will be on to? Panel- Checking into Villa D’Este and a couple heard her group was getting breakfast free and asked why they weren’t. Desk told them they booked with Virtuoso advisor and gave them her card. She posted on facebook and someone responded I didn’t know that. Shane- not the end all or be all to use facebook or twitter but part of the pie, and one that appeals to gen X-Y. Questioner says Virtuoso should have more cool 4 star or 3 star properties and offer amenities to lure the gen X-Y more W hotels etc. Panel- says try to get extras via on sites. Comment from Gen X advisor that many want boutique not Ritz or other name brands. Have to be creative and emphasize time savings (especially for those with kids). Panel- work both ways with generations, go for kid’s parents and parents’ kids. Comment from advisor: ask for perks for clients at non-Virtuoso properties. Try to build relationships at people outside the network. Joshua- be careful to keep relationships within the Virtuoso network via on sites and tour operators. Panel- the relationships we build at Travel Mart meetings are the core of what sets us apart and creates customer satisfaction. Comment from advisor: How do we reach the gen X-Y and let them know our advantages and establish credibility? Another advisor- give them value they are price sensitive but do want some expertise. Joshua- It might take two or three trips to win them over as long term clients. Panel- get up front planning fee and many X-Y s will pay no problem then work with you to plan not do it themselves on the Internet.  Emphasis on the experience of travel. Sea Dream yacht club for gen X-Y. Use on sites and hotel connections to build memorable trips. Offer access to celebrity or experiences clients can’t get elsewhere.