You think you got this fabulous deal online. It’s the lowest price of all the websites! You brag to your friends how good you are at finding great deals on the internet.

When you get to your dream destination, you find out there’s some renovations going on next door, the ocean view is actually across a busy road and that fabulous nightclub the website told you about plays music to the wee-hours keeping you awake. Sounds like a dream vacation doesn’t it?

Ok so these things don’t occur and you found a great resort. You later find out from the people sitting on the lounge chair at the pool, that their travel agent was able to get a resort credit and/or bought them a bottle of wine and/or a free massage all because they appreciate their business. Can the internet do that yet?

When Mother Nature acts up (hurricanes and volcanoes) does you computer help you out of a jam? Do they automatically get you booked on the next flight or do you wait hours on end for someone to answer the phone? What about your bags that don’t make the ship? Professional travel agents look out for you and may already have taken care of everything for you

For those who book cruises online and without a travel agent:

Did you know that great stateroom is above the disco or below the pool (which is cleaned at 5am daily)? Did you get a complimentary upgrade to a higher category cabin, shipboard credit, and other complimentary perks to your journey? Did you know the price dropped? Did you get a refund?

I guess some people think years of experience means nothing at all. It does not cost you anything extra to consult a travel agent.  Do yourself a favor and at least consult with a professional travel agent and see if you’re getting a good deal. They can match and or beat prices and through in extras. 99 out of 100 times you  will get something far better and at a better value

Please meet Alyse Cori, our travel agent responsible for booking flights for leaders.
I believe we talked about this in person and let me repeat why Alyse is an important player for us and explain our preference in using her. Our leaders often are on very complex travel agendas and splitting fares not only between partners, – all in service of providing the most creative solutions and in service of creating more economic options for partners. This requires a lot of flexibility and often multiple changing of flights and simply has not proved viable with regular travel agencies. Alyse and her organization has now worked with us for almost a decade and we have found over and over again that she not only goes out of the way to make things happen that seems impossible, but she has tremendous relationship skills and will work with you to make things work.

or

walking through the gorgeous undiscovered Umbrian region . Here you will

have two half -day cooking classes, enjoying the meals you create under the

tutelage of your Italian chef. Starting in the charming town of Assisi, we will

walk around the area and spend some time learning about local produce

and cuisine. We spend two nights in Assisi, exploring the rolling hills, vineyards

and Mount Subasion Regional Park .

In Spoleto, (for 3 nights) we will visit charming authentic (not touristed) medieval

villages. Here we have our first cooking lesson and olive oil tasting.

Then on to Norcia for the last part of the journey again combining discovery

walks with another cooking lesson. Here we slow down our pace again. Enjoy

the town, the swimming pools, take a leisurely stroll on your own, or

join the group for some amazing hikes, where you will find the landscape

dotted with monasteries and abbeys from days of old.

Come and discover the irresistible beauty of the Umbrian countryside; impressive

vineyards, olive groves and gorgeous panoramic views. These are

also some of the most historic and picturesque medieval towns, villages and

monuments in Europe. Paired up with the company of like-minded women,

A taste of Umbria

• • Enjoy one week in Umbria centered in only three hotels
• • 2 half day cooking classes (meals included) wine tasting also
• • Land of truffles, wine and cheese!
• • Learn about local cuisine and wine
• • Accommodation, breakfasts and most dinners are included
• • Enjoy the company of like-minded women
•  

Hiking/Cooking classes

ITINERARY

Day 1: Arrive Assisi (Dinner included)

Arrive in Assisi on your own. Fee time to visit the

town where S. Frances comes from.

Day 2: Transfer to top of Monte Subasio

(breakfast only)

Five hour walk through the Mount Subasion Regional

Park, mostly downhill. Afternoon at leisure

in Assisi.

Day 3 Transfer to Campello Alto (Dinner included)

Three hour walk to Bovara di Trevi and visit an

ancient olive mill. Olive oil tasting, with coffee

and cake. Transfer to Spoleto, check in to hotel.

Three hour afternoon cooking lesson with tasting/

dinner of what has been prepared.

Day 4 Transfer to watershed near sacred

wood of Monteluco (Breakfast only)

Short transfer to the watershed near the sacred

wood of Monteluco, for a five hour hike. Then

we walk to Pontuglia in the Val Nerina where we

stop to taste some local specialties before being

transferred back to Spoleto.

Day 5 Bus to Forca d’Ancarano (Dinner included)

Transfer to the Forca d’Ancarano. Five hour

walk to the ancient abbey of St. Eutizio. Transfer back to Spoleto.

Day 6 Cooking lesson Dinner on your own

Three hour morning cooking lesson ending with

lunch where you taste what has been prepared.

Afternoon optional walk through the Norcia valley

or relax at the hotel spa.

Day 7 Transfer to Piano Grande (Dinner included)

Transfer to the Piano Grande. Five hour walk

along the watershed from Rifugio Perugia to

Castelluccio. Afternoon transfer to Norcia.

Day 8 End of Tour

Transfer from Norcia to Spoleto train station.

Date of trip October 9-16, 2010 Price is $2650 per person based on double occupancy! Contact me for more info! www.travelwizenow.com

These days your clients have more reason than ever to ask you as their travel agent about whether they need to purchase insurance when booking their next vacation. This year, which is less than half old, has already seen massive floods in Machu Picchu, Rio de Janeiro and Nashville. It has seen at least four major earthquakes affecting such destinations as Haiti, Chile, China and Mexico. And, more recently, it has seen the unprecedented closure of northern European airspace for a week in April, with briefer subsequent disruptions since then, due to volcanic ash clouds from the Iceland eruptions.

In each of these disasters many trips to affected destinations were cancelled or delayed for many hours, if not days, forcing travelers with prepaid itineraries or unplanned expenses to face substantial financial losses. For those who purchased a comprehensive travel insurance plan prior to the outbreak of the specific disaster that disrupted their trip, their prepaid funds could be protected and their unplanned expenses reimbursed. Without such coverage, as widely reported in the consumer media in the past month, most travelers had to incur significant costs and lost any monies paid for their trip.

It therefore came as a surprise to me when I read the popular financial website Forbes.com describing travel insurance as a “rip-off” in its May 18, 2010 column, “10 Ways You’re Getting Ripped Off.” Forbes.com made no effort to present its two-paragraph “rip-off” proclamation as the opinion of the writer and her single source identified in the column. Instead, the article, presented as informed financial advice, saw nothing good to say about either travel insurance or the travel agents who sell it.

“[Travel insurance] is not a good economic decision for most people,” said the official from the Consumer Federation of American, whom Forbes.com quoted. “If you just can’t sleep without insurance, don’t buy from someone who’s selling you something else. It’s almost always a bad deal involving kickbacks to whoever is offering the service.” The Consumer Federation official further argued that homeowners’ insurance and credit cards can cover cancelled flights, without providing any documented examples of how this could work.

Fortunately for consumers and agents, the U.S. State Department has an opposite opinion from that of Forbes.com, as stated on its website (www.travel.state.gov) under the topic of travel “health issues.” Unlike Forbes’ dismissal of insurance, the State Department sees the necessity for travel insurance to prevent major consumer losses due to unforeseen risks while traveling.

“Obtaining medical treatment and hospital care abroad can be expensive, and medical evacuation to the U.S. can cost more than $50,000,” the State Department says. “Note that U.S. medical insurance is generally not accepted outside the United States, nor do the Social Security Medicare and Medicaid programs provide coverage for hospital or medical costs outside the United States. If your insurance policy does not cover you abroad, it is a good idea to consider purchasing a short-term policy that does.”

In addition to citing the disasters over the past few months that could be covered by pre-purchased travel insurance, you should not hesitate to present to your clients some other potential uncertainties that can be covered by a good travel insurance plan. Here are just a few examples:

• Trip Cancellation or Interruption coverage when a steady job is lost between pre-booking and travel, or the boss says you must work on dates on which you are booked to travel.

• Trip Cancellation or Interruption coverage when a client cancels due to the illness or injury of a family member, whether that relative is scheduled to go on the trip or not.

• Trip Cancellation or Interruption when the supplier providing the trip goes bankrupt and defaults before departure or during the trip.

• Trip Cancellation coverage when the school attended by a client’s child needs to extend the school year calendar into a pre-booked vacation date to make up for snow days.

• Trip Cancellation when the client or travel companion is involved in a car accident en route to the departure airport.

• Trip Interruption when clients learn that their home was burglarized after they left on their vacation.

Now you may still encounter clients, like the Consumer Federation official quoted by Forbes.com, who want to accept the financial responsibility for themselves, regardless of risk. If they sign a waiver saying they heard the insurance recommendation but rejected coverage, you have done your job. However, the outright dismissal of travel insurance without reviewing its content, as suggested by Forbes.com, is when the true “rip-offs” occur. This is when unforeseen trip disruptions cause travelers who did not buy travel insurance are truly separated from their hard-earned, prepaid travel investments.

You can experience the tropical splendor of French Polynesia and the casual elegance of the 5+-star m/s Paul Gauguin, on their best-selling itinerary, their 7-night Tahiti & the Society Islands itinerary.

Book by June 30, 2010, to ensure your take advantage of our special savings offer! Contact me for more  details today. I sailed on this ship last May!