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Only a few summer months left to get ‘em talking
Where have the summer months gone?
We’re almost in the middle of July and before you know it, it will be time to roll out the fall specials. I ask you, what have you done this summer season to get your family travelers talking?
I’m tuned into family travel blogs, Twitter and Facebook, and I have not seen any raving fans (parents) talking about how great their travels have been. I’ll continue my search. Don’t be discouraged. There’s still time to roll out the “Wow” factor for your family travelers.
In fact, now is the perfect time to reconsider what programs and specials you have in place and tweak them a little. Summer is ALWAYS a great time to experiment. Get families raving about you during their social media time. Disney Cruises has the idea. Just last night I saw their new “end of summer” commercial campaign, where they are encouraging families to book a cruise now before school starts. I must admit, although we’ve already planned our summer vacation, which is in a few weeks, I was feeling tempted to at least pick up the phone and inquire.
I do realize that Disney is in a breed of their own. I used that example to show you that you don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Just get your family travelers talking about their grand experience with your brand. From there, have a plan in place to have them come back for more.
The risk is in fully relying on the training manual
I highly recommend a college education.
However, I know for sure, that my true experience as a journalist and now a thriving business woman has stemmed from my “real world” experience. This thought leads me to today’s post.
As a part of my hospitality training programs, I always leave my students with a nice manual that captures the essence of everything that I have shared with them about how to serve family travelers, smarter. I consider it a good gesture, a way to make it “official” if you will.
My technique is to share with the hospitality team the importance of every word and how when in doubt, look it up and be in the know.
After experiencing heartfelt appreciation for having penned two or three days of information for them, I have them sign off on a pledge stating that they WILL NOT rely on this manual to improve their guest relations, instead, that they will get OUT THERE in the REAL WORLD and treat family travelers with kindness, day in day out. And that they understand the experience expressed in this manual is only based on proven market research facts and should not be relied on or used as a crutch. Tried and true hospitality stems from the heart, not in this manual.
Surprisingly, the staff is taken back each time. Just when silence can seem so loud, it’s then that they realize that changing the way families travel, forever, begins with them and no one else. Does your team know this?
Do they know that it’s only by getting out there and actually DOING the work that they gain sharper insight and skills in how to treat guests no matter what form of travel they are in. While I highly recommend having an education in the world of hospitality, I like to leave my students knowing that they ARE the change that I want to see for family travel. It gets them every time!
Family Travel Suite Celebrates One Year of Informing Families and Shaking Up the Travel Industry
Well HELLO There!
I am pleased to announce that Family Travel Suite has reached a very BIG milestone. We’re turning one year old this month! Wooo hoo!
Thanks to my loyal readers, we’ve informed and entertained over 8,000 of you family travelers.
As you may or may not know, the original intent of this blog is to keep the travel industry on its toes when it comes to the way families are being served when they travel. In fact, that’s what my company, Republic Media International is all about, consulting and educating the travel industry on how to serve the family traveler, smarter.
Well, several of my clients and peers have spoken. They want to read more about how to serve family travelers, smarter, and less about what’s going on in the news. Bummer.
I’m all for change, and now is a good time to make that switch. In the next few weeks, you will begin to notice a new look and feel at Family Travel Suite. I’m going to speak more to the travel industry to ensure that they truly “get it” when it comes to what you families want. I hope you don’t mind.
I encourage you to stay tuned and chime in if I miss something in representing you, the family traveler. Let your voice be heard.
Happy Birthday Family Travel Suite!
I love and appreciate you guys for all of your support.
Worst case scenerios when traveling overseas and how to handle them
Spring is around the corner and that means family travel plans are in full gear for many of you.
Have you ever stopped to think about what you would do if your luggage got lost in Paris, or if for some reason, you couldn’t get through customs.
Today’s article is a good resource to tackle those trivial questions that may arise when traveling across the pond. If you have any tips that have worked for you, please share them with us.
In the meantime, here’s what to do if you lose your passport, break a leg or even get arrested overseas.
By Eric Lucas | Bing Travel
The Bucharest baggage carousel stopped twirling. All of the other passengers had plucked their luggage from it. Even my suitcase, checked through three flights from Seattle, had arrived. My wife’s bag, however, was a no-show. Now what?
Luxury travel company creates online booking site for families
This is starting something BIG! I’m so excited about this new site that’s just for us: families who travel. FamilyGetaway.com is the ultimate spot to book your next trip. It searches for the top amenities like programs for the kids and on site laundry and sitter services. Gee, I’m promoting this new booking engine and not even getting compensated for it, that’s how wonderful it is.Give it a try. The FTS team is always excited to learn about innovative ways to make the lives of families who travel, easier.
Budget Travel | Nina Willdorf
I meet with PR folks all the time in my office, in town to share their news and happenings. Rarely do I get as unabashedly excited as I did yesterday, talking to the team behind LuxuryLink.com about their latest site: FamilyGetaway.com.
Despite the obvious disconnect between Budget Travel and the name of the parent company, LuxuryLink is very much in our world. We covered the discount vacation auction site in our October 2009 issue; at a time when discounting came into vogue, LuxuryLink saw a 91 percent jump in its number of listings in second quarter ‘09, compared to the same period the year before. Clearly, the 13-year-old company is on to something. (READ MORE)
Latin singer says marketing the “staycation” proves effective, despite the economy
Emilio and Gloria Estefan at their Costa d'Este Beach property|USA Today files
Gloria Estefan and producer husband Emilio say their Miami-based, boutique hotels have not been affected by today’s travel economy. This is mainly due to their marketing dollars being spent on Miami locals vacationing closer to home, and their keen sense of making the hotel guest feel at home.
You see, when it comes to rising above the competition and actually making a profit, all you have to do is focus on great hospitality and creative concepts that will lure your target market, even the locals. Estefan makes another good point in today’s article about being mindful of their spending so that they don’t have to raise rates and/or compromise the hotel guests’ experience. Nice takeaway.
USA Today | Hotel Check-In | Kitty Bean-Yancey
Gloria Estefanand producer husband Emilio are more than Miami-based sound machines. The duo also have made a splash in the restaurant and hotel business. Here, the singer shares her hospitable side.
A: I have a picture that was taken when I was a little girl when we first came to Miami from Cuba, standing in front of the Cardozo Hotel. When Emilio and I decided to diversify our company holdings, we opened our first Cuban restaurant, Larios On The Beach on Ocean Drive, in South Beach. It turned out the Cardozo Hotel was also for sale. Fate played its hand, and we bought it.
Going back to the early ’90s, we knew that South Beach would become an international destination, so it seemed like a natural to expand into hotels and restaurants. We now have seven restaurants and two hotels, including our newest “baby” — Costa d’Este in Vero Beach, Fla. (READ MORE)
Family travelers urged to get to the airport extra early
Source: telegraph.co.uk
It’s really no surprise. Airlines have always overbooked their flights, just in case passengers don’t show up. It’s actually a great strategy, well, until now.
More airlines are bumping confirmed passengers today, due to low numbers in air travel. Airlines are under more pressure to fill the planes to the max. The minute it’s time to board and your family is nowhere to be found, you can expect to lose those seats. I’ve actually had this happen to me a few years ago. Luckily, I was flying solo, but it wasn’t pretty.
My advice to avoid being bumped, get to the airport extra early, two hours before the departure of a domestic flight and four hours before the departure of an international flight. I’ve found it just makes for a better prelude to a family trip when you arrive at the airport early enough to get your bags checked, get through security, let the kids play, grab a coffee, go to the restroom and be at peace, instead of stressed out about missing the flight or getting bumped.
Los Angeles Times | Hugo Martin
Based on the numbers, America’s major airlines are doing a better job of getting us to our destinations on time and with our luggage in tow — assuming we can get on the flights.
Not only is the rate of lost luggage lower than it has been in years, the on-time performance for the nation’s biggest airlines reached a record 88.6% in November, the best rate since the Bureau of Transportation Statistics began keeping track of the numbers in 1987.
But there is a growing trend that spells trouble for travelers: More passengers are getting bumped from flights.
In the first nine months of 2009, the rate of ticketed passengers who were denied boarding was 1.22 per 10,000 travelers, compared with 1.12 in the same period in 2008.
That equates to nearly 54,000 passengers involuntarily bumped in the first nine months of 2009, up from about 47,000 fliers in the same period in 2008.
The bumping increase is largely a result of the slumping economy, which has reduced airline demand and prompted carriers to eliminate flights and fill planes to the max — or beyond. Indeed, it is no secret that airlines routinely overbook planes because they expect that some passengers won’t show up for a flight.
“The carriers overbook to account for the no-show factor,” said David Castelveter, a spokesman for the Air Transport Assn., a trade organization of the nation’s largest airlines. “Airline seats are perishable, and once the seat has left the terminal the opportunity to sell it is gone.” (READ MORE)
Toll-free number available to call if looking for a relative in Haiti
Just called the number and it actually works…no busy signal.
The State Department has a toll-free telephone number for Americans seeking information about family members in Haiti. The number is 1-888-407-4747.
Airline passengers update latest security measures
Happy Monday!
News is slow today. I thought it would be nice to post the latest video about airport security. Have any of you experienced the full-body scanners yet?
I have not, but it’s in my very near future.
Associated Press | USA Today Travel
New security regulations every family should know
We all saw this coming. New measures/delays have been set in hopes of safer airline travel. Today’s article is actually a press release that I found interesting. Family traverlers are encouraged to visit CBP before making travel plans. The site informs you about estimated wait times at all U.S. air, land and sea borders. And according to a TSA spokesperson, these new security measures are not short term, they will remian in effect, indefinitely.
PR Web | Family Travel Forum
New York, NY (Vocus/PRWEB ) December 31, 2009 — Since Northwest Flight 253 was threatened on December 25th by a passenger carrying explosives, the United States Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and many international governments have imposed confidential air travel security measures that will impact travelers around the world.
Travel publisher FamilyTravelForum.com alerts all holiday travelers, especially families with young children who may be carrying gift items, to be prepared for the enhanced and possibly invasive security procedures. As Department of Homeland Security Secretary Napolitano has cautioned, “These measures are designed to be unpredictable, so passengers should not expect to see the same thing everywhere.”
FamilyTravelForum.com reports there are 10 facts travelers should know:
– Enhanced security precautions are in place at all international airports with flights to the U.S.
– Passengers must arrive especially early for any international flight as enhanced security on U.S. Bound flights is affecting all travel times.
– All carry-on bags are being subjected to extra security screenings, causing delays at security gates.
– The Canadian government has banned all carry-on bags for passengers traveling to the U.S. because new screening requirements are causing excessive delays. Only exceptions are purses, cameras, coats, laptops, musical instruments, medical devices and items for baby care. (READ MORE)
