Travel Calendar

Leading online travel agency Expediais scheduled to release its first quarter results Thursday, April 26. This quarter’s earnings may be impacted by the challenging macroeconomic environment and consumer spending. The airline sector is going through a consolidation phase with most big players in the capacity caution mode. Consistent hikes in passenger fares have impacted the passenger volumes, which will likely impact the company’s earnings this quarter.

During the first quarter, Expedia’s corporate travel management arm, Egencia, also announced its plan to acquire leading Nordic corporate travel company, VIA Travel. This acquisition will strengthen its position in international markets. Further, the company plans to invest heavily in new platforms and mobile applications to explore new growth drivers and effectively deal with competition. Expedia competes with other leading online travel agencies such as Priceline.com, Travelocity and Orbitz.

Market Share Growth Strategies

The addition of the largest travel management company in Nordic countries to Egencia will further enhance the company’s corporate travel service portfolio. The acquisition also opens up opportunities to strengthen Expedia’s position in European markets. Egencia currently forms only 2.8% of Trefis price estimate for Expedia. VIA Travel will add to the company’s market share as well as Egencia’s share in Trefis value for the parent company. Expedia is also pushing into Asian markets with key focus on emerging economies. It plans to invest $20 million in the next two years to expand India operations.

Operating Margins Squeezed

Expedia understands the importance of being apace with latest technologies. It is leveraging its prior acquisition, Mobiata, to develop new mobile applications for its brands. Recently, Hotels.com, the company’s hotel booking arm, launched a mobile application for Windows 7 platform.

The company also expects to launch new air and package platforms in 2012. It launched its hotel connectivity platform Expedia Connect 2 which enables reservation providers to design, build and deploy standardized interfaces to connect directly with Expedia.

While these initiatives may help Expedia to keep itself at pace with competition, the costs associated with technology and marketing are expected to rise. As a result, the EBITDA margins may fall this quarter.

As we approach the busy summer travel season, one trend is holding strong, at least according to top luxury hotel brands: People are traveling more, often for longer periods of time, with extended families, friends, and children.  They want their hard-earned time away to be worth it, with money going towards both value-added and exclusive experiences.

“As the economy continues to rebound, we’re seeing strong growth in the Consumer Confidence and Traveler Sentiment indexes, which translates into guests taking longer and more frequent vacations across all channels,” says Jennifer Fox, President of Fairmont Hotels Resorts.

Other top luxury brands like Ritz-Carlton, Mandarin Oriental, Orient-Express, and the Regent Seven Seas cruise line are seeing similar growth, while top travel agents have a hand in planning these requests for an exceptional experience.  Stacy Small, president of L.A.-based Elite Travel International, designs high-end itineraries for clients around the world and is seeing requests roll in for exotic getaways, but also from those wanting to recharge domestically.

Most of these trends aren’t groundbreaking, but are still at the forefront for luxury travel demand in Summer 2012.

Multi-Generational Family Travel: Cruising is possibly the best way to avoid family arguments, because each person can design their own day while still connecting with their family on board.  But luxury travelers don’t want to be nickel-and-dimed, and want the ease of travel while cruising.  Regent Seven Seas proves that all-inclusive doesn’t mean cheap, and provides gourmet dining, fine wines spirits, a selection of shore excursions in all ports, onboard tips, and a complimentary overnight stay in a luxury hotel prior to the cruise.  Mark Conroy, President of Regent Seven Seas Cruises, says, “Families as small as six as and as many as 35 are taking advantage of the all-inclusive, elegant, destination-focused, hassle-free cruises.”   Conroy’s favorite itineraries include a 7-night itinerary from Athens to Venice if you’re pressed for time or a cruise through the Best of the Dalmatian Coast, Italy, and the French Riviera.

Regent Seven Seas Cruise

Hotels are seeing the same trend of larger family groups traveling together.  Emily Snyder, Vice President of Sales Marketing for the Americas with Mandarin Oriental, says they are “seeing increased lengths of stay and multiple room bookings to accommodate multi-generational travel.”

High-end villa rentals are also a popular choice for families celebrating big anniversaries or birthdays, with Stacy Small saying she’s booking villas “everywhere from Hawaii to Mexico to St. Barts to the South of France for the upcoming summer season.” Extra-large villas can accommodate multiple families and provide a great base for celebrations.

Active Vacations: Luxury travelers are seeking out ways to stay active and healthy on the road, carving out time for bike rides, hiking, and water sports.  Small says that clients “want to go to places where they have plenty of options to take day trips and enjoy active excursions from trekking and diving in Vietnam to fly fishing and white water rafting in Park City, Utah and Colorado.”

Bespoke Itineraries With a Sense of Place: Travel should be personalized.  That’s nothing newsworthy.  But hotels are learning to blend experiences that are tailored to personal desires along with truly special options that reflect the destination.  Orient-Express has a knack for taking historic, priceless properties and turning them into some of the finest hotels in the world.  Flip Boyen, Chief Operating Officer for Orient-Express Hotels Resorts, says that “All of our properties are gearing up for summer travel with a selection of customized offerings, which blend authentic destination experience with the luxurious Orient-Express style.”  Their Maroma Resort Spa in Riviera Spa features a roster of health and wellness treatments that weaves together ancient Mayan traditions.

Seeking Out What’s Next New: Stacy Small says, “Clients are asking us to book them to places they haven’t been before.  We’ve booked one family to Peru inclusive of a few days aboard the ultra-luxe Aqua Expeditions through the Peruvian Amazon, and another family is taking the kids to Turkey for a few days prior to their Greek island cruise.” While certain destinations like London, Paris, and Rome never go out of style, Fairmont Hotels Resorts says their properties in Shanghai, Singapore, Dubai and Kenya are experiencing “ever increasing popularity” which bodes well for their new hotel openings in Kiev, Baku, and Jaipur this year.

Increase In Brazil China Travelers to United States: Emily Snyder with Mandarin Oriental mentions the U.S. Travel Tourism’s new Brand USA Campaign as a key factor in helping to drive international tourism, particularly from Brazil and China.  And Snyder says they’re taking extra care of these guests and says that “mainland Chinese guests, for example, receive tailored amenities to enhance their comfort, such as tea kettles in room, and special Chinese menu items.”

Travel + Leisure’s wine editor travels to China to find the maker of one of China’s legendary teas inspired by a cup of tea he drank in one of America’s premier teahouses.

Tucson, AZ (PRWEB) April 25, 2012

Travel + Leisure’s tea fanatic and wine editor, Bruce Schoenfeld, first tasted da hong pao, a rare Chinese oolong tea, at Seven Cups Teahouse in Tucson, where Austin Hodge serves teas he sources in remote regions of China.

That was the start of Schoenfeld’s long journey to meet the man who grows this tea at a single source – the stony slopes of Wu Yi Mountains in Fujian, China.

He writes of this journey in the May 2012 edition of Travel + Leisure where he names Seven Cups among six Best Places to Drink Tea in America. He recommends Liu Guo Ying’s da hong pao and notes “Hodge, the only American with a license to export tea from China, sources the best of the best from Wuyishan, Yunnan, Qimen, Anxi and beyond.”

When Schoenfeld tasted this tea at Seven Cups Teahouse it “altered my tea-drinking life,” he wrote. This tea is “rare, expensive, and frequently counterfeited, but this one was authentic. And it kept getting better – richer and rounder with every cup.”

Schoenfeld admits he is tea obsessive. After he tasted da hong pao in Tucson he flew around the world, guided by Austin Hodge who introduced him to Master Liu who consented to lead them to his mountain-top tea garden that few outsiders have ever seen. “Liu is a rock star in the Chinese tea world, the only grower to be awarded a citation by the government for innovation in a traditional art,” Schoenfeld wrote.

“I was there in search of the terroir of my favorite teas – just as I’ve flown around the world to see the vineyards and meet the winemakers so I can better understand my favorite wines.”

The character of tea is largely determined by where and how it is grown. However, the taste of tea also has as much to do with the skill of who’s brewing it, Schoenfeld noted.

At Seven Cups Teahouse the exotic da hong pao could well be prepared by Zhuping Hodge, a certified Chinese Tea Master and native of China. She’s Austin’s wife and currently is leading a tour in China. She often demonstrates a traditional tea ceremony and on most Friday afternoons offers complimentary tea tastings at a rare and intricate wooden tea table carved from a single root. The Tucson teahouse is located at 2516 E. 6th St. in the historic Village of Sam Hughes.

Many of the teas available through Seven Cups have only been available to the Western world in the last 10 years. During that time, Hodge, founder and president of Seven Cups, traveled throughout China and cultivated relationships with tea farmers who use traditional methods passed down through the centuries. Seven Cups currently source teas from 30 producers in 10 different regions of China, homeland of the world’s first and finest teas, Hodge said.

Seven Cups has solid relationships in China with tea producers, tea masters and government officials. This is the only American tea company to obtain a license to export tea directly from China with no middleman.

“From our beginnings, Seven Cups has been dedicated to open sourcing and establishing a direct connection between the artists who make the tea and the people who drink it. I hope that Bruce’s article will spur the tea industry to be more open about who makes their tea,” Hodge said.

Tea aficionados don’t have to travel to Tucson to discover da hong pao. Seven Cups sells Chinese tea online to connoisseurs in more than 90 countries. The company also supplies tea to other exclusive tea business in Denmark, Brazil, Canada and the United States. They also host two tea tours every year for tea professionals and enthusiasts.

Seven Cups was founded in 2002 to sell Chinese teas to aficionados worldwide and opened its first teahouse in Tucson in 2004. Last year the company launched an international brokerage service offering small tea companies access to its extensive network of connoisseur-quality teas direct from farmers in China at an affordable price and in manageable quantities.

Hodge writes a widely read blog and has been extensively published within China. In 2011 Hodge became the only foreigner given “The Top Ten Outstanding Persons of China” award. presented by the Chinese tea community for his contributions in promoting Fine Chinese Teas. For more information, visit http://www.sevencups.com.

To read Schoenfeld’s full tea report, visit http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/a-global-guide-to-the-best-tea.html.

For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/prweb2012/4/prweb9433860.htm

Travel Agents will now receive a 25% commission on all of Odyssey Safaris safari products and custom safari packages.

New York, NY (PRWEB) April 25, 2012

Odyssey Safaris announces a 25% commission for travel agents selling their scheduled safari tours or custom safari itineraries created specifically for clients. Working with travel agents is a point of emphasis for Odyssey Safaris going forward and this commission structure is intended to convey the importance the company places on travel agent relationships. In a recent major survey of travelers, a strong majority of travelers planning travel to Africa indicated that they would like to work with a professional when booking safari travel; this represents a major opportunity for the travel agent community to increase their product offerings and revenues.

“Our company values working with travel agents and we want to provide a commission structure that emphasizes the value that travel agents add to the sales process”, Managing Director Mark Cahill said. “As far as we know our 25% commission is the highest in the safari industry.”

Odyssey Safaris makes it easy to sell their products by providing a travel agent extranet where agents can easily view all available inventory and manage their sales. The company’s products include affordable small group trips to Kenya and Tanzania which use quality accommodations and competitive pricing; this enables agents to sell to clients who cannot afford a private safari without sacrificing quality. For clients with specific travel needs and interests, Odyssey Safaris staff will create custom itineraries and pricing while supporting the agent throughout the sales process. This degree of customization and support will help agents close more sales and earn higher commission payouts, even for agents who have never sold safaris before.

Odyssey Safaris invites all travel agents to sign up with the company for access to the travel agent extranet where they can view all of the tour products and to call anytime for quotes and information. 1-855-2SAFARI (1-855-272-3274)

About Odyssey Safaris

Founded in 2004 Odyssey Safaris immediately sought to address the need for outstanding customer service and the extra value that customized safaris offer. Working with the local knowledge of partner and Safari Operations Director Eliud Karimi and staff, Managing Director Mark Cahill provides information and insight to travelers to assist them in creating the perfect Kenya or Tanzania safari. The companies extra-net on their website and offices in the US and Kenya provide 24 our support to travelers and travel agents to manage their travel details.

“The destinations in east Africa are incredible and clients are obviously thrilled with that part of the trip, but what really makes a safari special is the people who execute it for you, the guide, the planner and support staff”, said Managing Director Mark Cahill. “Once you’re on the plane to east Africa professionalism is extremely important and our clients are exceedingly impressed with our staff and some have remained friends; it’s a priceless value add.”

Odyssey Safaris is a member of the Association for the Promotion of Tourism (APTA) to Africa and the Africa Travel Association (ATA).

View all of Odyssey Safaris Kenya Safaris, Tanzania Safaris, and Kenya and Tanzania safaris products.

Read about all of the steps Odyssey Safaris takes to make your trip as enjoyable as possible: Safe Safari Travel

Contact:

Mark Cahill

Odyssey Safaris

1-855-2SAFARI

For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/prwebodyssey-safaris-25pct/travel-agent-commission/prweb9438384.htm

“I travel all the time, but I rarely have time to research and explore the cities I visit,” said Randi Zuckerberg, the big sister of Facebook CEO Mark. She’s an investor in Trippy and said via email that she likes the site because “I can get insights from my Facebook friends on where to eat and what to see before I hit the ground.”

Mili Narayen, a startup entrepreneur in New York City, said she ran across 5-month-old Twigmore after several of her friends began using it on Facebook.

“There is a trust forged in that tribal mentality that traditional travel companies or guides can’t tap into,” she said. Because she and her friends generally share the same tastes, she trusts that they – or their friends – won’t steer her wrong.

After using the site to plan a recent trip to Mumbai, India, Narayen’s now relying on it to scout an upcoming vacation in Bermuda and a possible summer getaway to Europe.

“I use it to expand my network, make new friends abroad and generally enhance my travel experience by getting access to insider information,” she said.

Millions of people in thousands of cities have signed up for such services. The space seems likely to keep heating up given Groupon’s recent acquisition of Menlo Park, Calif., social travel startup Uptake for a reported $20 million.

And with Airbnb, RelayRides and other “social-sharing” startups disrupting the hotel and rental cars industries, it’s fair to say the Facebook generation is traveling on its own terms.

“I suspect that all travel-planning sites and applications will become more focused on harnessing the social signal in the near future,” said Brad Gerstner, who sits on the board of Orbitz and is an investor in travel startups HotelTonight and Room 77.

Another travel recommendation engine is San Francisco’s Gogobot, which launched in 2010 and now boasts 460,000 monthly active users, according to tracking service AppData – significantly more than Twigmore, Trippy and similar site Wanderfly.

Veronica Sartori of Fremont, Calif., has been using Gogobot since last summer. “It’s very intuitive, and that got me hooked right away,” she said.

She likes the site so much that she’s stopped using the more established TripAdvisor, which is owned by the parent company of BookingBuddy and VirtualTourist. “I would read reviews there that were either extremely positive or extremely negative,” she said. “I felt like they were very one-sided.”

With Gogobot, she said, “I feel like I almost get to know the people who review more frequently, so I start to follow their reviews, and they earn my trust.” Based on user feedback while planning a trip to Miami last year, she added a Key West day-trip to her agenda.

“I took a tour of Hemingway’s house and ate Key lime pie,” she said. If it hadn’t been for the recommendations she found on Gogobot, “I probably wouldn’t have gone.”

Gogobot CEO Travis Katz, a former MySpace vice president, said the site sorts recommended hotels, restaurants and “things to do” based on places people in your network have recommended – so every user gets a different experience. The site also uses check-ins from Foursquare and Facebook to help personalize its recommendations.

Sartori and other social-travel evangelists say that because recommendations come from people in your extended networks, you’re less likely to see reviews that have been dressed up glowingly by hotel owners and restaurateurs.

Triptrotting, founded in 2010 by two University of Southern California graduates, takes things a step further, offering a network of “ambassadors” in cities around the world who can help travelers learn the ropes and find local hosts. The Santa Monica, Calif.-based site also uses “compatibility matching technology” – similar in concept to online dating sites – to help match travelers and hosts based on their personalities and shared interests.

The founders, both women, know what it’s like to land in an unfamiliar place: They grew up in Kazakhstan and Inner Mongolia and moved to the U.S. for college.

Trippy, based in Manhattan Beach, Calif., is among the newest entries in the space but has launched with a bang, lining up a cadre of celebrity endorsers including Randi Zuckerberg, singer Jason Mraz and chef Anthony Bourdain.

Zuckerberg, who runs social media startup R to Z Studios, said she’s advising Trippy’s team – which is led by the founder of VirtualTourist – because they’re building “a travel tool that I want to use.”

She and Trippy’s other advisers each maintain their own “visual inspiration boards,” filled with photos from their favorite travel destinations, along with tips and insights for each place. (Zuckerberg’s, for instance, includes her favorite restaurant in Buenos Aires, which she said made her “never want to eat red meat again anywhere else in the world.”)

Travelers can browse the site’s images, collect what sparks their wanderlust and add the photos to their own boards. Think Pinterest for the travel set.

Francis Tapon, a travel writer based in San Francisco, said social travel apps and websites “are going to do to the guidebook industry what Wikipedia did to the Encyclopedia Britannica.”

Tapon recently returned to the U.S. after spending three years traveling around Eastern Europe. And, he said, “I never used a guidebook.”

FANCY MEETING YOU HERE:

A growing number of websites and mobile apps aim to help travelers find advice – and sometimes accommodations – from people in their social networks. Here are some:

-EveryTrail: User-generated travel tips, photos and interactive maps. Based in Palo Alto, Calif. http://www.everytrail.com

-Expat-blog.com: Forums “by expats, for expats” offer tips like “How to register a marriage in Saudi Arabia.” Based in France. http://www.expat-blog.com

-Inbed.me: Social booking site for hostels, beds and couches. Based in New York. http://inbed.me

-Matador Network: Showcases original travel writing and photography and a social network for travelers worldwide. Based in San Francisco. http://matadornetwork.com

-On The Road: Free online blogging tools to let the traveling community connect and share tips. Based in Prague. http://www.ontheroad.to

-Rambler: “Worldwide scavenger hunt” helps travelers find fun things to do around the world and earn points by completing “quests.” Based in Chicago. http://ramblerhq.com

-TravBuddy: Forum for meeting fellow travelers and sharing advice. http://www.travbuddy.com

-TripIt: Turns confirmation emails for flights, hotels and rental cars into mobile travel itineraries that can be shared with friends. Based in San Francisco. http://www.tripit.com

-TravelMob: Airbnb-type social marketplace connects hosts with apartments or rooms to rent with travelers in eight Asian countries. Based in Singapore. http://www.travelmob.com

-Tripping: Global community connects travelers to offer travel tips, meet-ups and homestays in more than 175 countries. Based in San Francisco. http://www.tripping.com

-TripWolf: Combines guidebook information with user-generated travel tips on more than 50,000 destinations. Based in Austria. http://www.tripwolf.com