Can you find me in the picture? Hint: I'm wearing flag football gloves :)
What’s driving today’s economic growth in tourism? Where does the future of tourism lie? And how are organizations in the travel and meetings/events industry finding renewed vitality, spunk and financial vigor? The answer lies in Specialty Markets. As every organization should develop and execute a business strategy on Specialty Markets, this blog is dedicated to assisting you and your company in such endeavors. So what are the Specialty Markets? That's what we'll discover together below...
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Happy Holidays from Growth Markets in Tourism!
Here's a fun photo of my company wishing everyone a jolly holiday season!!
Can you find me in the picture? Hint: I'm wearing flag football gloves :)
Can you find me in the picture? Hint: I'm wearing flag football gloves :)
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
The Family That Travels Together, Stays Together (Published by Agent Life Magazine)
A excellent article written by Erika Fifelski about today's family travel marketplace was just published by NACTA via their publication "Agent Life Magazine."
Here's the link to read the full story "The Family That Travels Together, Stays Together":
Click here to learn more about NACTA - National Association of Career Travel Agents
The National Association of Career Travel Agents (NACTA) is the foremost Travel Industry Association dedicated to providing the finest education, training, networking and representation in support of Career Travel Agents.
Monday, December 17, 2012
Hilton Hotels Debuts Family Travel Website (a.k.a. Hilton Mom Voyage)
I often blog about family travel being one of the biggest and fastest growing new segments of travel. We see this everywhere from tour operators and travel agents debuting new family travel programs to destinations such as tourist offices and CVBs adding content to their websites to attract family vacation travelers.
And now Hilton Hotels enters the picture with a brand new family travel website titled Hilton Mom Voyage, which features 15 moms sharing their own Hilton vacation experiences.
To read more about this story and endeavor, click on this ABC News story:
http://abcnews.go.com/Travel/vacation-question-travel-industry-mom/story?id=17926436
The following statement from the above article sums up the new website best.....
"Our research shows that moms play an integral role in the family vacation planning process. Creating a forum for moms and dads to share family travel insights and experiences directly with our future guests will help travelers navigate our resort and leisure portfolio to find the properties that best meet the experiences they want to share during the valuable time families spend together," said Bonnie Campagnuolo, senior director of global brand marketing at Hilton Hotels and Resorts.
And now Hilton Hotels enters the picture with a brand new family travel website titled Hilton Mom Voyage, which features 15 moms sharing their own Hilton vacation experiences.
To read more about this story and endeavor, click on this ABC News story:
http://abcnews.go.com/Travel/vacation-question-travel-industry-mom/story?id=17926436
The following statement from the above article sums up the new website best.....
"Our research shows that moms play an integral role in the family vacation planning process. Creating a forum for moms and dads to share family travel insights and experiences directly with our future guests will help travelers navigate our resort and leisure portfolio to find the properties that best meet the experiences they want to share during the valuable time families spend together," said Bonnie Campagnuolo, senior director of global brand marketing at Hilton Hotels and Resorts.
Friday, December 14, 2012
Special Feature on Quebec Shrines (by Going on Faith)
An outstanding article on Quebec's national shrines written by Eliza Myers was just published by Going on Faith.
Here's the article link: http://www.goingonfaith.com/Article.aspx?id=399
Here's the article link: http://www.goingonfaith.com/Article.aspx?id=399
Sunday, December 9, 2012
My Agritourism Tour of Jim Beam Bourbon Distillery in Kentucky
There's one thing I learned when I first moved to Kentucky - and it's that Kentucky is the Bourbon Capital of the World.
So when my parents came on a recent visit, I made sure to take them on a bourbon distillery tour and the place we chose was Jim Beam Distillery. While we were on the guided tour, I began thinking my visit of a bourbon distillery tour could make for a great blog post - especially since such type of touring falls under the concepts and growth markets of agritourism, factory (plant) touring, as well as culinary/food touring. As such, I began taking photos feverishly of which you can see my fruits below!
By the end of our visit, we had spent money on the guided tour tickets, souvenirs and other items in the gift shop, as well as at a nearby restaurant and of course on gas. All of this is a classic example of how destinations and organizations can turn a site as straightforward as a bourbon distillery into a place of tourism and added economic growth for the surrounding region.
TOUR INFO OF JIM BEAM DISTILLERY
+ Official Website http://www.americanstillhouse.com
+ Info about touring Jim Beam Distillery
Special note: One of the great things about the distillery tour at Jim Beam is that it's very interactive. You can see in some of the photos below some of the ways we got our hands a little dirty by personally participating!
PHOTOS FROM OUR VISIT AND TOUR OF JIM BEAM DISTILLERY
So when my parents came on a recent visit, I made sure to take them on a bourbon distillery tour and the place we chose was Jim Beam Distillery. While we were on the guided tour, I began thinking my visit of a bourbon distillery tour could make for a great blog post - especially since such type of touring falls under the concepts and growth markets of agritourism, factory (plant) touring, as well as culinary/food touring. As such, I began taking photos feverishly of which you can see my fruits below!
By the end of our visit, we had spent money on the guided tour tickets, souvenirs and other items in the gift shop, as well as at a nearby restaurant and of course on gas. All of this is a classic example of how destinations and organizations can turn a site as straightforward as a bourbon distillery into a place of tourism and added economic growth for the surrounding region.
TOUR INFO OF JIM BEAM DISTILLERY
+ Official Website http://www.americanstillhouse.com
+ Info about touring Jim Beam Distillery
Special note: One of the great things about the distillery tour at Jim Beam is that it's very interactive. You can see in some of the photos below some of the ways we got our hands a little dirty by personally participating!
PHOTOS FROM OUR VISIT AND TOUR OF JIM BEAM DISTILLERY
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Career Discussions: Travel Jobs Yield Higher Earnings (Travel Market Report; Article by Harvey Chipkin)
A story just published this week by Travel Market Report and written by Harvey Chipkin conveys some impressive information about the travel industry: Success in tourism can pay and reward well.
One of my favorite statistics in the article below is that 1 in 5 Americans get their first jobs in a travel-related industry.
As I reflect back myself, my first job was working at the Space Needle in Seattle, WA followed by college summers with Holland America, SeaWorld and Victoria Clipper.
Article Title: Travel Jobs Yield Higher Earnings, More Education
Article Link: http://www.travelmarketreport.com/articles/Travel-Jobs-Yield-Higher-Earnings-More-Education
One of my favorite statistics in the article below is that 1 in 5 Americans get their first jobs in a travel-related industry.
As I reflect back myself, my first job was working at the Space Needle in Seattle, WA followed by college summers with Holland America, SeaWorld and Victoria Clipper.
Article Title: Travel Jobs Yield Higher Earnings, More Education
Article Link: http://www.travelmarketreport.com/articles/Travel-Jobs-Yield-Higher-Earnings-More-Education
Workers who begin their careers in travel earn more money, have greater access to educational opportunities and enjoy better career progress.
Nearly 40% go on to earn more than $100,000 a year. Overall, individuals who begin their work lives in travel go on to achieve higher maximum salaries than those in other industries.
Those are among the striking conclusions of a new report compiled by the U.S. Travel Association based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The report is titled “Fast Forward: Travel Creates Opportunities and Launches Careers.”
Dispels misperceptions
U.S. Travel executives said the report dispels widely held notions that travel industry jobs are low-paying, with little expectation of advancement. They noted that negative perceptions of travel careers are a result of associating travel jobs with front-line employees in hotels and restaurants.
The report draws on Bureau of Labor Statistics data tracking more than 5,000 workers across many industries. The bureau interviewed workers every year between 1979 and 1994 and every two years between 1994 and 2010.
Building the middle class
In a press conference this week, Roger Dow, CEO of U.S Travel, said the report "shows that travel jobs are valuable jobs. . . . Those who start in travel progress farther than in other industries, eventually achieving higher wages and education levels.”
Individuals who start their careers in travel achieve an average maximum salary of $81,900 annually, higher than in other industries, according to U.S. Travel. (See graph below.)
“This industry builds the middle class, as 53% of workers currently in the travel industry earn middle class salaries or better, as defined by the U.S. Department of Labor,” Dow said. The government defines a middle class wage as between 75% and 200% of the median wage in the U.S.
Transferable skills
Education levels among travel industry workers also are high. Among those who started in travel, 33% have bachelors or more-advanced degrees.
“Travel is a rewarding career because it teaches valuable skills – including interpersonal, discipline and time management skills. That translates into building long-term careers in and out of travel,” Dow said.
“The conclusion is compelling,” said Dow. “Travel provides transferable skills that are indispensable.”
20% start out in travel
One in five Americas get their first jobs in a travel-related industry, according to David Huether, senior vice president for research and economics at U.S. Travel.
“Core” travel jobs include those in: air, hotel, entertainment and recreation services, restaurants, museums and art galleries, car rental, zoos, and scenic and sightseeing transportation, Huether said.
Huether called the research “groundbreaking” because it tracked workers over a period of 30 years. “We asked the Labor Department if anybody had ever done an analysis of people who started in a particular industry and where they went. We were told that had not been done before this report.”
U.S. Travel plans to use the report to support the travel industry’s lobbying work, Dow said. “We will be transmitting this report to governmental officials to show again the importance of our industry as a creator of not just jobs but good jobs.”
Nearly 40% go on to earn more than $100,000 a year. Overall, individuals who begin their work lives in travel go on to achieve higher maximum salaries than those in other industries.
Those are among the striking conclusions of a new report compiled by the U.S. Travel Association based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The report is titled “Fast Forward: Travel Creates Opportunities and Launches Careers.”
Dispels misperceptions
U.S. Travel executives said the report dispels widely held notions that travel industry jobs are low-paying, with little expectation of advancement. They noted that negative perceptions of travel careers are a result of associating travel jobs with front-line employees in hotels and restaurants.
The report draws on Bureau of Labor Statistics data tracking more than 5,000 workers across many industries. The bureau interviewed workers every year between 1979 and 1994 and every two years between 1994 and 2010.
Building the middle class
In a press conference this week, Roger Dow, CEO of U.S Travel, said the report "shows that travel jobs are valuable jobs. . . . Those who start in travel progress farther than in other industries, eventually achieving higher wages and education levels.”
Individuals who start their careers in travel achieve an average maximum salary of $81,900 annually, higher than in other industries, according to U.S. Travel. (See graph below.)
“This industry builds the middle class, as 53% of workers currently in the travel industry earn middle class salaries or better, as defined by the U.S. Department of Labor,” Dow said. The government defines a middle class wage as between 75% and 200% of the median wage in the U.S.
Transferable skills
Education levels among travel industry workers also are high. Among those who started in travel, 33% have bachelors or more-advanced degrees.
“Travel is a rewarding career because it teaches valuable skills – including interpersonal, discipline and time management skills. That translates into building long-term careers in and out of travel,” Dow said.
“The conclusion is compelling,” said Dow. “Travel provides transferable skills that are indispensable.”
20% start out in travel
One in five Americas get their first jobs in a travel-related industry, according to David Huether, senior vice president for research and economics at U.S. Travel.
“Core” travel jobs include those in: air, hotel, entertainment and recreation services, restaurants, museums and art galleries, car rental, zoos, and scenic and sightseeing transportation, Huether said.
Huether called the research “groundbreaking” because it tracked workers over a period of 30 years. “We asked the Labor Department if anybody had ever done an analysis of people who started in a particular industry and where they went. We were told that had not been done before this report.”
U.S. Travel plans to use the report to support the travel industry’s lobbying work, Dow said. “We will be transmitting this report to governmental officials to show again the importance of our industry as a creator of not just jobs but good jobs.”
Saturday, December 1, 2012
Agritourism World: A Resource for the Travel Trade
If you're involved in agritourism, looking to enter this marketplace, wanting to connect with suppliers or simply hope to learn a little more about this marketplace - an excellent resource to know about and refer to is Agritourism World. Below is the link to the Agritourism World website along with its official description.
OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF AGRITOURISM WORLD: http://agritourismworld.com/
OFFICIAL DESCRIPTION
AgritourismWorld is the leading search portal dedicated to Agriculture and Farm based Tourism. It is our mission to connect the traveling public with Farms and Ag Related destinations that welcome tourism. As the #1 Agritourism web site, we hope to enrich the experience of visitors and help farms and Ag Destinations make Tourism a Cash Crop. Together we build a sustainable tourism market.
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