Agent Tricks Of The Travel Trade

Ill be forthright: Im not a homemaker. I feel more at ease constantly on the move, city after city, mountaintop to seaside surf, living out of my suitcase and fumbling through a foreign language phrase book, than I feel even comfy and cozy, napping on my couch on a Sunday afternoon. Perhaps Im a little crazy, but I find it thrilling sprinting to make a connecting flight (even if its the red eye); I believe it convenient when the airline informs me my luggage is a flight behind, leaving unencumbered to begin sightseeing immediately; and I think myself resourceful when I arrive at a booked hotel only to realize I forgot to make reservations but still haggle a room. Of course, while I dont mind any of the perceived headaches of traveling, I do mind the high costs often associated with it. Traveling, for me, is primarily about escapingwhether it be work, commuting, obligations, sometimes even family and friendsbut how is it an escape if Im worried about how much Im spending the entire trip?

I mention cost as something that would potentially worry me were it not for the fact that, in reality, it doesnt worry me at all. At least not since I wised up, did the requisite research and taught myself the agent tricks of the travel trade. Travel agents tricks that is, because in addition to being a constant traveler and writer, I am also a licensed travel agent. Not in the sense that I work for others, booking their hotels, finding their flights, or landing them a deal on an Alaskan cruise. Truth is, I only use my license for personal escapes (well, okay, occasionally for family and friends too, but only when their remarks regarding my debonair good lucks are particularly flattering).

If youve never heard of this travel industry loophole before, this may sound somewhat (or completely) preposterous. In fact, however, it is quite common among everyday people, both those who travel often or but once a year, both those whose work relates to travel to those whose work relates only to that which remains stationary. What I mean, plain and simple, is anyoneyou, me, your second cousin Otto, or my next-door neighbor Irenecan get their travel agents license lickety-split, and immediately begin reaping the benefits.

First things first: when making travel arrangements for themselves, every agent knows not to book a single step of their journey through one of their own, i.e. other travel agents. Instead, they use travel consolidators.

Think about the difference those terms: agent and consolidator.

An agent, in any industry where theyre principal players, obviously gets something in return for the services they provide. In sports, agents represent athletes, working off the field to win their clients lucrative contracts and commercial cameos so the athlete can in turn, without financial distractions, concentrate and win on the field. For these services, agents win themselves a percentage of every deal they broker. The same is true in showbiz, modeling, or corporations where headhunters wheel and deal multi-million dollar salaries and stock incentive plans for their CEO clients. Likewise, then, in the travel industry, agents receive discounts, courtesies and other special benefits, not from the customer for whom they book a hotel or flight, but from the vendor providing that service (i.e. the hotel chain or airline) who profits from the customer. As agents for airlines, etc., they drive customers toward vendors whom offer them the most in return.

A consolidator, on the other hand, does virtually the opposite. Rather than inflate the costs of travel by collecting fees, they combine, for the sake of efficiency, the expensive and unstable parts of travel into a cheaper, more solid whole. They work to maximize vendors numbers, ratios and the cost per head. Think about it in terms of magazine publishing: the real cost in printing an issue is not the number of copies made, but merely arranging and setting the plates that will allow the print run in the first place. Once that is set to go, the only added costs are that of extra paper and ink. The travel industry is the same, the more spaces that fill, the cheaper tickets or rooms become per person. As in any industry, consumers (i.e. travelers in this case) benefit from the sheer volume of numbers (i.e. all travelers, yourself included).

You, as a licensed travel agent would obtain special contact with these consolidators and the deals vendors must offer to maximize their costs per person. But while its all well and good to make arrangements through a consolidator as opposed to an agent, just because you acquire a license (available online in under an hour) doesnt mean the consolidator will believe youre as much a travel professional as they are. To avoid common mistakes that expose amateurs from pros, you must learn the proper lingo and travel codes. For that there are volumes of eBooks (with corresponding printed versions) that provide the requisite knowledge, which you can quickly study before contacting a consolidator and easily flip through if put on the spot. Get these references. Some of them are thick, but in reality youll spend less than a hundred dollars on everything you need to in turn potentially save thousands on the first trip you plan with your travel agents license in hand.

Furthermore, instead of turning to the discount fare finders like Orbitz, Expedia, Travelocity or Priceline that lay-travelers search, as a travel agent, you additionally gain access to the lesser known, but more lucrative sites travel consolidators utilize.

Together, the benefits will materialize almost immediately. Buy plane tickets the day before the flights scheduled to depart, but only pay what you would have had you purchased tickets two months in advance. Get a spacious cruise ship cabin beside the captains quarters for the price of an ocean-level closet. Find yourself lodging in the seaside, honeymoon suite for the price you might have paid for the basement hide-a-bed beside the ice machine.

Finally, the travel industry is a weird and wonderful creature, in this case, thankfully profit driven as much as other industries we often loathe. To those who present themselves as viable agents, promoting and thus earning money for the industry as a whole, it means endless perks. I get more special offers from airlines, cruise lines, and packaged tour companies than I know what to do with. For me, casinos, theme parks, and luxury resorts are not necessarily what I strive for, but if that is your cup of tea and your hocus pocus agenting appears legitimate, youll suddenly find yourself choosing between the best of many worlds: free weekends in the Napa Valley, first class seats to Tokyo, an all expense paid safari, a cruise down the Nile...

So what are you waiting for, get started! Find a comprehensive eBook or alternate guide that takes you through the process of becoming a travel agent, step-by-step. Dont sit on this opportunity, but rather start traveling cheaply, today

As for me, Ive got a flight to catch

Now, where did I put my passport?

Copyright 2006, Robert K. Blanc. All Rights Reserved. Reprint or reposting of this article permitted only in its entirety with the below resource box included and unchanged.
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By: Robert K Blanc

Robert Blanc is a frequent traveler and freelance writer, having covered current events, niche markets and subjects of personal interest for both online and traditional print publications. Recently enamored by the eBook phenomenon and the booming self-help industry, he regularly turns to www.ebookreviews.net to begin his searches for the latest information and eBooks currently on the market.

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Keep Your Blood Travel During Air Travel

Extended air travel can mean making it to a far away destination faster than you ever could by any other method of travel. However, it can also mean long exposure to uncomfortable seats, boredom, and worse, problems with circulation.

Good circulation is important for a number of reasons. Your lymph system must have good circulation at all times. The lymph is a fluid in addition to blood that is contained in each tissue in your body. The lymph system is a network of vessels and nodes that transmit the fluid to each place in your body. These nodes are essentially factories for the production of white blood cells. You might have heard that you have swollen lymph nodes when you are ill. This is because your body is working overtime to product what it needs. The lymph system does not have a pump. It only relies on the movement of our muscles to keep pressure within the system. This means you have to move around all of the time to keep your circulation up. Lymph fluid does a number of things to improve your health. First, it helps to finish the circulation of the blood. As your vessels get smaller, components are squeezed through small gaps. This helps to carry food to the cells. The lymph vessels collect the leftovers and take it back into the blood system. The blood system is then able to transfer it to your kidneys and youre liver to be passed out of your body. Lymph fluid also moves white blood cells to the necessary locations in the body. Any area of damage, inflammation, or illness needs white blood cells for its very survival. The only way to do this is through the transfer of lymph fluid. The only way to transfer lymph fluid, for any reason is movement.

Movement during air travel can be very, very difficult. The negative effects of not moving around for a long period of time can be very bad for you. As a result, most airlines offer a bit of advice on this matter during the preflight talk with the passengers. You might try a few simple exercises at frequent intervals during the flight to keep your blood circulating. This can help reduce stiffness, discomfort, and fatigue. It can also help lower your risk of more serious conditions like venous thrombosis, which is a blood clot. Blood clots can go straight to your heart, causing a heart attack, which can result in death. You can start your exercises by holding your carry on bag as close to your body as possible at a ninety degree angle. Do a few bicep curls. That should give you a good workout. If you can, balance the bag on your ankles and do a few leg lifts. Try a simple walk around the cabin. It might be difficult, but if nothing else, it should help you to stretch your legs. You can also try placing the palms of your hands together. Push as hard as you can and hold the position as long as possible. Then try grabbing the nearest book. Hold your arms out flat with the book on top. Hold the position as long as you can. Rest for a few minutes and then repeat. Finally, stretch each muscle of your body any way you can. One important thing to note as you try your exercises is to be respectful of the passengers around you. They do not need to be subjected to an elbow in the face on an hourly basis.

Besides movement, there are a few other ways to keep your body healthy during air travel. First, drink plenty. Try to avoid smoking and alcohol, as both of these can change the way your circulation systems work. Also, avoid crossing your legs while you are seated. It can stop the circulation of your legs. You might also want to wear loose-fitting comfortable clothes while on the plain. Certain garments can reduce or restrict the circulation you are trying so hard to keep pumping. Compression stockings can help prevent swelling and may even help increase circulation to that area of your body. You should only purchase these, though, from a reputable medical facility, as they can be dangerous if used wrong.

They will also need to be measured to fit your legs. In any case, discuss this idea with your doctor first.
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By: DavidPierce

David is an experienced internet entreprenuer with over 7 years of experience. He owns and operates the site www.florida-bound.info. Visit the site for more info and specials on visiting Florida, plus other exciting places.

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Keep Looking For The Low Cost Business Class Airfare

Business class is always the way to go. You do not have to settle for economy class airfare. You will feel much better through the trip and once you arrive than if you chose the economy side where you could be stuck to a group a kids or babies. You receive more room to stretch, better service, food, and drinks. The goal is to always find a low price ticket for business class airfare. In the past, this was much more difficult. These days, most airlines will give you a special price on these airfares. If you happen to be with a company that has made a deal with an airline, then you are one of the lucky few with permanent discounted fare.

Those are the lucky ones because they do not have to do any searching, but you can still get a ticket for a low price without much trouble. Check all the airlines' sites first. Be sure to visit them from time to time so you will become familiar with the prices and what special deals they offer for your destinations.

Next, try using websites such as Expedia and Travelocity. Each of them have made deals with airlines to buy large amounts of tickets and then they are trying to get rid of these tickets as soon as they can. You end up earning a decent chunk of the profits when they are trying to dump all the tickets off to customers at low prices. There are also search engines on travel sites and other sites made just for searching. This will give you many advanced searching options and bring up all the best fares on a certain date, be sure to try different dates.

Always be sure to book your flights early to increase the chances of getting a cheaper flight, and during the correct months prices will be lower. Also, the day and time of your purchase may have a significant impact on ticket price. Every night at midnight airlines reloading their reservation databases with new available seats that was reserved but were not paid for. For this reason, it is best to do your search in the hours of the morning. This are the reasons that, in the past, all travel agents had access to much better airfares than all general public. But today you can search for these tickets yourself at any of the major travel sites.

Finally, sign up for all the notifications that sites offer so you are always up to date on the latest airfare deals and offers.
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By: George Wood

George has published a variety of fascinating articles about lowest price airfare & travel on a shoestring budget. Check out his airfare website that the airlines DON'T want you to see. Stop the big airline companies from fleecing you of your hard earned money, and discover lowest air fares to wherever your imagination takes you!

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