Travel Agent Month roundup: discounts, prizes, contests & more!

The travel industry is giving travel advisors around the world a collective applause today (May 3) to mark Travel Agent Day, an annual day of recognition that takes place on the first Wednesday of May.

Travel Agent Day was founded by Colleen Lorenzen of Uniglobe Carefree Travel in Saskatoon, Sask, in 2011. (Click here to join the official Facebook page). 

Since then, the day has evolved into a globally-recognized event, lasting an entire month, bringing together travel pros from all corners of the industry.

Travel advisors and agencies, throughout time, and especially since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, have proven themselves to be a resilient and resourceful force.

Here’s how suppliers and tourism boards are celebrating the travel trade this month.

Air Canada

Each week Air Canada’s travel advisor partners have a chance to win prizes.

“Successfully complete some fun trivia questions and you will be entered for a

…
Best Places to Eat in the West Village, NYC

Best Places to Eat in the West Village, NYC

Diving into the best places to eat in the West Village is one of the greatest ways to enjoy a trip to New York City. NYC has so many restaurants that it would be impossible to try them all, even if you ate at three different restaurants a day for the rest of your life. For a visitor to the Big Apple, it can be overwhelming trying to decide where to eat for dinner.

One of the best neighborhoods in New York for finding somewhere to eat is the West Village in Downtown Manhattan. The real estate in this neighborhood is pricey, and many celebrities have homes here.

However, New York University is also in the area, so there are plenty of amazing casual restaurants that cater to college students with lighter wallets. No matter what your budget is, you will surely find somewhere to enjoy on this list of

…

Four Tips for Getting Better Leads

You only need 250 to 500 qualified clients to reach a million in sales, Geraldine Ree, emcee of last month’s Travel Market Place East conference in Toronto and a travel agency consultant, told advisors during a breakout session.

Emphasis on “qualified.”

To help advisors find and qualify those 250 to 500 clients, Ree offered several pieces of advice.

Here are four of the most important tips she talked about.

Ideal Client
To get better clients and better leads – with better simply meaning “right for you” – you first need to get clear on who you want to serve.

“It’s time to stop being all things to all people,” Ree said.

Get clear on who lights you up and who is never going to be “your” people, she advised.

“I personally think you need to have either a picture in your mind or you need to have an actual client

…

Mbappe, Kane, Kudus, Osimhen, Lukaku, Zaha, Suarez, Gvardiol, Laporte

Chelsea and Saudi club Al Hilal have begun the process of trying to sign 24-year-old France forward Kylian Mbappe, who has not traveled with Paris St Germain on their pre-season tour of Asia. (RMC Sport – in French)

Despite interest from the Saudi Pro League, Mbappe is not interested in leaving Europe and has his heart set on a move to RealMadrid. (90min)

Mbappe is prepared to sit out an entire season and leave PSG on a free transfer next summer after the French champions put him up for sale on Friday. (Sky Sports)

Harry Kane’s wife has been spotted in Munich, looking for properties and schools ahead of a potential move from Tottenham to Bayern Munich for the 29-year-old England striker. (Bild – in German; subscription required)

Chelsea have made contact with Ajax to express an interest in signing Ghana attacking midfielder Mohammed Kudus, 22. (The Athletic –

…

8 Best Things To Do In Kefalonia

The biggest Greek island in the Ionian Sea, Kefalonia (sometimes spelled Cephalonia) is a paradise filled with stunning Mediterranean beaches, ancient sites, and seaside villages. Though Kefalonia has plenty to do, this island tends to be less popular than its more famous counterparts.

Since most travelers are booking tickets to Santorini or Mykonos, or similarly iconic destinations on the Aegean Sea side of Greece, you won’t face nearly as many crowds in Kefalonia, which lies on the west of the mainland, in the Ionian Sea.

Make no mistake: you’ll still be blessed with mesmerizing ocean views, crumbling ruins, and local hospitality that the Greek islands are famous for, but you can expect a little more space and fewer tourist traps to leave your pockets hurting.

Best Things to Do in Kefalonia, Greece

1. Tour the island

Boat-Trip-Argostoli-To-Lixouri

Kefalonia is significantly bigger than other Greek islands, so one of the best

…

Photos: This year’s GTM West agent event: Travel Weekly

Global Travel Marketplace West, the event geared towards travel advisors on the West Coast, drew a record number of applicants this year for its hosted-meeting and networking program, which ran July 11 to 13 at the Hilton Lake Las Vegas Resort in Henderson Nev.

Similar to the annual Global Travel Marketplace, which took place earlier this year in Fort Lauderdale, advisors at GTM West must apply; if selected, they are matched for a series of networking appointments with representatives from travel companies. Advisors must live in the western US or Canada and must show individual sales of at least $800,000 or be an agency owner of a multimillion-dollar agency to be considered for one of the 125 GTM West spots.

This year, the event drew applicants primarily through referrals from past attendees known as GTM Ambassadors, said Jacqueline Hurst, the director of trade recruitment and engagement for Northstar Travel Group,

…

10 Unforgettable Things To Do On The Surf Coast

The Surf Coast in southern Victoria is one of the best regions to visit in the state.

Located just over an hour’s drive from Melbourne and stretching from Torquay to Lorne, this area boasts stunning beaches, ocean views, and mighty rainforests.

The world-famous Great Ocean Road officially begins here in Torquay and it’s where you’ll find the home of Australian surfing, Bells Beach.

I’m lucky enough to be a Surf Coast local and below you’ll find my guide to the best things to do on the Surf Coast.

1) Stop By The Torquay Surf MuseumTorquay Surf Museum

The Australian National Surfing Museum is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Torquay. It offers a unique insight into the history and culture of surfing in this part of the world. Visitors can explore exhibits featuring iconic Australian surfboard makers, and classic photographs from some of Australia’s most renowned photographers, and learn about

…

What you need to know about the hit faith-based thriller fueling conspiracy theories

Jim Caviezel stars in Sound of Freedom, which unexpectedly topped the July 4th box office over Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.

Jim Caviezel stars in Sound of Freedom. (Everett Collection)

The faith-based child-trafficking thriller Sound of Freedom has become one of the biggest, most unexpected box-office hits of the year, thus far ranking in $53 million (and counting) and even outdueling the Walt Disney-backed Indiana Jones and the Dial of DestinyHarrison Ford’s farewell to his signature fedora-wearing adventurer on a Fourth of July holiday face-off.

The film’s underdog success story isn’t the only reason it’s making headlines, though.

There have been outlandish QAnon-centric conspiracy theories spread and refuted, a screening planned by former President Donald Trump and a link made between the film and a years-old congressional testimony by Ashton Kutcher.

Here’s everything you need to know about 2023’s sleeper hit.

What is Sound of Freedom about?

Originally filmed in 2018, Sound of Freedom is inspired by the life of Tim Ballard — a former special agent with the US

…

BBB tips on finding the right travel agent

INDIANAPOLIS – If you’re like me, you might think you have no need for a travel agent.

Why pay someone to make plans and arrangements you can handle yourself? To some extent, I still feel that way when it comes to simple road trip family vacations.

However, my opinion changed the first time our family embarked on our first Disney World adventure with our two kids. Our agent, who happens to be a friend of my wife, made all the difference in the world when it came to getting the most out of our time at the Disney parks in Orlando. I hadn’t been to Disney World since I was a kid myself, so the experience of planning the trip from a parent’s perspective was a humbling one. Our agents definitely provided insight and valuable information we otherwise wouldn’t have had.

With that in mind, the Better Business Bureau has

…
8-Day Ireland Itinerary: – Mommy Travels

8-Day Ireland Itinerary: – Mommy Travels

Wondering how to structure your 8-day itinerary in Ireland? Look no further!

Starting in the capital city of Dublin, this itinerary will take you along Ireland’s Ancient East, with a stop to enjoy the scenery in the Wicklow Mountains. From there, you’ll continue south toward Cork, Ireland’s second city and food capital. After a stop to kiss the Blarney Stone, your adventure turns towards the West to include many of Ireland’s greatest hits.

While in the west of Ireland, marvel at the views along the Ring of Kerry, stare out at the Atlantic Ocean from the Cliffs of Moher, and end your trip in the Irish city of Galway. For the last day of your trip, you’ll make your way back to Dublin to catch your flight. This will give you a chance to squeeze in one or two last activities in Dublin before you head to the airport.

The

…