The rapidly growing TWIN global travelmanagement company has launched itsTWIN Niche Alliance program. This

initiative gives leading travel professionals adistinct competitive edge when solicitingand servicing mid-sized/large corporateaccounts or multi-national clientele byproviding essential local/regional marketexpertise in key areas around the world.

The TWIN Niche Alliance Program wasdeveloped exclusively for TRAVELSAVERSagencies, who now have the ability to tapinto the resources of TWIN representatives.TWIN provides a local presence andknowledge base, as well as inbound servicesand specialty travel products, that the mega-agencies simply do not have the personaltouch and time to coordinate. The result ishighly personalized service that exceedsindustry standards. TWIN representativesare also available to work hand-in-handwith TRAVELSAVERS agencies to becomebusiness partners as they support thesubmission of RFPs and share accounts.

“We’ve opened up the lines ofcommunication between TWIN and theTRAVELSAVERS agency community,”

said Rick Mazza, President & CEO ofTRAVELSAVERS. “TWIN includes top travelprofessionals in chosen markets around theglobe. As TRAVELSAVERS agencies look toadd value and expand their services to theirinternational corporate clientele in thoseregions, we invite them to contact therelevant TWIN representatives fornetworking, account-sharing opportunities,and innovative business solutions. As anexample, if an agency needs an eventplanner or a travel management companyto service their clients in North and SouthAmerica, Europe, India, and the PacificRim, TWIN is the place to turn.”

Niche Specialties/Local KnowledgeOverall areas of support from TWINinclude the following (in addition, eachTWIN representative offers individualizedareas of expertise):• VIP assistance• Destination expertise• Cultural nuances and etiquette• Local language support• Meeting venues

3 CultureQuest

5 Acclaim Meetings

6 Hotel News

8 Investing inTechnology

15 Perfecting A Meeting’sItinerary For AllDemographics

Volume

IV/

2008

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Created exclusively for ...

TWIN Global Travel ManagementCompany Launches Niche Alliance

YOUR SOURCE FOR BUSINESS TRAVEL MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS

Hyatt Hotels Launch SecondIstanbul PropertyHyatt Hotels and Resorts hasannounced a second Istanbul propertylaunch with a 90-room Park Hyatt Hotelto open later in 2008. The Macka Plaswill be situated in a restored art decobuilding in The Tesyikive district andwill feature two boardrooms, spa andsteam baths, gym, outdoor pool and bararea, all-day dining restaurant andguest rooms With iPod stations,flatscreen TVs and DVD players andInternet access.

Hilton Makes Promoting SmallMeetings EasierHilton Hotels unveiled the capability formeeting planners booking up to 25rooms to create their own webpage foran event. The new offering is availableacross all Hilton brands, at any one ofmore than 2,400 hotels across NorthAmerica.The sites include a bookingmechanism linked to the room block,giving attendees more accurate rateand availability information. Visitwww.hilton.com

NBTA UpdatesThe Business Travel Event of the YearNBTA Los Angeles InternationalConvention & Exposition – July 27-30,2008, register online at NBTA.org.Keynote speaker: Dr. Alan Greenspan,Chairman, Federal Reserve Board(1987-2006)

TR

AV

EL

IND

US

TR

Y

continued on page 11

Volume IV / 2008 FOCUS 3

One of the most visited countries in Europe, France is an enchanting place for visitorsfrom around the world. From the traditional charm of its cobble streets to the modernityof its grand projects, there’s always something to catch the eye and whet the appetite.

Today, France is changing fast — European integration and globalization are opening theeconomy and society to outside influences as never before. The French are enthusiasticallyembracing some of the modern opportunities, but scratch beneath the surface and you’ll finduniquely French habits, traditions, values, and beliefs.

The French love their traditions, whether it’s leisurely enjoying a delicious home-cookedmeal and French wine or conducting business with a uniquely French mindset andapproach. They also love a good controversy and their independent spirit applies asmuch to individuals as to the country as a whole. It’s important to understand that theFrench have deeply held convictions about the universal right to dignity, equal regard,and dignified behavior. Embracing the new or savoring the old, the French alwaysmanage to make the humdrum seem not so mundane.

Once hostile to modern capitalism and sclerotic from state intervention, France has foundpragmatism. Accompanying the new emphasis on turning a profit are perhaps unprecedentedtransformations in France’s work culture. The French, however, have managed to keep theseprofessional changes in perspective and balance by maintaining their cultural focus onrelationships, quality of life, and well-being. When assessing how best to do business with theevolving French mindset, CultureQuest can help.

Understanding the local culture and values is essential for success. CultureQuest France canhelp first-time visitors as well as seasoned old-hands navigate the cultural nuances in both thebusiness and social environments. Available in two versions, CultureQuest™ Business equipsprofessionals and international business travelers with the skills needed to succeed in thecomplex global business arena. CultureQuest™ Insight enables global enthusiasts to experi-ence world cultures, values, and customs.

Now global travelers can literally experience favorite destinations all over the world prior todeparture. With extensive videos and essential information, travelers can increase theirsuccess rate in-country and become repeat business travelers. As agencies, you can provide atruly vivid view of the destination and answer questions about travel tips, protocol, businesspractices, local culture and social customs. You already provide the accommodations, nowprovide even more information on what to expect with essential information for successfullymanaging their business and social objectives. Cost and time-efficient, the CultureQuest seriescombines user-friendly technology with superior, unique and culture-specific multimediacontent. CultureQuest is more than just a city or country guide…it is your customer’s culturalguide to success.

Learn more about how CultureQuest can meet the needs of your travelers, visitwww.culture-quest.com or email info@atmaglobal.com for a demo.

CultureQuest France(www.culture-quest.com)By Atma Global (www.atmaglobal.com)

Technology Suppliers Directory

� ATMAwww.atma.comemail: info@atmaglobal.comPh 212-254-0083

� AutoAgentwww.autoagent.usemail: helpdesk@autoagent.usPh 845-790-5490

� CorpXpresswww.agents.travelsavers.comemail: btilton@travelsavers.comPh 516-624-2312

� eGlobalfareswww.eglobalfares.comemail: david.rifkin@eglobalfares.comPh 203-397-5361

�Galileo by Travelportemail: new.sales@travelport.com

� ISISwww.isisgold.comemail: info@isisgold.comPh 800-474-7099

� NuTravel Technologieswww.nutravel.comPh 914-848-4566

� Pegasus Commission Processingwww.pegs.comemail: memberinfo@pegs.comPh 214-362-6399

� TRAMS/ClientBasewww.trams.comemail: sales@trams.comPh 310-641-8726

� Trondent Development Corp.www.trondent.comemail: sales@trondent.comPh 847-277-0800

� TRX Technology Serviceswww.trx.comemail: sales@trxsoftware.comPh 847-277-0800

�Weissmann Reports/Northstaremail: weissmann@ntmllc.com andstarserviceonline@ntmllc.comPh 800-776-0720

�Worldspan by TravelportPh 770-563-7400

TE

CH

NO

LOG

YS

UP

PLI

ER

S

Volume IV / 2008 FOCUS 5

Become A Meetings MatchmakerWith Acclaim Meetings

Did you know that you can create an entirely new revenuestream for your business just by adding meeting planningto your repertoire of services for corporate clients? The

market opportunity is tremendous, and continues to growsubstantially, year after year. Read on to find out more abouthow you can easily capture this lucrative niche business.

The MarketFirst, let’s take a closer look at the current marketplace. OnFebruary 2-6, Meeting Professionals International (MPI) heldtheir annual Professional Education Conference in Houston,Texas. Some of our staff attended the conference and gatheredintelligence about new trends that are emerging in themeetings industry:

• The meetings and events industry is rapidly becoming globalin scope.

• Technology is enhancing meetings tremendously throughblogs, wikis, podcasts, and online video.

• Smaller meetings are larger revenue generators overall thanlarge meetings for many hotels.

• Many meeting planners do not know destinations (like you do!),and rely on outsourcing to find destinations for their meetings.

• Travel agencies are clearly entering the meetings industry.

Add to that the following recent statistics and industry happenings:

• Marriott International initiated a policy last year, stating thatall meeting planners must have IATA numbers in order toreceive commissions. Keep in mind that the majority ofmeeting planners do not work in the travel industry or haveIATA numbers (which, by the way, caused an uproar amongmeeting planners nationwide). Also relevant is the trend thatmore hotel chains are leaning toward requiring IATAnumbers to pay commissions related to meetings.

• According to Meeting Professionals International’sFutureWatch 2008 study, more than two-thirds of meetingplanners seek offsite facilities for meetings of up to 50people. Some of the hotel chains we researched said 65-75%of their meetings are smaller in size. What does this mean foryou? Small to mid-sized meeting planning is a lucrativebusiness, and one you do not want to miss out on!

You are the SolutionThis is all great news! Who is better suited to plan meetings forcorporations than the travel agents that currently serve them?

You are experts in destinations. You have solid relationshipswith your clients. And, we have the tools to support you, end-to-end, in your efforts to seize this market opportunity.

If you do not currently offer meeting planning, our brand newAcclaim Meetings program will give you a jump on this niche.If you already do meeting planning, the program will helppropel your agency to greater levels of profitability!

Announcing Acclaim MeetingsRecently launched, Acclaim Meetings provides educationalresources to help you begin or increase your meeting planningservice. The program gives you excellent resources from bestpractice companies to help you in this venture.

Acclaim Meetings is free of charge and offered to you as abenefit for your loyalty and commitment to increasing yourbusiness. Highlights of the initiative include:

• Preferred meeting suppliers offering exclusive amenities,specials and incentives

• Last-minute meeting space announcements for you to offeryour clients

• Destination information through our long-standingrelationships with convention and visitors bureaus

• Meeting property information on top meeting destinations,including photos and contact details for meetings, virtualtours, web links, meeting room specifications and layout

• Online RFPs and downloadable RFPs using industry standards

• Podcasts to learn about meeting planning and how to growyour meetings business

• “How to” webinars

• Education in meeting standards using the APEX (TheAccepted Practices Exchange) models

• E-newsletters and online access to all Acclaim Meetingsresources

Do you have agents on staff who would make great meetingplanners? Acclaim Meetings will instruct and support them. Youwill find a link on the agent extranet that provides educationalresources, podcasts, webinar schedules and topics, free magazine

continued on page 13

HiltonTravelAgents.comA Professional Resource for Resourceful ProfessionalsA free tool that’s your one-stop destination for information, support,rewards, and news.

HiltonTravelAgents.com features a Support Page with contact numbersand an FAQ section to get answers fast.

Earn Unlimited Budget® points for booking your clients for qualifiedstays within the Hilton Family of Hotels global portfolio. Pointstranslate into money stored on your Unlimited Budget® Stored ValueMasterCard® Card. We also feature a list of hotels running doublepoints promotions. For more information, terms and conditions, visitHiltonTravelAgents.com.

Find the latest articles, new hotels and agent specials listed on the site.

And to really stay on top of things, sign up for The Queue, our monthlye-newsletter.

Escape to one of Hilton’s Caribbean resorts where white sands, crystalclear waters and the warm sun of the Caribbean provide the perfectbackdrop for an unforgettable journey. Sample local cuisine, take a swingon a seaside golf course or explore the islands. Choose from fabulouslocations ranging from Puerto Rico to Curaçao, Barbados to theBahamas. You’ll be welcomed with Hilton hospitality, great amenities andunmatched service. Start your Caribbean journey with Hilton.

Agent Booking Information: For GDS reservations enter TSA, your rateaccess code, and book using Hilton hotel chain code EH.

Introducing Travel Agent Value Rates at HyattHyatt invites you to experience their innovative brands with specialsavings exclusively for travel agents. Take advantage of any of theseunique offers!

$49 per night — HYATT PLACE®

Valid for Thursday through Sunday night stays nowthrough September 1, 2008.For reservations, call 888 HYATT HP and request offercode HPTA08.

$69 per night — HYATT SUMMERFIELD SUITES™Valid for Thursday through Sunday night staysnow through September 1st 2008For reservations, call 866 XS HYATT and requestoffer code HSSTA8.

Up to 50% off BAR — PARK HYATT®, ANDAZ,™ GRAND HYATT® ANDHYATT REGENCY®

Valid all week now through December 30th, 2008.

Travel Agent Booking Information: Reservations may also be bookedthrough the GDS in the TVL rate category. When booking in the GDS,enter rate access code TSA, and book using Hyatt hotel chain codeHY. Effective May 1st, 2008, all six Hyatt brands can be found underthe HY Chain Code.

Fiesta Americana Hotels & Resorts & Fiesta Americana GrandFiesta InnsEnjoy and Live an Unforgettable Experience at any Fiesta AmericanaGrand, Fiesta Americana or Fiesta Inn Hotels & Resorts.Book now and receive up to 1,000 American Airlines AAdvantage milesper every night spent plus a free night certificate for your next visit.

Travel Agent Booking Information: When booking in the GDS, enterrate access code TSA, and book using Fiesta Americana/Grupo Posadaschain code FH. For more information and reservations please call us at800-FIESTA-1 or visit fiestamericana.com/aadvantage.

Meetings and Events: 3600 Hotels. 100 Countries. 1 Web Site. IHG Makes It Easy.IHG presents a wide variety of meeting venues — from comfortable andpractical to luxurious. Access the world’s best hotel brands by selectingthe planning experience that best suit you.

Professional PlannerEven the most experiencedmeeting planning professionalcan use some help. TryIHGs comprehensive facilityresearch tool.

Occasional PlannerWhether you’re thrown a

)))

6 FOCUS Volume IV / 2008

HOTELNEWS

Volume IV / 2008 FOCUS 7

curve ball by your boss, your family elected you to plan the nextreunion or you’re a sports parent who needs to make grouparrangements for the next sporting event, we’ve got the hotel in thelocation you need...

Follow their 4 Easy Steps designed to personalize your planningexperience and help make your life a little easier.

1. Select an event type that suits your needs.

2. Find a facility using our easy search tool.

3. Choose a facility from the list.

4. Request a proposal for a quote in 24 hours.

IHG, GET MORE FOR YOUR DOLLARS. EUROS, POUNDS, YEN…IHG wants to help you experience the world, so they have some greatdeals for both last-minute getaways and well planned trips.

United States — Save 10% or more off the Best Flexible rate. Advance PurchaseRate Meeting/Groups Offers

Mexico/South/Central America, Caribbean — Room Rate OffersSave 10% or more off the Best Flexible rate. Advance Purchase Rate

Meetings/Group Offers — Value DatesSave a minimum of 25% on meeting dates throughout North America

Europe, Middle East and Africa — Room Rate OffersSave 25% or more off the Best Flexible rate. Advance Purchase Rate

Asia, Australia and New ZealandGet rewarded for reserving early with our 14-Day AdvancePurchase rates

Save up to 20% off the Best Flexible rate.

Book your room at any participating hotel at least 14 days in advanceand save at least 20% off the Best Flexible rate — earn Priority Club®

points, too! Rate requires full prepayment.

* Some restrictions apply. Advance Purchase rooms are limited and subject to availability.Advance Purchase rates are not available with room rates negotiated for groups of 10 ormore, travel industry rates or employee rates. Program terms and participating hotelssubject to change without notice.

** All Advance Purchase reservations are final and require full prepayment for the entirestay. No refunds if cancelled or changed. Once a reservation is confirmed, your credit cardwill be charged for the total amount shown, regardless of whether or not the reservation isused. You will be required to acknowledge that you have read the above prepayment andcancel policy when making your reservation.

Agent Booking Information: For GDS reservations enter TSA, your rateaccess code, and book using IHG Master Chain Code 6C.

Select Rewards Omni Hotels would like to show you just how muchthey value you as a partner. As a small way of thanking you for your

business, they have specifically tailored Omni Hotels Select Rewards tomeeting planners.

Select Rewards is your ticket to bonus miles, weekend getaways, spaand golf experiences, educational opportunities, aid for a favoritecharity and more.

Use the rewards personally, give them as gifts or offer them asincentives for attendees. It’s just one more way Omni Hotels sets thestandard for outstanding value and customized solutions.

Select from Miles-Points , Leisure Packages or Educational/Charity

Leisure Packages:Meeting PlannerTwo-night weekend package at any Omni Hotels location with breakfast formeetings over $25,000 in guest room revenue

OR

A spa package at hotel or nearby spa for meetings over $25,000 in guest roomrevenue; or receive a gift certificate to an Elizabeth Arden Red Door spa that canbe used at multiple locations across the U.S.

OR

Golf at an Omni Hotels course or nearby course for meetings over $25,000 inguest room revenue; or receive a generous golf certificate from American Golf,featuring courses across the U.S.

Educational/Charity:Meeting PlannerOne-year membership in MPI, PCMA, RCMA, NBTA, IAEM, or ASAE formeetings over $25,000 in guest room revenue. Meeting planner may designateone-year membership to someone in the organization.

OR

$500 donation to selected charities for meetings over $25,000 in guestroom revenue.

Charity:Meeting PlannerMay designate donation to one of 14 selected charities in the name of attendees.i.e., American Cancer Society and American Red Cross, etc.

Agent Booking Information: For GDS reservations enter TSA, your rateaccess code, and book using Omni Hotels hotel chain code OM.

TSAAnd, it’s so easy to do.

To book the TSA rate access code on the GDS, simply add 3 letters(TSA) to your GDS hotel reservation format.

GDS RESERVATION FORMATS:Worldspan:

HLNYC25MAR30MAR2/PC-TSA/C-HHSabre:

HOTATL‡TSA/1SEP-3SEP2/SIApollo & Galileo:

HOA1SEP-4SEPATL2/¤TSA/HI/C-ALLAmadeus:

HADCA20JUL-21JUL/CO-SW/SR-TSA-ALL

)))HOTELNEWS

8 FOCUS Volume IV / 2008

Savvy corporate travel agencies and TMC’s know thatinvestments in technology today pay off handsomelytomorrow. If you’re leery of taking a leap in this direction,

you may very well be hurting your business. The ease andconvenience of technological tools are of great value to yourcorporate clients, making day-to-day operations run moresmoothly, improving your bottom line and providing costcontrol for your corporate clients. Those lacking in this arenamay be in jeopardy of losing prospective clients and business.

So sit down and evaluate. Ask yourself the following questions:1. When soliciting and winning new corporate accounts, is thetechnology position of your agency equal to that of a mega agencychain or a larger regional TMC? 2. Aside from your GDS, whattechnology do you utilize to ensure efficiencies and cost savingsfor your agency? 3. Is it adding value to your corporate accountsby helping them control their travel budgets? If you come upshort in your answers, it’s time to implement some changes.

To help you along, FOCUS sat with two leading companies thatoffer innovative technological solutions. To begin, we chattedwith Gary Schwartz, Manager of Client Services at TRXheadquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, to discuss TRAVELTRAX,the company’s latest technological development. The goal of thisnew product is to simplify the management of your corporatetravel program, providing you with accurate, comprehensive, andtimely reporting through a Web-based, intuitive data reportingtool. This ground-breaking reporting platform revolutionizes youraccess to, and understanding of, consolidated corporate traveldata, helping you manage travel costs easily and more effectively.

TRAVELTRAX leverages the latest in data visualizationfunctionality, featuring a home-page dashboard thatsummarizes your data in a simple, intuitive, visual format.TRAVELTRAX also makes it easy for you to control spendingand maintain budgets, and save money through reduced travelexpenses and better supplier contracts. It also enables you to:

• Quickly, easily and affordably purchase and use online

• Trust your global T&E data — make decisions andcommunicate with the C-suite with confidence

• Model employee spending habits to control future costs

• Know where employees are traveling on a daily basis andhow to reach them

• Create reports to manage your business’ unique processes

• Optimize your supplier contracts and review ongoingsupplier contract performance

TRAVELTRAX's standard functionality (TRAVELTRAX Standard)features the innovative dashboard homepage, and is available toall clients and prospects. For companies with more complexdata consolidation needs and customization requirements, TRXoffers the TRAVELTRAX Professional and TRAVELTRAXEnterprise editions.

FOCUS: Companies/corporations need a tool that allowsconsolidation of all information for all travelers globally.Describe your product.GS: There are two critical components to be aware of whenlooking for an application that provides you with a holistic viewof your T&E spend. You need complete data from all points-of-sale. This includes everything from pre-trip (off the GDS wire)to TMC back-office data, to credit card and expensed data. TRXhas over 250 connectors to the vast majority of commerciallyavailable systems. If we don’t have a connector to a system, wecan build the connection at the client’s request.

Now, imagine all of the transactions from the numerous datasources that come into TRX which represent a traveler’s completetrip. Let’s just take one segment of a typical trip — hotel. Whenwe receive data from multiple sources, we usually get as manyhotel merchant names as we do data sources. All aspects oftravel reporting are compromised because of this — everythingfrom traveler locator functions, to understanding specific hotelproperty utilization for contract negotiations. Multiplied by everysegment in a trip, you can quickly have worthless data.

TRX has solved this challenge through our data normalizationapplications. TRX gives companies visibility into total trip spend,traveler behavior and merchant performance by standardizing theway information is captured in the system from multiple,disparate data sources. Jack Macko, Vice President and GeneralManager, TRAVELTRAX states, “Our software determines therelationship, if any, between records, and scores the strength ofthose relationships so that client has output they can trust for theirunique data intelligence needs. We let companies customize theirdata, turning on or off rules for what they consider a match.”

FOCUS: Suppose clients need information at any time withminimum time delays (with a 48-hour time lag). Describeyour product.GS: With access to the level of data TRX offers, our clients areable to get to the information they need in a timely manner.Many of our TMC partners are sending us a daily feed of back-office data with a weekly and monthly reconciliation file. Where

Investing In Technology: What IsYour Agency’s Scorecard?

Volume IV / 2008 FOCUS 9

continued on page 11

Continued from p8: Investing In Technology

systems don’t support this frequency, we pull data right from theGDS. We are also now seeing card payment transactions clear inabout 48 hours. Regardless of the data source, we work with ourclients to acquire the data needed to answer their question.

FOCUS: How easy on a scale from 1 to 10 can a CFO,corporate travel manager or an administrative assistantextract information? What training or skills are needed?GS: If you can operate a mouse, you have enough training to useour product! We have created an application designed around aset of dashboards that are completely operated by using yourmouse. Where extracting information out of a traditional businessintelligence application commonly requires a call to someone inIT or a technical reporting specialist, TRX has been building ourapplications using the latest in Web 2.0 technologies and designpractices…and with our typical end-users in-front of mind.VP Jack Macko states, “This means high-value information isavailable to high-level executives who can act on it. And it’spresented in a way that is richly visual, engaging, and clear.”

FOCUS: Does your product have the ability to report onviolations of policy? How/what methods are these violationreported? Explain.GS: Our clients are using pre-travel data to manage policyviolations before the ticket is issued and others are usingpost-travel data as a passive approach to managing travelerbehavior. Since policy compliance can be managed by asingle person or distributed out to the budget owner, we havedeveloped a set of dashboards that allow you to be alertedonly when you have a policy violation. The last thing youhave time for is to sift through a large file to figure out whoyou need to contact. Our policy dashboards flag only thoseinstances where you need to take action.

The next level of policy compliance is based around ourbooked to billed reporting. When you bring in the TMC dataand bump it against the spend (card and/or expense) data, wecan now can see en-route traveler behaviors and better suppliermanagement. With this information, you can quickly identifytravelers who book a rental car in policy, but upgrade at thevendor counter. Also, you can verify that your preferred hotelsare giving your travelers the negotiated rate.

The result is valuable spend analytics you can leverage to tightenyour travel program, ensure supplier performance and drivecost-savings to the bottom line.

For more information in TRX, visit www.trx.com or call847.277.0800.

TRAMS/ClientBase Q&ANext, FOCUS sat down with Linda Pannekeet, Manager ofClient Relations in the Los Angeles office at TRAMS, to talkabout what technology their company has to offer.

FOCUS: Are there any new developments with your products,such as TRAMS and ClientBase?LP: Yes, there are a lot of new developments. The ClientBasebrowser launched an Oracle version we call ClientBase Online,giving the user very powerful, remote and browser-based access.

TRAVELSAVERS Custom Solutions program offers ClientBasePlus, which provides email list segmentation, targeted emailing,

Travel Spend by Month vs. Budget.

Policy Compliance Overview.

T&E Booked to Expensed.

Whether you’re on the PGA TOUR, or on the road for business, nothing is more important than a great night’s sleep. That’s why

we developed our Sleep Advantage program with the help of sleep expert, Dr. Michael Breus, Ph.D. Our holistic approach to a great

night’s sleep includes: comfortable beds, quiet zones, sleep CD with relaxation tips, sleep amenities and a guaranteed wake-up

call. Stay with us on your next trip.

When booking in the GDS, enter rate access code TSA

and book using IHG.

©2008 InterContinental Hotels Group. All rights reserved. Most hotels are independently owned and/or operated.

THE CROWNE PLAZA® SLEEP ADVANTAGE®

the perfect lie.

Volume IV / 2008 FOCUS 11

flexible formatting and tracking results. Customs Solutions Suitehelps you to reinforce the good relationships you already havewith your clients, build stronger relationships with preferredsuppliers as you move market share in their direction andcapitalize on the steadily growing e-commerce. The result…increased commission levels and a significant boost to youragency’s bottom line.

FOCUS: Provide some compelling aspects about your products.LP: TRAMS Back Office is the industry leader with over 11,000American agencies. It’s designed for agencies of all sizes withcomplete and integrated back office for only $95 per month.

ClientBase remains the industry’s only true CRM tool with over50,000 users, and is integrated with your TRAVELSAVERSmarketing program and suppliers.

FOCUS: Does your corporate reporting package fit a certainsize agency?LP: TRAMS Corporate Reporting package fits agencies of all sizesand is included with TRAMS Back Office.

FOCUS: Highlight three advantages to using ClientBase for anagency that has corporate clients.LP: Using ClientBase gives an agency the ability to do the following:• Centralize and control your agency data• Automatically post profiles to booking engines of choice• Enable leisure marketing to corporate clients

FOCUS: What are some trends regarding agencies that usetechnology/automation to run their businesses?LP: Agencies today don’t just market, they market successfully,and successful marketing is based upon pertinent promotions,i.e., promotions based upon travel history, likes, dislikes andother client data. Complete reporting — knowing who got whatproduct promotion when and what they did with it — is key toevolving any successful marketing program.

Visit agents.travelsavers.com 2008 Operations Manual or visitwww.trams.com.

The grid below is a good benchmark to determine your agency’sability to compete in the corporate arena:

Continued from p9: Investing In Technology

Online booking Retain corporate clients Ability to book through your agency 24/7

Back office system Commission tracking Client travel history and management reports

Quality control Reduces agent errors High traveler satisfaction

Auto ticketing Agency staff has more time for sales Online bookings are ticketed 24/7

e-ticket activity Eliminate cost of manual tracking CFO’s love that your agency can account for their traveler’sunused e-tickets

Data consolidation Manage corporate travel data CFO’s get accurate, current data. Deliver reporting integrity andcomprehensive information.

Management reports Email reports. Web access reporting Real-time management reports and one executive summary report.saves enormous amounts of time.

TECHNOLOGY SOLUTION COST SAVINGS TO YOUR AGENCY VALUE ADD FOR YOUR CORPORATE ACCOUNTS

Continued from Cover: TWIN Global Travel Management Company Launches Niche Alliance

TRAVELSAVERS agencies can access a directory of the TWINNiche Alliance Program on the TRAVELSAVERS AgentExtranet at agents.travelsavers.com.

What is TWIN?TWIN is a global travel management company. Its representativesparticipate as licensees in an international network. Upon joiningthe organization, they instantly become partners with other toptravel agencies around the world, and gain the ability to engage

in global account-sharing. TWIN provides the infrastructure andresources for larger independent agencies to offer multi-nationalcorporate clients the highest level of account management andcustomer service available today.

To become part of the TWIN global travel management companyor to begin working directly with any of its representativesaround the world, TRAVELSAVERS agencies can emailtwinsales@travelsavers.com or call (516) 624-0500 x5080.

1,000 AAdvantage® miles for each night’s stay at Fiesta Americana Grand or Fiesta Americana*

One free night or 2nd room certificate for your next stay*

Book the TRAVELSAVERS rate and chain code FH

Your clients will earn American Airlines AAdvantage®

miles and a free night when they stay atFiesta Americana Grand, Fiesta Americana or Fiesta Inn.*

A Dream Deal for Your Clients.

Terms and conditions: 500 AAdvantage miles earned for each night´s stay at Fiesta Inn. Buy one night, get 2nd night or 2nd room free. Use of certificate is subject to purchase of 1st night or 1st room, Certificates may be accumulated. Use of certificates is subject to availability. Certificates are valid for one year from date of issue. Certificates are not valid at Fiesta Americana Grand Coral Beach in Cancun and The Explorean.

American Airlines reserves the right to change AAdvantage program rules, regulations, travel awards and special offers at any time without notice, and to end the AAdvantage program with six months notice. Any such changes may affect your ability to use the awards or mileage credits that you have accumulated. American Airlines is not responsible for products or services offered by other participating companies. For complete details about the AAdvantage program, visit www.aa.com/aadvantage. AmericanAirlines and AAdvantage are registered trademarks of American Airlines, Inc. Offer is valid from September 1, 2007 - June 30, 2008 and is subject to availability. Other restrictions may apply.

day one... day two... day three...

1,000miles

1,000miles

1,000miles+ +

Acela Express® is the preferred transportation mode in the Northeast Corridor for both

business and leisure travelers offering hourly service downtown to dowtown all day

between New York, Washington, DC, and intermediate cities, as well as many convenient round-

trips between New York and Boston.

For more information, call the Amtrak Travel Agency Sales Center at 800-525-2550 or send a message to wecanhelp@amtrak.com.

Amtrak and Acela Express are registered service marks of the National Railroad Passenger Corporation.

Acela Express® is the preferred transportation mode in the Northeast Corridor for both

b i d l i t l ff i h l i d t t d t ll d

Amtrak®

Acela Express®

Continued from p5: Becoming A Meetings Matchmaker With Acclaim Meetings

subscriptions, and a host of great hotels and suppliers specializingin small- to mid-sized meeting planning.

How to Get StartedOkay, you’ve made the decision to jump on the meetingplanning bandwagon. Now, how do you get started?

1. Be proactive — do not sit on the sidelines. Get educatedin the meetings industry.

2. Go through your client base. Who has asked you to booka meeting room in addition to travel? Contact these clientsto see exactly what you can do for them.

3. Research other travel agencies that plan meetings. Thereare plenty of them out there. See what they offer and if youcan do the same.

4. Keep up with technology. Find out the latest and greatestto be savvy for your clients.

5. Come to one of our hands-on training sessions, locatedaround North America. To qualify, you or your agents mustwant to grow your meeting planning business and have

beginning or no knowledge of meetings planning at thetime of application. Check the extranet for upcoming datesand locations.

6. Watch for invitations to our webinars in oure-newsletters and on the extranet.

To be added to the distribution list for Acclaim Meetings (sothat you will receive free educational resources and find outthe latest trends and specials in the meetings industry), sendyour name, agency name, address, phone number and emailaddress to rfrancis@acclaimmeetings.com.

And remember that we are always here to help you grow yourbusiness! To find out more about the program, visit your agentextranet or contact your local Service Director. To reach theAcclaim Meetings staff directly, call 303-876-4111 or emailinfo@acclaimmeetings.com.

As a travel professional, your clients depend on you to make the most of their travel experience. With the Wyndham Hotel Group on your side, you’ve got the travel solutions your clients need. We offer a network of global brands that spans 50countries across six continents, featuring 10 of the industry’s most recognizablebrands from economy to upscale.

For GDS reservations enter TSA, your rate access code, and book using hotel chain code

WY for Wyndham Hotels & Resorts only, and GDS chain code TR for all other brands.

Fifty countries. Ten Brands. One solution for every traveler.

Proud members of the Wyndham Worldwide family. www.wyndhamworldwide.com

Volume IV / 2008 FOCUS 15

Every planner’s goal is to create a dynamic, informative andenjoyable event. But with multiple generations of attendeesnow, that task has become harder. A recent MeetingNews

Webcast entitled “Discover the Secrets to Building a BetterMeetings Itinerary” delved into this topic and offered strategies,tips and out-of-the box ideas.

Elizabeth West, MeetingNews’ editor-in-chief, summarized thedifferent generations and their general likes and dislikes. BabyBoomers tend to like meetings with long breaks betweensessions, award-night dinners, motivational or celebrity speakers,group activities and golf/spa options but dislike trendy hotels.

Generation X likes short meetings with nobreaks and informative speakers who offerinformation not found on the Internet, anddon’t mind food on-the-go. Gen Xers disliketeam events and award dinners and are avalue-minded group.

Members of Generation Y enjoy shortmeetings with no breaks but with a techelement, love interaction and are a confidentand empowered group. Because they havebeen pampered from an early age, they may enjoy some of theniceties that Gen X could take or leave.

Although these are generalizations, “coming to grips withgenerational diversity is a big issue”, West explained. So howdoes a meeting planner please everyone? She recommended thatplanners try not to “feel like you have to address everygenerations’ needs in every meeting session”, but instead caterelements to different generations.

During coffee breaks, which Boomers appreciate, Gen X and Yattendees may become antsy. Arranging an intersession, perhapsself-directed tabletop sessions that address their pressingconcerns, will appeal to their needs. (However, two issues thattranscend all generations of attendees are environmental andcorporate social responsibility.)

Lynn Stadler Randall a strategic meetings consultant withMaritz agreed. A ‘one-size-fits-all approach’ is really dead formeetings and events. There is no ‘typical’ meeting

anymore. Planners need sophisticated understanding of theirattendees’ needs, concerns and values in order to plan the most

effective events.

Randall suggested surveying potentialattendees in advance of an event to gatherdata as part of the event design process.Then, survey them again after the event tosee how well you did.

As an example, Randall suggested askingdifferent sorts of food-related questions to helpdetermine what attendees will enjoy eating:“How often do you eat out versus at home?”

“How often do you work out?” and “What are your hobbies?”

Randall noted that engaging attendees to help produce contentmakes an event more personal to them, and when they have ahand in creating the event, they want it to be a success.

For information on MeetingNews webcasts go towww.meetingnews.com.

Source: MeetingNews, April 2008; Kinley Levack

Perfecting A Meeting’sItinerary For All Demographics

FOCUS ON BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY NEWSLETTER

� Editor-In-Chief: Betty Tilton � Creative Director: Malia Vrooman

� Design: Alissa Schelp � Writer: Marissa Candela

For questions or comments about the newsletter, please contact:FOCUS ON BUSINESS / Betty Tilton, 71 Audrey Avenue, Oyster Bay, NY11771, or call (516) 624-2312, Fax: (516) 624-6024,e-mail: btilton@travelsavers.com

TRAVELSAVERS Corporate Services is a trade service of TRAVELSAVERS,Inc. All rights reserved. Photocopying or electronic redistribution is strictlyprohibited without the express written permission of the Editor-In-Chief.

She recommended thatplanners try not to “feellike you have to address

every generation’sneeds in every meetingsession”, but instead

cater elements todifferent generations.

71 Audrey AvenueOyster Bay, NY 11771

For effective

global networking,

CONTACT TWIN TODAY!

twinsales@

travelsave

rs.com

Corporate travelers today pass through time zones to conductbusiness as often as they once drove across town. They expect toreceive a highly personalized service, wherever they are in the world.For over two decades, Travel Helpline has successfully provided ouragency members with a reliable and cost effective after-hours service.Travel Helpline gives travel agencies the competitive edge in order tomeet and exceed their business travelers’ needs. Our dedicated travelprofessionals and advanced communications technology combine toprovide unparalleled quality and service.

Travel Helpline is staffed 24-hours a day, 7-days a week andoperates jointly from two fully operational reservation centers inOyster Bay, New York, and Shannon, Ireland. Staff members in bothlocations are fully trained on all four GDS. They have the expertiseand knowledge to provide travelers with consistent levels of supportand the flexibility to respond to their traveling needs on behalf of thetravel agency.

We continue to improve and advance our efficiencies withtechnology and training. Travel Helpline employs two state-of-the-artPBX Phone systems working in tandem from separate continents, viaprivate lines, with extensive ACD routing and reporting capabilities.With just one telephone call from anywhere in the world, travelers cancall anytime when they need an itinerary changed, or need guidanceon any other travel-related concerns. With over 20 years of globalsuccess behind us, Travel Helpline has been able to achieve anexceptional call answer time. We lead the industry in satisfaction andcall response time, as verified by independent and internal qualityassurance surveys and will continue to improve and advance ourefficiencies as with technology and training surveys.

Travel Helpline is an established Global Emergency Travel Service,assisting some of the largest agencies in the world with thousands ofsuccess stories. We combine all of our resources to assist the businesstraveler when their travel agency cannot be there. We are committedto providing the highest level of quality and service to help travelersbreathe easier while on the road.

And, we are never more than a phone call away….

THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY’S LEADING 24-HOURGLOBAL TRAVEL ASSISTANCE SERVICE

For more information, contact Andrea MelendezPhone: 800-436-6171 • Email: amelendez@travelsavers.com