The Travel Biz Blog

Discover the only tool you'll ever need to create your own online travel empire

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 21:47:21 GMT

What "Site-Build-It" is, how I came accross it, and how it helps travel agents truly benefit from the internet.

Get instant access to FREE Report about building a travel business.

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 03:47:12 GMT

Dicover the '10 steps' you can follow to plan, start and run a profitable travel business. ( A sneak-peak into our Advanced Travel Consultant Mentoring Program )

Questions about becoming a travel agent: Ask Lisa

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 17:01:56 GMT

Questions about becoming a travel agent:? Here's your chance to ask business and marketing coach Lisa M. Hickey

Build your own Travel Business Mentoring Program.

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 20:12:21 GMT

With our "a la carte services", you can create your own custom Mentoring Program simply by purchasing as many (or as few) individual "coaching packages" as you need ...

eLearning - How to Build an Online Travel Business

Sat, 09 May 2009 19:24:05 GMT

SBI! eLearning provides a step-by-step guide to building your e-business including checklists, videos, reviews and more.

Travel Agent Education

Sat, 09 May 2009 19:19:27 GMT

Your success will be possible thanks to your dedication to CONSTANTLY improving your knowledge and skills in a few key areas. Which areas?

The Home-Based Travel Agent Home Study Course

Sat, 09 May 2009 16:36:07 GMT

If you're thinking about starting a home-based travel agency, or if you're just not sure this is the right move for you, or if you have questions about how to go about it, this site is for you.

Funny - but quite true - travel agent training video.

Thu, 07 May 2009 17:51:31 GMT

Here's a hilarious - but quite true - travel agent training video. Do you have any idea of the type of clients you'd have to deal with...

What is a Host Agency?

Thu, 07 May 2009 17:15:48 GMT

Find out what a "host agency" is, how joining one could help you launch your travel business, and see a short list of recommended host agencies.

Build YOUR OWN Brand, not your host agency's

Sun, 01 Mar 2009 22:08:03 GMT

If you're building your OWN business ... shouldn't you be building your OWN brand? This is crucial to your success because ...

At last, the truth about "consumer travel web sites"

Mon, 23 Feb 2009 21:09:05 GMT

Why 99 of the websites given to agents by Host Agencies don't (and will NEVER) work, and what to do about it.

home based travel agent: mini-course - Part 6

Mon, 23 Feb 2009 03:40:48 GMT

home based travel agent: mini-course - Part 6 - The "Traditional" Travel Agency

home based travel agent: mini-course - Part 5

Mon, 23 Feb 2009 03:39:44 GMT

home based travel agent: mini-course - Part 5 - The "Traditional" Travel Agency

home based travel agent: mini-course - Part 4

Mon, 23 Feb 2009 03:39:05 GMT

home based travel agent: mini-course - Part 4 - The "Traditional" Travel Agency

home based travel agent: mini-course - Part 3

Mon, 23 Feb 2009 03:38:26 GMT

home based travel agent: mini-course - Part 1 - The "Traditional" Travel Agency

home based travel agent: mini-course - Part 2

Mon, 23 Feb 2009 03:37:39 GMT

home based travel agent: mini-course - Part 2 - The Home-Based Travel Agent revolution Begins

Marketing is EVERYTHING

Mon, 23 Feb 2009 02:53:14 GMT

You're not in the "travel consulting business", vacation business, cruise business, or destination wedding business as much as you're in the business of MARKETING PRODUCTS AND SERVICES!

EARNINGS AND INCOME DISCLAIMER

Sun, 22 Feb 2009 19:10:14 GMT

EARNINGS AND INCOME DISCLAIMER

Top 12 recommended courses for new home-based travel agents

Fri, 23 Jan 2009 20:33:57 GMT

Access professionally designed and industry approved online courses for travel agents.

What type of 'travel website' should a home-based travel agent have?

Fri, 09 Jan 2009 23:25:35 GMT

There are two types of travel websites: those that work and those that don't. This article explains how to build a travel website that works.

The Elephant in the Room

Sun, 21 Dec 2008 16:37:15 GMT

Don't let the 'elephant' squash you or your travel business. Protect yourself with this incredible FREE elephant-squashing GIFT

Site Build it - The Holiday Special

Sun, 21 Dec 2008 02:17:55 GMT

Got some extra Holiday cash you'd like to spend? Why not give yourself a new life in 2009?

How SBI Helps you choose your "Travel Niche"

Sun, 14 Dec 2008 18:17:57 GMT

How SBI Helps you choose your travel business 'Niche'

Who should be recognized as a travel agent and who shouldnt

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 16:37:13 GMT

The leaders of organizations that assign travel agent credentials will explore who should be recognized as a travel agent and who shouldnt, during a Dec. 18 educational session at Travel Weeklys Preview 2009 Virtual Summit. Panelists at the session entitled The Profession for 2009 -- What Proves You Area Travel Pro will be Bob Sharak, chief marketing officer for the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA); Bert Rivero, IATAs regional director for the Americas; Gary Fee, president of the Outside Sales Support Network (OSSN); and Scott Koepf, president of the National Association of Career Travel Agents (NACTA). Travel Weekly Editor in Chief Arnie Weissmann will moderate the online session. Jani Miller, vice chair of the Travel Institute board of trustees; Andi McClure-Mysza, president of the Professional Association of Travel Hosts (PATH); Chris Russo, president of ASTA; and Kim Sorenson, CEO of YTB Travel Network will be guest questioners. Listeners also will be invited to ask questions. At Travel Weeklys first Virtual Summit, held in October, a chat about agent credentials was the hottest and best attended of the hosted chats. Even beyond the scheduled time, the chat lounge was filled with talk about how agents could be identified as true professionals.

Outrigger aims to put better fences around individuals who are legitimate sellers of travel

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 16:31:50 GMT

By Nadine Godwin Outrigger Hotels & Resorts has rolled out a policy that aims to put better fences around individuals who are legitimate sellers of travel, said Lois Shore, Outriggers vice president of distribution. Essentially, she said, a travel agent seeking trade benefits will have to have an IATA or ARC number or become an Outrigger Hospitality Specialist in order to qualify. She said Outrigger would be happy to add CLIA numbers to the list of qualifiers, and would do so when there is an electronic means to verify that the CLIA numbers are valid. CLIA agents are great agents, but we need to automate this, Shore said. The new Outrigger plan works as follows:

Travel Brochures Remain Agency Resource

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 15:18:43 GMT

When you walked into any travel agency a decade or two ago, you'd find wall racks stuffed with glossy brochures detailing getaways to Las Vegas and Hawaii as well as the latest luxurious sailings to Athens and Southampton. Today, the racks are gone. Though a few of those colorful mementos to wanderlust might be scattered in displays around the office, most are kept in a desk drawer or file cabinet, only to be retrieved if a client sits down with an agent and discusses booking a vacation. Instead, with the dominance and omnipresence of the Web, agents and their clients are more likely to visit a tour operator's or cruise line's website and request a print brochure, download a PDF version, email it to a client or friend or view an interactive e-brochure online. Though suppliers still mail millions of print brochures annually at great expense, the format and content ...

CLIA tightens card rules.

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 15:13:40 GMT

CLIA tightens card rules, 2009 applicants must be pursuing or have CLIA Certification status

Books for Travel Agents

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 18:04:23 GMT

Books for future and existing travel agents

Specialization is key

Mon, 08 Sep 2008 17:47:41 GMT

I have been in the IT field since 1997. In that time I have come to realize the importance of specialization. When I first started out I was

Specialization is an important key to success.

Mon, 08 Sep 2008 17:37:41 GMT

To succeed as a travel agent you must specialize - Why? Read to find out...

Why specializing makes sense to me.

Mon, 08 Sep 2008 17:28:17 GMT

I am just starting out as a home based travel consultant and believes that specializing is the best way to go. It allows me to market and sell a

CITC offers free exam strategies workshop

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 01:12:16 GMT

The Canadian Institute of Travel Counsellors (CITC) has partnered with YourWorkshops.ca to offer a free online coaching workshop on Exam Strategies, to help those required to write the TICO Education Standards Exam(s) prepare for success.

CITC president Steve Gillick notes the program, originally formulated to coach candidates to write the national multiple choice certification exams, has been revised by the original author, Coralie Belman, who is CITC’s national certification manager. “CITC, which is administering the TICO exams on behalf of TICO, recognizes that many travel counsellors have not written an exam, let alone a multiple-choice exam, in many years. It can be intimidating, especially when the successful writing of the exam is tied to your career,” said Gillick.

“Aside from CITC’s TICO Exam Prep courses, conducted by CITC’s team of trainers throughout the province, we wanted to provide as many people as possible -- whether they take one of the optional CITC prep courses -- or they are studying on their own, with some materials to help in their preparation.” Gillick added that “in the energy and enthusiasm of its 40th anniversary, CITC has worked with Your Workshops to ‘give’ something practical and useful to the industry.” And, to contribute to the excitement to the prep workshop, Craig Marsh, president of Your Workshops, has committed 100 Air Miles, to be drawn as a grand prize from those who pass the short test at the end of the workshop. (www.tico.ca, www.citc.ca/ticoexam, www.citc.ca/ticotraining)

The VI Summer Challenge

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 01:26:57 GMT

How to join VI without paying a cent in start-up fees or initial training.

Site Build It Coaching for Travel Agents

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 15:07:55 GMT

Site Build It! is the ultimate "Do It Yourself" success platform for your e-business. Sometimes, though, you may need a little help, either coaching (Show Me) or "Do It For Me" ("DIFM").

IATA says it is improving integrity of IATA ID Card Program

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 18:21:24 GMT

MONTREAL IATA is reducing the validity of its ID Card in Canada to one year and will be conducting random verifications to ensure that holders are travel professionals. IATA is working proactively to increase the integrity and efficiency of the globally accepted card, and to ensure that the industry stops wasting money, time and energy on people claiming illegitimate recognition, said a release. A new Cardholder Agreement, clarifying the conditions of audits/verification, was sent to each 20,593 Canadian IATA/IATAN ID Cardholders. Because of the changing industry, IATA needs to ensure only travel professionals have a card. By conducting random verifications and requesting documents such as T4 forms, pay slips, disbursement records and payroll registers, IATA will obtain the guarantee cardholders are de facto meeting the requirements, said IATA. As well, effective immediately, the two-year option is abandoned, leaving the IATA/IATAN ID Card Program with a validity period of one year only...

How to Get Paid to Travel ..

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 03:40:42 GMT

Yes, you CAN get paid to travel ..and NOT by becoming a travel agent necessarily.

Become a travel agent, and achieve success fast!

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 01:25:27 GMT

Can you QUICKLY tell me what to do in order to succeed financially as a home based travel agent? -> YES, I can: read this article to get the 'secret recipe'.

Tele-seminars: Become a travel agent

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 23:46:08 GMT

Check out our free (pre-recorded) tele-seminars and podcasts, where industry experts discuss travel business ideas, marketing strategies, technology and much more.

About us | Become-a-Travel-Agent.net

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 01:58:15 GMT

Become-a-Travel-Agent.net - popular resource centre for people looking to start home-based travel agency businesses.

Site Build It | Real-life examples of successful web sites built using SBI

Sat, 12 Jul 2008 14:52:40 GMT

Real-life examples of successful TRAVEL web sites built using SBI

TravelTalk : Specialize for Success

Tue, 06 May 2008 19:38:57 GMT

THE NUMBER ONE REASON why the majority of travel agents don't make more than 25, 30 or 40 thousand/year is:

They do NOT specialize.

But ..... what exactly do we mean by "specializing"?

Why is it crucial for success? How many "specialties" should you have?

To get the answers to those important questions, just listen to the podcast (19 minutes):

Blogging is a waste of time

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 20:54:49 GMT

Can you believe your eyes?

Here I am....on my BLOG.... telling you that "Blogging is WASTE of time".

Click on the link to find out why .... and learn how you can avoid the "blogging trap".

Group Travel: The Travel Agent's Secret Weapon

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 17:37:45 GMT

Group Travel - everyone knows - is where the money is. Group travel = leverage.

Start your own Cruise Travel Business

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 15:01:13 GMT

How to start your own Cruise travel business... with The Cruise Brothers.

Home-Based Travel Agent vs. Store Front Agency

Wed, 12 Mar 2008 21:20:48 GMT

If someone said 'Why should I use you working out of your house, when I can go to a more established traditional business that may seem more professional?' .. What would I say to them?

Site Build It - SBI for Travel

Wed, 27 Feb 2008 00:15:04 GMT

Information on how to start a travel website with Site Build It

Start an online travel business

Sun, 24 Feb 2008 05:01:22 GMT

Start a "travel-related online business" WITHOUT having to become a travel agent.

Inmates give back to society ... in the travel industry.

Wed, 06 Feb 2008 15:25:33 GMT

This brief video can be found on YouTube. ( According to the person who posted it on YouTube, the video is a "segment from Michael Moore's TV Nation (1994) which investigates the use of prison labor in the travel industry".

Once you get past the irony [ and the cruelty of jokes that might cross your mind such as ... the realization that your home-office is not that bad after all ] ..... you will - hopefully - reflect on the fact that our industry - the Tourism/Travel industry - has a tremendous role and impact on the world we live in, and I also invite you to ask yourself these questions: Am I contributing enough? Am I delivering true value to my clients?

Home-based travel agency - You can benefit by starting your own!

Wed, 06 Feb 2008 14:27:23 GMT

Home-based travel agency - You can benefit by starting your own!

The Affiliate Masters Course

Mon, 04 Feb 2008 15:53:05 GMT

Downloadable e-book explains the simple steps you can follow to succeed as an affiliate. - "Affiliate Marketing" is undoubtedly one of the best money-making opportunities on the internet