How should agents best market river cruising and family travel at this time?
I think first they have to remind their customers about the benefits of having a travel experience. Despite all of the economic negativity out there, experiences are still what people want and what they particularly need at this time. Obviously the fourth quarter was a very challenging, but business is picking up. There’s still a lot of time left because the majority of the market has not booked their summer and fall vacations yet. So I think agents should understand that most of the market is still undecided for the year, so that market is there to be captured. They should stress the experience and value of such travel. Both our river cruising and family travel programs are nearly all-inclusive and provide exceptional value. They need to take the message to their customers that it’s okay to travel, even as they acknowledge that their customers have concerns. You know, the world’s not ending — 92 percent of the country is still employed. People still have significant economic assets.
