HOMELAND SECURITY'S relatively new practice of
telling foreign airlines to cancel suspect flights bound for the
U.S. isn't stopping business travelers and others who "must" travel
abroad, but it is prompting plenty of American tourists to select
domestic vacation spots over international ones, an informal survey
of several home-based agents and host agencies found. Some two
dozen international flights have been affected by the security
tactic since December, along with one known intervention related to
a domestic flight a few weeks ago.
TRAVEL AGENT Theresa Tortorello, of Destination
Vacation, Elmhurst, Ill., said some of her clients "undoubtedly"
have become more skeptical of international travel, but she
believes the public eventually will become accustomed to the new
security policies. "This is our way of life now," she told Travel
Weekly. According to Alan Kawadler, of the host agency Itasn, "It
may take [more time] to assess the impact on international travel."
He predicted the public's reluctance to fly would dissipate over
time, even if international flight cancellations continue over the
long term. Marvin Davis, president and CEO of Cruise Planners, said
the action definitely is turning people off traveling long
distances and is particularly hurting the Europe market during what
might have been the "turnaround year" for tourism to the
continent.
THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION issued a
107-page report on home-based businesses, and anyone who can read
it from start to finish in one sitting will be eligible for a cash
prize. Just kidding. As government reports go, this one is
relatively straightforward. In fact, it comes at good time -- tax
season. The report documents the particular difficulties of
home-based entrepreneurs as they attempt to deal with "complex and
confusing IRS rules" for home office and equipment deductions. It
says that the self-employed person spends 50 hours a year, or
roughly an hour every week, on activities related to filing a
federal business tax return. And it estimates that owners of a
home-based business can expect to pay $500 to $3,500 to a
professional tax preparer, depending on the size and complexity of
the business.
ACCORDING TO THE REPORT, home-based businesses
face "daunting restrictions from both federal and local
regulations." We knew that, but we didn't know that more than 50%
of home businesses are concentrated in the "personal service
sector," which would appear to include home-based independent
travel agents. The report concludes that, for home businesses, the
IRS has the most burdensome regulations of any federal agency. The
SBA document, "Home-Based Business and Government Regulation," also
addresses several other areas of concern to home-based workers,
such as state and local taxes, zoning rules and at host of federal
regulations. It is available www.sba.gov/advo/research/rs235tot.pdf .
HOST AGENCY SPOTLIGHT
The TravelZone.com
1515 University Drive
Suite 204B
Coral Springs, Fla. 33071
(888) 921-8785 Ext. 15
In business since: 1988
Web site:www.thetravelzone.com
Annual sales: $5 million
Cost to join: Monthly subscription fee of
$29.95
Industry Affiliations: Nacta, CLIA, ARC, Iatan
Commission split: Starting level is 70% to agents,
with potential of 90% as volume increases. Platinum plan pays 100%
commission with monthly fee of $500.
DATEBOOK: AA Vacations is hosting an event
called More Vacation Options for Your Clients in 2004 on March 1.
The event, being held at the Hotel InterContinental, 15201 Dallas
Parkway, Dallas, Texas, is free to agents and will feature a
reception, trade show, presentations and one-on-one meetings with
suppliers. It starts at 5 p.m. and runs until 8:30 p.m. No
reservation is required.
FAM OF THE WEEK
Paris
Departures: Daily from Los Angeles, New York or
San Francisco to Paris via United Airlines.
Length: Five nights.
Sponsor: Tours Specialists, Palm Harbor, Fla.
Cost: $890 from New York or $1,090 from California
gateways, per person, double. Includes roundtrip air,
accommodations and breakfasts daily.
Trip: Five nights at the Ibis Hotel in Paris.
Noteworthy: Companion rate is $100 additional, and
the single supplement is $300.
Contact: (800) 223-7882; fax: (727) 784-7520;
e-mail: [email protected].