IATAN launched an initiative to "increase
awareness" of its Travel Sales Intermediary endorsement program,
which provides an ID card to agencies that don't have airline
appointments. Cardholders generally receive reduced-rate travel and
other industry privileges. Denise Ladouceur, Iatan president, said
that the organization "recognized the growing trend of home-based
agencies" when it created the TSI program seven years ago, but now
has personalized the process and dropped its $25 application fee.
The criteria for endorsement has not changed. Agents still must
demonstrate that they produce at least $200,000 in gross travel
sales or $20,000 in gross travel income in a 12-month period, have
an errors-and-omissions insurance policy and meet certain other
licensing requirements.
THE
GOAL, according to a spokesman for Iatan, is to make the
application process easy for home-based agents. "We have a new
toll-free phone number for them to call, and that phone center is
staffed with people specifically trained to assist home-based
agents," he said. Previously, all Iatan card seekers called the
same central number. The new number to call is (800) 294-2826, Ext.
3. Information about the TSI endorsement is on line at www.iatan.org. Iatan
said 2,000 agents already hold the TSI endorsement.
VACATION.COM, seeking to "build on the
success" of its CruiseCentre Merchant program, joined with Holland
America Line to provide members with more opportunities to sell
blocked group space aboard sailings in late 2004 and early 2005. As
a precursor to launching a "full-scale risk-inventory program" in
2005 with HAL, Vacation.com has blocked select sailings starting in
October and varying in duration from seven to 14 days. Itineraries
include the Caribbean, Europe, Mexico and the Panama Canal.
HOST AGENCY
SPOTLIGHT
Dugan's
Travels
7820 Enchanted
Hills Blvd.
Suite
A249
Rio Rancho, N.M.
87144
Phone: (505) 867-6650
In business
since: 1997
Web:www.duganstravels.com and www.travelathome.com
Annual
Sales: $3 million
Number of
at-home agents: 345
Cost to
join: $100
Monthly
fees: $10, waived if monthly sales reach $3,000
Industry
affiliations: Iatan, CLIA, Vacation.com, OSSN, Nacta,
ICTA
Commission
split: 75% to agent
DATEBOOK: The Central New Jersey OSSN
meeting on Sept. 14 will feature Radisson Seven Seas Cruises and
Central Holidays. Representatives from both companies will make
presentations. Also, prepaid legal services will be addressed. The
event is to be held at Denny's Restaurant on Route 18 North, in
East Brunswick, N.J. Attendees can opt for beverages or beverages
with dinner. For more information, e-mail [email protected].
FAM OF THE
WEEK
New
England
Departure: Sept. 25 from Hartford, Conn.,
land only.
Length: Seven nights.
Sponsor: New England Vacation Tours, West
Dover, Vt.
Cost: $879 per person, double. Includes
roundtrip motorcoach transportation, room, dinner every night and
admission fees.
Trip: Visits Boston; Groton and Mystic,
Conn.; Burlington, Montpelier, Plymouth and Woodstock, Vt.;
Concord, N.H.; and Montreal.
Noteworthy: This is an agents-only trip.
The single rate is $1,199. Payment must be made by agency
check.
Contact: (800) 742-7669 or (802) 464-2076;
fax: (802) 464-2629; e-mail: [email protected].