Travel Director Suggestions

5 Tips from This Week's Featured Travel Director

Rennette Grace - Duluth, MN
Rennette's Top 5 Travel Tips:

1. SMILE
Meeting Planners and attendees have business on their minds when they first meet you. Smile warmly to let them know you are happy to help them and put their minds at ease. Your ability to meet their needs and your advance preparation is a given; now just convey that with confidence and a smile. Smiles also help brighten the day for your co-workers and suppliers when you are in the middle of those long, long, long hours of a busy day.

2. PLAN your personal meals ahead of time.
Nothing can be more distracting while working than having your stomach rumbling with hunger and losing your concentration due to lack of nutrition. If you know you won't be getting enough time for lunch or dinner while onsite, pack nutrition bars, fruit, and a beverage in a tote bag so you will have something nutritious to eat when you get a 15 minute break.

3. BUY a laptop lock.
Too much valuable information is on your laptop to risk it "walking away" while you are out of the room. We know these things happen sometimes - just don't let it happen to you. Buy a lock and use it faithfully.
4. ALWAYS have paper and pen handy.

Even if you are just heading down the hallway to the restroom you may be stopped by the client, or an attendee, with a request or question that needs research. I keep small post-its and a pen in my pant's pocket so I'm prepared to take a note right then and there with a promise to get back to them as soon as possible. Having it written down, reminds me of the request and who needs the answer or action required.

5. REMEMBER why we are there.
As travel directors we are hired to assist the client in producing a smooth running program. While it may be pleasant for us to discover a new hotel, city or co-workers, these aspects of the job are something we take time to enjoy only if, and when, all of the daily work is done on time. Our number one priority for each day is to focus on the tasks that bring us closer to offering a successful "behind the scenes" operation that contributes to the success of the client's meeting or event.

Want to share your travel tips and be a Featured Travel Director or Tour Guide Member? Contact INTD for details at support@intdonline.org.

Source: International Network of Travel Directors: http://www.intdonline.org/

Green Jobs in Tourism

I want to encourage those interested in having an effect on the world in tourism to consider a career as a Professional Tour Director and or Guide. We have encouraged countries, local destinations and our tour members in understanding, sharing and saved areas from destruction thanks to tourism. As a professional Tour Director I travel with the tour groups and have a big influence on my group’s experiences domestically and internationally.

There are so many examples and so many new possibilities. Think of the wildlife parks in Africa saved for tourism and now more profits enriching the local communities, tourism support of our National Parks, the Antarctic, Artic, Borneo and struggling destinations around the world. Tourists are interested in education and not just getting on and off the coach at popular tourist attractions.

I recorded a free video series on careers available at: http://www.ehow.com/video_2275923_overview-tour-guide-career.html. I also train tour directors, tour guides and travel staff online through 1700 colleges and through my ebook the ‘Tour Director Training Guide’. Since I work through public education my training is all very reasonable. Link: www.tourtraining.com

I love working in tourism and hope this helps.
Cherie

Job Posting

Ann Lombardi from "thetripchicks.com" passed on the below job posting. Thank you Ann.

http://new-york-jobs.jobfox.com/education-training/library-information-/educational-tour-leader-nyc/4b7776ad-6f11-4fae-b0d6-8e47100d0eba?source=indeed0