As the year begins to wind itself down, I take time to look back at the road I have traveled. And what a long road it has been, filled with so many great experiences. But, above all, I hope, my travels have helped me to better serve you, the luxury travel advisor.
I began thinking about the holiday season inching ever so closer. This year, I’ve decided not to make a Christmas wish list, but, instead, a Thanksgiving list of the people I need to thank for such a wonderful year. In fact, I recommend that all of you follow my lead. A Thanksgiving message will have more impact, as it crosses nationalities, religions and political beliefs. Try it, I guarantee you will stand out.
So, without further ado, I extend Thanksgiving wishes to:
- My wife and family, for always being understanding of my travel schedule.
- The staff of Luxury Travel Advisor for creating the best product in the market—both print and online.
- The hotel staff in the hundreds of hotels I have stayed in this year.
- My luxury travel advisor, who will remain nameless.
- The staff of Luxury Travel Expo for putting together the largest gathering of luxury agents in the world.
- The luxury suppliers that are committed to taking the best care of your clients.
- You, the luxury travel advisor. Our in-person conversations, e-mails, phone calls and Facebook communications all keep me going and give me tremendous satisfaction when they help grow your business.
Back to business. Last month I attended MLT University and sat through a crash course on the growth of this company. Now operating Delta Vacations and Continental Airlines Vacations, MLT continues to bring on more luxury product with Delta’s LIFESTYLE Collection and Continental’s SelectEscapes.
In today’s market, your client will get more value for their money without sacrificing product and service. I would like to give my final thank you of the year to MLT’s two presidents: Ken Pomerantz, who is also MLT’s chief marketing officer, and Larry Chestler, also the COO, for making my team feel so welcome. We are pictured above on the tradeshow floor at MLT U.