Travel Agent Career Information

So you want to become a travel agent? If so, there are a few details that you will want to iron out before you get started. In today’s day and age the travel industry is on the rise. More and more people are interested in seeing the world, and in turn expanding who they are as a person. As a travel agent you will be able to tap into the feelings that these people are having. After all, if somebody wants to travel they may not have the necessary tools to plan their entire trip. This is where a travel agent comes into play. As a travel agent you will be responsible for working with people in order to ensure that their entire trip is set up for success.

There are two ways that you can get involved in the travel agent industry. First off, you can join an existing travel agency as an employee. This will allow you to learn the ropes, and in turn do what you love most. On the other side of things you may want to open your own travel agency. This will take a bit of time and money on your part, but in the end it may be well worth your time.

As a travel agent you will work with people day in and day out to ensure that they have all of their details in order. Not only can you work with individuals and families who want to travel, but you can also become an agent who specializes in working with companies of al sizes. This is a very profitable niche within the travel agency industry.

As you can see there is a lot that goes into becoming a travel agent. If you love the travel industry you may want to consider becoming a travel agent. You can get involved in a number of different ways, and in the end make a lot of money.

Before you become a travel agent make sure that you know exactly what you are getting yourself into. This holds true in every career, and as a travel agent thing are no different. 

Tips For Holiday Villas Rental Italy

Getting your dream villas or accommodation on your holidays is the biggest thing to manage. All of we plan holidays to get relaxed from our most tedious and boring routine. It is very tough to imagine that we did not find relaxed accommodation during vacation. Just imagine for a while that we have to suffer a lot because of not getting comfortable accommodation, can you imagine? No not at all.

In short relaxed and comfortable holiday accommodation during your tour to Italy is the basic requirement for any one. As Italy is the most beautiful and historic country and many visitors had face accommodation problem during their trip. But it will not be fair if we ignore any place to visit because of accommodation problem. Managing accommodation in Italy is very easy process if you plan in advance.

It is very exciting and unique experience of you holiday when you hire villas for vacation in Italy. Every one should experience once in a life to stay in luxurious villa located on very beautiful landscapes. You can enjoy eye catching view points from your balcony in your private villa.

When you plan for hire villa for vacation, be very care full regarding your needs and facilities. Make sure everything when you book villa online for vacation. Try to collect all information of the agent or company which will provide accommodation for your vacation in Italy.

Following are tips to keep in mind while hiring villa for vacation in Italy

1. Decide your vacation destination in Italy.
2. Get exact figure of members for your holiday tour.
3. Try to get A to Z information of your travel agent or accommodation provider.
4. If you are going to book online than read each and every terms and condition mentioned there, you small ignorance can put you in trouble.
5. Be very clear for your requirements, facilities and freedom.
6. Find such agency which rules and regulations can let you enjoy your full freedom with all flexibilities.
7. Mention all needs for hire villas in vacation Italy such as swimming pool, garden, made, internet service, tennis court etc…
8. Read all documents carefully while you are booking your best and imagined villa hire, because some times our little carelessness put ourselves in trouble.
9. Get hard copy for your villas hire agreement and keep 2 or 3 Xerox with you.
10. Inform you family or relatives about your plan, accommodation, it will help you in emergency.
11. Don’t keep too much cash with you during holidays, credit or debit card will be better option.

With some safety points and awareness you can enjoy your holidays and vacation as per your plan. You can enjoy your vacation stay in luxurious and comfortable villas in Italy. All very well preplanned holidays get success so what are you waiting for? Start planning your vacation and most relaxed accommodation in Italy.

Top Tips On How To Lose Weight Fast For Your Holiday

While it is best to eat well and exercise regularly there are some things you can do to help you lose weight fast, just in time for your holiday. The following “how to lose weight fast” tips are useful if you want to feel less bloated and have more energy.

Food
• Have a healthy breakfast.
It is important to have a filling breakfast as this helps prevent snacking later in the morning. Wholegrain cereals, fruit salad and yoghurts are all great options for a healthy start to the day.
• Cut out carbonated “fizzy” drinks.
These drinks are usually full of sugar and cause you to retain water. By cutting out popular carbonated drinks you should start to see an improvement in any bloating you may have had in the past. Replace fizzy drinks with water, herbal teas or juices.
• Reduce alcohol consumption.
Many are surprised by the calorie content in some of their favourite alcoholic beverages. If you really want to know how to lose weight fast you need to cut out alcohol altogether before your holiday. If you don’t want to cut out alcohol completely you should switch to lower calorie drinks such as vodka and a diet soda.
• Eat more protein.
If you are stressed or constantly tired, not eating enough protein may be the reason. Lean protein is crucial for strength and energy. Stock up on items such as salmon, tuna chicken and grass-fed beef or if you’re a vegetarian try quinoa, organic eggs, tempeh and almonds. Exercise
Usually when people ask how to lose weight fast they think dieting alone is enough. Unfortunately exercise is also needed if you want to be bikini ready in time for your holidays. Just follow these simple tips and you’ll be on your way to a more energetic, toned you!
• Early morning workout.
Many people decide to exercise after work however this routine usually doesn’t last long for many people. Try working out in the morning before work instead, this gives your metabolism a boost and help you feel great all day.
• Leave the car at home.
If you haven’t got time for an early morning workout try walking to work instead of driving. If this is not possible, park further away from your workplace and walk a short distance instead. Walking in the morning will also boost your energy for the day.
• Add weights to your workout.
By using weights in your workout you will burn more calories and tone up your body in a short period of time. Weight training helps you manage your weight long term.

Holiday Shipping Tips

You always want your special packages to arrive safely and on time. However, this is particularly important during the holiday season as you send your holiday gifts to your family and loved ones around the world.

Here are some tips to help ensure your holiday packages arrive safely and on time:

Ship early in the season. The earlier you ship, the shorter the lines.

• Choose the right supplies. Use sturdy boxes with the flaps intact and do not reuse boxes. Position at least one inch of packaging materials on all sides and use tape designed for packaging.

• Be smart about labeling. Position the address label squarely on the largest surface and provide complete sender and recipient addresses, including phone numbers and ZIP codes. Ensure that the label is properly and completely attached.

• fedex.com can help you determine shipping options, including rates and transit times.

• For last-minute shoppers, customers have until Friday, December 22 to ship holiday gifts using FedEx Express for delivery on Saturday, December 23.

• Don't be afraid to ask for help. Take the hassle out of holiday shipping with expert assistance and full-service packing and shipping solutions at FedEx Kinko's. 

Holiday Weight Loss Tips

You can maintain or even lose weight during the holidays by following these tips:
Stay physically active since you know you will be consuming more calories.
Focus on will power and pick healthier choices.
Eat a light snack before going to a party.
Make a plan of action.
Reduce the fat in holiday recipes.
Choose your beverages wisely.
Enjoy the time with friends and family.

How are you going to handle and plan all of the eating that goes along with the holidays with family and friends? Most holidays and events are planned around food. It is such a big part of the holidays, celebrations, and family gatherings. Don't allow yourself to let go over the holidays, it is too much work when it's all done. Consider the following tips to make your holiday eating healthy and to feel good by planning and having a little self control. You can still enjoy good food within moderation and feel great that you had the will power to say "No, thank you" to that second helping. 

Tip 1: Stay physically active every day.
Even if you only have 20 minutes, this will speed up your metabolism for the day. Physical activity will relieve holiday stress, regulate appetite, and burn up extra calories from the extra holiday eating. Get the whole family involved by taking a walk or playing a game in the back yard.

Tip 2: Focus on weight maintenance during the holidays.
This is why staying active is so important. If you are eating a little more than usual, if you stay active, you will be able to maintain your current weight. This sounds so refreshing, much better than gaining 7 to 10 pounds that will take you months to lose!!

Tip 3: Eat a light snack before going to holiday parties
DO NOT arrive to a party hungry. You know you will overeat and this will set you up to forget all about self control. This makes it very difficult to resist the temptation of high fat/high calorie foods.  If you eat a snack before you go, you will be able to sustain self control; just think about how many minutes you are saving on the treadmill! Try eating almonds or an apple, cottage cheese or a hard boiled egg. You will be so happy you did.

Tip 4: Make a plan of action
Think about: What foods will be available? What foods can you choose that will be better for your goals? What foods can you do without? What are your personal triggers to overeating and how can you minimize them? Remember – while some foods have more calories than others, you gain weight when you take in more calories than your body uses in a day. So, if you stay active and use self control, you will maintain.

Tip 5: Reduce the fat in holiday recipes
Use low fat and low calorie substitutes. Try using applesauce in place of oil in your favorite recipes; try plain yogurt or low fat sour cream.

Tip 6: Choose your beverages wisely
Alcohol is high in calories. Liquors, sweet wines and sweet mixed drinks contain 100-450 calories per glass. Limit your intake to 1 or 2 alcoholic drinks per occasion. And watch out for calories in pop, fruit punch, and eggnog. Water and diet cola are low calorie alternatives. Using Crystal Light in drinks and diet tonic water will save many calories.

Tip 8: Enjoy the time with friends and family
Food can be an important part of events, but it doesn’t have to be the focus. Concentrate on the pleasures of being with family and friends. The key is balance and moderation. Utilize the tips here and practice self control; this way you will really enjoy the holidays like never before! And remember to get your own "7 Secrets You Need To Know About Weigh Loss" Ebook while FREE copies are still available. 

Different Types Of Travel Agencies

The main function of any travel agency is to, of course, act as an agent. This includes selling tickets and travel products, reservations, and so on, on behalf of one or several suppliers. Travel agents generally work with no charge to the traveler him or herself. Rather, the travel agent takes a small commission from the overall cost. Again, this isn't added on top of the sale or anything like that. Rather, their commission is taken out of the advertised price.

So why go through a travel agent? Well, besides the simplicity and convenience, the main draw is that travel agents receive tickets at significant discounts.

This is pretty much how travel agencies work the world over. However, there are a few different types of travel agents&

General Sales Agents for Foreign Travel Companies

A general sales agent is something like a tourism ambassador. A company with its headquarters located in, say, Japan, might set up travel agency offices all around the world to encourage tourism to the country where their headquarters is located. The travel agent will still seek to find better deals for their customers (as, after all, that's what turns a customer into a return customer), so they are not indebted to any one airline or hotel, but, they do tend to focus strictly on travel to, and within, the country where their headquarters is located.

Business and Commercial Travel Agencies

Most travel agencies have a department of business travel and a department of leisure travel. The needs for one traveler and the other tend to vary in a few significant ways, and so, splitting up the duties amongst a couple of departments can help to allow either department to specialize, finding better deals for business travelers on the one hand, and better deals for leisure travelers on the other. However, there are also travel agencies that specialize strictly in business and commercial travel. Incidentally, there aren't a whole lot of agencies that restrict themselves solely to leisure travel.

By Class

In the United States, there are several main types of travel agencies: corporate-owned national chains, national/international franchises, membership associations -- such as AAA -- and independent, locally owned travel agencies with no brand or corporate affiliation. National chains will have the most consistent policies and pricing not matter where you go, and often the best international "hotline" customer service, but not always. Big-name franchises offer similar perks but different local owners can opt out of certain promotions and pricing specials. Membership-based associations are often less commission-focused since they rely on member fees. Independent agencies tend to cater to niche markets, such as assisting sports teams, church and school groups looking for inexpensive travel, and large group options.

Cargo Travel Agencies

A few travel agencies specialize in shipping cargo. Of course& that's not entirely relevant if you're looking to fly for business or personal reasons. Still, this should go to show how many different areas an individual agency can specialize in.

Online Travel Agencies

One of the real boons to the travel agency industry has been the use of the internet to allow travel agents to let their travelers compare a wide variety of options for hotels and airline tickets. Ironically, there was some fear for a period of time that, by selling tickets directly to travellers, the travel agencies would go out of business. However, a handful of travel agencies have proven that, even if you can find good deals yourself, there are still instances where a travel agency can find you an even better one. Many traditional bricks-and-mortar travel agencies now have full-service web sites so that you can get the best of both worlds: convenience of self-serve online booking with the benefit of talking to a real person when you need it.

Multi-Destination and Niche Agencies

If you want to split it up into just two types of travel agency, you have multi-destination and niche. Multi-destination out-bound travel agencies are usually larger, offering flights to just about anywhere. Niche agencies are usually independent, and focus on one specific part of the world. If you're flying to say, Greece, you might find a niche agent who knows the area very, very well. Most of these niche agencies cater mainly to people with family in that country, or who do business there on a regular basis.

Consider your individual needs, preferences, and trip objectives when choosing your travel agent. Different types of agencies provide different levels and types of services. If you are a frequent globe trotter, you may want to use a large corporate travel agency with many branches in countries all over the world. Or you may view travelling as a treasure hunt or puzzle, where researching and finding the most off-the-map places is half of the fun. If this is the case, a niche operator may be just the right travel partner for you.

8 Holiday Tips And Ideas For 2012

A lot of people plan their activities, trips, and vacations for the following year early. Those who want to get their schedules organized should plan ahead to avoid hassle. Some inconvenient situations may arise, but they should be manageable. Anyway, here are some tips to make your holiday 2012 plan enjoyable and trouble-free.

1. Consider your budget – Holidays give time for travels and other special activities. Oftentimes, these require one to spend their cash. So, before you book tickets to an island destination, make sure it’s economically feasible. If you are still sending kids to school and leaving for a week-long vacation somewhere in Spain or Barbados means breaking the bank, it shouldn’t hurt to make reconsiderations. Consider your budget, too, when planning parties or holiday gatherings. 

2. Visit local tourist destinations – While Bahamas and Caribbean offer images of coconut palms and fine beaches, there must be fine destinations near home. And you probably should check them out.

3. Watch a movie with friends or family – There are a lot of ways to enjoy work-free days. But when was the last time you had fun with your family or friends? Phone friends and ask them if they can go out with you on a movie date. Or tell your family during dinner about your plan. Movie dates are perfect on weekends. It’s quite simple, but the gesture could strengthen your relationship with people close to you.

4. Stay healthy – Holidays and festivals have one thing in common—sumptuous buffet! Just because there’s lavish food on the table doesn’t mean you can binge. While there is no need to stay away from the buffet table and starve till you go pale, there is also no need to overindulge yourself. A lot of people gain weight after Christmas. Of course, you know why.

5. Reduce waste production – One inconvenient outcome of holidays is waste. Empty bottles, wrappers, spoiled food, fruit peelings, and other stuff create a dreadful scene. Cleaning up after parties can be bothersome. Since waste production is inevitable, make sure to discard waste in the right receptacle. Observe waste management regulations imposed by your local government.

6. Search for possible destinations – Some cities or travel destinations may be having unique events that might interest you. Check them out and see if they could fit your budget. Always look for alternatives. Shows in your town or city should not be bad. If you have spent much time on work, it’s perfect to go out and treat yourself. Buy tickets to concerts, musicals, comedy shows, and sports events. Watch. Have fun!

7. Spend a romantic dinner with your partner – There is no work during holidays, unless you’re the inflexible workaholic. So, holidays should be the perfect time to have a date with your spouse or girlfriend/boyfriend. Make this day special—unlike the occasional crash dinner dates with you in jeans and a shabby shirt.

8. Observe safety – Having fun during holidays should not be at the cost of safety. Many cases of accidents and injuries happen during holidays, so it’s important to observe due precaution either when traveling or when celebrating festivities. Safety should be part of your holiday 2012 plan.