I am a TA looking for info on 3 new destinations offered out of my area, they are St. Barths, St. Kitts, and St. Maartin
 

These have never been offered from our area before, and I really don't know anything about them. Can any of you tell me, are they nice? What is there for my clients to do? I notice not many all inclusives, are there many restaurants? Good transportation?<BR><BR>Any help is wonderful<BR><BR>Thanks<BR><BR>Melissa

Melissa,<BR><BR>Do a search on this post, just type in each island's name individually and you will get a TON of stuff.<BR><BR>Good luck.

Anyone familiar with site knows TA's are not welcome. You'd do better not to ID yourself as one.

It was my understanding as long as I don't advertise my agency then I was allowed to use this site. You have no clue as to even where I am from, let alone which agency I work for, so therefore, I can and do use this site.

St. Barts -- small, pretty beaches, great restaurants, fabulous shopping. Many people stay in villas rather than the resorts which are, again, very small. It's an 8 minute plane ride from St Martin with a harrowing landing (not for the feint of heart) -- the ferry is much, much worse which is how they get people on the ridiculous little planes. The "beautiful people" are there in droves from December-March (read all about it in Vogue & Vanity Fair) but it's a very accommodating place for "regular folk" as well. Driving is an adventure as the mountain roads are steep & you can't see ahead of you on the tops of hills & turns. It's lush & beautiful but not as traditionally Caribbean as some other islands.

Thanks Mary, that is really helpful.

St Maarten/St Martin<BR><BR>Obviously, the mix of the French and the Dutch on the same island. Dutch side more commercial and Americanized, the French side, while building, still on a smaller scale.<BR><BR>There are some all-inclusives, Great Bay, La Flamboyant and Mount Vernon (depending on when it operates). This isn't an island for A/C's. Too many restaurants too choose from. Also, the island doesn't have set resort spots, so it is spread around the island. It doesn't really lean toward big resorts. Mid-size on the Dutch side and small on the French as a rule.<BR><BR>Driving is what you are use to. Some people say the driver's are crazy. If you have driven in the Boston area, they are very tame. One main road around the island, one cross island road. You do rent a car. You would be dispointed if you didn't.<BR><BR>33 beaches around the island, swimsuits to topless to whatever... Beaches are all public and the families on the weekends make for a nice blend.<BR><BR>It is a semi-arid island so maybe green and maybe brown depending on rain. <BR><BR>There's a butterfly farm, zoo and America's cup racing as to diverse Caribbean activities as well as all the usual offerings.<BR><BR>All in all an interesting place that offers a lot. But please try to accept 2 hours for dinner and don't complain :) <BR><BR>

No one said you couldn't use the site. I just said that there is a general hatred for TA's on this board and I wouldn't even bother telling the idiots that I was one. Lighten up. Just trying to save you from catching some unwanted and un-needed crap.

We were in St. Kitts years ago while on a cruise and what I remember most was that they were very organized and the taxi service was outstanding. The island is georgeous and lush. We enjoyed seeing the many Monkies which roam all over the island. WE spent the day at a resort which was opposite the Island of Nevis. Beautiful! I would like to return someday.

Melissa - <BR><BR>Please do tell, which tour company is offering these 3 destinations, and out of which airport - YQM, YFC, YHZ, or connect through YYZ?? (Have been a regular browser of this forum for long enough to know which area you are from ...) Have been looking for something beyond the ordinarily limited offerings to those of us in this end of the world!

As a TA you should be doing FAM trips to check out these places before recommending and not relying on comments on this forum.

I am also from Atlantic Canada and I heard from my TA that these flights to St. Martin and St. Kitts is going to be with Conquest Vacations from Halifax. The brochures are not out yet but I am very anxious for something new and direct! The flight will probably be on Skyservice. I am also interested to hear as much as possible about these two islands. <BR>

Hi there,<BR><BR>They are going to be from YHZ with conquest vacations. We do not have brochures but know that they are flying on Wednesdays starting on 19 February. <BR><BR>To Parrot Mom, the flights do not start until FEB so there will not be any FAM trips, as well as our company allows one fam a year, and I just had mine in July. Hopefully one of the other girls who have not had thier trips yet will get to go. It is not as easy as just going on a fam. If we have already used our one for the year, we would have to use our vacation time, and pay for it ourselves, and who wants to pay for thier own fam and use thier vacation time? It is a lot of work on a fam. My last one, we saw 20 hotels.

I am just curious as to why there is a "general hatred" for travel agents in this forum? Travel agents are people, just like everyone else. Unfortunately, it has become almost impossible to make a living at this trade anymore. Some people became travel agents because of their love of travel, destinations and generally just helping people. I have noticed on these boards that people are unusually cruel to travel agents for no reason at all. I am a travel agent and have been for the past 8 years. When I got into this business (because of my love of the Caribbean) I really had no idea how bad it was going to get. I have seen so many changes in the past 8 years to this industry. I am not a full-time agent at an agency any longer. It was virtually impossible to put food on the table. I have become a part time agent because I do love the business. I just wanted to tell you that there is no reason to hate "us." A lot of us are just trying to help people to have a wonderful vacation and feed their families (like most of America)while doing it .

I DO NOT HATE TA..(please note I do use my real e=mail address).. but I myself find it difficult dealing with a TA who has not been to the destinations I want to discuss..Getting reports back from member of this forum isn't the best way to get reviews of resorts and islands. My TA gave me a wonderful review of a resort in the Yucatan...it was the worst experience in over 20 years of traveling. I'm the one who ends up doing all my homework on resorts and destinations..and I give them feedback and a review they get a commission for just booking it..So, Melissa you can tell your clients you personally have not been there, but you've "talked" to others that have.. Yes, I know that it is exhaustive doing a FAM.. only by staying at a resort do you really know the good and the bad.. Good Luck.

I think there were some TA's in the past that were rude and pushing themselves and picking our brains instead of doing their own work and some people got kinda PO'd about it.

I know it is hard picking your brain, but it is simply imposible for me to go everywhere myself. I have been on 3 cruises, I have been to Jamaica on my own holiday, Mexico, London, Amsterdam, Paris, Lucerne, Germany, and I just got back from Cuba. Considering I have only been travelling for 4 years, that is pretty good. I do ask a lot of my clients questions and most don't mind. I would really love to go to the three destinations I have asked about, they seem wonderful.<BR><BR>Thank you everyone for your help.

Parrotmom,<BR><BR>There's something you need to understand. Travel agents, as previously posted, are people just like you who have 9-5 jobs (usually). They do sometimes get benefits of travelling regularly and on the occasion doing FAM trips. They are not travelling 365 days a year and therefore could NOT possibly know every destination they sell. A lot of the time they depend on feedback from past clients and use that as info for future clients. Also, you say your travel agent recommended to you something that was terrible, remember, what's good for you, is not always good for someone else. Furthermore, travel agents nowadays make PENNIES...with so much info available on the internet and so on, it makes you wonder how these people put bread on the table. To Melissa, good for you for trying to expand your product knowledge!

My ex-travel agent...(lol) works for a very large company and they have informational days with presentations. Once a year they have hire a huge exhibition hall and for that weekend all their providers set up booths and the public swarms in...Not only are they on the internet they are in shopping malls. My ex-agent was highly recommended, I booked without ever checking prices anywhere else..for almost 15 years..she gave me no more information than came out of her "sheets" and provided me with NO EXTRAORDINARY SERVICE, even though we had a few problems..we had to deal with them personally with a cruise line and a provider...although I booked two and three trips a year with her.. I know TA are human,,, one day at the travel show I overheard a TA talk about how wonderful a particular resort was and their fabulous, fabulous beach... She claims she had been there...the beach was a small beach which was unswimmable...Sadly, I am older and wiser...and you may be a wonderful TA. If people would get off their duffs, do their homework and then book through a TA..it would be fine.. Most of the TA I have seen are very young and their idea of a great vacation is Cancun or St. Maartin. Guess I got off the track...lol

Any indication that one is a ta here on the board there is an assumption that they are trolling for business even if they aren't an agent who sells the Carib or don't want clients like some who post here. I pity any client who is given information off this board since there are so many trolls and much misinformation posted here. There are some well informed posters but they are the ones who wind up getting bashed. And it's not the kids out of school who are doing it. Make sure you confirm any and all that you read here with other sources. A FAM only gives a taste and is never long enough for real insight into any island or resort anyway. There is a difference between a professional travel agent and an order taker in a large agency where the personal service and attention, especially when the worst happens, is not there. The professional will even get the difference in fares refunded to you when the fares go down.