Question for NO TRAVEL AGENTS poster
 

Explain to me HOW a travel agent would benefit financially from a post on this forum? I don't think they belong here, I'm just wondering.

Liz, I'm not the person you addressed, but the only way a travel agent profits, IMO, is if the agent gives an e-mail address to contact her for discounts on activities, accommodations, etc. (MauiHeidi was doing this; though she says she got nothing out of it personally, that's not really true, because the agency she works for, Klahani, gets money out of selling these things, and they pay her!) Now as for the raving nut who accuses everybody of being an agent because they recommend a property, etc., that person is obviously stupid! How would I profit because I love the Renaissance Wailea and say so? The best way to handle the wackos is to ignore them to the degree we can!

Some folks don't understand that you can live much better lives by not always having the urge to sell, Sell, SELL! <BR>You need to stoop to smell the daisies now and then. <BR>Everyone knows that salesmen dona't have souls (the reason there are no salesmen in heaven is because you cannot BUY your way in). And what are travel agents but a lower order of salesmen/brokers?

Ever heard of "familiarization trips?" These are trips that travel agents take supposedly to "familiarize" themselves with a location and amenities, but they are bought and paid for by suppliers (like hotels and tour groups) who expect the agents to steer clients to their businesses in return for the free trips. <BR> <BR>Many agents got into the travel industry in order to take advantage of these travel perks and bonuses, not to mention hefty commissions (7-15%) when they are able to book travel for clients. All Joe Travel Agent has to do is point to all the internet travel sites where he has posted and pitched the suppliers businesses and bingo, more free trips, even if he can't angle for a commission on the site. (Fodor's does not allow it, but all the other sites do.) <BR> <BR>

So?

Travel agents are posting incognito on this site (because they know that outright advertising and promotion is forbidden) and offering "helpful tips" about hotels, restaurants and tours under the guise of being regular travelers -- it's fraudulent AND against Fodor's rules to promote a business here. And "steering" travelers toward certain places and things when it's in your financial best interest to do so is just that -- promotion. Would you book a hotel knowing that the person who recommended it has no real concern for your needs or wants, but was only trying to fulfill obligations to a client that paid him (whether in cash or in the form of perks)? Is that the kind of advice from "honest travelers" that you come to Fodor's to find? It's not what they created this site for. <BR> <BR>Information is power! Beware all you travel agents, because we're on to your schemes here and you're not welcome to steer, pitch and promote. <BR> <BR>

Well Liz and TW, since you're a couple of those undercover travel agents lurking here on the site, why don't YOU enlighten everyone about all the dirty little secrets of the travel agent industry? Come on, fess up! It will do those conniving little souls of yours good.

The problem isn't just that travel agents are pulling dirty tricks like that. The bulk of travel "writers" are even worse, especially those writing for newspapers or magazines. Talk about taking freebies and paying back favors. I've seen travel writers do things that would make seasoned travel agents blanch. (By the way, the worst of the lot are the ones writing for in-flight magazines.)

Not to get in the middle on this one, as I have not studied that much about travel agent practices. I just wanted to point out that I have seen many photography magazines criticized in regards to new product reviews the same way that a previous poster criticized travel magazines. Their biggest advertisers, afterall, are camera companies. I suspect that this is not uncommon in a lot of industries.

Then why are we even posting and reading posts if you can't trust what is being posted.? <BR>Maybe Fodor's will only post messages that have verified e-mail addresses? <BR>Who do/can you trust...? <BR>THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE

Sheesh, people can be so naive! <BR>Perhaps because many internet users are only 'casual users', lots of people on this forum don't understand the many ways travel agents can directly or indirectly profit from this forum. But please understand that there are a variety of ways TA's make money off the unwitting lemmings who follow their not so subtle suggestions. <BR>Of course direct contact by e-mail is the most obvious way. <BR>Many web sites pay referring sites 'by the hit'. If a TA can help beef up the number of hits to a B&B website, compensation will likely come his/her way, whether in travel benefits or discounts, etc. <BR>Just think about it for a second....if someone works professionally as a TA, do you think they'll want to spend their free time hanging out here offering the advice they get paid for while working, for free in their off hours? Maybe a few good hearted souls do. I doubt many do. <BR>Let the buyer beware.

Odysseus, you've got to check out: <BR> <BR>http://frommers.com/soap_box/testy_opinions/ <BR> <BR>where Arthur Frommer says : <BR> <BR>"...the current state of American travel journalism (the Sunday newspaper travel sections, the glossy, elitist travel magazines) is a shameful disgrace, a virtual scandal. " <BR>

I don't like Frommer's but for once he's right on.

Who is "Frommer"? Never heard of her.

Frommer is not a "her." The name refers to Arthur Frommer, the author of numerous travel guidebooks, founder of Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel magazine, and probably one of the most famous travel publishers in the world. (And also a darned gracious guy, by the way. I met him at the Travel Books & Language Center here in DC last week.) <BR> <BR>Odysseus, not all travel publications allow articles written based on "freebie" trips--in fact, quite a few do not. Conde Nast Traveler does not, for one; and a fair number of newspaper travel sections don't either. When I wrote a piece for the Newark Star-Ledger, for example, they quizzed me up one side and down the other to make sure I hadn't gotten anything free. (I hadn't.)

Yes, but I have known travel writers to lie to newspaper and magazine editors and get away with it. To resurrect an old cliche, newspaper and magazine editors aren't rocket scientists.

Question: Hey, did you get anything free for writing this article and promoting these businesses? <BR> <BR>Answer: Oh no, never. <BR> <BR>Well, O.K. After, all what POSSIBLE reason would you have to cover up or lie about it? Hmmmmm.....

F@#$ off you creeps. We like our perks and we'll continue to slime for them!

Okay, time for all you little children to go to bed!

Wow, these travel agents really get testy when they're flushed out, don't they?