Dive Travel Business Articles

Travel Insurance More Important Than Ever.

(Dive Travel Business News -- July 9, 2012) -- With increased earthquake activity in the Caribbean, and the Intergovernmental Oceanic Commission (IOC) of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) urging the Caribbean's 40 million people and its 22 million annual tourists to take the threat of a tsunami seriously, travel insurance has become an important consideration for dive travelers to this region.

An earthquake-tsunami combined catastrophe is considered an "Act of God" in insurance parlance. The term, used in law for centuries, defines a category of events of "superior force" that are not man-made, avoidable, preventable, foreseen or anticipated and where nobody can be held responsible - except mother nature. read more »

Caribbean Vulnerable to Earthquakes and Tsunamis, Expert Says.

(Dive Travel Business News - July 8, 2012) -- The past 24 hours has been a busy time for the northern Caribbean: The Dominican Republic has experienced a 5.1 submarine earthquake followed by four smaller quakes while Puerto Rico has experienced four earthquakes ranging from 2.6 - 3.1 on the Richter scale.

As a result of increased seismic activity, in May 2012 Wendy Watson-Wright, Assistant Director-General of the Intergovernmental Oceanic Commission (IOC) of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has urged the Caribbean's 40 million people and its 22 million annual tourists to take the threat of a tsunami seriously as it is a case of "when and not if" the region will be struck by the giant waves triggered by earthquakes and volcanic activity. read more »

Popular with Dive Travel Professionals, Social Netwoorking Site LinkedIn Has Been Hacked.

(Dive Travel Business News - June 10, 2012) -- Thousands of Dive Travel and Tourism Professionals connect over the professional networking site LinkedIn. Now many professionals are finding their passwords have been compromised, leaving vast amounts personal profile data, contact information and connections vulnerable to a security breach to the LinkedIn servers. Reports started circulating on June 6 that millions of LinkedIn passwords were subject to a security breach.

A Russian hacker said he stole 6,458,020 encrypted passwords and posted them online (without usernames) to prove his feat. LinkedIn is urging Users to change their login details. Experts have also advised users to change their login details elsewhere if they use the same password. read more »

Dive Travel Suppliers: Stop Sending your Distribution Channel Irrelevant Daily Deals.

(Dive Travel Business News - April 13, 2012) -- In the recent PhoCusWright 2012 Travel Agency Landscape, travel pro respondents told the survey that getting an unsolicited email "offer" from a supplier is simply spam, creates irritation and is destined for the trash, along with an unsubscribe. Travel agents aren't necessarily looking for the latest offer - they are seeking information that helps them sell more travel. And this distinction is being lost on many suppliers.

In the recent survey, travel industry respondents said they wanted "product knowledge". If you represent a resort, dive operation or a live-aboard take note: Dive Travel Sellers are no different. They want to know about your dive travel product and how to sell it. Now suppliers, ask yourself how those emails you may be sending out to agents help them really understand any of your products. read more »

Pinterest Potential for Marketing Dive Travel

(Dive Travel Business News - April 17, 2012) -- Dive travel pros take note: Pinterest, the social media scrapbooking site, might be the social media tool best suited to dive travel specialists and suppliers alike. Divers love taking photos and videos, and that is what Pinterest is all about: Pinterest is a social network that allows users to create digital collections of photo and video albums and share things they find interesting. Users “Pin” (collect) things they they like (or dislike) and set them up on various themed personal "Pinboards" (albums) for their Pinterest followers to see and share on Facebook, and other social networks.

Unlike Facebook and Twitter, Pinterest is not about selling or telling. It's about showing, and creating conversations with pictures, which plays right into the strengths of how dive travel pros market their trips. Pinterest lets users tell their travel stories through photos rather than words. Keep in mind: Pinners are not on Pinterest to be marketed to. They are there to collect interesting things and share them with their friends. read more »

Trends in Group Dive Travel - Not Just for Divers Anymore

(Dive Travel Business News - October 13, 2011) -- While many dive travelers still enjoy the camraderie, comfort and value provided by group dive trips, Group Travel has been quickly evolving as consumers look to add more experiences and make more memories as a prime reason for travel. It's not just about the diving anymore. read more »

Travel Providers Turn to Travel Blogging to Make Connections.

(Dive Travel Business News - September 26, 2011) -- Travel blogs have become widespread in the last five years due to plethora of experiences and specialist areas available amongst the travelling public and writers. Blogs have also become an important tool for travel companies,particularly within the social media arena and the need for content-driven interaction.

Such is the blog’s significant growth in recent years that conferences dedicated to the subject are held annually, with even WTM getting in on the act this year in its Social Travel Mart fringe conference. But while we leave the discussion to those involved, travel companies are waking up to the power of blogs and the personal edge it can give a brand. read more »

Selling in Uncertain Times

(Dive Travel Business News - Nov 9, 2010) -- Sales Trainer John Boe writes that selling during challenging economic periods can be frustrating, but they can also be beneficial to the salesperson. Adversity can strengthen, weaken or harden.

Boe reminds us that every challenge, setback and personal difficulty you encounter in life also brings with it the seed of equivalent or greater benefit. "The key to overcoming adversity is to avoid the temptation of panic and instead, focus on finding the greater benefit," Boe writes.

Read the entire article here.

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Dive Dominica Offers Special Package

(DiveTravelBusinessNews.com - Jan 16, 2010) -- Castle Comfort Lodge’s Reef and Rainforest Adventure Package is good now through October 31, 2010.

The package includes seven nights’ accommodations, daily breakfast, round-trip airport transfers, complimentary use of sea kayaks, one afternoon whale and dolphin excursion, three days of two-tank boat dives, three days of morning tours/hikes and unlimited shore dives off the dock. Rates begin at $975 per person based on double occupancy.

For more information, call 888-414-7626, email divedominica@diveres.com or visit www.castlecomfortdivelodge.com. For general destination information, call 866-522-4057 or visit www.discoverdominica.com.

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DEMA Deals Online

(DiveTravelNewswire.com - Oct 17, 2009) -- DiveTravelNewswire.com, a specialty trade news service providing the latest news and information resources pertinent to dive travel professionals, is offering a free news service for companies promoting trade-only dive packages at the DEMA Show 2009. Relevant trade releases submitted to the newservice will appear in an online password-protected area accessible to industry professionals at www.divetravelnewswire.com.

In an effort to help attending tourism boards, resort, live-aboard, dive operator, tour operator and wholesale travel companies promote their dive travel offerings to the larger travel trade, Dive Travel Newswire will publish DEMA-related dive travel promotions featured during the 33rd annual Diving Equipment and Marketing Show. The DEMA Show is the only international trade-only event for the diving, action water sports and travel industries. To be held Nov 4 - 7, in Orlando at the Orange County Convention Center, the DEMA Show is a hotbed of dive travel information. read more »

It Pays to Specialize

(April 15, 2008 - DTB) -- Orbitz has added live specialists for specific destinations, such as the Hawaiian Islands and Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, and has plans to add specialists for several more hot spots. Orbitz said the specialists have spent time and completed training about their specific destinations. As travelers browse vacation packages in the specific markets on Orbitz.com, a message appears asking if they would like to speak with a live specialist.

A note from DTB: Take a tip from Orbitz, and work with people who know their stuff. While working with travel wholesalers who “sell the world”, be aware that the ones who know their dive destination stuff are a rarity. That’s why we encourage using a Dive Travel Wholesaler to book destinations you know little about.

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Be Cautious with Supplier Payments During This Economic Downturn

(Dive Travel Business News - October 14, 2008) -- With today's economic challenges and particularly the reduced availability of credit, some suppliers, including tour companies, may be unable to meet short-term financial obligations, including making deposits and final payments to hotels and other travel suppliers. These difficulties may be only temporary if the supplier is otherwise healthy, but extra care is required to protect agency clients in these economic conditions. read more »

How The New Secure Flight Rules Affect Your Dive Travel Business

(Dive Travel Business News - October 28, 2008) -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued its Final Rule on Secure Flight. This rule shifts pre-departure watch list matching responsibilities from individual airlines to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), which is one of the key recommendation of the 9/11 Commission. By bringing watch list matching responsibilities in-house, TSA hopes to reduce misidentifications when a traveler's name is similar to one found on a watch list.

Travel Professionals providing air travel arrangements for their clients will have to collect Secure Flight Information from each prospective air traveler. If this information is not provided, a boarding pass cannot be printed.
There are four mandatory facts to collect:

(1) full name as it appears on the government issued ID they plan to use at the airport security checkpoint
(2) date of birth
(3) gender
(4) Redress Number (if the person has one)* read more »

Adhere To Airline Booking Policies More Important Than Ever

(Dive Travel Business News - November 20, 2008) -- Airlines are punishing booking agents who fail to adhere to the airlines' booking and ticketing policies. While many airlines have published policies prohibiting certain practices, enforcement actions are constantly being implemented as new audit tools and methods are introduced. With new capabilities in place, airlines are also stepping up their auditing frequency bookings and ticketing and debiting agents for violating their policies.

A few of the more common ticketing and booking violations are: read more »

Helpful Resources for Identifying Unsafe Carriers

(Dive Travel Business News - November 14, 2008) -- The European Commission (EC) has updated its list, effective Nov. 14, 2008, of airlines that are banned from flying into the EU due to safety concerns. read more »