How your WITIA membership creates a genuine point of difference for you and your business.
Today, more than ever, tourism professionals face challenges. With competition on a global basis accessible from any computer terminal, you need to differentiate your product and service so that the travelling public will choose you. Over the last few years, travellers have become accustomed to surfing the net, comparing costs and fees and assuming that the best deals are available to anyone willing to put in the time online. You and I know that's not the case and we also know that the real challenge isn't in finding or booking the flight or the hotel, it's in knowing the conditions on the ground when they arrive.
That's where you and I, as travel professionals, come in. What we can tell them is that the seemingly cheap fare means they’re travelling for 27 instead of 16 hours;that they have to stop-over in unsafe or undesirable ports en route and that the hotel they booked online backs onto a 24/7 industrial slum.
How many holidays are ruined and how many business trips are prolonged with experiences like this? If only we’d known, they cry!
If you haven’t been there yourself, if you haven’t done the research or been to the destination seminar, how would you know?
How would you know where to find the best Pizza in Montevideo or the most romantic restaurant in Turin?
What time does the ferry leave from Upolu to Savaii (that’s Samoa in the Pacific)?
Is there a flight between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh that will allow a mini stop-over to see the ancient city of Hoi An?
How can I arrange a limo service for my client arriving in Los Angeles at 2am?
Is there a way to rent a small yacht out of Athens, fully crewed, for a party of four?
How long does it take to connect from Heathrow to Stansted Airport?
Is there bus services between the airports and how early/late do the buses run?
Is it more economical to take a taxi for a party of four?
Is it true that all island transportation and most facilities on Bali are shut down on the holiday of Nyepi?
On what day does Nyepi fall in 2008?
Now there is a way you can answer all of these questions quickly and easily.
Welcome to WITIA WITIA could well stand for Where Intelligent Travel Initiators Associate. In fact it's the Women in Tourism International Alliance.
What's WITIA about and what's in it for me? WITIA is a professional association focused on assisting women selling tourism services.
Created by female travel professionals in Australia, USA and Canada, WITIA provides you with an exciting range of services, all designed to:
* Give you an advantage by facilitating your access to information * Enhance business opportunities by introducing you to like-minded professionals * Expand your reach by providing intimate knowledge of conditions elsewhere * Provide a greater understanding of diverse cultures through interaction of our members worldwide.
The bottom line is this: As a WITIA member, you have access to a growing number of like-minded travel professionals all committed to the goal of helping each other thrive and prosper. To help you answer questions like:
Which is the most reliable taxi company in Barbados?
Where is the best haggis in Aberdeen?
Is it safe for an unaccompanied female to walk around Mexico City at night?
How do I get to the Yerevan Physics Institute? (It's in Armenia by the way.)
Search the Members Directory or Global Partners listed on the site for a likely respondent for your question. Let them know you are a WITIA member seeking their expertise, and chances are they can answer your question or point you in the right direction. Since everyone at some point will need this kind of assistance, it creates a mutual assistance alliance, as well as a networking connection. Suppose you're looking to organise an escorted wine tour in the Rhineland. Jump to the members' page and ask a local who can provide the service. Again, the answer's yours, as reliable as ever. Imagine how much information you'll have at your fingertips just from having contact with other members.
Plus you'll have instant access to a range of services including:
* World time * World currency converter * World weather * World news * Embassies and Visas around the world
As well as educational institutions, airports, restaurants and more.
All of this is yours for the AUD $25 - that's just 7 cents per day!
Take this link to secure your Membership today and start enjoying the benefits today.
Anne Isaacson
PresidentWITIA
PS: Yes....we welcome male members!
