I had the opportunity to make a short presentation to my BNI Chapter this morning (http://www.bnieast.com/cgi-bin/db.pl?h=frm_members&s_chapter_id=25) and covered a variety of items, like cruising, train trips, motorcoach tours, and touring Canada. The questions and comments that followed brought out how neat it is to travel as a group - whatever your holiday preference.
I was asked about taking a group to Montreal, New York City, San Francisco, a Caribbean cruise, and a Mediterranean cruise. All great places to go, and a great variety of ways to get around!
The very best thing about group travel is that no one is host, so no one ever has to excuse him/herself to prepare supper, do dishes, make beds, clean the bathroom, etc.... All those things that have to be done are taken care of by someone else. You just relax, visit with your group (family? old school mates? church group? dance group? athletes?) and really have a holiday. How fantastic is that!!??
Contact me about your idea of a group holiday, and I'll get all of you there!
Wendy
Wendy VanderMeulen
Travel Professionals International
"I'll get you there."
Direct Tel: 613-282-0575
wendyv@tpi.ca
http://www.tpiwendy.ca/
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Why use a Travel Agent?
I was asked that question just yesterday morning at a networking meeting. There are various reasons:
1. We have relationships with Tour companies and airlines that the public does not have.
2. We take the time to research your holiday completely, to make sure you are getting what you expect and what you want.
3. We know the questions to ask to make sure there are no "surprises" when you get to your destination.
4. We have access to Tour company and airlines inventory and can book directly from that inventory.
5. We are working for YOU; we aren't working to fill our plane or our resort or our cruise ship....
6. We are licensed professionals, which gives you the security of knowing your holiday investment is protected by TICO, the Travel Industry Council of Ontario, which oversees the travel industry in Ontario.
Coincidentally, I had lunch with a client yesterday, and she told me that she wanted to work with a Travel Agent because it was too time consuming for her to do all the research herself. And she wanted the assurance of getting the best value for her money, as she knew that a professional would know better what she wanted.
I'd be happy to sit down with you to talk about these very things, and to talk about your travel plans, too. Afterall, I do make house calls (or Tim Horton's calls, or Starbucks calls.....)
I'll get you there...
Wendy
Wendy VanderMeulen
Travel Professionals International
Direct Tel: 613-282-0575
wendyv@tpi.ca
http://www.tpiwendy.ca/
1. We have relationships with Tour companies and airlines that the public does not have.
2. We take the time to research your holiday completely, to make sure you are getting what you expect and what you want.
3. We know the questions to ask to make sure there are no "surprises" when you get to your destination.
4. We have access to Tour company and airlines inventory and can book directly from that inventory.
5. We are working for YOU; we aren't working to fill our plane or our resort or our cruise ship....
6. We are licensed professionals, which gives you the security of knowing your holiday investment is protected by TICO, the Travel Industry Council of Ontario, which oversees the travel industry in Ontario.
Coincidentally, I had lunch with a client yesterday, and she told me that she wanted to work with a Travel Agent because it was too time consuming for her to do all the research herself. And she wanted the assurance of getting the best value for her money, as she knew that a professional would know better what she wanted.
I'd be happy to sit down with you to talk about these very things, and to talk about your travel plans, too. Afterall, I do make house calls (or Tim Horton's calls, or Starbucks calls.....)
I'll get you there...
Wendy
Wendy VanderMeulen
Travel Professionals International
Direct Tel: 613-282-0575
wendyv@tpi.ca
http://www.tpiwendy.ca/
Friday, April 9, 2010
Pros and Cons of cruising
Just got back from a breakfast out with a friend. It's a usual Friday event and there is usally up to 6 of us, but this time it was just me and Howard. I had previously sent him some information on Barge Cruising in France. So we talked about that and cruising in general.
Turns out, he wouldn't mind doing a "big ship" cruise but his wife is "afraid" of being confined to a ship. I explained that you aren't really confined when there is thousands of square feet of space to move around in, and islands to visit, and private balconies to enjoy. And if not being able to leave the ship whenever she wants is an issue, there are cruises available where the ship is in a port every day so she can be off the ship every day, all day long.
He just laughed and said, You need to talk to her, not me.
When people have never been on a cruise before, they really don't know what it is like. I have sent quite a few people on their first-time cruise and NOT ONE has come back saying they would never do it again. Even the woman who only went because her husband wanted to, although she was afraid of not having solid earth under her feet, wanted to book her next cruise when she'd only been on the ship for 2 days!
Ah yes.... "You haven't lived until you've cruised."
Cheers!
Wendy
Wendy VanderMeulen
Travel Professionals International
Direct Tel: 613-282-0575
wendyv@tpi.ca
http://www.tpiwendy.ca/
Turns out, he wouldn't mind doing a "big ship" cruise but his wife is "afraid" of being confined to a ship. I explained that you aren't really confined when there is thousands of square feet of space to move around in, and islands to visit, and private balconies to enjoy. And if not being able to leave the ship whenever she wants is an issue, there are cruises available where the ship is in a port every day so she can be off the ship every day, all day long.
He just laughed and said, You need to talk to her, not me.
When people have never been on a cruise before, they really don't know what it is like. I have sent quite a few people on their first-time cruise and NOT ONE has come back saying they would never do it again. Even the woman who only went because her husband wanted to, although she was afraid of not having solid earth under her feet, wanted to book her next cruise when she'd only been on the ship for 2 days!
Ah yes.... "You haven't lived until you've cruised."
Cheers!
Wendy
Wendy VanderMeulen
Travel Professionals International
Direct Tel: 613-282-0575
wendyv@tpi.ca
http://www.tpiwendy.ca/
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Is it old age?
After a 4-day long weekend, I should be all geared up and ready for work. BUT - for those of you who know me, I have been having problems with my hands, recently, and I find it hard to concentrate on anything but my hands. They itch. They sting. They're dry. They're cracked. They have tiny little bumps all over (which are now creeping up my wrists and have even spread to my neck). Is this old age?
I have a doctor's appointment this afternoon at 3:30 and hopefully, she'll find my hands extreme enough that she can pull some strings to get me to see a dermatologist ASAP.
Maybe I just need ... oh, I don't know ... a long trip away? Retirement? Win the lottery? A cruise? Now, THERE's an idea! :-)
Cheers!
Wendy VanderMeulen
Travel Professionals International
http://www.tpiwendy.ca/
wendyv@tpi.ca
I have a doctor's appointment this afternoon at 3:30 and hopefully, she'll find my hands extreme enough that she can pull some strings to get me to see a dermatologist ASAP.
Maybe I just need ... oh, I don't know ... a long trip away? Retirement? Win the lottery? A cruise? Now, THERE's an idea! :-)
Cheers!
Wendy VanderMeulen
Travel Professionals International
http://www.tpiwendy.ca/
wendyv@tpi.ca
Friday, April 2, 2010
Next stop - Halifax, N.S.
I've been back from Niagara Falls for two days already. I DID make it to the American Falls (check my Facebook page for pictures and a short video www.facebook.com/wendy.vandermeulen). It was a cool day, when I walked down there, but it was great. On the American side, the Falls are part of a national park - very different from the Canadian side, which is very commercialized and "touristy".
The information centre on the American side was very interesting. Could have spent a lot of time there, reading about the history of the development of the Falls, and there was a film offered about people who "dared" the Falls. I didn't see that, but would have liked to. So, lots to do there. I think it would be very easy to spend a full day there. Take in the Canadian side, too, and you could easy spend a long weekend. What a great idea for a holiday!
Speaking of which, I just made arrangements for a family to stay at the Great Wolf Lodge in Niagara Falls, Ontario, later this spring. That looks like quite the place to stay! Check it out at http://www.greatwolf.com/niagara/waterpark and I'll be happy to help you with your arrangements.
MY next holiday will be to Halifax, Nova Scotia, the last week of July. I'm going down for the Canadian National Square & Round Dance Festival. We're taking 3 days to get there, driving along the south shore of the St. Lawrence, around the Gaspe Peninsula, and along the cost of New Brunswick, then across Nova Scotia to Halifax. Three days of dancing, and then a 2-day trip home. We've been to Halifax twice before, but this time it will be nice to do some touring as well. Looking forward to it!
I hope you're all enjoying this unseasonably-warm Easter weekend.
Wendy
Wendy VanderMeulen
Travel Professionals International
Direct Tel: 613-282-0575
http://www.tpiwendy.ca/
wendyv@tpi.ca
The information centre on the American side was very interesting. Could have spent a lot of time there, reading about the history of the development of the Falls, and there was a film offered about people who "dared" the Falls. I didn't see that, but would have liked to. So, lots to do there. I think it would be very easy to spend a full day there. Take in the Canadian side, too, and you could easy spend a long weekend. What a great idea for a holiday!
Speaking of which, I just made arrangements for a family to stay at the Great Wolf Lodge in Niagara Falls, Ontario, later this spring. That looks like quite the place to stay! Check it out at http://www.greatwolf.com/niagara/waterpark and I'll be happy to help you with your arrangements.
MY next holiday will be to Halifax, Nova Scotia, the last week of July. I'm going down for the Canadian National Square & Round Dance Festival. We're taking 3 days to get there, driving along the south shore of the St. Lawrence, around the Gaspe Peninsula, and along the cost of New Brunswick, then across Nova Scotia to Halifax. Three days of dancing, and then a 2-day trip home. We've been to Halifax twice before, but this time it will be nice to do some touring as well. Looking forward to it!
I hope you're all enjoying this unseasonably-warm Easter weekend.
Wendy
Wendy VanderMeulen
Travel Professionals International
Direct Tel: 613-282-0575
http://www.tpiwendy.ca/
wendyv@tpi.ca
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