Travel Industry – Evolving, Sophisticated and Under Appreciated Industry

The printed press and social media are full of headlines such as:” 9 Things Your Travel Agent Will Not Tell You,” “Useless Jobs,” “Travel Do it Yourself” or “How to be a Travel Hacker.” Furthermore, if you search the definition of a Travel Agency you will find information that says:”With general public access to the Internet, many airlines and other travel companies began to sell directly to passengers. As a consequence, airlines no longer needed to pay the commissions to travel agents on each ticket sold. Since 1997, travel agencies have gradually been disintermediated”(Cutting the middle man).Misconceptions including the belief that using a Travel Agency will cost clients more, or the infamous question, “Do travel agents still exist?” need to be addressed. Our labor of love has never been put to the test more than now, but was it always like this? Were Travel Agents always under-appreciated? Why? How is it that our 127-year-old industry is being placed in this modern-day situation?Here’s an interesting fact: The oldest known travel agency in the United States is Brownell Travel, founded on July 4, 1887. Mr. Walter T. Brownell led ten travelers on a European tour, setting sail from New York on the SS Devonia. Originally, travel catered only for upper class customers, but the post-war boom opened travel to the mass market, allowing everyone to look for convenient ways to go back to Europe for “the holidays.”I commend Mr. Brownell and his legacy, taking those early travel pioneers to the old continent. I also commend and congratulate the new owners for continuing their services today.Changes of the perception of Travel Agents, are clear shown in the contrast of messages, of 2 of our Presidents, we were particularly praised by President John F. Kennedy in 1963, and nowadays are considered irrelevant, even according to President Obama in a 2011 speech.Here is a transcript of their messages;In President John F. Kennedy’s own words:”It gives me great pleasure to extend my greetings to the American Society of travel agents on the occasion of its annual Congress. Your contributions to the furthering of peace and international understanding through the promotion and stimulation of worldwide travel are most heartening.The economic impact of your work has been beneficial for countries large and small. Your organization has been a vital instrument of expansion for the economies of countries undergoing post-war recovery and newly emerging nations.In our own country, it has provided one of the three main sources of income for 20 of our States, and, last but not least, through its efforts to encourage more people to visit the United States, it has positively and efficiently aided us in the amelioration of our balance of payments situation.The consistent increase in the number of visitors from overseas in the past two years reflects the efforts of your members in developing travel facilities at home and abroad for those who wish to visit the United States.Your continued service can be of invaluable assistance to our country in a future in which travel will play an increasingly crucial role.”Powerful words that make any Travel Agent feel proud to serve their country.In contrast, President Barack Obama’s own words in 2011:”One of the challenges in terms of rebuilding our economy is businesses have gotten so efficient that-when was the last time somebody went to a bank teller instead of using the ATM, or used a travel agent instead of just going online? A lot of jobs that used to be out there requiring people now have become automated.”Strong words that could make any Travel Agent feel devastated and feel purposeless in serving our country.The industry went through many changes, from the 60′s until now and the Travel agent, Professional Advisor, stand still loyal to their customers, regardless of the adversities, they continue being loyal to their clients, creating memories of a Lifetime.

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Need Auto Insurance? Find Out How Here

It is mandatory for all new car owners to get auto insurance. The Road Traffic Act stipulates that all motorists should be insured against liability and it declares driving a car without a minimum level of insurance is illegal. The violation can attract severe civil and criminal penalties. This can be easily avoided by securing a proper auto insurance cover for your vehicle as per your state’s demands. It is quite a simple process.Nowadays, there is so much dependence on vehicles that the best thing to do is to follow all stipulated guidelines religiously. Getting the right auto insurance cover is one of them.What Is Auto Insurance All About?Auto Insurance simply means a contract or an agreement between an auto owner and an insurance company. Under this contract, premium is paid to the insurer and in return he pays for any car related losses as detailed in the policy.Key Legal RequirementsIn order to get an insurance cover for your vehicle, you would need to fulfill the following requirements. It’s advisable to find out the requirements in your respective state since these may vary. However, these are the broad requirements for auto insurance.Firstly, you should be in possession of a valid driver’s license before you go in for registration or insuring your car. For your license you would need to approach your local DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles). This is the primary requirement.You will also need to have an auto title. It is a legal certificate of ownership that confirms that you own the car. Most of the paperwork is already done when you purchase a gar from a dealer. Licensed dealers are needed to transfer the title of the car in your name. The title will list the owner’s name, address, make of the car, model and year of the car and the date of sale. This should be retained by you.Next, you need to get your car registered. You can apply for registration at the local DMV. The requirements may vary from state to state. In order to register your vehicle, you will require a valid driving license, signed certificate of title for the car, address of residence and proof of your insurance.The law also stipulates that that a vehicle more than three years old should have a valid MOT certificate. It is not possible to tax a vehicle without MOT and certificate of insurance and driving without them is an offence.It is also vital to keep the insurance company informed in case of any vehicle modifications and fixed penalties. Failing to do so is an offense and may affect any claim that you make.You are also legally obliged to take the basic level of auto insurance that will cover you against third party claims. Since the legal requirements for auto insurance vary from state to state, you will need to clarify the level of cover that you require while taking auto insurance. Only insuring the legal minimum isn’t necessarily the best choice to make.As a proof of your auto insurance, the company issues you the following documents – A Certificate of insurance which will also be required for buying your road tax; A cover note that will act as a temporary policy and certificate until your new insurance policy has been set up; and Policy documents which gives a detail of all that you are covered for. Read the documents carefully to understand your rights and obligations under the policy.Insurance companies have set up claim help lines and accident emergency recovery hotlines for ensuring a smoother process. In case of any ambiguity in terms of insurance or legal requirements, get your doubts cleared by talking to the company.

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An Introduction to Auto Insurance Policies For One Who May Buy Auto Insurance

You require auto insurance just when you purchase a new car. Prior to processing application for registration of the car you are legally bound to buy some policy. It is also important for the rise in traffic and mishaps on the roads. A few suggestions submitted in the following lines may help you purchasing wisely enough.CoverageBefore purchasing a policy of general auto insurance you must learn about the extent of coverage you may get. Coverage may be provided simply for you and also for the passengers of your car. You should confirm if payment will be made for you alone or for the passengers plus members of your family if there is an accident. It is possible that your daughter or son may be on the driver’s seat during the accident. You should know how to act on this situation. You should learn answers to such questions before buying a policy.PoliciesAuto insurance companies provide several options of which you should select the best suitable one. You can select the right one if you have overall knowledge regarding policies. A few things are important. Among policies for liability insurance or third party insurance belongs to the lowest category. This policy involves lowest premium and damage is paid to the third party who has incurred losses by the accident of the insured car. The payable amount is fixed when you will purchase policy.Coverage for policies in comprehensive or full comprehensive insurance is greater than what it is in the third party insurance. Companies of auto insurance provide total coverage for you and also for the car. You will get repairing charges of the insured car if there is an accident. You may even get market price of the car if there is much greater repairing expense. An extra premium will be charged if you buy a policy of full comprehensive auto insurance.In the same way there are auto insurance policies like no fault coverage, medical pay and personal injury protection which have different conditions for coverage and premium. Personal injury protection policies are bound by the law of your state and you should verify this before a buy. Medical pay policies have coverage of entire medical spending necessitated by an accident or by collision of the insured car.No-fault coverage insurance policies provide coverage for all members of your family and your friends. Money for the damage is paid without considering whose fault it is. This insurance policy is enough to satisfy you.If you purchase policy of an uninsured/under-insured motorists’ coverage auto insurance it is possible for you to get coverage even if the man who is at his fault is insured/under-insured. Probably any additional amount will not be asked from you.Some companies have policies which provide additional coverage like reimbursement rental, expenses on towing and charges towards labors. You should verify this. This article is expected to help you selecting a good policy of auto insurance as per your requirement.

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