A Coastal Vacation Business Idea For The Home Based Travel Agent

Travel remains one of the most lucrative and competitive industries in the United States. Every year entrepreneurs seek a coastal vacation home business idea so that they can tap into this market. 

For many of these people becoming a home based travel agent fulfills a lifelong dream of owning a franchise. This gives them the ability to become their own boss.

Many who seek a coastal vacation home business idea target certain areas. Some want to sell vacations on the east coast, some prefer the west coast but others look at areas such as the Bahamas and the Caribbean. When a home based travel agent takes charge of his or her business, he or she chooses the territory want to sell. 

Research shows that families will travel anywhere that they feel offers great amenities at a great price. The market for cheap family vacation packages grows each year. A smart home based travel agent seeks a coastal vacation home business idea that caters to families. 

Starting a home based business requires sales and marketing skills. Many who look for a coastal vacation home business idea lack sales or marketing skills. A home based travel agent needs these skills to compete in the travel industry. 

Skills such as prospecting for new customers and closing sales often elude new business owners, leading to failure.

A coastal vacation call center provides a full-time sales force for those wanting a coastal vacation home business idea. A home based travel agent without a sales staff will face a difficult time, especially if they lack sales or marketing skills. The coastal vacation call center helps the home based travel agent succeed.

The entrepreneur may not realize the importance of sales when he or she searches for the coastal vacation home business idea. Customers do not seek out a home based travel agent, so the agent needs to show creativity and use all the tools available.

Placing a few ads in a newspaper or a phone book does often does not bring business to the travel agent’s door. Networking, either online or in person, allows the travel agent to meet important contacts. A sales force frees the home based travel agent from sales so the agent can network.

The fear of losing sales deters some who seek out a coastal vacation home business idea from using a coastal vacation call center. Coastal call center employees train to close sales, not to steal a customer from a home based travel agent. 

The coastal call center employee explains the package and gets the customer to sign on the dotted line, freeing up valuable time the home based travel agent uses to prospect for new customers.

A home based travel agent that does not take advantage of a coastal vacation call center dooms the business to fail. The help the travel agent receives from the call center with his or her coastal vacation home business idea ensures success. The travel agent will not find this kind of help from any other coastal vacation home business idea.

A Gap Year Working And Traveling In Oz

Gap years are becoming ever more popular with students finishing their A-levels, wishing to mark their new found independence with a jaunt into the unknown, before committing to university life or employment. Who can blame them? There are hundreds of countries across the globe calling out for exploration. Perhaps none more so than Australia, complete with its limitless sun, sea and surf, outstanding architecture, unconquerable wilderness and sheer massiveness. However, it is the very scale of Australia that makes it somewhat daunting for many would-be travellers. Seeing it all, or even a decent portion of what Australia has to offer, is simply impossible in the 3 months offered by a standard travel visa. Sure, you can apply for an extended travel visa but these are hard to come by and few are lucky enough to have the savings to be able to support themselves over such a long period of time. Fortunately there is an alternative.

Many gap-year students are now taking advantage of the working holiday maker visa. The United Kingdom is one of 23 countries with which Australia has a reciprocal relationship whereby residents of one country can travel to the other for a period of 12 months and supplement their travel funds with wages earned from temporary employment. To qualify for this special visa applicants must be aged 18 to 30 and single or married without children, it is fair to say that most gap-year students would meet these requirements. However, there are a number of more subjective conditions that may exclude some candidates, for example, you must show that you have a good chance of finding temporary work (experience working in a bar or as an outdoor-activity instructor may be helpful) and must also have a return ticket or prove that you have sufficient funds to purchase one. To check if you are likely to qualify for such a visa http://www.visas4australia.com may be worth a visit.

Even if you do qualify for the visa there are restrictions - you are only allowed to work for a single employer for a period of 3 months, this is to encourage travel and to ensure that you do not become too settled in a single place. Of course you could get around this restriction by accepting employment in the same area but with a different company, however, surely the whole reason for a gap year is to seek out new experiences, new people and new places.

So, let's assume that you qualify for a visa, what is there to do once you have reached Australia? Must see cities include; Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane, Cairns and, of course, the capital itself (in fact entirely built for this single purpose) - Canberra. Famous tourist attractions such as; Ayers Rock (or Uluru to give it its Aboriginal name), the Sydney Opera House and the Great Barrier Reef are also more than worth a visit. There is undoubtedly enough here to fill 12 months with unmitigated adventure and the experiences of several lifetimes.

Australia is amazing and the working holiday maker visa means gap year students can experience more of it for longer but, as always, it is important to be safe and plan your journeys carefully. Now that you know all you need to for an enjoyable gap year tip down-under, all that remains for me to say is: good luck, have fun and always remember to wear sun screen!

5 Ways To Choose The Best Travel Insurance For Your Holiday

Travel insurance is one of those areas that mean nothing to you until you decide to hit the road – or the air – then suddenly every ad is for travel insurance and everywhere you look another company is touting for your business. So how do you choose the best insurance company and the best travel insurance for your unique travelling needs?

5 Points To Consider

1.The cost of the policy could be more than what you pay

When reviewing the policy options never start with the price first. As with most things in life you get what you pay for and while you want to be sure to get the best value for your money, this does not necessarily mean the cheapest price. Comprehensive cover that delivers and supports in time of need is what you should be looking for.

2.What back up do you receive in an emergency?

Are you being sent on your world tour with a 9 to 5 Monday to Friday contact number or are you provided with fully comprehensive numbers providing 24/7 contact and support, reverse charge options and 0800 numbers.

3.What is included as standard in your policy

Some companies come in with a low rate and then charge extra for every doorknob eventually leading to over inflated cover. Go through the company’s policy offerings to be sure exactly what you are covered for. The range should be extensive as the company should know and have addressed a range of pitfalls you may not have thought of.

4.Who underwrites and supports the company

Establish who your support company will be should you face a medical emergency or the need for evacuation. Most companies do not handle these highly specialised areas themselves but have aligned themselves with skilled and experienced worldwide organisations to ensure the best possible protection and support for their customers.

5.Does the company cater for varying needs?

Does the company provide a one size fits all policy? Beware, you may be paying for cover you don’t need or be under insured in some critical areas. Look for a company which provides a range of covers including NZ only travel policies, backpacker, group or duo options, long stay, one way or gap insurance and more.

Vacation with a savings – Hotels Etc.

Planning your summer vacation can be very time consuming when searching for the best vacation savings. This is why travel clubs are making a strong comeback.

Source: Vacation with a savings – Hotels Etc.