Change with us

11-april-gracia-photoWe all should have someone whom we can rely on to take care of our holidays, the way we trust (our hairstylist, personal trainer or financial advisor)…We turn to them because they take interest in who we are.

Just like travel agencies, traditional media companies have been disrupted by the Internet, and those that don’t stay relevant may die. In many ways, similar predictions have been levelled at us. People said newspapers would die, but they haven’t. We haven’t. Nonetheless, we’re not sitting here twiddling our thumbs.

While we curate an overwhelming amount of ‘news’ to give you the most original, up-to-date stories on www.ttgasia.com, you will see in TTG Asia from now on a news magazine that focuses on trends/issues, case studies, intelligence, destination ideas and incisive commentaries. As part of our 40thanniversary, we’re also unveiling new looks and stronger content for a number of other publications, as well as launching several initiatives such as Roomonger, a B2B e-commerce portal.

Since we’re celebrating 40 years of championing the travel trade, allow me to share a wish as a customer: I hope to see more travel agencies selling their consultancy services.

The idea of charging for proposals has been toyed with among DMCs but few have been brave enough to actually do so (read more here). In the same vein, outbound operators have some thinking to do too.

None of the friends I know (I’m a Millennial) have a go-to travel consultant the way they have a go-to hairstylist, personal trainer or financial advisor. I’m saying we all should have someone whom we can rely on to take care of our holidays, the way we trust someone to give us a new hairstyle, improve our fitness levels or grow our hard-earned money. We turn to them because they take interest in who we are, try to understand our preferences, have a proven track record of success, and we don’t mind paying them for these services.

While planning a recent family holiday to Taiwan, we opted for free-and-easy as it seemed impossible to follow a group tour schedule with a nine-month-old in tow whose eating/sleeping/waking times are not predictable. I blew precious hours comparing prices online, researching blogs and compiling tips from friends. What I needed was someone to recommend the best time of the day to fly with a baby, the most child-friendly airline, the most suitable serviced apartment…but this had to be someone who knew me and who would be charging a fair fee, not an arm and a leg.

There are many levels of service a travel consultant can provide, ranging from simply recommending must-try restaurants and must-see sights to drawing up a day-by-day itinerary to all of the above plus arranging door-to-door transfers and executing bookings. Not everyone requires the same degree of help in travel planning. Customisation also shouldn’t necessarily equate to a hefty price tag. It is about what you can bring to the table and how you can charge for it.

It is with this in mind that we present you our latest revamp, an in-depth magazine packed with tips, ideas, inspirations for you to stay relevant and in business for many years to come. Let’s grow further together.

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